IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REAPING AND MOWING, AND FOR SPREADING AND COLLECTING GRASS.
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 MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REAPING
AND MOWING, AND FOR SPREADING AND COLLECTING GRASS.“
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Howcroft and
Alexander McGregor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 4th March 1869.
We, 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 MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS FOR REAPING AND MOWING, AND FOR SPREADING AND COLLECTING GRASS,"
to be as follows :-
The first part of this Invention relates to the construction of a
convertible or combined reaping and mowing machine, and consists

page_text: in an improved arrangement of the framework and gearing whereby a
more perfect and complete combined machine is produced, affording
various great facilities for the more easy and perfect conversion of a
distinct and complete mowing machine into a distinct and complete
reaping machine. This machine is supported on two main driving
wheels connected by an axle, which latter turns freely in a long bearing
or tube which forms the back part of the draft frame to which the pole
or shafts is or are bolted or fixed. At each end of this tube are turned
bearings on which the frame carrying all the gearing and the finger bar
is suspended by means of pedestals or plummer blocks, the length of
the said bearings being such that the pedestals and frame can be shifted
laterally thereon, so as to adapt the machine for either reaping or
mowing as herein-after described. Connected to the outer one of the
driving wheels of the machine is an internal toothed wheel, and con-
nected to the other or inner one is an external toothed wheel of a smaller
diameter, and the framework carries a shaft having a toothed pinion at
each end, so arranged that when the frame is moved in one direction
(say for reaping) the finger bar is carried outwards so as to have more
space for the horses, and at the same time the pinion at one end of the
shaft carried by the frame is thrown into gear with the external spur
wheel, and thus the speed is reduced, whilst on the other hand, when
required for mowing the frame is shifted on the axle in the reverse
direction, bringing the cutter bar closer up to its work and throwing the
pinion at the other end of the shaft into gear with the internal toothed
wheel, which is of a larger diameter, and thus drives the cutters at an
increased speed; the pole or shafts always maintaining the same relative
position between the two wheels. The driving wheels are connected to
the main axle by ratchet wheels and pawls in such a manner that the
wheels can back or turn in one direction without turning the axle there-
with, but when the driving wheels are going forward the axle is forced
to rotate with it.
A second part of the Invention consists in the application of a self-
acting side delivery apparatus to a two-wheeled mowing machine.
According to this part of our Invention we prefer adopting a different
arrangement of the framework and gearing, in order to admit of the
better attachment of the self delivery apparatus and keeping the finger
bar in the same relative position to the self delivery rakes. The arrange-
ment consists in giving motion to the main axle through the two driving

page_text: To
wheels by means of ratchet wheels and pawls, in the manner previously
described in the first part of our Invention relating to combined reaping
and mowing machines. This main driving axle is free to turn within
the long cross tube of the frame, turning freely upon the axle, and
shielded within the cover or case is placed a long bevil wheel, which by
means of the usual clutch gearing can be at once connected or discon-
nected to or from the main axle. This bevil wheel gears into a bevil
pinion on the end of a short intermediate shaft, which turns on a tubular
bearing cast to the front end of the case or frame and at right angles to
the main driving shaft. On the outer end of the short intermediate shaft
is fixed an internal or external toothed spur wheel which gives motion
to a spur pinion fixed on the front end of the crank shaft. This crank
shaft works through a tube also at right angles to the main axle, but
some distance below the same, and lying in a horizontal position when
the machine is at work. The tube in which the crank shaft turns forms a
principal part of the framework of the machine, and underneath this
tube and hinged to it is a bracket to which is attached a finger bar.
this hinged bracket is also attached an upright standard or standards
which support a horizontal tube or pipe; this horizontal tube or pipe is
placed at right angles to the forward motion of the machine, and forms
a bearing within which the shaft that carries the delivery rakes revolve.
Motion may be communicated to the delivery rake shaft by means of a
pitch chain and pulley direct from the main driving wheel shaft. On the
inner end of the delivery rake shaft we fix or key a circular plate. This
plate has a half round groove across the centre of its face, and a circular
plate with a corresponding half round groove is bolted thereto. Through
the tube formed by the two half round grooves the spindle or shaft
which carries the two delivery rakes is free to turn. To this spindle the
As the shaft
delivery rakes are fixed at right angles to one another.
revolves the rake.arm dips into the standing corn some distance in front
of and parallel with the knife bar. On the standard next the circular
plate we fix a stud, cam, or quadrant, which catches a projection on the
arms of the rakes as they revolve and cause them suddenly to sweep
round the platform in a horizontal direction, performing one quarter of a
revolution, the opposite arm in its turn performing the same operation.
To the outer circular plate upon the rake shaft we attach two gatherers,
which revolve with the rake shaft and act upon the erops alternately
with the rakes. The object of this part of our Invention is to allow the
driving wheels to accomodate themselves to the inequalities of the laud

