IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING AND OTHER PARTS OF REAPING MACHINES"
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest George Cook Bomford, of Fladbury, near
Pershore, in the County of Worcester, Farmer, and Henry James Hogg
.
King of Newmarket, in the County of Gloucester. Engineer for an Invention
of
IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING AND OTHER PARTS OF REAPING
MACHINES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest George Cook
Bomford and Henry James Hogg King at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 15th January 1881.
ERNEST GEORGE COOK BOMFORD, of Fladbury, near Pershore, in the County of
Worcester, Farmer, and HENRY JAMES HOGG KING, of Newmarket, in the County
of Gloucester, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING AND OTHER PARTS
OF REAPING MACHINES."
This Invention has for one of its objects to apply improved parts in connection with
sheaf-binding apparatus of reaping machines, for regulating the binding operations
so as to render the successive sheaves more nearly alike than as hitherto made.
Another object is to provide means to work in conjunction with the ordinary
sweeping and tilting rakes for gathering the successive portions of crop to one side
of the platform. The Invention also comprises other details.
In carrying out the present Invention it is preferred to use sheaf-binding
mechanism of the kind described or referred to in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to Philip Charles Evans, Philip James Evans, and Henry James
Hogg King (the last named being one of the present applicants) and dated
27 December, 1878 (No. 5297). The present improvements or some of them are
however also applicable with other kinds of reaping machinery.
In some modifications the sheaf-binding mechanism is driven by means of a shaft
which receives its motion through a combination of three bevil wheels known as
a jack-in-the-box motion, or through a combination of internally toothed spur
wheels and differential planetary pinions, in either of which combinations one
wheel runs loosely when the motion is not being transmitted, and causes the
transmission on being arrested by a catch which engages with teeth on the wheel
or on a wheel fixed thereto. Any other suitable engaging and disengaging

page_text: mechanism may be used, the catch or engaging lever being weighted or acted on
by a spring so as to tend to assume the position in which it does not cause the
driving of the binding mechanism. Within the hopper into which the crop is
delivered in order to be bound there are fixed on a transverse horizontal spindle a
number of curved rods upon which the crop falls. The spindle has also fixed on it
so as to project to the opposite side from the rods a lever on which a weight is
adjustably fixed. The weight is adjusted to correspond to the weight of sheaf
desired to be made, and when the quantity of crop received in the hopper and
upon the rods attains the desired weight it causes the rods to descend a short
distance, and then a projection on one of the rods or on a separate rod fixed
on their spindle acts on the catch or engaging lever and causes the binding
mechanism to commence working. On the completion of the binding operation a
cam lifts the catch or moves the engaging lever so as to stop the binding
mechanism.
The curved rods on the spindle herein before described form a weighing scale,
and such scale may be modified in various ways, and a spring may be substituted
for the weight if a weight is found to be undesirably affected by the motion of the
machine. The bottom and side of the hopper may be used as the weighing scale,
and may be connected to parallel levers, so that the leverage will not be affected by
the position of the crop on the scale, nor by the horizontal movement of the
machine. The weighing scale or surface may consist of a series of cords or bands,
or of a cloth stretched horizontally or nearly so, and fixed at one side to the
framing whilst connected at the other side to a spring or springs. The spring or
springs will also be connected to the catch or engaging lever for starting the
binding mechanism so that as the increasing weight of the crop causes an
increasing elongation or straining of the spring or springs the catch or lever will
be acted on when the desired weight has been reached.
The weighing scale or board, hopper, or equivalent on which the quantity of
crop for a sheaf is received may be arranged to automatically adjust the position
at which the binding string or material is applied. For this purpose the scale is
set on centres so as to tip when one end (the rear end, for example,) is the heavier;
and this tipping movement allows a continually reciprocating pawl to act on a
rack which shifts the binding mechanism in the right direction. Or two separate
movable parts connected to opposite ends of a lever may be arranged on the
weighing scale or on the binder table, so as to be acted on by parts of the sheaf
near each end.
In another modification of apparatus for regulating the quantity of crop to form
a sheaf the crop descends between the inner inclined side of the hopper of the
binding apparatus and one or more rods fixed to a horizontal spindle above. On
the same spindle there is also fixed a lever which acts on the catch or engaging
lever of the binding mechanism whenever the quantity of crop received into the
hopper is sufficient to move the rods to a certain position. Instead of the rods
and spindle a cord or chain passing over a guide pulley may be used, the crop
falling between the side of the hopper and such cord or chain, and drawing it as
the quantity increases.
