IMPROVE- MENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William James Burgess and Charles Thomas Burgess,
both of Brentwood, in the County of Essex, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 23rd August 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Burgess and
Charles Thomas Burgess at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
23rd August 1877.
WILLIAM JAMES BURGESS and CHARLES THOMAS BURGESS, both of Brentwood, in
the County of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Heretofore with cutting mechanism of reaping and mowing machines, the serrated
knife has worked to and fro through slots in the fixed fingers, and a variety of
ways have been suggested of hardening the edges of these slots, and also of lining
them both above and below the knife with steel.
But so far as we are aware, when linings of steel have been applied both to the
upper and under surface of the slots in the fingers, such lining pieces have in-
various ways been secured to the fingers, although in some cases they have in
addition been secured to the finger bar.
According to our Invention we cause the serrated knife to work between strips
of steel, which are bent so as to come both above and below the blades of the
knife, and which are independent of the fingers. One of such strips comes above
each finger, and the fore part of each finger overlaps the bend of each bent strip to
a sufficient extent only to prevent portions of the crop from getting between the
bent steel strips and the fingers below them. The lower part of each bent strip of
steel may at its rear end be formed with horns on either side corresponding to the
horns usually formed on the fingers, so that the ends of the adjacent horns of the
several strips meet together, and these horns may be rivetted or otherwise secured

page_text: to a bar below them, which bar lies in a recess in the fingers just in front of the
finger bar. The bar runs from end to end of the finger bar, and abuts against or
carries stops which prevent its moving endwise. Or the bar may be in shorter
lengths, abutting one against the other. The knives carried by the knife bar rests
upon the under portion of the curved steel strips and hold them down. The knife
being itself kept in place, and prevented from rising by lugs which we by preference
make readily removable, as described in the Specification of a former Patent
granted to us, No. 1837, so that when they are removed the knife can be lifted out
backwards from between the curved steel strips, and when so removed the bar or
any section of the bar carrying the curved steel strip can similarly be lifted out, and
if damaged, can be replaced by a fresh one. By thus forming the fixed cutters
independent of the fingers the fingers are not liable to be bent or broken as hereto-
fore, and if any of the fixed cutters become damaged they can be quickly taken out
and put in order, or fresh ones put in their place. The fixed cutters being also very
simple in construction they can be renewed at much less cost than replacing a
damaged finger as heretofore.
By this means also we are enabled to form the fingers of wrought or malleable
metal, so that they are not liable to break, and if they bend are not so liable to put
the fixed cutter out of truth with the knife; at the same time we are also able to form
the fixed cutters of steel or other hard metal, which will not readily wear, and also
make them, as before stated, readily renewable.
The plan above described of making the fixed cutters independent of the fingers
and readily renewable is applicable both when the knives are fixed to the top of
the knife bar as well as to when they are fixed to the under side of this bar.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William James Burgess and Charles Thomas Burgess in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 23rd February 1878.
WILLIAM JAMES BURGESS and CHARLES THOMAS BURGESS, both of Brentwood, in
the County of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Heretofore with cutting mechanism of reaping and mowing machines the serrated
knife has worked to and fro through slots in the fixed fingers, and a variety of
ways have been suggested of hardening the edges of these slots, and also of lining
them both above and below the knife with steel.
But so far as we are aware when linings of steel have been applied both to the
upper and under surface of the slots in the fingers such lining pieces have in various
ways been secured to the fingers, although in some cases they have in addition
been secured to the finger bar.
According to our Invention we cause the serrated knife to work between strips of
steel which are bent so as to come both above and below the blades of the knife,
and which are independent of the fingers. One of such strips comes above each
finger, and the fore part of each finger overlaps the bend of each bent strip to a
sufficient extent only to prevent portions of the crop, from getting between the
bent steel strips and the fingers below them. The lower part of each bent strip of
steel may at its rear end be formed with horns on either side, corresponding to the
horns usually formed on the fingers, so that the ends of the adjacent horns of the
several strips meet together, and these horns may be rivetted or otherwise secured to
a bar below them, which bar lies in a recess in the fingers, just in front of the
finger bar. The bar runs from end to end of the finger bar, and abuts against or
carries stops which prevent it moving endwise. Or the bar may be in shorter
lengths, abutting one against the other. The knives carried by the knife bar rest
upon the under portion of the curved steel strips and hold them down, the knife
being itself kept in place and prevented from rising by lugs which we by preference
make readily removeable, as described in the Specification of a former Patent granted
to us, No. 1837, so that when they are removed the knife can be lifted out back-
wards from between the curved steel strips; and when so removed the bar or any
section of the bar carrying the curved steel strips or stationary cutters can similarly
be lifted out, and if damaged can be replaced by a fresh one. By thus forming the
stationary cutters independent of the fingers, the fingers are not liable to be bent
or broken as heretofore, and if any of the stationary cutters become damaged
they can be quickly taken out and put in order, or fresh ones put in their place.
The stationary cutters being also very simple in construction they can be renewed
at much less cost than replacing a damaged finger as heretofore.
By this means also we are enabled to form the fingers of wrought or malleable
metal, so that they are not liable to break, and if they bend are not so liable to put
the stationary cutter out of truth with the knife; at the same time we are also able
to form the stationary cutters of steel or other hard. metal which will not readily
wear, and also make them, as before stated, readily renewable.
The plan above described of making the stationary cutters independent of the
fingers and readily renewable is applicable both when the knives are fixed to
the top of the knife bar, as well as to when they are fixed on the under side of
this bar.
The Drawings hereunto annexed show a cutting apparatus for reaping and.
mowing machines arranged as above described.
Figure 1 shews a plan view of the cutting apparatus complete.
Figure 2 shews a transverse section, with the moving knife omitted.
Figure 3 shews separately a side view of one of the fingers, and Figures 4 a side
view and plan view of one of the stationary cutters.

