CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Wardell, of Stanwick, in the County of York,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES."
Sealed the 29th September 1857, and dated the 1st April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Wardell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st April 1857.
I, ROBERT WARDELL, of Stanwick, in the County of York, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to that part of the platforms of reaping machines
commonly known and distinguished as the "side delivery," and are designed
for delivering the corn at right angles, or nearly so, to the knives of the
machine. These improvements are so arranged and contrived as to deliver
the corn either in "swathe" or in "sheaf," at the option of the farmer. The
following are the means by which I propose to effect these improvements.
The corn after it is cut is delivered on to a flattened conical-shaped endless
kind of belt or travelling cloth connected to the framework of the platform of
the machine, which has rotatory motion imparted thereto, and thus the corn is
drawn forwards, and is then caused to pass between a pair of rollers, which are
so placed as to raise the heads of the corn considerably out of an horizontal
line, thereby ensuring them falling properly upon the sheaf conductor or
endless belt of the ordinary kind which delivers the corn into a sheaf collector,
so formed as to hold the necessary quantity of corn to form a sheaf, and

page_text: provided with rotating prongs which lift the corn out once during each rotation
of the shaft on which said prongs are fixed, and thus conduct it to the
ground in sheaf. If it is desired to deliver the corn in "swathe," the last-
mentioned delivery belt may then be dispensed with and hopper-shaped pieces
of wood or other material substituted in lieu thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filod
by the said Robert Wardell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WARDELL, of Stanwick, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
-did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Wardell, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Wardell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Wardell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN REAPING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Robert Wardell, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Wardell, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvements relate to that part of the platforms of reaping machines
commonly known and distinguished as the "side delivery," and are designed
for delivering the corn at right angles or nearly so to the knives of the machine,
said improvements being so arranged and contrived as to deliver the corn

page_text: either in "swathe" or in "sheaf," at the option of the farmer. The following
are the means by which I propose to effect my said improvements. The coru
after it is cut is delivered on to a flattened conical-shaped endless belt or
travelling cloth connected to the framework of the platform of the machine,
which has rotatory motion imparted thereto, and thus the corn is drawn
forwards, and is then caused to pass between a pair of delivering rollers which
are so placed as to raise the heads of the corn considerably out of an hori-
zontal line, thereby ensuring them falling properly upon the sheaf conductor
or endless belt, which delivers the corn on to curved pieces of metal or prongs
constituting a sheaf collector, so formed as to hold the necessary quantity of
corn to form a sheaf. The aforesaid prongs are fixed on or in a shaft, which
is caused to rotate, thereby lifting the corn out once during each rotation of
the shaft on which said prongs are fixed, and thus conduct it to the ground in
"sheaf." If it is desired to deliver the corn in "swathe," the last-mentioned
delivery belt may then be dispensed with, and hopper-shaped pieces of wood.or
other material substituted in lieu thereof.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now.
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same-
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings.
hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked.
thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a reaping machine constructed according to
my said Invention; Fig. 2, an elevation of that side of the machine at which
the driving gear thereof is situated, as at A, Figure 1. Figure 3 is an end
view of the machine at B, Figure 1; Figures 4, 5, 6, exhibit detached parts
herein-after particularly described and referred to. At each of the foregoing
Figures, I employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts, in
so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures re-
spectively. At Figures 1, 2, 3, A, B, marks the main framing or framework of
the machine to which the following parts are connected and adjusted. The part
A contains the principal driving gear or wheelwork of the machine, and the
part B contains the endless conical-shaped belt C, the delivering rollers D, D¹,
and the swathe or sheaf delivery endless belt E; G, H, are running wheels
for supporting the weight of the fore part of the machine; I is a lever handle
working upon the axis of the wheel G, and connected by one end to the
casting a, and bar that carries the ordinary knives K, said lever being for the
purpose of lifting the knives any desired height from the surface of the land,

