IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING MECHANISM CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE AS AN ATTACHMENT TO A REAPING MACHINE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford,
Agricultural Engineer, and Edward Tenney Bousfield, of the same Place,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING
MECHANISM CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE AS AN ATTACHMENT TO A
REAPING MACHINE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard and Edward
Tenney Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
10th March 1881.
JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Agricultural Engineer,
and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same Place, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SHEAF-BINDING MECHANISM CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE AS AN ATTACHMENT
TO A REAPING MACHINE."
Our Invention relates to improvements in mechanism for binding sheaves of
corn or grain with bands of string or other like material.
The said improvements, though chiefly designed to be employed in place of the
corresponding parts of the binding mechanism described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to us February 24th, A.D. 1880, No. 821, may be
advantageously applied or adapted to other harvesting machines.
The first part of our present Invention has for one of its objects novel mechanism
for imparting an intermittent reciprocating movement to the table carrying the
binder-arm with its adjuncts, and also for producing the intermittent action of the
binder-arm; instead of the crank and pitch-chain devices described in the
Specification of said former Letters Patent, we accomplish the object with greater
smoothness and accuracy than heretofore by jointing or pivotting to the table of
the binder-arm a continuous rack of a triangular form having freedom to vibrate
on its pivot. The said rack is moved to and fro by a pinion mounted on a rotating
shaft, which is fitted in suitable bearings below the part of the frame on which the
said table slides. The said pinion is preferably formed with a flange on one side
to assist in guiding the said rack. The effect of this pinion is to slide the table

page_text: and binder-arm to and fro, and to allow the proper rest or pause at one end of its
course or traverse for the descent of the binder-arm to gather the sheaf, and at the
other end of its course for the ascent of the said arm to release the sheaf.
The second part of our Invention comprises an improved knotter or knotting
device, constructed and operating as follows, that is to say :-We construct the
same with a revolving tube, an internal longitudinally-sliding hook which need not
revolve, and an external longitudinally-sliding string-retaining or catching device
arranged in a suitable bearing at one side of the said tube; and revolving with the
same. This device carries round the cord to form the loop, and when the loop is
formed the internal hook receives the cord, draws it through the loop, and thereby
completes the formation of the knot. On the opposite side of the tube is an angular
or bevelled piece which serves as a string-guide, and which slides in the tube and
revolves with it and directs the string or band into the said retaining device. As
an equivalent for or modification of the said outer sliding device we may use a
claw moving upon a pin, whereby it is jointed or pivotted to the said tube or a
piece connected therewith.
We may also modify this device by combining with the said inner hook an
outer hook fixed on a tube through which the said inner hook slides, which tube is
fitted to slide in and rotate with the bush or outer tube of the knotter; the said
bush is provided with a projection which pushes the loop from the end of the tube.
Or we may use in combination with the said inner sliding hook a stop or finger
placed on the outer tube or part of the knotter and projecting from the end of the
same, and provide the inner tube with an excentric or with means for giving it an
excentric movement within the said outer tube, the string being thereby held
between the said inner tube and stop during the forming of the loop.
cord;
Our Invention also comprises an improved cord griper and cutter which has a
shearing action. We mount a pair of griping jaws on a movable bracket, which is
held in the position farthest from the knotter by a coil spring, and which is drawn
towards the aforesaid knotter as the tube thereof in its revolution takes up the
this movement towards the knotter may be assisted by a cam or lever.
We may embody this part of our Invention in the following form, that is to
sayOne griping jaw may be on the upper end of a lever between plates, fixed
on a bracket to which the said lever is pivotted, one of which plates forms the other
griping jaw. The lower end of this lever is properly formed and arranged to be
actuated by a fixed stop during the to-and-fro movements of the aforesaid table.
The fixed jaw may have a sharp edge and form the knife for severing the string or
cord.
The rotation of the knotter-tube and the movements of the parts in connection
therewith, and also the movements of the cord-cutter and griper are preferably
obtained by means of gearing operated by the table carrying the binder-arm.
In order to obtain the required variable tension of the cord during the binding
of each sheaf, we provide a device which we term a friction cord-holder or brake,
which comes into action as the binder-arm descends to form and collect the sheaf,
and releases the cord at the proper time to permit the binder-arm to rise freely.
This device is mounted in a frame on a bracket of the binder-arm with which it is
carried to and fro during the operation of the machine.

