USRE1011E - Improvement in mowing-machines - Google Patents

Description

l E' BALL n 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Mower.

No. 1,011.v Reissued July 17,' 1860'.

u T' n T' N, PETERs' noto-umogmmr, wamingwn. D. c.

UNITED STATES EPHRAIM `BALL, OF CANTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN MowlNe-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13,788, dated December 1,1857; Reissue No. 832dated September 27, 1859,' Reissue No. 1,011, dated July 17, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, EPHRAIM BALL, of Canton, in the county of Stark, in the State ofv 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 partof this specication, and in which- Figure lrepresents a rear view ot' the machine, the black lines showin-g 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 ot' the finger beam when mowing on an uneven surface,with its left end raised to con form thereto, the red lines showing the position ot' the linger-beam when mowing on an uneven surface, which raises the entire finger-beam, the dotted black lines showing the position of the iingebeam raised upat its right or outer end toward the machine to pass over an obstacle, and the dotted red lines lshowing the fingerbeam in two different positions raised oot' the ground and turned up toward the machine to pass over obstructions or through gates. Fig. 2 represents a side view of the machine, looking inthe direction of arrow-1, Fig. 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 represents a section on line A B, FigL l, looking in the direction of arrow 3, the finger-beam being shown in the highest position, represented in red dotted lines, Fig. l. Fig. 4 represents a detached view of a portionof one of the' main wheels and a portion of its gearing,

a part of the pinion which gears into one of the main gear-wheels being represented as broken away, together with its shield, to show one of the ratchet-wheels, with its pawl, spring, and case, and by which motion is communicated from the main wheel to the main gear shaft. Fig. 5 represents a detached plan or top view 0f one of the pinions on 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 rrepre- `sents a top or plan rview of my machine, a portion of the peripheries of the wheels B B be- DrvrsIoN No. 2.A ing broken away to show the positions of the.

gear-wheels.

Whenever it may be expedient to use one or more of the several parts or branches of my whole of the parts together; and it is obvious that several parts of my improvements are applie-able to various other mowing-machines in use. I

One mode of` applying each of my improvements to practical use being shown in this machine, it is unnecessary to specify the manner of applying the parts respectively to other mowing machines, since the ordinary skill of the constructer will be sufficient for that purpose.

That branch of my improvements 'which is the subject of this patent consists inthe combination of certain elements in a mowing-machine, whereby its efficiency is greatly promoted and many of the objections heretofore encountered in the use ot' mowing-machinesspecially when used on uneven and rough ground) obviated. The elements which I have thus combined are as follows,viz: First, a rigid tongue to draw and steady the machine by; second, a frame to support and carry the driver and gearing; third, two independent driving and supporting wheels (one arranged at each side of the frame) to support and balance the frame and give motion to the cutter; fourth, a short finger-beam to carry and protect the cutters, so hinged to the frame that its progressf ive movement. 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 thereof independently of the other, by the undulations ot' the ground over which it is drawn.

In the accompanying drawings, A A A A represent the main frame ot' the machine, being of rectangular form, and which is supported on the axes a a of the independent driving and supporting wheels B B.

To the shaft F there are attached two shields l or cases, G G', within each of which a pawl,

b, is secured, and these pa/wls catchinto ratchetteeth on the wheels H, one of which is attached to the inner sideot each ofthe pinion-wheels E E', or to a disk,E'-' which-is pl-aced between the ratchet-wheels H and the pinions-wheels E E', for the purpose of closing up the outer ends of the cases G G', but which are fastened securely -to their respective ratchet and pinion wheels, so that each pinion-wheel with its disk or shield E and ratchet-wheel H turn together and are loose on the shaft F.v (See Figs. 4 and 5.) Y

Small springs care attached to the inside of the cases G G/ one on each casefor the purpose of keeping the pawls bin thel ratchetteethot' the wheels H when the machine-is drawn forward, but which allow the pawls b to slip over the teeth on. the ratchet-wheelsv H when the machine is backed, so that the cuttters are not operated in backing the machine. Nordoes one pawl or ratchet interfere with the free movement of the other. Consequently, if one wheel moves faster than the i other, it operates the cutters, and therefore turning the machine from the standing grass to avoid or pass obstructions in the path of the inger-beam does not prevent the cutters from being operated by wheel B', whereby clogging of the cutters is prevented.

