Improvements in Sheaf Carriers for Harvesters.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sheaf Carriers for Harvesters.
I, JOHN GOLDING HOWARD, of Biddenham, in the County of Bedfordshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
My invention relates to sheaf carriers for harvestors.
Owing to the tendency to reduce the height of harvesters and twine binders from
the ground, great difficulty has been found heretofore in making sheaf carriers which
leave a number of sheaves, say from 3 to 5 or thereabouts in an even line side by
side so as to enable them to dry advantageously and at the same time allowing of the
said carriers clearing the ground.
Moreover in crops of varying thickness it frequently happens that when commencing
with say 3 sheaves in the first row, before the field is finished the driver may have to
carry 4 or 5 or more sheaves in order to keep up to his rows.
An attempt has been made to obviate this defect and to provide for such a con-
tingency, that is to say, to leave the sheaves side by side and not piled one above the
other, by employing elevated tables provided with 2 leaves which open outwards.
In many cases the bolding of such leaves in a closed position with the additional
weight of the sheaves upon them is performed by means of some device actuated by the
drivers foot, and the retaining of the said leaves in position is therefore often difficult.
Moreover harvesters and binders as at present usually constructed being much
reduced in height from the ground, the sufficient opening of these leaves is rendered
impossible, or extremely difficult. These fixed tables cause the driver to be cramped
in threading up his twine, oiling or adjusting his machine, and he has to drop his
sheaves on descending from the said machine. Moreover harvesters and binders
constructed in this manner cannot go as near to stumps hedges or fences as is necessary,
or pass easily through gates or gaps.
The chief object of my said invention is to obviate the above defects, and to provide
a sheaf or bundle carrier having one leaf or cradle, coupled to a hinged table, the
weight of the sheaves being held by the said binged table. Upon the hinged table
being raised or elevated on its hinges towards the machine the said leaf or cradle
swings outwards and leaves a number of sheaves in an even row side by side. I
provide moreover means whereby the said hinged table when necessary can be
maintained in an elevated position so that the driver can thread up his twine, oil, or
adjust his machine, or descend from the latter to attend to his horses or for any other
purpose, and also to enable the machine to work close round stumps (in new countries)
or near hedges or fences, and to pass easily through gates, or gaps.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide wood or metal bearers
rigidly attached in any suitable position to the framework of the harvester or binder
transversely or at right angles to the path traversed by the said harvester; at the
extremities of these fixed bearers and just below the flapper boards or in other suitable
position, are other or movable bearers formed of wood metal or other suitable material,
hinged
or pivoted to the hereinbefore mentioned fixed bearers, and extending outwards
preferably at an inclined plane from the machine, so that the outer ends are higher
or at a greater distance from the ground than the inner ends. I sometimes however
arrange these bearers so that they decline from the machine towards the ground, or
are parallel to the ground. At the extremities of these movable bearers is a cross piece
or stay formed of wood or any suitable material, and intended to ensure the rigidity
of the said movable bearers and their remaining in a parallel position to each other.
Upon these movable bearers, which form a hinged table, are provided suitable

page_text: bearings carrying a metal or other bar, to which are firmly attached at suitable
distances apart 3 or any other suitable number of curved prongs formed of steel or
any suitable material, or any other suitably shaped cradle or receiver for the sheaves.
At each end of this bar 1 provide a suitable crank turned upwards or downwards, or
standing at any angle, and of any convenient length. On the inside of the above
mentioned fixed bearers or table, and firmly attached to or forming part of the latter
are provided suitable projections or stops extending below and placed at right angles
or at any other suitable angle to the said bearers or table. These projections or stops
are coupled by means of suitable connecting rods to the hereinbefore mentioned
cranks. If the movable bearers be raised or pivoted upon their hinges or joints,
the above mentioned prongs or cradle will be caused by the said connecting rods to
describe a suitable arc, when the said bearers are raised, and the sheaves contained in
the said cradle will be deposited upon the ground.
To elevate or raise the movable bearers or table I provide a rope or chain attached to
the cross bar of the movable bearers, or to any other suitable part of the said bearers
and carried upon a suitable grooved wheel or wheels over the frame of the harvester
and binder, or round it at the front or back or other suitable place and arranged to
be actuated by the drivers foot or hand or by means of power derived from the
machine.
