AN IMPROVED. MACHINE FOR TURNING OR PARTLY TURNING OVER CUT GRASS, OR WHEN PARTLY DRIED, OR OTHER VEGETABLE CROPS AS THEY LIE UPON THE GROUND."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alexander Wooler, of Sadberge Hall, Darlington,
in the County of Durham, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED.
MACHINE FOR TURNING OR PARTLY TURNING OVER CUT GRASS, OR WHEN
PARTLY DRIED, OR OTHER VEGETABLE CROPS AS THEY LIE UPON THE GROUND."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alexander Wooler
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd January 1878.
WILLIAM ALEXANDER WOOLER, of Sadberge Hall, Darlington, in the County of
Durham, Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR TURNING OR PARTLY TURNING
OVER CUT GRASS, OR WHEN PARTLY DRIED, OR OTHER VEGETABLE CROPS AS THEY
LIE UPON THE GROUND."
I employ a front piece or frame made of wood or other suitable material, so con-
structed that it may be readily pushed or pulled along the surface of the ground
under the swath of grass, or partly dried grass or other cut vegetable material or
crop intended to be turned, or after these have been turned or partly turned over,
and so have become partly or wholly dried. The front piece or frame may have in
front of it a finger or fingers, but they are not indispensable; I find it more advan
tageous to make the front piece or frame with a straight edge that slides under the
material to be turned.
Metal or wooden plates, or rods, or wires, or wood formed into suitable shapes,
are fixed to the front piece or frame in an inclined position, the lowest part being
in front in such a manner as when the machine is moved forward under the cut
material the latter on the one side of the swath is more forced up the incline
formed by these said rods, or wires, or plates to a sufficient height to make it turn
over or partly turn over as required. The effect of the turning of the cut crop will
be to better expose it in a lighter, that is, not a close condition. The said rods,
plates, or wire, or pieces of wood which form the guides and inclines, up which the
cut grass or other vegetable material is forced to ascend till it attains to the

page_text: position required, may be made to be adjusted so as to vary the angle of incli-
nation, which inclination may also be a sigment of a circle, either convex or
concave, or both; and the distance of these rods, wires, plates, or wood may vary,
and also be made to be adjusted so as to be nearer or wider apart; or these said
rods, wires, or plates may be made to be fixed solely or partly into the front piece
or frame, with or without strengthening pieces connected or attached to the handle
or shaft of the machine, so as to suit the description or condition of the cut crop,
whether of long or short growth, or partly dried.
To this machine a handle, or shank, or shaft is attached so as to enable the person
working it, or the grass cutter or other reaper, or the larger machine made by two
or more of these said machines, to push, or by the other said power, draw under
the cut grass or other vegetable crop or material as it lies on the surface of the
ground.
In some cases I attach the machine to the rear of a mowing or grass-cutting
machine, or other description of reaper, so that when desirable the cut crop may be
thereby immediately turned or left in a better position to be dried by the sunshine,
air, and wind.
I further attach two or more of my machines together so as to enable them to be
moved together, either by manual or animal power, so that two or more swaths or
rows of mown or machine-cut grass, or partly dried grass, or other crops of
vegetable may be turned together, and be the better exposed to the sunshine, air,
and wind; and these machines or the other said_machines so used may be made
with or without wheels, rollers, or slides.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Alexander Wooler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st July 1878.
WILLIAM ALEXANDER WOOLER, of Sadberge Hall, Darlington, in the County of
Durham, Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR TURNING OR PARTLY TURNING
OVER CUT GRASS, OR WHEN PARTLY DRIED, OR OTHER VEGETABLE CROPS AS THEY
LIE UPON THE GROUND."
This Invention consists of a machine for turning over, as often as may be
required, cut grass or grass which is partly dried, and other cut vegetable crops and
materials so as to better expose them to the drying influences and powers of
sunshine, air, and wind, and to gather the same into windrows, to be as follows :-
I employ a frame having a nose piece made of wood, metal, horn, or other suitable
material, so constructed that it may readily be pushed or pulled along the surface
of the ground under the swath of grass or other cut vegetable materials or crops
intended to be turned over; the nose piece need not be separate from the frame.
In some cases the wires, rods, or plates herein-before described as acting as lifters
or guides may be joined so as to form a pointed nose piece.
The machine which is constructed as herein-after described, will cause the grass
or other vegetable substances, which may be green or in a dried or partly dried
condition, to be altered in position and be partly or wholly turned over, and will
enable the vegetable substances to be readily collected into windrows of more or less
magnitude.
When the vegetable substances are in a fit condition to be gathered into rows of
larger magnitude than the swaths, a larger machine will be necessary so as to turn
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more swaths or small windrows at a time or into larger windrows.
