US414063A - Mowing-machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

P. & L..P. LORENZ..

MOWING MACHINE. No. 414,068. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

(No Mom.) 2 sheetssheet 2.

P. & L. P. LORENZ MOWING MACHINE.

No. 414,063. Patented 001;. 29, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP LORENZ AND LEW'IS P. LORENZ, OF RIMERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MOWI'NG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,063, dated October 29, 1889.

Application led May 16, 1889. Serial No. 310,951. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that` we, PHILIP LORENZ and LEWIS P. LORENZ, citizens of the United States, residing at Rimersburg, in the county of Clarion and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Mowing-Machine, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to mowing-machines and it has for its object to construct a machine of this class which shall be simple, inexpensive, and durable, and which may conveniently ass over stumps and other obstructions whic i maybe encountered in the course of its passage over the fields.

The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of details, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a mowing-machine embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, with dotted lines showing the cutter-bar raised to a vertical position. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. e is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line cc a; in Fig. 3.

The same letters refer to the saine parts in` all thel figures.

The frame of our improved mowing-machine comprises the axle A, which is provided at one end with a spindle B for the drivewheel C, and at its opposite end with a tubular spindle D, upon which is journaled a supporting-wheel. E. The axle, which may be constructed of iron or steel, is composed of two upper bars F F and a lower brace or truss rod G, which together form a very strong and durable axle, and between which space is aforded for certain parts of the operating mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The drive-wheel O is provided 0n its inner side with a driving-gear II, which meshes with a pinion I, mounted upon a shaft J, which is journaled in brackets or boxes K K, extending upwardly from the axle adjacent to the spindle B. The inner end of the shaft J carries a bevel-gear L, 'which meshes with a pinion M, mounted upon the outer end of a shaft N, which is journaled vertically in a bracket O, secured upon the upper side of the axle. A cap P, suitably hinged to the rear side of the axle, serves to cover and protect the operating-gears when the machine is in motion. The bevel-gear L is mounted loosely upon the shaft J, and it is provided on its inner side with a clutch P', adapted to engage a clutch-collar Q, feathered and sliding loosely upon the shaft J. Said clutchcollar is provided with an annular groove R, engaging with the lower end of a forked lever S, which is pivoted to one of the brackets K, and by means of which the clutch-collar Q may be thrown into or out of engagementwith the clutch P upon the bevel-gear L, to which motion may thus be imparted from the driving-wheel at the will of the operator. Formed upon the lower end of the vertical shaft N is a crank T, having a wrist-pin U, which is connected pivotally with the trans- Versely-reciprocating rod or pitman V, which extends through the tubular sleeve 0r spindle D at the opposite end of the axle, and is provided with a downwardly-extending arm W. The tubular sleeve or spindle is made sufficiently large to allow for the lateral movement of the pitman.

X designates a bracket, which is secured longitudinally, with respect to the line of motion, upon the end of the axle having the tubular spindle D, and provided at its rear end with a bearing for a spindle Y, extending laterally from the adj usting-frame Z, the front end of which is likewise provided with a spindle 2, extending laterally through a segmental slot or opening 3 in the front end of the bracket X. The latter is provided on its upper side with a segmental rack 4, adapted to be engaged by a spring bolt or latch 5, atcached to a lever 6, which is mounted pivotally upon the inner side of the bracket X, and which is provided at its lower end with an arm 7, the outer end of which is connected by a pivoted rod 8 with the spindle 2. It will be seen that by this mechanism the front end of the adj usting-frame may be adjusted vertically and retained securely at any elevation to which it may be adjusted. The adjusting-frame is provided at its lower end with the shoe 9, in which the finger-bar 10 of the cutting apparatus is mounted pivotally upon a longitudinal pin 0r bolt 10. The outer end of the said finger-bar is provided IOO with the shoe 11, which is of ordinary construction, and the said finger-bar is provided with suitable bearings for the transverselyreciprocating cutter-bar 12. .The latter is provided at its inner end with a bracket 13, which is connected with the downwardly-extending arm W of the transversely-reciprocating rod V by means of alink or pitman 14.

15 is a standard rising vertically from the end of the axle adjacent to the tubular spindle D, and provided at its outer end with a bearing in which a bell-crank lever 16 is pivotally mounted. The outer arm ofsaid bellcrank is connected with the finger-bar 10 byt series ,of ratchets 20, formed upon the said standard. It will be seen that by manipulating .the said hand-lever the iinger-bar may be raised or elevated to and retained in an approximately vertical position, as shown in Y dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Vhen in this position, the Ventire weight of the cutting apparatus rests -in the shoe 9 of the adjustin g-frame Z, which latter may be elevated sufficiently to clear the ground by means of the adjusting mechanism herein described, thereby enabling the machine to be conveniently transported from place to place.

