Knotter Mechanism for Grain Binders.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
Knotter Mechanism for Grain Binders.
I, THOMAS MEASURES, of Ogden Centre, County of Lenawee, Michigan, U.S.A.,
Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
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My invention relates to a knotter mechanism for grain-binders and for tying
bundles of any description, and has for its object to simplify the construction and
render the operation more positive and simple than heretofore.
A further object is to dispense with the complication heretofore existing in this
class of machines due to the employment of dogs, ratchets, levers, and cam-gears.
A further object is to dispense with the multiplicity of springs heretofore
employed and to substitute therefor a positive gear of a character to avoid the
strain and quick movement necessary to perform the work properly.
A further object is to employ a stationary knife in close proximity to the twine-
holding mechanism and also to the knotter-bill, whereby economy of twine is
insured.
A further object is to provide an adjustable bearing for the cam-face of the
knotter-bill, thereby allowing of an adjustment to compensate for wear.
A further object is to provide novel means for opening and closing the knotter-
bills, comprising a vertically-movable spindle carrying the knotter-bills, with
mechanism to control the movement of said spindle during a portion of its revolu-
tion and a resilient connection to control the operation of the bill in a further
revolution..
A further object is to combine a mutilated spur-gear and a mutilated bevel face-
gear in one with a direct connection with a spur-gear and a twine-holding mechan-
ism of a worm-gear, thereby avoiding dead-centers or impact in the necessary
motion, and at the same time provide a direct connection with the pinion of the
knotter-bill.
A further object is to provide a removable and adjustable means connected with
one of the knotter-bills, whereby a bow-knot or a hard knot may be tied at will.
A further object is to provide means for disposing of the fragmentary portions of
twine severed by the knife and interposed between the holding-disks.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the knotter mechanism to disclose the construc-
tion thereof.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the mechanism, the journaled standard and driving-
wheel being shown in section.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cutter and twine-holding mechanism, the
revolving and stationary cutter-disks being shown in section.
Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the same.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the knotter-bills and the spindle which is integral with
the lower bill.
Fig. 6 is a like view on the reverse side of the upper knotter-bill.
T
7 in a anoce contion of the lenotter hills nivated together

page_text: Fig. 8 is a view disclosing the operation of the knotter-bills when in the act of
opening to receive the twine between them.
Fig. 9 shows a portion of the base-plate with, set-screws therein, the purpose of
which will be shown in the description following.
Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation taken at a point indicated by lines, Fig. 4.
Fig. 11 is a modification of my device showing the addition of attachment for
stripping the knot from the knotter bills after being tied.
Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of drive wheel showing cam groove thereon.
Fig. 13 is a perspective view of twine guide and
Figs. 14 and 15 are plan and end views respectively of the stripper.
1 is a base-plate comprising a suitable portion or extension of the binder-frame
to bring the knotter mechanism in proper alinement with the twine-needle. Upon
the base-plate 1 is a standard 2. Journaled in the top thereof is a shaft 3 of a
drive-wheel 4. Drive-wheel 4 combines a mutilated spur-gear 5 on the periphery
thereof and a mutilated bevel crown-gear 6 on the face thereof.
As the drive-wheel is revolved bevel-gear 6 'is made to operate a bevel-wheel 7,
keyed to a spindle 8, journaled at 9 and 10, respectively, and integral with the
knotter-bill 11. The upper end of the spindle 8 is grooved circumferentially to
receive a forked spring 12, secured at 13, and is thereby subjected to a vertically
upward tension. Knotter-bill 14 is constructed on either side of its pivot 15 with
cam-face 16 and 17, respectively. Cam-face 17 is made to travel the lower face
of journal 10, which is cut away at 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, and is held in
close frictional contact thereto by the tension on spindle 8, to which it is pivoted.