page_text: without altering the relative positions of the delivery rakes and finger
bar. This arrangement of the self delivery rakes can also be applied to
reaping machines with one main driving wheel only.
The third part of our Invention relates to machinery used for spreading
grass, commonly called "tedding," and consists in an arrangement of
mechanism for raising and lowering the tines and disconnecting and
reversing their action. Fitted on the main axle of the machine is an
excentric boss or tube, on the exterior of which is fitted the eye or
central hole of the box which encloses the gearing, and which also carries
the tine cylinder axle in a curved slot. The shaft irons are prolonged
beyond the main axle and terminate in toothed segments, into which
gear pinions keyed on the ends of the tine cylinder axle, so that by
turning the latter round by means of a short lever provided for that
purpose the pinions roll over the segments and the tine cylinder shaft is
raised or lowered according to the direction in which it is turned.
Inside the box is the toothed wheel which is keyed on the main axle.
and gears with the pinion that drives the tine cylinder. This pinion is
also always in gear with an intermediate pinion carried by a lever which
turns on the axis of the former, and this lever is connected by a link to a
short lever fixed to the excentric boss above named. When it is desired
to reverse the action of the tines this excentric boss is turned partly
round by means of a lever provided for that purpose, which will have
the effect, firstly, of forcing the toothed wheel and tine cylinder pinion
out of gear, and then of bringing the intermediate pinion into gear with
the wheel, which pinion being always in gear with the tine cylinder
pinion will cause the action of the tines to be reversed.
The fourth part of our Invention relates to apparatus (commonly
called "horse rakes") for collecting hay or grass, and consists in a novel
method of forming the tine brackets and attaching the tines thereto.
We form the bracket of a bar of iron bent into a kind of V-shaped,
piercing the two extremities with holes or eyes for the tine bar to pass
through, and we fix the butt end of the tine in the notch of the V-shaped
bracket in the following manner :-We first bend up the end of the tine
in a vertical direction and then bend the extreme end over again
horizontally at right angles; we then slide this bent up part forward
into the notch of the V-shaped bracket, the horizontal bend passing over
the top of the bracket; and, lastly, we drive in a pin or key sideways
through the bracket so as to lock into a notch cut or formed in the back

page_text: of the turned up part before mentioned, and thus hold the tine firmly in
its. place.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters:
Patent and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Thomas
Howcroft and Alexander McGregor in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th September 1869..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, THOMAS:
HOWCROFT 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 Fourth day of March, 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 McGregor, 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REAPING AND MOWING, AND FOR SPREADING AND
COLLECTING GRASS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Thomas Howcroft and Alexander McGregor, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their
hands and scals, 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
McGregor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described

page_text: and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
Drawings (that is to say) :-
:-
The first part of this Invention relates to the construction of a con-
vertible or combined reaping and mowing machine, and consists in an
improved arrangement of the framework and gearing whereby a more
perfect and complete combined machine is produced, affording various
great facilities for the more easy and perfect conversion of a distinct
and complete mowing machine into a distinct and complete reaping
machine.
The second part of our Invention consists in the application of a
self-acting side delivery apparatus (herein-after described) to a two-
wheeled mowing machine. According to this part of our Invention we
prefer adopting a different arrangement of the framework and gearing,
in order to admit of the better attachment of the self-delivery apparatus
and keeping the finger bar in the same relative position to the self-
delivery rakes. The arrangement consists principally in giving motion
to the main axle through the two driving wheels by means of ratchet
wheels and pawls as in the combined reaping and mowing machines.
This main driving axle is free to turn within the long cross tube of the
frame, turning freely upon the axle, and shielded within the cover or
case is placed a large bevil wheel, which by means of the usual clutch
gearing can be at once connected or disconnected to or from the main
axle. This bevil wheel gears into a bevil pinion on the end of a short
intermediate shaft which turns in a tubular bearing cast to the front
end of the case or frame, and at right angles to the main driving shaft
on the outer end of the short intermediate shaft is fixed an internal or
external toothed spur wheel, which gives motion to a spur pinion fixed
on the front end of the crank shaft; the crank shaft works through a
tube also at right angles to the main axle but some distance below the
same, and lying in a horizontal position when the machine is at work.
The third part of our Invention relates to machinery used for spreading
grass commonly called "tedding," and consists in an arrangement of
mechanism for raising and lowering the tines and disconnecting and
reversing their action.
The fourth part of our Invention relates to apparatus (commonly called
"horse rakes) for collecting hay or grass, and consists in a novel
method of forming the tinc brackets and attaching the tines thereto.