page_text: with a flange on one side to assist in guiding the said rack.
This pinion
turns continuously in the direction of the arrow 1, and its effect upon the
rack e is as follows, that is to say:-The binder-arm having descended to the
position shown in Figure 3, and the rack being in the position shewn in Figure 4,
the rack and table will be moved in the direction of the arrow 2 till the part e³ of
the rack is engaged with the pinion. The said rack is then moved downward on
its pivot, causing the binder-arm to rise till the top side of the rack is in a
horizontal position; the said rack is then moved in the direction opposite to that
indicated by the arrow 2 till the curved portion e* of the rack is engaged by the
said pinion; the rack is then raised (causing the binder-arm to descend), the parts
being thus again brought into the position shewn in Figure 4.
The effect of this movement of the rack is to slide the table and the binder-
arm c and its adjuncts to and fro, and to allow the required rest or pause thereof
at one end of the table's course or traverse for the descent of the said binder-arın
and the compressor d to gather and compress the sheaf, and at the other end of its
course for the ascent of the said arm to release the sheaf. The said rack e imparts
movement to the binder-arm c through the medium of the connecting rod e², which
is secured at its upper end to a crank c¹ fixed on the shaft c* of the said binder-
arm. To impart the desired motion to the compressor from the rack e a link or
connecting rod is secured by one of its ends to the crank c'; and at its other
end is connected with a crank d² on the shaft d* of the said compressor.
The second part of our Invention relates to improvements in knot-tying
mechanism, and is embodied in the following novel devices, combined and operating
as hereinafter described, viz. :-A revolving tube g, an internal longitudinally-
sliding hook h which need not revolve, and an external longitudinally-sliding
string-retaining or catching device i arranged at one side of the said tube, and
adapted to revolve therewith. These devices are supported in a suitable block b³
attached to the table 6 and move backward and forward with the same.
To impart the necessary longitudinal movements to the hook h and the string-
retaining device i, we attach to the frame a a cam-way j having a series of
inclined or cam grooves in which rollers k, l, on the ends of levers k, l, travel.
The lever forms part of, or is attached to, a rock-shaft supported in suitable
bearings, and provided at its upper end with a lever ; a pin in the end of this
lever enters a slot h¹ in the rear extremity of the sliding hook h. By the action
of the cam-surfaces ¹, j, j³, upon the roller k¹ of the lever k, the said hook his
alternately moved to and fro longitudinally within the tube g during the movements
of the table b and the binder-arm as hereinafter described.
The lever forms part of or is attached to a rock-shaft 12, which is also supported
in suitable bearings, and is provided at its upper end with a lever 18 whose outer
extremity is forked and embraces the rear end 2* of the sleeve ¹; this sleeve
forms part of or has attached to it the string-retaining device i, and surrounds the
longitudinally sliding hook h, as shewn most clearly in Figure 8. By the action
of the cam-surfaces 14, 15, upon the roller of the lever the lever ³ is caused to
impart a longitudinal movement to the sleeve i¹ and the string-retaining device i
during the return movement (that is to say, the movement away from the grain
elevators) of the table and binder-arm as bereinafter described..
To impart rotary motion to the said device i during the return movement of
the table b and the binder-arm c we form on or attach to the rear end of the
tube g a toothed pinion g¹ which gears with a wheel m¹ upon one end of a shaft m
supported in suitable bearings on the table b. At the rear end of this shaft m is
another toothed wheel m² which engages with a fixed rack a' on the frame a. In
order however to prevent the rotary movement of the tube g and the string-
retaining device i during the advancing movement of the table and binder-arm
towards the grain elevators, we provide, adjacent to the gear-wheel m¹ which is
.loose upon its shaft m, a box m³; this box is attached to the said shaft, and is
provided with a spring-pawl or equivalent device which is adapted to engage with
a projection or stud on the wheel m¹ during the retrograde movement of the said

page_text: table, and thereby effect the rotation of the said wheel and the tube and string
retaining device. This pawl however in the advancing movement of the said table
has no effect upon the wheel m¹ which therefore remains idle. To further ensure
the immovability of this wheel during such advance of the table 6 we pivot to the
front portion of the said table an arm or lever m* provided with a notch which
engages with a pin or stud m* on the face of the said wheel. This lever is drawn
into engagement with the said stud by the spring m³, attached at one end to the
said lever and at the other end to an arm projecting from the lever l. By thus
attaching the said spring to both levers m and it serves not only to effect the
engagement of the lever m* with the pin m* as above described, but also to draw
the outer end of the lever / forward and prevent its entering the inclined portion j³
of the cam-groove during the advancing movement of the table b, that is to say,
the movement of the table towards the grain elevators.
