IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Howcroft and Alexander McGregor,
both of Bedford Leigh, in the County of Lancaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Scaled the 9th July 1869, and dated the 15th January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Howcroft and
Alexander McGregor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 15th January 1869.
WC, THOMAS HOWCROFT and ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, both of Bedford
Leigh, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the
said. Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines, and the improvements relate, first, to reaping machines having
one main driving wheel. The gearing actuating. the knives is contained
within and shielded by a dome-shaped cover or case, in the centre of
which the main axle is firmly keyed or fixed. This dome-shaped cover or
rase has an internal spur wheel cast on or bolted to the inner face of its

page_text: outer rim immediately under or inside the revolving circular plate that
covers it. This revolving circular plate is free to turn on the main axle,
and the main driving wheel is free to turn on the boss or nave of the
revolving circular plate. This boss or nave is of sufficient length to
carry an ordinary clutch gear, by which the main driving wheel and the
revolving circular plate can at once be connected or disconnected; when
disconnected the driving wheel alone revolves, and when connected the
gearing receives motion through the revolving circular plate. This plate
carries one or (by preference) two wheels, at such a distance from the
internal spur wheel that they work into it and at the same time into.
a pinion on the boss or nave of the large bevil wheel, which bevil wheel
and pinion turn freely on the main axle and are shielded within the
dome-shaped cover or case. The bevil wheel gives motion to a bevil
pinion on an inclined shaft, which through the medium of a crank pin
and connecting rod at its lower end gives motion to the knife bar.
The inclined shaft turns in a long bearing or pipe bushed at its two ends,
which bearing or pipe is cast to the dome-shaped cover or case and forms
part of the framework. The shafts are attached to the machine by
wrought-iron arms which move freely on the main axle, and we attach a
lever to the shafts, by which the cutter bar can be raised or lowered at
pleasure whether the machine is at work or not.
of
In constructing mowing machines according to the second part of our
Invention we adopt a modification of the before-described combination
gear and framework, which is formed with a long cross tube or pipe
through which the main or driving shaft of the driving wheels passes.
At each end of the main or driving shaft is a driving wheel, which is
enabled to back or turn in one direction without causing the main shaft
to turn therewith; but when the driving wheels are going forward the
shaft is forced to rotate by means of ratchet wheels and pawls. The main
shaft is free to turn in the long cross tube of the combined 'dome-shaped
cover or case and frame; shielded therein is a large bevil wheel and spur
pinion turning freely upon the main shaft; also shielded within the
dome-shaped, cover or case is a pair of cross arms with a long boss.or
nave. This boss or nave has a clutch gearing formed on its outer face,
and by means of a sliding clutch upon the main shaft the cross arms
can at once be connected to or disconnected from the main shaft by
means of a hand lever or other equivalent. The cross arms upon the boss
or nave carry the two intermediate wheels which work into the internal

page_text: spur wheel cast or bolted to the dome-shaped cover or case, and also into
the spur pinion on the boss or nave of the bevil wheel, which bevil wheel
and pinion turns freely on the main shaft and are shielded by the dome-
shaped cover or case. The bevil wheel gives motion to a hevil pinion
on an inclined shaft, which through the medium. of a crank pin and
connecting rod at its lower end gives motion to the knife bar. The
inclined shaft turns in a long tubular bearing or pipe "bushed at its two
ends" and forming part of the frame.
In order to construct the machine with a simplified combination of
parts, we form the main frame which carries all the bearings of the main
and actuating shafts of one solid casting of a peculiarly strong yet light
construction, and we form or cast that part of the frame in front of the
cross tube or pipe through which the main axle passes with a suitable
box or square socket in which the draught pole (or shafts) is firmly bolted.
On the upper side of this box or socket wo bolt a cast-iron tool box, the
cover or lid of which forms the footboard or platform for the driver's
feet. The wrought-iron standard for supporting the driver's scat is bolted
to the upper side of the box or socket, and is also bolted to a brachet
cast on the cross tube or pipe forming the back part of the frame. On
the under side of the frame we form or cast suitable brackets or lugs, to
which we hinge the double hinge bar and diagonal brace to which the
main shoe and finger bar is jointed. We also form or cast bearings for
carrying the cross shaft or spindle to which we fix the lever and lever
quadrant for raising the finger bar; the quadrant is placed on the left-
hand side of the machine, the finger bar and cutter being also on the left-
hand side; the hand lever is placed on the right-hand side convenient
to the driver. When raising the finger bar from the ground a self-acting
notched or toothed catch or quadrant retains the lever in position; this
catch is jointed to a bearing cast in the cross tube of the frame. The
driver by means of his foot can instantly release the catch and allow the
fingor bar to drop into working position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander McGregor in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wе, THOMAS
[ow CROFT and ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, both of Bedford Leigh, in the
County of Lancaster, 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-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander McGregor,
Her special license that we, the said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander
M'Gregor, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander McGregor, our executors,
administrators, and 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 REAPING
AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the conditon (amongst others) that we, the
said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander M.Gregor, our executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 we, the said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander
M'Gregor, 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 and accompanying
Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines, and the improvements relate, first, to reaping machines
having one main driving wheel. The gcaring actuating the knives is

