IMPROVEMENTS IN SCYTHES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Payne, of Kirkcudbright, in the County
of Kirkcudbright, North Britain, Ironmonger, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SCYTHES."
Sealed the 6th October 1857, and dated the 15th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Payne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th April 1857.
I, JAMES PAYNE, of Kirkcudbright, in the County of Kirkcudbright, North
Britain, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SCYTHES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of scythes in
such manner as to render the implement more effective and more generally
available for practical use than has hitherto been the case. The snaith or
handle of the improved scythes is of the duplex kind, that is to say, it is
forked, for the convenience of holding during working. The length of handle
next the scythe blade is curved to a considerable extent at the part where
it joins the blade, and the other length springs at an angle from the concavity
of this curvature, the two being stayed across by an intermediate piece of
wood. The actual handles or short holding pieces grasped by the mower
are attached one to each length of the main handle, and at the upper ends
thereof, and these short handles are minutely adjustablo as to their vertical
angles of position by means of screw clipping holders, the adjustment being
easily effected by turning the handle back or forward upon its axis, so as
to slacken or tighten its hold, and enable it to be set as required by the
individual mower using the implement. At the end of the snaith or main
handle, where the scythe blade is attached, a metal collar is fastened securely
on to the wood, and this collar has in it a cross piece of metal; tapped through

page_text: at the centre, to receive the screwed end of the connecting bolt. This cross
piece is also notched or serrated on one side, for the purpose of receiving
corresponding notches or serrations on the inside face of a metal cap, through
a hole in the centre of which the screw connecting bolt just referred to is
passed. This cap forms the butt end piece of the snaith, and when the scythe
is fitted for use it is screwed hard up against the butt end of the snaith by
the central bolt, the serrations preventing it from turning round from its
position under any ordinary strain during working, whilst it can be reset to
any position by slackening off the central bolt and engaging fresh serrations.
This end cap piece has forged upon. it a short. angular lateral limb or con-
necting piece, having an eye at its opposito lower, end for forming the connection
with the scythe blade. This is effected by a short stud piece,, having at one
end a flattened side, bearing against the under side of the heel of the scythe
blade, to which it is attached by a short, screw bolt, upon which it can be
set round as required as upon a centre. The other end of this short stud
piece is screwed and entered through the eye of the limb of the butt end
cap, where, it. is fastened by a nut. The blade is. further connected to tho
snaith by a stay rod, attached at a part some distance up the blade from the
heel. This part of the blade is perforated, and fitted with a loosely revolving
stud piece, with an eye on its upper end. Into this eye a small hook at the
outer end of the connecting stay, rod is entered. The other end of the stay:is
attached to the spaith at some distance up from the butt end by an embracing
ring or narrow clipping collar piece fitted upon the snaith. This collar piece
has on one side a short, screwed stud, fitted with a binding nut, and an; eye.in
that end of, the connecting stay.is, entered. upon this stud and held by the
screws. The clipping collar, is cut through on one, side, and a screw, bolt.is
passed through a pair of eyes, in.it to bind it to the snaith, at any required.
part. To gather the mown grain or grass a light gatherer or "cradle " is:
attached to the scythe. This.cradle consists of a light vertical metal standard,
attached, by a bent hinged piece of metal to the heel of the scythe, being
held by the same stud bolt which connects the butt end cap limb to the scythe.
This, upright piece has attached to it two or more lateral arms, extending
over in the direction of the scythe point. The top of the upright is attached?
by a screw joint, to the end of a light curved connecting link or rod, the
other end of this link being attached to the short length of the snaith by a
screw and nut stud. By means of the, several connections the mower.can,
always adjust his scythe exactly as he wants it; as regards all the points: in
which adjustment can ever be necessary, that is to say, the angles of the
short handles of the snaith, the horizontal angle of the blade with the-snaith,.

page_text: or the opening and shutting angle, the descent of the blade towards the earth,
the inclination of the cutting edge towards the earth, and the set of the
eradle;
and when out of use the mower can shut up the implement into a
very-small compass, insuring portability..
SPECIFICATION in
pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Payne in the Great Seal Patent Office. on the
15th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES:
PAYNE, of Kirkcudbright, in the County of Kirkcudbright; North Britain,
Ironmonger, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One-
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,.
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Payne, Her special license that I, the said James Payne, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Payne, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 SCYTHES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Payne, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Payne, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:―
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of scythes
in such manner as to render the implement inore effective and more generally
available for practical use than has hitherto been the case. The snaith or
handle of the improved scythes is of the duplex kind, that is to say, it is.