In the earlier Specification herein before referred to arrangements are described
for regulating the size of the sheaves by means of reversed cone pulleys and an
adjustable belt. By the present Invention it is proposed to cause the requisite
shifting of the belt by parts acted on by the binding string or material, so that
when a large sheaf causes more string to be used the belt will be shifted in a
Or the
manner to increase the speed of the binding mechanism, or vice versa.
position of the belt may be made dependent on the weighing apparatus, or on the
rods, cords, or chains acted on by the crop entering the hopper, as hereinbefore
described, or on the spring used with a compressing cord or strap, as hereinafter
described.
For the purpose of compressing the portion of crop that is being formed into a
sheaf there is by this Invention provided a curved arm, having a strong cord of

page_text: strap attached to its outer end, the other end of the cord being led round a pulley
on the needle bar and up to a spring. When the needle bar descends the cord is
drawn tightly round the sheaf, but when the tying is completed the arm moves
out of the way to allow the sheaf to be discharged.
In carrying out the part of the Invention relating to the apparatus which rakes
the crop from the cutters round upon the platform to the side in some kinds of
reaping machines, the prongs upon the bars of the sweeping and tilting rakes are
made movable to admit of the crop being moved along the bars, or, in other words,
across the platform, so as to be gathered to one side by the time each rake bar
reaches the end of its travel. The prongs may be jointed so that they can fold out
of the way when the crop is pushed laterally against them; or they may consist of
star-like wheels set on centres, on which they can turn to allow the crop to pass;
or, again, the prongs of each rake may be upon an endless band passing round
pulleys at the outer and inner ends of the bar. With any such arrangement of the
rake prongs there is provided for each rake a supplementary light rake or set of
rake prongs or rods, which is carried in connection with the shaft of the main
rakes, and is worked by means of a rack and pinion and other gearing so as to
move the crop across the platform in the desired manner. Or when the main rake
prongs are upon endless bands these bands or their carrying pulleys are acted upon
to make the prongs projecting down from the low side of each band move from the
outer to the inner end of the rake bar whilst the rake is moving over the platform.
The necessary motion may be obtained in various ways, as, for example, by
causing a pinion carried by the rake bar to run on a rack fixed in a suitable position
on the framing of the machine. In a similar way when the rake prongs are like
star wheels they may be turned by suitable gearing acting on a fixed rack or
otherwise, and be thereby made to move the crop across the platform in the desired
manner.
In machines in which a transversely moving endless apron is used for carrying
the portions of crop to the side of the machine a movable platform is by this
Invention introdnced between such apron and the cutter bar. This platform is
hinged at its front edge, and it assumes an inclined position with its back edge
raised, excepting when one of the rakes passes round, and then it is lowered. so
that the crop gathered on it whilst it was raised can be swept from it upon the
apron. The object of this arrangement is to separate from each other the portions
of crop for forming successive sheaves. The platform may be extended more or
less over the apron, the part so extending being made to fold or slide under the
forward part whilst a portion of crop being transferred to the apron.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest George Cook Bomford and Henry James Hogg King in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th July 1881.
ERNEST GEORGE COOK BOMFORD, of Fladbury, near Pershore, in the County of
Worcester, Farmer, and HENRY JAMES HOGG KING, of Newmarket, in the County
of Gloucester, Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING AND OTHER PARTS
OF REAPING MACHINES."
Our said Invention has for one of its objects to apply improved parts in
connection with sheaf-binding apparatus of reaping machines, for regulating the
binding operations so as to render the successive sheaves more nearly alike than as
hitherto made. Another object is to provide means to work in conjunction with
the ordinary sweeping and tilting rakes for gathering the successive portions of
crop to one side of the platform. Our Invention also comprises other details.