My improved machine may be constructed in various sizes and of various shapes,
according to the purposes for which it is intended to be used, and the position,
quantity, and condition of the cut vegetable substances which it is intended to turn
over or gather into windrows.
In order that my Invention may be thoroughly understood I will describe in
detail one form in which it can be used with advantage, say, for turning ordinary
cut grass while it is lying in swaths.
I make a strong but light frame of wood of a truncated triangular shape so that
it can be used by hand and worked by manual labour. It has a front or nose
piece provided with a front edge so shaped and of sufficient breadth that it steadies
the working of the machine and slides easily under the grass or other cut vegetable
substances.
To the nose piece of this hand machine I attach a suitable handle or shaft to
enable it to be conveniently pushed along the ground. I attach to the nose piece
rods or wires, or a sheet or sheets of metal, or wood, or plates fixed edgwise, which
rise from the front of the machine at suitable angles, and acting as and are here-
after called lifters and guides, so that when the machine is pushed, or in some cases
drawn under the cut crop the inclined surface or surfaces of the lifters and guides
will gradually raise and turn or partly turn over the vegetable substances.
The effect of the turning over of the cut crop will be to expose it to the action of
the sunshine, air, and wind, and make it in a lighter condition than it was pre-
viously to the machine acting upon it. The said lifters and guides, up the
inclined edges or surfaces of which the cut grass or other vegetable material is
forced to ascend, are in some cases made moveable and capable of being adjusted
so as to vary the angle and angles which they make with the surface of the ground
and with one another more or less inclined, according to the work which has to be
done. The incline edges or surfaces may be straight or curved in the form of a
segment of a circle, or be of other curve, either convex or concave, or both, or all
combined.

page_text: For hand machines I find that a handle attached to the nose piece, or nose piece
and frame, may be advantageously used.
In some cases a simple nose piece may be used, to which I attach the handle, and
also the lifters and guides.
When crop-turning machines are constructed according to my Invention of
larger sizes so as to be suitable for being dragged or pushed along by horse or other
power, suitable hooks or other means of attachment are fixed to the machine. The
lifters and guides in such machine should be made of increased strength, and
adapted in size and shape to the size of the machine and the work it has to do.
In some cases in addition to the lifters and guides herein-before mentioned a
finger or fingers is or are attached to the front part of my machine.
In some cases I attach one or more of my crop-turning machines to the tailboard
or other part of a mowing or grass-cutting machine, or other description of reaper,
Bo that when desirable the cut crop may be thereby immediately turned or partly
turned.
In some cases I attach two or more of my machines together so as to enable
them to be moved together in suitable relative positions, either by manual, or
animal, or other power, so that two or more swaths or rows of mown or cut grass,
or partly dried grass, or other vegetable crop, may be turned together and be
exposed to the sunshine, air, and wind, or be collected into larger windrows, and
the machine or machines so used may be made with or without wheels or
_rollers._
Figure 1 shews a plan of one form of my machine, and Fig. 1 A-a-side-view-of
the same.
Figure 2 shows a plan of another form, and Fig. 2 B a side view of the same;
Figure 3 shews a plan, and Fig. 3 C a side view of the same.
Figures 4 and 5 shew variations.
Figure 6 shows the lifter made of a plate set odgways
Figures 7, 8, and 9, variation.
I claim the combination of parts forming respectively my improved crop-turning
machine, constructed substantially as and for the purpose herein described, and of
which several modifications are shewn respectively in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
I claim the use of lifters and guides made of rods, wires, or plates in combination,
or a single curved plate or sheet, when used so as to turn over or gather the crop,
in the manner substantially as herein described.
I claim the respective combinations of parts constituting respectively modifica-
tions of my crop-turning machine, substantially as herein described and shown
respectively in Figures 1 and 1 A, Figures 2 and 2 B, Figures 3 and 3 C, Figures 4
and 5, Figure 6, and Figures 7, 8, and 9.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Alexander Wooler, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, variation.
I claim the combination of parts forming respectively my improved crop-turning
machine, constructed substantially as and for the purpose herein described, and of
which several modifications are shewn respectively in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
I claim the use of lifters and guides made of rods, wires, or plates in combination,
or a single curved plate or sheet, when used so as to turn over or gather the crop,
in the manner substantially as herein described.
I claim the respective combinations of parts constituting respectively modifica-
tions of my crop-turning machine, substantially as herein described and shown
respectively in Figures 1 and 1 A, Figures 2 and 2 B, Figures 3 and 3 C, Figures 4
and 5, Figure 6, and Figures 7, 8, and 9.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Alexander Wooler, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
4
WILLIAM ALEXANDER WOOLER. (L.S.)