page_text: forked, for the convenience of holding during working. The length of handlo
next the scythe blade is curved to a considerable extent at the part where
it joins the blade, and the other length springs at an angle from the concavity
of this curvature, the two being stayed across by an intermediate pieco of
wood. The actual handles or short holding pieces grasped by the mower are
attached one to each length of the main handle, and at the upper ends thereof,
and these short handles are minutely adjustable as to their vertical angles
of position by means of screw clipping holders, the adjustment being easily
effected by turning the handle back or forward upon its axis, so as to slacken
or tighten its hold, and enable it to be set as required by the individual
mower using the implement. At the end of the snaith or main handle, where
the scythe blade is attached, a metal collar is fastened securely on to tho
wood, and this collar has in it a cross piece of metal, tapped through at tho
centre, to receive the screwed end of the connecting bolt. This cross piece
is also notched or serrated on one side, for the purpose of receiving corrc-
sponding notches or serrations on the inside face of a metal cap, through a
hole in the centre of which the screw connecting bolt just referred to is
passed. This cap forms the butt end piece of the snaith, and when the scythe
is fitted for uso it is screwed hard up against the butt end of the snaith by
the central bolt, the serrations preventing it from turning round from its
position under any ordinary strain during working, whilst it can be reset to
any position by slackening off the central bolt and engaging fresh serrations.
This end cap piece has forged upon it a short angular lateral limb or connect-
ing piece, having an eye at its opposite lower end for forming the connection
with the scythe blade. This is effected by a short stud piece, having at one
end a flattened side, bearing against the under side of the heel of the scythe
blade, to which it is attached by a short screw bolt, upon which it can be
set round as required as upon a centre. The other end of this short stud
piece is screwed and entered through the eye of the limb of the butt end
cap, where it is fastened by a nut. The blade is further connected to the
snaith by a stay rod, attached at a part some distance up the blade from the
heel. This part of the blade is perforated, and fitted with a loosely revoling
stud piece, with an eye on its upper end. Into this eye a small hook at the
outer end of the connecting stay rod is entered. The other end of the stay
is attached to the snaith at some distance up from the butt end by an
embracing ring or narrow clipping collar piece fitted upon the snaith. This
collar piece has on one side a short screwed stud, fitted with a binding nut
and an eye in that end of the connecting stay is entered upon this stud and
held by the screw. The clipping collar is cut through on one side, and a

page_text: screw bolt is passed through a pair of eyes in it to bind it to the snaith at
any required part. To gather the mown grain or grass a light gatherer or
"cradle" is attached to the scythe. This cradle consists of a light vertical
metal standard, attached by a bent hinged piece of metal to the heel of the
scythe, being held by the same stud bolt which connects the butt end cap
limb to the scythe. This upright piece has attached to it two or more lateral
arms, extending over in the direction of the scythe point. The top of the
upright is attached by a screw joint to the end of a light curved connecting
link or rod, the other end of this link being attached to the short length of
the snaith by a screw and nut stud.
By means of these several connections the mower can always adjust his
scythe exactly as he wants it as regards all the points in which adjustment
can ever be necessary, that is to say, the angles of the short handles of the
snaith, the horizontal angle of the blade with the snaith, or the opening and
shutting angle, the descent of the blade towards the earth, the inclination of
the cutting edge towards the earth, and the set of the cradle; and when out
of use the mower can shut up the implement into a very small compass,
insuring portability.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the Sheet of
Drawings which I have hereunto annexed, for the purpose of showing certain
modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice.
Figure 1 of my Sheet of Drawings represents a plan view' of a scythe
complete, the details of which are arranged according to my improvements;
Figure 2 is an end view of the scythe, at the junction of the blade with the
handle, showing a portion of the details drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan or side view, partially in section, of the lower part of a
scythe, corresponding to the end view, Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan of the
socket piece, which is fitted to the lower end of the "snaith" or main handle;
Figure 5 is a plan of the collar which fits into the socket piece Figure 4.
The snaith or handle A of the scythe is curved in the usual manner, and at
about one third of its length from the lower end a secondary or duplex handlo
B projects outwards from the handle A in an angular direction, the two
handles being strengthened by a transverse tie bar. The pair of short handles
which the mower grasps in using the scythe are affixed to the handles A and B.
These short handles C are moveable on the main handles, and are fastened at
any required angle by means of screw or clipping holders. This arrangement
admits of the handles C being adjusted with the utmost nicety to suit the

