An Improved Lawn Mower.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 6th June, 1896
An Improved Lawn Mower.
I, EDWARD INGLETON, of Shuler House, Pottstown, in the County of
Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
My invention has for its object to construct a lawn mower which will be
exceedingly light and durable in which the knives will be driven by connection
with the ground wheels and in which also the driving mechanism will be located
entirely within the plane of the outer face of the frame with comparatively no
projections liable to collect the cut grass, the driving mechanism being also protected.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means whereby the knives may be
of maximum length extending from the inside of one side piece or cheek of the
frame to the corresponding surface of the opposite cheek.
The frame consists of two side or cheek pieces which are connected at the central
portion of their rear ends by means of a cross bar or rod suitably fastened and at
their central upper portions with a second rod, the side pieces or cheeks being
provided with a depression in their outer faces to receive the nuts on the said upper
rod whereby they are held in place. The axle is journalled in the inner wall of
depressions formed in the cheek pieces near their rear ends and about centrally
between their top and bottom edges whereby the lock nuts on the axle are
considerably within the plane of the outer faces of the cheeks. The ground wheels
are preferably cupped upon their outer faces or provided with an outwardly
extending peripheral flange. These wheels are loosely mounted upon the axle and
ratchet wheels are secured upon the axle adjacent to the hubs of the ground wheels,
said ratchets being engaged by dogs secured upon the said wheel. The dogs so
engage with the ratchets that when the mower is pushed ahead, the dogs will turn
the axle, but when the mower is drawn backward the dogs will slip over the
ratchets and the driving mechanism will be silent. In each cheek or side piece of
the frame forward of the depression, an elongated and horizontal depression or well
is produced, the well formation being made upon the inner face of the cheeks, and
each well or recess is provided at or near its centre with an opening extending
preferably from top to bottom. The shaft of the cutter is journalled in the inner
walls of the wells or depressions near their forward ends, and upon this shaft two
or more spiders are firmly secured, the arms of the spiders carrying at their outer
ends spiral knives. These knives are of such length that they extend practically
from the inner face of one of the cheeks to the corresponding face of the opposite
cheek. In this manner a maximum length of knives is obtained, and a swath will
be cut fully equal to the length of the machine while at the same time the knives
are protected from any interference with obstacles at the sides of the machine.
Openings are made in the wells or depressions to permit of the free revolution of
the knives, since the forward knives in ascending and descending are removed
from the forward ends of the said wells or depressions. An internally toothed
gear wheel is secured upon the axle at each end, one of the said wheels being
located within the flanged portion of each ground wheel, and a pinion is mounted
upon a short spud axle, one of which is secured in the rear end portion of each well
the said pinions being adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gears. Each pinion
is provided with a crauk disc upon its outer face and a crank disc is secured upon
each outer end of the knife shaft, the two crank discs at each side of the machine
being connected by a rod.

page_text: The entire driving mechanism, namely the pinions, the crank discs, and
connecting rod, are within the wells, being also within the plane of the outer face
of the discs; therefore, as heretofore stated, the said driving mechanism is
thoroughly protected and the machine may be run very close to trees, flower beds,
or in other places where close and careful trimming is required.
Dated this 30th day of July 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
An Improved Lawn Mower.
I EDWARD INGLETON, of Shuler House, Pottstown in the County of
Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Engineer 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 :-
My invention bas for its object to construct a lawn mower which will be
exceedingly light and durable, in which the knives will be driven by connection
with the ground wheels and in which also the driving mechanism will be located
entirely within the plane of the outer face of the frame with comparatively no
projections liable to collect the cut grass, the driving mechanism being also protected.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means whereby the knives may be
of maximum length extending from the inside of one side piece or cheek of the
frame to the corresponding surface of the opposite cheek.
The invention cousists in the novel construction and combination of, the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved lawn mower;
Figure 2 is a section taken horizontally and substantially on the line 2-2 of
Figure 1 ; and
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken essentially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
The frame consists of two side or cheek pieces A and B, which are connected at
the central portion of their rear ends by means of a crossbar or rod 10, suitably
fastened, and at their central upper portions with a second rod 11, the side pieces
or cheeks being provided with a depression 11" in their outer faces to receive the
nuts on the said upper rod, whereby they are held in place, as shown in Figures 1
and 2.
The axle 12 is journaled in the inner wall of depressions 13, formed in the cheek
pieces near their rear ends and about centrally between their top and bottom edges,
whereby the lock nuts 12" on the axle are brought considerably within the plane
of the outer faces of the cheeks. The ground wheels 14 are preferably cupped
upon their outer faces or provided with an outwardly-extending peripheral flange.
These wheels are loosely mounted upon the axle 12, and ratchet wheels 15 are
secured upon the axle adjacent to the hubs of the ground wheels, said ratchets
being engaged by dogs 16 secured upon the said wheel. The dogs so engage with
the ratchets, that when the mower is pusbed ahead the dogs will turn the axle, but
when the mower is drawn backward the dogs will slip over the ratchets and the
driving mechanism will be silent.
In each cheek or side piece A and B of the frame, forward of the depression 13,
an elongated and horizontal depression or well 17 is made upon the inner face of
the cheeks; and each well or recess is provided at or near its centre with an

