IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR REAPING AND MOWING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR REAPING
AND MOWING."-A communication from William H. Hovey.
Sealed the 24th December 1856, and dated the 22nd July 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd July 1856.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
5 in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR REAPING
AND MOWING," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in reaping and mowing
machinery whereby the clogging of the cutting apparatus is prevented, the
O replacing of single knives or cutters on the cutter bar is facilitated, and an
intermittent discharge of the cut grain laterally from the platform is effected
by self-acting machinery.
To prevent the clogging, the cutter bar which covers the finger bar is pro-
vided at its under side with a lip which overlaps the front edge of the finger
5 bar, and forms with it a close joint that will not permit of grass or straw

page_text: working in between the two bars. To prevent the driving wheel taking up
the stubble or other substance as it traverses the field, its inner periphery is
provided with cam projections instead of cog teeth for giving motion to the
cutter bar; these cam projections actuate a rock lever armed with friction
bowles, and through that lever (by means of a bell crank lever) a recipro-
cating motion is transmitted to the cutter bar. The cutters or knives are
secured to the bar by a sort of bayonet joint; they are shaped so as to drop
on to the bar between fixed studs, and at their rear end they bear against a
straight rib or square projection on the bar. A metal lath, slotted to corre-
spond to the series of studs, is dropped over the studs when the knives are in
place, and a slight endway motion being given to it the narrow part of the
slots slide under the heads of the studs, and thereby secures the knives firmly
in their place. The gathering up of the corn on the platform, and the dis-
charging of it in given quantities to form a sheaf, is effected by a travelling
rake, the tines of which project upwards through the parallel bars of the
platform, and in moving forward collect the corn and push it to one side of
the platform where a swinging gate is situate. The traversing rake, as it moves
forward, brings with it a finger which strikes against an arm on the axle of a
rock shaft that actuates a system of jointed levers, causing them to rise from
the platform and tip the advancing corn off the platform. A pin from the
arm of this rock shaft operates through a slotted arm a rock shaft that carries
the swinging gate, and thus opens that gate to permit of the discharge of the
corn. This operation having been effected the traversing rake then falls below
the platform bars and travels back to its starting position, the jointed levers
descend, and the swinging gate is closed as before. Motion is communicated
from the driving wheel to these several parts by means of a cam on the
driving wheel shaft actuating a rock lever connected at its free end to an end-
less chain; this chain passes over pullies mounted in a standard carried by
the platform frame. On the axle of the lower pulley, which axle passes under
the discharging side of the platform, is a second chain pulley, the endless
chain of which extends to the opposite side of the platform, and passes over
a fourth chain pulley; this end! chain is attached to the travelling rake
head, and by the reciprocating action of this chain the traverse motion is
obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22d January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand-eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR REAPING AND MOWING," being a communication
from William H. Hovey, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, relates,
firstly, to a peculiar construction of sickle for reaping and mowing machines,
by the use of which the tendency of such machines to choke or clog when in
operation is removed:
Secondly, to an improved mode of attaching the knives or teeth of the
sickle to the sickle bar of harvesting machines, the object being to facilitate
their removal and replacement when they are blunted or broken by use.
Thirdly, to the employment of a traversing rake and a swinging rake in

page_text: combination, for gathering up and discharging the cut produce from the
platform.
In Sheet I. of the Drawings the first head of the Invention is shewn in
several views; Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a reaping machine
with the improved sickle applied thereto, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the
same; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the finger bar and sickle taken in the
line x, x, of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the fingers. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A represents the main frame of the machine, in which frame the driving
wheel B is. mounted; C is the finger bar attached to the back end of the
main frame A; D is a frame, to the inner end of the side pieces of which the
finger bar is attached by hinges or joints a, a, as shewn clearly in Fig. 2.
The frame D is of a rectangular form, and its outer end is supported by.
wheels E, E, one at each side. In the front end of the main frame A, the
driving wheel B has its bearings; F is a lever, the lower end of which is
attached to a small shaft b; secured to the under side of the main frame A,
and to the opposite end of the shaft to that to which the lever F is attached,
there is secured an arm G, having a wheel H at its outer end. The outer end
of the lever F passes through a guide I, which is perforated with holes c, in
either of which a pin d fits, for the purpose of holding the outer end of the
lever F at any desired height.
This arrangement admits of the height of the sickle being readily adjusted
according to the nature of the ground and the crop upon it. On the inner
periphery of the driving wheel B are projections e, against which the bowles f,
carried by a rock lever J fitted within the frame A, act. The upper end of
this rock lever has a link g attached to it, and this link is attached to one arm
of a bell crank lever K, which works on a pivot or bolt h as a fulcrum. The
other arm of the bell crank lever K, has a spherical termination i, which fits
in a socket L on the inner end of the sickle bar M, and thus, by the rotation
of the wheel B, a reciprocating action is imparted to the sickle bar. N repre-
sents the fingers which are bolted to the under side of the finger bar C; the
fingers are slotted longitudinally in order to admit the sickle teeth j, which
work back and forth in the slots, and the portions of the fingers above the
sickle teeth are transversely of triangular form, the lower edges being cutting
edges. The sickle teeth j are attached to the sickle bar M, which is fitted
directly over the finger bar C, covering it entirely as shewn clearly in Fig. 3.
The front end of the sickle bar is provided with a lip k, which rests upon
ledges l, on the fingers N, just in the rear of the slots (see Figures 1, 3, 3*,
and 4). The front end of the finger bar C has a vertical lip or ledge m,

