US483157A - Lawn-mower - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. A. LOUD.

LAWN MOWER.

No. 483,157. Patented Sept. 27, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALDO A. LOUD, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAWN-MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,157, dated September 27, 1892.

Application filed November 28, 1890- Serial No. 372,899. (No modeli) To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALDO A. LOUD, of Springfield, Hampden county, Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, in which drawings, like letters of reference indicating like parts- Figure 1 is a View of the outer face side of one of the traction-wheels, having one of the end plates of the frame in position. Fig. 2 is a view of the end plate as it would be seen in Fig. 1 were the tractionwheel removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on linemc of Fig. 1, showing the parts at the left of said line. Fig. 4 is a View of the traction-wheel as seen from its inner face side. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of a lawn-mower containing my improvements and having a portion of one of the traction-wheels and a portion of one of the end plates broken away. Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of one of the end plates in position on the traction-wheel as seen from the opposite end of the machine, showing my improved journal box or bearing, and showing, also, my device for locking the fixed blade-adj usting screws in position. Fig. 7 is an end view of the journal-bearing, on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 8 is an edge view, on an enlarged scale, of the screw-locking device.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a indicates the central or body portion of the traction-wheel; b, the outer or tread rim mounted thereon; c, the spokes or pieces interposed between the body aand tread-rimb. (1 indicates the annular rim or wall of the body; e,gear-teeth internally mounted on the rim d; f, one of the end plates of the machineframe; g, an annular flange thereon; h, a projecting arm to which part of the operative mechanism is attached; '5, a frame-rod extending from plate to plate; j, a shaft on which the revolving cutters are mounted; 70, bladesupportingarms; Z, revolving cutter-blade; l, fixed knife; m, handle-arms; n, handle; 0, journal-box; p, cap or adjustable tongue in journal-box; 'r, adjusting-screws in journalbox; 3, fixed blade-holder; t,adjusting-sorews for fixed blade; a, lock for adj UStlllg-SCIGWS t; '0, holding-screw for lock, and w rib in which the adjusting-screws t are mounted.

The obj ectof my invention is to provide an arrangement by which the gearing within the shell or body of the traction-wheel shall be covered and pro ected from dirt, and thus prevent clogging.

My object is, further to protect such gearing without increasing the number of parts or rendering the machine more complicated.

My object is, further, to provide a simple, inexpensive bearing for the rotating cuttershaft wherein the war can be taken up in a simple and convenient manner, and also to provide a means of effectually locking the fixed blade-adjusting sc ews in the desired position.

I accomplish these objects in the manner herein set out; and my invention consists in the construction and arrangement herein shown, whereby the objects of my invention are attained.

In the construction of my device I cast the body portion a, traction-rim Z), and spokes c in one piece, the edges of the spokes being far enough away from the inner face of the wheel to allow the flange g on the plate f to fit over the edge of the rim cl, which forms part of the body portion of the wheel. \Vithin the cup-shaped portion of the body are cast the internal gear-teeth e, these being preferably made integral with the body of the wheel. The end plates f of the frame consists of a circular plate, as shown in Fig. 2, preferably having a projecting part It cast and made integral therewith. The end plate f is of a size to cover the opening in the inner face side of the body of the tractionwheel, and I prefer to cast an annular flange g thereon to project over the outer edge of the rim (Z, and I prefer, also, that an annular recess be made in the plate just within the annular flange g to receive the edge of the rim d. These plates are provided with the usual openings for axial support and cutter-shaft and are provided with recesses to receive the gear which meshes with the teeth 6. The wheel and plate may be fastened together at the center of revolution in any convenient manner. The plates forming the ends of the flange f, which projects from the plate to ward the center of the machine, and I form this flange upon its opposite side with an annular recess, within which recess the wall of the body portion of the wheel fits. This enables me to set the body of the plate into the body of the wheel and enables me to employ a longer frame, and consequently a longer blade, while the complete machine remains of the same length asheretofore, and the annular recess having its walls setting over the wall of the body of the wheel effectually excludes dust and dirt from the internal mechanism, and this form of plate, also having the annular flange recessed, as stated, serves to strengthen the plate, thus enabling me to make it of less thickness and less weight.

I am aware that a lawn-mower has heretofore been made having'an independently-operating internally-toothed arrangement covered by a plate. WVith such arrangement, however, the requisite rigidity cannot be had as conveniently, and the device is rendered more complicated.

