IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR GATHERING AND BINDING GRAIN CROPS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR GATHERING AND BINDING GRAIN CROPS." A communication
from abroad by Moses Aaron Keller, of Brockport, in the County of Monroe,
State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd January 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR GATHERING AND
BINDING GRAIN CROPS." [A communication from abroad by Moses Aaron Keller,
of Brockport, in the County of Monroe, State of New York, United States of
America.]
This Invention relates to machines for gathering or gleaning grain as it lies in
the swath, and tying the same into bundles. The Invention consists in certain
novel details of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereafter
described.
The operating mechanism is mounted on a main frame supported on three
wheels, and composed of end pieces of wrought iron and sill pieces of wood firmly
bolted together. The frame is rectangular and in two parts, placed the one above
the wheels, and the other on a level or nearly so with the axis of the supporting
wheels. The driving wheel is mounted loosely at one side of the frame on a shaft
which has its bearings in suitable boxes, and said wheel is caused to engage with a
ratchet and pawl, permitting the wheel to revolve backward freely, and causing it
to engage with the shaft when the machine moves forward. The frame is supported
at the opposite side by a smaller wheel, and at its rear by a castor wheel fitted
behind the driving wheel so as not to interfere with the bound bundles when they
are discharged, or when the machine is making a turn; upon these wheels the
frame is balanced. The tongue or shafts for attachment of the horses are pivoted
to the front sill of the frame.
The elevator frame is hung in fixed guide brackets, which permit vertical
movement of said frame.
In the operation of the machine it is sometimes desirable that the gathering
devices shall run nearer to or farther from the ground, and to this end a lever is

page_text: provided, placed within reach of the attendant, and connected to a shaft having
two arms or cranks (one at each end of the elevator), from which connecting rods
pass to the lower part of the elevator frame, so that by the movement of the lever
the elevator is caused to rise or fall as desired. The curved bars forming the
binding receptacle are secured at their lower end to the lower sill, and at their
upper ends to the elevator frame, so that when said frame is raised or lowered the
binding receptacle will have the same movement at its upper end.
The grain as it lies upon the ground is gathered and moved slightly toward the
elevating device by means of curved teeth projecting from a roller mounted in
brackets on the under side of the front sill, and revolved in the direction of the
forward movement of the machine by goaring connected with the driving wheel
axle, thereby straightening the straws which lie obliquely, and bringing them all
to a more favorable position for being taken up and elevated. I prefer to give the
roller about 1/, revolutions to one of the driving wheel, although that speed is not
essential.
A series of spring guard slats are attached to the front sill, and extend downward
and forward beneath the cylinder, and to the lower ends of these yielding slats are
attached yielding grain compressers.
The endless elevator is composed of a series of belts or chains provided with
projecting fingers, and passing over rollers mounted in the frame. The lower roller
is fitted in self adjustable boxes, and held down by springs, and the upper roller is
provided with bevel gear wheels driven by the same wheel that gives motion to the
roller, said wheel having both bevel and spur cogs, the latter giving motion to roller
and the former to the elevator.
The binding mechanism is operated by a crank attached to a sleeve on the axis
of the driving wheel through a connecting rod and a rocking segmental gear which
meshes with a corresponding segmental gear mounted on a tubular shaft at the
back of the frame. This shaft carries the binding and compressing arms, and as
soon as the crank is put in motion the arms descend, compress the bundle between
them, and carry the cord around the bundle into the knot tying mechanism, at
which time the crank will have made one half its revolution, and the cord is tied
as bereafter described, while by the further movement of the crank the arms return
to position. At this time the bundle discharger descends. This consists of a prong
on an arm connected to a toothed segment that meshes with a corresponding toothed
segment on the tubular shaft, so that as the compresser arm moves outward the
prong descends and pushes the bundle off the receptacle just as the crank completes
its revolution, and is automatically drawn out of gear, as next described. Upon
the driving shaft is a clutch having a projecting arm that is prevented from moving
by a fixed stop, and is connected by a rod to a foot lever. By the revolution of
the crank a pin on the sleeve which carries the crank comes in contact with an
incline on the side of the arm, and forces the clutch out of engagement with the
sleeve. When the lever is drawn backward by pressing down the foot lever the
incline passes off the pin, and a spring presses the clutch into gear, and the crank
makes another revolution.