page_text: upon it, which lip lies directly in the rear of the lip or projection k, on the
sickle bar (see Fig. 3).
In consequence of the sickle bar M covering entirely the finger bar C no
stationary surface is presented for the cut grass or grain to rest or lodge upon,
it will, therefore, as soon as it is cut be shaken from the sickle bar. The
choking or clogging of the sickle is often occasioned by the cut grass or grain
lodging upon some stationary part of the machine, such as the finger bar or a
stationary covering placed over it, and when in that position being caught by
the sickle teeth, and cut and recut many times. By the present improvement,
however, this difficulty is avoided. The lips or projections m, k, at the front
ends of the finger and sickle bars, form a close joint, and prevent the grass
from working underneath or between the finger and sickle bars, and the lower
end of the lip or projection k, resting upon the ledges on the fingers, causes
the sickle to work with but little friction, the sickle and cutter bars not being
in contact. It should be stated that the lever F, besides holding the sickle at
any desired height from the ground, so as to cut the grass or grain nearer to
or further from the surface of the ground, enables the driver (by merely raising
the outer end of the lever) to raise the sickle and finger bar instantly, so that
they will pass over any obstruction in the path of the machine. When cutting
grain
a platform is attached to the frame D, to receive the cut produce.
Under this head of the Invention I claim providing the front ends of the
finger and sickle bars with lips or projections m, k, arranged as shown, the lip
or projection k bearing upon ledges on the fingers, substantially as shewn
and described for the purpose specified.
The improved mode of attaching the knives or teeth to the sickle bar is
shewn in Sheet II. of the Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan or top view of
a portion of the sickle of a reaper; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same
taken at the line x, x, (Fig. 1); and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken in
the line y, y, of Fig. 1.
A, represents a portion of a sickle bar, and a, a, pins attached to the bar at
equal distances apart, and in a line extending the whole length of the bar.
These pins a may be screwed into the bar, or they may be secured to it by
rivetting their lower ends on the under side of the bar. They have annular
grooves cut in them, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3. The spaces between
the pins a, from centre to centre, are equal to the width of the inner ends or
widest part of the sickle teeth. B, represents the knives or sickle teeth
which are of triangular or saw-tooth form at the cutting part. They have
semicircular recesses c at each side, to permit of the teeth fitting between the
pins a, and when thus fitted the square sides of the teeth will be in contact or

page_text: butt against each other as plainly shewn at Fig. 1. To the sickle bar A, on
its upper surface, there is attached a longitudinal bar C, against the front edge
of which the rear ends of the teeth B bear. D. represents a plate which has
holes d made through it at equal distances apart, corresponding in size and
arrangement with the pins a; the holes d in the plate are elongated at e, the
width of the elongation or slot being equal to the smallest diameter of the
pins a. The plate D is fitted upon or over the teeth B, by allowing the pins a
to pass through the holes d, and then sliding the plate, endwise till the pins a
are locked in the slots e. The pins a, and the bar C, prevent the teeth B from
moving or working laterally, and the plate D when secured upon the teeth as
shewn, prevents any vertical play or vibration of the teeth, the teeth conse-
quently are firmly secured to the sickle bar. At the same time any one of the
teeth may be readily detached in case of its getting broken, and replaced by a
fresh tooth without the aid of a mechanic.
Under this head of the Invention I claim attaching the teeth B to the
sickle bar A, by means of the grooved pins a, and bar C, and the slotted
plate D, substantially as herein shewn and described.
The improved arrangement of apparatus for gathering up the cut produce
from the platform of the reaper, and discharging it therefrom on to the ground,
is also shewn in Sheet II. of the Drawings; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional
elevation of a reaper with the improvement applied thereto, the section being
taken in the line a, a, of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same; and
Fig. 6 is a back view of the platform. A (Figures 4 and 5) represents the
main frame of the machine, in which the driving wheel B is placed, and C
the platform, which is attached by a joint or hinge a to the back end of the
main frame; D is the sickle, which is driven by a bell crank lever E, con-
nected by a link b with a rock lever F operating by projections c, on the inner.
periphery of the driving wheel B, as explained with reference to Sheet I.
The platform C is formed of slats d, placed at suitable distances apart so as to
allow of spaces e between them, for the reception of the tines or teeth of a
rake D¹, which works underneath the platform. This rake is provided with
curved teeth f, which are secured in a head E, carried by blocks g, g, attached
to opposite ends of a bar F', which works in guides underneath the platform.
To one end of the head E, a weighted arm G is attached, and a catch bar II
is attached to the block g at the back of the platform, which catch bar has a
spring bearing against its under side. A catch i is also attached to the
block g, as shewn clearly in Figures 5 and 6. I is a swinging rake, the head J
of which has two sets of teeth j, k, attached to it; the teeth are of a
curved form, but the teeth k are straight, the two sets of teeth forming an

