AN IMPROVEMENT IN OR ADDITION TO REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Burgess, of the firm of Burgess and Key,
of Newgate Street, in the City of London, Agricultural Engineers, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN OR ADDITION TO REAPING AND
MOWING MACHINES."
Scaled the 26th January 1855, and dated the 16th August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Burgess at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
August 1854.
I, WILLIAM BURGESS, of the firm of Burgess and Key, of Newgate Street,
in the City of London, Agricultural Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN OR ADDITION TO REAPING AND
MOWING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the employment or adaptation of one or more
archimedean screws to the platform or other convenient part of reaping and
mowing machines, for the purpose of delivering the cut crop to the side of tho
machine. And in some cases I propose to fix the screw or screws to the fore
parts of the machine, for the purpose of directing the standing crop to the
cutting blades.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawing shews a mode of applying archimedean
serews to the platform of a reaping and mowing machine, for the purpose of

page_text: delivering the cut crop to the side of the machine. A is the platform, and
B, B', B', are the screws. The screw B is driven by a strap C, from a rigger
on, or driven by some running part of the machine. The screw B¹ receives
motion from the screw B by a strap C', and the screw B³ is worked by another
strap C from the screw B. I do not confine myself to the use of three screws,
nor to the mode of driving them, which I have described.
Figure 2 shews a mode of applying screws to the fore part of the machine
for the purpose of directing the standing crops to the cutting blades. D, D,
are a series of screws which project forward over the front of the platform.
These are driven by bevil wheels E, E, on the axis F, which work into similar
wheels on the shafts of the screws. G is a screw, which I propose to employ
instead of a reel or gatherer, for laying the standing crops on to the cutting
blades. I do not confine myself to the arrangement of the screws in the
manner shewn, nor to the fórnis shewn, nor to the employment of all of them
combined in one machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Burgess in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BURGESS, of the firm of Burgess and Key, of Newgate Street, in the City of
London, Agricultural Engineers, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Burgess, Ier special licence that I, the said William
Burgess, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Burgess, 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 "AN IMPROVE-
LENT IN OR ADDITION TO REAPING AND BIOWING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Burgess, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, 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 William Burgess, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that
is to say:
My Invention consists in the employment or adaptation of one or more
archimedean screws to the platform or other convenient part of reaping and
mowing machines, for the purpose of delivering the cut crop to the side of the
machine or to remove it therefrom, motion being communicated to such
screws from some running part or parts of such machines. In the Drawings
annexed I have shewn screws so fitted as to deliver the cut crop to the side of
the machine.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed is a sido elevation, and Figure 2a
plan, of a reaping machine, to the platform of which three archimedean screws
A, A1, A2, are fitted. B, B, are side frames, bolted or otherwise fastened to
the platform, in which side frames are bearings for the axes of the screws.
The screw A is driven by a strap from a rigger C, affixed on or driven by
some running part of the machine. The screw A¹ receives motion from a
band and rigger D, mounted on the axis of the screw A, while the screw A²
receives motion from a band which works over a rigger E, mounted on its
axis, and over the rigger D. On the shaft of the screw A, I fit a conical
guard F, for the purpose of keeping the cut crop clear of the gear of the
machine. On the reaper being set to work, the crop will be directed on
to the platform by the reel, when the screws will deliver it off from tho
machine.
Although I have shewn the platform provided with three screws, I do not
limit myself to that number, as circumstances may render it desirable to use
more or less; neither do I confine myself to the mode of setting the screws
in motion, so long as such motion is communicated from some running part or
parts of the machine.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ment in or addition to reaping and mowing machines, the constructing of
such machines with one or more archimielean screws fitted thereto, for the

page_text: purpose of delivering the cut crop off such machines, whether driven by some
running part or parts of such machines by means of one or more straps, bands,
or other suitable agents, or otherwise.
In witness wliereof, I, the said William Burgess, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
WM BURGESS. (L.S.)