Improvements in Reaping or Mowing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1894--Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
Improvements in Reaping or Mowing Machines.
We, CHRISTIAN STOLDT and WILHELM SPIESS, both of 50 Jagerstrasse,
St. Pauli, Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany, Merchants, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
This invention relates to a reaping or mowing machine which cuts the grass or
grain by means of a horizontal rotary steel wheel, sharp at its outer edge and
driven by the running or travelling wheels, and in which the cut grass or grain is
carried up and delivered into a basket or receptacle by means of a suitable
conveyor. This machine therefore effects both the reaping or mowing of the grass
or grain and the simultaneous collection of the cut grass or grain, so that it is not
necessary to subsequently sweep or rake the mown surface.
and
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation,
Figure 2 a plan, and
Figure 3 a vertical section through the middle, illustrating our said invention,
Figure 4 is also a plan, the converging arrangement and basket being removed.
The whole mechanism of the machine is protected on both sides by vertical
plates P, and is mainly supported by two running or travelling wheels a, the
roller u, mounted in suitable bearings in the side plates P, Figures 1 to 3, being
also employed for this purpose. Stationary discs c are secured to the bow-shaped
frames 6, 6, and are provided in the centre with pins or studs, on which the waves
of the outer rotary wheels a are mounted. The wheels a are provided with broad,
inwardly-extending rims. These rims are formed on their inner sides with teeth
and engage with small toothed-wheels or pinions d which are arranged at the ends
of a shaft e mounted in suitable bearings in the discs c. The pitch-circle of these
wheels is indicated in Figure 3 by the dotted circle d drawn around the centre of
the shaft e. The pitch-circle of the internally toothed rims of the wheels a is the
dotted circle around their centre, Figure 3. The toothed wheels d are not, as is
usual, secured to the shaft e by keys, but are .connected thereto by a pawl
arrangement in such a manner that they only cause the shaft to rotate during the
forward motion of the machine, whilst, when the machine is moved backward, the
On the shaft e are
said shaft remains stationary, that is to say it does not rotate.
keyed two bevel-wheels / and which are arranged at opposite sides of a horizontal
The lever is
bevel-wheel pivotally mounted below the shaft e on a lever i.
pivoted at one end to the bow-shaped frame b at the point i¹ and rests loosely on
the bow-shaped frame at the other side and below a second bow or bridge k
which is attached by screws to the bow-shaped frame b¹. A spring secured to the
lever at this place engages by means of a short pin in a suitable hole in the
bridge and thus holds the lever i securely in position. The disconnection is,
however, easily effected by means of a small two-armed lever m which is pivoted
at min a suitable slot in the lever i. The lever m rests with one end on the
projecting portion of the spring 1, while its other end, which is provided with a
pressure knob m², projects outward somewhat below the slot in the lever i. By
pressing the knob m³, the lever m is caused to turn about its pivot, the spring/
is thus depressed and the short pin thereon drawn out of the hole in the bridge k,
so that the lever i is free to turn as far as the bridge k will allow it. The said
bridge k is provided with three holes adapted to receive the pin on the spring so
that the position of the wheel h can be adjusted as required. In Figure 4 of the
l

page_text: drawing the lever is shown placed at the central hole. That is the neutral
position of the wheel h, in which its distance from the two vertical bevel-wheels/
and ༡ is such that neither engages with the wheel h.
When the lever i is moved
into the position shown in dotted lines in the drawing, the wheel / engages with
the wheel 9, and when the lever i is moved into the hole on the opposite side the
wheel engages with the wheel f. By means of this reversing-gear it is possible
to change the direction of rotation of the wheel as desired. The wheel / is,
moreover, combined with a grooved wheel to receive a band or cord n which also
passes over a suitable pulley p secured to the circular knife o, so that the circular
o rotates when the wheel / rotates. The circular knife o is mounted on a
bracket screwed to the upper side of the bow-shaped frame and a bracket r
screwed to the under side thereof, and is also steadied by the stay s which is
riveted to the side plates P.
In order to preserve the keen edge on the circular knife o, after the said knife
has been sharpened, an automatic sharpening device is provided. This consists of
a lever, pivotally attached to the bow-shaped frame b, b', the said lever being
connected at one side to the rod of an eccentrically arranged friction-roller v
operated by the roller u. From both ends of the lever t pass thin steel rods t¹ extending
to the circular knife o which is kept sharp on both sides by two small emery
blocks attached to the ends of the steel rods t¹. By reason of the shaking
motion produced by the roller v, the hones t2 do not always engage with the circular
knife o at one place, but keep up a rubbing motion. For throwing the sharpening
arrangement out of action curved pieces of flat iron t' are provided which are
pivotally attached to the base-plate of the machine.
y.
For collecting the cut grass or grain, we employ a conveyor which comprises
two bands w which are stretched over two rollers and are provided with
brushes w. The upper roller is set in motion from the shafte by a cord or band
The cut grass or grain falling onto the circular knife is swept onto an inclined
surface by the brushes w¹ and thrown into the basket or receptacle, which can be
easily removed and emptied when necessary.
The machine may be driven by hand, or in any other convenient manner, suitable
handles, or other attachments, being secured in convenient positions to the frame of
the machine for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. A reaping or mowing machine comprising a horizontal circular knife
driven by the running or travelling wheels, and an automatic sharpening device,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. A reaping or mowing machine comprising a horizontal circular knife
driven by the running or travelling wheels, and an automatic sharpening device
consisting of a shoe or friction-roller rotated by a running wheel or roller, which is
connected to rubbing sharpening-stones or hones by means of a lever and two spring
bars or rods, substantially as herein before described.
Third. The combination, with the rotary knife or cutter driven by the running
or travelling wheels, of the means for reversing the motion of the said knife or
cutter and throwing it out of action when necessary, substantially as described.
Fourth. The improved reaping or mowing machine constructed substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 13th day of October 180
K
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.