CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wray and John Wray, both of Leeming,
near Bedale, Yorkshire, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN REAPING MACHINES."
Sealed the 23rd December 1859, and dated the 29th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wray and John
Wray at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 29th June 1859.
We, WILLIAM WRAY and JOHN WRAY, both of Leeming, near Bedale,
Yorkshire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing reaping machines in the following
manner, that is to say, upon the axis of the travelling wheels of the machine
which support the framework thereof we fix a wheel with slanting cogs or
teeth formed either upon the face or edge thereof. This wheel gears into a
worm wheel, on one end of the axis of which a crank is formed for imparting
motion to cutting knives, which are connected thereto by a rod. The knives
slide through fingers formed with either a square or a hollow notch for holding
the corn or other grain until it is cut. The cut grain falls backwards on to
revolving straps, by which it is delivered on to a board, which rises and
settles to deliver the grain in swathe. In connection with the above are

page_text: two rakes for gathering the grain into sheaf, also another rake which slides
up and passes over the sheaf when sufficient grain has been collected to form
same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Wray and John Wray in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
WRAY and JOHN WRAY, both of Leeming, near Bedale, Yorkshire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said William Wray and John Wray, Her special licence that
we, the said William Wray and John Wray, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Wray and John Wray,
our 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
REAPING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
William Wray and John Wray, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said William Wray and John Wray,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in constructing reaping machines in the following
manner, that is to say, upon the axis of the travelling wheel of the machine
which supports the framework thereof we fix a wheel with slanting cogs or

page_text: teeth formed either upon the face or edge thereof, commonly called a worm
wheel, which gears into a worm, on one end of the axis of which a crank is
formed for imparting reciprocating motion to cutting knives, which are con-
nected thereto by a rod or bar. The knives slide through fingers formed with
either a square or a hollow notch for holding the corn or other grain until it
is cut. The cut grain falls backwards on to revolving, straps, by which it is
delivered on to the ground in swathe. The cut grain may be gathered into
sheaf by hand in the usual way.
In order to explain this Invention as completely as possible, we now
proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of
reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a reaping machine, shewing our improve-
ments adapted thereto; Figure 2 is a side elevation of said machine at A,
Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of said machine on the line C, D,
at Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view, and Figure 5 a sectional elevation,
of the knives and fingers, drawn to an enlarged scale, shewing our novel and
improved manner of constructing such said parts.
At each of the foregoing Figures we employ similar letters of reference to
denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at
each of such said Figures respectively. A, A, is the framing of the machine,
to which are connected the following parts:-B, the main running wheel of
the machine; C, D, universal wheels of the ordinary kind, supporting the
tail end of the machine. The axis E of the wheel B works in bearings fixed
to the framing A, and upon one end of said axle a worm wheel G is placed,
and revolves with said axis, a feather being let into the axis for the purposo
of enabling the wheel G to be thrown into and out of gear, with a worm H
fixed on a shaft or spindle I, working in bearings a, a, fixed to the framing A,
as at Figures 1 and 2; K is a disc of metal, in which is fixed and adjusted
a pin b, serving as a crank; L is a rod, one end of which is connected to the
pin b, and the other end to a piece c. To the bottom of this piece one end of
the knife bar M is fixed, the other end of such said bar being supported by
a hole or slit in the side of the framing A, in the usual way. The piece c
works on a rod d, fixed in the piece e, fastened to the framing A of the
machine for preserving horizontal movement of the knife bar M. N are the
knives fixed to the bar M in the usual way; 0, 0, are the fingers of

page_text: the machine, fixed to the framing A in the usual way; P are pieces of metal
fixed to the under side of each of the fingers O, said pieces being formed
either with square or curved shoulders f, f, as at Figure 4, space being left
between the under side of the fingers and the pieces P for the knives to
slide through.
The mode heretofore practised of making the fingers of reaping machines
has been to make the sides thereof straight, as at O, so that as the inclined
cutting edges of the knives come against the corn or other grain which is
between the sides of such said fingers, the effect is to push or wedge some
portion of the straw or stem of the grain away from the knives, or to render
the cutting operation difficult and uncertain, and requiring great power to
work the knives, but by means of the pieces P, the corn or other grain being
enclosed between the shoulders f and the cutting edges of the knives, the
cutting operation is rendered more effective and easy; and this improved
mode of making the fingers of reaping machines forms a very important part
of this Invention. At Figures 1 and 2, Q, Q', are wooden rollers mounted
on an axis working in bearings fixed to the framing A; R, R, are endless
straps or belts passing over such said rollers, as at Figure 1, for imparting
rotary movement thereto by means of the bevil wheel S fixed on the axis E.
This wheel gears into a bevil pinion g fixed on the spindle h, supported by
bearing pieces i, i, fixed on the framing A. T is a pulley fixed on the
spindle h, and is another pulley fixed on the axis of the roller Q. Over
these pullies an endless strap 7 passes, so that as this strap is moved round
by the draught of the machine, the straps R, R, receive rotary motion, and
as the cut corn or other grain falls thereonto, it is conducted or delivered at
the side of the machine; U is a flat piece of wood fixed to the framing A to
support the belts and corn; V is a hinged flap or board to receive the butts
of the corn or other grains as it comes from the straps R, R; W is a rod to
receive the heads of the cut corn or other grain. The effect of this arrange-
ment is to cause the cut corn or other grain to be delivered on to the ground
more regularly than heretofore, that is to say, with all the butts together, and
all the heads together, as near as may be, so that it may be more readily
gathered into sheaf by hand, at same time preventing the grain being shaken
out of the ears of the grain, which is at present the case when the heads and
butts are crossed. We would remark, in conclusion, that the corn or other
grain may be laid on to the knives by a revolving reel, as usually practised.
A clutch lever (not shewn by the Drawing) may embrace the part × of the
wheel G, for throwing it out of gear when the knives are not required to be
worked.

page_text: Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of the
said Invention of "Certain Improvements in Reaping Machines," together
with the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the same into
practical effect, we hereby declare this Invention to consist in, and we
claim,―
First, the worm and wheel marked G and H, and parts c, d, e, for imparting
reciprocating motion to the knife bar and knives fixed thereto.
Secondly, forming the fingers with convex curved shoulders or square
shoulders, or both, for holding the grain whilst the knives are cutting same,
thereby ensuring the cutting thereof.
Thirdly, the hinged flap or board V, for receiving and supporting the butt
ends of the grain, to prevent or lessen the crossing of the straw as it is
delivered from the bands R, R, as above described; we also claim the novel
mode set forth of arranging and working these said delivering bands.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Wray and John Wray, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first day of Deceniber,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness.
WILLIAM WRAY. (L.S.)
(L.S.)
JOHN WRAY.