Patent GB-114082-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Machines for Pulling Flax and the like.
Inventor: SUMMERS BERTRAND STAGER
IPC: A01D45/06
Filed: 1917-06-28
Abstract: 114,082. Summers, B. S. May 7, 1917, [Convention date]. Flax-pulling machines; binding-apparatus.-A flax-pulling machine of the type in which the flax plants are lifted by pairs of co-operating pulling- bands, has the non-operative sides of contiguous bands arranged to overlap in order to provide a sufficient number of pairs of bands to permit all the plants pulled to be evenly butted. The plants are separated by arrow-headed shoes 34 and pass to the pairs of puller bands mounted on bars 31 each bar carrying two bands 35, 36, slightly spaced apart vertically and offset with respect to each other laterally but overlapping. The upper band passes over a driven sprocket 40 and an idler sprocket 49, the lower band passing over corresponding sprockets 37, 50. The idler sprockets are carried by a plate 51 which can be adjusted longitudinally to maintain the bands taut. The driven sprockets are mounted on shafts 41, 38, carrying gear wheels meshing with each other and driven by bevel gearing from the motor-operated power shaft 47. Each band comprises a sprocket chain surrounded by a gripping-member. Each link of the chain comprises a pair of co-operating cheek pieces 61, 62, provided at their ends with an outer lug 69 and an inner lug 70 for attachment to the next link by a pivot carrying an anti-friction roller 73. The cheeks are flared at 65, 66 to form a seating for a continuous gripping-member 68 of waterproof leather or other suitable material. The chains are supported and pressed together by L- shaped guide-pieces 74 which are pressed outwardly by springs 86, 87 on pins secured to the guides and projecting through openings in guidebrackets 77 mounted on the bars 31. The springs are adjusted to press the bands sufficiently tightly to pull the flax plants while leaving the stronger rooted weeds in the ground. Longitudinal movement of the guides is prevented by strips 89 secured to the guides and the plates 51. Each supporting bar is provided with a cover plate 106 tapered at its forward end 110 to form guideways to the pairs of puller bands. The plants, on leaving the puller bands, are carried between guides 100 and conveyer belts 91, 92 into a transverse channel 114 along which they are fed to the binder. The conveyer belts which are pressed against the guide 100 by plates 101 are driven by sprocket gear from the shafts 38, 41. The plants are moved along the channel 114 by a carrier mechanism comprising a carrier chain passing round a sprocket wheel 121 driven by bevel gearing from a shaft 127 connected by chain gear with the power shaft 47, the carrier chain being provided at intervals with spindles 129 upon each end of which are pivoted pusher fingers 130. The pusher fingers are provided with bell-crank tails which are adapted to engage guides 132, 133, so that the fingers 130 are held at right-angles to the chain excepting during the passage round tha sprocket wheels. The carrier mechanism delivers the plants into the throat 138 of a binder mechanism provided with packer arms, needle 156, trip arms, and a doffer arm 143 for discharging the tied bundles. A pawl 165 prevents the return of the plants when released by the packer. The height of the pulling-devices is adjusted by varying the inclination of the draught beam of the machine.