Improvements in or connected with Combing and Thrashing Machinery or Apparatus for Treating Wheat, Long Oats, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1898
1000
1000
PROVISIONAL SPÉCIFICATION.
J
Improvements in or connected with Combing and Thrashing
Machinery or Apparatus for Treating Wheat, Long Oats, and
the like.
I, RICHARD HANCOCK, of Knowle, near Braunton, in the County of Devon,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the Specification of Patent No. 6379 dated 23rd March 1896, granted to
William Johns and inyself jointly, there is described a machine for combing and
thrashing wheat and the like, wherein thei reed or straw is gripped at one end
between an endless belt and an annulus or wheel rim of large size, while the
straw is combed by a revolving spiked drum; the straw is then passed to another
similar holding device, which grips the opposite ends of the 'straw and the latter
is again acted upon by a second revolving spiked drum.
Now my present invention refers to improvements upon the aforesaid invention,
whereby the gripping mechanism is not only rendered more effective, but is reduced
in size, the employment of the large annulus being dispensed with, and the machine
arranged to co-act with a fly or beater of ordinary character for thrashing the ear,
also I am enabled to dispense with one of the spiked drums, and generally improve
the efficiency of the machine, reduce its bulk and cost, and make it capable in some
cases of being combined' with, or applied to, thrashing machines as commonly
employed.
According to one construction of my invention, I employ a series of revolvable
pulleys, all arranged in the same vertical plane, the series comprising a lower set
arranged at a distance apart in horizontal line, and an upper set also in horizontal
line, the axis of each upper pulley being immediately above and between the centres
of the spaces between the lower pulleys. The pulleys are mounted on stud axles
near one side of the framework of the machine, and at a short distance from the
end pulley of the lower set and in the same horizontal line therewith, provide a
revolvable roller extending across the machine. An endless band passes around
the first pulley of the lower set and around one end of the roller
aforesaid, the intermediate lower pulleys being then within the loop of the band;
a second endless band similarly passes around the first and last pulleys of the
upper set, and consequently between the adjacent peripheries of the upper and
lower sets of rollers, the bands are in running contact.
The straw or reed to be combed is fed in so that one end of same is gripped by
and between the adjacent surfaces, of the running endless bands aforesaid, and
is thus held and carried while being combed by the action of a revolving spiked
drum. This spiked drum is carried upon an axis at right angles to the axis cf
the said pulleys, and the combing action continues until the long combed reed
arrives at the roller aforesaid, over which they pass, being aided by teeth upon
the ends of the said roller. The shorter straws which are combed out are con-
ducted to the thrashing mechanism.
Upon the end of the roller opposite to that end carrying the first endless gripping
hand. I provide a second band, the latter being at rather less distance from the first

page_text: band, than the length of the reeds to be combed, and this second band passes over
and around a second series of lower pulleys in contact with, or adjacent to, an
endless band, carried by a second set of pulleys all similar to those previously
described, and forming a gripping device by which the butt ends of the reed are
seized and carried.
While being thus carried the ears are subjected to the action of a cone fly or
beater, by which the grain is thrashed and it is then carried away, winnowed,
and sacked, all as usual, while the combed reeds are delivered from over the last
of the lower pulleys to a shoot or rack.
In some cases
may dispense with the cone fly beater, and so arrange the herein-
before described mechanism, in conjunction with say an ordinary thrashing
machine that the ears are thrashed by the ordinary cylindrical beater of the
machine while the butt ends of the reeds are gripped as described. The axles of
the series of rollers may be tubular and contain grease for lubrication.
Instead of employing series or trains of pulleys to compose the gripping
mechanism, I may reduce the number of wheels by the following arrangement, and
thereby render the machine more readily applicable for fitting on top of a steam
thrasher. To this end I provide a 1st pulley carried on bearings on the
frame, and located somewhat above and in front of a 2nd larger pulley,
a 3rd smaller tightening pulley being fitted beneath the 2nd pulley, the
axes of these pulleys being horizontal, and the pulleys being in one vertical
plane; at the rear of the 2nd larger pulley I fit a revolvable roller extending
across the machine its axis being horizontal. An endless band passes over the
top of 1st pulley, beneath third pulley, over the end of the roller, and beneath
the 2nd larger pulley, so that on the reeds being delivered to the machine, the ear
ends are gripped by the endless band, between the band and the periphery of
the larger pulley No. 2, being thereby carried down beneath the axis of pulley No. 2
as it revolves, while the reeds are combed by a revolving spiked roller which is
located in a proper position to act on the reeds as they are passing around a part of
the periphery of pulley No. 2.
On the reeds being carried up to the roller they become released from the grip
of the band, and are carried over the roller by friction, and by the assistance of
projecting teeth with which I provide the roller at both of its ends; the reeds are
Then gripped at the opposite or butt ends by a second belt and pulleys, similar to
those just described but located at a proper lateral distance from the first set,
and the ears are acted upon by the beater which may conveniently be the ordinary
beater of the thrashing machine to which my combing mechanism may be applied.
