Mowers.-The essential parts of a mower are suitable driving -wheels upon which it travels, and from which motion is transmitted to the cutting apparatus; a main frame supporting the mechanical movements; the cutting apparatus consisting of a finger or cutter bar and a reciprocating scythe; levers or handles by means of which the driver can put the machine in or out of gear and lift the cutting apparatus to pass obstructions; jointed or flexible connections between the finger-bar and frame, allowing the cutting apparatus to conform to the undulations of the surface of the ground independently of the main frame, and admitting of the folding over of the cutting apparatus on to the frame when traveling on the road so as to stow it out of the way in a compact shape; appliances at each end of the finger-bar for regulating the height of the stubble, and mechanical means of throwing the mechanism operating the cutter-bar in or out of motion. The diameter of the driving-wheels (A, Fig. 63) is usually about 30 inches. Hence it follows that one revolution of the wheel carries the machine forward 94.28 inches. The seythe sections project forward 2 inches, so that they must have a sufficient number of vibrations, which (multiplied by the 2 inches) will cut over all the ground traversed. Now, as the machine represented has 51.6 vibrations to one revolution of the driving-wheel, the cut made equals (51.6 multiplied by 2 equals 103.2, which less 94.28 equals) 8.92 inches more than the actual distance traveled by the machine. These vibrations are obtained by multiplying-gear which cause the shaft driving the scythe (through the medium of a crank-disk and connecting-rod) to revolve the necessary number of revolutions faster than the wheels A.

In Fig. 63, A , I are the wheels upon which the machine travels, the lugs or projections shown upon the periphery of each being provided for the purpose of enabling the wheels to take a firm hold of the ground. This is necessary, because the reciprocating motion necessary to the cutting knives is obtained either by gear-wheels attached to the shaft upon which the wheels A A revolve, or by the said wheels themselves containing an internal gear-wheel. In either case the gear or tooth wheel actuates the parts which operate the cutter-scythe. Hence it follows that if the wheels A A were to slide over the ground and not revolve, the operation of the scythe would cease and the machine would pass over the herbage without mowing it. The framework carrying the mechanical movements necessary to the operation of the machine is carried by means of suitable bearings upon the axle connecting the wheels A A, and upon this framework there is provided a seat for the operator. The levers, or handles, by which the operator throws the cutting-knives into or out of operation, or raises or lowers the cutting-device, are convenient to the hand. The machine shown in Figs. 63, 64, 65, and 66, is known as the Buckeye mower, the driver's seat being removed to show the arrangement of the mechanical parts the more distinctly. The wheels A A are not, in the mower under consideration. fast upon the axle B, so that when the ma chine is in transit to or from the field of operations the wheels revolve independently, and are, therefore, the only parts in motion. When, however, the machine is in position ready to operate they are connected to the axle B, in the following manner: Fast to the axle B are the ratchet-wheels C, and attached to the side of each of the wheels A A are two pawls or catches, each pivoted at one end, so that the other end may engage or disengage with the teeth of the ratchet. To retain the pawl in fixed, engaged, or disengaged position there is provided a spring which is shown at E. Another advantage of this arrangement is, that when the horses are backing (in which operation they cannot exert much power), they are relieved of the duty of moving the working-Car of the machine.

To drive the shaft I (Fig. 63) two methods of gearing have been applied. In the first (Fig. 63) the bevel-gear D drives a pinion upon a short shaft having at its other end a pinion geared to the pinion G in Fig. 67, which figure is a plan view of the part H in Fig. 63. In the second method (Figs. 65 and 66) the bevel-wheel D gears direct to the pinion G.

Fast upon the axle B is the bevel-gear wheel D (Fig. 66), which engages with the bevel-pinion G, the latter being formed in one casting with the internal gear H. This arrangement is constructed in order that the bevel-gear having 71 teeth, or cogs, and the bevel-pinion having 12 teeth the revolutions of the latter may be 5.91 to one of the former; and the internal gear H having 11 cogs, and the spur-pinion having 48 cogs, and the revolutions of the latter are 4.86 times those of the former. Upon the shaft I, Fig. 68, at the end K, Is a crank-disk shown, carrying a crank-pin which communicates reciprocating motion to the rod which is pivoted at that end of the scythe-bar, thus also imparting, a reciprocating motion to the latter. Thus it will be noted that the multiplication of scythe reciprocations over the wheel revolutions is obtained in two places: first between the wheels D and G and next between the wheel H and its pinion. All these wheels are cased in to prevent them from becoming clogged or entangled with herbage. N N Fig. 63, is the iron frame swung by bearings upon the axle B and carrying the parts so far described; His a wrought-iron hinge-bar connecting the cutting-device to the frame N, to which it is hinged beneath; while O is a brace attached rigidly to M, and hinged to the frame N at its other end. The joints of the hinges by which both N and O respectively are attached to the frame N are parallel one with the other and also with the shaft I, an arrangement which permits of the cutting-device being raised and lowered without the intervention of a double or universal joint. It is obvious that the cutting-device (as we have termed that part of the machine which consists of the finger-bar, scythe-bar, and the attachments at each end thereof) must be lifted out of the way when it is require to pass over an obstruction, and for this purpose the lever Q and its attachments are provided. Upon the draught-pole P is the ratchet casting shown in Fig. 68, and upon the projecting pin shown therein fits the hole shown In the lever Q, illustrated in Fig. 69; the catch R engages and disengages G (by operating the latch S) with the teeth of the ratchet shown in Fig. 68. To the eye shown at T a chain is attached, the lower end of the chain being fast to the hinge-bar M, in Fig. 63, so that, by operating the lever Q, the bar M may be raised to the requisite height and detained there by the catch R engaging with the ratchet.

