IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William James Burgess and Charles Thomas
Burgess, both of Brentwood, in the County of Essex, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 4th April 1871, and dated the 24th October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William James Burgess
and Charles Thomas Burgess at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 24th October 1870.
We, WILLIAM JAMES BURGESS and CHARLES THOMAS BURGESS,
both of Brentwood, in the County of Essex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines, and the improvements relate, firstly, to mowing machines
such as are described in the Specification of a Patent granted to William
James Burgess, on the 1st June 1865 (No. 1503), where the gearing
for giving a reciprocating motion to the cutter bar is placed on the
outer side of a pair of running wheels.

page_text: According to this Invention in order to be able readily to throw the
apparatus for giving motion to the cutter bar in and out of gear the
wheels upon which the machine runs are made capable of turning freely
upon the axle, but can each be made fast therewith by clutches capable
of being slid endwise along the axle. When the apparatus for giving
motion to the cutter bar is to be thrown out of gear the clutches are
drawn towards one another and away from the wheels; to effect this
we employ a lever turning on a horizontal pin which lies across the
axle, one clutch is connected by a link to the lever at a point below
its fulcrum, and the other clutch is connected by a link to the lever 1
at a point above its fulcrum. The lever is provided with a suitable
catch to retain it from moving after the clutches have been drawn back.
When this catch is released the clutches are forced outwards away from
one another by springs to lock the axle with the wheels. The clutches
are formed like ratchet wheels, so that they only lock the wheel to the 1
shaft when the wheels are turning in one direction, but leave the wheel
free to turn around the shaft as usual when they turn in the opposite
direction.
In order to raise the cutter bar of mowing machines when required
and simultaneously to incline upwards its outer end, an arm is jointed 2
to the inner end of the cutter bar, and from this arm a chain is led to
a quadrant which can be turned by a lever handle, as described in the
Specification of the before-mentioned Patent, but in place of the
quadrant being mounted on a horizontal pin we now mount it on a pin
placed vertically or nearly so. The lever handle by which the quadrant is 2
to be turned can thus be brought into a better position for the driver of
the machine to draw towards him. The quadrant is placed in a sloping
direction on its pin to correspond with the line of the chain which
passeś downwards in a sloping direction to the arm before mentioned.
The quadrant has a catch bolt passing down through it which can be 3
allowed to drop into holes or catches in the frame to lock the quadrant
in any desired position. The bolt can be raised by a lever with which
it is connected and which lies along by the side of the lever handle of
the quadrant.
-
In that class of reaping machines where the delivering rakes are 3
caused to revolve around an axis slightly inclined from a vertical
position we place the cutter bar and the axis which carries the rakes
approximately in the same vertical plane as the axle of the main wheel

