Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug.. 1896
I, MIHAIL ALEXANDRESCU of Rue Grivitza No. 19 Bukarest, Roumania, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved construction of reaping machines in particular
for cereals, which, instead of being propelled by draft animals, as heretofore are
propelled by hand.
I will describe the construction of the said machine with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shews a side view, Figure 2 a plan,
Figure 3 a cross section on line - Figure 1. Figure 4 a diagrammatic view of
the machine in the operating position.
As shewn on the drawing, the machine consists of a framing a of oblong rectangular
form, which rests on the wheel axle b. This axle b is carried by two road wheels c
and d, of which the first, which is fixed on the axle b, is formed with oblique ribs on
its periphery in order, on the propulsion of the machine, to prevent any slipping of
the wheel on the ground.
The axle b carries a chain wheel e which may be fixed either to the wheel c or to
the axle b, and consequently revolves with these. The motion of this chain wheel e is
transmitted through a pitch chain f to a second chain wheel g, loose on the shaft h,
but connected thereto by a clutch this shaft carries a bevil wheel gearing with a
bevil pinion fixed on a shaft m which at its front end has a crank m¹. By means of
this crank the knife bar n at the front end of the machine has a reciprocating motion
imparted to it; the knife bar is of known construction; it carries three sided blades
which slide to and fro in the slots of the finger bar o and thus cut the stalks of the
cereals &c. entering between the fingers.
Above the framing are two parallel rollers p p mounted in bearings on uprights, of
which rollers one is driven from the shaft m by means of chain wheels hand pitch
chain 3. Over these rollers is stretched an endless cloth p', which on the rotation of
the said roller is made to travel across the machine. On that side of the machine at
which the shaft m is mounted parallel to the longitudinal beam a of the framing is
provided a rake g which can turn with a vertical axis mounted in bearings at the
rear end of the machine, and whose prongs on the turning of the rake pass below the
cloth p travelling over the rollers p p. This rake receives its motion from the road
wheel c, a tappet on the inner side of the wheel rim being made to act on the
levers ss and s², and thus to impart the above described motion to the rake. As
shewn on the drawing, the rake q receives an inward motion at each rotation of the
wheel c.
On the axis of the rake is mounted a helical spring t, which effects the turning
outward of the rake after each inward motion. The inward position of the rake is
shewn in dotted lines at Figure 2.
The machine operates as follows:-
The operator seizing the handles a' at the rear end of the machine, raises this end
until the knife and finger bars in front are situated a certain short distance from the
soil, as indicated at Figure 4. On then pushing the machine forward, the knife bar
receives its reciprocating motion by means of the crank shaft m, as above described,
thereby cutting the stalks of the cereals which fall on to the cloth p¹. In consequence
of the lateral motion hereof the corn is delivered on to the rake and accumulate there

page_text: until the inward motion of the rake produced by the road wheel c causes the corn to
be pushed off the rake in such quantities as to correspond to sheaves, which are then
bound by hand.
In order that during the inward motion of the rake the cut stalks may not be
carried under the rollers pp, there are provided on the longitudinal beam a of the
framing, bars which, on the inward motion of the rake, shop the corn and push it
off the rake.
In front of the rake in the direction of the knife bar, is provided a guard plate w,
for the purpose of preventing the cut corn from sliding downward from the rake.
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 :-
1. A hand reaping machine mounted on wheels, which is propelled by the
operator, along the cornfield to be cut, and in which the knife bar n is actuated
from the road wheel axle 6 by means of chain wheels e and g and crank shaft m,
substantially as described.
2. In a reaping machine such as is referred to in the first claim, the arrange-
ment of the rollers p p with cloth p¹ stretched thereon, in combination with a pivotted
rake in such manner that on propelling the machine the cut corn will fall on
the cloth p which delivers it on to the rake 9 where it is collected, and from
which it is delivered on to the ground at certain intervals by the turning of the
rake, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of May 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.