IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOWING, REAPING. OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Harkes, of Mere, in the County of
Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR MOWING, REAPING. OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Harkes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th August 1853.
I, DAVID HARKES, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOWING.
REAPING, OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
I propose to affix a circular knife or circular knives to a drum cylin-
der or wheel so that the wheels and driving geer shall work inside
thereof. The edge of the said circular knife or knives may be either
toothed or plain; for mowing grass I recommend them to be plain,
but for cutting corn or grain of any description a toothed or indented
edge will be preferable; this circular knife revolving horizontally.
The vertical drum or cylindrical-shaped case will cut the grass or corn
as the machine is drawn or propelled either by hand, horse, or steam
S

page_text: power. And to the said gearing inside the drum or cylinder I fix a
sharpening apparatus to be self-acting; that is, as the knife revolves
it will sharpen itself, as well as cut the grass or corn by coming in con-
ford with the sharnowor
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Harkes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
DAVID HARKES, of Mere, in the County of Chester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the Seventeenth year of Ter reign, did for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said David Harkes,
Her special license that I, the said David Harkes, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David
Harkes, 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
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MOWING,
REAPING, OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said David Harkes, 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 he
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 Roval Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Harkes, 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 (that is to say):

page_text: My Invention consists of a circular knife or knives fixed to a drum
or cylinder, with the necessary gearing inside the said drum or cylinder
to give it a horizontal revolving motion as well as a vertical motion
when necessary to avoid obstructions that may be in the way, and
which would injure the edge of the knife or knives if they came in
contact. The said knife or knives may be either toothed or plain at
the edges. I recommend plain ones for mowing grass; but for corn
or grain of any description toothed or indented edges will be preferable...
As the machine is drawn or propelled forward, the knife or knives, by
the horizontal revolutions given to them by the drum, cut the grass or
corn, and lay it sideways in regular layers. I also fix a sharpening
apparatus inside the said drum to be self-acting, so that as the knives
revolve they will sharpen themselves by coming in contact with the
sharpeners during the operation of cutting or mowing.
This my
improved machine or apparatus will be clearly understood by reference
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which the same letters of
reference are used to represent similar parts where different views or
diagrams are shown. Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of my machine
or apparatus shewn in the position it will be if it be drawn by horse or
other power; Fig. 2, is a transverse section of the same; Fig. 3, a
longitudinal elevation; and Fig. 4, a plan thereof; Fig. 5, is a view of
the same in a position for being pushed or propelled; and Figs. 6.
and 7, are views of a smaller machine adapted to lighter work. The
following letters of reference refer to the larger machine:-To the
frame shafts o, is bolted a cross frame b, having a vertical bearing ;
to the cross frame at d, is bolted another frame e, which passes under
the drum f, and forms a support for the main shaft or spindle y, upon
which are the bevil wheels h, and the weighted wheels i, which latter
are in contact with the earth, and form by their resistance to locomo-
tion the power to work the machine. In gear with the bevil wheels h,
there is another bevil wheel , furnished with a deep boss, which
works vertically in another boss 7, forming part of the cross frame m;
the two bosses are kept in contact by means of a feather or key
working in a slot. To the cross frame m, the drum f. is fastened, at
the bottom of which is the circular knife or cutter n upon the shaft y.

page_text: near the bosses of the bevil wheels h, are ratchet wheels, and connected
to the moving wheels are ratchets and springs to give the necessary
facility of turning corners, for though the bevil wheels moving simul-
taneously must run at the same speed, the weighted wheels, by means
of the ratchets, are free to run a speed corresponding to the distance of
ground they pass over. Between the bevil wheels h, is a clutch box o
acting upon them in the usual manner by means of the lever p, to give
opposite directions of motion. Thus it is is evident that when the horse
is in the shafts and moving forwards, the weighted wheels i, turn, and
the one whose ratchets are in acting position with its bevil wheel h.
moves it also, which again turns the bevil wheels k, and with it the
cross frame m, drum f, and knife or cutter ». I have also a self-acting
arrangement for lifting the knife or cutter when it is likely to come
in contact with earth, stones, or other obstructions. Near the weighted
wheels i, are rollers or wheels 7, which turn in a frame 1, the top part
of which passes under the boss at the cross frame m, and being in con-
tact can raise it as well as the drum and knife when the foremost roller is
raised by any obstruction. I attain the same object by hand with the
levers, jointed at t, and acting upon the boss at n.
pener of any suitable material for sharpening the knife
is lowered and raised by the handle w, and screw .x.
the smaller machine, shewn at Figs. 6, and 7, is the
just described, and may be made exactly the same; but here I have
shewn another mode of obtaining the circular motion for the knife, and
additional speed. when required. Upon the main spindle there is a
spur wheel a', working another spur wheel b'. upon the shaft of which
is a bevil wheel e', working into another bevil wheel d', the boss of
which slides in another boss attached to a cross frame to which the
drum and knife are attached as in the larger machine. I also allow
the sharpener to obtain sufficient pressure. either by its own weight or
by the lever, as shown at el.
At v. is a shar-
or cutter, which
The principle of
same as the one
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said
Invention, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or
modified without departing from the principle thereof. But I claim as

page_text: of my Invention, and which to the best of my knowledge and belief
has not been hitherto used within this realm, the machine or appa-
ratus for mowing, reaping, or other similar purposes, as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, or any modifi-
cation thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Harkes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of February, One thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Signed, scaled, and delivered
by the within-named David
Harkes in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
DAVID HARKES. (L.S.)
Manchester.