Improvements in and Connected with Lawn Edge or Verge Mowers, Cutters, or Olippers.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1887
Complete Left, 12th Mar., 1888
•Complete Accepted, 13th July, 1888.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Lawn Edge or Verge Mowers,
Cutters, or Olippers.
We, WILLIAM TIMMS, of 42 Hume Terrace, Yarm Road, Darlington, Durham,
Engineer, and ROBERT BARCLAY THOMSON, of 6 West Nile Street, Glasgow, Lanark-
shire, Seed Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of mower for
cutting or clipping off the edge or verge of grass lawn on walks or roadways, or
arrangement and combination of the mechanical parts thereof; and which might be
added to ordinary lawn mowers which mow or cut the grass horizontally parallel to
the surface of the ground. And which improvements will cut the grass at the edges
or verges of the lawn much more regularly than by the clippers and other cutters
heretofore used for that purpose.
The invention, or improvements thereof, consist all as follows:-In mounting to a
light open bow frame, with central cross pushing or drawing handle much similar to
the ordinary small class of lawn mowers, a small rotating cylinder or barrel, preferably
of the open barred construction used in mowers for running on the grass lawn,
carrying the main weight of the machine so that it drives the cutting and other
moving parts through wheel gearing, as will hereinafter.be explained. This rotating
actuating barrel is mounted to revolve loose on a fixed axle or spindle secured in the
ends of the said bow arm, with setting up nuts for securing the loose cylinder in
proper position to the transmitting mechanism, which it drives by a small bevel wheel
secured on its one end, gearing into a corresponding wheel on a short vertical spindle
revolving in a hollow journal boss formed in the fixed axle carrying the said driving
cylinder. Near the outer end of this axle another hollow boss is formed parallel to
the journal boss, for receiving and carrying the stern of a knee bracket, with pinching
screws for setting it up or down; this bracket consisting of a thin bar secured
vertically below the fixed axle, so that it carries the footstep journal of the said
vertical spindle. The lower part of this vertical spindle has mounted on it an open
cutting cylinder with spiral knives, equivalent to those of a lawn mower but shorter,

page_text: and rotating up against the front sharp edge of a fixed vertical knife or blade cutter
placed tangentially rather behind the rotating spiral cutters. The lower end of this
cutting blade is fixed to the said cross bar, or a lateral continuation of it, carrying
the footstep bearing of the spiral cutting barrel, and the upper end is attached to a
cross bar or bow secured to the said fixed axis, or it might be a collar ring sunk in a
groove in the end circumference of the horizontal driving barrel; which lower lateral
arms and upper cross bar might also be made to carry the lower and upper journal
bearings of one or two loose vertical guide rollers, one in advance of the vertical
cutting blade, so as to guide it and the vertical cutting edges of the spiral cutters
parallel to the verge or edge of the lawn or walk, so as to cut the protruding grass
smooth and in a line with the lawn and walk. A portable or removable receptacle
would be fitted in the rear of these cutters, secured to the cross arm or bracket,
carrying the lower journal of the cutting barrel of the scroll knives under the bow
arm, to receive and retain all the loose cut grass, and prevent it from being scattered
on the ground.
Although the spindle with the cutting spiral barrel has been described as rotated in
its bearings by the bevel wheel fitted to it by a groove and feather, yet the small
cutting barrel might be mounted on a hollow tube and made to rotate loose on a
fixed vertical spindle by the bevel wheel being secured to it; and in this case, the
interior of the tube might be made to contain oil and lubricate itself when this
arrangement is preferred.
Instead of mounting the vertical spindle carrying the scroll or spiral cutter or
cylinder in a footstep in the knee bracket, it may be mounted and overhung on a
universal or equivalent joint on the horizontal fixed axle of the driving cylinder, so as
to be swivelled or raised and lowered and set to any angle desired; in which case the
knee bracket and its fittings may be dispensed with.
It will be easily understood that this vertical scroll cutter or cylinder, and its
carrying fittings, may be so mounted to the one outer end of an ordinary mower as
to be swivelled down when required for use, and so enable the mower to cut the edges
at the same time as it was mowing the horizontal surface of the lawn, and be raised
out of action again when not required.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Lawn Edge or Verge Mowers,
Cutters, or Clippers.