In carrying out our present Invention we prefer to use sheaf-binding mechanism
of the kind described or referred to in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to Philip Charles Evans, Philip James Evans, and Henry James Hogg King (the
last named being one of the present patentees), and dated 27 December, 1878
(No. 5297), and our present improvements, or some of them, are however also
applicable with other kinds of reaping machinery.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append three Sheets of explanatory
Drawings to be hereinafter referred to, and representing various details of reaping
machines as made or fitted with our improvements. In these Drawings the same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings, is a sectional elevation
showing one modification of our improved apparatus for regulating the operations
of the sheaf-binding mechanism; and Figure 2 is a vertical section (as at right
angles to Figure 1) of a portion of the gearing. In this modification the sheaf-
binding mechanism is driven by means of a horizontal shaft 20 which receives its
motion through a combination of three bevil wheels 21, 22, 23, known as a jack-in-
the-box motion, or it might be through the well known equivalent combination of
internally toothed spurwheels and differential planetary pinions, in either of which
combinations one wheel 23 runs loosely when the motion is not being transmitted
and causes the transmission on being arrested by a catch 24 which engages with
teeth on a wheel 25 made in the same piece with the wheel 23. The middle
one 22 of the three bevil wheels is on a stud formed or fixed on an elongated
boss 26 which is on the shaft 20, and made to turn it by means of a key and
groove. A pulley 27 to receive a driving belt runs loose on the boss 26 and is in
the same piece with the first 21 of the three bevil wheels. The third bevil-
wheel 23 and catch wheel 25 are also loose on the boss 26, and after being put on
are held in position by a collar 28 fixed on the boss, which collar is grooved for a
claw guide 29 fixed to the bearing and arranged to keep the boss 26 and parts on
it up to the bearing notwithstanding any end-on movement of the shaft 20. Any
other suitable engaging and disengaging mechanism may be used, the catch 24 or
engaging lever being weighted or acted on by a spring so as to tend to assume the
position in which it does not cause the driving of the binding mechanism.
Within the hopper 30 into which the crop is delivered in order to be bound
there are fixed on a transverse horizontal spindle 31 a number of rods 32 upon
which the crop falls. The spindle 31 has also fixed on it, so as to project oppositely
to the rods 32, a lever 33, on which a weight is adjustably fixed. The weight is

page_text: adjusted to correspond to the weight of sheaf desired to be made, and when the
quantity of crop received in the hopper 30 and upon the rods 32 attains the desired
weight it causes the rods 32 to descend a short distance, and then a short lever 34,
fixed on the spindle 31, acts on the catch 24 and causes the binding mechanism to
commence working. The catch 24 is on the end of a lever 35, which has a second
catch or strut 36 jointed to it, and this last is connected by a rod 37 to the
lever 34 on the spindle 31 of the weighing rods. The strut 36 is shown as resting
on a supporting arm 38, and holding up the catch 24, and on the rods 32 being
weighted down by the portion of crop the strut 36 is drawn off the support 38,
and then allows the catch 24 to descend and engage with the wheel 25. The
shaft 20 makes one turn for each complete binding operation, and in so doing
carries round the support 38, which is an arm or wiper fixed to the collar 28 of
the boss 26 (or it may be carried round by the shaft 20 in any other convenient
way), and the arm 38 at the end of its turn acts as a wiper or cam to lift up the
strut 36 and make it raise the catch 24 out of gear from the wheel 25. In
addition to the parts referred to, Figure 1 shows the upper ends of a pair of endless
aprons 39, which carry the crop up between them from the platform of the
reaping machine and deliver it into the hopper 30; also the rotating gathering
arms 40, each with its lagging arm 41, which temporarily keeps back the portions
of crop falling into the hopper immediately after each gathering action, and thus
completely separates from each other the portions forming successive sheaves.
The rods 32 on the spindle 31, and which may be either straight or curved to
correspond with the form of the bottom of the hopper 30, form a weiching scale,
which may be modified in various ways, as hereinafter described.
Figures 3 and 4 are sectional elevations as at right angles to each other of a
modification of engaging and disengaging details for the driving shaft 20 of the
binding mechanism. The driving pulley 27, which is loose on the shaft 20, bas in
this case fixed to or in the same piece with it a ratchet faced clutch disc 42, which
engages at the proper times with a counterpart clutch disc 43, connected to the
shaft by means of a key and groove, but movable along the shaft. A spring 44 is
applied to the movable clutch disc 43 tending to press it into gear with the other
clutch disc 42, and it is put out of gear by means of a wedge 45 which is formed
on its rim, and is acted on by a wedge 46 fixed on a lever 47 centerd at 48, and
connected by the rod 37 to the weighing scale 32 or equivalent part. When
sufficient weight of crop acts on the scale 32 the rod 37 moves the lever 47 so as
draw out the wedge 46 from between the pulley 27 and the wedge 45,
and the spring 44 then presses the movable clutch disc 42 into gear, and
the shaft 20 is set in motion. On the sheaf being gathered off the scale 32 the
weighted lever 33 (Figure 1) causes the parts to resume their former position,
whereupon the wedge 46 is moved in again, and when the clutch disc 43 comes
round its wedge 45 acting on the wedge 46 forces the disc 43 back out of gear.