page_text: Such being the nature and object of our said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Machinery or Apparatus for Reaping and Mowing, and for
Spreading and Collecting Grass," we will now proceed to describe more
in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed and
carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly
understood we have annexed hereunto 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:-
In Sheet 1 of the annexed Drawings Figure 1 represents a plan view
of our improved convertible or combined reaping and mowing machine
as arranged for mowing, and Figure 2 is a similar view of the same as
arranged for reaping. This machine is supported on two main driving
wheels a, a, connected by an axle shewn by dotted lines, which latter
turns freely in a long bearing or tube b, b, which forms the back part of
the draught frame b*, b, to which the pole or shafts is or are bolted or
fixed. At each end of this tube are turned bearings on which the
frame c, c, carrying all the gearing, and the finger bar is suspended by
means of pedestals or plummer blocks d, d, the length of the said
bearings being such that the pedestals and frame can be shifted laterally
thereon so as to adapt the machine for either reaping or mowing.
Connected to the outer one a of the driving wheels of the machine as
herein-after described and keyed on one end of the main axle is an
internal toothed whcel e, e, and connected to the other or inner one a¹ is
an external toothed wheel of a smaller diameter f, f, keyed on the
other end of the said axle, and the framework c, c, carries a shaft g, g,
having a toothed pinion h, h*, at each end so arranged that when the
frame is moved in one direction (say for reaping, see Figure 2) the
finger bar is carried outwards so as to have more space for the horses
and at the same time the pinion h*, at one end of the shaft carried by
the frame is carried into gear with the external spur wheel f, and thus
the speed is reduced; whilst on the other when required for mowing
(see Figure 1) the frame is shifted on the axle in the reverse direction,
bringing the cutter bar closer up to its work and throwing the pinion h
at the other end of the shaft into gear with the internal toothed wheel e
which is of a larger diameter and thus drives the cutters at an increased
speed, the pole or shafts and the seat i, i, always maintaining the
same relative position between the two wheels. The driving wheels
are connected to the main axle by ratchet wheels and pawls in such a

page_text: manner that the wheels can back or turn in one direction without
turning the axle therewith, but when the driving wheels are going
forward the axle is forced to rotate with it.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings Figure 3 is a plan view and Figure 4 an
elevation showing the application of our improved self-acting side
delivery apparatus to a two-wheeled mowing machine. The tube a, a,
(see Fig. 4) in which the crank shaft turns forms a principal part
of the framework of the machine, and underneath this tube and hinged
to it is a bracket b, b, to which is attached the finger bar; to this hinged
bracket is also attached an upright standard or standards a*, a*, (two
being shown in the Drawing) which support bearings c, c, within which
the shaft d, d, that carries the delivery rakes revolves. Motion may be
communicated to the delivery rake shaft by means of a pitch chain and
pulley e, e, direct from the main driving wheel shaft. On the inner
end of the delivery rake shaft d, d, we fix or key a circular plate ff.
this plate has a half round groove across the centre of the face and a
second one at right angles thereto, and a circular plate f*, f*, with
corresponding half round grooves is bolted thereto. Through the tubes
formed by two of the half round grooves the spindle or shaft g, g, which
carries the two delivery rakes h, h, is free to turn. To this spindle the
delivery rakes are fixed at right angles to one another. As the shaft d, d,
revolves the rake arm dips into the standing corn some distance in
front of and parallel with the knife bar. On the standard next the
circular plate we fix a stud cam or quadrant i which catches a projection.
k on the arms of the rakes as they revolve and causes them suddenly to.
sweep round the platform in a horizontal direction, performing onc
quarter of a revolution, the opposite arm in its turn performing the
same operation, so that the rakes have a double compound motion, firstly,
a continuous revolving motion round the centre of the shaft d, and,
secondly, an intermittent circular motion (one-fourth of a revolution
at a time) round the rake spindle or shaft g. In the two remaining a
grooves, or to the outer circular plate upon the rake shaft, we attach
two gatherers or vanes (not shown in the Drawings) which revolve
with the rake shaft and act upon the crops alternately with the rakes.
The object of this part of our Invention is to allow the driving wheels
to accommodate themselves to the inequalities of the land without a
altering the relative position of the delivery rakes and finger bar. This
arrangement of the self-acting rakes can also be applied to reaping
machines with one main driving wheel only.

