IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hall, junior, of Montrose, in the County
of Forfar, North Britain, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REAPING MACHINES."
Sealed the 13th December 1859, and dated the 29th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hall, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
June 1859.
I, GEORGE HALL, junior, of Montrose, in the County of Forfar, North
Britain, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction
of machinery or apparatus for cutting or reaping corn, and other cereal or
vegetable crops.
Under one arrangement the machine consists of two open side frames arranged
parallel to each, and connected at the back part of the machine by a trans-
verse bar or rail. The side frames descend in an angular direction towards the
ground, at the front part where they are connected by a transverse bar or rail
which serves to support the series of stationary projecting fingers, against

page_text: which the reciprocating blades act. The right hand side frame is made with
an overhanging part, in which is disposed the main driving wheel, the axle of
which is fitted in bearings carried in the side frame and its connected over-
hanging part, the opposite or left-hand bearing wheel is much smaller in
diameter, and no part of the mechanism is connected with it. The main driving
wheel is made with a bevil wheel on its outer face, the teeth of this wheel gear
with a pinion, the spindle of which lies parallel to the side frame. The spindle
of the pinion is connected by a coupling to a short crank shaft arranged in an
angular or downwardly directed position. The crank pin is fitted with an
antifriction pulley, and works in a slotted slide that traverses to and fro in a
guide made for the purpose on the front bar of the framing. The upper end
of the slide has an eye formed in it, and it slides on a transverse rod fitted in up-
rights of the side frame and the overhanging part. The sliding piece is attached
to the cutter bar which moves to and fro in slots made in the stationary
projecting fingers. The cutter bar is made with the usual large serrated
cutting edges, which move in contact with the edges of the stationary
fingers. The crank which actuates the sliding piece and cutter bar is made
long enough to move the cutter across two of the stationary fingers, that is
to say, at each traverse of the cutter bar each tooth of the bar is moved
across two of the fingers, thus effecting two cuts with each movement.
The coupling on the crank shaft is connected to a lover handle projecting
above the side frame, by means of which the cutter bar is easily and in-
stantly thrown out of gear when required. On the axle of the main driving
wheel is a pulley having pius projecting radially from its periphery, these pins
take into eyelot holes made in an endless leather band, by means of which the
gathering reel is driven. The transverse shaft of the reel is carried in adjust-
able elongating rods, one of which is fitted on the axle of the driving wheel,
and the other on a laterally projecting stud carried in a bracket pendant from
the opposite side frame. The shaft of the reel has fast to it a spiked pulley
corresponding to the one on the axle of the driving wheel, the reel is driven by
the chain or perforated belt passing round the upper pulley. The reel is made
with six radial arms connected by transverse vanes, two of the radial arms aro
arranged twice the distance asunder of the rest, so that a pause takes place in
the gathering action of the reel once during each revolution, the apron or plat-
form on which the cut crop is gathered by the reel is made to deliver tho crop
in quantities ready for binding up into sheaves. The platform is hung so as
to oscillate upon a diagonally arranged supporting shaft, it is kept in its angular
or normal position by a blade spring arranged beneath. At the front part of
the platform is fixed an upright carrying antifriction pulley, and on the axle

page_text: of the driving wheel is a tappet, which at each rotation strikes the pulley and
tilts the platform, the inversion causing the cut crop to be deposited on the
ground in the rear of the machine, and so far from the uncut crop as will
allow the machine to pass, and so cut the whole field before any of it is lifted,
if thought advisable.
The gathering reel is fitted with a ratchet wheel and pawl arrangement, by
means of which it may be raised or lowered to suit the height of the crop.
The front part of the machine rests upon a guiding wheel, the axle of which is
carried in a forked bracket-piece pendant from the overhanging part of the
side frame. This guiding wheel is provided with an adjusting screw, so that
the height of the front part of the machine from the ground may be regulated
as required.