IMPROVEMENTS IN THRESHING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
"
County of Middlesex Gentleman for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THRESHING MACHINES' Communicated to him from Jules Montandon the
elder a person residing at Paris in the Republic of Franco
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th January 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRESHING MACHINES" a communication from
Jules Montandon the elder a person residing at Paris in the Republic of France
This invention relating to improvements in threshing machines has for its object
to reduce the size and weight of these machines as well as the motive power
required to drive them without diminishing their efficiency
The working parts of the improved machine are arranged and combined in such
a manner as to bring the machine into the smallest possible compass and the
travelling wheels are placed inside the side frames. The diameter of the drum is
smaller than usual and means are provided for adjusting its position as hereinafter
described.
For this purpose the extremities of the drum shaft revolve in bearings carried
by levers arranged outside the frame of the machine and hinged at one extremity
to the sides of the machine. The other extremities of the Levers are cast with a
projection through which is passed a screwed spindle provided with a crank or
handle and capable of turning in lugs on the frame-A spring is inserted between
the end of the lever and one of its supports so that when the drum becomes
choked or a hard body such as a stone enters the machine the drum may yield or
recede and be afterwards returned to its original position by the recoil of the said
spring. The position of the drum can then be adjusted with great facility by
turning the screwed spindlo so as to move the lever carrying the bearings in which
the drum shaft is supported
When the machine is not at work the opening above the drum is closed by a
Aan on door

page_text: A space or chamber is provided behind tho concave and a perforated plate with
holes is arranged behind this space and forms part of a partition separating the
said space from another space or chamber formed behind this plate and constituting
a passage for the dust-This passage is bifurcated so as to disect the dust into two
separate compartments whence it is discharged through chutes The space between
the compartments may be utilized as a receptacle for tools and the like
The winnowing apparatus is provided with a drum containing rotating helical
blades carrying the grain towards the fan whilst the latter blows away the lighter
impurities in the opposite direction
A wire gauze cloth forming the bottom of the winnower sifts the heavy bodies
mixed with the grain
The working parts of this machine are driven directly from a pulley on the
druin shaft which imparts motion by means of an endless band firstly to a pulley
keyed upon the shaft actuating the straw shaker Secondly to a pulley on the fan
shaft and thirdly to a pulley on a shaft which by means of bevel gear drives the
shaft carrying the helical blades herein before referred to
The improvements in the fore carriage are introduced with a view to render the
machino lighter and handier
The improved fore carriage is composed of a transverse beam arranged underneath
the sido beams of the frame to which transverse bean is bolted an iron bracket
carrying at its lower part a cast iron disc having a holo in the centre for the
passago of a King bolt and resting upon a disc of the same diameter also of cast
Iron attached to the Axletree which is provided with iron journals working in the
travelling wheels of the fore carriage,
The two discs are employed in substitution for the rings employed in fore
carriages of ordinary construction In order to prevent lateral slipping or displace-
ment the lower disc is provided at the centro with a steel ring slightly conical
which projects into and engages with the upper disc and thus acts as a pivot
through which the King bolt is passed.
Two stops fixed to the cross beam serve to limit the horizontal displacement of
the fore carriage and prevent it from being turned round so far as to bring the
wheels into contact with and damage the lower part of the machine; these stops
bear against the bracket. It is proposed to call the improved threshing Machino
constructed according to this Invention "The Vernonnaise'
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an, Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said John Henry Johnson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th July 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRESHING MACHINES" a communication to mo
from Jules Montandon the elder, a person residing at Paris in the Republic of
France
This Invention relating to improvements in threshing machines has for its object
to reduce the size and weight of these machines as well as the motive power
required to drive them without diminishing their efficiency The invention consists
in the general arrangement and combination of the parts composing this improved
threshing machine which it is proposed to call the "Vernonnaise" and includes the
following improvements namely.
First The employment behind the concave of à perforated plate or partition
through which the dust is allowed to pass being collected behind the said plate or
partition in boxes or compartments communicating with sacks or suitable
receptacles.
Secondly-The employment of means hereinafter described for supporting and
adjusting the position of the drum relatively to the concave under the most
favourable conditions.
Thirdly A special arrangement hereinafter described of the fore carriago whether
employed in combination with the improved thresher or otherwise.
This machine is capable of threshing and cleaning all descriptions of grain with
equal facility without any alteration in the mechanism.
And in Order that tho said Invention may be perfectly understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings represent in longitudinal
section plan and transverse section respectively a portable threshing machine
constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 4 is a side elevation viewed from the side of the driving gear and figure 5
is an end elevation of a machine having a moveable fore carriage constructed
according to this Invention.
Figures 6, 7 and 8. are details hereinafter referred to.
The working parts of the improved machine are arranged and combined in such
a manner as to bring the machine into the smallest possible compass and in order
to reduce the total width of the apparatus without contracting the working parts
the machine is constructed with travelling wheels A arranged inside side beams B.
figure 3 and placed at a suitable distance apart for running on ordinary roads.
The machine is provided with a drum C of smaller diameter than usual in pro-
portion and means are provided as shown in figure 6 and 4 for adjusting its
position as hereinafter described. According to the arrangement illustrated in
figure 6 the drum is mounted on a shaft C working in bearings C³ on levers D
connected to spindles D' provided with crank handles D' for obtaining the adjust-
ment the drum being pressed down by springs r which allow the drum to rise
when a hard body is accidentally introduced into the machine the lever D being
free to oscillate on a fixed pivot C³. In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 4
the extremities of the drum shaft C revolve in bosses or bearings C³ formed on
levers H arranged outside the frames of the machine and which are hinged or

