1863-05-11 Shanks - Patent No 1185

A.D. 1863, 11th MAY.

N° 1185.

Shearing the Edges of Grass or Turf.

LETTERS PATENT to James Shanks, of Arbroath, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHEARING THE EDGES OF GRASS OR TURF."

Sealed the 9th October 1863, and dated the 11th May 1863.

(Void by reason of the Patentee having neglected to file a Specification in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.)

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Shanks, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th May 1863.

I, JAMES SHANKS, of Arbroath, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHEARING THE EDGES OF GRASS OR TURF," to be as follows, that is to say :-

This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of machinery for cutting or shearing the edges of grass lawns, pleasure grounds, and of turf generally.

Under one modification the implement consists of a cast-iron frame with handles somewhat similar to the frame of a lawn mower. It is fitted with a roller, which is keyed to a shaft that works in two bearings one at each side of the frame. The front part of the frame has fitted to it two brackets containing bearings for a shaft, on which is placed one or more small rollers, which are used for steadying the implement in working, These brackets may either be fixed or made to slide up or down by means of a slot, and fastened to the side of the frame with a bolt and nut to each. On the back roller shaft is keyed a toothed wheel, which gears into a pinion placed on a countershaft, and may be either keyed on the shaft or loose, and provided with a clutch to slide on a sunk key on the shaft for the purpose of putting the implement out of or in gear as may be required. On end of the countershaft is fastened a crank or disc with a fixed or moveable pin or an eccentric. To this movement one end of a connecting rod is attached, having a bush fitting into the crank or disc pin, or the connecting rod may have a strap to work on the eccentric as may be preferred. The other end of this rod is made to communicate with the arm of a pair of shears by means of an ordinary joint. These shears are similar or somewhat similar in shape to the ordinary hand shears at present used for cutting the edges of turf. An arrangement of one or more levers or screws is also provided for raising or lowering the shears as may be required, and also for placing them at any angle that may be found necessary when cutting. In working the implement it is simply moved or pushed forward by means of the guiding handles, when motion is communicated by the gearing to the shears which cut the edges of the turf with precision.

Many modifications in the arrangement of the gearing, or of the cutters, may be made use of to answer the purpose, as by introducing pitch or ordinary chains or endless straps for gearing, or by the introduction of a disc with cams either on the countershaft or on the back roller shaft. The cams as they strike the lever of the shears will cause them to open, and the shutting is effected either by means of a spring or other equivalent therefor. The implement may also be fitted with the ordinary knives of a reaping or field grass mowing machine with a perpendicular, horizontal, or rotatory action, or the circular cutter of the ordinary lawn-mowing machines may be adapted thereto.

A further modification consists in combining the implement for cutting the edges of turf with a lawn-mowing machine so as to effect both operations, that of lawn-mowing and edge cutting, either separately or simultaneously.

LONDON:

Printed by GEORGE EDWARD EYRE and WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE, Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. 1863.