page_text: according as it is either light, heavy, or stoney. It will also be found advisable
to lift the other end of the knives, which may be effected by a screw or screws,
which when turned in one direction presses upon the axis of the wheel II, and
thereby raises the frame A and knife guide affixed thereto; L is a spur wheel,
and M, a stud or notch wheel, securely fixed upon the axis 6 of the wheel H;
the wheel L takes or gears into a pinion c, fixed on the spindle d; e is a clutch
sliding on a feather in the spindle d, and capable of being thrown in and out of
gear by the lever handle N; O is a bevil wheel, fixed on the spindle d, and
gearing into a bevil pinion f fixed on the shaft g upon the other end whereof the
crank h is fixed or formed, same being connected by a rod to the knife bar
for imparting reciprocating movement to the knives as commonly practised;
i is another spindle, on which are fixed the pulley k, stud wheel l, and bevil
wheel m; these wheels and pulley receive their rotatory movement from the
endless chain belt n, which passes around the stud wheels and M; and such
motion is imparted to the endless travelling cloth E, and delivering rollers
D, D', through the agency of the belt o, bevil pinion p, and toothed wheels q, q,
said wheels are fixed on rods r, r, which are connected by one end to the axes
of the rollers D, D', by universal joints as exhibited, the lowermost delivering
roller D, has a stud or notch wheel Q fixed thereon, around which passes an
endless chain belt s, which also passes around another smaller stud wheel t,
fixed on a long metal bush or collar ¹, fitting loosely upon the rod u, and by
these means the outer periphery 1 of the endless conical belt C is advanced.
I would here observe, that as in practice I have found it necessary to
impart separate movement to the inner periphery 2 of the aforesaid conical
belt, and this at a different speed to the outer periphery (which has to move
through more space in the same time), I effect the necessary variation of speed
by fixing a roller w upon the inner end of the rod u, and a pulley a upon
the outer end of said rod, and by means of an endless belt passing around the
pulleys x and y (this latter pulley being fixed to the wheel 2), I thus impart
rotatory motion to the rod u, and advance both ends or peripheries of the belt
C in a proper manner. 3, 3, are wooden rollers loose upon the rod u, for
guiding and supporting the belt C in its proper course; S, T, are other rods
(capable of revolving), suitably supported in holes in the curved bar at one
end, and at the other end by pieces of metal fixed to the curved part of the
framework A. The rod S has rollers 4, 4, placed loosely thereon, and held
equidistant from each other by any convenient means, and the rod T has also
loose rollers 5, 5, placed thereon, capable of revolving with the belt C; and to
ensure the advancing of the conical belt C, I form the rollers a, x', with flat
surfaces as at *, Figure 6, and to the leather part 6 of the belt C, I fix by

page_text: rivets or otherwise a series of flat or T-shaped pieces of metal or angle plates
7, side by side, throughout the entire length of the large end of the belt C.
Thus it will be seen, that as the rollers a, a, rotate, each separate piece of
metal 7 will bear upon the outer flat surfaces of the aforesaid rollers, and
thereby ensure the advancing of the belt; I also employ antifriction rollers 8
and 9 for supporting the said belt and for keeping the same from slipping
towards the smaller end of the cone. The roller is fixed upon the bush or
collar u', so as to revolve therewith, and the roller x, which should be of
similar shape and size to the former roller, may be loose upon the rod T.
Instead of the metal plates 7, lastly above described, a chain (not shown by
the Drawing) may be employed, same being connected to the edge of the
conical belt C. In this case the wheels a, a, instead of being formed with
flat surfaces, as above described, should be formed round, and have studs or
pins fixed therein taking into the links of the chain as it is advanced thereby.
It will also be desirable to employ the pulleys 8 and 9 for keeping the conical
belt C in its place, as before stated. U is a receptacle or sheaf collector,
having openings formed therein, through which a series of curved pieces of
metal or prongs V pass,
and lift or toss the corn out; said prongs are fixed by
one end upon a rod 10. This rod receives rotatory motion from an endless
band 11 passing around the pulleys 12, respectively fixed upon the rods 10 and
13, the endless band o imparting rotatory motion to the band 11 and prongs
U. The speed of the pulleys 11 and 13 and delivering belt E should be so
adjusted as to cause the quantity of corn necessary to make a sheaf of the
desired size to be deposited on the prongs U, and finally on to the ground, ready
to be gathered and bound up. When it is desired to deliver the corn or other
grain in "swathe," the prongs U should then be removed, the belt E then
depositing the corn on the ground as the machine advances; or, in lieu of the
aforesaid endless cloth E, hopper-shaped pieces of wood or delivering boards
W (exhibited by red lines at Figure 2), may be affixed in front of the deliver-
ing rollers D, D', so that as the corn, &c. passes between such said rollers it
falls upon the inclined pieces of wood W, and from thence on to the ground
at the side of the machine.
I would here remark, that an important feature in my said improvements
consists in arranging the axes or centres of motion of the delivering rollers
D, D', out of a vertical line, as at Figure 3, by which the heads of the corn,
&c. are kept well up whilst passing between said rollers, and are thus depo-
sited straight upon the belt E. Now, whereas the tendency of the hopper-
shaped pieces W is to lay the heads of the corn, &c. straight, I consider such
said pieces unnecessary to be used in conjunction with the delivering rollers

