IMPROVED LAWN MOWER
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Sellers, of Haverhill, of the State of
Massachusetts, of the United States of America, for the Invention
of." IMPROVED LAWN MOWER."
Sealed the 30th January 1874, and dated the 8th December 1873.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Sellers at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration
on the 8th December 1873, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS MAY COME, I, WILLIAM
SELLERS, of Haverhill, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United
States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVED LAWN
MOWER," and have petitioned Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and made solemn Declaration that I am
the first and true Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Sellers, do hereby declare

page_text: fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed:-.
The object of my Invention is to produce a simple, compact, and
effective machine for cutting grass upon lawns, whereby the cutting of
lawns embellished with trees, shrubbery, etc., may be more readily
effected than by the machines of this character as heretofore constructed,
my apparatus being equally adapted for cutting a straight swath; or one
of any desired curvature while it does not trample down the grass
before being cut, and will also cut grass of any height, which most of the
ordinary lawn mowers will not do.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 denotes a top view;
Figure 2, a side elevation; and Figure 3, a bottom view of a lawn
mower constructed in accordance with my Invention.
In the said Drawings A, A, denote the frame for supporting the main
operating parts, the same being made of wood or other suitable material
and upheld by two driving wheels B, B, and a leading wheel C
respectively arranged, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The driving wheels
are affixed to an axle D extending through the rear part of the frame A.
Each hub of the wheels carries on its inner face an impelling pawl a
which operates with an annular ratchet 6 securely fixed to the axle D,
the same serving to produce a rotation of the axle when the wheels are
moved forward, but causing no rotation thereof when the wheels are
turned backward. The axle D carries a large bevel gear E which
engages with another bevel gear c affixed to the rear end of a horizontal
shaft & supported in bearings in the frame, as shown in Figure 1. On
the front end of the shaft d is a bevel gear e which engages with another
gear ƒ affixed to a vertical shaft g, arranged and supported in the frame
as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The shaft 9 carries a wheel F, to whose
periphery is attached a series of adjustable curved knives h, h, etc. G is
a curved metallic plate whose lower surface rests on the front portion of
the frame and turns on the shaft 9 as a center! The plate G is provided
on its front edge with a series of blades or fingers i, i, etc., with which
the curved knives or cutters operate. The rear part of the plate G has
a curved segmental rack k affixed to it, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
This rack engages with a pinion n secured to a vertical shaft 7 which
is disposed and supported in the frame, as shown in Figure 1; such shaft
carries on its upper end a hand wheel m, by rotating which the finger

page_text: plate G may be turned horizontally into such position as may be
desirable. o is a hand clutch lever so affixed or pivotted to the inner
side of the vertical bar p of the frame as to enable the lower end thereof
to be readily thrown into or out of engagement with the rack k in order
to enable the finger plate to be moved and set in any desired position to
cut either a straight swath or one of any desirable curvature.
H is a curved deflector or guard disposed on the left side of the finger
plate (and if desirable may be caused to extend entirely around its front
portion), the same being to deflect the cut grass or prevent it from being
carried around so as to clog the knives or the guide wheel C. The guide
wheel C is supported in a metallic frame, the ends of which are firmly
secured to the finger plate G, one end of the frame extending under the
base of the main frame and serving to connect the plate G with the
frame and maintain the parts in their proper relation, and allow the
plate G to be partially rotated. The supporting and guide wheel C is
disposed within an opening formed through the plate G and the frame A
as shown in Figure 3. This wheel besides performing the function of
aiding in supporting and guiding the machine serves to determine the
height at which the grass is to be cut, and in practice is to be so hung
as to be adjustable vertically and thereby enable the cutters to sever
the
grass at any desirable height.
O is a hand lever by which the machine is propelled, the same being
attached to the rear part of the frame and provided with stays or chains
to preserve the handle in an elevated position, as shown in Figures 1
and 2.
I would remark that although this machine is designed for cutting
lawns or small strips of ground by means of manual power, it may be
constructed of such dimensions as to cut a swath of any desirable width
and be worked by horse power suitably connected therewith.
From the above it will be seen that my improved machine will not
only cut a straight swath like the ordinary lawn mowers, but will cut a
swath of any desired curvature, such enabling the machine to operate
with great effectiveness and facility on lawns around trees, shrubbery,
stones, etc.
Having described my Invention, what I claim is,-
1st. The improved lawn mower consisting essentially of the frame A, A,
driving wheels B, B; supporting and guide wheel C; the rotary cutter

page_text: '
carrier and its series of knives or cutters, and the turning finger plate G,
constructed, arranged, and combined together, substantially in manner
as shown and described.
2nd. The combination in a lawn mower provided with a series of
rotating cutters of a turning finger plate G, as and for the purpose set
forth.
3rd. In a lawn mower provided with a turning finger plate, as
described, the combination with the latter of the guide and support
wheel C, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Sellers, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 31st day October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.