Improvements in Hay Making Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hay Making Machines.
We WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON and WILLIAM MATHER both of Newark
upon Trent in the County of Nottingham Agricultural Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of our said invention to be as follows :-
Our invention relates to that class of hay machines in which the crop is turned ⚫
by forks to which a combined semi-rotary and oscillating motion is given by a
series of cranks actuated by the travelling wheels of the machine.
As hitherto constructed the motion given to the forks has been in vertical
planes parallel to the travelling wheels. Our invention consists in giving to the
forks a turning or twisting motion, in addition to the usual combined semi-rotary
and oscillating motion, so that they do not move in planes parallel to the travelling
wheels, but in curved or twisted orbits, thereby securing a better and more efficient
turning over of the crop.
In our first method of securing this object we joint the fork shaft to the
revolving crank pin by a universal joint, having a socket or bearing for the crank
pin at right angles to that for the fork shaft; so that whilst the crank pin revolves
and gives motion to the forks in a plane parallel with the travelling wheels, the
fork shaft may be partly revolved in its own bearing at right angles to the plane
of motion derived from the crank pin. To effect this latter or twisting motion,
the upper part of the fork shaft above the crank pin bearing is made of a square
or other prismatic section, and slides in a rocking guide attached, by trunnions
parallel to the crank shaft, to a convenient part of the machine frame. The upper
part of the square end of the fork shaft is made helical or twisted where it passes
through the guide, so that as it is raised up and down by the crank pin it receives
an additional twisting motion at right angles to the travelling wheels.
The helical part of the fork shaft may extend for the whole or part way of the
traverse given it through the guide by the crank pin, according to how much
turning or twisting motion is required to be given to the fork heads; and instead
of being square or prismatic in section it may be circular having a helical key way
to fit a similar key in the guide.
A second method of effecting the same object is to make the crank pins inclined
at an angle to, and not parallel with the crank shaft.
The crank pin bearing is made with a flat surface plate carrying a pivot pin on
the front side. The fork shaft is provided with a similar flat surface plate to that
on the crank pin bearing and is pivotted to it by its pin at right angles to the
crank piu..
The upper end of the fork shaft is guided by a radius bar hinged at one end to
a convenient part of the machine frame and at the other end attached to the top
of the fork shaft with a universal joint, to allow for the twisting motion given by
the action of the inclined crank pin.
A third method consists of giving motion to the fork shaft by a crank pin
provided with an universal joint, similar to that described in the first part of our
invention, and guiding the upper end of the fork shaft with a similar radius bar
and universal joint as described in the second part of our invention. A second
radius bar has one end hinged to a short arm standing out from the fork shaft and
the other end hinged to a convenient part of the machine frame but placed
eccentrically to the attachment of the upper guiding radius bar. The effect of this
arrangement is that whilst the crank pin revolves, and gives motion to the forks in
a plane parallel to the travelling wheels the fork shaft is, by the action of the

page_text: second radius bar, turned in its own bearing at right angles to the plane of motion
derived from the crank pin.
A1 1800
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.Ć., Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hay Making Machines.
We, WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON, and WILLIAM MATHER, both of
Newark-upon-Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Our invention relates to that class of hay machines in which the crop is turned
by forks to which a combined semi rotary and oscillating motion is given by a
series of cranks-actuated by the travelling wheels of the machine.
As hitherto constructed the motion given to the forks has been in vertical
planes parallel to the travelling wheels. Our invention consists in giving to the
forks a turning or twisting motion in addition to the usual combined semi rotary
and oscillating motion, so that they do not move in planes parallel to the travelling
wheels but in curved or twisted orbits, thereby securing a better and more efficient
turning over of the crop.
In the accompanying 2 sheets of drawings Figs. 1 and 2 of Sheet 1, represent
in side and end elevation respectively so much of a hay machine as is necessary to
show the first part of our invention. We joint the fork shaft 1 to the revolving
crank pin 2. by a universal joint 3, having a socket for the crank pin at right
angles to that for the fork shaft 1; so that whilst the crank pin 2 revolves and
gives motion to the forks 1 in a plane parallel to the travelling wheels, the fork
shaft 1 may be partly revolved in its own bearing 3 at right angles to the plane of
motion derived from the crank pin 2.