The combed reeds are delivered by a shoot or rack.
The short straws combed out by the spiked drum are guided by a casing and
conducted to the beater where they are thrashed in the usual manner.
The endless bands are strengthened by chains attached thereto which chains
pass in grooves formed in the peripheries of the pulleys and rollers, or in some
cases chains with rollers may be used instead of bands.
Dated this 20th day of August 1898.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Combing and Thrashing
Machinery or Apparatus for Treating Wheat, Long Oats, and
the like.
I, RICHARD HANCOCK, of Knowle, near Braunton, in the County of Devon,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
In the Specification of Patent No. 6379 dated 23rd March 1896, granted to
William Johns and myself jointly, there is described a machine for combing and
thrashing wheat and the like, wherein the reed or straw is gripped at one end
between an endless belt and an annulus or wheel rim of large size, while the
straw is combed by a revolving spiked drum; the straw is then passed to another
similar holding device which grips the opposite ends of the straw and the latter
is again acted upon by a second revolving spiked drum.
Now my present invention refers to improvements upon the aforesaid invention,
whereby the gripping mechanism is not only rendered more effective, but is reduced
in size, the employment of the large annulus being dispensed with, and the machine
arranged to co-act with the fly or beater, of either cylindrical or conical formation,
and of the ordinary character for thrashing the ear, also I am enabled to dispense
with one of the spiked drums and generally improve the efficiency of the machine,
reduce its bulk and cost, so making it capable in some cases of being combined
with, or applied to, thrashing machines as commonly employed.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will describe same
with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is an elevation of
iny improved combing and thrashing apparatus when same is fitted with a conical
beater. Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a plan of same. Fig. 4 shews
the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, attached to a thrashing machine as
commonly employed. Fig. 5 is an elevation of my improved combing and thrash-
ing apparatus when same is fitted with a cylindrical beater. Fig. 6 is an end
view of Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 is a plan of same.
These views only shew the moving parts of the apparatus, all bearings, frame-
work, and driving mechanism, which may be of any convenient or known
construction, being eliminated so as to simplify the drawings.
According to the construction of my invention illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3,
I employ a series of revolving pulleys A A¹ all arranged in the same vertical plane,
the series comprising a lower set A arranged at a suitable distance apart in a
horizontal line, and an upper set A' also in a horizontal line, and at a suitable
distance above the set A; these two sets of pulleys are so arranged that the axes
of the pulleys in the upper set A', are immediately above and between the centres
of the spaces between the lower pulleys A.
These pulleys A A¹ are mounted on stud axles F in suitable supports on the
framework.
Mounted on an axle carried in suitable supports is a revolvable roller B, this
roller extending across the machine and being mounted so that its axis is parallel
to the axis of the pulleys A A¹ and its upper surface lies in the same horizontal
plane as that of the pulley A; the distance between the periphery of the roller B
and periphery of the adjacent pulley A is approximately equal to the distance
between the adjacent peripheries of the pulleys A.
An endless band C passes round the first pulley of the set A, and around one end
of the roller B, the intermediate pulleys of the set A being within the loop of the
band C; a second endless band C₁ similarly passes round the first and last pulleys
of the set A¹ and consequently between the adjacent peripheries of the sets of
pulleys A A', the bands are in running contact.
The straw or reed to be combed is fed into a shoot or hopper D, which is arranged
so that the ear end of same is gripped by and between the adjacent surfaces of
the running endless bands C C₁ and is thus held and carried whilst being combed
by the action of a revolving spiked drum E.
The spiked drum E is carried upon an axle E¹ which is at right angles to the axes
of the pulleys A A' and arranged at such a distance from and below same that when
the reed is held between the bands CC it will lie upon the periphery of the drum E.
The combing action effected by the spikes E2 of the drum E continues until the
long combed reeds arrive at the roller B, over which they pass being aided by

page_text: teeth B¹ with which the roller is provided upon its ends. The short straws which
are combed out, are conducted to the thrashing machine or elsewhere by the con-
veyer belt G which passes around revolving drums G or other suitable mechanism.
Upon the end of the roller B (which is away from the end which carries the endless
band C) I provide a band C2, the distance between the two adjacent edges of the
bands C and C being rather less than the length of the reeds to be combed. The
band C passes over and around a second series of pulleys A2 in the same manner
that the belt C passes round the series of pulleys A. These pulleys A³ are mounted
on axles F¹ similar to the axles F; another series of pulleys A³ is mounted on
axles F and a belt C3 passes round same, in a similar manner that the belt C¹
passes round the pulley A; the pulleys A with their belts C3 are mounted above the
pulleys A² in the same manner as the pulleys A¹ and belt C¹.
