IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED REAPING AND GRAIN STRAW BINDING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McIntyre Cranston, of 36, Worship Street, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED
REAPING AND GRAIN STRAW BINDING MACHINES." A communication from
abroad by Walter Abbott Wood, of Hoosick Falls, State of New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 18th June 1878, and dated the 19th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William McIntyre Cranston
"}
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1877.
WILLIAM MCINTYRE CRANSTON, of 36, Worship Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED REAPING AND GRAIN STRAW BINDING MACHINES.'
(A communication from abroad by Walter Abbott Wood, of Hoosick Falls, State of
New York, United States of America.)
This Invention relates to the combination of appliances, arranged in particular
order, to suit the various objects or duties they have to perform or to which they
are related, in or on a combined reaping and grain straw binding machine, whereby
the driver, who is located in a good position over the machine, has perfect control
of his team; he is also able to elevate or depress the cutting apparatus, to elevate
or depress the reel which gathers the straws to the cutters, to control the sizes of
the bundles or sheaves, to determine the position of the binding wire around long
or short straws, and whether the binding and tying be at the centre, near the ears,
or near the butt end of bundle, as desired, all the band and like levers being within
his reach, by which he can put any one or more of the working parts into or out of
gear, as desired.
This Invention is based upon a former one, patented by me in the year 1875,
No. 2629, in the Specification of which I described certain features of novelty, but
which, for the purposes of the present Invention, are modified in detail and re-
arranged, whereby the machine is rendered more compact and handy.

page_text: The machine has one main bearing as driving or master wheel, on which, with an
outside or grain wheel, it is mounted. The master wheel is fitted within the main
frame, above which on one side at an angle is the vertical endless band for lifting
the straws, and on the other side the screen or partition of the grain binder. A
portion of the frame is carried up in front of the endless vertical band or apron,
where, on a bar connecting the ends of same, the driver's seat is fitted, he being then
behind his team, but slightly to one side and directly over the line of the inner shoe
which runs along the outside edge of the standing grain.
The cutter or knife bar is caused to reciprocate by a detachable double hook-
ended link, by its connection with a lever fitted on the end of a rod. This rod is
held in position to the main frame, and is carried to the rear of the machine, where
it has another lever receiving a segmental movement by the pitman, whose opposite
end is operated by the balance wheel mounted on a shaft that receives its rotation
by bevil pinion from a corresponding wheel on the main bearing or master wheel.
By this means the cutter or knife bar at the front is driven from the back, the
pinion being in connection with a clutch which is capable of being put into and out
of gear by a hand lever from near the driver's seat.
The locking of this clutch out of gear is effected by the end of a rod passing the
horizontal centre of a pivot pin, around which it is caused to move. This clutch
pinion throws into and out of action all the several mechanisms of the machine,
except that of the reel.
The reel is mounted upon one end of a double oscillating or rock frame, whose
opposite ends are attached to a cross bar by links or short rods, that the whole can
be raised or lowered in a circular direction on pivot pins about mid-distance on a
fixed frame, to accommodate the reel to short or tall grain straws, as required.
The transverse bar has at each end a short lever attached to rods which are
between them and the oscillating frame. A hand lever is fitted to one end of the
transverse bar, and its free end is close to the driver's seat, from which the driver
can determine the height at which the reel blades shall bear upon or against the
straws, to lead them on to the travelling endless band, platform, and over the
knives.
The forward ends of the double rock frame have holes in them for the adjustment
of the blades' axle, one end of which carries a sprocket wheel, so that it can be
rotated by a chain from another sprocket wheel upon the main axle.
The elevation or depression of the front of the machine is through the inter-
mediation of levers and a hand lever within reach of the driver, said levers acting
upon a part of the frame, whose back end is jointed to and moves upon the main
axle, as a centre or fulcrum point.