The roller will therefore, during the advance movement of the table b, be
caused to traverse the outer straight side jo of the cam-way j. In order however
to cause the said roller to traverse the cam-surfaces j, j, during the return move-
ment of the said table I provide the spring-switch 7, which, as the table approaches
its most forward position, is forced back by the roller l' and immediately returns
to the position shewn in Figure 1 so as to change the direction of the roller during
the return of the said table.
At a² the teeth of the rack a¹ are cut away, as shewn in Figure 4, so that no
rotation will be imparted to the string-retaining device i, whilst the gear wheel m²
is passing over this cut away portion of the rack in the retrograde movement of the
table band binder-arm just prior to the cutting off of the string and the discharge
of the bound sheaf from the machine.
We will now proceed to describe our improved cord or string griper and cutter,
which is shewn most clearly in Figures 9, 10, 10ª, and which is constructed as follows,
that is to say-Upon one end of a lever n fulcrummed at n* between two plates
o, p, we form a griping arm or jaw n', which, when moved into the position shewn
in Figure 10 and in thick dotted lines in Figure 9, will gripe the end of the string
or cord lying in the notch p' between its lower surface and the upper surface o¹ of
the plate or stationary jaw o. The other end of the said lever n is T-shaped and
provided with rollers n², n³, which in the forward and backward movements of the
table band binder-arm come alternately into contact with the fixed parts or
stops q, q, attached to or forming part of the frame a. The plate o², which is
secured by bolts to the plate o, is provided with a knife-edge at o*, which serves to
sever the cord or string after the tying of the knot upon a sheaf, as hereinafter
described. This plate o² is formed with slots o³, through which the said bolts pass,
to permit it to be adjusted endwise, so that if one portion of its cutting edge
becomes blunt another portion of the same may be brought into the proper position
for severing the cord or string.
r represents a hooked bar connected at one end to a link 8 pivotted at 8² to an arm
or bracket 6° projecting from the table b. The other end of this hooked bar is
connected to a levert pivotted at one extremity to the plate o, and provided at its
other extremity with a roller t2 adapted to come in contact with the surfaces
92, 93, 9, on pieces or brackets attached to the frame a.
u represents a spring which
tends to constantly move the hooked bar r in a contrary direction to the movement
imparted to it by the surfaces q², q³, acting on the roller t³.
The operation of our improved binding mechanism is as follows, that is to
say:
Assuming that the table b and the binder-arm c bave completed their backward
movement, and that the cord or string after a knot has been tied is severed, the end
of the string connected with the binder-arm will be found griped or clamped
between the lower surface of the arm or griper n¹ and the surface o' of the plate o,
and the roller t on the lever t will be in contact with the surface q³, so that the
hook ¹ of the bar ☞ will be in such a position that the string when carried up by

page_text: *
the binder-arm can freely pass over the same and into the notch p¹ in the plate p,
being guided by the curved piece p². Now as soon as the forward movement of
the table commences the binder-arm in rising carries the string past the hook t
and into the notch p¹, and in the further movement of the said table the roller t2
passes out of contact with the surface q² and is drawn into contact with the
surface q by the force of the spring u, so that the said hook is caused to engage the
string. As the table b continues to advance the string is drawn by the binder-arm
into contact with the surface 2 of the string-retaining device i of the knotter, and
the hook h is drawn back by the action of the part of the cam groove upon the
roller; the roller t has then left the surface 23 and permits the spring u to
actuate the hooked bar in such a manner as to draw the portion of the string
.between the said device i and the notch p¹ over the upper surface of the plate p.