Cam-face 16 in the course of revolution of the knotter bills, is made to contact
with guide-roller 19, which is diametrically opposite to the cut-away portion 18
on the face-journal 10, so that when cam-face 16 is depressed cam-face 17 rises into
the cut-away portion 18, thereby insuring a uniform period for the opening and
closing of the knotter-bills and providing a reliable means for holding the knotter-
bills closed independent of the tension of the twine thereon. Guide-roller 19 is
supported by a standard 20, having a broad base 21, secured by screws 22 to the
base-plate 1. Beneath the base 21 and screwed into the base-plate I are a plurality
of set-screws 23, which permit of the vertical adjustment of base 21 and guide-
roller 19, thus compensating for any wear of the cam-face 16 and establishing a
means for opening the knotter-bills to any desired angle...
When the revolution of the drive-wheel 4 takes place, mutilated spur-gear 5
operates upon intermediate gear-wheel 24, which meshes with a gear-wheel 25
upon a shaft 26, having thereon a worm 27. Worm 27 is in mesh with a worm-
wheel 28 upon a tubular shaft 29, to which is secured rotary cutter and twine-holder
disk 30. Shaft 29 is journaled at 31, in a plate 32, which forms a backing for the
disk 30, and is further secured by a bolt 29', running centrally thereof, tension
being put thereon by nuts 33, which seat against a bracket 34, secured to the base-
plate 1. Cutter-disk 30 is formed circumferentially with a plurality of equidistant
depressions 34 and is made to seat closely against the back plate 32, which has a
single depression 35 at the top thereof to correspond with those in the cutter-disk.
The face of the back plate 32, adjoining the cutter-disk, is cut away on its lower
portion, as at 36, and immediately adjoining the same is an opening 37 in the base-
plate 1.
Adjoining the face of the cutter-disk 30 and in frictional contact therewith is
an adjustable knife 38, having a cutting edge at 39 and secured to the base 1 by
means of screws 40. Gear-wheel 24 is secured to a disk 41, which is cut away
on one side thereof to closely fit a circumferential flange 42 on the wheel 4. The
portion of flange 42 immediately adjoining the spur-gear 5 is also cut away, thereby
permitting the revolution of gear-wheel 24 only when in mesh with spur-gear 5. A
single revolution of the drive-wheel 4 will effect a double revolution of the gear-
wheel 25 and shaft 26, which carries the worm 27., Worm 27, operating upon
worm-wheel 28, produces one-sixth of a revolution of the same to every double
revolution of itself, and consequently one-sixth of a revolution of the cutter-disk,

page_text: thus for every revolution of the drive-wheel 4 we have one-sixth of the revolution
of the cutter-disk. The depressions in the periphery of the cutter-disk being equi-
distant from one another will advance successively and coincide with depressions 35
in back plate 32.
In operation the needle, after forming the loop around the bundle of grain,
returns and passes the twine over the knotter-bills and into the recess 35 and corres-
ponding recess 341 in the cutter-disk. The knotter-bill is then revolved by the
revolution of the drive-wheel 4, when the twine is formed in a loop on the knotter-
bills. Before completing their revolution the knotter-bills open to receive the
twine between them and they again close, when the tension of the bundle will slip
the loop surrounding the knotter-bills therefrom over the twine held between the
same. After the knotter-bills have completed their revolution the drive-wheel 4,
continuing to revolve, will operate the cutter mechanism as described, thereby
advancing the twine to the cutting edge of the knife and insuring a positive means
for severing the twine.
While performing the operation of cutting the twine, fragments of the same are
held between the cutter-disk 30 and plate 32 and would, unless a provision were
made to prevent the same, revolve with the disk 30 and clog the same, causing
frequent delays. To obviate this difficulty, I cut away the lower face of plate 32 to
allow the fragments to fall therefrom and provide an opening 37 to receive the
Thus it will be seen that all fragmentary pieces are removed from the cutter-
same.
disk.
