IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Austin Hill, of Leicester, Agricultural Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 12th July 1867, and dated the 15th January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Austin Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
January 1867.
I, AUSTIN HILL, of Leicester, Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines. Heretofore when employing fixed cutters in addition to the ordinary
reciprocating cutter bar of reaping and mowing machines, such fixed cutters
have been either fixed to an auxiliary cutter bar or they have been rivetted
to the "fingers," in the former case necessitating the removal of the bar with
all the fixed cutters thereon when sharpening or repairs have been required,
whilst in the latter case it was found difficult to retain the cutters in the desired
position.
Now my Invention consists in a novel mode of applying fixed cutters to
the 'finger bar" of reaping and mowing machines. For this purpose I
form the cutters so that their upper surfaces shall be flush or thereabouts with
the upper surface of the "finger bar," whilst their stems are rebated so as to
come underneath the "finger bar" and between it and the stems of the

page_text: "fingers," the cutters being also recessed within the stems of the "fingers"
so as to form a bearing to come against the "finger bar" which shall be flush
with the bearing of the "fingers;" a screw bolt passed through a hole
in the "finger," and through a corresponding hole in the stem of the fixed
cutter firmly secures them to the "finger bar," whilst facility is afforded for
ready removal of each cutter separately from the "finger bar" when required
for sharpening or repairs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Austin Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUSTIN
HILL, of Leicester, Agricultural Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by 'Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, 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 Austin Hill, Her special licence that I, the said Austin
Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Austin Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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," upon the 'condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Austin Hill, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under niy, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu
larly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and 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.
ان.
033,
I to t
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Austin Hill, do hereby declare
"the nature of the said Invention, "and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
11
The Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines. Heretofore when employing fixed cutters in addition to the

page_text: ordinary reciprocating cutter bar of reaping and 'mowing machines such fixed
cutters have been either fixed to an auxiliary cutter bar or they have been
rivetted to the fingers, in the former case necessitating the removal of the bar
with all the fixed cutters thereon when sharpening or repairs have been
required, whilst in the latter case it was found difficult to retain the 'cütters
in the desired position.
Now my Invention consists in 'h novel mode of applying fixed cutters to 'tlie
finger bar of reaping and 'mowing machines. For this purpose I form the
cutters so that their upper surfaces shall be flush or thereabouts with the
upper surface of the "finger bar," whilst their 'stenis are rebated so as to
come underneath the finger bar and between it and the stems of the "fingers,"
the cutters being also recessed within the stems of the "fingers" so as to
form a bearing to come against the finger bar which shall be flush with
the bearing of the fingers; a screw bolt passed through a hole in the finger
and through a corresponding hole in the stem of the 'fixed cütter firmly
secures them to the finger bar, whilst facility is afforded for ready removal
of each cutter separately from the finger bar when required for sharpening
or repairs.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more
fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a section through the finger bar and through one of the fingers
of a reaping machine with my improvements applied thereto; Figure 2 is a
plan thereof, Figure 3 is a plan, Figure 4 is a longitudinal section, and
Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 1, 1, Figure 3, of one of the "fingers"
separately, and Figure 6 is an edge view, and Figure 7 a plan of one of the
fixed cutters separately.
"
a is one of the fixed cutters; b is one of the "fingers" and c is the
finger bar" the whole being united together by a bolt d and nut d' as shewn,
the reciprocating cutter bar is shewn by the red lines e in Figures 1 and 2,
and e are the cutters fixed thereto in the ordinary manner :-By reference
to the Drawings it will be seen that suitable recesses are formed in the
fingers b, so that the upper surface of the fixed cutters are flush with the
upper surface of the finger bar, thereby permitting of the free movement of
the cutter bar and cutters e and e', whilst, the stems of the fixed cutters a
are rebated so as to come underneath the finger bar, and between it and the
stems of the fingers suitable recesses are formed in the fingers b as shewn

page_text: for the steins of the fixed cutters a in order that a flush bearing may be
provided for the finger bar c.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein shewa and described; but what I do
claim is, the mode of applying fixed cutters to the finger bars of reaping and
mowing machines, substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Austin Hill, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
AUSTIN HILL. (L.S.)