As the revolving cutter-shaft is subjected at its bearings to considerable wear, it is desirable to provide some means to readily compensate for the same, and for that purpose I prefer to cast the shell 0 for the bearing with the plate f, a recess for one-half the shaft being formed on one side and a cup or tonguep being provided with a like opening to receive and bear upon the opposite side of the shaft, a slight opening being of course left between the two parts of the bearing to allow for the necessary take-up. The tongue 19 is fulcrumed at one end in the shell and its opposite end is moved, as required, for the necessary adjustment.

I prefer to provide the shell 19 with aV-shaped slot orre cess and to shape the inner end of the tongue to enter the same. The angle of the entering end of the tongue should be more acute than the opening to let the bearing come at the vertex of the angle and give sufficient room for the requisite movement of the tongue. The tongue being loosely arranged within its shell 0, does not require the nice construction and adjustment as would be required were the same mounted upon a fixed pivot or fulcrumed point, so that by the loose arrangement I am enabled to construct this portion of the device at less expense, and the time required for adjustment and assembling is very much lessened, as the looselymounted cap will readily adjust itself to its bearing, after which the locking-screws are tightened.

To adjust the tongue,l provide two adjusting-screws r, which pass through the shell, as shown at Fig. 7, and bear against the free end of the tongue. The set-screws, having conical ends, will operate to move the free end of the tongue up or down, dependent upon the posi tion of the adjusting-screws. The point of contact of the screw ends with the cap is preferably inclined to give greater area of contact of the screw end and the tongue.

The fixed or stationary blade is mounted thus holding the same firmly in position.

upon a frame 5, which frame in turn is pivotally mounted upon the projection h of the plate f. On the part 71. and above the knifeholding frame is a rib w, through which adj Listing-screws t pass and which bear against the frame 8 at each side of the pivotal poinlt is found, however, in practice that the constant jar resulting from the use of the machine will cause these screws to slacken a trifle, and thus the requisiterigidity will not be maintained. To overcome this objectionable feature, I provide a screw-lock a, which is preferably shaped as shown in Fig. 8, the same consisting, essentially, of a block of metal which will fit loosely between the adj usting-screws and the face of the part h. A set-screw 'v is provided,which passes through the block and bears against the part 71, thus forcing the block against the sides of the adjusting-screws t and securely locking them and preventing all danger of their loosening or moving. To facilitate the placing of this block in position, I form one end with a bend or projection 11/, which readily bears against one of the adjusting-screws and brings both bearing-points in the desired position. 7

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lawnunower, traction=wheels com posed of central circular plates formed with inwardly-directed annular rim-fianges having internal gear-teeth, spokes projected radially from the periphery of said flanges, and a tread-rim integral with the spokes, in combination with a frame provided with circular end plates having annular rim-flanges and oppositely-turned edge flange, forming an annular groove between the flanges to engage and sit over the edges of the annular rim of the circular plates of the wheels, whereby the disk or body of the end plates sit within the openings of the wheels, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in a lawn-mower, of two traction-wheels having the tread-surface arranged about and made integral with the spokes c and, having the central portion of the wheel closed and formed with a rim having integral gear-teeth, and a frame the ends of which consist of plates f, having outwardlyextended annular flanges f ,with an inwardly extended rim-flange, and a groove between the flanges in the interior to'sit over the rimwall of the body portion of the Wheel, whereby the distance between the inner faces of the wheels is increased, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of an outer shell or box o, a cup 19, arranged therein and fulcrumed at one end and having oppositely-inclined faces at its opposite end, and set-screws having taper ends to bear one against each of said inclined faces, and thus move the free end of the cap, substantially as shown.

4. The box-body 0, having a V-shaped recess at one end and having adj usting-screws r at its opposite end, in combination with a cap 10, arranged in said box, one end being V-shaped to rest within said recess and the opposite end having oppositely-inclined faces at the point of the engagement of the setscrews therewith, substantially as shown.

5. The combination, with one or more adjusting-screwslocated adjacenttoandwiththe axis of said adjusting-screws approximately parallel with a plane surface, of a lock 11, consisting of a bar located between said surface and said adj ustingscrews and bearing against the side of the latter, and one or more setscrews passing through said bar and bearing tially as shown.

WALDO A. LOUD. Witnesses:

ALLEN WEBSTER, GEORGE F. LIVINGSTONE.

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