Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 21st July, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines.
I, ANNA VON LOEPER, née Mühlenbeck, of 51, Paulstrasse, Rostock, Mecklen-
burg, in the Empire of Germany, Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to a reaping and mowing machine which is designed
to be chiefly used for cutting corn, and which is so arranged that the cut corn
is conveyed by a rotary rake device in the first place on to the table combined
with the machine, and thence laid away by a rake which is independent of the
former. The improved machine may of course also be used for mowing grass
after slight alterations in the laying device.
Figure 1, shows a transverse section of the machine through the main driving
device, the carriage being represented in elevation.
Figure 2, shows a plan of the machine, the table being removed.
Figure 3, is a side elevation looking towards the cutting and raking apparatus.
Figure 4, shows a section of a constructional form of the device for fastening
the cutters or knives.
Figure 5, is a plan of a cutter or knife.
Figures 6, and 7, are a plan, full size, showing part of a cutter or knife with
the protecting device belonging thereto, and a transverse section.
For moving the cutting and raking apparatus use is made of a carriage drawn
by horses in the well known manner. and which consists of the axle a, the
wheels b. the shaft c, of appropriate length, and the driver's seat c¹.
The shaft is arranged laterally in the known manner in order to have the
draught power of the machine as far as practicable towards the centre.
With the axle a, is connected the rigid frame d, of the machine, which,
immediately behind the wheel b. extends far downwards (see Figure 1). To
the lateral arm A, of the frame is joined, perpendicularly to the same, a strong
arm e, which may if necessary be supported by a stay el. The free end of the
arm e, is made in the form of a two-part hearing f, which embraces the hollow
shaft, (see Figure 1). At its lower end the shaft g. carries the cutter or knife
head h, made in the form of a bevel wheel and set in rotation in the manner
hereinafter described. The upper end of the shaft g. is provided with the fork-
shaped rake holders i, to which the several arms k. of the main rake are attached.
The hollow shaft g, rotates upon a solid shaft 7. which is fork-shaped at its lower
end and carries a roller 7, whilst the upper end is furnished with a thick slid-
ing ring in order to maintain the shaft in its position. It is evident that
the roller . serves for completely balancing the machine, for which purpose
a second roller 13, is also provided at the crossing point of the arms c, and .
(Figure 3).
The knife head h, in which the cutters or knives ¹, and their protecting
devices are fastened, rotates below a plate . serving as a table and which
bears upon the arm c, and also upon the arm A, which plate may be fixed laterally
on the side turned towards the wheel b, to an arm m, which will hereinafter be
more particularly described. At the same time the stay el may be so arranged
lise serve for sunporting the table or plate 1.
114

page_text: The operation of the knife head takes place in the following manner.
It
has already been observed that the knife head h, is at the same time made in
the form of a bevel wheel and is adapted to engage with a bevel wheel n¹, car-
ried upon the horizontal shaft n. On the one hand the shaft n, is held in a
bearing situated below the table, and on the other hand is supported in the
free end of the beforementioned arm m, which is suspended from the square end
of the carriage axle a.
The wheel, is made in one piece with the main driving wheel o, which latter
actuates the intermediate wheel of in order to drive third wheel 2, on the
shaft n.
It will be easily seen that by this means in the forward movement of
the main carriage the knife head rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow
in Figure 2, it being understood that the wheels b, b, run of course loose upon
the axle a.
་;,:,
On the knife head, being now set in rotation the rake arms k, of course turn
in the same direction, because the rake holders i, as already stated, are fastened
upon the same shaft g, as the knife head. Of course the rotation of the rake
arms takes place above the table, and it has for its object to convey the cut
corn on to the said table. Now in order to lay the cut corn, a second rake is
provided at the rear of the first and receives a somewhat greater rotary velocity"
than this first rake.