To prevent any undue straining of the hinges and fixed bearers, or other part of
the device by the shock of the return of the movable bearers or table and cradle or
sheaf carrier to their collecting position after dropping or delivering a load of sheaves,
I provide a spring or springs, or other suitable cushioning device.
In some cases I lengthen the flapper boards on the binder to facilitate the delivery
of the sheaves into the cradle or sheaf carrier.
Although I have herein before described a convenient and advantageous method
of carrying my said invention into practice it is obvious that I can somewhat modify
the construction of my apparatus without in any way departing from the nature of
my said invention. For instance one projection or stop, one rod, and one crank
placed either at the front or back of the machine may be employed, instead of two as
herein before described. The cradle or sheaf carrier may be arranged to open upon
the raising or elevating of the movable bearers or table by any other suitable
arrangement of levers than that hereinbefore described. For example by stops fixed
close to the hinges or to any other suitable part of the fixed bearers and coupled by
means of suitable connecting rods to the extremities of pivoted levers or cross bars.
The other extremities of these pivoted levers or cross bars are coupled by connecting
rods to the hereinbefore described cranks upon the extremities of the bar carrying the
cradle or sheaf carrier.
I sometimes provide an arrangement of levers or other convenient device instead
of the rope or chain and grooved wheel or wheels herein before described for
permitting the driver to raise the hinged bearers or table, when he desires to drop or
deliver the sheaves or bundles that are upon the cradle or sheaf carrier.
Dated this 12th day of December 188e
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sheaf Carriers for Harvesters.
I, JOHN GOLDING HOWARD, of Biddenham in the County of Bedfordshire, Engineer
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 5
statement:
My invention relates to sheaf-carriers for harvesters.
In harvesters and twine-binders as heretofore constructed with a view to minimizing

page_text: their height from the ground, great difficulty has been experienced in so arranging
sheaf-carriers that whilst they are capable of leaving or depositing a number of
sheaves, say from 3 to 5 or thereabouts, in an even line side by side to permit of
their drying advantageously, will at all times be clear of or out of contact with the
ground.
Moreover in harvesting crops of varying thickness, it frequently happens that
when commencing with say 3 sheaves in the first row, before the field is finished, the
driver may have to carry 4 or 5 or more sheaves in order to keep up to his rows.
An attempt has been made to obviate this defect and to provide for such a
contingency that is to say, to leave the sheaves side by side and not piled one above
the other, by employing elevated tables provided with two leaves which open
outwards.
In many cases the holding of such leaves in a closed position with the additional
weight of the sheaves upon them is performed by means of some device actuated by
the driver's foot and the retaining of the said leaves in position is therefore often
difficult. Moreover harvesters and binders as at present usually constructed being
much reduced in height from the ground, the sufficient opening of these leaves is
frequently impracticable or extremely difficult. These fixed tables cause the driver
to be cramped in threading up his twine or oiling or adjusting his machine, and
he has to drop his sheaves on descending from the machine. Moreover harvesters
and binders as heretofore constructed cannot go as near to stumps, hedges or fences
as is necessary, or pass easily through gates or gaps.
The chief object of my said invention is to obviate the above defects and to provide
a shear or bundle carrier having one leaf or cradle coupled to a hinged table or
bearers, the weight of the sheaves being sustained by the said hinged table or
bearers. Upon the hinged table being raised or elevated on its hinges towards the
machine, the said leaf or cradle will swing outwards and leave the desired number
of sheaves in an even row side by side. I provide moreover means whereby the
said hinged table when necessary can be maintained in an elevated position to permit
the driver to thread up his twine, oil or adjust his machine or descend from the
latter to attend to his horses or for other purposes and also to enable the machine to
work close round stumps, or near hedges or fences, and to pass easily through gates
or gaps.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation showing a portion of a harvester with my improved
sheaf or bundle carrier applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a plan of the said sheaf or bundle carrier.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing the parts in a different position.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the framework of the harvester B is one of the main wheels thereof. CC are
the sheaves of corn.
a, a, are wood or metal bearers rigidly attached in any suitable position to the
framework A of the harvester or binder, transversely or at right angles to the
path traversed by the said harvester.
