IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander McGregor, of Leigh, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander McGregor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th May 1880.
ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, of Leigh, in the County of Lancaster.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines.
The first part relates to that class of reaping machines in which the axle for the
main driving wheel is secured to a revolving circular axle plate similar to that
described in the first part of a Specification of a former Patent granted to me,
A.D. 1877, No. 699, and in which the frame of the machine is raised or lowered by
the partial rotation of this circular axle plate.
On the main axle, and between it and the interior of the boss of the main
driving wheel, is a tubular bushing or sleeve, having an arm forged or cast at its
inner end, and connected by a link to a stud on the main frame. This link is by
preference made the same length from centre to centre as the distance from the
centre of the main axle to the centre of the first motion shaft, while the arm on
the tubular bushing corresponds with the distance of the stud on the frame to the
centre of the first motion shaft.
The outer end of the tubular bushing is connected by means of a clutch tooth to
a bracket carrying the driver's seat, and maintains it in the same position when the
inachine is raised or lowered, the tubular bushing being kept from revolving by
incans of the link connecting the arm to the main frame.
In some cases instead of the tubular bushing the axle may be formed hollow
with a spindle passed through it; or the axle itself may be made to revolve in the
boss on the circular axle plate, a similar arrangement of arms and links being used
to govern the position of the driver's seat.
A similar arrangement of parallel connections is also applicable, to that class of
machines in which the main axle is secured to a quadrant, the object being to

page_text: do away with the necessity for adjusting the driver's seat when the machine is
raised or lowered.
In order to partially rotate the circular axle plate for raising and lowering the
frame, I make use of a similar segment of spur teeth to that described in the
Specification, A.D. 1877, No. 699, and on the side of the spur pinion for actuating
the same I attach or cast a worm wheel. On the frame of the machine I mount a
vertical tube or pipe, through which passes a spindle having at its lower end a
worm gearing into. the worm wheel. At the top of this vertical tube or pipe is
a horizontal tube or bracket carrying a spindle, which is connected to the upright
spindle by bevol or screw gear, and having at its outer end a crank handle clear of
the main driving wheel, and convenient to the driver's hand as he sits on the seat.
In place of bevel or screw gear I sometimes make use of a pitch chain and
wheels.
In some cases I dispense with the vertical tube or pipe for the worm spindle and
make use of a bracket having a horizontal tube, the handle for actuating the worm
being placed at the rear of the main driving wheel. In order to secure the handle
and prevent the worm from turning I joint the handle to a boss fixed to the
worm spindle, and make it to fold over and drop into a notch in the flange of
the boss to which it is jointed, and also a notch in the flange of the tube in which
the spindle turns. A spring, pin, or catch, is arranged to keep it locked when
folded over.
According to another arrangement for maintaining the horizontal position of the
driver's seat, and as an improvement on that shown in Specification, A.D. 1878,
No. 1598, I carry a bar or frame from the vertical tube or the worm bracket over
the main driving wheel and down the outer side of the same, connecting its bottom
end to the arm of a flanged axle cap similar to that described in the above Specifi-
cation, the seat bracket being connected by a link to this bar or frame. On the
top of the bar or frame over the main driving wheel in some cases, in addition to
the spindle for actuating the worm, I carry a lever for sliding the self action drum
or barrel, and the rods or cord for actuating the clutch for controlling the rakes.
In order to obviate the lengthening or shortening of the cord I carry it down by
the upright bar or frame outside the main driving wheel, and carry it over or
under pulleys or through eyes at each end of the link for connecting the seat
bracket to the upright bar or frame, and thence to a treadle placed convenient to
the driver's foot.
In order to further support the upright portion of this bar or frame at the outer
side of the main driving wheel, at a point in the bar corresponding with that to
which the tipping connecting rod is attached to the main frame, I attach a duplicate
connecting rod, the other end of which I attach to a point corresponding to that to
which the forward end of the tipping connecting rod is attached to the crank of
the tipping lever.
In order to put the machine more effectually into or out of gear, and as an
improvement on the face ratchets described in Specification, A.D. 1878, No. 1598,
I form a ring of internal ratchet teeth at one side of the first motion gear wheel,
the same being driven by pawls carried on a plate provided with a series of holes
to receive the ends of two or more pins passing through holes formed in the arms
or centre of the main driving wheel. The outer ends of these pins are secured to
a boss or ring, which is free to slide on the boss of the main 'driving wheel, and
having a groove or flange to receive the clutch fork. A pin is secured to the clutch
fork at right angles, on which is mounted a spring to press against the fork and
keep the machine in gear, a lever being arranged with a cam or spiral surface so
as to draw it out of gear. It will be seen by this arrangement the machine can
be more readily backed when in gear, the pawls only acting, and not the whole of
the throwing out apparatus.