page_text: "
Our improvements in the "
"tedding machine are also represented on
Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Figure 5 being a section, Figure 6 an internal
view, and Figure 7 an external elevation of so much of the machine as
is necessary to illustrate our improvements.
Fitted on the main
axle a, a, of the machine is an excentric boss or tube b, b, on the 1
exterior of which is fitted the eye or central hole of the box c, c, which
encloses the gearing and which also carries the tine cylinder axle d, d.
The shaft irons e, e, are prolonged beyond the main axle and terminate
in toothed segments f,f, into which gear pinions q, g, one of which
is keyed on each end of the tine cylinder axle d, d, so that by turning
the latter round by means of a short lever provided for that purpose
the pinions g, g, roll over the segments f, f, and the tine cylinder shaft
is raised or lowered according to the direction in which it is turned.
Inside the box c, c, is the toothed wheel h, h, which is keyed on the
main axle a, a, of the driving or carrying wheels and gears with the
pinion g*, g*, that drives the tine cylinder i, i. This pinion is also always
in gear with an intermediate pinion k, k, (see Figure 6) carried by a
lever 1, 1, which turns on the axis of the former, and this lever is con-
nected by a link m, m, to a short lever n, n, fixed to the excentric
boss b, b, above-named. When it is desired to reverse the action of
the tines this excentric boss is turned partly round by means of a lever
provided for that purpose, which will have the effect, firstly, of forcing
the toothed wheel h and tine cylinder pinion g* out of gear, and then
of bringing the intermediate pinion k into gear with the wheel h, which
pinion being always in gear with the tine cylinder pinion g* will cause
the action of the tines to be reversed.
Our method of forming the tine brackets and tines of horse rakes is
shown clearly by the detached views Figures 8, 9, and 10. We form the
bracket a, a, of a bar of iron bent into a kind of V shape, piercing the
two extremities with holes or eyes for the tine bar to pass through,
and we fix the butt end of the tine in the notch of the V-shaped bracket
in the following manner:-We first bend up the end of the tine in a
vertical direction, as shewn at 6, and then bend the extreme end over
again horizontally at right angles, as at c;
we then slide this bent up
part forward into the notch of the V-shaped bracket, the horizontal bend
passing over the top of the bracket; and lastly, we drive in a pin or
key sideways through the bracket, so as to lock into a notch cut or

page_text: formed in the back of the turned up part before mentioned, and thus
hold the tine firmly in its place.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention,
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 distinctly understood that
we claim as our Invention,-
Firstly. The arrangement of mechanism shewn on the Drawings at
Sheet 1, Figure 1 and 2, and herein-before described for a convertible or
combined reaping and mowing machine.
Secondly. The arrangement of mechanism shewn at Figures 3 and 4
on Sheet 2 of the Drawings, constituting an improved self-acting side
delivery apparatus.
Thirdly. The method of and apparatus for raising and lowering the
tines in " tedding machines," and disconnecting and reversing their
action, as described with reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7 on Sheet 2 of
the annexed Drawings.
And, fourthly. The method (shewn and described with reference to
Figures 8, 9, and 10 of the Drawings) of forming the tine brackets of
horse rakes and attaching the tines thereto, or any mere modification or
imitation of any or all of the above arrangements, constructed and
operating in substantially the same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Howcroft and Alexander
McGregor, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Manchester.
THOMAS HOWCROFT.
(L.S.)
ALEXANDER MCGREGOR. (L.S.)