The roller then passes into contact with the surface 94, and while it is moving
over this surface prevents the movement of the hooked bar r. Inmediately after
such contact the roller m² on one arm of the lever n abuts against the stop g', so
that in and by the continued movement of the table b the lever n is caused to turn
upon its fulcrum n* into the position shewn in Figures 1 and 5, so that the surface
of its arm or jaw n¹ (which immediately before this movement occupied the
position shewn in dotted lines at nº in Figure 9) will engage with the string
extending up through the notch p' in the plate p, and clamp the same between the
upper surface of the said arm n¹ and the lower surface of the plate p, see Figure 10,
thereby leaving the notch p¹ free to receive the string extending around the sheaf
and about to be carried down into the space between the knife and the arm n by
the binder-arm when the latter descends. The table then continues its forward
movement and the binder-arm descends and passes the string around the sheaf into
the notch p¹ and into contact with the surface 22 of the cord-retaining device i of
the knotter. The table has then completed its forward movement and commences
to return; the roller traverses the cam-surfaces j¹ and draws the said cord-
retaining device i backward so that the two portions of the string in contact with
the surface of the said device are engaged between the said surface and the hook
or tubular portion i³ of the said device. In the further rearward movement of the
table b the wheel m² gearing with the rack a¹ causes the device i through the
wheels m¹, gl, to rotate on its axis, so that a loop consisting of the two portions of
the string in the notch p' is formed around the tubular portion 3 of the said
device. At the same time the roller le comes in contact with the cam surfaces j³
and causes the hook to move forward into the slotted tubular portion of the
device, the said book being thus passed through the loop on the said tubular
portion. The roller ¹ then traverses the cam-surfaces j and draws the hook h
which has now engaged the two portions of the string extending down through the
notch p' through the loop surrounding the part.23 of the string-retaining device i.
At the same time the roller l'engages the cam-surfaces j5 and again forces the
device outward, thereby releasing the loop from the hollow part 3 of the same.
As the movement continues the roller t2 strikes the surface q³ and causes the
hooked bar to return to its original position, thereby disengaging and relieving
from tension the string previously held by the same, so as to facilitate the tying of
the knot; the roller n³ then comes in contact with the stop 9 and turns the lever n
on its fulcrum in such a manner that the end of the string previously held between
the upper surface of the jaw n¹ and the lower edge of the plate p is disengaged
therefrom, and the part of the string connected with the binder-arm is gripped
between the lower surface of the said jaw and the surface o¹ of the plate o (see
Figure 10a) in readiness for the binding of the next sheaf. At the same time that
the jaw n¹ moves to clamp by its lower face the string connected with the binder-
arm, as above described, it forces by its surface n the string passing upward and
around the sheaf into contact with the knife-edge o* and thereby severs the string.
The roller then engages with the cam-surfaces ¹ and forces forward the hook h
so as to release the knot and permit the bound sheaf to be discharged. The binder-

page_text: arm, which has remained in the position shewn in Figure 3 during the return
movement of the table, then rises and the above described operations are repeated
during the working of the machine.
In order to obtain the required variable tension of the string or cord during the
binding of each sheaf we provide a device which we term a friction cord, or string
holder, or brake, and which consists of a spring rod or bar v, around which the
cord or string is wound or twisted, as shewn in Figure 11.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and shown how the same may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, we wish it understood
that we claim in and forming part of our improved sheaf-binding mechanism,―
First. The endless vibrating rack operated by a toothed wheel or pinion in such
a manner as to impart the required movements to the binder-arm and table (or to
the binder-arm when a fixed table is used) for the purposes specified.
Second. The knotting or knot-tying mechanism, consisting of the outer sliding
and rotating tubular hook or cord-retaining device and the inner sliding hook,
combined and operating to tie the knots in the cord or string as and for the purpose
above set forth.
Third. The string griping and cutting device, consisting of the movable jaw
arranged between two fixed plates or jaws (one of which forms or is furnished with
a cutting edge) and fixed on a lever which is controlled and actuated by means of
fixed surfaces or stops, or otherwise, in such a manner that the said device operates
in combination with the hooked bar (or other means for pulling back the string)
to grip, release, and cut the string or cord, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. The combination of the said knotting mechanism and string griping
and cutting devices with the binder-arm, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Fifth. The combination of the binder-arm and table operated by means of the
aforesaid endless rack and pinion (with or without the above described tension
device), and the knot-tying and cord griping and cutting devices actuated by the
means herein described, or by other suitable means, in such a manner that all of
the parts of the mechanism co-operate in the formation and binding of the sheaves
or bundles in the manner above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, for myself and on behalf of the
said Edward Tenney Bousfield, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
JAMES HOWARD. (L.S.)