AN IMPROVED REAPING AND MOWING " MACHINE, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Isaac Boss, of Bloomsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of AN IMPROVED REAPING AND MOWING
"
MACHINE, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES." A com-
munication from abroad by Samuel Sudheim, senior, of Cassel, Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Isaac Boss at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th January 1881.
" AN
OTHER
ALBERT ISAAC Boss, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVED REAPING AND MOWING MACHINE, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR
AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by Samuel Sudheim,
senior, of Cassel, Germany.]
This Invention relates to an improved reaping and mowing machine in which
horizontally revolving scythe-like cutters or knives are used. Instead however of
merely describing semicircles back and forth, as in the case of a hand scythe, the
cutters have continuous rotary motion. These knives are attached to radial arms
fixed to the lower end of a vertical spindle, hereafter termed the cutter spindle, and
they may be arranged to work either in front of the machine or at one side. In the
latter case the cutter spindle is supported in a bearing formed at the extremity of
a prolongation of the wheel axle outside one of the travelling wheels, and in
another bearing supported by standards rising from said axle. It is driven by
bevel gear from a horizontal shaft mounted above and parallel to the wheel axle,
and driven directly or by intermediate gear from a ring of teeth on one of the
travelling wheels, means being provided for throwing it out of gear at will. In
order to adjust the height of the cutters from the ground the cutter shaft is made
in two parts, and the lower part to which the cutter arms are attached is capable
of being raised and lowered by means of an adjusting screw parallel to the cutter
spindle and working through a nut in an arm supporting the lower part of the
cutter spindle, the screw being operated by a handle within reach of the driver
through a horizontal shaft and bevel gear.

page_text: The delivery apparatus in the case of a reaping machine consists of a horizontal
segment shaped platform behind each knife, having raised sides concentric with the
cutter spindle and revolving therewith, upon which the cut crop falls, and whence it
is taken off by a vertically moving rake or blade, which is caused to descend at the
proper moment and arrest the cut crop on the platform, and deliver it in a sheaf-
like bundle at the back of the platform as the latter continues to revolve. The
mechanism for working the delivery rake is capable of adjustment according to
the nature of the crop in order that the rake shall descend only when sufficient
This rake or
to form a sheaf has been collected on the platform if desired.
blade is fixed to a vertically sliding rod, whose upper end rests in a slotted lever
arm carried by a rock shaft, which is operated in the one direction by tappets or
equivalent devices in connection with the driving gear of the cutter spindle, and
in the other direction by a spiral spring. The distance to which this rake descends
is regulated by the same adjusting screw that regulates the height of the cutters
and platforms from the ground. The driving mechanism and delivery rake
mechanism may be variously arranged and operated.
In order to adapt the machine for other agricultural purposes the cutters and
platforms may be removed and replaced by shares, tines, or prongs, or other
implements for tilling, cleaning, manuring, or otherwise cultivating the land.
The frame of the machine may consist merely of the wheel axle and the
standards rising therefrom, the driver's seat mounted on the axle, and a guiding
wheel and fore carriage to which the draught animals are harnessed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Albert Isaac Boss in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th July 1881.
"AN
FOR OTHER
ALBERT ISAAC Boss, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVED REAPING AND MOWING MACHINE, APPLICABLE ALSO
AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Samuel Sudheim,
senior, of Cassel, Germany.
This Invention relates to an improved reaping and mowing machine in which
horizontally revolving cutters or knives acting as scythes are used. Instead
however of merely describing semicircles back and forth, as in the case of a hand
scythe, the cutters have continuous rotary motion. They are attached to radial arms
fixed to the lower end of a vertical spindle hereafter termed the cutter spindle, and
they may be arranged to work either in front of the machine or at one side. In
the latter case the cutter spindle is supported in a bearing formed at the extremity
of a prolongation of the wheel axle outside one of the travelling wheels and in
another bearing supported by standards rising from said axle. The cutter spindle
is driven by bevel gear from a horizontal shaft mounted above and parallel to the
wheel axle and driven directly or by intermediate gear from a ring of teeth on one
of the travelling wheels, means being provided for throwing it out of gear at will.
