An Improvement in Reaping and Mowing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1.90
Complete specification Left. 25th Oct. 1890-Accepted, 29th N v., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Reaping and Mowing Machines.
1 AUGUSTUS CLIFFORD ARTER, of Barham, in the County of Kent, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
This invention relates to an improvment in reaping and mowing machines with the
object of lessening friction upon the pitman or connection between the knife eye and
its driving gear while securely holding the pitman in the knife eye.
The pitman is usually held in the knife eye by a latch or its equivalent which in the
rapid movements of the pitman often works loose so that the pitman drops from the
eye and wears away by friction in its socket and against the latch.
Various methods of securing the pitman in the knife eye have been adopted with a
view of preventing this friction, amongst others that of securing the pitman in the
eye by a pin or cottar passing through it and the eye, but these have not proved
satisfactory.
My invention consists in providing the knife eye with a bearing or bracket at
or near that end of the eye which is hetween the socket receiving the pitman and
the motor or driving gear, this bearing being formed of an arm projecting hori-
zontally from the back of the knife eye and then rising vertically to a suitable
height. The distance of the vertical part of the bracket from the back of the
knife eyo is such as to permit the easy insertion of the pitman, the vertical part
keeping the pitman always in the same position in the knife eye.
I prefer to make my bracket of one piece with the knife eye but it might be fitted
thereto in any suitable manner.
Dated this Twentieth day of March 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Reaping and Mowing Machines.
I AUGUSTUS CLIFFORD ARTER, of Barhain in the County of Kent, 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:
This invention relates to an improvement in reaping and mowing machines with the
object of lessening friction upon the pitman or connection between the knife eye and
its driving gear while securely holding the pitman in the knife eye.
The pitman is usually held in the knife eye by a latch or its equivalent which in the
rapid movements of the pitman often works loose so that the pitman drops from the
eye and wears away by friction in its socket and against the latch.
Various methods of securing the pitman in the knife eye have been adopted with a
view of preventing this friction, amongst others, that of securing the pitman in the
eye by a pin or cottar passing through it and the eye, but these have not proved
satisfactory.
My invention consists in providing the knife eye with a bearing or bracket at or
near that end of the eye which is between the socket receiving the pitman and the
motor or driving gear, this bearing being formed of an arm projecting horizontally
from the back of the knife eye and then rising vertically or at any suitable angle to
the desired height.

page_text: On the accompanying sheet of drawing
Figure 1. is a plan view of a knife eye embodying my invention.
Figure 2. being a side view or elevation of same.
A indicating the knife eye, B the bracket or arm, B' the vertical or inclined portion
of same, C the socket, D the pitman.
The distance of the part B' of the bracket B from the back of the knife eye A
is such as to permit the easy insertion of the pitman D, the part B keeping the
pitman always in the same position in the knife eye, and I thus greatly lessen
the friction upon and consequent wear of the pitman, while using a simple mode
of connection having no parts or pieces which might work loose and occasion
delay for repair or readjustment.
In order to connect the pitman to the knife the finger bar must be raised to a
suitable angle.
I prefer to make my bracket of one piece with the knife eye but it may be fitted
thereto in any suitable manner and be of any suitablo metal or material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a reaping or a mowing machine the use of a knife eye having a bearing or
bracket securing the pitman in the socket thereof substantially as described.
2. The knife eye for reaping and mowing machines herein before described and
illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of October 1890.