US439172A

US439172A - Lawn-mower

Info

Publication number: US439172A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1907-10-28

Description

(No Model.)`- 4 D. P. MGKINNEY.

LAWN MOWBR,

Nd. 439,172. Patented out. 28, 1890.

'I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID P. MCKINNEY, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

LAWN-MOWER.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,172, dated October 28, 1890. Application filed .Tune '7, 1890. Serial No. 354,593. (No model.)

To all whoml it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID P. MCKINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlugs.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in lawn-mowers, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the practical work of setting up lawnmowers it has been found that a perfect alignment of the cutter-blade with the reel-blades is not often secured. The pivotal connections of the cutter-bar and the fittings of the' other parts of the machine will unavoidably cause the cutter-blade to vary more or less from perfect alignment with the reel-bladesthat is to say, the cutter-bar will meet the path of the reel-blades at one end of the bar, while the other end is a little distance therefrom. The usual manner of adjusting the other end is by tightening the ordinary setscrew, so as to twist the cutter and bring the said end also into position. This twisting action throws the cutter out of a straight line, and generally causes it to be hollow near the middle of its length; but my invention is designed to overcome this defect and retain the straight cutting-edge, and to secure perfect and quick alignment with the reel-blades without causing any twisting or other strains on the cutter and its bar, nor any binding of the connections between either end of the cutter-bar and its side plate.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents an inside view ot' a side plate having my improvements thereon and the cutter-barand cutter in section; Fig. 2,a sectional view of Fig. lon the line a", at; Fig. 3, a front view of the cutter-bar with the side plates in section; Fig. 4, an outside view of a side plate with va modification of my device thereon, and Fig. 5 a sectional view of Fig. 4 along the line 3/ y.

The letters A and A designate the side plates of alawn-mower of the usual or any convenient style, on one of which plates-A, for instance-is mounted my device. Both plates preferably have lugs B and B', in which are mounted set-screws O, passing through screwthreaded apertures therein and bearing upon the respective ends of the cutter-bar D at either side of the pivotal bolt E or otherwise, so as to tip the bar and its cutter F to and from the path of the reel.

In Fig. 3 the extension or turned-up end of the cutter-bar is shown next to the side plate A', and secured thereto bya pivotal boltfastcned through aball-and-socket joint. At the other end of the cutter the extension is preferably set oft a little from the end of the bar to allow of an adjustable piece I being fitted in between the said extension and its side plate, and having an opening through which the pivotal bolt E passes, to thereby support that end of the cutter-bar. Thelatter extension, however, has a convex surface fitting into its socket, which in this case is formed in the adjustable piece instead of in the side plate, as at the other end, whereby a ball-andsocket connection is formed at both ends of the cutter-bar,which allows of one end being moved about the other as a center without binding either connection. The bolt E, having a nut on the end thereof, preferably extends through the side plate A, in which is an enlarged opening to allow of aconvenient adjustment of the said bolt therein when the adjustable piece I is moved by means of a screw-bolt G, threaded into a lug H, preferably extending from the upper end of the said piece. The said bolt G tits loosely in a lug J, extending from the plate A in convenient proximity to the adjustable piece. Any other convenient means of adjusting the piece I may be used. A check-bolt K is threaded int-o the piece I, and passes through an enlarged opening lo in the side plate.

The dotted lines L in Fig. 3 represent the path of the reel-blades, to which the front edge of the cutter is adj usted by means of the set-screws C. For example, the right-hand end of the cutter may be correctly adjusted to the blade, while the left hand may be out of adjustment, as shown in this figure. By turning the screw-bolt G, thus raising the ad- IOO justable piece I and the end of the cutter-.bar supported thereby, the left-hand end of the cutter will also be brought into proper alignment, and as there is no twisting action on the cutter-bar the whole cutting-edge of the cutter will also be in perfect alignment with the reelblades. If the lefthand end of the cutter is highest, the piece I is lowered. The check-bolt K, before mentioned, is now screwed tight, and also the nut of the pivotal bolt E. This clamps the piece I to the Side plate, and prevents any accidental movement whereby it may be thrown out of its correct position. The set-screws C are then finally tightened.

In Fig. 4L a modification of my device is shown and mounted on the outside of the side plate. The pivotal bolt E is supported by an adjustable piece I', which is pivoted on the bolt M and has a slot O at the other end, through which passes a check-bolt K. The pivotal bolt E preferably passes through an enlarged opening in the side plate A, similar to the one in Fig. 2. The adjustable piece I may therefore be moved so as to adjust the corresponding end of the cut ter-bar and bring the cutter into perfect alignment, as before described, and is held in its correct position by the said check-bolt K.

It will be seen that my device causes no internal or twisting strains upon the cutterbar, thus throwing the cutter out of true. The cutter is therefore quickly and perfectly aligned to the reel-blades along the whole cutting-edge, thereby increasing the effective operation of the mowerby the easier running and cleaner cutting of the same.

If desired, the bolts K and K may be dispensed with and other means employed to hold the adjustable piece in its final correct position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with the reel, the frame, and the cutter-bar, of a balland-socket connection between one side plate and one end of the cutter-bar, an adjustable piece slidingly connected with the other side plate, devices adapted to vertically adjust said piece and to secure 'the same, and a ball-and-socket connection between said piece and the other end of thecutter-bar, whereby the latter end of the cutter-bar may be adj usted to and from the path of the reel, yet without binding the connections of the cutter-bar at either end.

A 2. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with the reel, the frame, and the cutter-bar, of a ball-and-socket connection between one end of the cutter-bar and one side plate, an adjustable piece carried by the other side plate, and a ball-and-socket connection between said adjustable piece and the cutter-bar, whereby the latter end of the cutter-bar may be adjusted to and from the path of the reel without binding the connections of the cutter-bar at either end.

3. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with the side plate, the reel, and the cutter-bar, of a piece carried by said side plate and adjustable therein, and a pivotal connection between the said piece and said cutter-bar, whereby through the adjustability of the piece and the pivotal connection the alignment of the cutter-bar with respect to the reel may be correctly obtained.

4. In a lawn-mower, the combination, with a side plate, a reel, and a cutter-bar, of an adjustable piece supporting said cutter-bar, a pivotal bolt connecting the same and said piece, and also passing through an enlarged opening in said side plate, a screw-bolt adjustably connecting said piece to said plate, and a check-bolt passing through an enlarged opening in said plate and engaging with said piece, whereby the cuttenbar may be moved to and from the said reel at one end and held in place by saidscrew-bolt and check-bolt and pivotal connection.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID P. MGKINNEY. lVitncsses:

W. A. HALLANAN, JOHN B. TEHEN.