IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING THRASHING MILLS OR MACHINES AUTOMATICALLY AND IN CUTTING THE BANDS OF THE SHEAVES SUPPLIED THERETO
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Guard Rock at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1883. Communicated
to him from abroad by Hugh Roxburgh, Farmer, of Marewhenua and James
Crawford of Ngapara both in the Colony of New Zealand, Engine Fitter
EDWARD GUARD ROCK of Great Winchester Street in the City of London,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING THRASHING MILLS
OR MACHINES AUTOMATICALLY AND IN CUTTING THE BANDS OF THE SHEAVES
SUPPLIED THERETO A communication to me from abroad by Hugh Roxburgh,
Farmer, of Mare whenua and James Crawford of Ngapara both in the Colony of
New-Zealand Engine Fitter
"
This invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus which is
placed upon any ordinary thrashing mill or machine by which sheaves of corn or
other produce which is to be thrashed are after being placed on a hopper passed
along as hereinafter described in to the thrasher the bands around the sheaves
being cut while so passing.
The apparatus consists of a frame of wood or other suitable material provided
at one end with a hopper to ensure the placing of the sheaf in the right position.
This hopper is made a great deal broader than the rest of the machine so that straw
of great length may be operated upon for however much longer the straw may be
than the body of the machine is broad if once fairly entered it is fed into the
thrashing mill as desired. Below this hopper there is placed a set of ordinary
reaping machine knives the same being driven by a crank and connections motion
being given to the latter by a belt from any convenient part of the thrashing
machine.
On each side of this knife there is a revolving "roller provided with adjustable
arms and caused to revolve by means of pulleys from any convenient part. These
rollers can be adjusted by means of slots in the plummer blocks so as to bring
them nearer or remove them further apart as required.
Below the knife is a canvas web properly fitted with wooden strips for
strengthening it and running upon three rollers to one of which is given a rotary

page_text: motion so that the canvas travels forward. One roller may be moved so as to
tighten or slacken the canvas by nuts on a screw while the machine is in
motion.
Upon the pulley which drives one of the rollers is a crank which works the
feeding fork by means of a connecting rod and lever and thus imparts to it an
oscillating movement for throwing forward the sheaves.
Guide boards are placed in the necessary position to guide the sheaves into
their proper receptacle
The action of the machine is as follows; The attendant places a sheaf in the
feeding hopper and it is immediately pressed down by the revolving arms upon the
knives the bands of the sheaf being instantly cut and the straw liberated. The
revolving arms still continue to act upon the released straw and spread it in an
even and thin layer upon the travelling canvas. By this it is conveyed towards
the entrance of the mill.
Before reaching the entrance the straw encounters the oscillating fork which is
adjusted to a height above the canvas to suit the kind of straw being operated
upon. This adjustment is managed by means of slots in the plummer blocks.
The oscillating fork throws into the feed opening a regular and sufficient supply of
straw as it arrives on the canvas but if too large a quantity is brought forward
the fork intercepts it and throws it back upon the canvas to be brought forward
again in due time.