The binding arm or needle is pivoted to the toothed segment which operates the
bundle discharger, in order to prevent its interference with the inflowing grain
during its return movement, the joint allowing the arm to give.
Just
The hinge pin of the needle arm has a projection at right angles thereto, and
upon the toothed segment is a spring dog with a projecting stud. The tubular
shaft is furnished with a spring plate or switch having an inclined surface and a
projecting stud, and when the needle begins to ascend the stud on the dog catches
behind the spring plate and withdraws the dog from the notch in the arm.
as the segment completes its upward movement the projection on the hinge pin
of the needle comes in contact with stud on the plate and raises the needle,
and the dog springs into the notch and locks the joint of the needle. In the
descent of the needle the spring plate is forced back by the stud sliding over its
inclined surface.

page_text: The segment which meshes with the segmental driving gear is provided with a
cam way to receive a stud projecting from the inside of a rack bar, whereby it
imparts a reciprocating movement to said bar. An arm on the tubular shaft is
provided with a segmental pinion that gears into the rack bar. The compressor
arm is mounted rigidly upon a shaft extending through the tubular shaft, and an
arm is secured on the shaft of the compressor arm, through which passes freely a
rod carrying a spiral spring and pivoted to the arm of the tubular shaft, so that as
the binding arm descends it causes the rack bar to rotate the pinion on the arm
of the tubular shaft, and thus brings the binding and compressor arms together
simultaneously, the spring allowing the compressor to yield to different sizes of
bundles. The binding receptacle is made in several divisions, or as many divisions
as there are elevating chains, for the purpose of overcoming difficulties in the field
under certain conditions of the grain, which frequently clogs the elevators when the
slots for the elevating fingers extend only far enough to allow the fingers to pass
through. By this construction the clogging is prevented, as every time the binding
needle descends every straw will be carried with it.
The knot tying mechanism is supported on a frame, and is operated by a driving
shaft, upon which are keyed or otherwise secured a cam disk, cog wheels, and a
segmental disk. The first movement of the shaft causes the cam disk to push
backwards a sliding bar, to which is pivoted a lever that moves the folding finger
that carries the cord over the looper. Simultaneously with this movement a cam
causes the looper to rise by means of a foot resting on said cam, and a finger which
is in the rear of the cord and cannot rise with the looper folds the cord. A knotting
hook is then brought forward, and the ends of the applied band are secured by
oscillating grippers as they are severed by the cutter, and the ends folded under
the hook, whereupon the hook immediately recedes, securing the ends, thus com-
pleting the tie. The finger is withdrawn from the cord at the moment the ends of
the band are secured, which movement is accomplished by a stud coming in contact
with a pendant arm which is a portion of the finger; the finger is pivoted to a top
plate.
A knot is made at every revolution of the shaft. A spring holds the looper
down on the cam, another spring holds the sliding bar against the cam disc, and
consequently holds the folding finger in position until the tying begins. One of
the jaws of the oscillating grippers is pivoted to the oscillating segment, and has
an extension acting against the supporting standard, which causes said jaw to close
upon the other jaw with the cord between the said jaws at the moment said
segment falls in gear with the segmental disc, whereby the segment is swung
upward with the ends of the cord held between the jaws until the last.cog is taken
up, when said segment will become stationary. When the last cog reaches the cut
away portion of the disc the spring again places the segment with its jaws in first
position, when they are ready for the next tie.
The cutter receives its motion through segmental mitre gears, the latter being
rigidly secured to the shank of said cutter, which is mounted in a suitable bearing
in the main frame. There are four cutters formed upon the shank, making but one
revolution in tying four bundles. The mitre wheel of the cutter holder has four
division, while the other mitre wheel has but two cogs, so that one revolution of
the latter wheel is produced by a quarter turn of former, and the cogless portion
of the cutter wheel bears against a corresponding portion of the other, thus
effectually preventing the cutter from turning either until the proper time. The
cutter is in the form of a sleeve, fitting loosely over the shank of the cutter holder,
and held fixed by a cap plate, so that while the cutter is stationary the cutter
holder revolves around it. The side of the sleeve next to the guard is filed away
to form a sharp cutting edge, and the guard is provided with a spring which holds
the cord firmly against the roughened sides of the cutter. When the cord carrying
the arm of the gleaner descends it carries the cord around the bundle and
between the cutters to the looping fingers. There will then be two strands of the

page_text: cord between the cutters, and when the cutter revolves it must cut both cords, the
short piece thus wasted being carried out as the next cutter passes in.
