MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHAFF CUTTERS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander McGregor at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1879.
ALEXANDER MCGREGOR, of Leigh, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHAFF CUTTERS."
"IMPROVE-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of chaff cutting
machines, and relates, firstly, to certain modifications in the construction and
arrangement of the gearing so as to regulate the speed of the feed rollers, and
thereby cut differtent lengths; and also for stopping and reversing the feed motion.
On the fly wheel shaft I mount a double bevel pinion, the one part gearing into
a large bevel wheel, and the other part gearing into a small bevel wheel placed
within the large wheel. On the back of the large bevel wheel is cast a long boss
forming the bearing of the wheel, and having clutch teeth at its outer end.
Through the centre of this boss on the large bevel wheel is carried a shaft on
which the small bevel wheel is keyed, or otherwise securely attached. Near the
other end of this shaft is secured a set of clutch teeth facing those on the boss at
the back of the large bevel wheel. Between these two sets of clutch teeth is placed
a sliding spur pinion (free to revolve on the shaft) with corresponding clutch teeth
to gear into either the clutch teeth on the back of the large bevel wheel, or those
secured near the end of the small bevel wheel shaft. When the clutch teeth on the
sliding spur pinion are in gear with the clutch teeth on the back of the large bevel
wheel the latter drives the sliding spur pinion and gives a slow speed to the feed
rollers; but when the sliding pinion is shifted so as to gear into the clutch teeth
which are secured to the small bevel wheel shaft, the small bevel wheel is the driver
and gives the quick speed to the feed rollers.
When it is required to cut more than two lengths I place a double sliding pinion
on the small bevel wheel shaft, that is, a pinion having two sets of spur teeth of
different diameters, and by arranging a double sliding spur wheel to gear into either
one or the other set of teeth on the sliding pinion, two more speeds may be given
to the feed rollers enabling the machine to cut four different lengths of chaff
without change wheels.
I am aware that an arrangement of bevel wheels somewhat similar to those
described in the preceding has been previously used, but in that case the spur
pinion has been fixed to the shaft carrying the small bevel wheel and the shaft has
been made to slide endways, thereby drawing the bevel teeth into or out of gear
with its pinion.
In the new arrangement the improvement consists in so arranging the wheels and
clutches that the shaft shall not slide, and the bevel wheel shall not be drawn out
of gear with its pinion, the spur pinion only sliding on the shaft.

page_text: The double bevel pinion on the fly wheel shaft may be secured to the same, but
in the case of the larger machines where a reverse motion is required, the double
bevel pinion is allowed to revolve on the shaft and be driven by a sliding clutch.
In this latter case an additional single bevel pinion is placed on the fly wheel shaft
gearing into one of the bevel wheels at the opposite end of the sliding clutch, and
by moving this clutch it can be made to drive either the double bevel pinion and
give the forward motion to the feed rollers or the single bevel pinion, and give the
backward or reverse motion to the feed rollers.
In order to actuate the sliding pinion for altering the length of cut or the clutch
for reversing the motion of the rollers, I mount the fork or lever for actuating the
latter on a hollow tube carried in bearings under the feed.box, and I pass the rod
for sliding the spur pinion through this hollow tube. A hand lever on the other
end of the hollow tube enables the attendant to partially rotate the same in its
bearings and to move the reversing clutch on the fly wheel shaft, and another lever
jointed to the hand lever or other convenient position, and taking hold of the end
of the rod which passes through the hollow tube enables it to be slidden endways
in the hollow tube, and consequently slide the pinion or pinions for altering the
length of cut.
As a modification of this part of my Invention and as an improvement on a
Patent granted to Follows, Bates, and Edwards, A.D. 1872, No. 2949, I dispense
with the upper part of the hand lever previously described and only carry up the
lever which takes hold of the rod for sliding the spur pinion, and by moving this
lever backward or forward the hollow tube is made to partially rotate, and the
reverse clutch is actuated; whereas by moving the same lever longitudinally, the
rod slides within the hollow tube and actuates the sliding pinion for altering the
length of cut:
For actuating the sliding pinion on the small hand power chaff cutting machine,
I sometimes make use of a lever directly over or adjoining the clutch.
In order to retain it in the desired position I place a hollow handle around the
outer extremity of the lever having a catch which shall fit into notches on some
fixed portion of the frame. Inside this handle and around the extremity of the
lever is placed a spiral spring which presses the handle along the lever sufficiently
to retain the catch in the notch required.
This latter part of the Invention is also applicable for securing the lever used for
adjusting the rollers of oil cake breakers.
Another part of my Invention relates to machines having springs (in place of
weights) acting upon the rising and falling mouth piece by which the pressure on
the straw or other material to be cut is equalized, and is as follows:-
In order the more effectually to guide the top roller and mouth piece in rising
and falling, I cast or otherwise secure to the upper side of the rising mouth piece a
vertical pin or pins, so placed as to pass into a tubular boss or bosses formed in a
cross head attached to the top of the side plates. This boss or bosses may either
have a hole formed at the top, or have a washer or washers placed inside through
which the pin or pins pass, and which serves to guide the mouth piece and roller
vertically when rising and falling. Around the pin or pins and inside the tubular
boss or bosses, I place a spiral or helical spring (or springs) which give the necessary
downward pressure to the rising mouth piece and roller. In order to adjust the
pressure of the springs the cross head is attached to the top of the side plates by
means of adjustable bolts or set screws by which it can easily be raised or lowered,
and thus give more or less pressure as the nature of the material to be operated on
may require.