21 designates the tongue of our improved mowing-machine, which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured upon the upper side of the axle, and which is provided with suitable means for the attachment of the draft. Suitably mounted upon the said tongue is the seat-bar 22, the upper end of which carries the seat 23 for the driver and operator, who, it will be observed, is within convenient reach of the levers S, 6, and 19, by means of which the various parts of the machine are adjusted for operation.

The operation and advantages of our improved moWing-machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. When the driving-wheel C rotates, the gear-wheel H upon its inner side meshes with the pinion I upon the shaft J, to whichy Sthe cutting mechanism may be instanta-A neously thrown into or out of gear, as occasion may require. The height of the cutting apparatusfrom the ground may be regulated by properly adjusting the front end of the adjusting-frame Z, in which the cutting apparatus is mounted, and this may be readily accomplished by-means of the lever 6. When the machine is to be transported over the roads, and when the cutting apparatus is not in use, it may be raised to and retained in a vertical position by means of the lever 19, such adjustment being made possible owing to the iiexible or link connection between the reciprocating cutting-bar and the arm W of the pitman V. It will be observed that no part of the operating mechanism is located below the axle of the machine, and that by reason of this construction the machine is enabled to clear and pass freely over any obstructions-such as rocks and stumps-which may be encountered in its passage over the field. The herein-described construction of the axle within which the operating-pitman is located is also efficient in guardingand protectin g the operating mechanism from injury. The general construction is simple and inexpensive, and, the machine consisting of comparatively few parts, there is but little friction to overcome, and hence the draft of our improved machine will be found to bevery light in proportion to its capacity.

While we have in the foregoing described the preferred construction of our improved mowing-machinavwe reserve the right to any j ing it in an approximately horizontal position, and a pitman arranged in the tubular spindle and connected with the reciprocating cutter-bar, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a mowing-machine, the combination of the axle having a tubular spindle at one end, the horizontal bracket mounted upon said axle, the adjusting-frame connected pivotally with the rear end of said bracket, means for adjusting the front end of said frame vertically, the cutting apparatus mounted pivotally in a shoe at the lower end of said adjusting-frame, mechanism for raising the l said cutting apparatus to and retaining it in an approximately vertical position, a transversely-reciprocating pitman having a bearl ing in the tubular spindle of the axle, mechj anism for transmitting motion to said pitman e from the driving-wheel of the machine, and

a link connecting the outer end of said pitman with the transversely-reciprocating cutl ter-bar, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

IOO

IIO

3. In a mowing-`n1achine,the combination,

with the axle having a tubular spindle, of the longitudinal bracket mounted upon the said axle, the adj Listing-frame connected pivotally to the rear end of said bracket and having at its front end an arm extending laterally through a segmental slot in the front end of the said bracket, a lever connected pivotally to the inner side of the said bracket and having a spring-latch engaging With a segmental rack formed upon the said bracket, a link connecting said lever pivotally with the arm extending from the adj listing-frame, a shoe formed at the lower end of the latter, the cutting apparatus mounted pivotally in the said shoe, and a link connecting the transverselyreciprocating cutter-bar with an arm extending downwardly from the outer end of a pitinan arranged t0 reciprocate in the tubular spindle of the axle, and mechanism for trans-A mitting motion to the said pitnian from the drivin g-Wheel of the machine, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a mowing-machine, the combination of the axle having a tubular spindle at one end, a bracket mounted longitudinally upon the said axle, the adjusting-frame connected pivotally to the rear end of said bracket, mechanism for adj usting the front end of said frame vertically, the cutting apparatus mounted pivotally in a shoe in the lower end of said adjusting-frame, a link connecting the cutterbar with a pitman arranged to reciprocate in the tubular spindle of the axle, lmeans for transmitting motion to said pitlnan from the driving-Wheel of the machine, a standard rising vertically from the axle, a bell-crank lever at the upper end of said standard, a link connecting one arm of said bell-crank with the finger-bar of the cutting apparatus, a hand-lever connected pivotally to the stand-` ard and adapted to engage a series of teeth or ratchets formed thereon, and a link connecting said hand-lever with the vertical arm of the said bell-crank, all constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

PHILIP LORENZ.

LEWIS P. LORENZ.

Witnesses:

D. W. CHICK, D. M. FLICK.

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