Year: 1899

page_text: I, WILLIAM CHALMERS BUSH, of the City of Wilmington, New Castle County,
and State of Delaware, United States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the provision of an improved fastening for
securing knives to the knife bar of harvesters, in such manner that the knives
can be quickly detached and attached when it is found necessary to sharpen,
repair or replace them.
In the class of implement to which this invention pertains, the knives con-
sist of triangular blades which are secured with their bases in alignment on the
upper surface of a bar, termed the knife bar.
By my invention, the bar is provided on its upper surface with two or more
upwardly projecting pins which register and engage with apertures in the knife
blade, thus holding the blade in proper position laterally.
Coincident circular apertures extend through the bar and blade and have
oppositely extending radial slots. The aperture in the bar is countersunk and
of larger diameter on its underside to form a shoulder. Within the recess and
resting against the shoulder is a washer having its lower surface formed with
opposite inclines on each side of radial slots coinciding with the slots afore-
mentioned. If preferred, the inclines may be formed on the shoulder; but for
convenience of construction the washer is better.
Strips of metal which are preferably of such length as to extend partly over
one blade and partly over the adjacent one, are provided on their lower surfaces
with a projecting stud having opposite radially extending lugs at its extremity.
The metal strip is broadened at the point where the stud projects from it.
To fasten the blade it is adjusted in place over the studs on the bar, and the
stud and projections thereon are then passed through the coincident apertures
and slots. The plate is then given a quarter turn which causes the lugs to ride
up the inclines of the washer-which is prevented from turning in any suitable
way and draw the parts closely together. In order to prevent the strip from
turning out of alignment with the bar by accident, it is provided with a spring
on its underside. The spring registers with and springs into a recess on the
upper surface of the blade or next succeeding blade, and remains in said recess
until sufficient force is applied to the strip to cause the spring to ride out of
the recess.
The upper surface of the strip may have apertures in it to be engaged by
pins projecting from a wrench or the like to turn the strip.
If preferred, the greater portion of the strip may be dispensed with and the
wider portion only be retained in the form of a circular or angular head to the
اسا

page_text: The washer or inclined surfaces on the shoulder, aforementioned, may be dis-
pensed with if desired.
Dated this 4th day of September 1899
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.
Improved Fastening for Harvester Knives.
I, WILLIAM CHALMERS BUSHI, of Wilmington, New Castle County, and State
of Delaware, United States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention consists of a fastener for a harvester knife embodying a key of
the form of a cross-head and a seat on the cutter-bar, whereby the knife may
be firmly clamped to said bar and thereby reliably connected therewith.
It also consists of details of construction, as will be hereinafter described,
and pointed out in the claims that follow the specification.
In the drawings: Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a fastener for a har-
rester-knife embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a bottom plan thereof.
Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the key of the fastener, the washer, the
knife, and bar in separated condition. Fig. 4 represents a section on line -,
Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 show modified forms of my invention.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.
Referring to the drawings, A designates a cutter-bar, and B a knife thereon.
In the said bar there is a slot C, and in the knife is the slot D, said slots being
in communication and adapted to receive the head E of a key which is con-
nected with the lever or arm F, the latter being adapted for the convenient
rotation of said head on the upper side of the knife. The slots C and D) have
radial extensions or end slots G and H, and the head of the key has radial
tongues J projecting therefrom, the same being adapted to enter said end slots G
and H and forming, with said head, a cross-head. In the cutter-bar A centrally
under the slot C and its radial extensions G is the circular recess K which forms
a shoulder around the said slot and radial extensions. Within the recess Ka
split spring water M, the internal circumference of which is slotted to corre-
spond with the slot C and radial extensions G, is adapted to lie.
The operation is as follows: The knife is placed on the bar and the cross-
head EJ inserted through the slots C, D, G, .H and the washer M and rotated,
say a quarter turn, whereby the tongues J leave the radial extensions and ride
on the washer M compressing the same tightly against the shoulder formed by
the recess K, and as the arm F rests on the knife the latter is coupled with said
bar and firmly held thereon. The several levers F when the cutters are secured
in position form a virtually continuous bar, and thereby prevent dirt, grain,
straw etc. clogging the joint between the ends of adjacent levers, while the heads
of the levers cover the openings DH and overhang the walls thereof as the
upper part of the fastening. In order to prevent any possible shifting of the
knife on the bar, the latter is provided with studs L, which enter openings
in the knife. When the cross head is rotated in the reverse direction until the
tongues J register with the radial extensions of the slots, the key may be entirely
withdrawn from the bar and knife and the latter removed, as is evident.
In order to prevent an improper release of the key when the knife is locked
j the same on the bar, the arm F is provided with the spring catch N, the

page_text: latter being adapted to drop into a recess P' in the knife, but may be overcome by
superior force when the key is to be rotated to disengage the knife.
In the arm above the head E are recesses Q to receive studs or jaws on a
wrench or other implement for rotating said head, especially when it is desired
to dispense with the main length of said arm, a portion of the latter however,
remaining on said head as a flange which rests on the upper face of the knife
and overhangs the wall of the slot D.
Fig. 5 shows a modified form of my invention in which two locking keys and
their corresponding engaging parts are used for each cutter.
Figure 6 shows a further modification in which a locking key has its engaging
parts situated at each pair of meeting faces of contiguous cutters.
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
I claim is:-
(1) In a fastener for a harvester-knife a rotatable head, a lever secured to the
upper part of said head for rotating the same and having a retaining spring
catch, radially projecting tongues on the lower part of said head, a knife having
a slot or slots with radial extensions for the reception of such heads, a cutter-bar
having a slot or slots with radial extensions registering with the like slot or
slots in the knife, the cutter-bar recessed to form a shoulder centrally beneath
such slot or slots for the engagement of said radiating tongues, and a radially
slotted washer adapted to fit within the recessed portion of the cutter-bar and
above the said radiating tongues all substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
(2) In a fastener for a harvester-knife, a rotatable head having a tongue
radiating from the periphery thereof, a knife having a circular opening therein
with a radial slot extending from the periphery thereof, and a cutter bar having
a slot therein to receive said head and a shoulder at the base of said slot for the
engagement of said radiating tongue substantially as described.
(3) In a fastener for harvester-knives, heads, tongues on said heads, knives
with slots, a cutter-bar with slots, and levers secured to said heads for rotating
the same, said levers being adapted to cover the slots of the knives and forming
a continuous bar when the knives are secured, all substantially as described.
(4) In a fastening for a harvester-knife, a rotatable head with a tongue
radiating therefrom and a cutter-bar having a slot for the reception of said head
and a shoulder for the engagement of said tongue, an arm carrying said head and
means for locking said arm all substantially as and for the purposes herein before
set forth.
1
1000