IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND BINDING CORN CROPS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford,
Agricultural Engineer, and Edward Tenney Bousfield, of the same place,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
CUTTING AND BINDING CORN CROPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard and
Edward Tenney Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 22nd September 1881.
JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Agricultural Engineer,
and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same place, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND BINDING CORN CROPS."
The main object of our present Invention is to improve the construction and
increase the efficiency of sheaf-binding harvesting machines.
Heretofore the usual method of imparting the to-and-fro motion to the sickle of
the well known "Marsh harvester," and machines of the same class, has been by a
lever vibrating upon a stud placed about the middle of the grain platform between
the canvas aprons, but with this method the vibrating-lever is difficult of access,
and the withdrawal of the sickle is a troublesome operation. But according to
our improvements we provide a lever fitted to vibrate on a stud, or we mount in
suitable bearings a cranked axle outside the frame work and travelling wheel; to
one end of the said lever or axle the pitman rod is attached, while its other end is
connected by a rod to the sickle; by this device the moving parts are all
arranged in sight, and the sickle can be easily withdrawn when required.
Our next improvement is designed to render more simple and efficient the
machinery for imparting motion to the binding apparatus and the gathering reel.
According to this part of our improvements a shaft or spindle in a suitable position
is carried through from the rear to the front of the machine. This shaft, which
drives the binding mechanism, and which we term the binder shaft, is mounted in
suitable bearings and is cranked about the middle of its length for giving the
necessary to and fro motion to the packing levers; at the rear end the said
Price Gd1

page_text: binder-shaft carries a chain-wheel, to which a pitch chain extends from the Pitman
crank wheel; at the front of the machine the said binder shaft carries a bevil
pinion for giving motion to the gathering reel. It is also provided with a pinion
and clutch for driving the binding mechanism, which may be placed near either
end of the said shaft, the same being engaged and disengaged each time a sheaf is a
bound.
According to another part of our Invention we employ novel means for
maintaining a proper tension of the canvas webs or aprons, that is to say, instead
of having the aprons stretched on rollers running in fixed bearings, we fit one
roller of each apron with sliding bearings kept in position by a spring or springs,
the elasticity of which allows the elongation or shrinkage of the aprons according
to the condition of the atmosphere or other circumstances.
When a revolving apron is used for the purpose of regulating the position of the
cut grain endwise on the binder-board, we adopt the following arrangement, viz.,
to the extremity of the frame which carries the revolving apron we pivot a board, 1
which we call a "butting board," and which is connected to a radial jointed rod.
By this arrangement the board is kept at a right angle to the sheaf, although the
revolving apron may be set in various positions to suit the length of the straw.
This "butting board" assists materially in giving evenness to the bottom end of
the sheaf.
Another part of our improvements has for its object to obtain a more perfect
control of the movable jaw of the knotting hook when we use the book device
shown and described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to us
February 24, A.D. 1880, No. 821. According to this part of our Invention wo
arrange in addition to the fixed cam therein described for opening the movable!
jaw of the said device a second or auxiliary fixed cam to close the jaw at the
proper time. This auxiliary fixed cam may be used in combination with a spring
operating continuously or intermittently to close the movable jaw of the said
knottor or knotting device.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd March 1882.
JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Agricultural Engineer,
and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same place, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND BINDING CORN CROPS."
The main object of our present Invention is to improve the construction and
increase the efficiency of sheaf-binding harvesting machines of the type or class
commonly known as the "Marsh harvester," and more especially the machines of
this class as modified by the application thereto of the devices used in the machines
manufactured under or according to a Patent granted to John F. Appleby, of the
United States of America, dated February 18th, 1879, No. 212420.
Our said Invention comprises improvements relating to the arrangement of
mechanism for operating the knife bar or sickle, to means for driving the gathering
reel and the binding mechanism, and for increasing the efficiency and facilitating
the action of the knotting device of the latter; also to elastic supports for the
bearings of the travelling apron-rollers, and to means for ensuring an oven or level
condition of the bottom of the sheaves bound in the said machines.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and
Figure 2, a front elevation, partly in section, of one of the said machines with
our improvements applied to the same.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate by a plan and vertical section our said improvements
relating to the clastic supports of the travelling apron roller bearings detached from
the machine.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate by a longitudinal section and end view (drawn to an
enlarged scale and detached from the machine) our improvements relating to the
knotting mechanism or device.
