IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Aaron White Cook Williams, of Bridgeport, in the
County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, in the United States of
America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS."-A
communication from Amariah Miller Hills, residing at East
Hartford, in the County of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut,
aforesaid.
Sealed the 23rd April 1869, and dated the 5th January 1869.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Aaron White Cook
Williams at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 5th January 1869, pursuant to
the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT KNOWN.
that, I, AARON WHITE COOK WILLIAMS, of Bridgeport, in the County
of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, in the United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LAWN MOWERS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my

page_text: executors, administrators and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
.same, and have made solemn Declaration that the same has been com-
municated to me by Amariah Miller Hills, a person residing at East
Hartford, in the County of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut,
- aforesaid.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Aaron White Cook Williams, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and
by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to a new and improved device for mowing grass
by hand, and is more especially designed for mowing lawns.
The Invention consists in a novel manner of constructing the frame
of the machine and mounting it on a roller, whereby the latter is made
to have sufficient traction to drive in the most efficient manner the
cutting device.
The Invention also consists in a novel manner of applying the
handle to the frame of the machine whereby the latter may be pushed
along by the operator without at all affecting the equilibrium of the
machine on its roller.
.
The Invention also consists in a novel and improved cutting device
which may be constructed at a very small cost and still be strong,
durable, and not liable to spring during the operation of cutting.
The Invention further consists in a peculiar application of shoes to
the device, whereby the hight of the cut may be regulated as desired.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 is a side sectional
view of my Invention taken in the line x, x, Figure 2; Figure 2, a plan
or top view of the same; Figure 3, a side view of one of the shoes
pertaining to the same, and a portion of the framing to which the shoe
is attached. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The frame of the machine is composed of two side pieces B, B, con-
nected at their front ends by a cross bar C, and connected near their
rear ends by a fixed cutter bar D, which may be of wrought or cast iron
faced with steel at its upper surface. At the centre of the frame is a
shaft a, the side pieces B, B, serving as the bearings thereof. This shaft
is allowed to turn freely in its bearings, and it has a roller E fitted
loosely upon it. The shaft a has a ratchet wheel F keyed firmly upon

page_text: it, into which a pawl G attached to one end of the roller catches and
causes the shaft to turn with the roller when the machine is shoved
forward, the shaft not being turned when the machine is drawn back-
ward. On the shaft a there is permanently keyed a toothed wheel H,
which gears into a pinion I on one end of a shaft J, and on said
shaft near the opposite end there is keyed a toothed wheel K which
gears into a pinion L on one of the journals 6 of the cutter M. This
cutter is of cast iron and has two or more spiral blades c. Two blades
are represented in the Drawings and that number will probably be
sufficient. This spiral-bladed cutter when the machine is shoved
forward has a rotary motion communicated to it from the roller E
through the medium of the gearing described, and the blades care
designed to work over the edge of the fixed cutter bar D, as will be
fully understood by referring to Figure 1. To the front end of each
side piece B there is attached a shoe N. These shoes are rounded up at
each end as shown at d, d, and at the centers of the shoes there are
vertical portions O which have oblong slots e in them, through which
screws P pass into the side pieces B, B, as shown clearly in Figure 3.
This mode of attaching the shoes to the side pieces admits of their
being adjusted, so that the fixed cutter D may be at a greater or less
distance above the surface of the ground according to the height of cut
required. Qrepresents a bail-shaped rod the ends of which are curved
or bent inward or towards each other to form journals ff, which are
fitted in holes in the side pieces B, B, of the framing a little behind the
ends of the roller shaft a. This rod is provided at its center with a
socket R to receive a wooden handle S. As the machine is shoved
along the cutter M as it rotates cuts the grass, the edges of the blades c
as they pass over the edge of the cutter bar D severing it. The journals
ff of the bail-shaped rod Q are allowed to work freely in the side
pieces B, B, so that in pushing the machine along said rod will not
interfere in the least with the equilibrium of the frame on the shaft of
roller E. This device will operate and cut grass quite close to trees
and shrubs without injuring them. The rotary cutter M cannot spring,
a result due to the material (cast iron) and the spiral form in which
it is cast. The whole device complete ready for use may be furnished
at a small cost, and there are no parts liable to get out of repair or
become deranged by use.
Having thus described the Invention, I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent,-

page_text: First. The balanced frame on the roller E in combination with the
bail to which the handle S is secured and with a suitable cutter, all
constructed and' arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The horizontal cutter M having the spiral cutters c, c,
when hung in front of the cutter D in a frame which is adjustable
upon the shoes N, N, in the manner and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination of the frame, rollers, shoes, cutting device,
and handle, all constructed and arranged to operate in the manner
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Aaron White Cook Williams, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December
A.D. 1868.
Witness,
C. C. LIVINGS.
AARON WHITE COOK WILLIAMS. (L.S.)