page_text: opening 18, extending preferably from top to bottom. The shaft 19 of the cutter
is journaled in the inner walls of the wells or depressions 17 near their forward ends;
and upon this shaft two or more spiders 20 are firmly secured, the arms of the
spiders carrying at their outer ends spiral knives 21. These knives are of such
length that they extend practically from the inner face of one of the cheeks to the
corresponding face of the opposite cheek. In this manner a maximum length of
knives is obtained, and a swath will be cut fully equal to the length of the machine,
while at the same time the kuives are protected from any interference with obstacles
at the sides of the machine.
The openings 18 are made in the wells or depressions 17 to permit of the free
revolution of the knives, as is clearly shown in Figure 2, since the forward knives
in ascending and descending are removed from the forward ends of the said wells or
depressions 17.
An internally toothed gear wheel 22, is secured upon the axle 12 at each end,
one of the said wheels being located within the flanged portion of each ground
wheel 14; and a pinion 23 is mounted upon a short spud axle 24, one of which is
secured in the rear end portion of each well 17, the said pinions being adapted to
mesh with the teeth of the gears 22.
Each pinion is provided with a crank disk 25 upon its outer face, and a crank
disk 26 is secured upon each outer end of the knife shaft 19, the two crank disks at
each side of the machine being connected by a rod 27.
The entire driving mechanism, namely, the pinions, the crank disks and
connecting rods are within the wells 17, being also within the plane of the outer
face of the disks; therefore, as heretofore stated, the said driving mechanism
is thoroughly protected, and the machine may be ruu very close to trees,
flower beds, or in other places where close and careful trimming is required.
At the extreme forward lower portion of the frame a roller shaft 28 is journaled
in the cheeks, and upon this shaft either a single roller of sufficient length is
mounted to turn, or a number of rollers 29 may be so placed, as shown in the
drawings. The handle 30 is suitably pivoted to the rear portions of the
cheeks.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,―
1. A lawn mower having its frame provided with recesses adapted to receive the
driving mechanism for the knives, substantially as shown and described.
2. A lawn mower having the side faces of ita frame provided with inwardly-
extending partially inclosed recesses adapt d to receive the driving mechanism for
the knives, whereby the said driving mechanism will be within the plane of
the outer faces of the said side pieces, substantially as described.
3. In a lawn mower, the combination, with a frame comprising connected side or
cheek pieces having inwardly extending wells or recesses formed therein, an axle
journaled in the frame, ground wheels adapted to drive the same, and a knife shaft
journaled in the said well or recess portions of the frame, of crank disks located
within the said well or recess portions of the frame, driven from the axle, crank
disks located upon the knife shaft within the wells, and rods connecting the crank
disks at each side of the frame and likewise located within the said well or recess
portions of the frame, as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a lawn mower, the combination, with a frame the side pieces of which are
provided with inwardly-extending wells, an axle journaled in the said side pieces,
the ends of the axles being within the plane of the outer faces of the said side
pieces, driving wheels adapted to turn the axle, and gears carried by the axle, of
pinions located within the well portions of the frame, driven from the said gears
and provided with crank disks located likewise within the wells, a knife-carrying
shaft journaled within the well portions of the frame and provided with crank disks,
and rods connecting the crank disks of the shafts and pinions, the said rods being

page_text: located within the said well portions of the frame, as and for the purpose
specified.
5. In a lawn mower, the combination, with a frame having inwardly-extending
wells formed therein, an axle journaled in the said frame, ground wheels adapted to
drive the axle, and a knife shaft journaled in the well portions of the frame, of a
driving mechanism operated from the axle and operating the knife shaft, and
located wholly within the well portion of the frame, whereby the machine may be
carried close to an object without interfering with the said driving mechanism, as
and for the purpose specified.
6. In a lawn mower, the combination, with the frame thereof, and a knife shaft
journaled in the said frame, of knives spirally attached to the said shaft and
extending from one side piece to the other, whereby the machine will cut a swath
substantially as wide as the machine itself, as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 27th day of April 1896
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.