IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Cooke, of Wistow Hill, in the County of
Huntingdon, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING APPARATUS
FOR THRASHING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Cooke at the Oflice
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1880.
THOMAS COOKE, of Wistow Hill, in the County of Huntingdon.
IN FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES."
"LMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in feeding apparatus for thrashing
machines. For this purpose I arrange upon the top of the thrashing machine a
pair of endless chains passing around drums to which rotary motion is imparted.
The chains are connected transversely at intervals by bars or lats. Between the
endless chains a feeding table is fixed in such a position that the bars or lats on the
chains are carried along the upper surface of the feeding table and returned
beneath it.
The sheaves or bundles of the crop to be thrashed are laid upon the feeding table
by a man who stands upon a platform provided for him on the side of the thrashing
machine. The crop is carried continuously along the feeding table beneath a
suitable apparatus, hereinafter described, which opens out the sheaves. At the end
of the feeding table the crop falls on to an inclined board to which a vibrating
motion is imparted, and it passes off at the end of the vibrating board, falling
directly upon the thrashing drum. The vibrating board is suspended by links from
the frame, and motion is imparted to the links by eccentrics on one of the axes of
the chain drums.
In order to open the sheaves as they travel along the feeding table I provide at
transverse axis which is adjustable in position to a greater or less distance above
the table. The axis carries two rows of teeth or spikes, one behind the other, and
the crop has to pass beneath these on its way into the thrashing machine. A
rocking motion is imparted to the axis by means of an arm upon it, from which a
connecting rod passes to a crank arm at the end of one of the axes of the chain
drums. The teeth or spikes on the rocking axis serve also to regulate the amount
of the feed and to render it uniform.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Cooke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th August
1880.
THOMAS COOKE, of Wistow Hill, in the County of Huntingdon.
IN FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in feeding apparatus for thrashing
machines. For this purpose I arrango upon the top of the thrashing machine a
pair of endless chains, passing around drums to which rotary motion is imparted.
The chains are connected transversely at intervals by bars or lats. Between the
endless chains a feeding table is fixed in such a position that the bars or lats on
the chains aro carried along the upper surface of the feeding table and return
beneath it.
The sheaves or bundles of the crop to be thrashed are laid upon the feeding table
by a man who stands upon a platform provided for him on the side of the thrashing
machine. The crop is carried continuously along the feeding table beneath a
suitable apparatus, hereinafter described, which opens out the sheaves.
At the end of the feeding table the crop falls on to the thrashing drum. Spikes
or teeth on the end of an inclined board, to which a vibrating motion is imparted,
prevent the crop from being carried back with the lats. The vibrating board is
suspended by links from the frame, and motion is imparted to the links by eccentrics
on one of the axes of the chain drums.
In order to open the sheaves as they travel along the feeding table I provide a
transverse axis, which is adjustable in position to a greater or less distance above
the table. The axis carries, as hereinafter described, two rows of teeth or spikes,
one behind the other, and the crop has to pass beneath these on its way into the
thrashing machine. A rocking motion is imparted to the axis by means of an
arm upon it, from which a connecting rod passes to a crank arm at the end of one
of the axes of the chain drums. The teeth or spikes on the rocking axis serve also
to regulate the amount of the feed and to render it uniform.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I have shown a feeding apparatus for thrashing machines constructed in the
manner above described.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus; Figure 2 a side elevation, and
Figure 3 a longitudinal section of the same. The apparatus shewn in the Drawings
is all carried by a frame A, which is complete in itself, so that the feeding apparatus
shewn night be applied to most forms of thrashing machines already constructed,
but for new machines the frame work might be formed as part of the framework of
the thrashing machine.
B is the feeding table on to which the crop to be thrashed is thrown; C, C, are
two endless chains, one on either side of the table B; D, D, are chain wheels around
which the endless chains pass; E, E', are axes which carry the chain wheels D. On
one of the axes E is a belt wheel F, which can be driven by a belt from any
suitable axis of the thrashing machine. The belt wheel F can be made fast or loose
with its axis by any suitable form of clutch, and the clutch may be worked from a
sliding clutch bar G which passes across the machine, so that an attendant on
cither side of the machine can at once stop the movement of the feed mechanisin if
he wishes to do so. H, H, are bars or lats, attached at their ends to the two endless
chains. Those bars or lats which are for the time on the upper side of the endless
chains pass across and sweep over the upper surface of the feeding table. The end
of the feeding table off which the crop is discharged on to the thrashing drum is
curved, as shewn, and concentric with the axis E. I is an inclined board or tray
which can be swung to and fro on links K; at the end of this tray are descending
spikes or teeth L. M is an arm projecting from one of the links K; this is con-

page_text: nected by a link N, as shewn, with a crank pin T on the axis E, and from it the
link, and consequently the board or tray I, receives a rocking motion. As the
crop falls from the feeding table the spikes on the end of the board or tray
frequently push the crop backwards as it descends to the drum, and not only
prevent the crop from being carried back with the bars or lats H on their return,
but also keep the crop in movement and ensure its free and uniform descent on to
the drum. By reason also of the tray being inclined and receiving a jogging to
and fro motion any grain or crop that comes on to it will slide downwards and be
discharged on to the drum.
Above the feeding table is an axis O; the blocks or bearings P which carry this
axis can be clamped or secured to fixed quadrants R, and the axis can so be set at
any desired height from the feed table B. On the axis O is a crank arm, connected
by a link S with the crank pin T on the axis E, so that the axis O has a rocking
motion given to it. On the axis O are two sets of prongs V, as shown at Figure 3.
At the completion of each rocking movement one or other of these sets of prongs
comes approximately into a vertical position. Thus one or other set of prongs is at all
times acting to prevent the crop being carried too freely to the discharge end of the
feeding table, as one set of prongs will be descending towards the table as the other
set rises from it, and both sets of prongs act to toss back along the table any
surplus crop which the feeding bars or lats bring up to themn.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim as my improvements in feeding
apparatus for thrashing machines,―
First. The combination of apparatus, substantially as herein before described, for
feeding thrashing machines.
Second. The double set of prongs on a rocking axis, acting in the manner
substantially as described, to prevent too much crop being carried forward to the
thrashing machinery.
Third. The inclined vibrating table below the feeding table, and carrying spikes
at its lower end to act substantially in the manner described.
Fourth. The use in combination of the feeding table and of bars or lats carried
by endless chains, and caused to sweep over the surface of the feeding table and to
discharge the crop from off its end directly on to the thrashing drum, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Cooke, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
THOMAS COOKE. (L.S.)