In order to adjust the height of the cutters from the ground the cutter shaft is made
in two parts, and the lower part to which the cutter arms are attached is capable of
being raised and lowered by means of an adjusting screw parallel to the cutter
spindle and working through a nut in an arm supporting the lower part of the cutter
spindle, the screw being operated by a handle within reach of the driver through a
horizontal shaft and bevel gear.
The delivery apparatus in the case of a reaping machine consists of a horizontal
segment shaped platform behind each knife, having raised sides concentric with the
cutter spindle and revolving therewith, upon which the cut crop falls, and whence
it is taken off by a vertically moving rake or blade, which is caused to descend at
the proper moment, thereby arresting the cut crop on the platform, and delivering
it in a sheaf-like bundle at the back of the platform as the latter by continuing to
revolve moves from under it. The mechanism for working the delivery rake is
capable of adjustment according to the nature of the crop in order that the rake
shall descend only when sufficient to form a sheaf has been collected on the platform
if desired. This rake or blade is fixed to a vertically sliding rod, whose upper end
rests in a slotted lever arm carried by a rock shaft, which is operated in the one
direction by tappets or equivalent devices in connection with the driving gear of
the cutter spindle, and in the other direction by a spring. The distance to which
this rake descends is regulated by the same adjusting screw that regulates the
height of the cutters and platforms from the ground. The driving mechanism and
delivery rake mechanism may be variously arranged and operated. In order to
adapt the machine for other agricultural purposes the cutters and platforms may be
removed and replaced by shares, tines, or prongs, or other implements for tilling,
cleaning, manuring, or otherwise cultivating the land.
The frame of the machine may consist merely of the wheel axle and the standards
rising therefrom, the driver's seat mounted on the axle, and a guiding wheel and
fore carriage to which the draught animals are harnessed.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation; Figure 2, a side
elevation; and Figure 3 a plan of a reaping machine having the cutters arranged at
one side thereof, as above described; Figure 4 is a section on line A, B, Figure 1,

page_text: showing the cutter spindle and apparatus connected therewith separately; Figure 5
is a longitudinal section; and Figure 6, a plan of a machine having the cutters
arranged in front or at the rear. The same letters of reference indicate the same
parts in all the Figures.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, A, A, are the wheels; B, the axle; B¹, the pro-
longation thereof; C, the fore carriage and shafts; D, the steering wheel; E, the
driver's seat; F, the standards rising from the axle ; G, the horizontal shaft mounted
in bearings at the tops of said standards; H, H', the cutter spindle; I, the scythe-
like cutters; K, the platforms; L, the adjusting screw of the cutter spindle; M, the
delivery rake or blade; N, its operating lever; O, the rock shaft on which the lever
is fixed; and P, the tappet arm. The wheels A turn loose on the axle B, and one of
them has a spur wheel A¹ attached to it. The frame C is attached to the axle and
supported at the front part on the steering wheel D, which is mounted in a fork d
The standards
pivoted in frame C; and guided by the steering handle d'.