The rake possesses a suitable number of rake arms, secured upon a common
shaft, the latter being held in a bearing, which may be attached to the
arm di, of the frame of the machine. This rake is actuated by a bevel wheel g
fixed upon the shaft p, and gearing with a similar wheel q', whose shaft g
is held in a casing, which may likewise be fixed to the armi a. The shaft q
carries a sprocket wheel, which is driven by means of the chain, and the
sprocket wheel, upon the shaft n, (see Figures 2, and 3).
It has already been mentioned that the scythe-shaped knives are fixed,
together with the protecting device, in the knife head h. In Figures 4, and 5,
this mode of fastening is represented to a somewhat enlarged scale as compared
with the other illustrations, and it 'will, he seen that the ends of the knives
are slid into recesses, (see Figure 3) of the knife head and are fixed with the
aid of suitable screws s¹. Of course the mode of fastening of the knives may
be varied at will, and may for instance also be accomplished by springs or catches
adapted to be readily released (not shown in the drawings). At the same time
as the knives, the protecting device, hereinafter described is also 'held,
the requisite distance of the same from the knives h', being obtained by a suit-
able intermediate part 2.
In order to obviate injury to the knife edges by stones or the like lying in
the field, the protecting device, herein before referred to several times is pro-
vided below each knife. In Figures 6, and 7, this arrangement is represented
full size, whilst at a, in Figure 2, the complete arrangement in its application
to a knife is shown in plan. From these illustrations it will be seen that the
protecting device assumes substantially the form of the knife. The former
consists of a steel plate furnished with teeth after the manner of a comb, so that
small elastic plates t, are formed which lie close together. By reason of their
elasticity these small thin plates t, can easily give sideways as soon as a rigid
body comes in the way. As however they are broad in proportion to their
thickness (see Figure 7) they carry away the obstacle, inasmuch as the several
teeth coming in direct contact with the obstacles give or yield laterally as long
as the stability afforded by the mutual support of the teeth which come under
their influence is great enough for pushing the obstacle forward. Accordingly
the obstacle is carried away and thrown sideways below the carriage. Now, as
the teeth t, project a certain distance beyond the edge, the latter will never come
in direct contact with an obstacle, because, owing to the curved arrangement
of the comb teeth along their front line, there will be a certam limit to the giv-
ing or yielding of the same. For the cutting of corn this protecting device is

page_text: no obstruction, on the contrary it facilitates the requisite smooth cut to a great
extent in consequence of the fact that the several palms or blades slide into
intermediate spaces between the comb teeth and are, as it were, held by them
until the quickly following knife effects the cutting. Therefore the several
palms or blades cannot yield sideways during the cutting but are so to speak
taken hold of by the comb teeth and held in the cutting plane. It will be
of course be understood that the aforesaid operation takes place very rapidly.
As after the cutting the corn would fall to the ground and might come into
collision with the cutting apparatus, the several knives, with a view to obviating
this drawback, are furnished at their surface with a plate u, of appropriate length
(see Figures 2, 5, and 7.) The plates u, however also serve another purpose, as
will hereinafter be set forth when describing the mode of operation of the
machine.
After the details of the machine which are in a certain and necessary rela-
tion with each other have been described, it will be needful to set forth concisely
the operation of the machine.
The carriage is moved along the side of the field to be mowed, thereby setting
the wheels b, 61, in rotation. The toothed wheel o, connected with the wheel b,
causes, through the intervention of the wheels o¹, and o², and the bevel wheel n',
the rotary movement of the hollow shaft g, which in its turn sets the knife
headh, together with the knives h, and the protecting device with the rake
arms k, in motion. As shown in Figure 2, the rake arms k, are in this case so
arranged that they will move a certain distance behind the cutting plane of the
knives. When the cutting has been effected the cut palms or blades slide down
on to the plate u, furnished with the knife, bearing with their upper car end
against the slightly curved rake arms k. In the further rotation the rake arms k,
convey the cut corn upon the table R, this table, as will be observed, being only
about 14 centimetres away from the ground. For the purpose of facilitating
the sliding on to the table above, the latter may be slightly curved at its front
edge. The cut corn is now pushed forward a certain distance upon the table
by the rake arms k, the resistance which the air offers preventing the palms or
blades of the corn bending forward, which palms or blades are then taken hold
of at a certain point of the table by the arms p. of the second rake apparatus
and are laid away rearwards. In this instance the arms p, are so arranged that
they cannot come into collision with the arms k, (see Figure 3). As already
explained, the auxiliary rake is set in operation by the sprocket wheel on
the shaft n, through the medium of the chain 2, sprocket wheel ¹, bevel wheel q',
which latter is in gear with the bevel wheel y, on the rake shaft pl.