page_text: upon which the machine runs, and this we effect by placing the gearing
for giving a reciprocating motion to the knife on one side of the main
wheel whilst the gearing for giving motion to the axis of the rake is
placed on the opposite side of the main wheel. The whole of the
gearing can thus be balanced about the main axle. The gearing for
giving motion to the knife or cutter we by preference arrange in the
manner described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Charles
Thomas Burgess on the 23rd June 1868, No. 2025, so that the cutter
bar can be both raised and lowered, and the knife thrown in and out
of gear by turning partly round the axle of the main wheel. For giving
motion to the axis which carries the delivery rakes we place a bevil
toothed wheel concentrically upon the side of the main wheel; this
bevil wheel gears into a bevil tooth wheel upon the axis of the rakes.
The bevil toothed wheel can either be made fast with the axis of the
rakes or can be allowed to turn freely around it by a sliding clutch,
which we arrange to be worked to and fro by the act of throwing the
cutter in and out of gear so as to be able simultaneously to throw out
of gear both the cutter and the rakes. The frame which carries the
axis of the delivery rakes is made capable of turning around the end of
the axle at its lower end, and at its upper end is by a rod connected
to the pole of the machine, a screw thread is cut on the end of the rod,
and the upper end of the frame is held between lock nuts which screw
upon it, so that by varying the position of these lock nuts upon the
-rod the axis of the rakes can be set so as to incline more or less forwards.
The ends of the arms which carry the rakes are received in sockets
open at the top. These sockets are all formed in one casting which
can be raised or lowered on the axis in the following manner :—Corre-
sponding threads are formed on the axis and in the casting, so that by
turning the casting upon the axis it can be raised or lowered, and it can
be held fast on the axis in any required position by a clutch sliding
upon the axis. The rake arms are each made capable of being turned
up on a pin joint at their ends, so that when travelling or going through
a gateway the arm which is extending out sidewise from the machine
may be turned over so as to be within the width of the machine..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William James Burgess and Charles Thomas
Burgess in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
JAMES BURGESS and CHARLES THOMAS BURGESS, both of Brentwood, in
the County of Essex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said William James Burgess and Charles
Thomas Burgess, Her special license that we, the said William James
Burgess and Charles Thomas Burgess, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William James Burgess and Charles
Thomas Burgess, our 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said William James Burgess
and Charles Thomas Burgess, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said William James Burgess and
Charles Thomas Burgess, do hereby declare. the nature of the 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 :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in reaping and mowing
machines, and the improvements relate, firstly, to mowing machines
such as are described in the Specification of a Patent granted to William
James Burgess, on the 1st June, 1865, (No. 1503.)

page_text: In order to raise the cutter bar of such mowing machines when
required and simultaneously to incline upwards its outer end an arm is
jointed to the inner end of the cutter bar, and from his arm a chain is
led to a quadrant which can be turned by a lever handle, but in place of
the quadrant being mounted on a horizontal. pin as described in the
before-mentioned Specification we now mount it on a pin placed
vertically or nearly so, the lever handle by which the quadrant is to be
turned can thus be brought into a better position for the driver of the
machine to draw towards him. The quadrant is placed in a sloping
direction on its pin to correspond with the line of the chain which
passes downwards in a sloping direction to the arm before-mentioned.
The quadrant has a catch bolt passing down through it which can be
allowed to drop into holes or catches in the frame to lock the quadrant
in any desired position. The bolt can be raised by a lever with
which it is connected and which lies along by the side of the lever
handle of the quadrant.
At Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, we have shewn the
above described apparatus applied to a mowing machine constructed
in the manner described in the Specification before-mentioned: In this
Figure we have only shewn so much of the machine as is necessary for
illustrating this part of our Invention, and we have marked the parts
which are similar to those shewn in the Drawings of the previously
mentioned Specification, with the same letters of reference.
a, is the axle of the machine; k a frame pivotting thereon, and having
jointed to it at d the frame h, which frame at få has the finger bar f
jointed to it; f³ is a lever arm jointed by a knuckle joint f' to the
finger bar f. A chain attached to the upper end of this lever arm is
led over the quadrant b, and is attached at its end to a pin 6¹ carried by
it; a back view of this quadrant and parts connected with it is shewn at
Figure 2, the quadrant has cast with it a plate 62, from which projects
downwards a pin or axis 6s, this pin or axis drops into a bearing c, pro-
jecting from the side of the frame k just above the axle as shewn at
Figure 1, and also in the cross section of this part of the frame k, shewn
at Figure 2. To the top of the plate 63 is attached a lever handle d*, by
5 which the driver turns the quadrant when he wishes to raise the finger
bar off the ground; e is a bolt, the stem of which drops through a hole
in the plate 2 and boss 6* upon it. When the quadrant is turned by
the lever handle in a direction to raise the finger bar the bolt rises up