As the machine is drawn over the ground by the rigid draft-pole or tongue() the drivingj wheels BB' move in the direction indicated by arrow 4, and as the spur-wheelsD D'move in the same direction the pinion-wheels E E' are caused to move in the direction of arrow 4', (see Fig. 4,) thus giving motion to shaft F by means of the ratchet-wheels H H, pawls b b, and cases G G', and as the shaft F turns motion is communicated to the crank-shaft Kv through gear-wheels I and J, whereby a rapid reciprocating motion is imparted by means ot' swiveled pitman or rod NN' to the cutter-bar 0 and its cutters O', which work through lingers or guards h, attached to the lingerbeam, the heel of the cutter-bar and inner cutter being guided in proper grooves in the metallic part S of the inner shoe.

Ijhe cutters and guard-lingers may bemade in any o f the well-known forms.

The inner end or heel of the finger-beam P is rigidly secured to the lower double runner or forked ends, Q Q' ,ofastron g metallic draftshoe or yielding brace-bar a, the forward end of which extends upward and forward, and is hinged between lugs it ot a wrist or swivel, i', which 1s free to turn on an axis parallel to the line of motion ofthe machine in apiece, j,

attached to piece j' by a screw-pivot, the piece j being bolted lirmly to the under side ofthe inner projecting part, A", of the main frame, while the wrist or swivel piece t" is held in place by nut K'.

To sustain the shoe or brace-bar Qin its lateral relative position as respects the main frame., a. coupling-arm, R, is hinged at its Lright end between the lugs R' B', which pro ject up from the left side or fork of the shoe or yielding brace-bar Q and at the heel of the y finger-beam P, while its left end is hinged on a line withthe longitudinal center of the crank-shaft K, between lugs t l, projecting down from a hanger, R", which is rmly bolted to the rear under sides of the pieces A A of the main frame.

The outer end of the hoger-beam is supported by a shoe, T', the rear end of which is provided with a slot or opening, T", in which the track-clearer is to behinged. The tongue ger-beam P, which supports the cutters, canv freely rise and fall bodily, or either end independently ot' the other end and of the main frame. v

As the finger-beam I) is only of sufficient length to protect the cutters, its motions are not impeded at Iall by any elevations or obstacles in the path of'the 'main frame, nor is the heel ot'fthenger-beam liable to catch and drag along cut stalks of grass, as would be the case if the jinger-beam extended by the rear end of the inner driving-wheel, B', since in either case every time the outer ehd of the finger-beam happened to be elevated the other end, orthatportionfof 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. y

As the weight of the iinger-beam apd cutting apparatus rests principally on the ground, I provide for the proper balancing of the machine by placing the independent driving and supporting wheels B B' near the center of the machine, one wheelI being on each side, and arrange the gearing so that the weight thereof will be mostly in advance of the axes ofthe .theirjournals, since one wheel can move faster than the other, and in mowing on rough and uneven ground, where there is necessarily much turning to avoid obstructions in the path of the cutters, this is very important. Again, if one wheel happens to drop into a slight hole or strikes against a small stump or stone, so as to' cause itto slip on o r over the ground, the other wheel operates the cutters.

What I claim under this patent as my invention is Y The combination, in a mowing-machine, ot' the followingelements-namely, a rigid'tongu'e -to draw and steady the machine by, a frame to support and carry the driver and gearing, ently of the other,vby the undulations of the two independent driving and bearing 0r supground over which it is drawn.

porting wheels to carry the frame and give In witness whereof I have hereunto signed motionto the cutters, and a short.fngerbearn, my name. Y so hinged to the main frame that its progressive movement over the' ground will be controlled by the main frame and the upward Witnesses:

and downward movements of the entire fn- DANIEL GOTSHALL,

ger-beam, or of either end thereof independ I). H. BARMER.

EPHRAIM BALL.

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