IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY. FOR MOWING AND REAPING.
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Moses Poole, of Serle Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY. FOR MOWING AND REAPING.".
Sealed the 12th January 1858, and dated the 2d October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Moses Poole at the
office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his petition, on the
2d October 1852.
I, MOSES POOLE, of Serle Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MOWING AND REAPING" to be as
follows:-
This Invention is a communication from America, on behalf of
Mr. Hussey, and has for its object several improvements on his previous
reaping machine, which consist,-
First, of placing the main driving wheel on the outside of the frame in
which the crank and cog gearing are hung.
Secondly, the Invention consists of arranging the cutting apparatus
parallel with a line through the axis of the driving wheel, and within
the circumference of that wheel.
Thirdly, the Invention consists of causing the cutter-bar to be bent
downwards, for the purpose of bringing the cutters near to the ground,
though the frame is considerably above the ground.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Moses Poole, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 2d April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
MOSES POOLE, of Searle Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of October in the
year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Moses Poole, Her special licence that I, the
said Moses Poole, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Moses Poole, my 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 FOR MOWING
AND REAPING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Moses Poole, 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 Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Moses Poole, 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 thereof (that is to say):

page_text: The reaping and mowing machine heretofore patented by me consists
of a frame of wood, with the driving wheel running between the side
pieces of the frame. In bolting the cutter-bar to tlie frame of such a
machine, it must necessarily cross the frame, either before or behind the
wheel. The improvement herein-after described, and for which a patent
is solicited, is as follows:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shows a plan, and Figure 2, a side view of a reaping machine
constructed according to my Invention.
The frame a, in this improvement is of cast or wrought iron, or other
metal. It consists of two side plates of a size and shape suitable for the
attachment thereto of the axles of the cog wheels and crank, and the
cutter-bar, &c. The length of the side plates may be four feet, more or
less, and from six to twelve inches wide, more or less.
The braces by which these side plates are secured together may be
cast solid to one of the plates, or they may be cast separately and bolted
to both plates, so as to secure them firmly together twelve inches apart,
more or less. The cog wheels and crank are similar to those described
in my former patent, but in this improvement they are all placed be-
tween the two side plates of the frame, where they are securely protected
from danger of clogging by contact with the ground by a plate of iron b,
which closes the space between the lower edges of the side plates, and
under the said cog wheels the main axle extends beyond the frame, to
receive the driving wheel, which runs entirely outside the frame.
this position the soil which accumulates upon it in wet weather cannot
obstruct its own motion as heretofore, or affect the cog wheels by falling
upon them.
In
In this improvement the cutter-bar c, is secured to the frame in such
a position as to bring the cutting apparatus nearly in a line with the
main axle, so that in crossing ridge and furrow the main wheel and
cutters may rise and fall together.
The position of the cutters may be varied from the line of the main
axle to any point within the circumference of the main wheel. The
nearly central position of the cutters, as above described, removes a
difficulty heretofore experienced, and is claimed as novel. The cutter-

page_text: bar is secured to the under side of the frame, as usual. It may be of
wood, or partly of wood. If it be of wrought iron an offset downward
is made in the bar between the frame and the first cutter, so that the
part of the cutter-bar to which the cutting apparatus is attached shall
be about two inches, more or less, lower than that part of it which
is bolted to the frame.
:
•
The purpose of the offset is, that when the cutters are near the ground
the frame may be of any required distance from the ground.
The cutter-bar may be of cast metal, and of the form above described,
with projections behind, at the extreme end, to receive the truck,
wheel.
The fingers may be made of cast iron. I am aware that cast-iron
fingers have been before made, but I claim as novel the chilling of the
surface of the slits in them through which the cutters play, in order to
procure a hard surface.
When the machine is used for mowing grass, the truck wheel d, may
be dispensed with, allowing slide-runner under the extreme end of the
cutter-bar to slide on the ground when the machine is required to cut
very near the ground.
When corn is to be cut and dropped in sheaves, a platform of boards
must be placed in the rear of the cutter-bar of convenient size for the
corn to fall on and form the sheaf. From this platform the sheaves are
pushed off, as from other reaping machines. The size of the platform
must be varied according to circumstances. If the corn be very dry,
the rear of the platform must be raised to prevent it slipping off too soon;
if it be wet, the platform must be reduced in width, and restored to its
horizontal position, so that the heavy sheaf may be easily removed.
The sheaves may be pushed off behind, as usual in my ordinary
machines, or a board d, several feet long may be fixed edgewise on the
platform, one end of which should be fixed near the truck wheel, and
crossing the platform at any required angle.
The machine is altered to cut a high or low stubble, by shifting the
bolts which confine the main axle boxes into different holes. The
change is made at the truck-wheel, by changing the pin e, from one hole
to another. This machine may be provided with single horse shafts

page_text: connected with the iron frame, or forward wheels may be used with
shafts attached to them for a single horse, or a pole for two horses
abreast.
Another point claimed as novel in this improvement is the spurs f,
fixed to the under side of the cutters, and projecting downwards, and
playing in the cavities in the upper side of the fingers g, under the cutter
rod, for the purpose of driving out the foul matter which may pass in
and accumulate under the cutters, and impede their free action.
The novelties here claimed, and for which a patent is asked, are,-
First, the placing of the main drawing wheel h, on the outside of
the frame a, in which the crank and cog gearing is hung.
Second, the placing the cutting apparatus parallel and near in a line
with the centre of the driving wheel, or varying to either side of such
centre, within the circle of the circumference of the driving wheel.
Third, I claim the offset downwards in the cutter-bar, either of
wrought or cast iron or other material, between the frame and the first
cutter nearest the frame, for the purpose of bringing the cutters near
the ground while the frame shall be far above the ground.
Fourth, I claim the chilled surface of the slits through the fingers.
Fifth, I claim the spurs fixed to the under side of the blades for the
purpose of clearing out the filth which often collects under the blades,
and tends to impede their free action.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses Poole, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
MOSES POOLE. (L.S.)
Witness, B. GOBEY.