F, F1, F2, F3, are bolted to the axle B and its prolongation B', and are furnished at
top with bearings f to receive the horizontal shaft G. This shaft is made in two
parts G, G', connected together by a sleeve or coupling g with which the part G' of
the shaft is connected, so that the two parts of the shaft turn together, whilst the
part G¹ is free to be slid longitudinally within the sleeve, and in its bearing on the
standard F for the purpose of throwing the spur wheel G2 upon the part G¹ of the
shaft in and out of gear with wheel A', as indicated in dotted lines, being operated
for this purpose by means of a hand lever g² pivoted at g³ to a bracket g fixed to
the upper end of standard F¹, said lever having a stud upon it received in the
groove of a collar
fixed on the part G¹ of the shaft. This shaft may be in several
lengths connected rigidly together by suitable couplings. To its other end is keyed
a bevel gear wheel G which gears with a bevel pinion H2 on the upper end of the
part H of the cutter spindle. This part H' has a journal formed upon it
immediately beneath the pinion, and rotates in a collar or bearingh on an arm h¹
extending from the standard F3, and its lower part, which enters the tubular lower
part H of the spindle is square, so as to turn the lower part H and admit of the latter
sliding up and down upon it. The part H of the spindle also has journals formed upon
it received respectively in a lower bearing b at the end of the prolongation B¹ of the
axle and in an upper bearing on the end of a crosshead L³, which is traversed up and
down upon the adjusting screw L in order to regulate the height of the cutters
from the ground. This crosshead L' has a nut at the middle of its length through
which the adjusting screw L works, and it is connected at its other end to an
arm m² hereafter referred to, so as at same time to limit the descent of the delivery
rake to the height of the platforms. The screw L is mounted in bearings and is
operated by handle through shaft 12 and bevel gear 13. The horizontally revolving
cutters I may be of the straight form shown, or they may be curved, and they are
attached to a frame i bolted to the lower end of spindle H. Two of these cutters
are shown, but there might be less or more. The cutter spindle and cutters are
revolved at a high speed as the machine advances. The platforms K are carried
by the same frame and are arranged one in rear of each cutter. They are in the
form of a quadrant shaped segment of a circular trough corresponding in breadth
to the length of the cutter. The cut crop falls in the trough-like platform beneath
the raised sides k thereof, and, is swept off periodically by the descent of the
This
blade M as the cutters and platforms revolve in the direction of the arrow.
blade M is attached to the lower end of a rod m sliding through eyes at the ends
of arms m¹, m², of which the lower one is stationary, and the upper one is moved
on the rod m meets the end
up and down with the crosshead L¹. A shoulder m³
of this armm² and so limits the descent of the blade. The rod m passes freely
through a slot n in the end of the lever N, and its upper end terminates in a small
crosshead m' under which the lever N takes to raise the blade M. The lever N
is fixed on a rock shaft O mounted in bearings at the rear of the standards F2, F³,
and the tail end of the lever N is connected by a rod n³ with a spring n² whereby

page_text: the lever N is raised. The said lever is lowered in order to lower the blade M at
the proper moments by a pin or tappet p on the bevel wheel G³ striking the
curved arm P fixed on the rock shaft O, and thereby oscillating it.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6 the extension B₁ is at right angles to the axle B
and at the middle of its length. The cutter spindle H is mounted in the extremity
of this extension, but it is not provided with the means of adjusting the height
of the cutters from the ground, as this can be done by raising or lowering the
shafts or handles. The cutters and platforms are similar to those before described.
The cutter spindle is driven from a ring of teeth on one of the travelling wheels
by shafts G, G¹, which in this case are connected by mitre pinions and are mounted
in bearings in upright bearings as before. The shaft G is prolonged, and carries at
its extremity an eccentric » by which the blade M. is raised and lowered.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The respective combinations and arrangements of parts operating as herein
described and constituting the machines, substantially as represented in Figures 1
to 4 and 5 and 6 respectively of the Drawings annexed.
2nd. In a reaping and moving machine the employment of horizontally revolving
cutters, substantially as herein described.
3rd. In a reaping and mowing machine the combination with horizontally
revolving cutters arranged, and operating as described of segmental platforms of
trough like form and of a delivery blade or rake, substantially as shown and
described.
4th. In a reaping and mowing machine the combination with horizontally
revolving cutters and platforms arranged and operating, as described, of the means
of adjusting the working height of the same, substantially as described and shown
in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4.
5th. In a reaping and mowing machine having horizontally revolving cutters
and platforms, as described, the combination and arrangement of mechanism for
operating the delivery blade, substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Isaac Boss, have hereunto set my hand-
and seal, this Twenty second day of July, A.D. 1881.