1858-06-07 James Ferrabee Patent No 1277 P06

combination with the link I and the lever m is to steady the machine when in action, and to enable the attendant to raise or lower the cutting parts at pleasure, as already described in Figures 1, 2, 3; n is the box in which the cut grass is collected and furnished with a hinged door at the back of it.

Machines on the above plan when drawn by a horse have shafts attached to the main axle B.

Fig. 7 is an elevation, and Fig. 8 is a partial plan of an expanding rake, as applied for spreading grass, the same method of driving and expanding being applicable to sweeping machines, having suitable shields and collecting boxes attached to the frame.

A is a carrying wheel; B is the main axle extending across the machine; C is a circular plate fast on the main axle B; D is a portion of the frame attached to the plate C, and extended to connect with the drawing shafts G; E is a box connected to the frame D, and to the plate C. a is an internal cog wheel or ring of teeth screwed to the carrying wheel A, and b is a cog wheel driven by the wheel a; c is a cog wheel fast on the hollow axis d, and driven by the wheel b, or when the action of the rakes is to be reversed by the adjustable cog wheel e. F is the expanding rake, more minutely described hereafter, made fast on the hollow axis d. The other half of the machine is constructed in the same manner as that above described. As the carrying wheel A revolves, the internal cog wheel a revolves with it, giving motion to the cog wheel b which drives the pinion c and the rake F. This is one mode of action of the machine, and to reverse that action the rake F, with its cog wheel c must be shifted on the main axle B, rather more than the width of the cog wheel c and the cog wheel e, which is made wide enough for the purpose must be placed to gear into the cog wheels b and c; the red circles on the elevation Fig. 7 show the cog wheels b, c, e.

One method of expanding and contracting the revolving frame so as to place the rakes or brushes nearer to or further from the ground will be better under- stood by reference to Figures 9 and 10, in conjunction with Figures 7 and 8. Fig. 9 is a side elevation, and Fig. 10 is a section (both on an enlarged scale) of the centre of one of the expanding frames. B is a part of the main axle ; d is a part of the hollow axis; g is the boss of the rake frame F; h, h, h, are arms fixed in the boss g, and attached to the ring i; k is a disc moving on the hollow axis d, and having joint points for receiving the expanding arms 1, 1, 1; these expanding arms 1, 1, 1, are attached to the disc k, and pass through mortices or slots in the boss g and the ring i; m is a worm gearing into a worm wheel cast on the face of the disc k; n is a plate attached to the boss g and carrying the worm m; 0, 0, 0, are springs attached to the boss g, and p, p. p.