IMPROVEMENTS IN THRESHING MACHINES, BEING CIRCUAR ANTIFRICTION OR FRICTIONLESS SPRING MOTION WITH REVOLVING ROLL OR ROLLS IN THE FEED BOARD FOR SELF ACTING FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRESHING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph William Lee at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st January 1881.
A
JOSEPH WILLIAM LEE, of the Avenue Works, Cambridge, in the County of
Cambridge, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRESHING MACHINES, BEING
CIRCUAR ANTIFRICTION OR FRICTIONLESS SPRING MOTION WITH REVOLVING
ROLL OR ROLLS IN THE FEED BOARD FOR SELF ACTING FEEDING APPARATUS
FOR THRESHING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in threshing machines as abovo
stated. In constructing this apparatus I employ an iron frame, formed with two
cast or wrought iron sides in the shape of a quadrant, or nearly so; these two sides
or brackets are placed on each side of the frame of the machine, and secured to it
by means of bolts, and are connected together by a bar of angle iron, secured to the
top part of the castings or brackets by means of two pockets cast on to the sides of
the brackets to receive the ends of the angle iron, and two bolts at each end holds
them together in a firm and rigid manner at the top. On the bottom side of the
castings are two projections carried out from the circle of the quadrant some ten or
twelve inches in a straight line with the sides of the castings, and at the end of
these projections are small pockets similar to those cast on the top part of the
casting. A piece of angle iron similar to the top piece is fitted into these pockets
and secured by a bolt at each end, thus holding the top and bottom of the frame in
a firm position. The circular part of the castings is then entirely covered in with
sheet iron secured to the sides of the circles.
Having described the frame as above, I proceed to discribe the circular anti-
friction or frictionless motion, which is as follows:-Upon the angle iron at the
bottom of the frame, as before described, are fitted two upright standards of
wrought iron of suitable size, some two fect from each other and about two feet
four inches high, secured to the angle iron by bolts. Upon each of these standards
are two springs, one secured to the top, and the other near the bottom of the
standards. The bottom springs taper up until they meet the top ones and extend
about two feet six inches from the standard and reaching over the top angle iron
about three quarters of an inch. The ends of these four springs are then inade fast
to a piece of flat iron about two inches wide and about three feet long. This iron
runs lengthwise of the angle iron bar. The springs being thus secured to the dat

page_text: bar, support the weight of it without the aid of slides or bearings, and rise above
the angle bar at least half an inch to give sufficient clearance to the springs, which
work freely backwards and forwards over the top of the angle bar, moving some
four to six inches in a circular manner. The flat bar that is secured to the springs
carries four or five tines made of steel or iron, and drawn down in a spear pointed
manner, and made sharp on both edges. The tines are secured to the bar by small
bolts, and cach tine is slotted or has holes drilled so as to raise it or lower it to suit
the quantity of feed required. The ends of each tine rise. about inch above the
bar in which the tines are fixed, and are all fastened to a smaller bar which holds
them firmly together when in motion.
In order to force the corn on to the tines, a roller or drum is employed, having
four or five beaters and of about twenty inches diameter. The spindle of this
roller or drum works in bearings provided in the bottom part of the side castings.
There is fitted upon this drum spindle a cog wheel which gears into a similar one
that is keyed on to a small vertical shaft or spindle, which is made to work in
two bearings on the side of the frame casting, one at the top and one near the
bottom. The top of this vertical spindle carries a crank and pin, and a small
connecting rod fitted on to this crank pin at one end, and a similar stud pin
secured to the cross bar to which the springs and tines are attached for the other
end of the connecting rod gives motion to the springs and tines.
In connection with this motion is the feedboard upon which the corn is first
placed before passing on to the larger roller or drum and tines. In this feedboard
I place a small roll near the centre of it to assist the corn in passing over it, or I
put two rolls on to this board, and in that case I employ a piece or pieces of sheet
steel or canvas made endless to work round these rolls, and strips of wood or iron
placed at equal distances lengthwise of the feed board to assist in drawing the
corn on to the large roller and tines; the above arrangement is to do away with a
greater part of the labour necessary in passing the corn into the machine.
The apparatus is put in motion in the following manner: A pulley on the
shaker shaft or any convenient part of the machine gives motion by means of a
belt to a pulley on the roller or drum shaft, and a pulley on the same shaft gives
motion to the rolls or roll in the feed board, and the gear wheels and vertical shaft
gives a radial or circular motion to the springs which support the tines and move
them backwards and forwards without the aid of bearings or slides, thus doing
away with all wear and tear, oil, and the attention necessary under such circum-
stances.
What I claim as new in the above Specification is,-
1st. The formation of the iron frame, as described, in place of wood.
2nd. The frictionless spring motion doing away with all slides and bearings, &c.,
or the frictionless motion of the cross bar and tines by whatever means produced.
3rd. The roller feedboard, as above described.