page_text: the incline at the back of the stop c¹ formed on the top of the projecting
bearing c, and when the bolt has been carried round past the incline of
the stop c¹ it drops, and the stop then prevents the lever and quadrant
from turning back, and retains the finger bar raised off the ground until
the bolt is again raised. The raising of the bolt is effected by the
lever f, which is connected to the bolt, and which lies along and is
carried by the lever d*. What we claim as respects this part of our
Invention is the arrangement substantially as herein described for raising
off the ground the finger bar of mowing machines, such as are described
in the previously mentioned Specification, by means of a quadrant lever
on an upright axis.
In that class of reaping machines where the delivering rakes are
caused to revolve around an axis slightly inclined from a vertical position
we place the cutter bar and the axis which carries the rakes approxi-
mately in the same vertical plane as the axle of the main wheel upon
which the machine runs, and this we effect by placing the gearing for
giving a reciprocating motion to the knife on one side of the main
wheel whilst the gearing for giving motion to the axis of the rake is
placed on the opposite side of the main wheel, the whole of the gearing
can thus be balanced about the main axle. The gearing for giving
motion to the knife or cutter we by preference arrange in the manner
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Charles Thomas
Burgess, on the Twenty-third June One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight, No. 2025, so that the cutter bar can be both raised and
lowered and the knife thrown in and out of gear by turning partly
round the axle of the main wheel. For giving motion to the axis
which carries the delivery rakes we place a bevel toothed wheel con-
centrically upon the side of the main wheel. This bevel wheel gears
into a bevel toothed wheel upon the axis of the rakes, the bevel toothed
wheel can either be made fast with the axis of the rakes or can be
allowed to turn freely around it by a sliding clutch which we arrange
to be worked to and fro by the act of throwing the cutter in and out of
gear, so as to be able simultaneously to throw out of gear both the
cutter and the rakes. The frame which carries the axis of the delivery
rakes is made capable of turning around the end of the axle at its lower
end, and at its upper end is by a rod connected to the pole of the
machine. A screw thread is cut on the end of the rod, and the upper
end of the frame is held between lock nuts which screw upon it, so that
by varying the position of these lock nuts upon the rod, the axis of the

page_text: rakes can be set so as to incline more or less forwards. The ends of
the arms which carry the rakes are received in sockets open at the top.
These sockets are all formed in one casting which can be raised or
lowered on the axis in the following manner :-Corresponding threads
are formed on the axis and in the casting, so that by turning the casting
upon the axis it can be raised or lowered, and it can be held fast on the.
axis in any required position by a clutch sliding upon the axis. The rake
arms are each made capable of being turned up on a pin joint at their
ends so that when travelling or going through a gateway the arm which
is extending. out sidewise from the machine may be turned over so as to
be within the width of the machine.
Figure 4 is a plan, and Figure 5 a back view, partly in section, of a
reaping machine constructed according to this part of our Invention;
Figures 6 and 7 shew some of the parts separately.
a is the main carrying wheel, having a cranked axis b, which carries
the frame c, on which is fixed the cutting apparatus and the gear for
driving the same. This gear consists of a pinion d gearing with a ring
of teeth a¹ upon the wheel a, and which by bevilled gear drives the
crank, from which by a connecting rod motion is given to the knife in
the usual way. As is described in the Specification No. 2025, in
the year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, granted to one
of us, the frame c can by turning the axis 6 be raised or lowered. to
adjust the height of cut, and can also be moved to and from the
axis of the carrying wheel, so as to take the pinion into and out of
gear with the ring of teeth a¹; the form of the frame c is, however,
somewhat varied from that shewn in the Specification of the said
former Patent, in order to bring the knife into a line with the axis or
thereabout, as the Drawing clearly shews; 6 is a notched disc on the
axis 6 between the two bearings, upon which the frame c hangs, and e is
a bolt taking into one or other of these notches, and thereby locking.the
axis; 62 is a disc fixed upon the same axis outside these bearings, and
which has sockets 6*, b*, formed in it to receive the lever f, by which
the axis is turned; the lever is put into one or other of these sockets
according as it is desired to work the knife in its higher or lower
position; the driving- apparatus is thrown out of gear by means of the
bar g, which is operated upon by the driver of the machine; this bar
terminates in a cap g', and when it is drawn forward its first action is by
the incline upon it to lift the bolt e, then it draws forward the lever f,

