Device for Reaping Machines for Raising and Supporting the Stalks of Grain while Reaping same.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Feb., 1896-Accepted. 6th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Device for Reaping Machines for Raising and Supporting the Stalks
of Grain while Reaping same.
We. WILHELM JÄGER Government Official of Könkendorf, near Sadenbeck,
East Priegnitz, and OTTO BORCHARDT Merchant, of 16 Burgstrasse, Pritzwalk,
East Priegnitz, Germany 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:-
Reaping machines as hitherto constructed have been provided with so-called
separators at the sides which on one side separate the grain and on the other bring
the stalks together but such arrangement however has this drawback that when
the grain has been much beaten down by bad weather the ears or heads are cut off
at the top of the stalk near the separator on the side where the driving mechanism
is located where the grain is brought together.
This invention relates to an arrangement the object of which is to raise the
beaten down stalks near the movable separator hold them up and carry them against
the knife or while the knives or cutters operate.
This object is attained by arranging movable frames called ear or head carriers
on the arms of the rakes or dummies in such as manner that by the forward
motion of the rake or dummy arms they are carried over the upper edge of a
head lifter which is provided in the front of the machine and is adapted to slide
over the ground.
In the accompanying drawings:--
Fig. 1 shows such arrangement in the clearest manner.
Figs. 2 to 6 show clearly the operation in diagrammatic form.
At the side of the fixed separator Caud between same and the driving mechanism
of the reaping machine is provided what term a "head lifter" A capable of
turning on a vertical hinge or pivot and of lifting up the grain some distance in
advance of the machine.
This head lifter may be conveniently pivoted on the knife bed at A.
Its point
resting on the ground is bent slightly upwards to enable it to pass easily over any
inequalities encountered during the forward progress of the machine. As this head
lifter with its point slides in direct contact with the ground it is capable of laying
hold of and raising even those stalks which are completely beaten down.
The head lifter advantageously consists of an iron frame covered with sheet
metal.
The picking up or raising and carrying of the stalks is effected by the action of
this head lifter combined with and assisted by the frames B the latter arranged on
the rake or dummy arms in such manner that the said frames are caused to pass
over the upper edge of the head lifter by the forward swing of the rakes or
dummies. These frames or head carriers are bent and while one end is pivotally
fastened on to the rake or dummy arm, the other end can swing out freely; the
extent of this swinging movement is however limited by the chains K.
The head carriers B fall by their own weight on the upper edge of the head
lifter during the forward swing of the rake or dummy arms and as a result of their
being movably mounted they inaintain their load until the rakes or dummies have
advanced sufficiently.
The lund on the head lifter is not affected by the fact of the latter rising and
falling through the incqualities of the ground but the upper edge of the head lilter

page_text: is advantageously of such form that its distance from the rake or dummy arm is
not greater than the stroke of the head carrier as otherwise this would lose the
lond.
In order that the head carrier B should not causo a shock to the rakes or
dummies after they have lost the load on their upper edge the said rakes are
provided with a guide D (above and behind the cutter of the knife) which
supports the hend carriers until their free ends are supported by the chains K.
The operation of the foregoing arrangement is shown by the diagrammatic
Figs. 2 to 6.
Fig. 2 shows how the head lifter alone would operate the upraised stalks would
as soon as they arrived at O fall again (as shown in dotted lines) on the inner side
of the head lifter A and thus the heads would be cut off at the top of the stalk or
cut through.
This is however prevented by the head lifter B3 as it travels over the upper elge
of the head lifter A in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and thereby
presents a fixed point for the heads so that the stalks remain erect until they have
reached the position for cutting and at the same time exercises a pressure on the
stalks in the direction of the knife.
The operation above described presents the further alvantage that the hend
carrier as shown by the views in Figs. 5 and 6 presses closely at the obtuse angle.e
among the ears still lying down at that the angle gradually becomes smaller
whilst the rake or dummy arm goes forward. In this manner a perfect cutting of
the stalks is obtained near the separator C however much the corn may have been
beaten down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Device for raising and supporting the stalks whilst same are being cut in a
reaping machine consisting of a "head lifter" such as A in combination and
acting in conjunction with head carriers such as B novably arranged on the
dummy or rake arins in suchwise that on the forward sweep of the sail rake arins
they slide over the upper edge of said head lifter A which head lifter is arranged
on a suitable vertical hinge or pivot enabling it to rise and fall over the inequalities
of the ground and take up the grain in the path of the machine substantially in
the manner and for the purposes herein before set forth.
2. In a reaping machine-device for raising and supporting the stalks of grain
while reaping same arranged constructed combined and acting substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
Dated this 20th day of February 1896
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.