page_text: contained within and shielded by a dome-shaped cover or case in the
centro of which the main axle is firmly keyed or fixed. This dome-
shaped cover or case has an internal spur wheel cast on or bolted to the
inner face of its outer rim immediately under or inside the revolving
circular plate that covers it. This revolving circular plato is free to turn
on the main axle, and the main driving wheel is free to turn on the boss
or navo of the revolving circular plate. This boss or nave is of sufficient."
length to carry an ordinary clutch gear by which the main driving
wheel and the revolving circular plate can at once be connected or
disconnected; when disconnected the driving wheel alone. revolves, and
when connected the gearing receives motion through the revolving
circular plate. This plate carries one or (by preference) two wheels at
such a distance from the internal spur wheel that they work into it and,
at the same time into a pinion on the boss or nave of the large. bevil.
wheel, which bevil wheel and pinion turn freely on the main axle and
aro shielded within the dome-shaped cover or case. The bevil wheel gives
motion to a bevil pinion on an inclined shaft which through the medium
of a crank pin and connecting rod at its lower end gives motion to the
knifo bar. The inclined shaft turns in a long bearing or pipo bushed at
its two ends, which bearing or pipe is cast to the dome-shaped cover or
case and forms part of the framework, the latter being curved outwards
to allow the inclined shaft to pass under the main axle. The shafts are
attached to the machine by wrought-iron arms which move freely on
the main axle, and we attach a lover to the shafts, by which the cutter
bar can be raised or lowered at pleasure whether the machine is at work
or not.
In constructing mowing machines according to the second part of our
Invention we adopt a modification of the before-described combination
of gear and framework, which is formed with a long cross tube or pipe
through which the main driving shaft of the driving wheels passes. At
each end of the main or driving shaft is a driving wheel, which is
enabled to back or turn in one direction without causing the main
shaft to turn therewith; but when the driving wheels are going forward
the shaft is forced to rotate by means of ratchet wheels and pawls, as
well understood. The main shaft is free to turn in the long cross tube
of the combined dome-shaped cover or case and frame; shielded therein
is a large bevil wheel and spur pinion turning freely upon the 'main
shaft; also shielded within the dome-shaped cover or case is a pair of

page_text: cross arms with a long boss or nave. This boss or nave has a clutch
gearing formed on its outer face, and by means of a sliding clutch upon
the main shaft the cross arms can at once be connected to or discon-
nected from the main shaft by means of a hand lever or other arrange-
ment. The cross arms upon the boss or nave carry the two intermediate
wheels, which work into the internal spur wheel cast or bolted to the
dome-shaped cover or case and also into the spur pinion on the boss or
nave of the bevil wheel, which bevil wheel and pinion turns freely on
the main shaft and are shielded by the dome-shaped cover or case. The
bevil wheel gives motion to a bevil pinion on an inclined shaft, which
through the medium of a crank pin and connecting rod at its lower end
gives motion to the knife bar. The inclined shaft turns in a long tubular
bearing or pipe bushed at its two ends and forming part of the
frame.
In order to construct the machine with a simplified combination of
parts we form or cast that part of the frame in front of the cross tube
or pipe through which the main axle passes with a suitable box or
square socket in which the draught pole (or shafts) is firmly bolted. On
the upper side of this box or socket we bolt or cast an iron tool box, the
cover or lid of which forms the footboard or platform for the driver's feet.
The wrought iron standard for supporting the driver's seat is bolted to
the upper side of the box or socket and is also bolted to a bracket cast
on the cross tube or pipe forming the back part of the frame. On the
under side of the frame we form or cast suitable brackets or lugs to
which we hinge the double hinge bar and diagonal brace to which the
main shoe and finger bar are jointed. We also form or cast bearings
for carrying the cross shaft or spindle, to which we fix the lever and
lever quadrant for raising the finger bar; the quadrant is placed on the
left-hand side of the machine, the finger bar and cutter being also on
the left-hand side; the hand lever is placed on the right-hand side
convenient to the driver. When raising the finger bar from the ground a
self-acting notched or toothed catch or quadrant retains the lever in
position; this catch is jointed to a bearing cast on the cross tube of the
frame. The driver by means of his foot can instantly release the catch
and allow the finger bar to drop into working position.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention for " "Improve-
mante in Reaning and Vowing Machines" we will now proceed to