page_text: and turns the cranked axis, and this being done it allows the bolt again
to descend into one of the notches in the disc 6', when the bar g is
pushed back it operates similarly, but in the reverse direction; h, h, are
the rake arms, they are fixed in a socket piece i mounted upon the axis k,
in such manner that although they are securely held whilst at work they
can to reduce the width of the machine be turned up when travelling,
as the Drawing indicates; to adjust the height of the rakes the casting i
is made to screw on to the axis k, and it is locked at the height required
by the clutch piece k*, which can slide on the axis with a groove and
feather. This arrangement for adjusting the height of the rake is
applicable to other arrangements of reaping machines, in which the
rakes are mounted on an axis somewhat inclined from the vertical.
The axis k is carried in bearings on a bracket piece 1, which is mounted
on the end of the axis 6 concentrically with the wheel, and it is further
supported by the adjustable screw stay m, which at its other end is
jointed to the draft iron n to which the pole o is bolted; the draft iron n
is also connected with a crank pin on the end of the axis 6 corresponding
with the crank on the opposite side of the wheel a, so that when the axis
is turned to throw the driving pinion out of gear the pole and draft
iron n move forward, together with the frame c; this causes a pro-
jection n' upon the draft iron n to act on the extremity of a bell-crank
lever p; this lever is carried on a pin fixed to the bracket 7, and its
other end, which is forked, embraces the sliding clutch ', so that when
the draft iron n is moved forward this clutch is lifted, and then the
bevilled wheel q is able to turn freely upon the axis ; the projection n'
is so formed as to act similarly on the bell-crank lever 2, whether the
knife be in its higher or lower position. At other times, however, it is
held fast thereon by the clutch, and as it gears with a bevelled pinion a³
fast on the side of the wheel a the axis k is thus driven, and it carries
with it the rake arms. By this arrangement it will be seen that the
knife with its driving gear and the axis of the rakes or beaters with its
driving gear are upon opposite sides of the main carrying wheel so that
they balance each other, and their weight is well and evenly supported
by the axis of the main wheel. Also, as will be seen, that the knife or
cutting apparatus and the axis of the rakes or beaters are approximately
in the same vertical plane, and so that the knife and rake axis are in a
line with the axle their weight does not tend to elevate (or depress) the
pole of the implement, but is immediately supported by the main wheel
and the small wheel r at the outer end of the finger bar. Great freedom

page_text: in turning and in backing the implement is thus obtained. It will be
evident that in place of the rake arms being rigidly secured to the axis k
they may be jointed thereto, and their action controlled by a cam
surface, the rake arms, which are opposite to one another, being con-
nected together, so as to balance one another, as is well understood;
this modified arrangement is shewn at Figure 8%; in this case the axis k
may be set at a less inclination than when the rake arms are fixed to
the axis.
What we claim as respects this part of our Invention is,-
1. The construction of reaping machines with the axis carrying the
rakes or beaters and the knife with its gearing on opposite sides of
the main carrying and driving wheel, the knife and rake axis being
approximately in the same vertical plane with the axis of the wheel,
substantially as herein described.
2. The construction of reaping machines, in such manner that the
knife with its driving gear is upon one side of the main carrying and
driving wheel, whilst the rake axis with its driving gear is upon the
opposite side of such wheel, substantially as herein described.
3. The general combination or arrangement of reaping machines,
substantially as herein described.
4. The combination or arrangement of mechanism, substantially as
herein described, by which the rake axis and the knife are simul-
taneously thrown out of gear by the rotation of the axis of the main
wheel.
5. The mounting the casting which carries the rake arms upon the
rake axis, substantially as herein described, so that it may be set higher
or lower upon the axis.
In witness whereof, we, the said William James Burgess and Charles
Thomas Burgess, have hereunto set our bands and seals, this 20th
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred