USRE1012E - Improvement in mowing-machines - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets--S'het 1.

E. BALL.

Mowen No. 1,012'. Reisu'ed July 17. 1860.

Invenor:

3 SHeets-Sheet 3. E. BALL.

Mower.

110.1012. r 11615811611 1uly17, 1860.

Witnesses: Inventair- N. PETERS, Phmoiiehugmpmr. wnnmglon. D, c.

PATENT OFFICE.

EPHEAIM BALL, OE OANTO, Omo.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWINGMACHINES.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No.18,788, dated December 1, 1857; Reissue No. 832, dated September 27,1859; Reissue No. 1,012, dated July 17, 1860.

DIVISION No. 3.

Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mowing-Machines, of which .the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a rear view of the machine, the black lines showing the linger-beam resting upon the ground in the position it will occupy when the machine is mowing on a level surface, the blue lines showing one position of the finger-beam when mowing on an uneven surface, with its left end raised to' conform thereto, the red lines showing the position of the finger-beam when mowing on an uneven surface, which raises the entire finger-beam, the dotted black lines showing the position of the finger-beam raised up at its right or outer end towardthe machine to pass over an obstacle; and the dotted red lines showing the linger-beam in two different positions raised ott' of the ground and turnedl up toward the machine to pass over obstacles or through gates. Fig. 2 represents aside view of the machine looking in the direction of arrow l, Flg. 1, when the machine is mowing on level ground, a part of the main frame being represented as broken away to show the position of the gearing.. Fig. 3 representsa section on line A B, Fig. l, looking in the direction of arrow 3, the finger-beam being shown in the highest position represented in` red dotted lines, Fig. 1. Fig. et represents a detached view of a portion of one ofthe Vmain Wheels and a portion of its gearing, a part ofthe pinion which gears into one of the main gearwheels being represented as broken away, together with its shield, to show one of the ratchet-wheels with its pawl, spring, andcase, and by which motion is communicated from the main wheel to the main'gear-shaft. Fig. 5 represents a detached plan or top view of one of the pinions onV the main gear-shaft, together with its ratchet-wheel and pawl, the top of the case which covers the ratchet-wheel being represented as broken away to show the relative position of the parts. Fig. 6 represents a top or plan view of my machine, aportion of the peripheries of the wheels B B' be,-

ing broken away to show the gear-wheels.

improvements separate4 from the rest, such part or parts may be used in connection with proper frames and gearing, although dilferent from those herein described, which are proportioned and arranged with reference to the use of the whole of the parts together; and it is obvious that several parts of my improvemachines in use.

One mode of applying each of my improve- .ments to practical use being shown in this machines, it is unnecessary to specify the manner of applying the parts, respectively, to'other mowing-machines, since the ordinary skill of pose. Y

That branch of my improvements which is the subject of this patent consists in connecting the beam that carries the cutting apparatus with the main frame by means of a single intermediate yielding arm, brace-bar, or shoe in such manner that either end of the beam may rise and fall freely without elevating or depressing the other end, and that while being drawn over undulating ground the upward and downward movements of the beam or of either end independently ofthe othershall be independent of such movements ofthe frame and governed by the undulations of the ground. It also consists in the combination of a short linger-beam. with a single yielding brace-bar or the finger-beamte catch and drag along the grass cnt by the previous swath or of striking against the under side ofthe main frame as the finger-beam rises and .falls bodily or at either end to conform to the inequalities of the ground is obviated, as will be hereinafter described. l

In the accompanying drawings, A A A A represent the main frame of the machine.

As the machine is drawn over the ground by the rigid draft pole or tongue C the driving-wheels B B move in the direction indimove in the same direction, the pinion-wheels E E are caused to move in the direction of Whenever it may be expedientto useone or more of the several parts or branches of my ments are applicable to variousother mowingthe constructer will be sufficient for that purhinged draft-shoe, whereby the tendency of d cated by arrow 4, and,'as the spur-wheels D D arrow `4', (see Fig. 7,) thus giving motion to shaft F'by means of the ratchet-wheels H H, pawls b b, and cases Gr G', and as the shaft F turns motion is communicated to the crankshaft K through gear-wheels I and J, whereby al rapid reciprocating motion isimparted to the cutter-bar O and its cutters O', which work through fingers or guards h, attached to the nger-beam P, in consequence of one end oI s'hoc or yielding brace-bar, Q, the forward end of which extends upward and forward, and is hinged between lugs t' z' of a wrist or swivel, i', which is free to turn on an axis parallel to the line of motion of the machine in a piece, j, attached to piece j' by a screw-pivot, the piece j' being bolted firmly to the under side of the inner projecting part, A", of the main frame,

while the wrist or swivel piece i' is held in The position of the yielding brace-bar or hinged shoe Q is parallel, or nearly so, to the line of motion of the machine, while the position of the finger-beam is at right angles, or nearly so, to the line of motion ofthe machine; and as the shoe or yielding brace-bar Q is the device by which the finger-beam and cutting apparatus are drawn forward as the machine advances, itis made of metal and very strong, so that it will not buckle or twist under the great longitudinal and lateral strain which it has to-bear in drawing forward and sustaining the finger-beam in its proper' and relative position thereto.

To sustain the shoe or brace-bar Q in its lateral relative position as respects the main frame, a couplingarm, R, is hinged at its right end between the lugs R' R', which project up from the left side or fork of the shoe or yielding brace-bar Q, and at the heel of the tnger-beam P, while its left end is hinged on a line with the longitudinal center of the crankshaft K between lugs l l, projecting down from a hanger, R", which is rmly bolted to the rear under sides of the pieces A' A of the mainl frame.

The tongue C is fitted into a metallic tonguepiece, C', having shoulders C", and then bolts B" are passed down through both the tonguepiece and front piece of the main frame. Uis the drivers seat, supported by springs U', attached to the rear of the main frame.

While the machine is in operation the finger-beam P, which supports the cutters, can freely rise and fall bodily, or either end can freely rise and fall independently of the other end and of the main frame, since the hinged Y connection of the yielding brace-bar or shoe Q, with the wrist i', allows of a free up-anddown movement of the entire nger-beam, and,

as the wrist or swivel piece t" is free to turn in the piece j, the yielding brace-bar or hinged draft-shoe Q and finger-beam P have also a free rolling or lateral motion at right angles, or nearly so, to the line of, motion of the ma chine.

A1t will thus be seen that my machineis well adapted for use not only on even or level surfaces, but on rough and uneven ground, since if an elevation occurs between the outer end of the finger-beam and the inner driving-wheel the ingerbeam conforms freely to such inequalities in the ground, (one such position being shown in blue lines, Fig. 1,) orthe outer end can rise to conform to inequalities, while the other end is free to rest on the ground.

As the linger-beam P is only of sufficient' length to protect the cutters, its motions are not impeded at all by any elevations or obstructions in the path of the mainframe; nor is the heel of the finger-beam liable to catch and drag along cut stalks of grass, as would be the case if the iinger-beam extended by the rear end of the main frame, or even by the rear of the inner driving-wheel, B', since in either case every time the outer end of the finger-beam' happened to be elevated the other end, or that portion ofV it which extended beyond the cutters, would be forced down into the grass cut by the previous swath, and catch and drag it along, thus interfering-with the proper operation of the machine. Another disadvantage attending the use of long fingerbeams is that the end which extends beyond the cutters, coming in contact with the ground prevents the heel of the cutters from running as close to the ground as it otherwise would when the outer end of the hoger-beam rises to conform to inequalities in the ground, and

thus prevents the grass from being cut as close to the, ground under such circumstances as it can be by the use of my improvement. 1t sometimes happens, too, that two elevations occur in the ground, by which the finger-beam is raisedJ as shown in red lines, Fig. l, one elevationbeing near the heel and the other near the outer end of the finger-beam. In such cases, if the iinger-beam extended by the rear of the main frame, it would be liable to strike against the hangers of the crank-shaft and coupling-arm, and thus raise the main frame and' driving-wheel entirely off of the ground, whereby the cutters would cease to work and become clogged. There would alsol be great liability of breaking or bending of some portion of the machine. These difficulties, however, are all obviated by my improvements. As theend ofthe coupling-arm which is hinged to the shoe or yielding brace-bar Q rises above or'fall's below a .horizontal plane passing throughy its hinge or joint with the main frame, the shoe or yielding brace-bar is drawn toward the machine, and therefore fto avoid any cramping in the joints of the coupling-armand shoe or brace-bar Q, the front connection ofthe shoe or yielding bar Q must be such as to Vpermit the rear thereof to have a free lateral motion, sufficient to enable it to conform to the circular motion of the right hinge of the coupling-arm as the finger-beam rises and falls to conform to the inequalities of the ground. One way in which this can4 be done is shown in my machine, and consists in lattaching the vpiecej to the piece j' by va pivot 'y or screw so that the yielding brace-bar or shoe Q can move freely laterally von said screw or pivot as a center.

What I claim under this patent as my in\ vention isl. Theeombination of the finger-beam and 'themain fralne with a single yielding bracebar or shoe, whereby the progressive movement of the finger-beam over the ground will be controlled by the main frame, and the free upward and downward movements of the entire fingerbeam, or of either end independently of the other, and of the up-and-down movements of the main frame by the undulations of the ground ove'rwhieh it is drawn, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination'of a yielding brace-bnr 0r shoe, Q, and a yieldingcoupling-arm, R, withl the main frame, substantially as set forth.

3. vThe combination of the short finger-beam, With the yielding connection, with the main frame, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

LEPHRAiM BALL.

Witnesses: I

DANIEL GofrsHALL, D. H. HARMON.

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