Instead of jointing the draught pole at or near the lower portion of the main
frame, I sometimes joint thereto a short pole only, and joint the draught pole to the
side of the short pole. I connect the short pole to the upper portion of the main

page_text: frame by means of an adjustable rod or bolt, so that the angle of the same may be
permanently altered, the machine being tipped by means of a lever actuating a
crank on the end of the draught pole, and connected by a link to the short pole, or
a pinion on the draught pole gearing into a rack on the short pole.
With this arrangement I sometimes carry the worm spindle for actuating the
circular axle plate horizontally over this short pole, and connect a spindle carrying
the crank handle by means of bevel or other gear at an angle sufficient to clear the
front of the main driving wheel; or, in some cases, I dispense with the segment of
spur teeth on the circular axle plate, and form or attach an arm to the upper
side of the same, which is actuated by screw or other gearing from the short
pole.
The last part of this Invention relates to the manner of sustaining the grain
platform and preventing the back of the same from deflexing. On the upper
portion of the hinge piece, to which the finger bar and platform is attached, I form
an eye or boss to receive the end of an adjustable bolt, which is connected to an
arm formed on the upper side of a bar carried longitudinally under the platform.
By tipping this bolt the bar can be strained upwards, so as to keep the back of the
platform at the desired height.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of, the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander McGregor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
November 1880.
ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, of Leigh, in the County of Lancaster.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines..
The first part relates to that class of reaping machines in which the axle for the
main driving wheel is secured to a revolving circular axle plate similar to that
described in the first part of a Specification of a former Patent granted to me
A.D. 1877, No. 699, and in which the frame of the machine is raised or lowered by
the partial rotation of this circular axle plate, and is illustrated by Sheet 1 of the
Drawings annexed.
Fig. 1 being a partial side elevation, and Fig. 2 a transverse section of so much
of a reaping and mowing machine as is necessary to illustrate this part of my
Invention.
On the main axle a, a, (Fig. 2) and between it and the interior of the boss b of
the main driving wheel is a tubular bushing or sleeve c having an arm o¹ (Figs. 1
and 2) forged or cast on its inner end, and connected by a link c² to a stud con
the main frame. This link is, by preference, made the same length from centre to
centre as the distance from the centre of the main axle a to the centre of the first
motion shaft d', while the arm c¹, on the tubular bushing, corresponds with the
distance of the stud c³ and the centre of the first motion shaft d¹.
The outer end of the tubular bushing c is connected by means of a clutch tooth
(see Fig. 2) to a bracket e carrying the driver's seat, and maintains it in the same
position when the machine is raised or lowered, the tubular bushing being kept
from revolving by means of the link c' connecting the arm to the main frame.
In some cases instead of the tubular bushing the axle may be formed hollow with
a spindle passing through it, or the axle itself may be made to revolve in the boss
of the circular axle plate; a similar arrangement of arms and links being used to
govern the position of the driver's seat.
The same system of parallel connections is also applicable to that class of
machines in which the main axle is secured to a quadrant; the object being to do
away with the necessity for adjusting the driver's seat when the machine is raised
or lowered.
In order to partially rotate the circular axle plate d for raising and lowering the
frame, I make use of a similar segment of spur teeth d to that described in
the Specification of Letters Patent dated February 20th, No. 699, and on the
side of the spur pinion for actuating the same I attach or cast a worm wheel f; on
the frame of the machine I mount a vertical tube or pipe g, through which passes
a cylinder having at its lower end a worm fl gearing into the worm wheel f. At
the top of this vertical tube or pipe is a horizontal tube or bracket gl carrying a
spindle which is connected to the upright spindle by bevel or screw gear, and
having at its outer end a crank handle g² clear of the main driving wheel b¹ and
convenient to the driver's hand as he sits on the seat. In place of bevel or screw
gear I sometimes make use of a pitch chain and wheel, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,
Sheet 2. In some cases I dispense with the vertical tube or pipe for the worm
spindle and make use of a bracket, as in Fig. 5, Sheet 3, having a horizontal
tube h; the handle h' for actuating the worm being placed at the rear of the main
driving wheel.
In order to secure the handle and prevent the worm from turning, I joint the
handle to a boss h² fixed on the worm spindle and make it to fold over, as shown

page_text: in dotted lines, and drop into a notch in the flange of the boss to which it is
jointed, and also a notch in the flange of the tube h in which the spindle turns.