page_text: D, D', unless it is desired to deliver the corn direct from the said delivering
rollers, but such said pieces would be found an important adjunct to ordinary
reaping machines in which the heads of the corn, &c. become crossed during
the delivery thereof.
Another important feature in my said improvements consists in a novel and
improved contrivance for preventing hanging or lodging of the corn, &c.. at
that side of the machine next the standing corn, said contrivance being
designed to supersede the use of a screw, as practised in Burgess's reaping
machine, a machine well known by farmers.
The means by which I effect this part of my said improvements is as
follows: Instead of forming the outer curved side 21 of the machine closed
throughout its entire length, I leave an opening therein, as at *, Figure 1, and
bend or set one portion of said side inwards and the other outwards, as ex-
hibited, thus leaving a channel between such curved parts or opening. The
effect of this is as follows:-Suppose the corn, &c. to hang or lodge upon
the edge of the side, the standing corn as the machine advances will push the
aforesaid lodged corn off the side, and cause the same to fall in the channel *,
from whence it will be conducted by the conical belt C, along with the other
corn thereon, to the delivering rollers D, D', and in this manner and by these
means I prevent hanging or lodging of the corn, &c., as above stated.
Another part of my said improvements relates to the universal or following
wheels of reaping machines, and consists in making said wheels with a tail-
piece 15 which rests on the land, thereby guiding the machine in its proper
course, and preventing the wheel or wheels from twisting about from side
to side, an error common to the universal wheels of other reaping machines.
The tail-piece 15 is loosely attached to the framing of the machine by a chain,
as exhibited. I employ a reel 16 and dividing rods 17 of the ordinary kind,
and drive the said reel by a band 18 passing around pulleys 19 and 20
respectively fixed upon the axis of the wheel H and reel, as exhibited at
Figures 1 and 3.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention of "Certain Improvements in Reaping Machines," together with the
best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would remark, in conclusion, that I hereby declare my Invention to consist in,
and I claim,
First, the endless self-acting belt or rotating platform C, for leading the
corn, &c. from the knives after it has been cut thereby, and delivering the
same at the side of the machine at right angles to said knives, or nearly so, as
above stated.

page_text: Secondly, the delivering rollers D, D', for the purpose of keeping the heads
of the corn, &c. straight during the time they are being deposited either on the
belt E or on the ground, thereby delivering the corn, &c. in a more perfect
"swathe" than heretofore, as above stated.
. Thirdly, the endless travelling belt E, in combination with the rollers D, D',
for the purpose of delivering the corn, &c. at the side of the machine, either in
"swathe" or in "sheaf."
Fourthly, the delivery boards W, and the adaptation thereof to reaping
machines of the ordinary kind, for the purpose of gathering the heads of the
corn, &c. into a straight line as it leaves the platform of the machine, and
whilst in the act of falling on to the ground.
Fifthly, the sheaf collector U₁ and rotating prongs U, for the purpose
of lifting out of the said collector the desired quantity of corn, &c. to make a
sheaf, as above stated.
Sixthly, the opening at Figure 1, in combination with the conical belt C,
for the purpose of preventing hanging or lodging of the corn, &c. on the side of
the machine, as above stated.
Seventhly, the universal wheels exhibited at Figures 2 and 3, and especially
the tail-piece 15, for directing or guiding said wheels, as above stated.
Eighthly and lastly, I claim the general combination and arrangement of
the parts above claimed, with the wheelwork and other driving parts of the
machine exhibited by the Drawings, so as to constitute a self-acting side
delivery reaping machine capable of delivering the corn, &c. either in "swathe "
or in "sheaf," as above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Wardell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
BENJ BROWNE,
(Clerk to Messrs Prince & Co.),
4, Trafalgar Square.
ROBERT WARDELL. (L.S.)