Improvements in Sheep Shearing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sheep Shearing Machines.
I, ALFRED MELCHIOR of No. 110, Liverpool Street, Sydney, in the Colony of
New South Wales, Mechanical Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to sheep shearing machines which have a cutter recipro-
cating above and in contact with a comb and which cutter is actuated by a vibrating
lever whose motion is given in any convenient manner.
This invention has for one of its objects the construction of a cheap handy and
convenient sheep shearing machine to be actuated by compressed air or similar
fluid pressure..
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This invention has for another of its objects the imparting of a peculiar travel
or reciprocation to the cutter so that each tooth or finger has a "draw or "drag'
over such of the teeth or fingers of the comb it is in contact with as well as its
sideways motion that is to say as each tooth or finger of the cutter passes side-
ways over the comb it retires and advances a comparatively small distance relatively
to the length of the teeth or fingers of said comb and thus as well as cutting has a
gathering influence or a draw or drag upon the material between said teeth or
fingers. It has a further object the equalizing of the tension or pressure on the
cutter to press it upon the comb.
These improvements in sheep shearing machines consist first in the peculiar
construction of rotary piston in a cylinder and its combination and arrangement
with the spindle which gives motion by means of a crank or cam to a vibrating
lever of the first order or class. They consist secondly in the combination and
arrangement with said vibrating lever and the reciprocating cutter of means by
which the hold of the lever upon said cutter may be released without disturbing
the regulated "tension" or degree of contact between the cutter and the comb.
They consist thirdly in the combination and arrangement with the vibrating lever
and the cutter of the means or instrumentalities for regulating the tension. They
consist fourthly in the combination and arrangement with the vibrating lever and
the cutter of a spring under the nose or forward end of said lever to distribute the
pressure of same upon said cutter. They consist fifthly in the combination and
arrangement with the vibrating or main lever of means by which a "draw
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or
drag" is imparted to the teeth of the cutter as it reciprocates over the comb.
They consist sixthly in the combination and arrangement with the vibrating or
main lever of a second or auxiliary lever of T or such like configuration the tail of
which takes under said vibrating or main lever and is controlled from sideways
motion while the head is centred or pivotted to the nose of said vibrating or main
lever and attached to the cutter at its outer ends or sides. They consist seventhly
in an extension and spreading at the outer end of the second or auxiliary lever
which preferably being "tempered" or made elastic equalises the pressure upon
the cutter.
But in order that this invention may be clearly understood reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith in which
☑Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a sheep shearing machine
constructed according to this invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are cross section of same on lines a a and b b respectively in
Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan of same with upper casing or cover removed.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a similar machine in which further improve-
ments are incorporated.

page_text: Figure 6 is a plan of the same with top cover removed.
Figure 7 is a plan of the second or auxiliary lever and
Figure 8 is a diagram of the motion of the cutter.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4-A is frame or casing to the back end of which the
cylinder Bis secured. This cylinder has a rotary piston on spindle C having a
crank pin C2 (with roller C³) thereon which roller takes within jaw D' of vibrating
lever D, the other end or nose D of said lever pressing upon cutter E in contact
with comb F and pressed thereon by a "tension" spring G. The cylinder B has
supply port B' and exit or discharge orifices B2 and between these on its inside
peripheral face it has a gradual encroachment upon its cylindrical form herein-
after called the "closer" reaching in a curve from point B³ near the discharge.
