IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Staples Boulton, of Rose Lane Iron
Works, in the City of Norwich, Manufacturing Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS."
Sealed the 5th September 1868, and dated the 21st March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Staples
Boulton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 21st March 1868.
I, WILLIAM STAPLES BOULTON, of Rose Lane Iron Works, in the City
of Norwich, Manufacturing Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in placing the bearings of the axes of the
knife or cutting barrel, and of the intermediate wheel which gears with
the wheel on the axis of such cutting barrel, and with the main driving
wheel of lawn mowers on a radial link or links, which is or are con-
centric with and vibrate round the bearing of the main roller and driving
wheel so as to retain the intermediate wheel in proper gearing contact

page_text: with the two wheels with which the same is in gear whenever the axis
of the cutting roller is raised or lowered as occasion may require. Also,
in attaching the main driving wheel to the axis of the roller or driving
barrel by forming a conical bearing for such wheel on the axis of such
driving barrel, and fixing such wheel and causing the same to be
actuated or carried round on the axis of such driving barrel or roller by
tightening the main driving wheel or such conical bearing by means of
a nut screwed on the said axis. This nut has an internal projecting
conical surface, so that by loosening it the driving roller or barrel may,
if desired, be free to revolve without driving or actuating the main
driving wheel or other wheels or parts of the said apparatus or machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Staples Boulton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
STAPLES BOULTON, of Rose Lane Iron Works, in the City of Norwich,
Manufacturing Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
'Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Staples Boulton, Her special
license that I, the said William Staples Boulton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Staples Boulton, my executors, administrators, or 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 LAWN MOWERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Staples Boulton, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Staples Boulton, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
My said Invention consists in placing the bearings of the axes of the
knife roller or cutting barrel, and of the intermediate wheel which gears
with the wheel on the axis of such cutting barrel, and also with the
main driving wheel of lawn mowers in or on a radial link or links,
which is or are concentric with and move round the bearing of the main
roller and driving wheel so as to retain the intermediate wheel in proper
gearing contact with the two wheels with which the same is in gear
whenever the axis of the cutting roller is raised or lowered as occasion
may require. Also, in attaching the main driving wheel to the axis of
the roller or driving barrel, by forming a conical bearing for such wheel
on the axis of such driving barrel and fixing such wheel and causing
the same to be actuated or carried round with the axis of such driving
barrel or roller by tightening the main driving wheel on such conical
bearing, by means of a nut screwed on the said axes. This nut has an
internal projecting conical surface, so that by loosening it the driving
roller or barrel may, if desired, be left free to revolve loosely without
driving or actuating the main driving wheel or other wheels or parts of
the said apparatus or machine.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in both the
Figures..
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of my improved
lawn mower with the wheel guard or cover removed to show the
improvements more clearly, and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of one
side of the same, shewing the wheel guard or cover in dotted lines.
A, represents one of the two side frames which carry the greater
portion of the mechanism, and B is a portion of one of the two lever.

page_text: handles by which the machine is guided and controlled. These handles
are centred upon the axis of the main roller C, and carry the scraper D.
This axis also carries one end of the side frames A, the opposite or leading
ends of which carry the front roller E, which is made adjustable in
height by means of the slotted brackets F, and tightening screw G.
Against the outer face of each side frame A is situate a radial link H,
one end of which is hung freely on to the end of the axis of the main
roller C, or on a boss or projection on the frame A concentric with the
said axis, whilst its front end is suspended from the side frame by a bolt I
passing vertically through a hole in the end of each link, which is thus
supported upon the head of the said bolt. The front ends of these links
receive the journals of the spindle K of the knife roller L, and con-
sequently by suitably adjusting the nut on the top of the bolt I the
height of the front part of the links on each side of the machine and that
of the knife roller may be varied according to the length of cut to
which the machine is to be adjusted; the links during such adjustment
turning slightly on the axis of the main roller, or on a boss or pro-
jection concentric therewith as a fulcrum. When properly adjusted the
links are fixed by screwing down the set screws M which work through
the side frames, and bear upon the upper surface of the ends of the links,
thereby holding them perfectly secure and steady. A rotatory motion
is imparted to the knife roller L, which works in contact with the
straight blade L' by means of the large spur wheel N mounted on the axis
of the main roller, such wheel gearing into the intermediate wheel O,
which again gears with the pinion P fast on the outer end of the
spindle K of the knife roller. The intermediate wheel Ore volves freely
on a stud centre Q secured to the link H, the arrangement being
repeated on each side of the machine. The links H are controlled in
their radial motion by a bolt or screw a, which passes through a short
curved slot 6 made in each link, and enters the side frame A. It will be
obvious on referring to the Drawings that by mounting the intermediate
wheels O on the radial links H the train of gearing N, O, and P requisite
for actuating the knife roller will always remain in action at whatever
height the said knife roller may be adjusted. I have represented in
horizontal section in Figure 2 the arrangement I adopt for readily
tightening the main spur or driving wheel N upon its shaft, or allowing
it to run loosely thereon as may be required. This consists in making
that portion of the main driving shaft which receives the driving wheel N
conical as shown at c, the boss of the wheel being correspondingly bored

page_text: about half-way through from the inner side. A similar conical bore is
made from the outer side of the boss, and into this fits the conical pro-
jecting portion of the tightening nut d, which is screwed on to the end
of the driving shaft. By simply tightening or slackening these nuts the
wheel N may be made fast or loose according as the machine is
required for rolling and cutting, or for rolling only.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Placing the bearings of the axes of the knife roller and of the
intermediate wheel in lawn mowers in radial links, which move round
or upon the axis of the main roller and driving wheel, or on a boss or
projection in the frame concentric with the said driving wheel, substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Second. The fitting the main driving wheel of lawn mowers on to a
conical portion of the main shaft, and tightening such wheel thereon by
means of a nut provided with a conical projection, substantially as and
for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Staples Boulton, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of
September, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.