We now come- to the cutting-device, which consists essentially of a bar of iron, to which are fixed the cutting-knives, and which is termed the scythe ; a bar to which are fixed the stationary cutters, and which is termed the finger-bar; a mechanical device at each end whereby to regulate the height of the "be from the ground, and means of permitting the scythe to lay in a plane parallel with the surface of the ground.

In Fig. 70 is shown the scythe, the eye at A being that to which the rod K in Fig. 63 is attached, so as to impart the reciprocating motion; and in Fig. 71. (foreground) is shown the finger-bar, formed of a series of fingers attached to a bar. These fingers serve a fourfold purpose. They are stationary, and have a slot which forms a guide, wherein the scythe reciprocates, and is thus maintained in proper position; the finger-points passing in advance of the knives into the herbage hold the same while it is being cut, and the act as guards to protect the knives from becoming damaged by contact with stones or other foreign substances, while at the same time they hold the lower or stationary knives.

The finger-bar and the scythe are held at each end by castings termed shoes, of which the one nearest the bar M, in Fig. 63, is called the inside, and the one at the other end the outside shoe. To these shoes are attached the devices which, when adjusted, keep the guard-fingers the desired height from the ground. This is accomplished on the inside shoe of the wheel W, shown in Fig. 63, which is adjustable for vertical height in a slot provided in the shoe. By raising the wheel W the vertical height between the bottom of that wheel which runs upon the ground, and the guard-fingers, is diminished, and vice versa. The same result is attained on the outside shoe by adjusting the height of the foot of the same from the finger-bar.

In the outside shoes are also carried the track-clearers shown in Fig. 71, at the end of the bar. These cause the herbage, when mown, to fall clear of that uncut, thus leaving a clear space between the two. In addition, however, the inside shoe performs another and an important duty, as follows : The cutting-device requires to cant or tilt to suit the conformation of the land beneath the guard-fingers, and it follows that the connection between this device and the bar must be such that while the former can follow the above conformation it can yet be lifted bodily to pass an obstruction. These two ends are attained as shown in Fig. 72, in which A is a section of the shoe, B is the end of the finger-bir attached to the shoe M is an edge-view of the bar M shown in Fig. 63, C is the chain to raise the same, and G is a lug or gag. Now, the distance allowed between the top of the gag G and the underneath face of the bar M is sufficient to permit the finger- bar to lie at any angle necessary to suit the slope of the land ; but when it is intended to raise the same to pass an obstruction, the following action takes place : The weight of the cutter-bar is in the direction of the arrow D ; hence, when the bar M is raised (in the direction of the arrow E) by the chain C, the outside shoe remains upon the ground until the top of the gag G contacts with the face of the bar M, whereupon the whole cutting-device raises up to a height determined by the distance the lever M is moved.

The cutting-device or mowing-part of the machine is shown in Fig. 71. The scythe-knives operate laterally on the finger-guards and above the lower knives. A cutting-edge is given to the knives held in the fingers by beveling off the bottom-face edge, while the cutting- edge for the upper or scythe knives is formed by beveling off the top face at the edges. For cutting grass or other green herbage, the edges of the knives are plain, but for cutting grain the knives are given a sickle-edge-that is to save, the beveled face of the knife is serrated to form fine teeth. The sickle-edged knife will not serve for grass-mowing, but is preferred for grain, because it retains its cutting-edge without grinding thus saving that labor.

When, however, the grain is to be cut sufficiently near the ground that the knives come into contact with weeds or other green herbage, plain knives must be used, as sickle-knives would become clogged. The cutting angle for seythe sections or knives is about 60 , and for sickle-edges about 40 .

The variations in construction of all mowing-machines consist of mechanical devices and movements, designed to effect the objects herein described. In the machine here illustrated, the mowing in performed in front of the driving-wheels A A, while in others it is performed in a line with the axle B, and in yet others still farther to the rear of the side. In some cases, also, the frame N N, Fig. 63, is made to adjust out of the line of draught, so that the points of the finer-guards may depress toward or cant from the surface of the sward. In all mowing-machines the cutting-device is either made to lift and stand vertical or else to fold over to the frame of the mower, in order to be out of the way during transportation from place to place.

In Fig. 73 is shown Wm. Anson Wood's mower, in which an internal gear-wheel, provided upon the main wheel, drives the cutter-bar.