Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM FOLLOWS, of Froxmer Street, Gorton, in the County
of Lancaster, Agricultural' Engineer, do hereby declaro the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in lawn mowers and is designed
to remedy defects which I find exist in machines as at present constructed.
Its object is to obtain a simple and easy method of adjusting the front and
back rollors in order to ensure tho level and parallel setting of the two rollers.
Hitherto it has been customary to regulate the tension of the driving chain by
means of two independent brackets upon which the axle of the back roller or
drum is supported the two brackets being moved backwards or forwards as
required, and being separately fixed to the framing of the machine. A certain
amount of skill is required to set the roller or drum parallel to the cylinder or
revolving cutter. The front roller has been mounted and adjusted in a similar
manner on two brackets with a vertical movement which can be set higher or lower
to enable the operator to eut long or short grass.
The machine consists of two outer frames one right and the other left hand
upon which in suitable bearings are mounted the revolving cylinder or outter and
the bottom blade or knife. At the back of or behind the cutting cylinder I
provide a frame of U or other suitable shape carrying suitable bearings by which
the back roller or drum is held in position. This frame is provided at each side
with a pin, pivot or projecting lug fitting into a hole or slot in the outer frame of
the machine which carries the cutting cylinder.
The frame can be adjusted on its sido pins or pivots into any desired position
aud tho back roller or drum caused to approach closer to or recede from the rotary
cutting cylinder thereby loosening or tightening the driving chain. Two bolts one
on each side of the machine are provided for fixing firmly together the frame
and the outer frame in any desired position.
The adjustable U frame may also act as a scraper for the back roller or-drum
to prevent the collecting of grass and dirt thereon when used on damp or wet
grass.
The front roller which is placed in front of the rotary cutting cylinder is
mounted upon or held in position by a second frame of similar construction which
is pivoted om each side to the machine frame and can be moved up or down as
required to raise and lower or set the front ruller. A pair of bults, screws or the
like are provided one on each side by which to firmly fix the roller fraine to the
outer machine frame when the roller is set to the desired position.
The frames may be cast or forged in one piece or inay be made in two or
more parts bolted or otherwise attached together.
Dated this 17th day of Au 1900
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Lawn Mowers.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM FOLLOWS, of Froxmer Street, Gorton, in the County
of Lancaster, Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in lawn mowers and is designed
to remedy defects which I find exist in machines as at present constructed.
Its object is to obtain a simple and easy method of adjusting the front and back
rollers in order to ensure the level and parallel setting of the two rollers.
Hitherto it has been customary to regulate the tension of the driving chain by
means of two independent brackets upon which the axle of the back roller or drum
is supported the two brackets being moved backwards or forwards as required, and
being separately fixed to the framing of the machine a certain amount of skill is
required to set the roller or drum parallel to the cylinder or revolving cutter.
The front roller has been mounted and adjusted in a similar manner on two brackets
with a vertical movement which can be set higher or lower to enable the operator
to cut long or short grass.
The invention consists essentially in constructing the machine with auxiliary
frames of or other convenient shape for carrying the bearings of the back roller
or drum and a similarly constructed frame for carrying the bearings of the front
roller these frames being pivoted to the side frame whereby the position of the
back and frent rollers can be readily adjusted.
It will be fully described with referenco to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation..
Fig. 2.. Plan.
Fig. 3. Side elevation with the frame A 'removed in front.
Fig. 4. Perspective view of auxiliary frame for carrying the back roller or
drum.
Fig. 5. Perspective view of auxiliary frame for carrying the front roller.
The machine is constructed with two outer fraines Aoue right and the other
left, hand upon which in suitable bearings are mounted the revolving cylinder or
cutter B and the bottom blade or knife C which are of any ordinary or suitable
construction.
At a suitable distance behind the cutting cylinder B I mount the auxiliary
frame D which is of approximately U or other suitable shape to extend across the
machine between the frames A and carry bearings d for the back roller or
drum E. The two extremities d' of the auxiliary frame D are connected together
by the contre bar or rod d". Each of the ends d' of the auxiliary frame D is
provided with a pin or pivot F fitting into a hole in the side frame A upon which
the auxiliary frame can be oscillated and when set or adjusted can be fixed in any
position by the bolts G passing through the slots g in the frames A.
The back roller or drum E is mounted on the bearings d below the pivot F 80
that the oscillation, of the auxiliary frame D causes its centre to approach to or to
recede from the centre of the cutting cylinder B' and thus slacken or tighten the
driving chain H the wheels h for which are fixed to the shafts of the roller E
and cutting cylinder B respectively in the usual way.
The dotted lines in Fig. 1 show the position of the wheel hand driving chain H
when the frame D is moved towards the cutting cylinder B.
The adjustable U frame may also act as a scraper for the back roller or drum
to prevent the collecting of grass and dirt thereon when used on damp or wet
grass.

page_text: In front of the cutting cylinder BI mount a second auxiliary frame K of
similar construction pivoted to the two side frames A to carry the front roller L.
The frame K extends from side to side of the frame and is pivoted upon the pins k
and secured in position by bolts passing into slots in the side frames A. at its
lower end it is provided with bearing for the front roller L. By oscillating the
auxiliary frame K upon its pivots the position of the front roller is raised or
lowered relatively to the cutting cylinder B and the position of the cylinder
thereby adjusted for cutting long or short grass.
The auxiliary trames D and K may be cast or forged in one piece as shown.
in Figs. 4 and 5 which is the construction I at present prefer though if desired
they may be made in two or more parts bolted or otherwise attached together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A lawn mower constructed with an auxiliary frame of approximately U or
other convenient shape extending across the machine and pivoted to the side
frames to carry the back drum or roller whereby the position of the drum or roller-
can be readily adjusted substantially as described.
2. A lawn mower constructed with an auxiliary frame of approximately U or
other convenient shape extending across the machine and pivoted to the side
frames to carry the front roller whereby the roller can be readily adjusted.
substantially as described.
3. A lawn mower having the several parts constructed and arranged in.
combination substantially as aud for the purposes described and shown.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Age.its..