IMPROVEMENTS IN BEAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McIntyre Cranston, of 77, Upper Thames.
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BEAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by
Walter Abbott Wood, residing at Hoosick Fall, New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 15th November 1867, and dated the 20th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William McIntyre Cranston
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th May 1867.
1, WILLIAM M'INTYBE CRANSTON, of 77, Upper Thames Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to improve the cutting apparatus of reaping
and mowing machines to enable them to cut closer to the ground and also to
cut the crop below the horizontal bar which carries the fingers and knife of
the cutting apparatus in order that the top of the uncut stubble shall not
come in contact with the under side of the bar, or not to such an extent as
heretofore, and thus friction is avoided. For this purpose the fingers are
bolted at intervals to the under side of the horizontal bar, whilst on the upper:
side of this bar is carried the bar to which the knives are attached, as is
usual; but in place of the knives being parallel with the finger bar as here-

page_text: tofore, I cause them to incline downwards at an angle so that their points shall
come below and cut the crop on the under side of this bar; the slots in the
points of the fingers through which the knife works are similarly sloped
downwards. The bar to which the knives are attached I arrange to work to
and fro in slots formed in guide pieces bolted at intervals to the top of the
bar carrying the fingers, but if preferred the under side of the knife bar may
rest on the top of the bar carrying the fingers and be held down thereto by
holders bolted at intervals to the top of the bar as heretofore..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of. the. Letters Patent, filed
by the said William M'Intyre Cranston in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MCINTYRE CRANSTON, of 77, Upper Thames. Street, in the City of' London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most, Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give.. and. grant. unto
me, the said William McIntyre Cranston, Her special licence that I, the said
William McIntyre Cranston, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William M'Intyre Cranston, 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: "IMPROVEMENTS. IN' REAPING AND. MOWING. MACHINES," a communication, to
me from. abroad by, Walter Abbott Wood,, a person: resident at Hoosick Fall,.
New York, United States of America, upon; the condition (amongst others)
that, I, the said William M.Intyre Cranston,, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my,, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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! William M'Intyre Cranston, do, hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object to improve the cutting apparatus of
reaping and mowing machines to enable them to cut closer to the ground
and also to cut the crop below the horizontal bar which carries the fingers
and knife of the cutting apparatus in order that the top of the uncut stubble
shall not come in contact with the under side of the bar, or not to such an
extent as heretofore, and thus friction is avoided. For this purpose the
fingers are bolted at intervals to the under side of the horizontal bar, whilst
on the upper side of this bar is carried the bar to which the knives are
attached as is usual; but in place of the knives being parallel with the finger
bar as heretofore, I cause them to incline downwards at an angle so that
their points shall come below and cut the crop on the under side of this bar;
the slots in the points of the fingers through which the knife works are
similarly sloped downwards.
The manner in which I prefer to carry out the Invention is shewn in the
Drawing hereunto annexed.
The Drawing shews a sectional view taken through the knife and one of
the guard fingers. A is the guard finger bar having the guard fingers
B bolted at intervals to its under side as is usual; D is the knife bar
resting on an inclined surface at the end of the guard finger bar; this
bar has a to and fro reciprocating motion imparted to it in the ordinary
manner; C is one of the knives or cutting blades attached. to the knife bar
and inclined downwards as shown, the slots B¹ in the fingers being also
similarly inclined downwards; E is one of the knife holders or guides which
are bolted at intervals to the top of the knife bar; F is a through bolt, by
which the guard finger B and guide E are fixed to the guard finger bar.
By constructing the cutting apparatus of reaping and mowing machines
with the knives or cutting blades inclining downwards as above described the
points of the knives will cut the stubble on the under side of the guard finger
bar A, as shown by the red line G in place of as heretofore cutting the stubble
on the line H or parallel with the top of the cutter bar.
In witness whereof, I, the said William M°Intyre Cranston, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WM M CRANSTON G