IMPROVEMENTS IN HAY MAKING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Henry Dening of Chard in the County o
Somerset for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN HAY MAKING MACHINES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Henry Dening at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th May 1882.
SAMUEL HENRY DENING of Chard in the County of Somerset
IN HAYMAKING MACHINES"
"IMPROVEMENTS
My Invention has for its principal object to enable the main shaft of the rake
drum to be prolonged through and beyond the main travelling wheels (without
removing it from its ordinary position eccentric thereto) and thereby admit of rake
heads working outside the main wheels as well as between them, thus increasing
the working width of the machine without increasing the breadth of the framework.
The machine may thus be constructed of less width than usual for travelling in
narrow lanes and gateways and increased to the full working width by the addition
of the outside rakes when in the field.
"
The construction of the machine is as follows:-The road or travelling wheels
are mounted to turn upon bosses eccentric to the rake drum shaft which passes
through them and turns in bearings therein. These eccentrics are adjustable in
order to raise or lower the rake drum to suit heavy or light crops and also
to vary its position according as the forward or backward action of the rakes is
required, so that in the turn over action the wheels are in rear of the drum, thus
enabling the rakes to clear the hay before the wheels, and vice versa in the back
action, so that in neither case do the wheels pass over any portion of the finished
work, the eccentrics being locked in whatever position they may be set. Each
wheel turns upon a pair of such eccentrics, and the boss of the wheel itself is con-
structed of two annular shells flanged at the outer periphery and fitting loosely the
one within the other, the outer flange having the wheel spokes attached and being
connected to the inner one by catches to admit of the one shell slipping on the
other in turning corners. The two shells are also flanged to afford a wearing
surface which embraces and turns upon the eccentrics, and the two shells together

page_text: .
form a complete box in which the driving gear is carried. This gear consists of an
internal ring of teeth on the peripheral flange of the inner shell and a pinion fast
on the rake shaft between the eccentrics, the ring and pinion being geared together
by two intermediate toothed wheels turning upon studs on an adjustable bracket
pivoted to one of the eccentrics, these two wheels gearing together and being
capable of being thrown the one into gear with the pinion and the other with the
ring of teeth or vice versa, according as the forward or backward action of the
rakes is desired, or they may be thrown out of gear for travelling on the road.
Upon the ends of the shaft which project through these eccentrics and a short
distance beyond the wheels and machine frame, are fixed the outside rake heads.
These may be made of any desired width consistent with the strength of the
machine, their arms being inclined and the rake heads projecting. some distance
beyond the ends of the shaft.
The springs of the rake heads are made adjustable by means of screwed clips to
enable the tension to be increased if required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Henry Dening in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th November 1882..
«
SAMUEL HENRY DENING of Chard in the County of Somerset IMPROVEMENTS
IN HAY MAKING MACHINES."
My Invention has for its principal object to enable the main shaft of the rake
drum to be prolonged through and beyond the main travelling wheels (whilst
retaining its ordinary position eccentric thereto) in order to enable removable rake
heads to be applied to such prolongations and work outside the main wheels in
addition to the ordinary rake heads between the wheels, thus increasing the
working width of the machine without increasing the breadth of the framework
and wheel base, the shaft projecting outside the wheels only a few inches, or just
sufficient for the attachment of the bosses of the outside rake heads. The machine
may thus be constructed of less width than usual for travelling in narrow lanes
and gateways, and can be increased to the full working width by the addition of
the outside rakes when in the field.
The construction of the machine is as follows:-The road or travelling wheels
turn upon discs or bosses through which the rake drum shaft passes eccentrically
and turns in bearings therein. These eccentrics are adjustable in order to raise or
lower the rake drum to suit heavy or light crops and also to vary its position,
according as the forward or backward action of the rakes is required, so that in
the turn over action, the wheels are in rear of the rake drum, thus enabling the
rakes to clear the hay before the wheels, and vice versa in the back action, so that
in neither case do the wheels pass over any portion of the finished work, the