It may be observed that all the rotary parts run in ball or roller bearings,
and automatically operating self lubricators may be provided at every suitable
point with the object of ensuring as easy a movement as practicable."
It has heretofore been assumed that horses or other draught animals are
intended to be used for setting the machine in operation. But it is of course
quite obvious that the carriage may also very easily be connected with a ben-
zene, gas or other motor whereby the driving of the wheels and thus the move-
ment of the cutting apparatus takes place.
The advantages of the improved machine lie in the facility with which
obstacles in front of the knives are removed, in the cheap manufacture of all
the parts, the light weight, proper working, casy exchange and easy grinding
of the knives and in the absolutely silent movement.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 41, Reform Street. Dundee,
Agents for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines.
I, ANNA VON LOEPER, née Mühlenbeck, of 51, Paulstrasse, Rostock, Mecklen-
burg, in the Empire of Germany, Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a reaping and mowing machine which is designed
to be chiefly used for cutting corn, and which is so arranged that the cut corn
is conveyed by a rotary rake device in the first place on to the table combined
with the machine, and thence laid away by a rake which is independent of the
former. The improved machine may of course also be used for mowing grass
after slight alterations in the laying device.
Referring to the drawings which have been left with the Provisional Speci-
fication.
Figure 1, shows a transverse section of the machine through the main driving
device, the carriage being represented in elevation.
Figure 2, shows a plan of the machine, the table being removed.
Figure 3, is a side elevation, looking towards the cutting and raking apparatus.
Figure 4, shows a section of a constructional form of the device for fastening
the cutters or knives.
Figure 5, is a plan of a cutter or knife.
Figure 6, is a plan, full size, showing part of a cutter or knife with the pro-
tecting device belonging thereto, and Figure 7, is a transverse section.
For moving the cutting and raking apparatus use is made of a carriage drawn
by horses in the well known manner, and which consists of the axle a, the
wheels b, b, the shaft, of appropriate length, and the driver's seat c¹.
The shaft is arranged laterally in the known manner in order to have the
draught power of the machine as far as practicable towards the centre.
With the axle a, is connected the rigid frame d, of the machine, which,
immediately behind the wheel b, extends far downwards (see Figure 1). To
the lateral arm, of the frame is joined, perpendicularly to the same, a strong
arm e, which may if necessary be supported by a stay e. The free end of the
arm e, is made in the form of a two-part bearing f, which embraces the hollow
shaft g, (see Figure 1). At its lower end the shaft g, carries the cutter or knife
head, made in the form of a bevel wheel and set in rotation in the manner
hereinafter described. The upper end of the shaft g, is provided with the fork-
shaped rake holders i, to which the several arms K of the main rake are attached.
The hollow shaft g, rotates upon a solid shaft /, which is fork-shaped at its lower
end and carries a roller 1, whilst the upper end is furnished with a thick slid-
ing ring, in order to maintain the shaft in its position. It is evident that
the roller, serves for completely balancing the machine, for which purpose
a second roller, is also provided at the crossing point of the arms e, and d¹,
(Figure 3).
The knife head h, in which the cutters or knives h¹, and their protecting
devices ¹, are fastened, rotates below a plate K', serving as a table and which
bears upon the arm e, and also upon the arm d, which plate may be fixed laterally,
on the side turned towards the wheel b, to an arm m, which will hereinafter be
more particularly described.. At the same time the stay e¹, may be so arranged
that it will likewise serve for supporting the table or plate K.
