IMPROVEMEnts in Reaping AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Atkinson Fell, of Troutbeck Bridge,
Windermere, in the County of Westmoreland, Machine Maker, for
the Invention of " IMPROVEMEnts in Reaping AND MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 30th August 1870, and dated the 7th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Atkinson Fell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th March 1870.
I, WILLIAM ATKINSON FELL, of Troutbeck Bridge, Windermere, in
5 the County of Westmoreland, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate more particularly to the general construction,
arrangement, and adaptation or combination of parts of mowing and
reaping machines, and they have reference,―
Firstly. To an improved arrangement of the main framing of the
machine, which is of iron, and on which are cast or otherwise attached

page_text: immoveable journals to receive the various shafts or gearing required
to work the machine, by which the possibility of derangement in
working is greatly reduced.
Secondly. To an improved arrangement for sustaining the backward
pressure of the finger bar. This is accomplished by the employment of 5
a main shoe having a strong arm or shaft attached thereto extending
backwards between the two driving wheels, which arm or shaft can
rotate in two journals cast upon or affixed to the main frame, and is
secured in its place without the aid of bolts, nuts, or screws by a strong
iron lug cast upon the main frame of the machine. There is also a 1
bracket cast upon or attached to the frame of the machine, which
bearing upon the outer edge of the main shoe prevents its giving or
springing backwards.
Thirdly. To an improved arrangement for working the crank shaft,
which is placed in the inside of the arm or shaft of the main shoe and 1
extends backwards to the bevil wheels on the rear of the machine. The
crank shaft revolving inside the arm or shaft of the main shoe is thus
secured in its place without the aid of bolts, nuts, or screws. By this
arrangement the crank shaft by means of the connecting rod will work
the sickle or knife uniformly at any angle the surface of the ground may 2
raise the finger bar, and thus secure a perfect cut.
Fourthly. To an improved arrangement for working the clutch
employed for throwing the cutting mechanism and driving gear out of
action when required. This arrangement consists of an upright hand
lever which works upon a fixed centre, the lower end of which is 2
attached to a fork working in the groove of an ordinary sliding clutch
box on the transverse driving shaft.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Atkinson Fell, Her special
licence that I, the said William Atkinson Fell, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Atkinson
Fell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Atkinson Fell, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 I, the said William Atkinson Fell, 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 thereof, that is to say :—
My improvements relate more particularly to the general construction,
arrangement, and adaptation or combination of parts of mowing and
reaping machines, and they have reference,-
Firstly. To an improved arrangement of the main framing of the
machine, which is of iron, and on which are cast or otherwise attached
immoveable journals to receive the various shafts or gearing required to
work the machine, by which the possibility of derangement in working
is greatly reduced.
Secondly. To an improved arrangement for sustaining the backward
pressure of the finger bar. This is accomplished by the employment of
a main shoe having a strong arm or shaft attached thereto extending
backwards between the two driving wheels, which arm or shaft can
rotate in two journals cast upon or affixed to the main frame, and is

page_text: secured in its place without the aid of bolts, rivets, or screws by a strong
iron lug cast upon the main frame of the machine. There is also a
bracket cast upon or attached to the frame of the machine, which
bearing upon the outer edge of the main shoe prevents its giving or
springing backwards,
Thirdly. To an improved arrangement for working the crank shaft,
which is placed in the inside of the arm or shaft of the main shoe and
extends backwards to the bevil wheels on the rear of the machine. The
crank shaft revolving inside the arm or shaft of the main shoe is thus
secured in its place without the aid of bolts, nuts, or screws. By this
arrangement the crank shaft by means of the connecting rod will work
the sickle or knife uniformly at any angle the surface of the ground may
raise the finger bar, and thus secure a perfect cut.
Fourthly. To an improved arrangement for working the clutch
employed for throwing the cutting mechanism and driving gear out of
action when required. This arrangement consists of an upright hand
lever which works upon a fixed centre, the lower end of which is
attached to a fork working in the groove of an ordinary sliding clutch
box on the transverse driving shaft.
In order that the said Invention may be fully understood I will by
the aid of the accompanying Drawings proceed more particularly to
describe the same. In each of the Figures of the Drawings the same
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 represents a plan of the main frame of the machine, which is
of metal, by preference of cast iron, and it shews the journals or
bearings cast thereon, as are also the brackets for the support of the
main shoe; Figure 2 is a plan of the main shoe; and Figure 3 is a side
view of the same; Figures 4 and 5 represent a back and side elevation
of the improved arrangement for working the clutch employed for
throwing the working mechanism in and out of gear; Figure 6 is a side
elevation of a machine constructed according to my Invention, and
adapted for mowing grass; Figure 7 is a corresponding plan of the
same with a portion of the cutter and finger bar broken off,
A is the main framing of the machine, which is centred at a upon the
axle B of the main supporting or driving wheels C so as to be capable of
adjustment thereon; D is the draft pole, which is connected to the