Figure 7 illustrates a modification of the part of our Invention relating to the
mechanism for operating the knife bar or sickle.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
A is the main frame of the machine; A is the driving wheel; B is the knife
bar or sickle; C is the gathering reel; D is the binder-board; the remaining parts
are hereinafter specified.
Heretofore the ordinary arrangement for imparting the to and fro motion to the
knife bar or sickle in a machine of the class above specified and similar machines
has involved the use of a lever vibrating upon a stud placed about the middle of
the grain-platform between the top and bottom of the endless travelling apron;
but this arrangement of the vibrating lever renders the same difficult of access, and
is obviously inconvenient and objectionable.
Therefore we have devised a novel arrangement of the mechanism for operating
the knife-bar which is designed to avoid any inconvenience due to the above
cause, and which affords important advantages in the construction and use of these
machines, as hereinafter specified. For this purpose we mount in suitable bearings a
a vibrating cranked shaft or axle b at the exterior of the side of the main frame A
and the driving wheel A¹, the crank 6' on one end of the said shaft is connected
by the pitman rod c to the pin on the pitman crank-wheel, while the crank 6 at
the other end of the said shaft is connected by a rod d to the knife bar or sickle B.
Therefore the said shaft b receives from the pitman crank wheel a vibrating or to-
and-fro motion, which it transmits through the crank 6 and rod d to the knife
bar B. We are aware that the parts of this mechanism taken separately present

page_text: no important feature of novelty, but the novel and advantageous feature of this
part of our Invention is the arrangement whereby we are enabled to uso a
vibrating or oscillating shaft outside of the main frame and driving wheel in
combination and connection with the pitman crank-wheel and the sickle or knife-
bar behind the projecting part of the framework at the front of the machine, and
to connect the crank with the knife-bar in a line with the latter.
Other harvesting machines have been constructed in which a vibrating shaft and
pitman rod are employed to operate the knife bar, but in such machines the said
rod is arranged outside the front portion of the frame, and a supplementary
overhanging endless band has to be provided to take up the butt ends of the grain,
whereas in our arrangement, in which the framework projects considerably in
advance of the knives or cutters, no supplementary band is required. And it is
obvious that by the employment of a vibrating or reciprocating crank for operating
the sickle the latter will be moved to-and-fro with less lateral strain than with a
rotating crank, as the entire movement of the reciprocating crank is in the arc of a
circle deviating but slightly from the line of motion of the sickle or knife bar.
Morcover, by our arrangement or contrivance we effect the important object of
having the parts of the mechanism for operating the said knife-bar easily accessible
so that they may be readily inspected or examined at all times, and if necessary
may be readily and conveniently removed, repaired, and replaced.
The same results aro obtainable by the arrangement illustrated in Figure 7,
wherein a lever 6* vibrating on the stud b3 outside of the main frame replaces the
shaft b, the said lever being connected at its opposite ends to the pitman rod c and
connecting rod d.
At
In carrying into practice the second part of our improvements, which is designed
to render more simple, convenient, and efficient than heretofore the machinery for
imparting motion to the gathering reel and binding mechanism of such machines,
we provide a shaft c which extends from the rear to the front of the machine, as
shewn in Figure 1. This shaft, which we term the binder driving shaft, is mounted
in suitable bearings on the framework A, and is formed with cranks about the
middle of its length, as shewn at e'. These cranks are connected to the compressing
or packing levers e², and impart the necessary to-and-fro notion to the same.
the rear of the machine the said binder driving shaft c carries a chain-wheel f, over
which a pitch chain g passes from the pitman crank-wheel h. At the front of the
machine the said binder driving shaft e has keyed thereon a bevel pinion i for
giving motion through the bevel wheel j, the chain wheels ',,,, and the
chains k, k², to the reel C. The said shafte is also provided with a pinion for
driving the binding mechanism through the gear wheels 1, 2, and 3. The shaft e
is also provided with an automatic clutch at c*, whereby the said pinion
alternately engaged and disengaged, so that the binding mechanism is put into and
out of gear with the said shaft each time a sheaf is bound.
is
We are aware that harvesting machines have already been constructed in which
the same shaft that drives the gathering reel is utilised to operate the binding
mechanism, but in such machines the said shaft is driven by a chain directly from
the main or travelling wheel, so that the chain works in close proximity to the
said wheel and is liable to become clogged by dirt therefrom. Moreover, when
the said wheel is adjusted the length of the chain has to be altered. And
furthermore, the reel is always working while the machine is moving. But by
our improved arrangement above described, there is not a direct connection
between the said shaft and the driving or travelling wheel, and therefore the
machine is free from the above named inconveniences.