The binding mechanism, the same as that described in the Specification of Patent,
No. 26291875, is mounted upon a bar, that it may be slid thereon by a lever and rod
connection, operated by a hand lever within reach of the driver, said hand lever
being moved horizontally to cause the levers to throw the binder more or less to or
from the centre of the machine, to enable the binding to be effected at the middle,
at the butts, or near the ears of the grain straws, whether they be long or
short.
The clutch of the binding gear has a projecting lever, and the free end of this is
pressed upon by a rod pivotted at one end to the frame, the other end of the rod
being under the control of a lever also within reach of the driver's foot, whereby he
can stop the working of the binding apparatus when necessary.
The whole machine, arranged in the manner described, and with all the levers of
the different gears within reach of the driver, that he may have entire control over
every part of it, is important; and from the position he occupies on the machine,
which he balances to the greatest nicety, he has full command over his team, and
nothing to interfere with his line of sight.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William McIntyre Cranston in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th June 1878.
"
WILLIAM M'INTYRE CRANSTON, of 36, Worship Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED REAPING AND GRAIN STRAW BINDING MACHINES."
(A communication from abroad by Walter Abbott Wood, of Hoosick Falls, State of
New York, United States of America.)
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for collecting
and for binding grain, straws, and similar crops into bundles or sheaves, and which
are improvements in and additions to mechanism described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to me, dated the 24th July 1875, No. 2629.
These improvements consist in such an arrangement of parts that the driver may
be located in a position on a machine for harvesting grain and binding the same by
which he can drive his team, and at the same time be able to control, when in his
seat so located, the height of the cutters above the ground, the height above the
cutter at which the reel or gatherer shall act, the size of the gavels made by the
binding apparatus, and the position in which the band shall be placed around the
gavel relative to the heads and butts.
In the Drawings,—
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete machine, from the rear right-hand
corner of the same.
Figure 2 is a rear view of a portion of the machine, showing the receptacle which
receives the grain to be bound, and the apparatus for driving and controlling the
binding apparatus, the spool which holds the wire, in clevation; and also a longi-
tudinal section of a part of the platform and elevating mechanism.
Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the complete machine.
Figure 4 is a plan of the harvester, with the binding mechanism detached.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the harvesting machine, on the right-hand or
master wheel end of the same, showing the master wheel framework, the manner of
driving the reel or gatherer, and the means of controlling the same.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the harvester, showing master wheel, the frame-
work, the driver's seat, the draft pole, and the means of controlling the height of the
cutting apparatus, and the means of throwing the binding mechanism in and out of
gear.
In the several Drawings, similar figures of reference refer to similar parts.
This machine is constructed with a platform or framework nearly rectangular,
which rectangular framework is fitted with guard fingers on its forward sido,
through which fingers the knife 14 works. This framework is continued toward the
master wheel 1 by means of timbers 33 on its forward and rear side, and is sup-
ported on one end by the master wheel 1 and on the other end by the idle wheel 26.
The pole 29 is hinged to this frame on the master wheel side of the machine, and is
arranged to be drawn by the double whiffletree 32, which is provided with hooks
for the single whiffletrees, and in such a manner as to be drawn by a team of either
two or three horses. On the spokes of the master whee! 1 is fitted a spur gear 2,
which gears into a spur pinion 3 which gives motion through a cross shaft to bevel
wheel 4, which gives motion to bevel pinion 5, and thereby to crank shaft 20. On
the end of the crank shaft 20, and at the rear of the machine, is fitted the balance
wheel 9, in which balance wheel is fitted a crank pin which drives pitman 10. As
this crank shaft and crank pin revolve, motion is imparted by means of pitman 10
to rock shaft 11, which is fitted at its forward end with a short crank which imparts
motion by means of pitman 12 to the knife. The crank 9 having less throw than
the crank on rock shaft 11 gives an oscillating motion to rock shaft 11, and conse-
quently vibrates the knife sufficiently to do the cutting without making a complete
revolution of the rock shaft.

page_text: It is plain that by this arrangement the use of a long pitman in front of the
main frame, or that portion of it marked 33, is avoided, and a clear space obtained
beneath the framework, so that the pitman needs no protection from any obstructions
which may exist in the field.