The vertically vibrating looper is pivoted upon a stationary stud, and the
knotting hook is pivoted to the lower end of the pendant arın of the looper, and
said hook is provided with a slot near its middle to receive a wrist pin which
projects from the opposite side of the cam which operates the looper.
The shaft which operates this mechanism receives its motion from a shaft to which
is secured a flanged coupling, the said coupling turning freely upon the first shaft in one
direction, but when the motion of the driving shaft is reversed it gives motion to
the operating shaft by means of a pawl. There is also a stop, which prevents the tyer
running backwards after the knot is completed when the motion of the shaft is
reversed. The head of the looper is provided with a spring which partially closes
the whole after the knotting hook recedes with the ends of the cord, and thus
prevents the knot from entering said hole, thereby slipping the knot close to the
bundle and drawing it tight.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
July 1880.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR GATHERING AND
BINDING GRAIN CROPS." A communication from abroad by Moses Aaron Keller,
of Brockport, in the County of Monroe, State of New York, United States of
America.
These improvements relate to machines for gathering or gleaning grain as it lies
in the swath and tying the same into bundles. The Invention consists in certain
novel details of construction and combinations of parts which will be particularly
described with reference to the accompanying Drawings forming part of this
Specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the gleaner; Figure 2 is a side
elevation at the driving wheel or right hand side; Figure 3 is a vertical longi-
tudinal section on line x-x, of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a vertical transverse
section on line y-y of Figure 1; Figures 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of the
binding and compressing mechanism; Figure 8 is a plan view of the knot tying
mechanism in enlarged size; Figure 9 is a front side elevation of the same;
Figure 10 is a rear side elevation; Figure 11 is an end elevation of the same;
Figures 12 to 16 are detail perspective views of the looping and knotting fingers,
showing the different stages from the commencement to the completion of the knot;
Figure 17 is a perspective view, and Figure 18 a cross section of the cord cutter
and holder.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. The main frame of the
machine is composed of end pieces C, D, of wrought iron, and the sill pieces A, B,
and E, which may be of wood. The main frame is rectangular in shape and in
two parts, the part composed of the sills A and B being above the wheels, and the
part composed of sill E on a level or nearly so with the axis of the supporting
wheels. The end pieces C, D, are securely bolted to the sill pieces A, B, and F.
All of the operating mechanism is mounted on this frame, which is supported on the
wheels F, G, and Y, F, being the driving wheel upon a shaft h, see Figures 2 and 3,
which extends longitudinally up to the elevating mechanism and has its bearings
in suitable boxes V₁ and I, shown in Figure 3. Wheel F is loosely mounted upon
said shaft and is caused to engage with a suitable ratchet and pawl, which permits
said wheel to revolve backward freely and causes it to engage with the shaft when
the machine moves forward. G is the grain wheel or outside supporting wheel,
and Y is a castor wheel fitted behind the driving wheel so as not to interfere with
the bound bundles when they are discharged or when the machine is making a
turn; upon these wheels the frame is balanced. Upon the front sill A the tongue
or shafts t are pivoted for attachment of horses. N is the elevator frame hung in
fixed guide brackets O, Figures 3 and 4, which permit vertical movement of
frame N.
In the operation of the machine it is sometimes desirable that the gathering
devices shall run nearer to or further from the ground, and I therefore provide a
lever L within reach of the attendant, which lever is connected to a shaft M that is
provided with two arms or cranks n, one at each end of the elevator; from the
arms n connecting rods V pass to the lower part of the elevator frame N, so that
by the movement of lever L the elevator is caused to rise or fall as desired. The
curved bars forming the binding receptacle A³ are secured at their lower end to
the sill E and their upper ends are secured to the elevator frame N, so that when
said frame is raised or lowered the binding receptacle will have the same movement
at its upper end. Two brackets P' are attached to the underside of the front sill A,
and at their lower ends are fitted with bearings for a roller d, which is provided
with numerous curved projecting teeth b. This cylinder is revolved in the direction

page_text: of the forward movement of the machine, and the teeth b gather the grain as it
lies upon the ground and move it slightly toward the elevating device, thereby
straightening the straws which lie obliquely and bringing them all to a more
favorable position for being taken up and elevated. Upon one end of the shaft of
roller d is a cogwheel r, which is driven from a wheel U on the axis of driving
wheel F by an intermediate wheel u. I prefer to give the roller d about 1 revo-
lutions to one of the driving wheel, although that speed is not essential. Attached
to the sill A is a series of spring guard slats B³, Figures 1 and 4, which slats extend
downward and forward beneath the cylinder d, and to the lower ends of these
yielding guard slats are attached yielding grain compressors a³, see Figure 4.
