IMPROVE- MENTS IN LAWN MOWERS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALEXANDER HENRY REED of 90 Cannon Street London in the county of
Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LAWN MOWERS to be as follows:-
Whereas Mowing Machines as at present constructed must be turned round at
each end of the lawn or piece of grass upon which they have been employed, before
n cut can be commenced in the opposite direction; this takes time, is inconvenient
and in turning, the grass is always more or less rubbed by one of the wheels of the
machine; my invention obviates the necessity for this and enables the person
working the machine by simply pushing the handle to the opposito side (as is done
in working a garden roller) to commence a cut at once in the opposite direction, it is
applicable also to machines worked by animal power, but in these the motion of
the shafts which may be pivoted to the machine would be horizontal, it is applicablo
to most existing machines by making slight alterations, the simplest forms being
the most suitable. I make both edges of the revolving blades cutting edges and
I make the ledger blade with two cutting edges, it will thus be seen that in which
ever way the blades are made to revolve they will act as cutters. There are
many refinements in arrangements for driving the cutters and for allowing one
driving wheel or roller or both to run loose most of which can be applied to my
machines.

page_text: I ALEXANDER HENRY REED of 90 Cannon Street London in the county of
Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LAWN MOWERS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying drawing:-
Whereas mowing machines as at present constructed must be turned round at
each end of the lawn or piece of grass upon which they are employed, before a cut
can be commenced in the opposite direction; this takes time and labour, is
inconvenient and in turning, the grass is more or less rubbed by one of the driving
wheels or rollers.
The object of my invention is to provide a machine which may be used for cutting
_grass in any direction in which it is pushed or pulled, without turning it round.
In the former case by simply turning the handle to the opposite side (as is done in
working a garden roller) and where animal power is used, by turning the crosstree,
which may be pivoted to the machine, horizontally to the opposite side, or if
preferred by disconnecting and reattaching. Also to provide a machine which
shall be more durable, but not more expensive than others of the same class.
I obtain these objects by making use of a double edged ledger blade in
combination with double edged revolving cutters and hinged or reversible handles
shafts or crosstrees.
Referring now to the accompanying drawing-
Figures 1 and 2 show a side roller machine, figure 1 being a plan and figure 2 a
sectional elevation on the line A B figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 show a single side roller machine figure 3 being a part section
on line CD figure 4, and figure 4 a section on line E F figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6, and 7 and 8 show two modifications of central roller machines
fitted with my improvements; figures 5 and 7 being part plans, figure 6 a sectional,
and figure 8 a side elevation.
Similar letters indicate similar parts throughout.
On the various figures the frames or cheeks are indicated by the letter G and are
secured together by the cross-stays H, the driving wheels or rollers are marked I,
while J represents the small rollers by which the height of the cut may be adjusted,
but which are not made use of in the design shown in figures 3 and 4. The double
edged ledger blade is marked K and the double edged revolving cutters L.
The gearing for driving the cutters L may be of any suitable form that is capable
of working both ways, such for example as an insido toothed wheel, and pinion
secured to the spindle of the cutters, which is employed in the designs shown in
figures 1 to 4, or spur gear as shown in figures 7 and 8, or a chain working on
toothed wheels as shown in figures 5 and 6: it is marked M in all cases.
Various arrangements for adjusting the ledger blade K to the revolving cutters L,
or vice versa, the revolving knives to a fixed ledger blade may be used: in figures 1
and 2 I show a lever O working upon the centre P; the end Q being pressed down
by any suitable contrivance the blade K is pressed upwards towards the knives L
and the screws N regulate the exact position of both edges for cutting: figures 5
and 6 show an arrangement for adjusting the revolving cutters to a fixed ledger
blade by means of a screw or other suitable device, working upon moveable
4

