Improvements in Reaping Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reaping Machines.
I PHILIP PIERCE of Mill Road Iron Works, Wexford, Ireland Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The arrangement for raising and lowering the cutting apparatus is constructed as
follows:-
In
The gearing is entirely enclosed in a box casting so as to prevent the entry of dust
and dirt a lid being provided for oiling the interior parts and for inserting the gear.
From one side of the box projects a boss through which the first motion shaft passes
and on which revolves an axle plate carrying the main axle the said axle plate
being secured to the side of the box by clips or otherwise but so as to permit the axle
plate to turn freely. The lifting and lowering of the cutting apparatus is effected by the
partial revolution of the axle plate on the aforesaid boss. Motion is communicated to .
the second motion shaft by a pinion on the latter from an internally toothed box
shaped wheelrim which is connected to the road wheel by pawl and ratchet gear.
order to control the action of the rakes I use the ordinary switch which in its normal
position has the roller of the rake passing over its outer surface so as to lift the rake
clear of the cut crop on the platform. In connection with this switch I employ a
toothed sector capable of oscillating on a fulcrum pin which latter is provided with a
controlling stop to limit the amount of oscillation or stroke of the sector wheel, the
said stop being actuated by a lever within convenient reach of the driver. The sector
has two rows of teeth. The inner row is acted upon by a pawl lever which is mounted
on an eccentric or crank the latter being rotated from any convenient part of the
gearing and making one revolution for each rake arm passing the switch. The outer
row of teeth engages with a pawl which works in a guide on a thimble the purpose of
which thimble is by means of a spring to keep the switch in its normal or closed
position, the said thimble being mounted on the pivot on which the switch hinges.
The rear end of this outer row has a large tooth or stop which impinges on a lug or
part of the thimble and opens the switch for the passage of the rake roller when the
rake is to sweep the platform. The action of the pawl lever on the inner row of teeth
can be neutralized by a lever under the control of the drivers foot and which puts the
pawl out of gear with the row of teeth so that the sector may by a spring be brought
back to its normal or adjusted position. The frequency with which the switch is
automatically opened for the passage of the rake roller along the inner surface of the
switch or in other words the frequency of the raking operations to be made depends
upon the number of sector teeth with which the pawl lever is made to engage before
the last or stop tooth of the sector is reached and caused to impinge upon the lug of
the thimble, hence by adjusting the sector so that the pawl will engage first with any
given tooth the frequency of the raking operations can be regulated as desired.
But this action would not be perfect were it not for the circumstance that the pawl.
in the thimble lug when the lug is acted upon by the sector stop tooth is carried out
of reach of the outer row of teeth and is held in that position while the switch.
remains open during the passage of the rake roller past the inner surface of the
switch the sector in the meantime being free to assume its normal or adjusted
position.
Dated this 19th day of February 1889
PHILIP PIERCE.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reaping Machines.
I, PHILIP PIERCE of Mill Road, Iron Works Wexford, Ireland Engineer 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 consists in improvements in the mechanism for controlling the action
of the rakes of Self Delivery reaping machines whereby the rollers of the rakes are
caused to run either on the outer surface of the "Switch" or behind it as desired.
The invention will be understood by reference to Figure 1 which is a side
elevation of the framing of a reaper provided with my improved construction of
controlling device Figures 2 and 3 are side and end elevations respectively of same
and Figures 4 and 5 are plans of same.
The gearing is entirely enclosed in a box N much in the usual manner so as to
prevent the entry of dust and dirt a lid being provided for oiling the interior parts
and for inserting the gear which is or may be of usual form.
A is the ordinary switch which in Figure 1. is shewn in its closed or normal position
and in this position the roller of rake passes over its outer surface so as to lift the
rake clear of the cut crop on the platform. The object of the controlling device is to
automatically open the switch A and permit the rake roller to pass behind it allowing
the rake to sweep the platform as is well understood.