We WILLIAM TIMMS of 42 Hume Terrace, Yarm Road, Darlington, Durhamshire
Engineer, and ROBERT BARCLAY THOMSON of 6 West Nile Street, Glasgow, Lanark-
shire, Seed Merchant, 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 :—
This Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of mower for
cutting or clipping off the edge or verge of grass lawn on walks or roadways or
arrangement and combination of the mechanical parts thereof; and which might be
added to ordinary lawn mowers which mow or cut the grass horizontally parallel to
the surface of the ground. And which improvements will cut the grass at the edges or
verges of the lawn much more regularly than by the clippers and other cutters
horetofore used for that purpose.
The invention or improvements thereof, consist all as follows;-In mounting to a
light open bow frame A F with central cross pushing or drawing handle much similar
to the ordinary small class of lawn mowers, a small rotating cylinder or barrel B,
preferably of the open barred construction used in mowers for running on the grass
lawn, carrying the main weight of the machine so that it drives the cutting and other
moving parts through wheel gearing D. C. as will herein-after be explained. This
rotating actuating barrel B. is mounted to revolve loose on a fixed axle or spindle
secured in the ends of the said bow arm with setting up nuts for securing the
loose cylinder in proper position to the transmitting mechanism which it drives by
means of pawls I which are fitted to the end of the loose cylinder B and clutch
the teeth of a ratchet wheel cast on the back of the bevel wheel C which in turn
transmits the motion to the bevel wheel D which gears into a small pinion attached
to a short vertical spindle E revolving in a hollow journal boss formed in the fixed
axle carrying the said driving cylinder. Near the outer end of this axle another
hollow boss is formed parallel to the journal boss for receiving and carrying the stem
of a knee bracket with pinching screws for setting it up or down, this bracket consist-
ing of a thin bar secured vertically below the fixed axle. The lower part of this
vertical spindle E has mounted on it an open cutting cylinder G with spiral knives
equivalent to those of a lawn mower but shorter and rotating up against the front
sharp edge of a fixed vertical knife or blade cutter placed tangentially rather behind
the rotating spiral cutters G. One or two loose vertical guide rollers might be so
placed the one in advance of the vertical cutting blade so as to guide it and the vertical
cutting edges of the spiral cutters parallel to the verge or edge of the lawn or
walk so as to cut the protruding grass smooth and in a line with the lawn and
walk.

page_text: A portable or removable receptacle would be fitted in the rear of these cutters
secured to the cross arm or bracket carrying the lower journal of the cutting barrel of
the scroll knives under the bow arm to receive and retain all the loose cut grass and
prevent it from being scattered on the ground.
Although the spindle with the cutting spiral barrel has been described as rotating
in its bearings by the pinion wheel fitted to it by a groove and feather yet the small
cutting barrel might be mounted on a hollow tube and made to rotate loose on a fixed
vertical spindle, by the bevel wheel being secured to it, and in this case the interior
of the tube might be made to contain oil and lubricate itself when this arrangement is
preferred.
The vertical spindle E carrying the scroll or spiral cutter or cylinder G may be
mounted and overhung on a universal or equivalent joint on the horizontal fixed axle
of the driving cylinder so as to be swivelled or raised and lowered and set to
any angle desired in which case the knee bracket and its fittings may be dispensed
with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our Inven-
tion and in what mannor the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
A vertical spindle E driven by suitable gearing D, C, actuated from a rotating
cylinder or barrel B by means of pawls fixed to the end of a loose cylinder or barrel B
and clutch the teeth of a ratchet wheel cast on the back of the bevel wheel C
which transmits the motion through the intermediate wheel D to the vertical
spindle E and mounted or attached to this spindle E an open cutter G with spiral
knives rotating against the sharp edge of a fixed vertical knife and guided against
the lawn by means of small wood or iron guiding rollers attached to the frame A F
in which rotating cylinder or barrel is enclosed.
Dated this 11th day of March 1888.