On the crank shaft 20 a groove is cut lengthwise, and a pinion 6 is fitted to slide
on crank shaft 20, the pinion being furnished with a feather to slide in this groove,
and a small catch or lever 7 is so arranged as to hold pinion 6 in place and in gear
with another bevel wheel on the lower end of inclined shaft 72, which gives motion
to the binding apparatus, which binding apparatus is arranged to be slid back-
wards and forwards, to enable the band to be placed around the gavel at any desired
point between the butts and the heads of the same.
The spur pinion 3 is loose on the counter shaft, and is connected to it by means
of a clutch and spring, which clutch is provided with a groove, and by means of the
bell crank 15, rod 17, and rod 19 enables the driver to throw the cutters in and out
of gear.
Within the rectangular frame 28 are fixed at each end two rollers, 22 and 23, and
around these rollers passes the endless apron 21. Motion is imparted to these rollers
by means of sprocket wheel-and-chain connection on the crank shaft 20, from the
sprocket wheel 8. This apron 21 carries the cut grain, laid on it by the reel or
gatherer, towards the master wheel side of the machine. Nearly above roller 22 is
an inclined plane which extends upwards and inclines towards the master wheel, on
the outside of which incline are a series of belts provided with teeth, which belts
are driven by the same chain and sprocket wheel connection before alluded to,
through the intervention of a roller at the top, on the end of which is the sprocket
wheel 104. These belts with their teeth elevate the grain brought to it by endless
apron 21 over the driving wheel, and deposit the same in the binding receptacle.
The binding apparatus is located on the outside of the master wheel and at the
end of the machine, and made to slide on ways at the will of the driver, in order to
pass the band around the gavel at the proper place, and thus accommodate itself to
either long or short grain.
The construction of the binding apparatus, embracing the receptacle for receiving
the grain, passing the wire around the same wire holder, the devices for twisting
the wire for cutting off the same, and for compressing and discharging the bundle,
are substantially the same as described in my Specification, before referred to,
No. 2629; and as they do not form a part of this Invention, reference is had to
that Patent for a detailed description, although the same is minutely shown in the
Drawings accompanying this Specification.
The pole 29 is hinged to the main frame at its rear end; a short distance in
advance of the hinge the rod 69 is hinged to the pole at its lower end, and at its
upper end to arm 59, extending forwards from quadrant 58; the arm 59 is provided
with two or more holes, in order to vary the distance between the arm and the pole.
The quadrant 58 is provided also with notches on its circumference. The rear end
of 59 has in it a hole, through which a bolt passes through quadrant 58 and through
the lever 68. This lever has pivoted at its upper end a spring handle 55, cranked-
shaped at its lower end, and connected by a small wire with a wedged-shaped plug
passing through socket 57 at the lower end of the lever, in such a manner that
when the handle of lever 68 is grasped by the hand, and at the same time 55 is
embraced, the rod 56 will withdraw the plug from the notch in 58 in which it is
placed, and the operator in his seat can by a fore-and-aft movement of his arm tilt
the machine to cut higher or lower at pleasure, and retain it in any other of the
notches in 58, thus raising or lowering the cutters at will.
The master wheel 1 is also supported on each side in segments of a circle, which
are fitted on their internal peripheries with teeth which form a segmental rack, and
on each end of the axle on which the driving wheel turns a small pinion is fixed.
These segmental plates 107 are furnished with flanges, with pin holes, and the axle
is also furnished with a flange with sockets for the reception of a removable lever,

page_text: by means of which (the pin being removed on each side, which pin passes through
the segmental plates and the axle) the machine can be raised or lowered parallel to
the ground.
On the lower end of the inclined binder shaft 72 is fitted a ratchet and spring,
by means of which the binder is thrown in and out of gear to bind at the will of
the driver, through the intervention of levers 91, 67, connecting rod 66, bell crank 64,
connecting rod 63, and foot lever 62, located within reach of the driver's foot, by
means of which the driver can throw the binding mechanism into operation at will
and regulate the size of the gavel.
