IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPIKE THRESHING MACHINES, WHEREBY ALL LIABILITY TO AND DANGER OF ACCIDENT IN THEIR USE IS REMOVED AND PREVENTED
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Russell Palmer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st November 1853.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I, WILLIAM RUSSELL PALMER, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPIKE THRESHING
MACHINES, WHEREBY ALL LIABILITY TO AND DANGER OF ACCIDENT IN THEIR
USE IS REMOVED AND PREVENTED," to be as follows:-
It is a well known fact that in the use of those threshing machines
known as spike threshers, as they are commonly constructed, there is a
great liability to accidents, which are frequently attended with serious
and oftentimes with fatal results, and that these accidents generally
are caused by the bursting of the cylinder, or from the spikes being
thrown out of the cylinder by. the rapid revolution imparted to it;
and also, that stones and similar foreign substances are liable to be
carried into the machine along with the grain, from which the spikes
are often injured or broken, and the operator exposed to danger from
the discharge of any of such bodies.
1: .

page_text: The nature of my improvements consists in so constructing the cylinder
that it is rendered perfectly secure, as near as may be, against liability
of bursting; and in so inserting the spikes in it that they will not be
thrown out by centrifugal force; and in so constructing the feed board
or hopper that all foreign substances which may be in the grain shall
be seperated therefrom, & discharged from the machine without being
carried into it; and in placing a guard or roller before the cylinder which
shall prevent any foreign bodies from being drawn or carried into the
thresher, and at the same time intercept the spikes.or.any_other_matters
when thrown forward by means of the revolutions of the cylinder.
To prevent the bursting of the cylinder I construct it of heavy thick
hard wood staves, and, in addition to the iron covering which completely
covers it, I have three strong iron-bands encircling it, one band at
either end, & the third at the middle, so that no required velocity will
cause it to fly asunder. In ordinary spike machines the staves are
lighter, and there is no guard against bursting, except a mere sheet
iron wrapper which covers the cylinder. In my.thresher I also have
the spikes penetrate the cylinder to a greater depth than in ordinary
machines, and I also insert them with a-heavy deep cut screw, so that
it is scarcely possible for them to be dislodged.
To prevent stones or any foreign substances which may by chance be
in the grain from passing into the machine, and injuring or spoiling the
same, I construct the feed board or hopper with an opening or aperture
in it in front of the cylinder through which any foreign substances will
naturally pass, and be carried away from the machine & not be drawn
into it. The natural effect of the guard or roller hereafter referred to,
and which is placed nearly over such aperture, is also to seperate any
such substances from the grain, and cause them to pass through the
aperture in the feed board.
In front of the cylinder, and above the aperture just spoken of,
J place a protective roller, the gudgeons of which rest & revolve on'
helical springs, which allow the roller to be elevated to accomodate
itself to the quantity of feed, but not sufficiently far to admit the] passage.
of anything but the grain. The great object of this roller is to prevent
the hands and arms or limbs of the operator from being drawn into the

page_text: machine, and thus render more safe and secure the use of these kinds
of threshers.
I also increase, in about the proportion of one half, the number of
spikes in the cylinder and concave, & give them a greater length, so
that the capacity of the machine is increased; and I also make the
shape of the spikes such that the grain while being threshed is not
broken or injured, and its germinating principle thereby destroyed.