IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Parkinson, of Ripon, in the County of
York, Ironmonger, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN
MOWERS."
Scaled the 5th February 1875, and dated the 28th November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Parkinson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th November 1874.
I, WILLIAM PARKINSON, of Ripon, in the County of York, Iron-
monger, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the general construction
and arrangement of lawn mowers, whereby I obtain an improved lawn
mower (which I designate the "Studley Royal" lawn mower) of lighter
draught, reduced weight, and increased strength and durability, whilst
at the same time, owing to the knife cylinder or cutter blades extending

page_text: close up to the frame or sides of the machine, it is enabled to cut closer
up to a wall, tree, pedestal, or bordering than is practicable with any
existing lawn mowers. Moreover as the whole of the toothed gearing is
situate inside in lieu of outside the frames there is no risk of injury to
shrubs or bordering by their getting between the teeth or cogs of the
wheels.
"
According to my Invention I fix the driving wheel on its shaft
between the two drums and in a line with the operator, the pinion on
the countershaft being also placed in the centre in lieu of at one end of
its shaft, as in all previously proposed lawn mowers. I thus centralize
the driving power, thereby avoiding all torsional strains. The runners
in front of the machine are made of wood and are grooved to admit of
an india-rubber ring or tyre to prevent the machine being broken by
coming in contact with any hard substance. The cylinder is fitted with
3 or more blades, the metal being so disposed as to give increased weight
to the rim and lightness in the centre, which is left open, allowing space
for long grass to enter between the blades, thereby enabling long grass,
whether wet or dry, to be cut as casily and as efficiently as short and
dry grass. I thus obtain a strong backing to the blades, thereby
preventing their being broken when coming in contact with stones or
other like substances, whilst the heavy rim, by acting like a fly wheel,
gives power to the cutting blades, the weight being behind them. The
handle of the machine swings loosely and adapts itself either for a tall
or short person, and when not in use the cross arm drops on to a pro-
jecting stud on the inside of the frame in order to keep the handle off
the ground and ready in position for use, or if preferred it can be thrown
back over the drums.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Parkinson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th May 1875.
E

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Parkinson, Her specal
licence that I, the said William Parkinson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Parkinson, my cxe-
cutors, 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, usc, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LAWN MOWERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Parkinson, my executors, or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said William Parkinson, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:
. My said Invention relates to an improved construction and arrang-
ment of lawn mower, which I designate the "Studley Royal" lawn
mower, and which possesses the advantages of direct central driving,
thereby preventing lateral and torsional strains and greatly facilitating
the guiding of the machine when at work, lighter draught, reduced
weight, and increased strength and durability. This lawn mower also
possesses other advantages over many of the implements now in use, for
example, the knife cylinder blades are made to extend close up to the side
frames, whereby they are enabled to cut closer to a wall, tree, pedestal,
or bordering than many existing machines, and as the whole of the
toothed gearing is situate inside the frames and is effectually guarded
or fenced the risk of injury to shrubs or bordering by the contact there-

page_text: with of the teeth of the gearing is obviated. The knife cylinder more-
over is built up of two separate end pieces mounted on a transverse
shaft, and separate spiral bars for carrying the blades are screwed to the
said end picces, hence the cylinder is more casily repaired in case of
damage thereto, as any one of its parts can be readily removed and
replaced without disturbing the rest.
According to my Invention I fix the first motion or driving wheel
on the drum shaft between two independent drums, so that it is situate
in the centre of the machine and in a line with the operator, the pinion
or small wheel on the countershaft being also placed in the centre in
lieu of at one end of its shaft, as in all previously proposed lawn mowers.
I thus centralise the driving power, thereby avoiding all torsional strains
and facilitate the guiding of the machine. The runners in front of the
machine are made of wood and are grooved to admit of an india-rubber
ring or tyre to prevent the machine being broken by coming in contact
with any hard substance. I prefer that the metal of the spiral bars
shall be so disposed as to give increased weight to the rim and lightness
in the centre of the cylinder, whilst allowing ample space for long grass
to enter between the blades, thereby enabling long grass, whether wet
or dry, to be cut as easily and as efficiently as short and dry grass. I
further obtain by this means a strong backing to the blades, which
prevents the risk of breakage when coming in contact with stones or
other like substances, whilst the heavy rim or spiral bars by acting as
a fly wheel gives power to the cutting blades, the weight being behind
them. I make the handle of the machine to swing loosely and adapt
itself either for a tall or short person, and when not in use the cross bar
which carries the handle is made to bear against projecting studs on the
inside of the frame in order to keep the handle from off the ground and
ready in position for use, or if preferred it can be thrown back over the
drums.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding
parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of my improved
lawn mower; Figure 2 is a corresponding longitudinal vertical section

page_text: of the same taken along the centre thereof, or in the line of the handle;
Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is
a detail of one end of the knife cylinder.
a, a, are the side frames, which carry within or between them the
whole of the working parts; b, b, represents the drum, which is made
in two sections, each section or half turning freely on the shaft c when
the machine is drawn backwards, but becoming coupled with the said
shaft when the machine is pushed forward for cutting by the self-acting
palls & and ratchet wheels e provided inside each section of the drum,
the ratchet wheels being fast on the shaft c, whilst the palls are jointed
to counterweighted levers mounted loosely on the said shaft. A notch g
in the tail end of each pawl engages with a rib or projection on the
inside of each section of the drum (see Figure 1) for the purpose of
automatically throwing the said palls in or out of action with the ratchet
teeth, according to the direction of rotation of the said drum, or as the
machine is moved forward or backwards. I would observe however
that I do not claim, neither do I confine or restrict myself, to this
arrangement of self-acting palls, as any other well known and suitable
self-acting engaging and disengaging contrivance may be substituted
therefor; but I prefer the arrangement I have shown. On the middle
of the shaft c in a line with the operator, and coinciding with the
opening between the two drums, I mount the spur driving wheel / fast
on the drum shaft c, which wheel gears directly into a corresponding
pinion i fast on the middle of the second motion or countershaft k, so
that the driving power is transmitted centrally or in a direct line with the
operator in lieu of at one side of the machine, as heretofore. Upon one
side of the countershaft k, and situate inside the side frame, there is
secured the spur wheel 7, which gears into the spur pinion m fast on the
shaft n of the blade cylinder. This cylinder carries spiral knife blades,
which by their rapid revolution across the edge of the fixed knife o
effect the cutting of the grass, as is well understood. I prefer to
make the cylinder with three removeable and heavy cast-metal spiral
bars p, p, having the spiral blades screwed thereto, the said bars being
attached at their ends by screws to the cast metal end pieces q, q;*
mounted on the transverse shaft n, so that any one of the said parts can
be readily removed and replaced in case of injury without rendering the
entire cylinder useless. I also incline the said spiral blades in such a.

page_text: direction as that they shall deliver the grass at the right hand side of
the machine when facing the cylinder (as shown in my Drawings), that
is to say, on the side where the gearing is situate, as by this arrange-
ment the cylinder will throw the grass better into the collecting box or
basket, there being more room for the free entry of the cut grass on that
side of the machine; ", ", are the front runners, which are made of
wood, and are grooved circumferentially to receive india-rubber tyres 8, 8;
the said runners being mounted in adjustable brackets t, t, which also
scrve to carry when required the collecting box, which I prefer to make
in the form of a light wickerwork basket u, as shown in my Drawings.
The whole of the driving gear is completely and thoroughly fenced or
protected by the three guards or fences v, w, and x. In-Figuro 3 these
guards or fences are omitted in order to show the gearing more clearly.
The handle y by which the machine is pushed forward is fitted in a
socket made in a swivelling cross bar z, such cross bar being provided
with stops or projections 1 (see Figure 1 in dotted lines) which
encounter corresponding projections or lugs in the side frames, and
thereby maintain the handle elevated from off the ground at a con-
venient angle for use. When out of use the handle may if preferred be
thrown back across the drums.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction and use of lawn mowers wherein the first
motion or driving wheel is situate on the centre line of the machine and
in a direct line with the operator, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
:
Second. The two independent drums with central driving wheel
situate between them and the centrally disposed wheel or pinion on the
countershaft when combined and arranged together in a lawn mower,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described
and illustrated by my Drawings.
Third. The peculiar construction and arrangement of knife cylinder,

page_text: Fourth. The application and use to and in lawn mowers of wooden
runners or front rollers fitted with india-rubber tyres, as and for the
purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Parkinson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.