Improvements in Harvesting Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Harvesting Machines.
I, GERARD BEEKMAN 5 East 34th Street, New York City, New York, U.S.A.,
Gentleman, 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 harvesting machines to be operated over the ground
for reaping grain or mowing grass, by the continuous rotation of a rotary cutter.
Rotary cutters as constructed heretofore in harvesting machines have been
dependent for their action on having the grain fed to them by moans of stationary
inclined fingers forming throats between them wherein the grain stalks are designed
to be gathered and sheared off, but such machines have offored the objection of
crowding and choking when the grain is densely gathered at the throat of the
stationary feeding device, and moreover requiring considerable unnecessary power
to shear the stalks in such large masses at a time by the revolution of the cutters
which operate in the throats of said feeder.
My present invention is designed to obviate the difficulties thus raised, and to
provide a rotary cutter which, having a series of knives is adapted both to feed
the grain atalks laterally from the back of cach kuife into the cutting edge of each
adjacent knifo, and also to sever the grain or grass, dispensing thereby with the
use of stationary feeding fingers and gathering the stalks by a moving feeder
comprising the knife itself, avoiding the objection aforesaid of choking. The
resistance or power required to operate the cutter is thereby materially reduced as
compared with those used heretofore, and the rotary knives serving themselves as
guards, the usual finger bar is dispensed with, and the weight of the mechanism
reduced to the minimum, while the advantageous principle of continuous rotary
motion in proference to reciprocating motion, as in other well known forms of
outters wherein the inertia of the cutter bar has to be overcome at each reversal
of the reciprocating stroke, is utilized in a practical and offectual as well as
simple form.
To the above cuds, my invention consists in a rotary cutter for harvesting
machines, provided with a series of cutters upon a single shaft, having the novel
characteristics hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.
I illustrate berein two species of my invention; one wherein the cutting edge of
each rotary knife is constructed so as to describe when it rotates, a conical or other
taporing figure; while in the other species, the cutting edge of each rotary knife
is constructed so as to describe when it rotates, a cylindrical figure. The first
named species together with various minor modifications is illustrated in Figures 1
to 14 inclusive, and the second species named is illustrated together with various
minor modifications in Figures 15 to 25 inclusive of the aunexed eight sheets of
drawings.
Referring to the drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate
corresponding parts:
Figuro 1, is a plan view showing several of the knives of the series comprising
a rotary cutter of the first species herein described; the mechanism being partly
removed.
Figure 2, is an end view in section of Figure 1.
Figure 3, is a front view of the cutter in Figure 1, showing it partially, as
approaching the observer, indicating its operation on the grain stalks.
Figure 4, is a cross section, showing one of the knives in Figure 3, in detail.
Figure 5, is a side view of one of the rotary knives so constructed that its
cutting edge shall describe a cone shaped figure when it rotates.

page_text: Figure 6, is a side view of one of the stationary knives upon which the rotary
knives of the character shown in Figure 5, act.
Figure 7, is a side view of one of the rotary knives modified so that its cutting
edge shall describe a figure of convex tapering form, and
Figure 8, similarly illustrates a further modification wherein the cutting edge of
the knife is adapted to describe when it rotates, a figure of concave tapering form.
Figure 9, is a plan view partly removed, illustrating a modification of the
tapering cutter adapted to cut downward on its advancing side instead of upward,
as in the preceding figures.
Figure 10, is an end view in section of Figure 9 showing the cutter as applied
to cutting grass growing in mass, which it is preferable to sever near the ground.
Figure 11, is a cross section of one of the rotary knives taken on the line --x,
of Figure 10.
Figure 12, is a side view of one of the cone shaped knives separated.
Figure 13, is a cross sectional view of the cutter illustrating the further feature
of applying a shield above the rotary knife; and
Figure 14, a perspective view showing partially the back of the shield the same
being detached.
Figure 15, is a front elevation showing the second species herein described of
my improved cutter, wherein the cutter is adapted to cut downward on its
advancing side.
Figure 16, is an end view in section of Figure 15.
Figuro 17, is a longitudinal section showing two of the cutters as cut in the
plane y-y, Figure 16.
Figure 18, is a front elevation showing the character of cutter shown in
Figure 15, modified to cut upward on its advancing side; and
Figure 19, a cross section of Figure 18.
Figures 20, 21 and 22, are enlarged detail views showing some of the cutters in
Figure 15, illustrating their operation on the grain stalk at different periods of
rotation.
