Improvements in Thrashing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 18th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1900
Improvements in Thrashing Machines.
We, ALFRED SHUTTLEWORTH and FRANK SHUTTLEWORTH, both of Stamp End
Works, in the City and County of Lincoln, Agricultural Engineers, and ROBERT
GAMBLE, of Stamp End Works aforesaid, Machine Foreman, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to portable thrashing machines and has for object to
facilitate the fastening of the hinged lateral boards of the "scaffolding" of such
machines to the transverse vertical boards thereof.
It has hitherto been usual to provide the vertical boards with bolts caused to
project through holes in the lateral boards after the last-mentioned boards have
been turned down into approximately horizontal positions in preparing the
machines for use, and to tighten the two sets of boards together from the under-
side by means of loose nuts placed upon the aforesaid bolts. To do this it has
been necessary to employ a ladder and to place it against the several corners of
the" scaffolding" in succession, which occupies more time than is desirable;
moreover, the nuts are liable to become lost.
"
Now according to this invention two bell-crank levers are pivoted to each of
the transverse vertical board of the "scaffolding of a portable thrashing
machine, one of the said levers being placed near each of the lower corners
thereof, and for each of these bell-crank levers there is attached, in a suitable
position, to the corresponding hinged lateral board a suitable connecting device
(as a link engaging in an eye-bolt fastened in the hinged board), the arrange-
ment being such that when the lateral board is turned down into its approxi-
mately horizontal position and the transverse board has been placed into position,
each connecting device can be made to engage with its bell-crank lever (as by
placing it upon a pin which projects laterally from the short arm of the bell-
crank lever and may be flanged at its outer end) when the bell-crank lever is
placed in a suitable position, and, on turning the bell-crank lever by means of its
long arm, which may be made to form a handle, until the long arm comes into
contact with the lateral board, the lateral board is brought close up to the vertical
board and the point of engagement between the short arm of the bell-crank lever
and the connecting device passes slightly over the dead point so that the weight
of the lateral board and anything resting thereon simply increases the security
of the fastening.
In some cases, in lieu of the bell-crank levers herein before mentioned, levers
of the first order or of the second order, and adapted for engaging the connecting
devices, are pivoted in suitable positions to the transverse vertical boards, and
suitable catching devices are secured on the vertical boards, the arrangement
being such that after putting the connecting devices into engagement with the
levers, the lowering or raising, as the case may be, of the handle arms of the
levers brings the lateral boards home against the vertical boards and the levers
then engage automatically, as by springing, with the catching devices or are
made to engage therewith.

page_text: 33
It will be seen that this invention will enable all the fixing of the "scaffolding'
to be done from the top of the machine and in much less time than with the means
hitherto employed; also that the invention obviates the use of loose parts, which
are liable to be lost.
We, ALFRED SHUTTLEWORTH and FRANK SHUTTLEWORTH, both of Stamp End
Works, in the City and County of Lincoln, Agricultural Engineers, and ROBERT
GAMBLE, of Stamp End Works aforesaid, Machine Foreman, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to portable thrashing machines and has for object to
facilitate the fastening of the hinged lateral boards of the "scaffolding" of such
machines to the transverse vertical boards thereof.
It has hitherto been usual to provide the vertical boards with bolts caused to
project through holes in the lateral boards after the last-mentioned boards have
been turned down into approximately horizontal positions in preparing the
machines for use, and to tighten the two sets of boards together from the under-
side by means of loose nuts placed upon the aforesaid bolts. To do this it has
been necessary to employ a ladder and to place it against the several corners of
the
scaffolding in succession, which occupies more time than is desirable;
moreover, the nuts are liable to become lost.
"
Now according to this invention (as in the example shown in sectional elevation
in two different positions in Figs. 1 and 2, and in plan in Figs. 3, of the accom-
panying drawings), two bell-crank levers 1 are pivoted to each of the transverse
vertical boards 2 of the "scaffolding" of a portable thrashing machine, one of
the said levers being placed near each of the lower corners thereof, and for each
of these bell-crank levers 1 there is attached, in a suitable position, to the corre-
sponding hinged lateral board 3 a suitable connecting device 4 (as, for example,
and in the case shown, a link engaging in an eye-bolt fastened in the hinged
board 3), the arrangement being such that when the lateral board 3 is turned
down into its approximately horizontal position and the transverse board 2 has
been placed into position, each connecting device 4 can be made to engage with
its bell-crank lever 1 (as by placing it upon a pin 5 which projects laterally from
the short arm of the bell-crank lever and may be flanged at its outer end) when
the bell-crank lever is placed in a suitable position, as shown in Fig. 1 and, on
turning the bell-crank lever by means of its long arm, which may be made to
form a handle, until the long arm comes into contact with the lateral board 3,
as shown in Fig. 2, the lateral board is brought close up to the vertical board 2
and the point of engagement between the short arm of the bell-crank lever I
and the connecting device 4 passes slightly over the dead point so that the weight
of the lateral board 3 and anything resting thereon simply increases the security
of the fastening.
In some cases, in lieu of the bell-crank levers 1 hereinbefore mentioned, levers 6
of the first order, as shown in Fig. 4, or of the second order, as shown in Fig. 5.

page_text: and adapted for engaging the connecting devices, are pivoted in suitable positions
to the transverse vertical boards 2, and suitable catching devices 7 are secured
on the said vertical boards, the arrangement being such that after putting the
connecting devices into engagement with the levers 6, the lowering or raising,
as the case may be, of the handle arms of the levers brings the lateral boards 3
home against the vertical boards. 2 and the levers 6 then engage automatically,
as by springing, with the catching devices 7 or are made to engage therewith.
It will be seen that this invention will enable all the fixing of the "scaffolding"
to be done from the top of the machine and in much less time than with the
means hitherto employed; also that the invention obviates the use of loose parts,
which are liable to be lost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. Apparatus for facilitating the fastening of the hinged lateral boards to the
transverse vertical boards of the "scaffolding" of thrashing machines, in which
the fastening is effected by means of bell crank levers pivoted to the transverse
vertical boards, and connecting devices adapted to engage with the shorter arms
of the levers and secured to the lateral boards, the arrangement being such that
the turning over of the longer arms of the levers until they come into contact
with the lateral boards, brings these boards close up to the vertical boards, and
also brings the points of engagement between the shorter arms of the levers and
the connecting devices slightly beyond their dead points, so that the weight of
the lateral boards and of anything resting thereon increases the security of the
fastening.
61
2. Apparatus for facilitating the fastening of the hinged lateral boards to the
transverse vertical boards of the scaffolding" of thrashing machines, in which
the fastening is effected by means of levers of the first or second order pivoted to
the transverse vertical boards, and adapted to engage with connecting devices
secured to the lateral boards, the arrangement being such that the lowering or
raising, as the case may be, of the handle arms of the levers brings the lateral
boards close up to the vertical boards, and the levers then engage automatically
(as by springing) or are made to engage with catching devices secured to the
vertical boards.
3. Apparatus for facilitating the fastening of the hinged lateral boards to the
transverse vertical boards of the "scaffolding" of thrashing machines, constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to
and shown respectively in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in Fig. 4 and in Fig. 5 of the accom
panying drawings.
inying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of January 1900.
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.