An Improved Feeding Device for Chaff Cutters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
An Improved Feeding Device for Chaff Cutters.
I, EDMUND ERNEST BENTALL, of Heybridge, near Maldon, in the County of
Essex, Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
--
The object of the present invention is to provide for automatically feeding fodder
to be cut, to the mouth of a chaff cutter.
Accordingly, loosely fit to the spindle of the ordinary top feed or pressing
roller, a pair of links, one at either end of the said spindle. In these links, I
mount the spindles of two hard-wood rollers, which are both geared by means of
a chain to the top roller spindle, so as to rotate therewith, while at the same time
they are free to rise and fall independently in a vertical direction.
The top roller is, as usual, capable of moving vertically, according to the
thickness of the feed, and to that end is mounted in a stirrup held down by a
weighted lever. The auxiliary pair of feed rollers, which may be octagonal in
cross section, tend, by their own weight and the direction of pull of the driving
chain, to draw into the mouth of the cutter all the fodder placed in the box.
Thus, the attendant only has to keep the latter supplied, and the feed pro-
ceeds automatically. He thereby escapes the danger which he runs when the
stuff constantly requires pressing by hand into the mouth of the chaff cutter, as
is at present the case.
Dated this 15th day of April 1898.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Feeding Device for Chaff Cutters.
I, EDMUND ERNEST BENTALL, of Heybridge, near Maldon, in the County of
Essex, Agricultural 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 statement:-
The present invention has reference to chaff cutters, and has for its object
to automatically feed the material to be cut, thus rendering it unnecessary to
employ a man specially for pressing the hay into the bite of the feed rolls, which
operation must necessarily involve also considerable danger to the hands of such
attendant.
Accordingly, I employ two additional feed rolls driven from the ordinary feed

page_text: roll, and overlying the hay in the feed box, as shown in the accompanying draw-
ing whereof
Fig. 1 is a plan view, and
Fig. 2 a sectional elevation.
Referring to these figures, A is the feed box, having in its bottom the usual
endless band B, travelling in the direction of the arrow, and tending to convey
the material forward to the knives.
C is the bottom feed roll, and the upper one.
To the spindle c of the roller C, is loosely fitted a rectangular frame C*, of which
the spindle c forms one side. In this frame C* are mounted the spindles of the
automatic feed rolls D, D'. These rollers D, DI, are preferably of hard wood, and
octagonal in cross section, and are of some appreciable weight. The spindles of
the rollers D, D', are fast thereto, and are furnished with chain wheels d, ¹, and d².
The spindle of the driven roller C₁ is also provided with a chain wheel 2 cis
a chain engaging with the chain wheels d of the roller D and the chain wheel
just mentioned by means of which the roller D is driven. The roller D' is driven
from the roller D) by means of another chain c³, connecting the chain wheels d¹
and of the rollers D and D'.
C
In this manner, the rollers D, D', which rest heavily upon the advancing hay,
are driven, and caused to press the material to be cut into the bite of the feed
rollers C, C¹.
The roller C¹ is preferably mounted so as to be capable of rising or falling
vertically to accommodate the thickness of material being cut, and may be held
down by a weighted lever (not shewn) fulcrummed to the framing.
E is a small auxiliary roller mounted loosely on a spindle carried near the feed
roller C. This roller merely serves to bridge the space between the roller D and
the feed roller C₁. F is a portion of a fly wheel which carries the knives in the
ordinary manner.
The frame C* above mentioned, which carries the spindle of the rollers D, D₁,
has its side portion next the chain wheels in the form of a box (see Fig. 1), which
constitutes a safety guard for the chain gear. G is a lever connected to the safety
reversing clutch (not shewn) by links indicated by dotted lines. This lever and
its connections do not form part of the present invention, and therefore need not
be here described. It will suffice to state that the feed is reversed when the
lever G is thrust over towards the front bar ct of the frame C*.
In chaff machines thus fitted, it is only necessary to keep the box supplied with
material, and the latter finds its way into the bite of the feed rolls, without further
attention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is-
The application to chaff machines of safety feed rolls, as described with reference
to the accompanying drawing, whereby the material to be cut is automatically
pressed into the bite of the ordinary feed rolls, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 14th day of January 1899
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.