IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATORS OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING WHEAT SHEAVES. STRAW. HAY. AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.”
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hancox, of Hungerford, in the County of Berks,
Foreman to Messrs. Cottrell and Co., Engineers, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATORS OR APPARATUS FOR RAISING WHEAT
SHEAVES. STRAW. HAY. AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hancox at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1880.
JOHN HANCOX, of Hungerford, in the County of Berks, Foreman to Messrs.
Cottrell and Co., Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATORS OR APPARATUS FOR
RAISING WHEATSHEAVES, STRAW, HAY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.'
"
This Invention has for object the raising of elevator troughs bodily by an
arrangement of worm wheel and chain gear, so that they may extend over and
onto a rick, for the purpose of what is known as topping up or finishing, so as to
dispense with what is known as the pitch-hole which is now usual.
According to this Invention (in one arrangement) to the main frame of the
elevator and at the upper end are fixed two slotted brackets, through which passes
the spindle of the driving or rake chain pulley; to this spindle is fixed one end of
a lifting chain, which passes thence over guide pulleys whose axes are carried by
the brackets, and down to another spindle, on which are fixed a worm-wheel and
chain pulleys; thus by winding up the chains by the worm and worm wheel
arrangement the trough is lifted up the slots in the brackets, the upper part of the
trough being supported on sliding pullies fixed to the tops of suitable raising arms.
The hopper is hung at bottom with two pivots moving in iron bearings, and to the
top are fixed books and chains for regulating the height of the hopper to suit
different thrashing machines.
Under the main frame is a sliding spindle with a gripe on its end for connecting
horse gear, and having a toothed wheel over which passes an endless detachable
driving chain (it may with advantage be of the kind known as Ewart's Patent) to
a similar toothed wheel fixed on the rake chain pulley spindle, and which gives
motion to the rakes.
The trough may be raised by an arrangement of gearing in which & pinion
works inside a large internally geared wheel with arms bolted to brackets, meeting
at their upper ends and fixed to a socket casting.
It will be evident apparatus may be constructed in various forms to operate,
according to my Invention, as above set forth, for raising the trough bodily by
gearing and chains, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: r
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Hancox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th November
1880.
JOHN HANCOX, of Hungerford, in the County of Berks, Foreman to Messrs.
Cottrell and Co., Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELEVATORS OR APPARATUS FOR
RAISING WHEATSHEAVES, STRAW, HAY, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
This Invention has for object the raising of elevator troughs bodily by an
arrangement of worm wheel and chain gear, so that they may extend over and onto
a rick, for the purpose of what is known as topping up or finishing, so as to
dispense with what is known as the pitch-hole which is now usual.
According to this Invention, to the main frame of the elevator, and respectively
at the opposite sides of its hopper end, are fixed two slotted brackets, through
which passes the shaft or spindle of the driving or rake chain pulleys.; to this shaft
or spindle is fixed, at each end thereof, one end of a lifting chain, which passes
thence over a guide pulley (whose axis is carried by the corresponding bracket),
and down to and round a chain pulley on another spindle, on which is fixed a
worm wheel; thence each lifting chain returns, and is connected to the shaft or
spindle of the driving or rake chain pulleys; thus by winding up the chains by the
worm and worm wheel arrangement hereinafter described the trough is lifted up
the slots in the brackets, the upper part of the trough being supported on pulleys
fixed to the tops of suitable raising arms. The hopper is hung at bottom with two
pivots moving in iron bearings, and to the top are fixed hooks and chains for
regulating the height of the hopper to suit different thrashing machines.
Under the main frame is a sliding spindle with a gripe on its end for connecting
horse gear, and having a toothed wheel over which passes an endless detachable
driving chain (it may with advantage be of the kind known as Ewart's Patent),
which chain also passes round a similar toothed wheel fixed on the rake chain
pulley spindle so as to give motion to the rakes.
The trough may be raised also through its raising arms already referred to by
an arrangement of gearing in which a pinion works inside ja large internally
toothed wheel, to which the arms are bolted, such arms being united, meeting at
their upper ends, and being there fixed to a socket casting.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my
improved elevator, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.
a is the main frame of the elevator; b is the hopper; c, c, are two brackets fixed
to the frame a, each formed with a curved slot c¹, through which passes the spindle d
of the driving or rake chain pulleys c, e; to this spindle are fixed the ends of a
pair of lifting chains f, f, which pass thence over guide pulleys g, g, (whose axes
are carried by the brackets c, c,) and chain pulleys h, h. The pulleys h, h, are fixed
to a spindle i carrying a worm wheel ; thus by winding up the chains f, f, by a
worm gearing with the worm wheel the trough is lifted up the slots in the
brackets c, c, the upper part of the trough being supported on pulleys l, l, fixed to
the tops of the raising arms m, m, and the hopper supported or hung at the bottom
on two pivots moving in iron bearings, whilst at the top are fixed hooks and
chains for regulating the height of the hopper to suit different thrashing
machines.
Under the main frame is an adjustable spindle n with a gripe on its end for
connecting horse gear; this spindle carries a toothed wheel n', over which passes
an endless detachable driving chain o (it may with advantage be of the kind known
as Ewart's Patent), that also passes over a similar toothed wheel p fixed on the
rake chain pulley spindle, by means of which motion is given to the rakes. The
trough may have its upper end raised by an arrangement of gearing in which a

page_text: pinion works inside a large internally toothed wheel r carrying brackets r¹, to
which are bolted the raising arms m, m, carrying the pullies L, l.
It will be evident apparatus may be constructed in various forms to operate
according to my Invention, as above set forth, for raising the trough bodily by
gearing and chain, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of carrying
it into practical effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the method
of raising and lowering an elevator trough by means of endless chains, or the like,
passing around suitable pulleys, and connected to a shaft or spindle that passes
through and is able to travel in curved slots, such as c¹, in brackets c, said shaft or
spindle forming also the axis of the driving or rake chain pulleys, substantially as
described.
I also claim the combination of parts constructed, arranged, and operating as
described and shewn in the Drawings, for adjusting the position of the elevator
trough.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hancox, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN HANCOX. (L.S.)