Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
We, ORSON MORRIS, Promoter, JAMES GROUTAGE, Coal Miner, and JAMES HUNTER,
Jr., Gas Watchman, all of Red Canon, County of Uinta, State of Wyoming, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mowing machines,
and the object is to simplify the construction and improve the efficiency of the
machine.
To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination and..
arrangement of the same as will be hereinafter more fully described and
particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate the same
parts of the invention.
Figure 1 is a top plan view of our improved mowing machine;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, showing the cutter-bar elevated ;
Figure 4 is a detail of one end of the pitman; and
Figure 5 is a detail of the connecting rod.
1 represents the cast frame in which the cylindrical axle 2 is journaled, and 3–3
represent the drive wheels fixed on the outer ends of the axle, or one of said wheels,
may be loosely mounted on the axle, to facilitate turning curves.
4 represents a spur-gear keyed on the axle, which meshes with a pinion 5 fixed on
the counter-shaft 6, which carries a spur-gear 7, meshing with a pinion 8 formed
integral with the spur-gear 9, and loosely journaled on the axle. This spur gear 9 in
turn meshes with the pinion 10 fixed on one end of the crank-shaft 11, journaled in
the frame parallel with the axle, and the opposite end of said crank-shaft carries a
crank-wheel 12 provided with a crank-pin 13, the outer end of which terminates in a
ball-bearing head 14.
15 represents the pitman, its inner threaded end being adjustably secured in the
coupling 16 by means of the nuts 17-17 and the lock-nuts 18-18.
The inner or opposite faces 19 of the nuts 17, 17 are convex in form, to snugly fit
the corresponding concave sockets 20, in the coupling 16, to permit this end of the
pitman to turn on its axis in the coupling. The opposite end of the coupling 16 is
bifurcated and terminates in two parallel arms 21, 21, formed with concave
recesses 22-22 in their inner faces, which form a bearing for the ball-bearing
head 14 of the crank-pin 13, and they are adjustable with reference to said crank-pin
by means of the transverse bolts 23-23.
:
24 and 25 represent integral arms extending forwardly, downwardly and laterally
from the frame 1. Located between these arms and pivoted thereto is the main
shoe 26 carrying the finger-bar 28.
30 represents the sickle-bar having the usual reciprocating movement in the
finger-bar, and its inner end is provided with a right-angular stud 31, terminating in

page_text: a spherical head 32, which receives the outer end of the connecting rod 33, formed
with a shell or socket 34,, which snugly encompasses said head 32 to form a limited
ball-and-socket joint. The opposite end of the said connecting rod 33 also terminates
in a socket 35, which encompasses the spherical head 36 of the bell-crank lever 37,
fulcrumed on the stud 38 fixed in the shoe 26.
The opposite arm of this bell-crank lever also terminates in a spherical head 39,
which secures the encompassing socket 40 on the outer end of the pitman 15, so that
the rotary movement of the crank-shaft 11 imparts a reciprocating motion to the
sickle-bar.
'
41 represents the draft pole or tongue extending rearwardly between the guide
flanges 42-42, and its rear end is secured to a bolt 43 fixed in the arms 44-44
formed integral with the frame 1.
45 represents a brace-lever fulcrumed on a bolt 46 fixed in the pole 41, and from
one end of this lever a brace-rod 47 extends to the arm 24 of the frame, and from the
opposite end of said lever a corresponding brace-rod 48, provided with a turn-
buckle 49, extends to the main shoe 26 to preserve the alignment and prevent the
finger-bar sagging backward.
50 represents a diagonal brace extending from the arm 25 to the front end of
the frame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
A
1. In a mowing machine, the combination with the main supporting frame and cutting
mechanism, the driving mechanism and a connection between the driving mechanism
and the cutting mechanism, said connection comprising a pitman the rearward end of
which is screw-threaded, a coupling consisting of a block having at one end a longitu-
dinal central aperture to receive the pitman and allow it to rotate therein and prevent
other movement thereof, the end walls of said longitudinal aperture being counter-
sunk, nuts located upon said pitman and having rounded heads to fit the countersinks
to afford an axial bearing for the pitman, set nuts for locking the aforesaid nuts
against longitudinal movement, thereby preventing swinging or lateral movement of
the pitman with respect to the block, and means carried by the other end of the
block for securing it to the driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.
2: In a mowing machine, the combination with the main supporting frame and
cutting mechanism, the driving mechanisin and a connection between the driving
mechanism and the cutting mechanism, said connection comprising a pitman the
rearward end of which is screw-threaded, a coupling consisting of a block having at
one end a longitudinal central aperture to receive the pitman and allow it to rotate
therein and prevent other movement thereof, the end walls of said longitudinal
aperture being countersunk, nuts located upon said pitman and having rounded
heads to fit the countersinks to afford an axial bearing for the pitman, set nuts for
locking the aforesaid nuts against longitudinal movement of the pitman with respect
to the block, said block being bifurcated at its opposite end to form clamping jaws,
and bolts and nuts for clamping said jaws to a part of the driving mechanism,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of April 1898.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.