Patent GB-191007674-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Harvesters.
Inventor: HOUCK SAMUEL MCDONALD
IPC: A01D37/00
Filed: 1910-03-29
Granted: 1911-03-16
Abstract: 7674. Houck, S. M. March 29. Sheafing or binding apparatus.-A harvesting- machine is characterized by the following features; the binding-deck is arranged beyond the discharge end of, and in substantially the same horizontal plane as, the conveyer, and the binding-mechanism is supported on the binding- deck between the line of the main wheel and the discharge end of the conveyer; the binding- devices and the packers act on the grain from above, the needle from below; the binding-deck, binding-mechanism and the needle are movable longitudinally to adjust them to different lengths of grain; special trip mechanism is provided; means are provided for preventing the grain from accumulating at the rear of the needle shank; the compressor is connected to, and operated from, the needle shaft so that it is moved towards the needle when this nears the completion of its movement; the packer arms are moved into an inoperative position during the operation of the needle, without interruption of their movement and a sheaf-carrier is mounted in substantially the same horizontal plane as the binding-deck and is operated by the driver to discharge the sheaves. The operative parts of the machine are driven from a sprocket-chain 17, which receives its motion from a main wheel 5 mounted upon a shaft 3. which is connected by inclined members 4 to a bar 2 supporting the cutting-mechanism and forming the front member of the conveyer frame. The binding-deck is supported upon tubular members 30, Figs. 5 and 11, fixed between the bar 2 and the rear member 28 of the conveyer frame, and provided with slots 40 into which enter rollers 42 at the ends of bars 41. The bars 41, Fig. 5, are connected by bars, to which are secured planks 44 forming the deck proper. The fixed portion 44<a> of the deck is secured to fixed supports carried by the main frame. Rigidly secured to the bars 41 is a bar 48 which extends rearwards beneath the deck 44, thence upwards and forwards as shown in Fig. 2. The forward end of the bar 48 is connected by links 47 to a lever 46, by which the deck may be moved longitudinally. In order that an open space may not be left between the bar 28 and the rear end of the deck when the deck has been moved, a metal apron 45 is secured at its rear end to the bar 28, and extends forwardly a distance greater than the length of movement of the deck. The portion of the bar 48 above the deck is tubular, and forms a bearing which receives and supports a shaft 49, upon which is mounted a sprocketwheel 53 rotated by the chain 17. The grain is fed against a trip arm 52 on the shaft 49. A lever 55, Figs. 18 and 20, is pivotally mounted upon a sleeve 54, which is carried, by the shaft 49,. between the hub of the wheel 53 and a bearing 50 carrying clutch mechanism. Projections 56, 57 at opposite ends of the lever 55 are arranged to engage recesses 58, 59, on the bearing 50 and the hub of the wheel 53 respectively. Normally the projection 56 is held in engagement with the recess 58 by the pressure of a spring-controlled arm 60, pivoted to the sleeve 54, against a projection 62 at the opposite end of the lever 55. Pressure of grain against the arm 52 causes the shaft 49 to turn slightly, and the projection 56 slides up the inclined wall of the recess 58. The lever 55 thus moves about it centre and causes the projection 57 to engage the recess 59, to disconnect the sleeve 54 from the clutch 50, and to allow the wheel 53 to rotate, thus actuating the shaft 49 which in turn operates the needle. The packer arms 66, Fig. 11, are operated from a crank-shaft 67, journaled in suitable bearings on the frame and driven from a sprocket-wheel operated by the chain 17. The upper ends of the arms are connected to links 73 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 74 mounted in arms 75 extending upward from the bar 48. The forward packers are arranged so that they just pass through a transverse opening 75<a> in the binding-deck, and the throw of the back packers is so regulated, by shortening the crank portion of the packer shaft, that they just clear the deck. To move the packers into an inoperative position during the binding of the sheaf, the shaft 74, Fig. 2, is provided with a crank 76 connected by a link 77 to a crank 78 on the shaft 49. The cranks are so arranged that, when rotary movement is imparted to the shaft 49, the shaft 74 is moved and the links 73 are moved away from the packer arms 66, which are thus drawn toward the side of the machine. When the shaft 49 has completed its rotation, the packer arms 66 are returned to their operative position. The butt-board 79, Fig. 14, is pivotally supported on a rod 80 depending from a tubular bar 81. The movable end of the board is carried by a crank-shaft 82, the lower end of which is provided with a bevel 83 meshing with a bevel 84 mounted on the shaft 34 of the conveyer roller 33. The headboard is also supported by a rod 86 depending from the bar 81, a spring 87 holding the board in engagement with the grain. Suitable knotting-mechanism 88, Fig. 11, is supported from the bar 48 and is actuated by a gear 89 mounted on the shaft 49. The needle comprises a straight shank 90 mounted upon a shaft 91 and having a point 97 at right-angles thereto. To prevent the grain from accumulating at the back of the needle when this is in its operative position, radial arms 98, 99 of a similar shape to the needle are loosely mounted on the needle shaft 91, the hubs of the arms being connected by a pair of bars 102. When the needle begins its upward movement, a projection 103, on its end, moves downwardly and engages the upper bar 102 and causes the arms 98 to move upwards. Further movement of the needle causes the projection 103 to engage the lower bar 102, and thus move the arms 99 upward. The cross-bars 102 are so fixed to the arms that, in the operative position of the needle, the arms overlap and form a continuous guard, as shown in Fig. 10. The arms may be connected by another pair of cross-bars. In a modified form shown in Fig 16, a rod 106 is pivotally connected, at one end, to the hub of a needle 105 and is provided, at its other end, with a roller 107, which slides in guides 108 in a platform 109, arranged below the binding-deck to prevent the needle &c. from coming into contact with the ground. The compressor 110 is mounted on a shaft 111 and is held vertically by a spring-controlled finger 239<a> which is connected by a slotted pitman 241 and a crank 242 to the needle shaft 91 in such a manner that, when the needle nears the completion of its movement, the compressor 110 will be moved towards it. In the form shown in Fig. 16, the needle hub 114 has projections 115, 116, which are adapted to engage alternately a projection 117 on the hub of the spring-controlled compressor. The bound sheaf is ejected by an arm 120 mounted on the shaft 49. The sheaf-carrier comprises a series of transverse fingers 123, Fig. 26, pivoted to collars 124 on a shaft 125 and supported by a bar 128 rigidly secured to the shaft 125 by arms 129. The shaft 125 is connected by a lever 137 to a link 131 and a lever 132 having a stirrup - piece 133. The pressure of the operator's foot on the stirrup 133 holds the sheaf-carrier in the horizontal position. The movement of the fingers about a vertical axis is controlled by a chain 134, which is connected to each finger and to the upper end of the lever 137, passing round a roller mounted in a guidepiece on the frame. Specification 17,896/10 is referred to.