page_text: bearings g set in a slot in the frame G: in figures 3 and 4 I show top and bottom
adjusting screws which cause the sliding framo a to which the ledger blade is
attached, to move up or down in tho guides b and so regulate the position of K:
and in figures 7 and 8 I show a single adjusting screw with a jam nut, which lifts
or lowers the frame a in the guides b, a short rod o is also shown which connects
the cutting gear frame at d to the handle at e; in all the figures the adjusting
screws are marked N. I do not however confine myself to any special arrangement
as almost any adjustment is applicable. .
The reversible handles are marked R on all the different views and are pivoted
or hinged at S; in figures 5 and 6 a crosstree T is shown with chains for attaching
animal power, and the handles and crosstree are both pivoted horizontally at S,
bars U are shown which may be fitted with springs, or other convenient device, by
which the handles are fixed when not being turned round to the opposite side, and
may thus be used for guiding the machine. In the designs shown in figures 1 and 2,
and 7 and 8 stops cast on the frame and marked X may be used to regulate the
positions in which the handles shall rest, or one or more of the frame stays may
be used for this purpose.
Guard plates V as shown in figures 6 and 8 may be used to carry the cut grass
to the boxes, one of which is shown on figures 5 and 0 marked W.
As the smaller details of my machines may be made similar to those of almost
any machines now in use, to suit the patterns and gauges of manufacturers, I do
not propose to describe them here.
The action of the machines is similar to those at present in use, but they will
cut the grass in whichever direction they are pushed or pulled. Those shown in
figures 1 to 4 and, 7 and 8, are arranged with handles which turn from side to sido
upon the centre S and thus at any moment the direction in which they are being
pushed may be reversed. Figures 5 and 6 show an arrangement for utilising
animal power, in which the cross bar T and handles R turn horizontally on the
centro S to the opposite side and thus the direction in which the machino is
travelling may be reversed. Thus turning the machines round is avoided. As all
the knives are double edged and both edges of the ledger blades adjusted for
cutting, and as the gearing is arranged to drive the revolving cutters in the same
direction as the driving wheels or rollers; it will be evident that so long as the
machine is in action one or other set of cutting edges must be at work; also that
as two sets of cutting edges are used alternately they will last just twice as long as
in other machines where only one blade is used, and will only require adjusting
once when the others would have to be adjusted twice, thus time trouble and
expense are saved.
Figures 3 and 4 show an oscillating arrangement of cutters in which single side
driving wheels only are used, the frame to which the revolving cutters and ledger
blade are attached being suspended from the centres of these wheels. It will be
seen that the stops X will regulate the position in which the handles shall rest in
relation to the blades when working in either direction, and also that by raising
or lowering the handle the depth of cut in the grass may be regulated.
Figures 7 and 8 show a similar oscillating arrangement adapted to a centre
roller machine in this case the reversing of the handle causes the cutting gear
frame a to oscillate by means of the connecting rod c. By this arrangement it is
possible to get a cut closer to the ground, and also to cut longer grass when
required.
The lever adjustment shown in figures 1 and 2 enable the ledger blade to be
most accurately adjusted, as in case of there being any slight twist in the machine,
a slight set can be put into blade K by the screws N in order to allow for this, and
bring both cutting edges into contact along their whole length.
In all cases the arrangement of the machines enables the cutting edges to
be used alternately without disconnecting and refixing the blades and without
readjusting.

page_text: laying now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
ention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
aim is:
د.
In Lawn Mowing Machines, the combination of a double edged ledger blade
and double edged revolving cutters, with a hinged or pivoted and reversible
handle, substantially as and for the purposes described and shown,
In Lawn Mowing Machines the combination of a double edged ledger blade
and double edged revolving cutters, with a hinged or pivoted and reversible
handle and crosstree substantially as and for the purposes described and
shown.
.
In Lawn Mowing Machines the arrangement for adjusting the cutting edges,
substantially as and for the purposes described and shown in figures 1
and 2.
The general arrangement of the machines as herein before described and
shown.