1859-05-03 Gardeners Chronicle - Shanks Advertisement

PATRONISED BY  HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA, HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH, AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA. BY ROYAL LETTERS PATENT.

SHANKS'S PATENT MOWING, ROLLING, COLLECTING, AND DELIVERING MACHINE FOR 1859.

THE ONLY COMPLETE MACHINE FOR HORSE OR PONY POWER.

A. SHANKS AND SON have much pleasure in intimating to the Nobility, Gentry, and Gardeners that they have this season made some most valuable improvements in their HORSE POWER PATENT MOWING AND ROLLING MACHINE for Lawns, Bowling Greens, Grass Walks, Verges, &c. The Improvements consist of:-

1-  The Cutter is strengthened, and so constructed that in Mowing the closest and finest Turf there is not the smallest appearance of ribbing.

2- The Drums are loose on the Shaft, and are made Self-acting by means of two Spiral Springs, so that in turning the Machine will mow as well as when going in a straight line.

3-  From the position of the two Front Pulleys the Machine will mow on the most uneven Lawn, and the Cutter or Plate at the same time is prevented from injuring the Turf. There are no Rollers or anything else to obstruct the Grass in front of the Cutter of the Machine when mowing.

4-  No Machine can turn quicker or more easily than this Machine. The two Front Pulleys swivel, and the Drums on the shaft are loose, and yet kept in gear by the Patent Spiral Springs, so that the Machine will turn into the most intricate windings of the Flower Garden amongst Trees or Flower Beds, with perfect ease, and without the smallest chance of injuring the shrubs or flowers.

5-  The method of adjusting the cut has been much simplified and improved so improved that the power of raising or Lowering the Machine is applied to both sides of the Machine at once by simply turning a handle. This prevents the possibility of one side of the Machine cutting lower than the other. The Machine may be adjusted to the required cut or raised to the necessary extent  for crossing Gravel Walks etc in less than a minute.      

6-  The Wheels are all protected by guards. which entirely prevent any particles of cut grass or shrubs, flowers, etc from getting into contact with the teeth. A Cast Steel Scraper is introduced to keep the Drums clear of small stones or rubbish in crossing Gravel walks etc.  The whole Machine is nicely balanced as regards equality of weight in the front and back, and Consequently is exceedingly steady in working. Cast steel is used for the Shaft of the Cutter, which makes the Cutter work is easier and Lasts much longer. Brass Bushes are used for the Cutter and Driving Shafts, and the Handles or Shafts are made of Malleable Iron, rendering them not nearly so liable to break as the usual cast iron ones.

7 - A Tool box is fixed to each machine, so that the necessary Nuts, Keys, Handles, Oil, &o, are at once in readiness when required This Tool-box is exceedingly convenient.

8 -  One of the most valuable of the patent Improvements A. S.. & Son have effected this season in their Machine is in the method of emptying the grass box. The want of a speedy and efficient method for this purpose has been much felt for many years past. In the spring, more especially when the Grass springs up rapidly, nothing is more annoying in working a Mowing Machine than the stopping and almost constant travel from the handles to the box, and visa- versa, for the purpose of emptying the Grass a great deal of time is thus lost, independent of the hard work to the man, not only in walking some hundreds times the length of the Machine in a day, but more especially in the stooping posture which he has so often to endure. Many & Gardener can testify to this. THE GREAT WANT IN ALL MOWING MACHINES, WHETHER PAST OR PRESENT IS CAPTIVATED IN SHANKS PATENT MOWING, ROLLING, COLLECTING AND DELIVERING MACHINE FOR 1859, The improvement consists in the introduction of a simple and efficient apparatus for emptying the box without the for emptying the man being under the necessity of either leaving the handles or stopping the machine. So effective and complete is this valuable improvement that the box if it more possible to fill it could be emptied at the rate of to times a minute, without any undue strain being put on the apparatus. The immense advantages of this invention must be at once apparent to the practical Gardener. It enable the Machine to do at least a third more work, while the labour and annoyance in working it, as compared with ordinary Machines, is three fourths lessened. If a Lawn, which formerly took a Machine nine hours to mow can now be done in six hours, with three fourths less labour to the man who works the Machine, nothing further is necessary to establish the utility and worth of the invention

The whole Machines are constructed of the best material-the working parts are fitted with the greatest care and nicety valuable self-acting Machines for Planning, Slotting, Shaping, Screwing, Turning, &c., being constantly used for this purpose. The Machines are consequently exceedingly durable, are easily sharpened, while the execution of the work is unsurpassed. A common labourer can easily manage and work the Machine.