orifices to point B at the supply port. Upon the spindle C a holder C₁ is fixed
such holder being a hollow frustrum of a sphere with extending pins or pintles C
taking into grooves C in inner periphery of annulus or ring C. Hinged to
ring Co by means of pins C are wings or leaves C adapted to fold into spaces C⁹
in said ring and to spread and form a tight joint at their hinge and at the
periphery of cylinder B. The ring C" forms a tight joint side-ways between
the face B of the cylinder B and the screwed down cover B and it has play
to adjust itself to these surfaces by reason of its free riding upon frusto-spherical
holder C while revolving it by pins C in its grooves C. The spindle Chas
outer bearing B' in cover B and an inner bearing B on cylinder B and it
extends outwardly finishes with a screw-driver nick C" by which trials of move-
ment may be made. The lever D is fulcrumed through boss D upon pin or
stud D let into boss A of framing or casing A and it is kept in position by a
cap D which may be just a shade conical or frusto conoidal lengthwise and is
screwed on to extension of said pin and a bracket or catch De takes over the
flange of said cap D to fasten said cap to the lever D so that an unscrewing
of said cap D will lift the lever as a whole from the lower frame or casing A.
To the boss D³ under the rear extension of the lever an anti friction loose
roller D is fixed to hear against the back of the pin or stud D'. The comb F
is fixed to framing or case A by screws F¹ as well understood and the cutter E
being placed thereon, pintles on the widened part of the nose or end of the
lever D take into holes or orifices E¹ in said cutter. Under the actual nose D²
which rests upon the centre blade of the cutter is placed a spring E³ reaching
transversely to the outer blades and distributing the pressure of the nose D
over the whole of said cutter. The tension spring G is fastened to the lever D
by a screw G and it carries at its rear two rollers G2 taking against the frusto
conoidal cap D'. The upper casing or cover A2 of the machine is hinged at A³
and is fastened when closed by a spring or clip as well understood. In the
upper surface is orifice or slot A' (through which screw G may be regulated
without removing the cover) and orifice or hole A' through which a driver or
wrench may be passed to screw and unscrew the cap D the end of which cap
has an elastic holder say a spring having a V-tooth taking into corresponding
grooves.
In operation compressed air or other fluid pressure being conveyed by flexible
piping from an accumulator or source of power to port B' it passes into cylinder B
and obtaining ingress to the unfilled part C of the spaces C it spreads the
wings or leaves 8 to form a tight joint against the inside periphery of cylinder B
as shown in Figure 2 and these take the pressure of the compressed air behind
them and thus revolve the ring C. The air then escapes through discharge
holes and each wing or leaf gradually closed by working on the encroach-
ment B B until it again passes into the entrance port when it again spreads
and takes its quota of pressure. This ring C in turn revolves holder C and
the spindle C. The crank pin C2 having rotary motion and the roller C³ having
free vertical movement in jaw D¹ the lever D is vibrated or reciprocated and
gives the necessary motion to the cutter E above the comb F. The tension is
regulated by means of a screw driver on screw G which tightens the end of

page_text: lever G carrying the rollers G² on to the surface or cone surface of cap D'
and causes the end of said spring to press more heavily upon the nose D* of
lever D. To remove the cutter for sharpening &c. the screw driver is inserted
into the head of cap D and turns such cap upon the screw of stud D causing
the cap to travel up said screw and by reason of connection De to lift the lever Ď
and pintles Dx clear of the cutter which will then slide out and after being
sharpened &c. may be replaced and cap screwed down again; the whole
operation taking place without interfering with the regulation of the tension.
Referring to Figures 5 to 8 for convenience the following parts are shown, viz.
the frame or casing A (and a cover A²) to which motion devices of any con-
venient form may be attached to revolve spindle C having pin C² with roller C³
working in jaw D₁ of vibrating or main lever D which lever is fulcrummed upon
stud or pin D and has tension spring G and means for regulating same all of
which are herein before particularly described. But it is to be understood that
these parts or their arrangement are not essential to the carrying out of the
improvements to be now described as it is only necessary that there be a
vibrating or main lever pivotted in the centre as shown in the drawings or
pivotted at its back end as used in other sheep shearing machines and that there
be tension devices or means of imparting pressure to the lever or to the cutter.