The band C passes over and around the pulleys A3 in contact with or adjacent
to the band C2 carried by the set of pulleys A2 and so forms a gripping device bý
which the butt ends of the reeds are seized and carried.
While thus being carried the ears come in contact with the cone fly or beater H
by which the grain is thrashed out, and it is then carried by the conveyer belt G
to the cleaners or other suitable mechanism, whilst the combed reeds are delivered
from over the last of the lower pulleys A2 to a shoot or rack J.
The spiked drum E pulleys A, A1, A2, A3, rollers B, cone fly H and conveyer
rollers G are all driven by any suitable gearing at suitable speeds. The axles FFI
are or may be made tubular so as to form receptacles for lubricant and the
belts C, C, C2, C3, can have chains secured to the backs of same to prevent them
stretching, in which case grooves should be provided in the pulleys A, A1, A2, A³,
and the roller B for the purpose of accommodating same.
With reference to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, illustrating another construction of my
invention instead of employing series or trains of pulleys to compose the gripping
mechanism, I reduce the number of wheels, and thereby render the machine more
readily applicable for fitting on the top of a steam thrasher.
In this arrangement I mount in suitable bearings on the frame a pulley K,
located somewhat above and in front of a larger pulley L; a tightening pulley K¹
is situated below the pulley L, the axes of these pulleys K K and L being hori-
zontal, and the pulleys being in one vertical plane. At the rear of the pulley L,
I fit a revolvable roller M extending across the machine, the ends of which are
provided with spikes M¹ Fig. 5, for the purpose of supporting the reed, the axis
of this roller M being horizontal. An endless band R passes over the pulley K,
beneath the pulley K, over the end of the roller M and beneath the large pulley L,
so that the reeds being delivered to the machine over the pulley K, the ear ends
are gripped by the endless band, between the band B and the periphery of the
large pulley L, being thereby carried down beneath same and delivered onto the
roller M. The spiked drum E formed with a concave periphery is so placed that
whilst the reeds are being carried around the pulley L the butt ends of same are
combed out, and the straw so combed out is delivered onto a cylindrical beater 0,
or directly into the hopper of the thrashing machine.
. At a suitable distance below the roller M I mount a second roller P which
roller is somewhat shorter in length than the roller M and round which and the
roller P, passes a wide belt Q, so arranged that on the reeds arriving at its lower
edge they are caught at their butt ends and carried by the belt R', which passes
around a second series of pulleys K2 K3 and L. This set of pulleys K², K³ and L'
are arranged in such a position that when the reeds are passing round the pulley L',
the ear ends come in contact with the cylindrical beater O, and the grain is thereby
thrashed out.
The endless bands in this machine may be strengthened by chains which fit
into grooves in the pulleys K, K¹³, L, K2, K³ and rollers M and the axles which carry
the pulleys and rollers may be made hollow for the purpose of containing lubricant.
With regard to Fig. 4, a construction of my improved combing and thrashing
device Y as already described, is shewn applied to a thrashing machine X in such

page_text: a manner that it may be driven by one and the same belt from the engine or other
motor.
A pulley V is secured on the main shaft of the thrashing machine X outside the
main driving pulley and a belt W transmits power from the pulley V to the axle
of the combing drum E, or other suitable part of the combing and thrashing
device Y.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim as my improvements in combing and thrashing machinery for treating wheat,
long oats and the like, is as follows:-
1. A cylindrical revolving toothed combing drum, and a gripping mechanism
for the conveyance of the reed to subject same to the action of the drum, com-
bined with a second series of similar conveying mechanism arranged to seize the
combed reeds and subject the ears to the action a cone fly or beater, constructed
arranged and acting substantially as described and shewn with reference to Figs. 1,
2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2. A cylindrical revolving toothed combing drum, and a gripping mechanism for
the conveyance of the reeds to subject same to the action of the drum, such con-
veyer mechanism consisting of an upper and lower series of pulleys and an endless
belt around each series, the ends of the reeds being gripped between the adjacent
surfaces of the two belts, constructed and acting substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. A revolving toothed combing drum, formed with a concave periphery, and a
gripping mechanism for the conveyance of the reeds to subject same to the combing
action of the drum, combined with a similar conveying mechanism, arranged to
seize the combed reeds and subject the ears to the action of a cylindrical beater
constructed arranged and acting substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
4. A revolving toothed combing drum formed with a concave periphery, and a
gripping mechanism for the conveyance of the reeds to subject same to the combing
action of the drum, such conveyer mechanism consisting of two pulleys and a lower
tightening pulley arranged in one vertical plane, around which, three pulleys
is a conveyer belt, and a larger pulley, bearing on the outer surface of the belt
between the two upper pulleys aforesaid, the reeds being gripped between the exterior
surface of the belt and the periphery of the larger pulley while being combed,
constructed and acting substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. The general construction, and arrangement of parts, combined and acting sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1808
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.