page_text: axle B by the metal straps or braces E, E, to which straps or braces is
bolted the foot board F of the machine; G is the main shoe, represented
separately and to a larger scale in Figures 2 and 3; to this shoe is
firmly attached the finger bar H, and it has a long arm or shaft G' which
extends backwards to the rear of the main axle B. There are two
bearings or journals A', A¹, cast upon the main frame A in which the
arm or shaft of the main shoe G works, as is shown in Figure 1. On this
main frame Figure 1 there is also cast a strong lug b. The main shoe
has at its lower or thicker end a strong collar G³, having a section
thereof cut out corresponding in size with the lug 6 on the main frame.
To fix the main shoe in its place it must be turned in the journals
aforesaid until the part cut away comes opposite the the lug b, which it
will pass, and having done so the shoe must be turned to its working
position. The lug 6 now working against the face of the collar of the
main shoe will prevent the shoe from leaving its place, and it will thus
The main shoe G
be securely fixed without the aid of bolts or screws.
is capable of turning or rotating within the journals A¹, A', and thus
provision is made not only for allowing the shoe G to rise and fall at its
front end but to rock and turn on its longitudinal axis as the nature of
I is a chain attached to the
the ground or circumstances may require.
front part of the main frame of the machine and working in and fixed to
a grooved quadrant J attached to a lever K. which turns on a stud
centre K¹ fixed to the foot board of the machine. The finger bar H by
means of the main shoe G is rigidly connected with the main frame of
the machine, by which it is obvious that when the driver draws back or
depresses the lever K. the front of the main frame A, the main shoe G,
and the finger bar I will be correspondingly elevated; and in order to
maintain them in their clevated position at any desired height from the
ground a toothed rack L is formed on the inside edge of the quadrant J,
against the teeth of which a lever M having a shoulder or catch falls.
This lever M curves inwards at its upper end, and works on a centre at
its lower extremity N. When it is desired to lower the finger bar H the
driver has simply to press forward with his foot the curved end of the
lever M, which will release the catch and allow the finger bar H to fall
on the ground; or it may be detained in any intermediate distance by
withdrawing the foot from the lever M, which will allow the catch or
shoulder to fall into the nearest tooth in the rack on the edge of the
quadrant J. O represents the crank or second motion shaft; this

page_text: shaft O revolves within the arm or shaft G¹ of the main shoe G, and it
has a bevilled pinion P keyed on its rear end, which effectually keeps it
in its place without the aid of bolts or screws. The said bevilled
pinion P gears into the teeth of the bevil wheel Q, which is capable of
running loose on the first motion or transverse driving shaft R, but is
capable of being coupled therewith by means of my improved arrange-
ment for working the clutch employed for throwing the cutting
mechanism and driving gear in or out of action when required (see
Figures 4 and 5). This arrangement consists of an upright hand lever S
which works upon a fixed centre S¹, and at its lower end is attached to
a fork T to work in the groove of an ordinary sliding clutch box U on
the transverse driving shaft R. This lever S is fixed in a nearly upright
position in an iron bracket V which is firmly fixed to the main frame of
the machine on the right hand side of the driver, and it is provided with
a stop X to keep the clutch in or out of gear, as may be required.
Y is the connecting rod, one end of which is attached to a crank pin
fixed in the face of a disc Z on the front end of the crank or second
motion shaft O, whilst the other end of it is connected to a strong head
welded on the heel of the knife or sickle; hence it follows that every
revolution made by the crank shaft will cause the knife or sickle by
means of the connecting rod Y to traverse accordingly. The finger
bar H being firmly attached to the main shoe, and the crank shaft
revolving within the arm of the main shoe, the finger bar is able to
assume any desired angle without interfering with the proper working of
the connecting rod or sickle. Motion is transmitted to the shaft R by a
means of internal teeth or cogs c¹ in the main supporting wheels c.
These internal teeth or cogs c¹ gear into the spur pinions (which are
cast in one piece with an internal ratchet disc d) working loosely on the
shaft R. In the teeth of these ratchets d are engaged two hinged pawls,
which are carried by a disc keyed on the shaft R and situated inside a
these internal or hollow ratchet discs d, springs being employed to keep
the pawls in gear with the ratchet teeth. The object of this arrangement
is to allow the ratchet discs to revolve freely on the shaft R without
imparting motion to the driving gear when the machine is being moved
backwards. When the machine however is moved forwards then the 8
motion of the ratchet discs being reversed their teeth by engaging with
the palls will carry round with them the pall carrying discs and ratchet
discs, and with them the shaft R and driving gear. e is a metal guard

page_text: Fifthly. I claim the improved arrangement for working the clutch
employed for throwing the cutting mechanism and driving gear in or
out of action when required, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Atkinson Fell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of September, in the 5
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.