The binding mechanism is shewn in Figure 2; m is the binder arm, and n is a
mitre or crown wheel provided with teeth at n*, which teeth in the revolution of
this wheel are alternately in and out of gear with the pinion o, and thereby serve
to rotate the knot-tying devices at the proper times during the working of the
binding mechanism. It is obvious that the shaft e may be arranged to drive the
gathering reel without actuating the binding mechanism.

page_text: According to the part of our Invention which is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4,
and which relates to bearings for the rollers of the travelling aprons of such
machines, we employ novel means for maintaining the proper tension of either or
any of the travelling webs or aprons used in the aforesaid machines, that is to say,
instead of having the web or apron stretched on rollers running in fixed or
unadjustable bearings, we provide the apron with the roller p mounted in bearings p',
which are free to slide or move in their supports, but are kept in position by a
spring or springs p, which, by reason of their elasticity allow the said bearings pl
to adjust themselves automatically as the apron q elongates and shrinks according
to the condition of the atmosphere or other circumstances at any time during the
working of the machine. It is obvious that although in the accompanying
Drawings we have shown the application of this part of our Invention only to the
apron q, it may be applied to any endless belt or apron in a harvesting machine.
When a travelling apron is used for the purpose of regulating the position of
the cut grain end wise on the binder board, as shown at q, Figure 1, we adopt the
following arrangement, viz., to one extremity of the pivotted frame which carries
the said apron we hinge a board r which wo term a "butting board," and which
is connected by a radial jointed rods to the shield plate *. This arrangement
permits the said "butting board" to be kept at a right angle to the sheaf on the
binder board, although the travelling apron 9 may be set in various positions to
suit the length of the straw. Moreover this "butting-board" assists materially in
making the bottom end or base of the sheaves even or level.
The part of our improvements which relates to the knotting device of the
grain binding mechanism in these machines, and which is illustrated in Figures 5
and 6, has for its object to afford a more perfect automatic control of the movable
jaw of the knotting device shown and described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent granted to us February 24th, A.D. 1880, No. 821, and which is
used in a modified form in the said "Appleby" machines. According to this
part of our Invention in addition to the fixed cam u, used as described in the said
former Specification for opening the movable jaw t of the said device, we provide
a second or auxiliary fixed cam u' arranged to close the said jaw at the proper
times. This auxiliary fixed cam may be used in combination with a spring
operating continuously, as described in our said Specification, or intermittently as
in the said "Appleby" machine, to close the movable jaw of the said knotter or
knotting device, and it is especially useful for keeping the said jaw closed and
preventing injury to the same when rotating without string around the jaws.
Having thus fully described our said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we claim,―
First. The combination with the knife bar or sickle of a vibrating cranked axle
arranged at the exterior of the side of the main frame and driving wheel, and
connected by pitman rods to the pitman crank wheel and knife bar in such a
manner that the crank b and pitman d are within or behind the over hanging or
projecting part of the front of the frame, substantially as set forth (or the
modification of this part of our improvements wherein a vibrating lever b* is
substituted for the said cranked axle) whereby we provide for imparting the
required to-and-fro motion to the said knife bar by mechanism which is easily
accessible, as above specified.
Second. The combination with the gathering reel C of the binder driving shaft
extending across the machine and driven by a chain or its equivalent in such a
manner that a direct connection of the gathering reel with the driving or travelling
wheel is avoided, substantially as shown and described and for the purpose
specified.
Third. The combination with a web or apron q of a roller mounted in bearings
which are free to move or slide in their support, but which are kept in position by
spiral springs, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The combination with the travelling apron used for regulating the

page_text: position of the cut grain on the binder board or table D of the automatically
adjustable "butting board," substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. In the sheaf-binder knotting-device, the combination with the movable
jaw t, and the ordinary fixed cam for operating the same of an auxiliary cam u',
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, for myself and on behalf of the
said Edward Tenney Bousfield, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty first day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.