In connection with the switch A I employ a toothed sector B which is capable of
oscillating on a fulcrum pin C. This latter is mounted in a bracket attached to the
framing of machine and is provided with a controlling stop Dagainst which a part D₁
of the sector B is capable of being constantly pressed by means of a coil spring E
which is especially shown in Figure 3. The stop D serves to limit the oscillation of
the sector wheel B and causes it by the will of the attendant to assume certain
positions by the partial revolution of the fulcrum pin C the latter being provided
with a handle C Figure 1 within convenient reach of the attendant for the purpose
aforesaid. The sector B has two rows of teeth. The inner row is acted upon by
the pawl lever F which is mounted on eccentric wheel G or crank the latter being
rotated from any convenient part of the gearing such for instance as the inclined shaft II
and the bevil wheels H¹ H2 and G¹ and makes a revolution for each rake arm passing
the switch. The outer row of teeth engages with a pawl or dropper latch T which
works in a guide
on a thimble J. The thimble J keeps the switch A in its closed or
normal position by means of a coil spring J' the said thimble J being mounted on a
pivot on which the switch A hinges and which may form part of the switch. The
rear end of this outer row of teeth on the sector B has a large tooth or stop K which
can impinge on a lug or part J2 of the thimble J as shown in Figure 4 and when
the sector B is advanced opens the switch A for the passage of the rake roller behind
it when the rake is to sweep the platform. Referring to figures 1 and 2 it will be seen
that the tooth M¹ of the pawl lever F and the tooth of the dropper latch I are engaged
respectively with the second tooth of each row of teeth of the sector B and if the
wheel G be turned one half revolution the pawl lever F will cause the sector B to
advance one tooth and the dropper latch I will engage the first tooth of outer row
and hold the sector B in this new position whilst the pawl lever F by another half
revolution of the wheel G will engage the first tooth of the inner row. If now the
wheel G makes another half revolution the sector B advances and the projection K
impinges on part 2 of the thimble J causing the switch A to open and allow the rake
- to sweep the platform at the same time the thimble J has also swivelled with the pivot
of switch A carrying with it the dropper latch I clear of the outer row of teeth as
shewn in Figure 5, the,,sector B being at the same time released from the dropper
latch I and is free to assume its adjusted position against the stop D. The rake roller
meanwhile keeps the switch A open and consequently the thimble J swivelled and the
latch I free of the sector. This action is shown by the dotted lines in figure 2 where
the stop D is so adjusted as to permit of the sector B being advanced five teeth before

page_text: the operation of opening the switch takes place. Under the pawl lever F is a stud M
fixed in a lever L, the latter being pivotted at L' to the framing of the machine. As
the wheel G revolves. the pawl lever F retreats and the middle portion of the latter
rests on the stud M. causing the point or tooth M' of the lever to be lifted clear
of the inner row of teeth each time including the time whilst the switch A is open and
the dropper latch I is swivelled clear of the outer row of teeth of sector B thus
allowing the sector B to assume its adjusted position against the stop D. The action
of the pawl lever on the inner row of teeth can be neutralized by the following means.
The outer end I of the lever L is by a rod L³ connected to a treadle within reach of
the driver's or attendant's foot. When the end L2 of the lever L is raised the stud M
lifts the pawl lever F out of gear with the toothed sector B so that the sector may, by
the spring E, be brought back to its normal or adjusted position. The frequency
with which the switch A is automatically opened for the passage of the rake roller
behind it or along the inner surface of the switch or in other words the frequency of
the raking operations or sweeping of the platform depends upon the number of teeth
of the sector wheel B with which the pawl lever F is made to engage before the stop
tooth K reaches and is caused to impinge upon, the lug J of the thimble J hence by
adjusting the stop D, and therefore the sector B, so that the pawl lever F will engage
first with any given tooth the frequency of tho raking operations can be regulated as
desired. But this action would not be perfect were it not for the circumstance that
the pawl in the thimble lug, when the lug is acted upon by the sector stop tooth K, is
carried out of reach of the outer row of teeth and is held in that position while the
switch remains open during the passage of the rake roller past the inner surface of the
switch, the sector in the meantime,being free to assume its normal or adjusted position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
First. In a rake controlling mechanism the dropper latch I working in a guide
thimble J or its equivalent and acting substantially in the manner set forth.
Second. In a rake controlling mechanism the dropper latch I working in a guide
thimble J or its equivalent in combination with the toothed sector B substantially as
set forth.
Third. In a rake controlling mechanism the dropper latch I working in a guide
thimble J or its equivalent in combination with the pawl lever F and sector B
substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The construction of automatic rake controlling mechanism for reaping
machines as shewn and described.
Datad this 10th day of
1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.