Year: 1885

page_text: I, EDWARD PRATT, of Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to mowing and reaping machines in which a knife bar
carrying triangular blades or knives is made to reciprocate rapidly backward and
forward, when the machine is in operation, by means of a connecting rod jointed
to a heel or eye upon the knife bar.
As ordinarily heretofore constructed, the separate triangular steel blades or
knives are rivetted to the reciprocating knife bar which carries them, and the heel
plate carrying the eye to which the connecting rod is jointed is also rivetted to
one end of the bar above the blades by rivets passing through the heel, the blades,
and the bar. In this method of construction it is impossible to replace the sections
of the blades which are so rivetted under the heel plate, without removing the
heel plate; and as this has generally to be done by the user of the machine, it is
difficult to refix the heel accurately and firmly in its proper position, the rivet
holes not always corresponding exactly. Moreover the heel cannot be so firmly
attached as if it were rivetted directly to the bar without the intervention of the
knife sections, and it is consequently found liable to become loose and thus to be
the cause of constant trouble and expense.
My invention has for its object a novel method of forming and fixing the heel,
so that it is attached directly to the knife bar whilst any of the blade sections can
be readily removed and replaced when necessary without interfering with the firm
attachment of the heel to the bar.
For this purpose I make in the middle of the base or inner edge of each of the
triangular steel sections which form the knife blades a notch preferably rectangular,
extending into the section for about the width of the knife bar, sufficient of the
base being left at the ends of the notch for the rivets by which the sections are
attached to the knife bar. The lower side of the heel bar is formed with projec-
tions downward somewhat greater than the thickness of the sections, and of such
a shape as to fit into the notches in the inner ends of the latter.
If, therefore, the heel bar be fitted upon the knife bar and rivetted to the latter
by rivets passing through the projections which fit upon it, a perfectly strong
and secure attachment is thus obtained. The knife blade sections can be easily

page_text: introduced laterally into the spaces left between the heel and the knife bar, the
notches fitting round the projections upon the former, and they can be rivetted to
the knife bar without any direct attachment to the heel, holes being made through
the latter in the proper position and of sufficient size to allow the introduction
and closing of the rivets without the heads of the latter touching the heel bar in
any way. Instead of solid projections separate washers may be used between the
heel and the knife bar.
By the novel method of construction described, the heel is rigidly, strongly, and
permanently attached to the knife bar, whilst the knife sections can at any
time be readily taken out and replaced without interfering with such rigid
attachment.
Dated this Oth day of November 1885

page_text: Improvements in Mowing and Reaping Machines.
I, EDWARD PRATT, of Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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, and accompanying drawing, (that is to say) :—
My invention relates to mowing and reaping machines in which a knife bar
carrying triangular blades or knives is made to reciprocate rapidly backward and
forward, when the machine is in operation, by means of a connecting rod, jointed
to a heel or eye upon the knife bar.
As ordinarily heretofore constructed, the separate triangular steel blades or
knives are rivetted to the reciprocating knife bar which carries them, and the heel
plate carrying the eye to which the connecting rod is jointed is also rivetted to
one end of the bar above the blades by rivets passing through the heel, the blades,
and the bar.
In this method of construction it is impossible to replace the sections of the
blades which are so rivetted under the heel plate, without removing the heel plate ;
and as this has generally to be done by the user of the machine, it is difficult to
refix the heel accurately and firmly in its proper position, the rivet holes not
always corresponding exactly. Moreover the heel cannot be so firmly attached as
if it were rivetted directly to the bar without the intervention of the knife sections,
and it is consequently found liable to become loose and thus to be the cause of
constant trouble and expense.
My invention has for its object a novel method of forming and fixing the heel,
so that it is attached directly to the knife bar whilst any of the blade sections can
be readily removed and replaced when necessary without interfering with the firm
attachment of the heel to the bar.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention figure 1 being a
side view, figure 2 a plan, and figure 3 an end view, shewing the heel fixed to the
knife bar.
:
I make in the middle of the base or inner edge of each of the triangular steel
sections which form the knife blades (one of which is shewn separately in figure 4).
a notch a preferably rectangular, extending into the section for about the width
of the knife bar 6 (figures 1, 2, and 3) sufficient of the base being left at the ends
of the notch a for the rivets at cc by which the sections are attached to the knife
bar b.
The lower side of the heel bar d is formed with projections downward e, e, e,
(figure 1) somewhat greater than the thickness of the sections, and of such a shape
as to fit into the notches a in the inner ends of the latter.
If, therefore, the heel bar d be fitted upon the knife bar b and rivetted to the
latter by rivets at f. f. f, passing through the projections e, e, e, which fit upon it,
a perfectly strong and secure attachment is thus obtained. The knife blade
sections can be easily introduced laterally into the spaces left between the heel d
and the knife bar b, the notches a fitting round the projections e upon the former,
and they can be rivetted to the knife bar without any direct attachment to the

page_text: heel, holes being made through the latter in the proper position as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2, and of sufficient size to allow the introduction and closing of the
rivets without the heads of the latter touching the heel bar b in any way.
By the novel method of construction described, the heel is rigidly, strongly, and
permanently attached to the knifebar whilst the knife sections can at any time
be readily taken out and replaced without interfering with such rigid attachment.
Instead of solid projections e separate washers may be used between the heel and
the knifebar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The combination of the knife bar b and heel drivetted together through
projections or washers e, so as to leave spaces for the insertion of the knife sections,
substantially as described and shown.
2. The knife blades, having a notch a fitting round the projections e, and rivetted
to the knife bar b, through holes in the heel d, substantially as described and
shewn,