The endless elevator is composed of a series of belts or chains W that are pro-
vided with projecting fingers. These chains pass over suitable rollers Pand Չ which
are mounted in the frame N. The lower roller q is fitted in self adjustable boxes N³,
and held down by springs N³. The upper roller P is provided with bevel gears K,
as shown in Figure 3. The wheel U on the axis of the driving wheel is double,
having both bevel and spur cogs, the latter giving motion to roller & and the former
to the endless elevator through the bevel gears T and K on shaft S.
The binding mechanism is operated from the single crank H, shown in Figures
1 and 2, that connects by a rod f to a rocking segmental gear 2. Upon a
tubular shaft 19 that is mounted at the back of the machine are segmental
gears 3 and 4 that mesh with segmental gears 2 and 5%, whereby motion is given
to the binding arm 7 and compressing arm 8 that are on shaft 19. In
Figure 2 the binding mechanism is in position ready to operate on a bundle;
as soon as crank H is put in motion the arms 7 and 8 will descend, compress
the bundle between them, and the arm 7 will carry the cord around the
bundle into the knot tying mechanism represented at A, in Figures 4, 5,
and 7, at which time the crank H will have made one half its revolution, and
the cord is tied as hereafter described, while by the further movement of the
crank the arms 7 and 8 return to the position as shown in Figure 5. At this time
the bundle discharger 9 descends. This consists of a prong on an arm 5 that is
connected with the segmental gear 58 that meshes with gear 4, so that as the arm 8
moves outward the prong 9 descends and pushes the bundle off the receptacle just
as the crank completes its revolution, and is automatically drawn out of gear, as
next described. Upon the sleeve I which carries crank H is fixed a pin Is. Upon
the shaft h is a clutch a from which projects an arm K that is prevented from
moving by a fixed stop J. Upon the side of arm K' is an incline J, and arm K¹
is connected by a rod to a foot lever K². By the revolution of the crank the pin 1³
comes in contact with the incline Is, and forces the clutch a out of engagement
with sleeve I. When the lever K¹ is drawn backward by pressing down the
lever K³, the incline I³ passes off the pin 1%, spring J presses the clutch into gear,
and the crank H makes another revolution.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 5 that the binding arm or needle 7 is
pivotted to the segment 4 which is for the purpose of preventing its interference
with the inflowing grain during its return movement, its joint allowing the arm
to give, as shown in Figure 5. The hinge pin of the needle arm has a projection S³
at right angles. Upon the segment 4 is a spring dog S2 upon which is a
projecting stud S*, Figure 6, and upon the shaft 19 is a spring plate 15 having
an inclined surface and a projecting stud 6. When the needle begins to ascend
the stud S catches behind the switch 15 which withdraws the dog S3 from the
notch of the arm 7, and said needle assumes the position shown in Figure 5.
Just as the segment 4 completes its upward movement the projection S³ on the
hinge pin of the needle comes in contact with stud 6, and moves the needle to the
position shown in Figure 4, and the dog S2 springs into the notch and locks
the joint of the needle. In the descent of the needle the spring switch 15 is
forced back by the stud S sliding over its inclined surface. The segment 3 is
provided with a cam way to receive a stud projecting from the inside of the rack
bar 13, Figure 2. This cam way is shaped to give a reciprocating movement to

page_text: said rack bar. An arm 12 on shaft 19 is provided with a segmental pinion that
gears into the rack bar 13. The compressor arm 8 is rigid upon the shaft 18.
that extends through the tubular shaft 19, upon which shaft 18 is secured an
arm 11. A rod carrying a spiral spring 14 is pivotted to arm 12, and moves
freely through a hole in the end of arm 11. As the binding arm 7 descends it
causes the rack bar 13 to rotate the pinion on arın 12, and thus brings the
binding and compressor arms together simultaneously as in Figure 7, the spring 14
allowing the compressor to yield to different sizes of bundles.
