1830-08-31 Repertory of Patent Inventions

THE
REPERTORY 
OF

PATENT INVENTIONS; 
AND OTHER 
DISCOVERIES AND IMPROVEMENTS

IN

ARTS, MANUFACTURES,  AND AGRICULTURE

BEING A CONTINUATION, ON AN ENLARGED PLAN, OF THE

REPERTORY OF ARTS AND MANUFACTURERS

A WORK ORIGINALLY UNDERTAKEN IN THE YEAR 1794, AND STILL CARRIED ON, WITH A VIEW TO COLLECT, RECORD, AND BRING INTO PUBLIC NOTICE

USEFUL INVENTIONS OF ALL NATIONS. 
VOLUME X. 

LONDON

PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETORS, BY T & G UNDERWOOD

32 FLEET STREET 

1830

Specification of the Patent granted to EDWIN BUDDING, of the Thrupp, in the Parish of Stroud, in the County of Gloucester, Machinist, for a new combination and application of Machinery, for the purpose of napping or shearing the vegetable surface of Lawns, Grass Plots, and Pleasure-Grounds.—Dated 25th Oct. 1830.

WITH AN ENGRAVING

To all to whom these presents shall come, &c. &c. — Now know ye, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Edwin Budding, do hereby declare, that the nature of my said invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and ascertained; in and by the drawing hereunto annexed, and the following description thereof, (that is to say):— 

Fig. 13, in the drawing, is an elevation of the left side, and fig. 14 is a ground plan of my machine, drawn to a scale one-fourth of the real dimensions. The same letters refer to the same parts of the machinery in both figures. A A is the cast-iron frame ; B and C are two wrought iron bars, with screws at their extremities, for connecting the opposite sides of the said frame ; D is a hollow cylinder or drum of cast iron, fixed on the horizontal axis E, having its bearings in the under edge of the frame A A ; and F is a toothed wheel, fixed on the same axis E, to drive the pinion G, when the drum D is made to roll on the ground. H is a horizontal wrought-iron axis, turned round by the said pinion G, when the machine is in action. I is a toothed wheel, fixed on one end of the axis H to drive the pinion K, which is fixed on one end of the horizontal axis L. Three brass rings M M M, are fixed on this axis L, to carry the revolving spiral cutters N, which are made of thin steel plates tempered, fixed on by screws, or let into grooves in M. The number of the said spiral cutters so fixed, may be from four to eight or more. 0 is a rectangular steel plate, tempered, having its front edge towards N, and a little bevelled, like a blunt chisel. This steel plate O is fixed, by screws, against the under side of the horizontal cast-iron bar P, which is fixed, by its extremities, to the sides of the frame A A, at bottom. Q is a horizontal solid cylinder of cast-iron, having its bearings k screwed against the insides of the frame A A, by the screws l, which pass through chace-mortices in k, in order to allow an adjustment of the height of the cutting-plates N O above the ground, the whole machine bearing on the cylinders D Q when in action, as well as when at rest. R is a wood handle for the right, and S is a similar one for the left hand of the workman. a a are bearings for the axis L, screwed to the outsides of A A by the screws b, which pass through chace-mortices in a, to allow an adjustment of the edges of N to O. Vertical screws d d pass through projecting parts of A A, and bear against the upper and lower edges of a a, in order to fix a a when adjusted. C is a front horizontal bar, connecting the opposite pieces a a. The ratchet-wheel e is fixed to the pinion G; the sliding gland or box f fixed by a feather to the axis H, with which it therefore always turns, contains a click or pall, for taking into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel e, when f is pushed over it by the lever g: the centre of motion of this lever is at h, on the bar B: a notch in the bar C at i, serves to lock the end of the bent lever g, when f, by acting on e, compels G to drive H I. The bearings of H are n n, which are screwed against the outsides of A A, the screws passing through chace-mortices in a a, to allow an adjustment of I to K, after adjusting the pieces a a. When f is moved from e, e and G will turn loose on H, and the machine may be rolled along on D Q, without communicating motion to the cutters round the axis L. 

Operation of the Machine.

The various parts being adjusted, and the upper end of the lever g placed in the notch i, the workman takes hold of the handles R S, and by pushing forward the machine, the drum D rolls upon the ground like the wheel of a wheel-barrow, at the same time turning F, which drives G and I, and this wheel I drives K L M, making the revolving cutters N act rapidly, by their smooth outer edges, against the edge of the fixed cutter O, so as to crop or shear the grass or vegetable surface ; at the same time the cylinder Q rolls on the ground to regulate the height of O, and consequently the closeness of the cutting, or shortness of the grass left. To keep the roller Q sufficiently free from any adhering substances, the horizontal bar m, connecting the opposite pieces k k, serves as an axis for a thin iron scraper, curved so as to form a portion of a cylinder or arch, having its lower edge bearing on the surface of Q. The speed with which the machine is pushed forward when at work, is not material, because the number of cuts will always be in the same ratio with the space rolled over by the drum D. The revolving parts may be made to be driven by endless lines or bands instead of teeth. It is advisable to employ the machine when the grass or vegetable surface is dry ; and when high grass is to be cut, it is best to shear it twice over, lowering O N by adjusting k k previous to the second course or kerf. Grass growing in the shade, too weak to stand against a scythe to be cut, may be cut by my machine as closely as required, and the eye will never be offended by those circular scars, inequalities, and bare places, so commonly made by the best mowers with the scythe, and which continue visible for several days. Country gentlemen may find, in using my machine themselves, an amusing, useful, and healthy exercise. I do not claim as my invention the separate parts of my machine, considered without reference to the effects to be produced by them, but I do claim as my invention, the described application and combination for the specified purpose. 

In witness whereof, &c. 
 

Observations by the Patentee

The Patentee is of opinion, that a frequent and proper use of his machine, will greatly conduce to the improvement of greenswards, for cricket-grounds and ornamental purposes, producing, with due care in other respects—such as draining. levelling, and rolling—a fine, rich, uniform, and agreeable surface. Mr. J. Ferrabee, of the Thrupp mill and foundry, near Stroud, engineer, is, by agreement with the patentee, the only person that is, or will be, authorised by him to make, vend, or license, these new machines ; and due exertion will be made to supply the public, from his establishment, on the most satisfactory terms.