The binder is placed on the delivery end of the harvester, which is the end
nearest the master wheel, and is made to slide on ways in the end of the main
frame, extended so that the portion of the frame 33 extending beyond the master
wheel 1 and its forward support, and the girts connecting them together, form &
basis on which the binder is made to slide.
On the framework connected with the harvester is a shaft 118, the lower end of
which shaft is provided with a crank 119, which is connected by a link 120 with
the binding apparatus. The upper end of this shaft 118 is provided on the top
with a disc, which is graduated to receive the catch of a small lever in such a way
that the driver in his seat can by means of the said lever set the same in either of
the holes, and thereby adjust the binding apparatus forward or back to suit the
requirements incidental to the length of grain to be cut, as it may be presented in
the harvest field, in order to pass the band around the gavel in the proper
place.
At the rear side of the machine, and fastened rigidly to frame 28, and on each
side thereof is an upright standard, in which there is a rock shaft made to turn in
suitable bearings; and to the rock shaft is fastened a lever 53 provided with
quadrant 48 with notches, plug 49, rod 51, spring handle 52, similar in construction
to lever 68 and its accompaniment; this lever 53 is also in reach of the driver.
From the upper end of each of the supports of the rock shaft extend upward and
forward the levers which support the reel or gatherer, and are so arranged that the
height of the reel above the cutters is controlled by the position in which they may
be placed, through the intervention of a crank and link connection at each end of
the rock shaft, to wit, 47 and 45, so that when the driver moves lever 53 he turns
the rock shaft, and thereby raises or depresses the lever which supports the reel or
gatherer; and by means of the notches in 48 he can set the reel to any desired
height, which desired height is independent of the height of the cutting apparatus.
The rotating motion is given to the reel by means of a chain and sprocket wheel
connection with the master wheel.
The seat 44 is placed on one of the cross girts of the framework, and is supported
on a standard 43 by a spring, and is located on the grain side of the machine, near
the elevating mechanism, where the weight of the operator in his seat balances the
machine fore and aft, to relieve the pressure from the horse's neck, and at the same
time balances the machine longitudinally; that is to say, the binding apparatus
being located on one side of the driving wheel would tend to tip the machine over,
while the driver, located on the other side, counteracts this tendency.
83 is a flat piece of wood extending across the machine fore and aft, and supported
in the framework above the elevator belts and near their lower ends, which is caused
to revolve by the chain acting on sprocket wheel 103, the object being to assist the
elevator belts in getting hold of tangled grain.
A yielding float arrangement 80, which lies on top of the grain as it is elevated,
and is composed of slats, is hung on girt 82 by means of chain 130 which presses
the grain slightly, and thus assists the elevator belts 81 to perform their function,
and at the same time prevents the wind from blowing away the crop.
To the girt 61 are fastened a series of curved float wires or springs 79, which
extend over the convex part of the elevator and receptacle, to deflect the grain
downward toward the binding apparatus.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-When the machine is drawn forward

page_text: the master wheel imparts motion through its gearing to the knife, which cuts the
grain, and to the binding apparatus, and by means of its sprocket wheel and chain
connection to the reel or gatherer, to the endless apron which receives the grain, and
to the elevating mechanism which elevates the grain, so that when the grain is cut
it is immediately laid by the reel or gatherer upon the endless apron and carried to
the foot of the elevating belt, thence elevated over the driving wheel into the binding
receptacle, bound, and delivered upon the ground.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts forming my "Improve-
ments in Combined Reaping and Grain Straw Binding Machines," as herein-before
described, and substantially as shown in the annexed Drawings, for the purposes
set forth.
Secondly. The mode of driving the cutter bar, as described, and substantially as
shown.
Thirdly. The mode of supporting and controlling the height of the reel or gatherer,
as described, and shown in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McIntyre Cranston, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight.
W. M. CRANSTON. (Ls.)