The weighing scale (32), or board, or hopper, or other equivalent, on which the
quantity of crop for a sheaf is received may be arranged to automatically adjust
the position at which the binding string or material is applied. One arrangement
of parts for this purpose is shown in Figures 5 and 6 on Sheet 2 of the accompanying
Drawings, these Figures being elevations as at right angles to each other. The
scale 49, shown in this example as a horizontal plate, is set on centres 50 on a
lower plate or frame 51, which is carried by a vertical shank 52 guided in a hollow
pedestal 53, and borne upwards by a spring 54. The ends of the lower plate or
frame 51 are constructed as stops to limit the tilting movement of the scale 49 in
either direction; and the scale 49 has fixed to it at one side an arm 55 with lateral
projecting guides 56 at its bottom. At the inner side of the arm 55 there
is centered on a bracket 57 a lever 58, which has jointed to it two pawls 59,
formed with pins to rest on the guides 56; and this lever 58 is kept continually
vibrating by a rod 60 from a crank on a rotating shaft 61. Below the pawls 59
there is a toothed bar or rack 62, which is connected to the sheaf binding
mechanism, and when the quantity of crop lying on the scale 49 has its centre of

page_text: gravity in such a position as to tilt the scale, one or other of the guides 56 is
thereby moved from under its pawl 59, and that pawl then engages with the
rack 62, and causes it, in consequence of the vibration of the pawl lever 58, to
be moved in one direction or the other, and thereby adjust the position of the
binding mechanism in the desired relation to the centre of gravity of the sheaf.
Instead of the single scale 49, two separate parts connected to the opposite end
of a lever may be arranged on the weighing scale or on the binder table, so as
to be acted on by the parts of the sheaf near each end.
Amongst the various arrangements which may be used for weighing the portions
of crop for forming sheaves are the following:-The bottom and side of the
hopper (30) may be used as the weighing scale, and may be connected to parallel
levers 63 in the manner indicated in Figure 8, so that the leverage will not be
affected by the position of the crop on the scale 32, nor by the horizontal movement
of the machine. The levers 63 are centered at points 64 upon the framing of the
machine, and their other ends are jointed to a bar 65 rigidly fixed to the scale 32,
shown in this Figure as a horizontal plate).
The weighing scale or surface may consist of a series of cords or bands 66, as
shown in Figure 7, which is a vertical section, or of a cloth stretched horizontally,
or nearly so, and fixed at one end or side 67. to the framing, whilst connected at
the other end to a spring or springs 68. When a number of cords 66 are used
they may be conveniently fixed to a roller 69, to which a spring or springs 68 may
be separately applied, and this roller may with advantage have a ratchet wheel 70
fixed on it, which will prevent oscillation as the crop accumulates in a somewhat
irregular manner on the cords or cloth 66. The holding pawl 71 is lifted out at
the end of each operation by means of a cam on the shaft (20) of the binding
mechanism. The spring 68, or the roller 69, or other part moving with the spring,
is connected by a cord 37, or equivalent to the strut 36, or equivalent part (47)
of the catch details, so that the catch (24) or lever (47) will be acted on when the
desired weight has been reached.
In another modification of apparatus for regulating the quantity of crop to
form a sheaf, and shown in Figure 9, the crop descends between the inner inclined
side of the hopper 30 of the binding apparatus and one or more rods 71 fixed to a
horizontal spindle 72 above. On the same spindle 72, but outside of the hopper,
there is also fixed a lever 73, which, by a rod 74, acts on the catch or engaging
lever of the binding mechanism whenever the quantity of crop received into the
hopper is sufficient to move the rod or rods 71 to a certain position. Instead of
the rods 71 and spindle 72, a cord or chain passing over a guide pulley may be
used, the crop falling between the side of the hopper 30 and such cord or chain and
drawing it as the quantity increases.
For the purpose of compressing the portion of crop that is being formed into
a sheaf, we, by our present Invention, provide improved apparatus shown in
Figures 10 and 11, which are sectional elevations as at right angles to each other.
This apparatus comprises a curved arm 75 having a strong cord or strap 76 attached
to its outer end, the other end of the cord being led round under a pulley 77 on
the needle bar 78 and up to a spring (shown only in Figure 10). When the
needle bar 78 descends the cord 76 is drawn tightly round the sheaf 79; but when
the tying is completed a catch 80 releases the arm 75, which then moves out of the
way to allow the sheaf to be discharged.