It will be seen by Figure that the binding receptacle A³ is made in several
divisions, or as many divisions as there are elevating chains. This is for the purpose
of overcoming difficulties in the field under certain conditions of the grain which
frequently clogs the elevators when the slots for the elevating fingers extend only
far enough to allow the fingers to pass through. By this construction the clogging
is prevented, as every time the binding needle descends every straw will be
carried with it.
The knot tying mechanisin shown in the Figures from 8 to 15 is constructed and
operates as follows:-For a clearer understanding of the operation only a single
strand of cord is represented, but a double cord may be used in the same manner.
A' is a frame supporting the operating parts; F2 is the driving shaft upon which
are keyed or otherwise secured a cam disc R2, cogwheels K2 and G, and the
segmental disc I, which revolve in the direction of the arrows shown in Figure 9.
The first movement of the shaft F3 causes the cam disc R³ to push the sliding bar Sa
backwards to the position indicated by dotted lines. To the bar S2 is pivoted
a lever V2 that moves the folding finger C that carries the cord over the looper B²,
as shown in Figure 12. Simultaneously with this movement a cam Q³ causes the
looper B, Figure 2, to rise by means of the foot h resting on said cam, and the
finger E, which is in the rear of the cord, and cannot rise with the looper B³,
(Figure 2), folds the cord in the manner shown in Figure 13. The knotting hook D³
is brought forward, and the grippers a² and b² secure the ends of the applied band
as they are severed by the cutter M2, and folds the ends under the hook, as shown
by Figure 14, when the hook D³ immediately recedes, securing the ends as shown
in Figure 15, and thus completing the tie, as shown in Figure 16. The finger E²
is withdrawn from the cord at the moment the ends of the band are secured, as in
Figure 16, which movement is accomplished by a stud Es coming in contact with a
pendant arm e, which is a portion of the finger E. The finger E2 is pivoted to
a top plate A2, shown in Figure 11. A knot is made at every revolution of the
shaft F*. A spring f holds the looper down on the cam Q2. A spring e² holds the
sliding bar S against the cam disc R³, and consequently holds the folding finger C²
in the position shown in Figure 8 until the tying begins. The jaw a² of the
oscillating grippers is pivoted to the oscillating segment J2, and has an extension
acting against the supporting standard Js, which causes said jaw to close upon the
jaw b with the cord between the said jaws at the moment said segment J' falls in
gear with the segmental disc I³, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 11, whereby
the segment is swung upward with the ends of the cord held between the jaws
until the last cog is taken up, when said segment will become stationary. When
the last cog reaches the cut away portion of the disc, the spring c² again places the
segment J' with its jaws in the position shown in Figures 8 and 11, when they are
ready for the next tie. The cutter M² receives its motion through the segmental
mitre gears G, H, the latter being rigidly secured to the shank of said cutter,
which is mounted in a suitable bearing in the main frame. There are four cutters
formed upon the shank in the manner shown in Figures 17 and 18, making but
one revolution in tying four bundles. The wheel H has four divisions, while the
wheel G has but two cogs, so that one revolution of the wheel G is produced
by a quarter turn of H2, and the cogless portion of wheel G bears against a
corresponding portion of H², thus effectually preventing the cutter from turning
either until the proper time. The cutter N is in the form of a sleeve fitting
loosely over the shank of M², and held fixed by the cap plate N³, so that while the

page_text: cutter N is stationary, the cutter holder M2 revolves around it. The side of the
sleeve next to the guard O2 is filed away to form a sharp cutting edge, as shown in
Figure 18, and guard O2 is provided with spring P2 which holds the cord firmly
against the roughened sides of cutter M². The cutter M and the cord X² are
always in the position shown in Figure 18 during the gathering of a bundle.
When the cord carrying arm 7 of the gleaner descends it carries the cord around
the bundle and between the cutters to the looping fingers, as shown in Figure 9.
There will then be two strands of the cord between the cutters, as shown in
Figure 17, and when the cutter revolves it must cut both cords, the short piece
thus wasted being carried out as the next cutter passes in. The vertically vibrating
looper is pivoted upon the stationary stud U³. The knotting hook D' is pivoted to
the lower end of the pendant arm of looper B2, and said book is provided with
a slot near its middle, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 10, and receives
a wrist pin m² which projects from the opposite side of cam Q2 of wheel L². The
shaft F receives its motion from the shaft g, to which latter is secured a flanged
coupling T2, which coupling turns freely upon shaft F2 in one direction, but when
the motion of shaft g is reversed it gives motion to shaft F by means of a pawl w³.
