IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Charles Evans, of Brimscombe, in the County of
Gloucester, and Henry James Hogg King, of Newmarket, in the same
County, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING
MACHINES
"
Scaled the 5th December 1879, and dated the 10th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Charles Evans and
Henry James Hogg King at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
10th June 1879.
PHILIP CHARLES EVANS, of Brimscombe, in the County of Gloucester, and
"IMPROVEMENTS
HENRY JAMES HOGG KING, of Newmarket, in the same County.
IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
This Invention comprises various improvements which are applicable to various
kinds of reaping and mowing machines.
One improvement has for its object to admit of a reaping or mowing machine
being conveniently arranged for passing through a gate-way or narrow space, and
consists in connecting the platform or the framing carrying a horizontal endless
apron or its equivalent to the main framing by a vertical joint at the front or back
inner corner, so that the front part being disconnected the platform or framing can
be slewed round into a position behind or in front of the main framing.
A second improvement consists in arranging the main framing so that it can be
raised or lowered on the travelling wheel by means of a screw or worm which gears
with a worm wheel on the axle (on which the travelling wheel is loose) the axle
having fast on it a pinion or pair of pinions gearing with a rack or pair of racks
fixed to the framing.
And another improvement for effecting the same purpose consists in supporting
each end of the axle on which the travelling wheel runs by means of a screw,
which screws are turned together either by means of chain wheels and chains, or
by gearing which may be carried by any conveniently accessible parts of the
machine.
A third improvement consists in making the shaft of the reel telescopic with one
part tubular and of iron or steel, and the other part of wood, to allow of the length
being altered when required.

page_text: A fourth improvement consists in applying an endless chain, or cord, or strap
with or without suitable projections on it, with its upper part running immediately
behind the cutters, this cord, strap, or chain being driven at a greater speed than
the horizontal endless apron, and its purpose being to supplement the action of the
apron by helping along the lower or butt ends of the crop which tend to lag through 5
the action of the stubble.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Philip Charles Evans and Henry James Hogg King in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th December 1879.
PHILIP CHARLES EVANS, of Brimscombe, in the County of Gloucester, and
HENRY JAMES HOGG KING, of Newmarket, in the saine County. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Our said Invention comprises various improvements which are applicable to
various kinds of reaping and mowing machines.
One improvement has for its object to admit of a reaping or mowing machine
being conveniently arranged for passing through a gateway or narrow space, and
consists in connecting the platform or the framing carrying a horizontal endless
apron or equivalent to the main framing by a vertical joint pin at the front or back
inner corner, so that the platform or framing can be slewed round in a position in
front of or behind the main framing.
A second improvement consists in arranging the main framing so that it can bo
raised or lowered on the travelling wheel.
A third improvement consists in making the shaft of the reol telescopic to allow
of the length being altered when required, and to admit of the reel being removed
when taking the machine through a narrow space.
A fourth improvement consists in applying an endless chain, or cord, or strap,
with or without suitable projections on it, with its upper part running immediately
behind the cutters, this chain, cord, or strap being driven by preference at a greater
speed than the horizontal endless apron, and its purpose being to supplement the
action of the apron by helping along the lower or butt ends of the crop which tend
to lag through the action of the stubble.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append three Sheets of explanatory
Drawings, to be hereinafter referred to, and representing our various improvements.
In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan; and Figure 2 on
.Sheet 2 is a sectional side elevation showing parts of a reaping machine as having
our first improvement applied thereto. In these Figures the framing 1 carrying the
horizontal transversely moving endless apron 2, the cutters 3, and other parts is

page_text: This
represented as jointed to the main framing 4 by means of a vertical rod or pin 5
passed through hinge brackets 6, 7, fixed respectively to the main and platform
framings 4, 1. The joint 5 is in this example at the back inner corner of the main
framing 4, and in the Figures the platform framing 1 is represented as slewed
round behind the main framing 4 into the position which it has when the machino
is being taken through a narrow space. A loose rod 8 which is carried about with
the machine is employed for keeping off the ground the corner to which one end of
it is connected, the other end being hung on the top of the hinge pin 5.
rod 8 is removed when the parts of the machine are in their working positions. A
bolt 9 is put through wood blocks on brackets on the two parts of the machine
when in the positions shown in the Figures, and helps to draw the platform frame 1
along. The outside or small carrying wheel 10 is shown in full lines in the position
given it, the platform frame 1 is turned back, the dotted lines showing its
position when the parts are arranged for working. This wheel 10 is carried by
a main bracket 11 which can be raised or lowered on the frame 1 for the purpose
of setting the cutters 3 to any desired height, and this bracket 11 carries a bracket 12
turning on a pin and capable of being locked in either extreme position by means of
another pin. Another small bracket 13 having the axle or centre of the wheel on
it is jointed to the bracket 12 in a manner to make the wheel act like a caster
wheel.
One mode of carrying out our second improvement is shown also in Figures 1
and 2. The axle of the main carrying wheel 14 has formed or fixed on each end of
it a pinion 15 gearing with rack teeth 16 in one side of a curved slot in a bracket
fixed on the framing 4. The axle has also formed or fixed on it a worm wheel 17
which has gearing with it a worm on a spindle 18 having on it a handle 19. By
turning this handle 19 the axle of the wheel 14 is raised or lowered relatively to
the frame 4 which is consequently lowered or raised to or from the ground as
required.
Another mode of carrying out our second improvement is shown in Figures 3
and 4 on Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings, these Figures being sectional
elevations as at right angles to each other. In this modification two screw spindles
20, one on each side of the wheel 14, are tapped through the axle, and these screw
spindles resting by collars in bearings in the lower parts of the brackets 21, move
the axle ends up or down the curved slots as required, the collars being made
convex to allow of the slight change of angle of the spindles. Sprocket wheels 22
are fixed on the bottom ends of the screw spindles 20, which are turned by means
of endless chains 23 gearing with the wheels 22, and with other sprocket wheels
not shown but placed conveniently for being turned by means of a handle or
otherwise. Worm or other gearing may be substituted for the chains and sprocket
wheels if preferred.
Our third improvement is shown in Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying
Drawings, and consists in making that part 24 of the reel shaft which is held in
bearings 25 tubular to receive another tube or pole 26 on which the arms 27 of the
reel are fixed. The tube or pole 26 can be drawn out of the tube 24 when the
machine has to go through a narrow space, and when arranged for working the tube
or pole 26 can be adjusted to project to a greater or less extent as may be
required.
Our fourth improvement is also shown in Figure 1, and consists of an endless
strap (cord or chain) 28 lying and running between the front edge of the endless
apron 2 and the cutters 3. This strap 28, which may be fitted with snugs or
projections for carrying along the bottoms of the cut crop, is driven with a greater
surface speed than that of the apron 2 either by means of a larger wheel 29 on the
axle of the apron roller, or by separate driving parts.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel and

page_text: original and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The connecting of the platform framing of a reaping or mowing machine to
the main framing by a hinge or equivalent, admitting of the former being slewed
round behind or in front of the latter, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
2. The herein before described arrangements of mechanism for raising and lowering
the main framing on the main carrying or travelling wheel.
3. The making of the reel shaft telescopic, substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described.
4. The application of the quickly running endless chain, cord, or strap (29)
between the front end of the endless apron (2), substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Philip Charles Evans and Henry James
Hogg King, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
nine.
PHILIP CHARLES EVANS.
(L.S.)
HENRY JAMES HOGG KING. (L.S.)