A spring pin or catch h³ is arranged to keep it locked when folded over:
According to another arrangement for maintaining the horizontal position of the
driver's seat, and as an improvement on that shown in Specification of Letters
Patent dated April 20th, 1878, No. 1598, I carry a bar or frame i (Figs. 3, 4,
and 5) from the vertical tube y (or the worm bracket) over the main driving wheel
and down the outer side of the same, connecting its bottom end to the arm of a
flanged axle cap similar to that described in the above Specification, the seat
bracket e being connected by a link to this bar or frame. On the top of the bar
or frame (see Figs. 3 and 4) over the main driving wheel in some cases, in addition
to the spindle or apparatus for actuating the worm, I carry a lever ³ for actuating
the self action drum, and the rods or cord is, and levers 20 and 7 for actuating
the clutch is for controlling the rakes. In order to obviate the lengthening or
shortening of the cord, I carry it down by the upright bar or frame outside the
main driving wheel and carry it over or under pulleys, or through eyes at each end
of the link for connecting the seat bracket to the upright bar or frame, and
thence to a treadle convenient to the driver's seat. Fig. 5 also shows a similar
arrangement, in which rods jare substituted for the cord. In order to further
support the upright position of this bar or frame at the outer side of the main
driving wheel, at a point k (Fig. 5) in the bar corresponding with that to which
the tipping connecting rod is attached; to the main frame I attach a duplicate.
connecting rod k, the other end of which I attach to a point 2, corresponding to
that to which the forward end of the tipping connecting rod is attached to the
crank of the tipping lever. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the tipping bracket showing
the ordinary and duplicate connecting rod attachments. In order to put the
machine more effectually into or out of gear, and as an improvement on the face
ratchets described in Specification A.D. 1878, No. 1598, last referred to, I. make
use of an arrangement shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. I form a ring
of internal ratchet teeth 7 (Figs. 2 and 7) at one side of the first motion gear wheel,
the same being driven by pawls l¹ carried on a plate 12 provided with a series of
holes to receive the ends of two or more pins passing through holes formed in
the arms or centre 6 of the main driving wheel. The outer ends of these pins are
secured to a boss or ring m having a groove or flange to receive the clutch fork m¹.
A pin m² is secured to the clutch fork at right angles, on which is mounted a
spring to press against the fork and keep the machine in gear, a lever m³ being
arranged with a cam or spiral surface so as to draw it out of gear. It will be seen,
by this arrangement the machine can be more readily backed when in gear, the
pawls (Fig. 7) only acting, and not the whole of the throwing out apparatus.
Instead of jointing the draught pole at or near the lower portion of the main frame,
I sometimes joint thereto a short pole only n (Fig. 8), and joint the draught pole o
to the side of the short pole. I connect the short pole to the upper portion of the
main frame by means of an adjustable rod or bolt p, so that the angle of the same
may be permanently altered; the machine being tipped by means of a lever o¹
actuating a crank o on the end of the draught pole, and connected by a link o³
to the short pole, or there may be a pinion on the draught pole gearing into a rack
on the short pole. With this arrangement for tipping, and more particularly when
the short pole is fixed and not adjustable, I sometimes carry the worm spindle for
actuating the circular axle-plate horizontally over this short pole and connect a
spindle carrying the crank by means of bevel or other gear at an angle sufficient to
clear the front of the main driving wheel; or, in some cases, I dispense with the
segment of spur teeth on the circular axle plate, as shown in Fig. 8, and form or
attach an arm q to the upper side of the same, which is actuated by a screw q' or
other gearing from the short pole. Fig. 8 shows this arrangement with the handle
for actuating the same, placed convenient to the driver.
The last part of this Invention relates to the manner of sustaining the grain
platform and preventing the back of the same from deflexing. Fig. 5 shows a

page_text: .
view of the arrangement. On the upper portion of the hinge piece r (to which the
finger bar and platform is attached), I form an eye or. boss1 to receive the end of
an adjustable bolt 3 which is connected to an arm s¹ formed on the upper side of a
bar & carried longitudinally under the platform. By tightening this bolt the bar
can be strained upwards so as to keep the back of the platform at the desired
height.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
First. The particular arrangement of tubular bushing and arm (or the modification
thereof) for maintaining the position of the driver's scat when the machine is
raised or lowered as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, and also as
applicable to that class of machines in which the main axle is secured to a
quadrant.
Secondly. The particular arrangement for rotating the circular axle plate in
combination with the said circular axle plate, as described with reference to
Figs. 1 to 5, with the manner of securing the handle, as described with reference to
Fig. 5.
Thirdly. The particular arrangement of frame over the driving wheel as and for
the purpose described, also the duplicate tipping connecting rod, as described with
reference to Figs. 5 and 6.
Fourthly. The arrangement of internal ratchets, and pawls carried by a loose
plate or boss driven by pins passing through the boss of the main driving wheel,
as and for the purpose described.
Fifthly. The particular tipping arrangement with adjustable bolt or rod as
described with reference to Fig. 8. Also the arrangement for rotating the circular
axle plate, as described with reference to the said Fig. 8.
Sixthly. The manner of sustaining the grain platform and preventing the back
portion of the saine from deflexing, as described with reference to Fig. 5.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander McGregor, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ALEXANDER M'GREGOR. (L.S.)