There is also a stop Y2 which prevents the tyer running backwards after the knot
is completed, when the motion of shaft g is reversed. The looper head B is
provided with a spring Z which partially closes the hole after the knotting hook
recedes with the ends of the cord, and thus prevents the knot from entering said
hole, thereby slipping the knot close to the bundle and drawing it tight.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. In machines for gleaning and binding grain, a main supporting frame
mounted upon three wheels, one being a castor wheel placed at the rear of the
driving wheel so as to be out of the way of the bound bundle as the latter drops
from the binding receptacle, as set forth.
2nd. In machines for gleaning grain, the combination with the main frame of
the vertically adjustable elevator, the bevel gears K and T, the vertically slotted
shaft S, or its equivalent, and a self sustaining lever, arranged for operation
substantially as shown and described.
3rd. In machines for gleaning grain, the combination with a vertically or nearly
vertically adjustable elevator of a grain receptacle secured at its lower end to the
main frame, and at its upper end to the elevator frame, whereby the said receptacle
may rise and fall with the elevator, substantially as shown and described.
4th. In machines for gleaning and binding grain, a toothed endless elevator
combined with a grain or binding receptacle, divided its entire length into as many
divisions as there are rows of teeth in the elevator, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
5th. In machines for gleaning and binding grain, an adjustable elevator to gather
and elevate the grain from the ground combined with a binding receptacle placed
in the rear of said elevating mechanism, and secured at its upper end to the
elevator frame, substantially as shown and described.
6th. In grain binding machines, a vibrating binding arm or needle jointed to its
rocking support and locked by a spring dog, and a stationary automatic switch
fitted to lock and unlock the joint of the arm during the binding operation,
constructed and combined together for operation substantially as shown and
described.
7th. In combination with the vibrating binding arm or needle, the segmental
gears fitted for operating a pivoted bundle discharger, substantially as shown and
described.
8th. In combination with the vibrating binding arm or needle, a vibrating
compressor fitted with a spring yielding device for operation, substantially as
described and shown.
9th. In machines for gleaning and binding grain, the spur and bevel gearing

page_text: arranged upon the axis of the driving wheel and operating the gathering and
elevating mechanism, substantially as shown and described.
10th. In grain binding machines, the combination with the crank operating the
binding mechanism of automatically acting devices for disconnecting the crank at
every rotation of the driving shaft, substantially as shown and described.
11th. In grain binding machines fitted with a crank for driving the binding
mechanism, and an automatically acting device for disconnecting the crank at
every rotation, the combination therewith of a lever, and connections for throwing
the crank into gear at the will of the attendant, substantially as shown and
described.
12th. In grain binding machines, the combination with the elevating mechanism
of a rotating roller fitted with yielding arms, and fitted in front of the elevator for
straightening and gathering the grain as it lies on the ground, substantially as
shown and described.
13th. The combination in a grain binder of the stationary frame A³, the
vertically vibrating looper B², pivoted to said frame, the horizontally vibrating
cord folder C2 pivoted to the looper, the vertically vibrating knotting hook D*
pivoted to the looper, the revolving cam Q and wrist pin m operating the looper
and knotting hook, and the gearing driving said cam, substantially as described
and shown.
14th. In knot tying mechanism for grain binders, the horizontal cord folder,
vertically oscillating looper, self adjusting cord folder E², constructed, combined,
and arranged for operation substantially as described and shown.
15th. In knot tying mechanism for grain binders, the rotating cutter and
holder M, the stationary cutter N2, the stationary guard O2 provided with a
yielding device to hold the cord against the rotating cutter, the segmental mitre
gear to operate the cutter, all constructed, combined, and arranged for operation
substantially as shown and described.
16th. In knot tying mechanism for grain binders, a revolving cutter provided
with four jaws and having each jaw roughened on the outside to hold the cord
without slipping, and with the inside edge made sharp to cut the cord during its
rotation in combination with a suitable stationary cutter N2, substantially as
shown and described.
17th. In knot tying mechanism for grain binders, the oscillating segment J³
having the pivoted and rigid jaws a, b, the revolving segmental disc I² operating
said oscillating segment, and spring c², for returning the segment and jaws,
combined and arranged for operation substantially as shown and described.
18th. The combination with the main frame A2 of the detachable top plate A³
supporting the finger E², substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)