IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hayes, of Stony Stratford, in the County
of Bucks, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR FEEDING THRASHING MACHINES."
Sealed the 5th June 1855, and dated the 9th January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hayes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th January 1855.
I, EDWARD HAYES, of Stony Stratford, in the County of Bucks, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR FEEDING THRASHING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of applying an endless carrier or apron to thrashing
machines in such manner that the corn to be thrashed, being placed on to the
apron or carrier, is carried to the drum of the thrashing machine and under a
guard or cover, by which dust and matters are prevented being thrown off by
the drum where the feed takes place.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Hayes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HAYES, of Stony Stratford, in the County of Bucks, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Hayes, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Hayes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Hayes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the. Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
FEEDING THRASHING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edward Hayes, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I; the said Edward Hayes, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of an endless cloth or other flexible material of
any convenient length passing over two or more rollers which carry the corn to
the drum. These rollers are supported in iron or brass bearings secured on the
sides of the machine, and are caused to revolve by a strap or belt passing over
a small pulley fastened to the end of one of the rollers. The endless cloth is
secured on leather or other belts, between which there are small rods of thin
iron secured, the same length as the cloth is in width, so that the cloth shall
not contract in working or revolving. As soon as the machine is set in motion;
the rollers being connected by the strap or belt named from a driving pulley,
causes the cloth to move a given number of feet per minute. The corn being
laid on the cloth is carried to the drum to be thrashed through an aperture,
which may be increased or diminished as required by a sliding board, which

page_text: board prevents more corn entering in a given time than is needed; also this
board is so arranged as to keep all corn from flying out from the mouth of
the drum.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
Figure 1 is an elevation, in section, of a thrashing machine, showing the
application of feeding apparatus; Figure 2 is a plan of the upper surface of
a thrashing machine, showing the cloth when at work. a is the endless
cloth, or any other flexible material, passing over the rollers b, which rollers
give motion to the cloth a; c, the ordinary space in all machines where the
man stands to feed the machine with corn, except that in the arrangement
shown he stands five or more feet from the mouth of the drum, this being one
object in the said Invention to remove the man from the dust driven out by
the drum. d, d, show the small driving and driven pulleys, having the leather
or other belt passing round them, the one on the end of the roller being the
driven pulley; e is the drum, on to which the corn to be thrashed is carried
by the endless cloth a, being laid or thrown on the other or extreme point from
the drum; f is a casing of wood and iron, which entirely closes over the
drum; g is the sliding board, which increases or diminishes the aperture or
passage for the corn moving on to the drum; this sliding board, and the layer
of corn on the endless cloth, completely closes all corn, and with it much of
the dust in the machine which otherwise would be driven out..
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to the
parts separately; but what I claim is, the combination and arrangement and
application of the whole for purposes shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Hayes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
JOHN EDKINS.
EDWARD HAYES. (L.S.)