page_text: peculiarity of the mower who uses the scythe. At the lower end of the handlo
A a metal collar D is fastened securely to it. This collar is made with an
internal disc E, shown in the partially sectional view, Figure 3, and in the
under side view, Figure 4. This disc is tapped in the centre to receive a con-
necting bolt, and a part of the circumference of the disc is notched or serrated,
as shown at F, Figure 4. These notches fit into corresponding serrations
made upon the inner face of the metal cap G, the teeth of which fit insido the
collar D, tho two parts, namely, the handle and the metal cap, being firmly
secured to each other by the connecting bolt H. The cap G is made with a
lateral limb I, having an eye at its outer end, by means of which it is con-
nected to the stud piece J at the end of the stud pieco where it is attached
to the limb I; it is made with an external screw, which is passed through tho
eye of the limb I, and is fastened thereto by a nut. The other end of the stud
piece J is fastened to the heel of the scythe blade by a screw bolt K. By
loosening the nuts of the connecting bolts the scythe blade L may be adjuste:l
in any position; thus, by slackening the bolt H, the blade L may be turned
upon its axis and retained in any desired position by screwing up the connecting
bolt. In like manner the elevation of the cutting edge is adjusted by the stud
piece J, to which the blade is attached, which may be turned round in the eye
of the limb I. A third adjustment is obtained by means of the bolt K, which
admits of the blade L being accurately adjusted as regards its angular position
in respect of the handle A, for by loosening the bolt K the blade L may bo
set to or from the handle as required. The attachment of the blade L is further
strengthened by means of the link M, which is a short rod, fastened at one
end of the adjusting screw clip N. The end of the link M, where it is fastened
to the collar of the clipping screw N, is made with an eye, which is passed
over a screwed stud which projects from the collar or embracing ring of the
clipping screw N. The other end of the link M is jointed to a loosely revolving
stud O, which turns freely in a hole made in the heel of the scythe blade.
The lower end of the stud O is screwed and secured in its place by a nut P.
When the position of the blade is adjusted, the collar or embracing ring of
the screw clip N is moved up or down the handle A in accordance therewith.
The bolt I, besides attaching the stud picce J to the scythe blade, serves also
to connect a light frame or gatherer upon which the wown grain or grass
falls as the mowing operation proceeds. The vertical standard of the gatherer
Q is jointed at its lower end to a small bracket-shaped piece of metal R,
which is fixed to the scythe blade by the bolt K. The vertical piece of tho
gatherer has three or other number of arms projecting towards the point of the
scythe blade, which receive upon them the grain or grass as it is cut. The upper

page_text: end of the vertical piece of the gatherer is attached by means of a connecting
rod or link S to the handle B. The link S is widened out at its upper end to
admit of a slot being made therein, and it is attached to the handle B by a
screw bolt and nut. This arrangement admits of the gatherer Q being adjusted
according to the requirements of the mower, as by lengthening or shortening
the link S the gatherer may be moved to or from the blade. These several
connections admit of the parts of the scythe being adjusted in any position, to
suit the individual peculiarities of the person using the implement, and from
the ease with which the several parts are adjusted the scythe is rendered more
manageable than the ordinary kind.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patont, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of scythes, as herein-before
described.
Second, the system or mode of attaching or connecting the blades of scythes
to tho handle so as to obtain the means of adjusting the blade in any required
position, as herein-before described.
Third, the use and application in the construction of scythes of a metal cap
and collar piece having notches or serrations made therein and acting in
opposition to each other, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of adjusting the position or angle of the cradle
or gatherer by means of an adjustable link or connecting rod, as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the system or mode of adjusting or setting the short handles of the
snaith or inain handle by means of screw clips, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Payne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-seven.
JAMES PAYNE.
(L.8.)