As it is desirable to tie either a hard knot or a slip-knot, I have provided a
tooth 41' to be screwed into the lower jaw and easily removable and a coincident
recess 42 in the upper jaw to receive the tooth. When it is desired to tie a hard
knot, the tooth is inserted, which draws out the loop held between the jaws, and
ties a hard knot. If, however, it is desired to tie a slip or bow knot, the tooth is
removed, which allows the loop to slip from the jaws.
The modifications and additions shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, are as
follows. All the parts of the knotter are used substantially as already described.
The drive-wheel 4, is simply enlarged and provided with a cam groove a, which
imparts a reciprocating motion to a stripping blade resting on a bed plate directly
beneath the drive wheel. As the drive wheel revolves, the cam part of the groove
reaches the pine on the stripping blade directly after the knot has been tied and
strips it from the bills. The stripper only having an intermittent motion. d is a
twine holder or guide which is added, and placed in position as shown in Fig. 11
to guide the twine in the notched part of the cutting disk and also prevent twine
from slipping off of the knotter bills.
By the foregoing description it will be seen that the parts are few in number and
the mechanism extremely simple and effective in operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
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1. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, knotter-bills and means for revolv-
ing the same intermittently, a spindle carrying the knotter-bills journaled in a
bearing secured to the base, a spring having one end secured to the bearing and the
opposite free end engaging with the spindle for exerting an upward pull thereon
to normally hold the knotter-bills against the under side of the bearing and to take
up the wear incident to the revolution of the knotter-bills.
2. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, knotter-bills and means for
revolving the same intermittently, a spindle carrying the knotter-bills journaled
in a bearing secured to the base, a spring having one end secured to the bearing and
the opposite end engaging with the spindle for exerting an upward pull thereon to
normally hold the knotter-bills against the under side of the bearing and to take up
the wear incident to the revolution of the knotter-bills, cam faces upon opposite
sides of one of the knotter-bills, one of said cam faces normally bearing against

page_text: the under side of the bearing, due to the tension of the spring, the opposite cam-
face extending beyond the bills, a recess in the bearing in the path of the first-
inentioned cam-face, and a projection secured to the base of the path of travel of
the latter-mentioned cam-face, whereby the bills are forced open against the tension
of the spring to receive the binding-twine.
3. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, a drive-wheel, a twine holding and
cutting mechanism operated thereby, comprising bearings secured to the base and.
extending upwardly therefrom, a spur-gear journaled in one of the bearings, a
holding-disk secured upon the gear to turn therewith, a bolt passing through the
bore of the spur-gear and the opposite bearing for assembling the several parts
together, a depression in the upper face of one of the bearings, a like depression
in the holding-disk around its periphery, and means for intermittently presenting
successively the depressions of the holding-disk in alinement with the depression in
the bearing, and a flange extending upwardly from the bearing to embrace the
holding-disk.
4. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, knotter-bills and means for revolv-
ing the same intermittently, a spring for exerting an upward pull upon the knotter-
bills, cam-faces upon opposite sides of one of the bills, one of which projects beyond
the bills, and a projection secured to the base in the path of travel of the said pro-
jecting cam-face for forcing open the knotter-bills for receiving the twine, said
projection being mounted upon the base through the intervention of screws, whereby
the arm can be adjusted vertically to open the knotter-bills to any desired angle,
and to compensate for wear of the knotter-bills.
5. In a knotter mechanism for grain-binders, knotter-bills, and means for
revolving the same, a removable stud upon one of the bills projecting above the
same, and a recess in the opposite bill to receive the end of the stud.
6. In a knotter mechanism for grain binders, the drive wheel provided with peri-
pheral cam groove, a pin in the path of said groove secured to the end of the
stripper blade supported directly under said drive wheel, said cam imparting an
intermittent reciprocating motion to said stripper blade, for the purpose, sub-
stantially as described.
7. In a knotter mechanism for grain binders, in combination with the knotter
bills, drive wheel, cutting and holder disks, the twine guide for guiding the twino
into position upon the knotter bills and to prevent displacement of same, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of November 1807
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W. C., Agent for the Applicant.