Figure 23, is a side view showing a modification in the character of cutter shown
in Figure 15.
Figure 24, an end view of Figure 23; and
Figure 25, a longitudinal section of Figure 24 taken on the lino 2—2.
Referring to Figures 1 to 14, inclusive, A represents the outside shoe of B
suitable frame of the machine for moving the cutter over the ground. E, is the
rotary shaft, bearing the revolving cutters B, said shaft having suitable bearings,
one of which, F, is illustrated. The knives B, form scythe like hooks, having
belical cutting edges a, (see Figs. 2, 5, 10 and 12) on their inner sides.
D is a non-rotary bar, bearing stationary knives C. The stationary knives C,
have cutting edges 6, (seo Figures 2, 6, 10) that lie in the path of the orbit
described by the edges a of the rotary cutters b.
In order to attain conformity between the shearing edges of the rotary cutters
and the stationary knives, the latter are located so as to occupy a position within
the surface of an imaginary cone, or other round tapering figure, described by the
revolution of the said rotary cutters. Within a conic or equivalent figure
described by the rotary knife, various forms of cutting edges may be devised upon
both the rotary and stationary knives; and I do not limit my invention to the
specific forms illustrated. The contour of the rotary cutter, as viewed in tho
direction of the axis upon which it rotates, and also the contour of the orbit
described by such cutter as viewed perpendicularly to said axis, may be greatly
varied. For instance, the cutting edge of the rotary cutter may extend radially
from the centro to the periphery that is to say, so as to lie within a plane
including the axis of rotation of the cutter. The contour of the stationary
knives C, may also be varied within the surface of the conic or imaginary figure
within which it lies.
The rotary knife B, may, for instance, be constructed to lie within the surface of

page_text: a conic figure, as in Figure 5, of the drawings, or a hemisphere, as in Figure 7,
which may be regarded as tapering from the larger diameter at the outer edge of
the cutter, toward the axis upon which said cutter revolves; or the rotary knife
may be constructed to lie within the surface of a concave tapering figure, as in
Figure 8.
The stationary cutting knife C, as shown in Figure 6, is construated within the
surface of the cone, or other figure, described by the rotary cutter B. The same
characteristic applies to the stationary knife shown in Figure 2.
I prefer to construct the rotary cutter as herein illustrated, with a helical cutting
edge lying in the surface of a cone, or substantially equivalent figure, in order to
acquiro thereby means of feeding the grain laterally from the back of one rotary
cutter into the extremity or hook of a successive rotary cutter as indicated in regard
to direction by the arrows d, in Figures 1 and 9.
The outer extremities, or points, of the rotary cutters B, form hooks, which
gather the grain and hold it in suitable position for cutting, as hereinafter more
fully described. The rotary cutters B, may be composed of a double sickle, ns
illustrated in Figures 1 to 13, inclusive, or of a single one.
The rotary cutters B, are preferably arranged in spiral succession along the
shaft E, sọ that each cutting may occur in rhythmical order as the shaft revolves
and distribute the resistance of mowing as equally as possible throughout the
entire revolution of the shaft, thus reducing the power required. The knives B,
are all interchangeable, each one being a duplicate of the other, and are
assembled together upon the shaft E, and afterwards secured thereon by any
auitable means. Various devices may be employed to secure the rotary cutters
in the described successive relation. In Figures 1, and 2, a spiral feather J, is
shown, which fits into a spiral keyway, a part of which is contained in the bub
of each knife B, in a given relation to the blades thereof, thus establishing,
when the several knives are assembled together upon the shaft E, the relative
succession of position aforesaid. In Figures 3, and 4, the hubs of the cutters B,
are shown with the modification of radial corrugations upon their adjacent faces,
which fit together and interlock when the cutters are assembled together upon
the shaft E, and may, while the cutters are being assembled, be so interlooked
as to produce the spirally successive positions of the knives. In Figures 9,
and 10, the shaft E, is illustrated as constructed of polygonal form, while the
holes in the hubs of the cutters B, are of corresponding form, adapted to be
placed at successive angles in a similar manner, as aforesaid.
The stationary knives C, are also inter-changeable, and are assembled together
on the bar D, being spaced according to their respective hubs, so as to correspond
with the distance between the rotary knives B. It will be observed that by means
of the foregoing construction any of the knives B, or C, when injured or worn out,
may be conveniently replaced by new ones without requiring an entirely new series
of cutters.