page_text: describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may
be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same
may be clearly understood we have annexed harcunto two Sheets of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in Sheet 1 of the Drawings annexed is a front view, and
Fig. 2. a plan view of a reaping machine made according to the first
part Invention; Fig. 3 is a section through the driving gear.
.
The gearing for actuating the knives is contained within and shielded
by the dome-shaped cover or case a, a, which may either be placed on the
outer side of the driving wheel, as shown in the Drawing, or upon the
inner side thereof, and between it and the knives. The main axlo b, b,
is firmly keyed or otherwise fixed in the centre of the cover a, a, which
latter has a ring of internal teeth c, c, cast on or bolted to the inner
face of its outer rim, in gear with which are two other spur pinions d, d,
carried on studs fixed in a circular plate e, e, the boss e*, e*, of which
is fitted loosely on the axle b,. b, and upon the said boss the main
driving wheel turns freely, being connected therewith or disconnected
therefrom, as may be required, by the ordinary sliding clutch g, g. The
spur pinions d, d, at the same time that they gear with the fixed rim
of the internal teeth c, c, also gear with and drive a spur pinión h, h,
cast on or fixed to the boss of the large bevil wheel i, i, which pinion
and wheel i also turn freely on the fixed axle b, b. The bevil wheel i, i,
gives motion to a bevil pinion keyed on an inclined shaft, which by
means of the crank pin l, l, at its lower end actuating the connecting
rod m, m, gives motion to the knife bar.. The inclined shaft revolves in
a long bearing or pipe n, n, (bushed at each end) which is cast of one
piece with the dome-shaped cover or case a, a, and forms part of the
framework. The shafts o, o, are attached by wrought-iron armis, p, p,
which move freely on the ends of the main axle b, b, and connected
therewith is a lever q, q, for raising or lowering the knife bar.
" '
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Fig. 4 is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 a
plan view showing a modification of the foregoing adapted as a mowing
machine.

page_text: We use a similar arrangement of driving gear to that shown at
Fig. 3, and we cast the framework all of one piece with a long cross
tube or pipe r; r, through which the main axle passes, and in which it
can revolve, and at each end of the said axle we mount a driving wheel,
connecting the said wheels thereto by ratchet wheels and pawls in such
a manner that they can turn backwards without imparting motion to
the axle, but when the wheels move forward they compel the axle to
turn
turn with them.
1
The arrangement of the driving gear is similar to Fig. 3, with this
exception that as in this case the axle revolves the clutch gear is
arranged to connect and disconnect the long boss e*, e*, to and from
the axle, instead of to and from the driving wheel.
Fig. 6 is a front view, Fig. 7 a side view, and Fig. 8 a plan view of
a simplified modification of the framework and casing. In this
arrangement we form or cast that part of the frame in front of the cross
tube which carries the main axle with a box or square socket 8, 8, in
which the draught pole is fixed, and we bolt or cast on the upper side
thereof an iron tool box t, t, the cover or lid of which forms the foot-
board for the driver. On the under side of the frame we form or cast.
suitable brackets or lugs u, u, to which are hung the double-hinge bar
and diagonal brace carrying the main shoe and finger bar. v, v, are
the bearings for carrying the cross shaft or spindle, to which are fixed
the lever and quadrant for raising the finger bar. 10, '10, is a bearing
cast on the cross tube of the frame for supporting the notched catch or
quadrant.
:
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention
for Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines," together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention,―
Firstly. With reference to the reaping machine the construction and
arrangement of the framework and gearing, substantially as shown and
described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. As regards the mowing machine we claim the construction
and arrangement of framework and gearing, substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the Drawings.

page_text: And, thirdly. We claim casting the whole of the framework and
bearings for the various working parts of one piece, substantially as
shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander
McGregor, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day
of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
THOMAS HOWCROFT.
(L.S.)
ALEXANDER MCGREGOR. (L.S.)
Witnessed by
JOHN HUGHES,
Clerk to George Davies, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
St. Ann's Square,
Manchester.