page_text: pivotted at to the said frames. The opposite extremities of the levers H are
made with a projection h' through which is passed a screwed spindle 2 which may
be provided with a crank or handle and is capable of turning in lugs o o³ cast on
the side frames of the machine. A spring m is coiled round the spindle / between
the projection h¹ and the lug o' so that when the drum C becomes choked or a
hard body such as a stone enters the machine the drum may yield or recede and be
afterwards returned to its original position by the recoil of the said spring m. The
position of the drum can be adjusted with great facility by turning the screwed
spindle so as to move the lever H carrying the bearings for the drum back and
forth as required. The opening above the drum is kept closed by a trap door or
flap T figures 1 and 3 which is not opened except when the machine is at work.
A space of say about one and a half inches wide is provided behind the concaven
(figure 7) and a plate i perforated with elongated holes for a portion of its height
as shown in the drawing is arranged behind this space the perforated part of the
said plate being say about eleven or twelve inches in height whilst the unperforated
parts extend downwards as shewn at I. A space or chamber K say about one and
à half inches wide is formed behind this plate between it and the outer case J of
the machine and constitutes a passage for the dust. This passage is bifurcated as
shewn at J figure 5 so as to direct the dust into two boxes j and j' whence it is
discharged through shutes k k'. The space between the boxes jj' is utilised as a
receptacle for tools or the liko.
The machine is provided with a straw shaker X of suitable construction and with
a winnowing apparatus or fan V to which the grain is conducted by means of a
creeper having helical blades E on a shaft E' (figures 1 and 3) working in a case E
and carrying the grain towards the fan V whilst the latter blows away the lighter
impurities in the opposite direction.
A wire guaze cloth G at the lower part of the apparatus sifts the grain and
separates it from the heavier impurities.
'
The working parts of this machine are driven directly from the drum shaft C¹
which imparts motion by means of an endless band K' to a pulley p keyed upon a
shaft p connected to the straw shaker X secondly to a pulley p³ on the fan shaft
and thirdly to a pulley p* on a shaft p which by means of bevel gear po drives the
shaft E¹ of the creeper or cleaner arranged at the lower part of the machine as
hereinafter described.
The improvements in the fore carriage as illustrated in elevation in figures 4
and 5 and in horizontal section in figure 8 are introduced with a view to render
the machine lighter and handier.
The improved fore carriage is composed of a transverse beam L arranged under-
neath the side beams B to which transverse beam is bolted on iron bracket M
carrying at its lower part a cast iron disc d having a hole in the centre for the
passage of a king bolt O and resting upon a disc d' of the same diameter also of
cast iron and attached to the axletree L' which is provided with iron journals
working in travelling wheels a a' in the usual manner.
The two discs d d are employed in substituting for the rings employed in fore
carriages of ordinary construction. In order to prevent lateral slipping or dis-
placement the disc d' is provided at the centre with a steel ring slightly conical
which projects into and engages with the disc d and thus acts as a pivot through
which the king bolt O is passed.
Two stops x and y fixed to the axlo tree serve to limit the are described by
the said axle and prevent the fore carriage from being turned round so far as to
bring the wheels into contact with and damage the lower part of the machine;
these stops bear against the bracket M.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
éffect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is

page_text: First The general arrangement and construction of the improved threshing
machine substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Second-The employment behind the concave of a threshing machine of a per-
forated plate or partition through which the dust is allowed to pass into a chamber
behind the said plate or partition substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Third Supporting the shaft of the drum of a threshing machine upon adjustable
levers pivotted or hinged to the said frames of the machine so as to enable the
position of the drum to be readily adjusted relatively to the concave in combination
with springs which enable the drum to yield when a hard body is introduced
into the machine substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Fourth The construction and arrangement of the improved fore carriage for
threshing machines substantially as herein before described with reference to
figures 45 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this Sixteenth day of July One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
TATNAAN
J. HENRY JOHNSON (1.S.)