The operation of the knife head takes place in the following manner. It
has already been observed that the knife head h, is at the same time made in

page_text: the form of a bevel wheel and is adapted to engage with a bevel wheel n', car-
ried upon the horizontal shaft n. On the one hand the shaft n, is held in a
bearing n situated below the table, and on the other hand is supported in the
free end of the beforementioned arm m, which is suspended from the square end
of the carriage axle a.
The wheel b, is made in one piece with the main driving wheel o, which latter
actuates the intermediate wheel o', in order to drive a third wheel o, on the
shaft n.
It will easily be seen that by this means in the forward movement of
the main carriage the knife head rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow
in Figure 2, it being understood that the wheels b, b, run of course loose upon
the axle a.
On the knife head h, being now set in rotation the rake arms K of course turn
in the same direction, because the rake holders i, as already stated, are fastened
upon the same shaft g, as the knife head. Of course the rotation of the rake
arms takes place above the table K', and it has for its object to convey the cut
corn on to the said table. Now in order to lay the cut corn, a second rake is
provided at the rear of the first and receives a somewhat greater rotary velocity
than this first rake.
The rake possesses a suitable number of rake arms p, secured upon a common
shaft, the latter being held in a bearing 2, which may be attached to the
arm di, of the frame of the machine. This rake is actuated by a bevel wheel
fixed upon the shaft 2, and gearing with a similar wheel q', whose shaft 3,
is held in a casing, which may likewise be fixed to the armi . The shaft 72,
carries a sprocket wheel, which is driven by means of the chain, and the
sprocket wheel, upon the shaft n. (see Figures 2, and 3).
It has already been mentioned that the scythe-shaped knives are fixed,
together with the protecting device , in the knife head h. In Figures 4, and 5,
this mode of fastening is represented to a somewhat enlarged scale as compared
with the other illustrations, and it will be seen that the ends of the knives h¹.
are slid into recesses », (see Figure 3) of the knife head and are fixed with the
aid of suitable screws s¹. Of course the mode of fastening the knives may
be varied at will and may for instance also be accomplished by springs or catches
adapted to be readily released (not shown in the drawings). At the same time
as the knives, the protecting device, hereinafter described is also held,
the requisite distance of the same from the knives ¹, being obtained by a suit-
able intermediate part.
In order to obviate injury to the knife edges by stones or the like lying in
the field, the protecting device ¹, herein before referred to several times is pro-
vided below each knife. In Figures 6, and 7, this arrangement is represented
full size, whilst at æ, in Figure 2, the complete arrangement in its application
to a knife is shown in plan. From these illustrations it will be seen that the
protecting device assumes substantially the form of the knife. The former
consists of a steel plate furnished with teeth after the manner of a comb so that
small elastic plates, are formed which lie close together. By reason of their
elasticity these small thin plates t, can easily give sideways as soon as a rigid
body comes in the way. As however they are broad in proportion to their
thickness (see Figure 7) they carry away the obstacle, inasmuch as the several
teeth coming in direct contact with the obstacles give or yield laterally as long
as the stability afforded by the mutual support of the teeth which come under
their influence is great enough for pushing the obstacle forward. Accordingly
the obstacle is carried away and thrown sideways below the carriage. Now, as
the teeth t, project a certain distance beyond the edge, the latter will never come
in direct contact with an obstacle, because, owing to the curved arrangement
of the comb teeth along their front line, there will be a certain limit to the giv-
ing or yielding of the same. For the cutting of corn this protecting device is
no obstruction, on the contrary it facilitates the requisite smooth cut to a great
Lextent-in-consequence-of-the-fact-that-the-several-halms or blades slide into the

page_text: intermediate spaces between the comb teeth and are, as it were, held by them
until the quickly following knife effects the cutting. Therefore the several
halms or blades cannot yield sideways during the cutting, but are so to speak
taken hold of by the comb teeth and held in the cutting plane. It will
of course be understood that the aforesaid operation takes place very rapidly.