At the extremities of the fixed bearers a and just below the flapper boards or in any
other convenient position are other or movable bearers 6 formed of wood metal or
other suitable material and extending outwards and hinged or pivoted at 6' to the
hereinbefore mentioned fixed bearers a.
The said movable bearers are preferably arranged so that their outer ends are
higher, or at a greater distance from the ground than their inner ends thus
forming an inclined plane sloping towards the machine.
In some instances however the said bearers are arranged so that they decline
from the machine towards the ground or are parallel to the ground. At the
extremities of the moveable bearers 6 is a cross piece or stay 62 formed of wood
or any suitable material and intended to ensure the rigidity of the said movable
bearers and their remaining in a parallel position relatively to each other.

page_text: The movable bearers 6 thus form as it were a hinged table adapted to move or
pivot in an upward direction only. cc are bearings secured to the bearers b in which
is supported a metal or other bar d. ee are curved prongs or teeth formed of
steel or any other suitable material firmly attached to or forming part of the said bard,
and placed at any suitable distances apart thereon.
At each extremity of the bar d and rigidly secured thereto is a crank extending
upwards or downwards or standing normally at any other angle to the said bearers
and formed of any convenient length. 99 are stops or extensions firmly secured to
or forming part of the fixed bearers a. The stops or extensions g extend below and
are placed at right angles or at any other suitable angle to the said bearers. The
extensions or stops g are coupled by means of adjustable connecting rods to the
cranks f.
If the movable bearers be raised or pivoted into the position shown in Figure 3
the above mentioned prongs e will be caused by the connecting rods / to describe a
suitable arc and the sheaves C contained in the cradle or prongs e will be deposited
in an even row upon the ground.
To elevate or raise the movable bearers I provide a rope or chain i attached to
the cross piece or stay 62 or to any suitable part of the bearers b and carried upon one
or more grooved wheels or pulleys jover the frame A or round it at the front or
back or other suitable part thereof and arranged to be actuated by the driver's foot
or hand or by means of power derived from the machine.
To prevent any undue straining of the hinges and fixed bearers or other part of
the device by the shock occasioned by the return of the movable bearers or table b
and prongs or teeth e to their collecting position after dropping or delivering a load
of sheaves, I provide a spring or springs or other suitable cushioning device.
In some cases I lengthen the flapper boards on the binder to facilitate the delivery
of the sheaves into the prongs or teeth e.
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient and advantageous method of
carrying my said invention into practice it is obvious that I can somewhat modify
the construction of my apparatus without in any way departing from the nature of
my said invention. For instance one projection or stop, one rod, and one crank
placed either at the front or back of the machine may be employed, instead of two as
hereinbefore described. Instead of the arrangement of prongs or teeth for receiving
the sheaves or bundles herein before described" I may employ any convenient form of
cradle or sheaf carrier. The said prongs or teeth or cradle or sheaf carrier may be
arranged to open upon the raising or elevating of the movable bearers or table_by
any other suitable arrangement of levers than that herein before described. For
example by stops fixed close to the hinges or to any other suitable part of the fixed
bearers and coupled by means of suitable connecting rods to the extremities of
pivoted levers or cross bars. The other extremities of these pivoted levers or cross
bars are coupled by connecting rods to the hereinbefore described cranks upon the
extremities of the bar carrying the cradle or sheaf carrier.
I sometimes provide an arrangement of levers or other convenient device instead
of the rope or chain and grooved wheel or wheels herein before described for
permitting the driver to raise the hinged bearers or table when he desires to drop or
deliver the sheaves or bundles that are upon the cradle or sheaf carrier.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First-In or for a harvesting machine, a sheaf-carrier comprising a table or frame
hinged or pivoted to the frame of the machine and a suitable cradle pivoted to the
said table and provided with means whereby when the said table is raised the said
cradle will be turned about its pivot for the purpose above specified.
Second-The combination with the hinged table and the cradle pivoted thereto, of
means whereby the driver may without leaving his seat raise the said table and turn
the cradle about its pivot substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

page_text: Third: The improved sheaf or bundle carrier constructed substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawing and operating in the manner above
specified.
D
1
101 1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.