In the outer end or nose D2 of the vibrating or main lever D is secured a pin D
taking into hole or orifice H¹ in second or auxiliary lever H the tail H2 of
which is controlled by pins A° fixed into frame A between which pins said tail
takes (or if preferred as shown in Figure 7 the tail H² may have slot H³ to take
over one fixed pin A°) so that while said lever H may have free lengthwise
movement its tail is prevented from moving sideways. The pins or pintles H
in the outer ends H of the head of lever take into holes or orifices E' in
the cutter E and so convey the motion of lever D to said cutter with the
variation caused by the tail H being controlled. The extension or transverse
spread H of the head of said lever H preferably tempered or made elastic
reaches outwardly to each side of the cutter E and distributes evenly over the
whole of said cutter the pressure put upon lever D by the tension spring Gor
other tension devices. As the lever D is reciprocated it moves the pin D and
head of lever H and the cutter E across the comb F said pin D moving on
the circumference of a circle with the fulcrum or pivot D' of main lever D as
a centre while the second or auxiliary lever H by reason of its tail control
causes the cutter E to advance and retire as it reciprocates imparting to its teeth
a "draw or "drag" or gathering influence. Referring to the diagram Figure 8
a is the pivot or fulcrum of the main lever-full line a its central position and
dotted lines a² and as its extreme limit in motion. is the centre of the control
of the tail of the second or auxiliary lever its connection with the main lever
and and the limits of motion of said connection. It is to be noted that the
centre has a variable position on the centre line as it must advance and retire
with the movement of the main lever. e in full lines is the central position of the
centre tooth or finger of the cutter and the full curve (not quite circular) its line
of motion e' in dotted lines are the extreme positions of the outer teeth or fingers
of the cutter and e³ dotted curves are the lines of motion of said outer teeth or
fingers and the other curve e is the line of ordinary motion where there is no
"draw" or "drag" of the teeth or finger.
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*
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with a
motion shaft whose end imparts reciprocating motion directly to a vibrating lever
and whose centre line is parallel with the centre of the vibrations of said lever, of a
rotary motor whose axis is a continuation of the centre line of said motion shaft
substantially as herein described and explained.

page_text: Second. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with a
shaft such as C and a cylinder such as B having supply and exhaust ports such
as B and B respectively of a piston constructed of a frusto-spherical centre such
as C an annulus or ring such as C and wings or leaves such as C8 substantially as
herein described and explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
Third. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with the
instrumentalities set forth in the preceding claim of an encroachment or "closer"
such as 133 B substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in
the drawing.
Fourth. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with a
vibrating lever such as D of a pivotal stud or pin such as D a cap such as D³
catch or connection such as D and orifices such as A4 and A' substantially as
herein described and explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
Fifth. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with a lever
such as D having pivotal screw or stud such as D₁ of a cap such as D³ and a
tension spring such as G having end rollers such as (and regulating screw such
as G substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
drawings.
Sixth. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with lever
such as D with nose such as D2 of a transverse spring such as E for distributing
the tension or pressure substantially as herein described and explained and as
illustrated in the drawings.
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Seventh. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with the
vibrating or main lever of means whereby a "draw" or drag or gathering
impulse in addition to the side-ways motion is imparted to the cutter on and in
contact with comb substantially as herein described and explained.
Eighth. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with the
vibrating or main lever of the second or auxiliary lever of preferably T-form with
its tail controlled from sideways motion and its head pivoted centrally to said main
lever and attached to the cutter at or near its sides or ends substantially as herein
described and explained and as illustrated in the drawing.
Ninth. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with the
vibrating or main lever and the reciprocating cutter of a second or auxiliary lever
such as H having a tail such as H² controlled by pins such as A and having a
head or cross piece such as H³ with pivot such as D and pintles such as H
substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the drawing.
Tenth. In sheep shearing machines the combination and arrangement with the
cutter the vibrating or main lever tension devices and a second or auxiliary lever
such as H of an extension or spreading such as He (preferably tempered or made
elastic) substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
drawing.
Dated this 18th day of January One thousand eight hundred and ninety-two.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.