As after the cutting the corn would fall to the ground and might come into
collision with the cutting apparatus, the several knives, with a view to obviating
this drawback, are furnished at their surface with a plate u, of appropriate length
(see Figures 2, 5, and 7.) The plates, however also serve another purpose, as
will hereinafter be set forth when describing the mode of operation of the
machine.
The details of the machine which are in a certain and necessary relation with
each other having been described, I will now proceed to set forth concisely the
operation of the machine.
The carriage is moved along the side of the field to be mowed, thereby setting
the wheels b, 61, in rotation. The toothed wheel o, connected with the wheel b
causes, through the intervention of the wheels ', and ², and the bevel wheel a¹,
the rotary movement of the hollow shaft g, which in its turn sets the knife
head, together with the knives, and the protecting device, with the rake
arms K, in motion. As shown in Figure 2, the rake arins K, are in this case so
arranged that they will move a certain distance behind the cutting plane of the
knives. When the cutting has been effected the cut halms or blades slide down
on to the plate u, furnished with the knife, bearing with their upper ear end
against the slightly curved rake arms K. In the further rotation the rake arms K
convey the cut corn upon the table K', this table, as will be observed, being only
about 14 centimetres away from the ground. For the purpose of facilitating
the sliding on to the table above, the latter may be slightly curved at its front
edge. The cut corn is now pushed forward a certain distance upon the table
by the rake arms K, the resistance which the air offers preventing the halms or
blades of the corn bending forward, which halms or blades are then taken hold
of at a certain point of the table by the arms p, of the second rake apparatus
and are laid away rearwards. In this instance the arms p, are so arranged that
they cannot come into collision with the arms K. (see Figure 3). As already
explained, the auxiliary rake is set in operation by the sprocket wheel ³, on
the shaft, through the medium of the chain 2, sprocket wheel, bevel wheel g¹,
which latter is in gear with the bevel wheel 7, on the rake shaft pl.
It may be observed that all the rotary parts run in ball or roller bearings,
and automatically operating self-lubricators may be provided at every suitable
point with the object of ensuring as easy a movement as practicable."
It has heretofore been assumed that horses or other draught animals are
intended to be used for setting the machine in operation. But it is of course
quite obvious that the carriage may also very easily be connected with a ben-
zene, gas or other motor whereby the driving of the wheels and thus the move-
ment of the cutting apparatus takes place.
The advantages of the improved machine lie in the facility with which
obstacles in front of the knives are removed, in the cheap manufacture of all
the parts, the light weight, proper working, easy exchange and easy grinding
of the knives and in the absolutely silent movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
(1) A mowing machine characterized by a knife head h, set in rotation in
consequence of the movement of the carriage a, b, 61, with one or more cutters
or knives h¹, which are furnished with a protecting device for the cutting edge,
and, after the cutting has taken place, will convey the corn on to a table K¹,

page_text: with the help of a rake i, K, fixed upon the shaft g, of the knife head, whereupon
the corn is laid away by means of an auxiliary rake, p.
(2) A protecting device for the knife edges, consisting of a comb-shaped
plate, whose comb teeth are made slightly elastic sideways.
(3) A constructional form of the machine consisting of a frame d, firmly
connected with the carriage a, b, b, and to the arm, of which is attached a
support e, for the shaft g, of the knife head h, which in its turn is made in the
form of a bevel wheel and is set in rotation by the wheel b, through the agency
of the driving mechanism 1, 2, o, o, a rake i, K, fixed upon the same shaft g,
and a laying rake p, p', driven by the shaft n, being caused to rotate in the
same direction.
(4) A device for supporting the cut corn, characterized by the feature that the
several knives h, are furnished with a prolongation plate u.
Dated this 21st day of December 1899.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 41, Reform Street, Dundee,
Agents for Applicant.