Tool-box, with Sharpening Apparatus, 104 extra Boots for Horses' feet, to prevent injury to Soft Lawns, 25. a set. Machines Nos. 1 (a), 1, 2, 3, and 4 have the Patent Delivering Apparatus attached. No. 5 can either be had with or without this improvement; if with it, 30s. extra.

A. SHANKS & SON have also introduced into their Patent Hand Mowing and Rolling Machine most of the Improvements which they have introduced into the Horse and Pony sizes. No Machine can do better for small Lawns, Flower Gardens, Bowling Greens, Verges, &re than this one. The Machine is fitted with the loose Rollers and Patent Spiral Springs of the larger of the two small Rollers in front swivel, so that it can be turned in a few square feet of ground. The Cutter is strengthened, the shaft of which is also made of Cast Steel; the Wheels are protected by a Guard, the two small front swivel pulleys are constructed that they may in an instant be placed in the centre when mowing a verge;  the machine will cut when turning, the main advantages of perfect uniformity of adjustment, of ability to mow on the most uneven Lawns, and of the advantages of having a Tool-box ever in readiness, all as explained in Improvements  3, 5 & & 7 in the horse and 4 sizes, apply with equal force to the New Hand Machine. The Machines. are  strongly made, are fitted with the same care and precision as the larger sizes, so simple in construction that a labourer can work them, and are quite free from all superfluous timeless gear which has only novelty, not improvement, as a recommendation. These Machines are peculiarly well fitted for turning and cutting amongst Flower Beds, Verges, Bowling Greens, and for email Lawns. The Patent Improvements effected the Machines for this season render them complete in every part. The draught is greatly lessened, and the execution of the work is unsurpassed.

Extra Cutters, charged at very moderate prices, are sent along with each Machine, if specially ordered. S.B. The 22-inch Machine is worked by a man and boy; the 19-Inch and 16-inch sizes by one man; the 13-inch size by one boy. Tool-box, with sharpening Apparatus, 5s. extra.

The above are Nett Cash prices, and include delivery to any of the principal Railway Stations in England or Scotland. Plain and simple Directions for use are sent along with each Machine,

The Patentees have the greatest confidence in recommending their Patent Mowing, Rolling, Collecting and Delivering machine, for Horse and Pong Power, and their Patent Mowing and Rolling Machine for Hand Power, as the cheapest, the most efficient and the best Machines ever brought before the public, Neither time nor expense have been spared in bringing out a Machine in every way complete. Every Lawn should have at least one of these Machines, Shanks Mowing and Rolling Machine is in operation in her Majesties gardens at Kew, Windsor, Buckingham Palace, Osbourne and Balmoral. In the gardens of His Majesty Napoleon III  Emperor of The French, in the gardens of His Royal Highness The Prince of Prussia; and many other places in the continent, as well as in the United States and British America; in many of the gardens of the principal nobility, and in hundreds of other gardens in the kingdom, where its merits www been fully proved, and its success so fairly established that to publish testimonials would be quite superfluous. The Machines are warranted to give ample satisfaction; failing this (which is barely possible), the Machines may be returned Arbroath Carriage Paid. Nearly 800 Machines were sent out last season.

ALEXANDER SHANKS & SON, Patentees and Sole Manufacturers of Improved Mowing, Rolling, Collecting and Delivering Machin for Lawns, &c.; Agricultural and Horticultural Implement and Machine Makers; Hot-water Apparatus Manufacturers; Brass and Iron Founders, &c.-Dens Iron Works, Arbroath, Forfarshire.

N.B. To prevent disappointment in delivery early Orders are particularly requested.