Improvements in Mowing Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Mowing Machines.
A communication from ARTHUR MOWAT, of 183, Simcoe Street, Toronto, in the
Dominion of Canada, Gentleman.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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 :-
The invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mowing machines;
and the object of the invention is to design a centre cut mower in which the wheels
will revolve with the least possible friction, and all the parts he so constructed that a
strong, durable and effective machine will be produced. It consists essentially, first
in journalling each wheel of the machine upon an annular frame having a continuous
groove or recess formed around its periphery to receive a series of loose rollers and
floats alternately arranged so that the rollers are separated from each other by the said
floats, the said rollers and floats being retained in the groove or recess by a ring
attached to or forming part of the rim of the wheel, and having a groove or recess
formed in the said, ring to inversely correspond with the groove or recess in the
annular frame; secondly in providing simple mechanism by which the necessary
reciprocating motion for the knives is secured by the rotary motion of the wheel of
the machine; the cutter-bar being on a line parallel with the centre line of the
wheel and the crank shaft to which the pitman is connected being pivotted to the
frame of the machine in such a position that by its adjustment it is thrown in or out
of gear without undue strain upon any part of the machine; thirdly, in supporting
the heel end of the cutter bar by a pivotted bracket vertically adjustable on the frame
of the machine and having a curved segment of gear formed on its surface and
designed to engage with a gear-pinion fixed to a vertical rod journalled on the frame
of the machine and designed to fold the cutter-bar, substantially as hereinafter more
particularly explained.
i
In the drawings, figure 1 is a perspective view of this improved machine.

page_text: and the Trame of the mate
Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the crank shaft and its connections.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of fig. 3 through a-b.
Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the improved wheel.
Fig. 6 is a detail showing method of adjusting the frame on the tongue.
Figs. 7 and 8 are details showing the manner in which the heel of the knife is
connected to the pitnian.
In the drawings, like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the different
figures.
A are two annular frames connected together by the bar B and pipe or tube C
which three elements constitute the main frame of the machine. The wheels D
are journalled on the annular frames A in the manner hereinafter explained.
E is the tongue pivotted at d to the main frame of the machine.
is the cutter bar having rigidly fixed to its heel end a bracket G pivotted on the
elbow which passes through a vertical slot-e made in the plate I which is attached
to or forms part of one of the annular frames A as indicated. This bracket G has a
toothed segment f formed in it on a radius struck from the centre of its pivot
point. A toothed pinion J gears with the segment f. This pinion is fastened to
the rod K the end of which is supported in a socket formed in the elbow H
and is braced to the frame A by an arm L in such a manner that the rod K may be
vertically adjusted.
M is a dog pivotted on the plate I and designed to engage with notches formed on
the top edge of the bracket G.
It will be seen that the mechanism just described enables the cutter bar F to be
folded by simply revolving the rod K which turns the bracket G on its pivot and
thereby folds the cuiter bar, the dog M. holding the said cutter bar at any desired
angle. By thus folding the cutter bar by means of gearing, as described, the
motion is much easier than if it were folded by a lever as is done in other
machines. A toe-piece g is formed on the dog M so that the said dog may be
readily lifted away from the bracket G thus permitting the cutter bar to fall back
into its initial position.
A shoe N is rigidly fastened to the heel end of the cutter bar F. This shoe N is
connected by means of the rod O to the annular frame A upon the opposite side of
the machine, and the frame A on the cutter bar side of the machine is braced to the
tongue E by the rod P, from which bracing it will be seen the draught is evenly
distributed, and the points of the machine called upon to sustain the strain are
specially braced for that purpose. The knife in the cutter bar F is connected by
means of the pitman Q to the crank shaft R. The front end of this crank shaft R
passes through and is journalled in the box, S, which is pivotted to and between the
lugs formed on the frame A as indicated.
The rear end of the crank shaft R passes through and is journalled in the
sleeve T which is adjustably supported by the shelf t formed on the frame A as
indicated.
A bevel pinion U is fixed to the end of the shaft Rand is designed to engage with the
bevel wheel W attached to the shaft X which passes through the tube C. As the crank
shaft R is pivotied at one end by the box S and is loosely supported at its other end
on the shelf t it is merely necessary to slightly adjust its loose end in order to throw
the bevel pinion U either into or out of gear with the bevel wheel W. For this purpose
a cam-lever Y is provided which is pivotted to the annular frame A (see especially
figs. 1 and 3) and bears against the sleeve T so that the movement of this cam-lever
on its pivot will adjust the crank shaft R and throw its pitman Q in or out of gear
with the wheel W as may be desired which wheel derives motion from the wheels D
in the manner hereinafter explained.
On reference to figure 2 it will be seen that the elbow H which projects through
the slot e made in the plate I as before described is connected by the rod Z to the
lever which is pivotted at y to the frame A as indicated. It therefore follows that