page_text: angle of about forty-five degrees with each other (see Fig. 6). The head J
of this rake is fitted in proper bearings 1,1, in the upper ends of uprights m, m,
which are attached to inner ends of the platform C, and the lower ends of the
teeth k, have a bar n attached to them, which bar just clears the end of the
platform. One end of the head J has a right angled or bent lever K attached
to it, provided with a weight o at the end of its upper arm; the lower arm is
slotted, and a pin p at the upper end of a lever L, fits in the slot. The lever
L works on a pivot q, attached to one of the uprights m, and this pivot passés
through the centre of the lever L; the lower end of the lever L has a pin r
attached to it; M is a catch which works on a pivot s, at the back side of the
-platform, and directly below the lever L; the catch M-holds up the weight o
and keeps the teeth k of the rake I in a vertical position. The weighted
arm G keeps the teeth f of the rake D' in a horizontal position below the
slats d. N, N, are chains or cords attached at one end to the bar F¹; one
chain passes around a pulley t, underneath the outer end of the platform, and
both chains pass around pulleys u, u, under the inner end of the platform.
The opposite ends of the chains or cords are attached to pulleys O, O, mounted
in the main frame A. These pulleys have each a pinion v, on their inner
sides, both of which are shewn in Fig. 1. On the axle of the driving wheel B,
there is placed loosely a wheel P, which has teeth won a portion of its outer
periphery, and teeth y on a portion of its inner periphery; these teeth gear
respectively into the pinions v, one pinion being in gear while the other
is out of gear, or the pinions may be described as gearing alternately into the
teeth w, y.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-As the machine is drawn
along, the rake D' is moved back to the outer end of the platform, in conse-
quence of the teeth won the outer periphery of the wheel P gearing into the
pinion on the lower pulley O, the teeth f of the rake D' being kept in a hori-
zontal position below the platform by means of the weighted arm G. When
the rake D¹ reaches the outer end of the platform its teeth are elevated above
the slats d, by an incline z attached to that part of the platform, and they are
held in an elevated position by the catch bar H, which fits over a projection
on the end of the head E; the teeth won the wheel P leave the lower
pinion v, at this point or position of the rake, and the teeth y of the inner
periphery of the wheel P gear into the upper pinion v, and the rake D¹ is
moved from the outer to the inner end of the platform C, and the cut grain
upon the platform is raked up against the teeth kc, and underneath the teeth j,
of the rake I. As the rake D¹ takes the position requisite to effect this
object, the catch i acts upon the catch M, and throws it free from the lower

page_text: end of the lever L, and when the rake returns the catch i will draw back the
lower end of the lever L, the catch i drawing upon the pin r, the rake I, will
now be turned, and the teeth j caused to throw the cut grain from the plat-
form. As soon as the pin r is freed from the catch i, the rake I will be
returned to its orignal position by means of the weight o.
I would remark that I am aware that a traversing rake D¹, working
through a slotted platform, has been previously used, I do not, therefore, claim
the rake when taken separately; but what I claim under the third head of
the Invention is, the swinging rake I, in combination with the traversing
rake D', when the rakes are used in connection with the device for operating
the rake I, formed as shewn, viz, the catch M, lever L, with pin p attached,
weighted arm K, and the catch bar H attached to the rake D¹, whereby the
required movements are given at the desired time to the rake I as described.
Second, I claim operating the traversing rake D¹, by means of the chains
or cords N, N, actuated by the pulleys O, O, which receive a reciprocating
axial motion as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)