IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Simpson, of the Gardens, Wortley Hall, Wortley,
in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN
MOWERS"
Sealed the 15th February 1878, and dated the 14th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Simpson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th September 1877.
JOHN SIMPSON, of the Gardens, Wortley Hall, Wortley, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS."
My Invention relates to a simple "arrangement for reducing the weight of lawn
mowers, and thereby rendering them more easy to pull or propel at the period of the
year or any other time when rolling is not required, and it consists in the employ-
ment of running gear capable of being temporarily substituted for the rollers, the parts
being so arranged that the rollers and the said running gear are interchangeable, so
that either may be readily attached to the machine, according to circumstances.
In carrying out my Invention as applied, for example, to an ordinary lawn
mowing machine, the rollers of which are usually placed behind the spiral cutters,
and of a breadth equal or thereabouts to the width between the frames, I construct
a shaft or axle, by preference similar in length to the shaft of the rollers, and capable
of fitting in the same or similar bearings; but in lieu of the rollers I fix two or more
light wheels of a breadth sufficient by their own motion over the ground to drive
the gearing which actuates the cutters of the machine, the shaft or axle with the
wheels, and the ordinary shaft or axle with the rollers being exchanged the one for
the other when desired.
By means of this Invention a machine with rollers requiring three men to work
it can be driven by two men with facility when the rollers are exchanged for
wheels.
The wheels are arranged inside the frame, so that the cutters can be worked close
to the edges of bed and in similar positions.

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1878.
Da I avent Vince on PUC LOUI
JOHN SIMPSON, of the Gardens, Wortley Hall, Wortley, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN MOWERS."
My Invention relates to means for reducing the weight, and at the same time
the draught of lawn mowers, at those periods of the year when rolling is not
required.
These means I will proceed to describe by reference to the Drawings annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows the usual full width driving rollers R, R, divided into two, with
separate drivers D, for the convenience of turning corners, mounted on their spindle S
which carries the main gear wheel G.
Figure 2 shows two narrow side rollers S, R, or "running gear," with their two
drivers D also mounted on a spindle S, and intended at pleasure to take the place of
the wide rollers R, R. This may be done by either having two separate spindles with
their respective rollers and gear wheels complete, as. shown, either of which spindles
will run in the same bearings of the machine, or by simply having two sets of rollers,
wide and narrow, with their drivers, either of which can be placed on the same
spindle at pleasure.
In the other arrangements shown in Figures 3 to 11, instead of having two
distinct and separate sets of rollers, wide and narrow, with two sets of drivers, there
is only one set of rollers of the full width. These rollers are made in four, and are
so arranged that by removing the two centre rollers, the two narrow side rollers
with their drivers remain, and the same result is obtained as by having two sets of
rollers and drivers.
The centre rollers may be constructed to run loose on the spindle when they will
simply act as rollers, but not as driving rollers, but in order to get the benefit when
required, of the full width of the roller, not only for rolling the lawns but for driving
the gearing, and without furnishing the centre rollers also with drivers, it is necessary
that the centre rollers should, when in use, not run simply loose on the axle, but be
coupled with the side rollers which carry the drivers, and through them convey
motion to the spindle and gearing. The different ways in which this is done, and
the methods of removing the centre rollers are shown in the Drawings.
In Figures 3 and 4, each of the centre rollers C, R, is coupled to its corresponding
side roller S, R, to which the drivers D are attached by the rims of the rollers
which come in contact with each other, having projections and recesses on their
edges which fit loosely into each other.
In Figures 5 and 9 the rims are plain, but on the ends of the bosses of
the rollers are formed clutches A, which connect the pair of rollers on either
side together.
In Figure 6, both the rims and the ends of the bosses are plain, but the
centre rollers C, R, are connected with the side rollers S, R, by means of
projecting pieces or lugs B attached to the former, which drop into recesses E in
the latter, see Figure 8.
I now proceed to explain the methods of removing the centre rollers.
In Figures 3 and 4, the axle must be taken out of its bearings, the set screw F of
the driver D be unscrewed, and the right-hand side roller S, R, drawn off; the two
centre rollers C, R, can then be drawn off, and a distance piece G put on to the
spindle. The side roller S, R, must then be replaced, and the set screw F of the
driver D retightened, when the spindle can be replaced in its bearings with the
narrow side rollers S, R, as shown in Figure 4.

page_text: In Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 the rollers are removed in the same way as in Figures 3
and 4.
In Figures 9, 10, and 11 the two centre rollers C, R, are made in halves, and the
distance piece G also. The halves are fastened together by bolts H, K, Figure 11,
and can be easily removed and replaced without the necessity of removing the spindle
from its bearings or taking off the side rollers.
According to a modification of the arrangement shown by these Figures, the
halves of the centre rollers may be hinged together on one side of the rims, or the
rims may be made of wrought iron or steel, and divided on one side only so that
when the retaining bolts are taken out, the roller can be sprung open and easily
removed from the spindle.
Although in the Drawings the rollers, whether wide or narrow, are arranged
to come between the handles or framework of the machine, I do not intend
thereby to limit myself to this arrangement, for in some cases it may be preferred
that when the side rollers are used, they should be placed outside the frame of
the machine, wider than the ends of the cutting barrel, and that the wide
roller only when used should come within the handles or frame of the machine,
and directly behind the cutting barrel. Under this arrangement, when the wide
roller is used, the side rollers are removed.
Both the wide roller and the side rollers are provided with drivers, as in Figures 1
and 2, from which arrangement that last referred to differs only in that the spindle
is longer, so that it may receive side rollers outside the framing.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim the means substan-
tially as described and illustrated by the Drawings for facilitating the reduction
of the weight and draught of a lawn mower at the season when rolling is not
required.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Simpson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.