IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING MACHINES
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Bernhard Samuelson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd August
1861. Partly a communication from abroad by Owen Dorsey, of
Matthew's Store, Howard County, Maryland, in the United States of
America.
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I, BERNHARD SAMUELSON, of Banbury, in the County of Oxford, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HARVESTING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to those harvesting machines in which the grain or
grass, after having been severed by cutters which breast the crop, is intended
to be removed out of the track by mechanical means, and, firstly, in those
cases in which the cut grain or grass is allowed to fall on the ground or on a
fixed platform, in this case I place an upright shaft so that the step which
carries it shall be in a line or thereabouts with the cutters on one side of them.
This shaft I cause to revolve by means of any ordinary mechanical arrange-
ment deriving its first motion from a propelling wheel in contact with the
ground; attached to this upright shaft, and revolving with it, I place arms
furnished with rakes or sweepers; around or partially around this upright
shaft, but not revolving with it, I place one or more guides, so shaped that by
the contact therewith of the arms carrying the rakes or sweepers, these latter
may be made to rise & fall as well as to revolve, thus enabling them to enter
the uncut crop at the proper inclination to lay it upon the platform or the
ground behind the cutters to sweep the cut crop to one side, and to release
themselves from it at the proper time. In many cases it is desirable that the
rakes or sweepers should not all travel in the same path, for instance, one or

page_text: more may simply bring the crop towards the cutters, but not remove it after it
has fallen on the ground or platform. I effect this by so shaping the arms
which carry some of the rakes or sweepers or by attaching such projections to
them that some may be guided in one path and others in another in contact
with one or more of the guides. The arms may either be made in rigid and
opposite couples, or each arm may be connected only to the upright shaft, so
as not to be controlled by any other arm, or some of the arms may be in
couples, and the others separate. I prefer to fix a guard rail on the rakes or
sweepers, so shaped that any portion of the cut crop falling on it shall tend to
slide off. When a platform is used, it should be made of a quadrant shape,
with an upright fence to prevent the cut crop from being forced off at any
other part except that where the rakes or sweepers are intended to force it off
I prefer that the platform should extend somewhat beyond this fence, as I
find that where this is not the case the crop is apt to be raked off in a
straggling manner.
And, secondly, in those cases in which the cut grain or grass is allowed
to fall on a travelling platform consisting of endless belts or similar con-
trivances, which carry the cut crop to one side, and deposit it. When this
mode of delivery is adopted, I place any convenient seat, saddle, or stand in
advance, and on one side of the cutters, and at right angles or at a less angle
with them, so that a person occupying it may be well placed for guiding or
forcing the uncut crop by a rake, fork, or paddle towards the cutters and on
to the travelling platform, leaving the removal of the crop after it is cut to be
effected by such platform; such seat, saddle, or stand has nothing in common
with the usual driver's seat, which has always been placed directly facing the
horses, & consequently in an inconvenient position for the purpose of this
Invention.
And, with further reference to the first part of my Invention, I prefer
that the raking motion be taken from a spur wheel on the same shaft as the
propelling wheel of which I have spoken; also, that the rakes or sweepers be
so shaped that one or both of the ends thereof shall approach the cutters in
advance of the centres of such rakes or sweepers.