In order to protect the oporator from injury in the event of falling upon the
knives, or for purposes of other protection, a suitable shield, as indicated in
Figures 13, and 14, may be provided. When the shield described is provided,
the grain is permitted to enter between the cutters B, as far as necessary for
purposes of operation. The shield may be secured in any suitable manner, one
convenient means for securing it, as illustrated in Figures 13, and 14, consisting in
the perforated lugs h, adapted to be attached to the bar D, by their insertion
> between the hubs of the knives C.
In the operation of the mechanism shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the shaft E,
rotates so that the cutters B, move upward on their advancing sides, as indicated,
while the machine progresses over the ground in the direction also indicated.
The conic surfaces of the series of rotary cutters B, act as feeders, which enter
the grain stalks on the principle of a wedge, so as to divide the grain and
direct it laterally with reference to the motion of the harvester over the ground,
so that the grain stalk may move over the surface of each cone, B, toward the

page_text: base of the next cone B, in the manner represented in Figure 8. Thus the
upper parts of the grain stalks are caused to enter into the openings of the cutters B,
in front of the edges of the stationary knives C, within the path of the cutting
edges a, of the rotary cutters B, so as to be severed when the latter sliear
upon said kuives C. The rotary cutters B, thereby perform the double function
of dividing or feeding the grain, and of severing the grain fed to them.
In Figures 9, and 10, the rotation of the cutters B, is reversed to that shown
and described in reference to the preceding figures; the said cutters B, cutting
downward on their advancing sides, so as to sever the grain by shearing against
the stationary knives C, beneath. The operation, in Figures 9, and 10, is in
other respects substantially similar to that hereinhefore described.
The helical cutting edges a, of the rotary cutters B, also assist as spiral feeders
in performing the dividing and feeding function of the cones.
The spiral succession in the relative arrangement of the rotary cutters upon the
shaft E, affords a further advantage in that the hooks of the kuives successively
arrive at their positions for seizing the grain in consecutive order, corresponding to
the direction in which the grain is laterally fed.
I prefer to construct the knife edge a, as in Figures and 10, with a curvature
which is gradual at the extremity of the cutter, and of diminishing radius toward
the hilt v. The differences in radial distances from the centre of the shaft E, at
which the intersection of the cutters B, and stationary knives C, inay occur, and
the consequent variations of the leverago in the shearing operation, are thereby
compensated for by the angular variation of the cutting edge a, so as to equalize
the resistance of severing grain at all points of rotation.
The direction of rotation given to the cutters B, in Figure 10, possesses the
advantage, that when the said cutters come in contact with the ground, or with
obstacles thereon, the said cutters will assist the progress of the machine by their
rolling motion.
In either the construction of Figure 2, or Figure 10, the stationary knives C,
serve as shoes, which rest upon the ground, and principally support the cutting
apparatus. It will be observed that the lower edges of sail knives C, are con-
tinuously straight from the hub to the forward extremity thereof, so as to glide
easily over the ground. This feature also appears in Figure 6.
The rotary cutters B, should be made of sufficient strength to resist the ordinary
concussion when encountering obstacles, and may, therefore, serve as guards,
.requiring no finger bar, or other stationary fender in front of them.
Referring now to Figures 15 to 25, inclusive, the rotary cutters B, are composed
of spiral fingers, arranged in series, projected from a common horizontal axis of
rotation, consisting in the shaft E. The outward or cutting portions of the
fingers B, describe, when they revolve, a cylindrical figure, in lieu of a conic or
tapering figure, such as herein before described. The spiral fingers B, act both as
feeders and cutters when they revolvo, and may be used either with the stationary
shearing kuife C, as in Figures 15 to 22 inclusive, or without such stationary
knife, as in Figures 23, 24 and 25; high speed of revolution being depended on in
the latter case to sever the grain. When used in conjunction with the stationary
knife C, the fingers B, may be constructed in the form of cutters, or may be
provided with blunt acting surfaces, serving merely to thrust the grain against the
stationary cutter and sever it theroby.
In Figure 15, A, A, represent the inside and outside shoes, which connected
together by the stationary knife C, compose the supporting frame of the cutter,
which is designed to be attached to a suitable carriage of a reaping or mowing
machine. The fingers B, project outward, and spirally towards the direction of
rotation about the shaft E, and said fingers are supported on respective hubs assembled
together on the shaft E, in a manner corresponding to that described with reforcuce
to the preceding figures, and also susceptible of similar means of relative adjust-
ment, as heroinbefore described, in order to locate the fingers relatively to one
another in spiral or rhythmical succession to one another along and about the

page_text: shaft E, so as to distribute the resistance of cutting. Specifically, the fingers B,
as illustrated in Figure 15, have their hubs assembled together on the axial rode,
provided at either end with screw-threaded nuts d', serving both to clamp the hubs
of said fingers together, and also serving as journals upon which the cutter is
rotated in the bearing A.
