Patent GB-191413068-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Motor-driven Reaping Machines.
Inventor: TABB FREDERICK
IPC: A01D61/00
Filed: 1914-05-27
Granted: 1915-03-25
Abstract: 13,068. Tabb, F. May 27. Reaping and mowing machines; haymaking.-A reaping or mowing machine comprises a motorpropelled frame or body carrying in front of it three transversely - extending cutting - machines adapted to be connected independently with a common power shaft driven with the propelling- motor, the two outer ones being pivoted and adapted to be raised into substantially vertical positions for transport. The common power shaft is driven from the motor without the interposition of variable-speed gear, and three upwardly and rearwardly moving endless conveyers are arranged behind the cutting-mechanisms and deliver the cut crop to two outwardly moving conveyers, which are carried by pivoted frames and lead to shoots at the sides of the machine. Binding-apparatus may be provided to receive the crop from the shoots ; or tedders may be arranged to spread it. The frame is mounted on two driving-wheels 12 and two steering-wheels 13, the wheels 12 being driven from the motor 14 through a clutch 16, a shaft 21, gearing in a box 17, a cardan shaft 18, differential gearing, and live axles. The transverse power shaft is driven from the shaft 21 through a chain 23, a clutch 26, a shaft 25, and bevel-gearing. The clutch 26 is controlled by means of a lever 29. The three cutters are driven from different crankshafts connected to the power shaft by bevelgearing and clutches controlled by means of bell-crank and link mechanism and hand-levers 54, 55, 56. At the front of the machine are two laterally-extending pivoted frames 66, 68 and a fixed frame 67 of substantially the same width as the frame 11. Projecting from each frame 66, 67, 68 are pins which serve as vertical guides for the three finger-bars 77, which are adjustably supported by chains 71 passing over quadrants 72 and pulleys 73 to band-levers 74, 75, 76. The finger-bars 77 are provided with wheels 82 and with curved fingers 78, Fig. 7. The serrated cutter-bars 79 are held in place by guides 80 embracing a rib 81, and are connected to the connecting-rods 88 by wrist pins 84 passing through perforated lugs 83. The frames 66, 67, 68 carry the upwardly inclined conveyer bands 89, 90, 91 which carry the cut crop to the transverse conveyer bands 92, 93. One of the squared ends of the spindle 95 of the upper roller of the central conveyer 90 is provided with a sprocket-wheel 97 driven from the power shaft by a chain 98, and the other end with a belt pulley 100 adapted to drive a combined rake and reel. The corresponding spindles 96, 94 of the conveyers 91, 89 are adapted to be pushed into square holes in the hubs of the sprocket-wheel 97 and pulley 100. The outer rollers 101, 101 of the transverse conveyers 92, 93, are mounted in frames 107, 108 pivoted on a fixed central frame 105, in which are mounted the inner and intermediate rollers 102, 103, 109, 110. The spindles of the rollers 102, 103 are connected by spur gearing 116, 117 and driven by a chain 119 from the shaft 25. The conveyers 92, 93 carry the crop to shoots 121, 122 which discharge it on the ground or into binding-mechanism. The crop is guided towards the bands 89, 90, 91 by deflectors 124, 125, and is prevented from falling between the rollers 102, 103 by a ribbed guard-plate 123, which may be pointed. The machine is controlled by two operators, the one on the seat 126 driving and steering the machine, and the other on the seat 127 controlling the reaping-mechanism. A pair of haytedders may be mounted at the rear end of the machine. According to the Provisional Specification, the cutting-mechanisms may all be raised into vertical positions.