page_text: the tilting of the lever will raise or lower the heel end of the cutter bar as may be
desired and as the lever is placed within easy reach of the driver of the machine the
said raising or lowering of the heel end of the cutter bar may be readily effected by
the driver without descending from his seat.
A hand lever w is pivotted to a notched bracket fixed to the tongue E as shown.
A jaw a is fixed to or forms part of the lever we and is designed to fit over the bar B.
As the cutter bar F is connected to the annular frame A and the bar B is likewise
connected to the same frame an upward or downward pressure on the bar B will
naturally cause the frames A to move on their centres thereby imparting a tilting
movement to the cutter bar F which tilting movement is accomplished by the
movement of the lever w.
On reference to figure 5 it will be noticed that the annular frame A has a
continuous groove or recess 2 formed around its periphery and that a similar groove
or recess 3 is formed on the ring 4 which is attached to or forms part of the wheel D;
the two grooves when brought together as indicated forming an annular chamber into
which is inserted a series of loose rollers 5 which are separated from each other by
loose blocks which are termed "floats." The entire weight is supported by the
rollers 5 the floats 6 acting merely as loose partitions to separate the rollers from each
other and thereby allow them to revolve freely without interfering with each other;
consequently the friction is reduced to a minimum, the wheel D revolving freely on
the annular frame A. On the outer surface of the ring 4 is formed a gear wheel as
indicated and in order to enclose the said gear wheel a shield 7 is formed in the
frame A which shield extends around the ring 4 and encloses both its inner and outer
surfaces as indicated. The gear wheel formed in the ring 4 is for the purpose of
utilizing the rotary movement of the wheel to propel mechanism. In this mowing-
machine it is utilized for the purpose of driving the knife of the cutter bar and with
that view it is connected to the shaft X by a gear pinion y which is connected to the
said shaft.
On reference to figures 7 and 8 the plan of connecting the pitman Q to the heel of
the knife F will be understood.
An eye 5 is formed on the end of the pitman Q and has a conical hole bored in it
to fit over a cone-shaped hub 6 formed on the projection 7 on the knife F. A square
hole is made through the contre of the hub 6 through which a square necked bolt S
passes. The head of the bolt butts against the eye 5 forcing it onto the cone-shaped
hub 6; the nut 9 being locked in position by being in contact with the plate Z.
From this it will be seen that not only will the slack caused by the wear of the joint
be readily taken up but the nut 9 will always be locked when the cutter-bar is in
position for work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a mowing machine an annular frame having a continuous groove or recess
formed around its periphery to receive a series of loose rollers and floats alternately
arranged so that the rollers are separated from each other by said float the said rollers
and floats being retained in the groove or recess by a ring attached to or forming
part of the rim of a wheel and having a groove or recess formed in the said ring to
inversely correspond with the groove or recess in the annular frame substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a mowing machine an annular frame having a continuous groove or recess
formed around its periphery to receive a series of loose rollers and floats alternately
arranged so that the rollers are separated from each other by the said floats, the said
rollers and floats being retained in the groove or recess by a ring attached to or
forming part of the rim of a wheel and having formed on its inner surface a
groove or recess to inversely correspond with the groove or recess in the annular
frame and on the outer surface of said ring a gear wheel substantially as and for the
purpose specified.

page_text: 3. In a mowing machine a ring attached to or forming part of the rim of a wheel
and having a groove formed on its inner surface and a gear wheel extending around
its outer surface in combination with an annular frame extending around the said
ring and forming a shield to enclose its inner and outer surfaces a groove or recess
being formed around the periphery to correspond inversely with the groove or
recess in the ring and form a continuous annular chamber to receive a series of
loose rollers and floats alternately arranged substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
4. In a mowing machine a pitman crank shaft one end of which is supported by a
suitable bearing pivottally connected to the frame of the machine its other end being
adjustably supported by the said frame and having secured to it a bevel-pinion
designed to engage with a bevel wheel secured to a cross shaft deriving motion from
the wheels of the machine in combination with a cam lever arranged to swing the
crank shaft on its pivot so as to throw its pinion in or out of gear with its driver
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a mowing machine a pivotted bracket designed to support the inner or heel
end of the cutter bar in combination with a pinion arranged to engage with a gear
formed on the bracket and connected to a rod journalled in the frame of the machine
and provided with a handle by which the said rod may be caused to revolve for the
purpose of turning the bracket on its pivot and thereby fold the cutter bar substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
6. In a mowing machine a bracket connected to the inner or heel end of the cutter
bar and extending through a vertical slot formed in the frame of the machine
in combination with a rod arranged to connect the bracket to a lever pivotted
on the frame of the machine arranged substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
7. In a mowing machine the bar B arranged to connect the annular frames A on
which the cutter bar F is centrally supported in combination with the lever u pivotted
on the tongue E and provided with a jaw a to engage with the bar B substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
8. In a mowing machine the cutter bar F pivotally supported in the frame A and
having rigidly fixed to it the shoe N in combination with the rods O and P arranged
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
9. In a mowing machine a pitmian Q having an eye 5 formed on it with a
conical hole formed in it to fit over the conical hub 6 fixed to the projection 7
in combination with the bolt 8 and nut 9 substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
1000