page_text: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section on line 1-1 Figure 2 of my improved hay
making machine. Figure 2 is a half plan of the machine in horizontal section on the
plane of the rake shaft. Figure 3 is an inside elevation of the wheel with the inner
shell of its hub in section to show the driving gear which is disconnected for
travelling. Figure 4 is a vertical cross section of the wheel hub and eccentrics
drawn to a larger scale. The drawings only show one travelling wheel but the
following description applies to both, they being alike in every respect.
A is one travelling wheel and a a' are the shell and cover forming its hub turning
upon a pair of circular stationary discs or bosses B fixed to the machine frame, and
C is the rake drum shaft passing eccentrically through the discs B (herein termed
eccentrics) the said shaft being supported and turning in bushes or bearings c fixed
in eccentrics B. D is a pinion -fast on rake drum shaft C, and E F are two
intermediate toothed wheels gearing together and turning on centres ef supported
between a pair of plates G hung on studs g fixed centrally in the eccentrics B. H is
an internal ring of teeth within the hub of the wheel A with which wheel F is
always in gear. By oscillating plates G on the stud g either of the two wheels EF
may be thrown into gear with the pinion D on the rake drum shaft, so that the
ring of teeth H is geared with the pinion D either directly through wheel F, or
indirectly through wheels E and F, according to the direction it is desired to drive
the latter, or neither of the wheels E F may be in gear with pinion D for travelling.
G' is a lever pivoted at the centre of, and having a stud which passes through a
curved slot in, the inner eccentric. The stud engages with the adjacent plate G
and the lever has a latch which engages in one of three notches in the flange of the
eccentric for adjusting the plates G in either of three positions above referred to
for forward or backward gear or for travelling. I are the ordinary rake heads
between the travelling wheels as usual, and K are the additional outside rake
heads of my Invention affixed removably to the ends of the shaft C which project
through the eccentrics B as shown. The shell a of the wheel hub A has an exterior
flange at a to which the wheel spokes are attached, and on the interior of which
the ring of teeth H is formed. The shell and cover also have flanges a³ received in
a rebate or groove around the eccentrics. The inner eccentric of the pair has in
front of it a plate or disc L concentric with the rake shaft C and fixed rigidly to
the main frame M to which the shafts are attached. N is a lever handle fixed
to the said eccentric and provided with a latch n which engages in one of three
notches in the disc L for adjusting the position of the eccentrics B relatively to
the disc L and shafts in either of three positions, one for the forward and one for

page_text: the backward action, and another for the intermediate or travelling position which
is that represented in the drawings. The outside rake heads are of suitable width
and project considerably beyond the ends of shaft C as shown, the heads being
'carried by a dished frame formed by rings and inclined arms radiating from a
central boss fixed on the ends of the shaft in such manner as to be easily removed
when required.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st. A hay making machine in which the rake drum shaft is prolonged through
and beyond the travelling wheels eccentrically thereto and provided with removable
rake heads working outside the said travelling wheels as well as inside substantially
as and for the purpose specified and shown in the drawings.
2nd. In a hay making machine the construction of the hubs of the travelling
wheels of a hollow box adapted to revolve upon stationary discs substantially as
and for the purpose shown and described.
3rd. A hay making machine in which the rake drum shaft is mounted
eccentrically in bearings in discs on which the travelling wheels rotate as a
centre.
4th. In a hay making machine the combination with the hollow hub of the
travelling wheel adapted to rotate on stationary discs eccentric to the rake drum
shaft, and with the rake drum shaft passing throug and mounted in eccentric
bearings in said discs, of the gear for transmitting mo on from the wheels to the
shaft constructed and arranged adjustably for backward and forward action or for
inaction substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.
5th. In a hay making machine in which the rake drum shaft is mounted eccen-
trically in bearings in discs on which the travelling wheels rotate, the means of
making said eccentrics adjustable with regard to the machine frame for varying
the position of the rake drum shaft relatively to the travelling wheels, substantially
as specified.
In Witness whereof I the said Samuel Henry Dening have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-fourth day of
Noronhan AT1000
In the
presence of
J. PALMER.
J.P. for Chard Borough
S. H. DENING (L.S.)