Improvements in Sheep Shearing Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sheep Shearing Machines.
We, GEORGE COLES of Main Street, St. James, in the Colony of Victoria,
Draper, and WILLIAM MCLEAN of No. 109 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, in the
said colony, Importer, 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 those classes of sheep shearing machines in which a
cutter is reciprocated over and in contact with a comb through the medium of
compressed air or other suitable motive fluid acting upon the vanes or blades of a
horizontal rotating motor wheel.
Its object is to simplify and improve the construction of such machines
so that they will work more smoothly without wasting so much power in
friction and so that they may be more easily adjusted or taken to pieces when
required.
It relates more particularly to the driving mechanism and means of adjusting the
tension of the cutter upon the comb.
This invention will be more easily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein,―
Figure 1 is a vertical central section, and
Figure 2 a plan of a sheep shearing machine constructed according to this
invention and shewing the cover removed, whilst
Figure 3 is a plan of the underside of the front portion of the cover. of said
machine illustrating the arrangement of the cutter adjusting devices.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, and
Figure 5 a plan of the underside of the cutter tension regulating nut.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts throughout the drawings.
A represents the base or main portion of the casing of the machine, whilst
B represents the upper part or cover of said casing. This latter is secured to
the former by means of a stout set screw or stud C which also serves as the
fulcrum of an oscillating operating lever D whereby the requisite reciprocating
motion is imparted to the cutter E. The rear end of this lever D is formed with
a slot d, or if preferred it may be forked as will be readily understood. Inside this
slot d works an anti-friction roller F which is mounted eccentrically upon the hub
of a comparatively large horizontal motor wheel G fitting closely within the rear
end of the casing A which is made circular at said rear end as shown in Figure 2
to receive it.
This motor wheel G is made with a groove g around its periphery and in said
groove are arranged a number of approximately radial blades or vanes gl against
which the motive fluid impinges, a flat ring g being secured around their upper
edges in order to strengthen and keep them in place.
The wheel G is mounted upon two sets of anti-friction balls arranged as
follows:-
Into the hub of said wheel is screwed a hardened bushing H turned with inclined
surfaces h h' near each end and fitting within a recessed portion I in the bottom
of the casing A, whilst through the bushing H and recessed portion I a set screw
or stud J passes and when in position is securely fastened by a lock nut j. The
upper end of this set screw or stud is made with a flaring head thus forming an
inclined surface corresponding to the surface h¹, in the upper end of the bushing H.

page_text: Fitting around the set screw or stud J and resting upon the bottom of the cap I
is a loose collar formed with an inclined surface corresponding with that
marked in the lower end of the bushing H. Between these two surfaces hj
work a number of small anti-friction hardened steel balls K and similarly between
the surfaces are other similar balls K. By these means the motor wheel G
is free to rotate without much friction or vibration, and so prolongs the life of the
machine.
The compressed air or other motive fluid is conducted to the rear end of the
casing A through a 'suitable flexible wire-bound or other pipe and thence through
a passage L provided for that purpose in the casing A until near the front of the
wheel G where it is directed through and approximately tangential port with
considerable force against the vanes or blades g of the motor wheel G afterwards
escaping through the narrow part of the casing forming the handle of the machine
and out over the cutter and comb.
The requisite tension is kept on the forward end of the operating lever D so as
to hold the cutter E down with sufficient pressure upon the comb M by means of
an oscillating tension arm N the rear end of which is formed with an upwardly
projecting stud or pin n passing up into a screw threaded cap O the lower end of
which is formed with an inclined recess O' corresponding with a similar surface O
on the lower end of the stud or pin n for the purpose of carrying a set of small
anti-friction balls K. In a similar way its upper end is formed with an inclined
recess 0³ corresponding with an oppositely inclined surface 04 on a nut or
screw threaded collar O secured by a small lock nut O on the upper end of the
stud or pin n and between said inclined surfaces 03 04 are arranged another set of
balls K.
The screw threaded cap O is made in two parts the upper of which O' is screwed
on to the lower part and has a milled head as shown in Figure 4, whilst the lower
part is forined with a number of vertical grooves 08 at regular intervals as
illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. With these grooves the forward end of a small
horizontally sliding spring bolt P engages in order to retain the cap O in any position
into which it may be turned thus preventing the tension becoming accidentally
slackened owing to the vibration of the machine or otherwise.
The front end of the tension arm N bears upon the end of the cutter operating
lever D, and is connected to it by a pin a projecting upwardly from said lever and
working within a slot in the front extremity of said arm this slot being provided
to allow for the relative movements of the lever and arm as each one oscillates
about its own pivot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a sheep shearing machine a comparatively large horizontal rotating
motor wheel having approximately radial vanes or blades around its periphery
and a friction roller F mounted eccentrically upon its hub and adapted to directly
operate the cutter lever substantially as and for the purposes specified and as
illustrated.
2. In a sheep shearing machine a comparatively large horizontal rotating motor
wheel G having a bushing H formed with inclined recesses near each end in
combination with a set screw or stud J and collar having corresponding recesses
for the retention of two sets of anti-friction balls substantially as and for the
purposes specified and as illustrated.
3. In a sheep shearing machine a tension arm N pivotted at its rear end in the
cover or upper part of the casing of the machine and bearing at its front and slotted
extremity upon the forward end of the cutter lever substantially as and for the
purposes specified and as illustrated.
4. In a sheep shearing machine a tension arm N pivotted at its rear end in the
upper part or cover of the casing and bearing at its front and slotted extremity upon

page_text: the cutter lever, in combination with an adjusting cap substantially as and for the
purposes specified and as illustrated.
5. In a sheep shearing machine a tension arm N having an upwardly projecting
stud or pin n at its rear end, working in ball bearings in an adjusting cap O, and
bearing at its front extremity upon the forward end of the cutter lever to which it
is connected by a pin n¹ working in a slot n substantially as and for the purposes
specified and as illustrated.
6. In a sheep shearing machine the combination with a screw threaded pressure
adjusting cap of a horizontally sliding spring bolt adapted to engage in one
or other of a series of grooves in said cap substantially as described and
illustrated.
7. The herein described sheep shearing machine embodying our improvements
consisting of the various mechanical parts combined, operating and arranged
within a suitable casing substantially as and for the purposes specified and as
illustrated.
Dated this Eighth day of September One thousand eight hundred and
ninety-six.
GEORGE COLES.
WILLIAM MCLEAN.
G. F. Redfern & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.