page_text: Figure 5 is a prospective view of the cutting apparatus with the guide bar and
moving knife removed, and shews clearly the ease with which the stationary cutters
can be taken out and replaced.
In the apparatus shewn in these Figures the knives are fixed on the under side
of the knife bar. Figure 6 shows how the arrangement may be modified when the
knives are fixed on the top of the knife bar.
In these Figures a, a, are the fingers rivetted to the under side of the finger bar
b; c, c, are the stationary cutters secured to a bar d, which lies in recesses in the
fingers just in front of the finger bar; this bar may be in one piece, or it may be
divided into sections, and each section may be prevented from moving endwise by
projections upon it entering notches in the finger bar, as shewn, or otherwise.
The stationary cutters, as shewn, are formed with side wings, so that when these
cutters are rivetted or secured to the bar d they form a continuous surface for the
knives to rest on; el are catches projecting from the bar e, they project over and
embrace the knife bar, and keep it in place; f, f, are lugs on the finger bar, the
catches e¹ pass under these lugs, and are thus held down and keep the knife in its
place; the bar e is kept from moving endwise by a bolt and nut g. If the nut g is
screwed off the bar e can be moved endwise, and the catches e¹ so moved from under
the lugs f; the bar e can then be lifted away to allow of the knife being taken out
backwards, as described in the Specification before mentioned. From Figure 5 it
will be seen that when the knife has been removed the sections of stationary knives
can at once be lifted out of their place.
In cases where the knife has to be drawn out endwise in order to remove it the
stationary cutters might likewise be moved out end wise along the finger bar.
Instead of the stationary cutters being formed with side wings, as shewn at
Figure 4, the rear end of the lower portion of the cutters might be fitted into slots
in the bar d, so that their upper surface may be on a level with the surface of the
bar; we, however, prefer to form them in the manner shewn. The stationary
cutters might also be formed in one piece with the sections of the bar d.
fingers are by preference made of wrought iron, and the stationary cutters of steel, or
it might be other hard metal.
The
By making the stationary cutters to rest above the fingers, as described, instead
of using steel or other hard metal linings to a slot in the fingers as heretofore pro-
posed, the stationary cutters may be made of any strength required, without
increasing the size of the finger to an objectionable extent.
By forming the fore part of the fingers to slightly overlap the front end of the
stationary cutters, grass is prevented from getting below these cutters and becoming
wedged between them and the fingers. It is not necessary that the fore part of
the finger should rise, as shewn, to a level with the top of the cutters, so long as
they come above the fore part of these cutters sufficiently to form a guard for the
purpose just mentioned. An example of this construction is shewn at Figure 7.
The fore part of the fingers might also, with the same object, be carried up
somewhat above the end of the stationary cutters without overlapping them.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we would have it understood that we claim as our improvements in
reaping and mowing machines,--
First. The combined arrangement of cutting apparatus substantially as described,
with the guide bar, by which the moving knife is held down, readily removeable so
that the knife may be taken out backwards, and the stationary cutters then lifted
out either singly or in sections of two or more, or all together.
Second. The construction of the stationary cutters so as to come both above and
below the moving knife, and at the same time rest on but be otherwise independent
of the fingers, substantially as described, so that the cutters shall be less liable to
injury, even though the fingers become bent.
Third. The construction of the fingers of reaping and mowing machines, so that
stationary cutters (formed so as to come both above and below the moving knife)

page_text: may be carried above them whilst the fore part of the fingers is made to rise above
or slightly overlap the end only of these stationary cutters to guide grass over them,
substantially as described.
Fourth. Forming the bar which carries the stationary cutters in sections so that
any one section may be removed, if required, and another one put in its place,
without interfering with the other sections.
In witness whereof, I, the said William James Burgess have hereunto set iny
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. J. BURGESS. (L.S.)