Each finger B, is composed at its base (Figure 20) of any suitable or con-
venient form curvature, and from the said base to the extremity i, each finger
lies spirally within the surface of an imaginary cylindur, the surface of which is
indicated by dotted lines in Figures 16, and 19. The base g, of each finger is
preferably inclined, as indicated, so as to form, in co-operation with the spiral
portion, i, an inclined feeder, for pushing the grain laterally into the hook formed
by the next finger preparatory to cutting when the said grain is between the
spiral sovering part g, i, of the finger B, and the rectilinear knife C. The
extremity.i, of each finger is located so as to over-reach or over-lap in the length
of the shaft, the initial point or base g, of the next successive finger following
on that side of the shaft; as will be observed in Figures 15, 18, 21 and 22.
It is preferable to employ two series of fingers B, on opposite sides of the
shaft E, as illustrated in the several figures, arranged in such mauner that they are
disposed in reverse spiral directions on the imaginary cylinder described by their
revolution; or, in other words, so that the edges g, i, if continued upon said cylinder,
would form crossed spiral lines intersecting one another at opposite angles. It
will be observed, however, that all of the fingers B, are constricted individually
alike, and may be inter-changed for purposes of repair.
It will be obvious that the edge of the stationary knife C, may be modified by
providing the same with serrated or toothed, or otherwise angular or curved
contour if so desired, in lieu of the rectilinear edge illustrated.
In Figures 15, 16, 20, 21 and 22, the knife C, is located beneath the rotary
fingers B, approximate to the ground, and the said fingers rotate downward on
their advancing sides when in operation. In Figures 18, and 19, the knife C, is
located above the rotary fingers B, which fingers, therefore, revolve upward on
their advancing sides when in operation. In the latter instance, the fraine A, A,
knife C, and shaft E, are supported upon rollers K, as illustrated in Figures 18,
and 19.
As seen in Figure 17, the cross-sectional form of the spiral part of the fingers B,
is such as to present a V-shaped acting edge, which may be more or less acute,
so as to effectually sever the grain upon the knife C; otherwise the acting part of
the fingers B, may be provided with a knife edge, as indicated in Figures 23, 24
and 25; and in such case the said fingers practically compose revolving scythes,
and, when arranged in series, upon a horizontal shaft, corresponding to the manner
shown in Figure 15, the rotary fingers B, which act themselves as cutters, may be
used to cut the grain without the co-operation of any stationary knife, such as C.
The fingers B, should in any event be made sufficiently strong to act ne guards,
and avoid breakage in case of contact, or collision with stones, or other obstacles
in the field.
The operation of my invention, as illustrated in Figures 15 to 25, inclusive, is as
follows: When the fingers B, enter the grain, as in Figure 20, they feed the
stalks Interally toward the right, as viewed in said figure, and when the fingers B,
have advanced a quarter part of a revolution, as in Figure 21, the said stalks will
have been moved to the angular position therein indicated. The said stalk, after
its passage over the entire length of the inclined surface of the finger 13, which
feeds it, will, owing to the extreme distance of the base of said stalk from the
extremity, of the next finger sncceeding, clear the point of the latter, and pass
uncut for a finger on the opposite side of the shaft to seize at a later period in the
rotation of the device, in the manner illustrated in Figure 22. As illustrated in
Figure 22, the finger B', which has advanced from the opposite side of the shaft,
ns aforesaid, which in its rotation has passed the upper part of the stalk in its

page_text: inclined position, will engago substantially at a right angle to the inclined base of
said stalk, and the severance of the stalk is thereby insured.
