IMPROVEMENTS IN GRASS- MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McIntyre Cranston, of 58, King William
Street, London Bridge, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRASS-
MOWING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by William Anson
Wood and John Milton Rosebrooks, of Hoosick Falls, New York,
United States.
Sealed the 26th September 1861, and dated the 24th July 1861.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William McIntyre Cranston
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 24th July 1861, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MCINTYRE CRANSTON, of 58, King William Street, London Bridge, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRASS-
MOWING MACHINES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same,
and have made solemn declaration that the same is a communication to me
from abroad by William Anson Wood and John Milton Rosebrooks, of
Hoosick Falls, New York, United States.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said William MIntyre Cranston, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement and
accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
-
Fig. 1 represents, in perspective, so much of a harvesting machine as will
illustrate this Invention; Fig. 2 represents a section through the same.
Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the separate Figures, denote
like parts of the machine in both the Figures.
This Invention consists in the use of two frames, one hinged to the other,
and each carrying a part of the gearing, but so, that whilst one frame may
move or play upon the other, the gearing on cach will continue in mash, as
will be explained.
A, A, represent a pair of driving and supporting wheels, the axle or axles of
which support the main frame B; these said wheels being each furnished with
driving gear C. To the rear portion of this main frame is hung, in suitable
boxes, a shaft D, each end of which carries a spur gear wheel, that the
gearing C take into, and thus drive said shaft. On the centre of this shaft D,
or near its centre there is a bevel gear E, that takes into and rotates the bevel
pinion on the crank shaft c, and thus drives said crank shaft, and through it
the cutters.
F is a second frame, which is hinged to the axle or shaft D by arms d, and
this second frame carries the crank shaft c and its bevel pinion, whilst tho
other gearing is connected to the main frame. The centre of the crank shaft c
points to the centre of the shaft D, and it is consequently immaterial how
much the second frame may swing on or around the shaft D, as the bevel
pinion b will roll on the bevel gear E, and still keep in mash with it. The
finger beam I, cutters, &c., are connected to this second frame F, and may
oscillate the frame, and the cutters still be kept in action as the crank shaft
moves with them and keeps its pinion in gear with the drivers; G is a lever
attached to the second frame, and extending up into convenient position for the
driver or conductor from his seat H to catch and operate. On the lever is a
Iringed trigger e, which, when the second frame is raised up may be turned so
as to rest against the main frame, and thus hold up the second frame and the
cutters above the ground, when the machine is being transported from field to
field, or when turning it around. When the cutters are to be let down,
the conductor with his foot may turn the trigger e, and thus let the cutters
down upon the ground. The finger beam rises and falls or yields to all the

page_text: inequalities of the ground, and of course carries with it the second frame, but
the motion of the cutters continue nevertheless, for though the pinion 6 rolls
on the bevil gear E, it is still driven by it. J is the tongue, it is rigidly fixed
to the main frame B.
It is obvious that any other device than the one specified for raising the
frame may be substituted for the lever, and that the frame may be of different
construction; but so long as a hinged frame having the essential properties of
this Invention be used, whether with the raising device or not, it would be
deemed as this Invention, and be claimed as such.
Having thus fully described the nature and object of this Invention, what is
claimed therein as new, and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is,
the combination with a main frame supported upon two driving wheels, and
which frame carries the shaft D, and main cog wheel E, a second frame hinged
to said shaft D, so that the crank shaft on said second frame shall always be
in a radial line to the main cog wheel E, however much said second frame
may vibrate on the main frame as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McIntyre Cranston, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.