In carrying out the part of our Invention relating to the apparatus which rakes
the crop from the cutters round upon the platform to the side in some kinds of
reaping machines, the prongs upon the bars of the sweeping and tilting rakes are
made movable to admit of the crop being moved along the bars, or, in other
words, across the platform, so as to be gathered to one side by the time each rake
bar reaches the end of its travel. The prongs may be jointed so that they can
fold out of the way when the crop is pushed laterally against them; or they may
consist, as shown in Figure 12 on Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings, of star-
like wheels 81 set on centres, on which they can turn to allow the crop to pass.

page_text: Or again, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the prongs 82 of each rake may be upon
an endless band passing round pulleys at the outer and inner ends of the bar.
With any such arrangement of the rake prongs there may be provided for each
rake a supplementary light rake or set of rake prongs or rods 83, Figure 12, which
is carried in connection with the shaft 84 of the main rakes, and which is worked
by means of a rack or toothed bar 85 and a pinion 86, and other gearing, so as to
move the crop across the platform in the desired manner. The pinion 86 is on a
spindle having a pinion 87 at its lower end, and as this spindle is carried round
by the shaft 84, the pinion engages with toothed segments 88 fixed to the framing
of the machine and thereby brings about the desired movements. Or when the
main rake prongs 82 are upon endless bands (Figures 15, 16), these bands or
their carrying pulleys may be actuated by suitable gearing so as to make the
prongs 82 projecting down from the low side of each band move from the outer
to the inner end of the rake bar whilst the rake is moving over the platform.
The necessary motion may be obtained in various ways, as, for example, by causing
a pinion carried by the rake bar to run on a rack fixed in a suitable position on
the framing of the machine. In a similar way, when the rake prongs are like star
wheels 81 (Figure 12) they may be turned by suitable gearing acting on a fixed
rack or otherwise, and be thereby made to move the crop across the platform in the
desired manner.
In machines in which a transversely moving endless apron is used for carrying
the portions of crop to the sides of the machine, a movable platform is by our
present Invention introduced between such apron and the cutter bar. The same
arrangement is also applicable with other appliances for moving the crop trans-
versely when it has been carried a certain distance back from the cutter bar.
Figures 13 and 14 are front and side elevations, showing as much as appears
necessary to render the improvement intelligible. The platform 89 is hinged at
its front edge immediately in rear of the cutter bar 90, and it assumes the inclined
position in which it is shown with its back edge raised, excepting when one 91 of
the rakes passes round and then it is lowered, so that the crop gathered on it
whilst it was raised can be swept from it upon the apron or platform 92 behind.
The grain or crop as it is cut is laid upon the platform 89 by the dummy rake
arm 93, and the pronged rake 91 following carries it off the platform 89, which
then folds down. The object of this arrangement is to separate from each other
the portions of crop for forming successive sheaves. The front platform 89 may
be extended, more or less, over the apron or back platform 92, the part so extending
being made to fold or to slide under. the forward part whilst a portion of crop is
being transferred to the apron or back platform 92.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be
novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of
the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1. The combining of sheaf-binding mechanism with parts which are acted on
by the weight of the portions of crop so as to regulate or control the binding
operations, such parts being arranged or combined, and acting substantially in any
of the modes hereinbefore described.
2. The arranging or combining together of parts for adjusting the position of
the binding cords on the sheaves in relation to the centres of gravity thereof,
substantially in the manner herein before described with reference to Figures 5
and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
3. The arrangement of parts for regulating the quantity of crop to form a sheaf,
herein before described with reference to Figure 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
4. The combination with the shaft (20) of the sheaf binding mechanism of
engaging and disengaging gear, substantially the same as any of the modifications
hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying
Drawings.

page_text: 5. The combination with the sheaf-binding mechanism of apparatus for com-
pressing the sheaf, and substantially such as is hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 10 and 11 of the accompanying Drawings.
6. The constructing of the rakes of self-raking machines with movable prongs,
substantially for the purposes and in any of the modes hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 12, 15, and 16 of the accompanying Drawings.
7. The constructing of the rakes of self-raking reaping machines with prongs
which are, moved by gearing so as to impart a transverse motion to the crop,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. The application of a front platform 89 hinged at its front edge near the cutter
bar and arranged to be inclined upwards at intervals, substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry James Hogg King, on behalf of the said
Ernest George Cook Bomford and myself, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this 12th day of July, in in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-one.
HENRY JAMES HOGG KING. (L.S.)