The operation is similarly repeated in reverse lateral directions of thrust, as each
series of fingers on the opposite sides of the shaft sweep downward in rotation on
the side of the shaft E, advancing toward the grain. In regard to Figures 18,
and 19, the cutting operation varies somewhat from that of the foregoing descrip-
tion; the grain being seized and swayed laterally, is caught at a distance above
the base of the stalk, and is pushed by each spiral fingor into the hook formed
by the next adjacent finger on the same side of the shaft, which, when it
reaches the knife C, at once severs the grain. The stalks shown in Figure 18, are
represented in successive positions, produced by the operation of the fingers B,
thus described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invon-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A cutting apparatus for harvesting machines, embodying a series of rotary
cutters, arranged upon a horizontal shaft, cach cutter adapted both to feed the
standing grain or grass Intorally into the path of the cutting edge of a next
adjacent cutter, and also to cut the grain fed into the path of its own cutting edge
by another adjacent cutter.
2. In a harvesting machine, a cutting apparatus consisting in a series of conic
shells, divided in their surfaces to form cutters, located along a substantially
horizontal axis, the apex of each conic shell lying within the base of an adjoining
conic shell, so as to feed the stalks laterally, from one shell to another, into the
rotary path of each cutting edge when advancing through the grain, substantially
as herein set forth, with reference to Figures 1, to 13, inclusive, of the annexed
drawings.
3. In a harvesting machine, a rotary sickle, moving on a substantially horizontal
axis, provided with hooked knives to seize the grain, and means for feeding the
grain laterally into said hooks when they advance in the manner herein described.
4. In a harvesting machine, a continuously rotating cutter, composed of a series
of knives on a common axis, having their cutting edges constructed in the form of
conic spirals forming gathering hooks for the grain.
5. In a harvesting machine, a rotary cutter provided with a helical cutting odge
lying in the surface of a cone, or other round tapering figure; the part of the
cutting edge which leads in the direction of rotation being projected at the
greatest radius of said figure, and retiring toward the center, substantially as
hereinbefore shown and described with reference to Figures 2 and 10 of the annexed
drawings.
6. In a harvesting machine, a continuously rotating cutter, composed of a series
of knives adjacently located upon a common shaft, the surfaces of said knives
forming portions of conic shells extending around the said shaft, or nearly so,
comprising feeders, which act continuously to feed the grain laterally, substantially
as hereinbofore set forth with reference to Figures 1 to 13 of the annexed
drawings.
7. In a harvesting machine, a continuously rotating cutter, composed of a series
of knives, on a common horizontal axis, having cutting edges lying in the surfaces
of cones, or other round tapering figures, the outer extremities of said knives over-
lapping the bases of adjacent knives, and projecting in the direction of rotation,
and in combination therewith stationary knives, having cutting edges corre-
sponding to the figures described by the rotation of the said rotary knives,
adapted, to, operate as hereinbefore set forth with reference to Figures 1 to 13 of
the annexed drawings.
8. The hereindescribed cutting apparatus for harvesting machines, consisting in
a series of spiral fingers, rotating on a horizontal axis, projecting in the direction

page_text: of rotation to form hooks, their cutting surfaces, or those which sever the grain,
describing a cylindrical path; each of said fingers adapted, when advancing through
the grain, in the manner set forth, to feed the same laterally into the path of the
cutting or severing part of a next adjacent finger, and also to cut or sever the grain
fed into the path of its own cutting or severing part by another adjacent finger,
substantially as set forth and illustrated with reference to Figure 15 to 25 of the
annexed drawings.
9. In a harvesting machine, the combination of a series of spiral fingers rotating
on a horizontal axis, projecting in the direction of rotation to form hooks, their
cutting surfaces, or those which operate to sever the grain, describing a cylindrical
path, and a stationary kuife, having its cutting edge coincident with the said
cylindrical path, as hereinbefore set forth with reference to Figures 15 to 22 of the
annexed drawings.
10. A cutting apparatus for harvesting machines, consisting in two series of
spiral fingers, which project in alternating directions of spiral inclination upon
opposite sides of a common axis of rotation, and form hooks adapted, when they
rotate, to feed the grain left uncut by one said series to be seized and cut by the
other said series, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 15
to 25 of the annexed drawings.
11. A cutting apparatus for harvesting machines, consisting in a series of spiral
fingers upon a common horizontal axis, projecting in the direction of rotation to
form hooks, their cutting or severing surfaces describing a cylindrical path; the
position of successive fingers along and about the shaft being arranged in a spiral
or rhythmical succession, substantially as herein set forth with reference to
Figures 15 and 18 of the annexed drawings.
12. A rotary cutter for harvesting machines, comprising a central hub and two
spiral sickles projecting on opposite sides and at opposite angles therefrom; said
cutter being adapted to be assembled with other similar cutters in series upon a
shaft, and to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 23, 24 and 25 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 31st day of January 1809
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.