To effect this latter or twisting motion the upper part 4 of the fork shaft, above
the crank pin bearing, is made of a square or other prismatic section, and slides in
a rocking guide nut 5 attached by trunnions 6, parallel to the crank shaft, to a
convenient part of the machine frame 7. The upper part of the square end 4 of
the fork shaft 1 is made helical or twisted where it passes through the guide
nut 5, so that as it is raised up and down by the crank pin 2 it receives an
additional twisting motion at right angles to the travelling wheels.
The helical part 4 of the fork shaft 1 may extend for the whole or a part way
of the traverse given it through the guide nut 5 by the crank pin 2, according to
how much turning or twisting motion is required to be given to the fork heads, and
instead of being square or prismatic in section it may be circular, having a helical
key way to fit a similar key in the guide nut.
A second method of effecting the same object, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 Sheet 1,
is to make the crank pin 2 inclined at an angle to and not parallel with the crank
shaft and shown in detail in Fig. 4. The crank pin bearing 3 is made with a flat
surface plate carrying a pivot pin 4 on the front side. The fork shaft 1 is provided
with a similar flat plate 5 to that on the crank pin bearing and is pivoted to it by
its pin 4 at right angles to the crank pin 2. The upper end of the fork shaft 1
is guided by a radius bar 6 hinged at one end to a convenient part of the machine
frame 7, and at the other end attached to the top of the fork shaft 1, with a
universal joint to allow for the twisting motion given by the action of the inclined
crank pin.
consists
A third method of effecting the same object, shown in Fig. 5 Sheet
of giving motion to the fork shaft 1, by a crank pin provided with a universal
joint 3, similar to that described in the first part..of our invention, and in guiding

page_text: the upper end of the fork shaft 1 with a similar radius bar 4 and universal joint 5.
as described in the second part of our invention. A second radius bar 6 has one
end hinged by means of a "Hookes joint" to a short arm or lever 7 standing
out from the fork shaft 1, and the other end pivoted to a convenient part of the
machine frame 8, but placed eccentrically to the attachment of the upper guiding
radius bar 4.
The effect of this arrangement is that whilst the crank pin 2 revolves and gives
motion to the forks 1 in a plane parallel to the travelling wheels the fork shaft 1
is, by the action of the second radius bar 6 on the lever or arm 7, turned
in its own bearing 3, at right angles to the plane of motion derived from the
crank pin.
Fig. 6 Sheet 2 shows a modification of the third part of our invention, in which
the universal joint at the upper part of the fork shaft 1, is dispensed with, and for
it is substituted a short arm or lever 5 of equal length and placed opposite to the
arm or lever 7. Both the arms or levers 5 and 7 are connected with "Hookes
joint" to the radius bars 4 and 6 respectively, and the latter are pivoted to convenient
parts of the machine frame at 8 and 9 respectively. The relative positions of the
centres 8 and 9 of the radius bars 4 and 6 are so arranged, that as the crank pin 2
revolves and gives motion to the fork shaft 1 in a plane parallel to the travelling
wheels, the combined action of the radius bars 4 and 6 on the arms or levers 5
and 7, cause the fork shaft 1 to partly rotate in its socket 3, and at the same time
guide it in a plane at right angles to the crank pin 2.
Having thus described our invention and the means of carrying the same into
effect, we do not confine ourselves to the precise details or methods shown and
described, but what we claim is :-
1. Making the upper part of the fork shaft 1 of a helical shape 4, in combi-.
nation with its rocking guide nut 5 and universal joint 3, substantially as shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, and for the purposes set forth and described.
2. The use and application of cranks whose pins are set at an angle to and are
not parallel with the crank shaft in combination with the flat surfaces 3 and 5.
and the connecting bolt 4, substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and for the
purposes set forth and described.
3. The use and application of the arms or levers 5 and 7 with radius rods 4
and 6 in combination with the universal joint 3 on the fork shaft 1 substantially as.
shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and for the purposes set forth and described.
4. The use and application of the universal joint 3 on the crank pin 2 for carrying-
the fork shaft 1, substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6, and for the purposes.
set forth and described.
Dated 1 Nobes 1900
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent..