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This mowing machine is possessed of the valuable peculiarity that in any position of the cutters they are perfectly balanced on the axle by the weight of the driver on his seat, 0, and the draught-pole is so attached that when the machine is "backed," the sickle is raised from the ground, and it can in consequence turn freely at the end of the swath. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of this machine, in which A is the frame, B is the draught pole that can move up and down in the guides on J* the front of the frame, and it is hinged to the .( frame at a point behind the axles, C, on which &j the frame is suspended. D is a driving wheel which also serves to support the frame, and it has teeth on the inner side of its periphery which gear into E, and thus the rotation of D gives motion to the bevel wheels, F G ; a rod, H, carrying the latter, and having on its other end an eccentric, gives the proper reciprocating motion to the cutters in the sickle, J, by means of the rod, I. K is a board or casting for guiding the grain or grass in its fall to the ground. L is a clutch for throwing the wheel, F, in and out of gear ; it has two eye pieces upon it, and there being a small rim on the axle, it holds the axle securely in the position desired. M is a lever hinged to the frame, and having a chain, N, passing from it over a pulley, let into a slot in the draught-pole, and then attached to the front of the frame ; by this the driver can lift the frame and sickle to any desired hight from the ground, and when it is in the proper position the pawl P (seen better in Fig. 2) secures it by catching in one of the teeth upon the rack, R. When it is desired to release the pawl, the driver places his foot upon the lever, Q, and that lifts up the pawl and allows the frame to fall to its lowest position. From this description it will be seen that the frame is perfectly balanced, and that the force exerted on the draught pole in ' backing" will be thrown on the back of the frame, and thus raise the sickle free from the ground. This is a light and very convenient machine, and will, we have no doubt, fulfil the purposes for which it is intended by the inventor, F. Nishwitz, of 134 First street, Williamsburg, L. I., who will furnish any further particulars. A patent was obtained on it Feb. 16, 1858.
