Improvements in Reaping or Harvesting Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1887
Complete Left, 19th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 25th May, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reaping or Harvesting Machines.
"
I, NEWNHAM BROWNE, of 73, Cheapside, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING OR HARVESTING MACHINES which invention has been
communicated to me from abroad by Richard Knowles Parkerson, of Christchurch,
New Zealand, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in reaping or harvesting machines.
Machines embodying this invention will enable considerable areas to be dealt with
in a relatively short time as the machines may be made of great breadth and provided
with one or more sheaf binding devices if desired. Moreover the driving wheel is
placed at a considerable distance from the cutting and binding mechanisms an even
draught from the number of horses or other animals required for the machine is
obtainable and sheaf carrying mechanism of considerable size may be provided.
Knives of great length may also be used with such machines.
As stated the driving wheel is placed at some distance from the cutting and tieing
mechanism so that ample room is afforded for tieing, and, if required, for sheaf-
carrying and packing, no elevators being required for taking the cut crop or the
formed sheaves over the driving wheel.
The power is also exerted upon the knives more directly and without the inter-
vention of a sway board, the knife being driven, by means of guiding and driving
bars, from as many points as its width or length renders desirable.
The driving gear is, according to this invention, placed in front of the machine.
An additional spur wheel is provided to enable the collecting mechanism and platform
or apron to travel in the proper direction.
.
In some cases provision may be made for causing the tieing arm to work down-
wards instead of upwards.
The cut crop is carried by the apron to the edge of the covering over the collecting
packing and binding mechanisms where it is caught up by the spikes or arms of the
collecting wheel and passed on to the sheaf carrier.

page_text: Two wheels are provided for the machine to travel upon when not in work; these
will be taken off when the machine is to operate and a third. wheel, which, when the
machine is at work, is at the side, will, whilst the machine is travelling be at the rear
thereof.
A machine constructed according to this invention comprises the following parts.
amongst others.
The framework of the machine is adapted to carry all the other parts. The main
driving wheel imparts motion to the other going parts by suitable connections, the
knife being actuated by connecting and guiding rods or bars. Suitable clasps may
hold the knife and guide bar. The platform canvas or apron runs upon rollers and
the collecting wheel carries pressers.
Sprocket wheels and chains may drive the rollers and collecting wheel above
referred to. Suitable packers are employed and the tier-arm may be made to work
upwards or downwards.
The machine is also provided with the usual devices for gathering up the crop as it
is cut and with sheaf-binding devices of the usual construction. The pole is placed
at the front of the machine when at work and at its end when travelling.
Til.. 10th Tul. 1007

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reaping or Harvesting Machines.
I, NEWNHAM BROWNE, of 73, Cheapside, in the City of London, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING OR HARVESTING MACHINES" which invention has been
communicated to me from abroad by Richard Knowles Parkerson, of Christchurch,
New Zealand, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
--
This invention relates to improvements in reaping or harvesting machines
Machines embodying this invention will enable considerable areas to be dealt with in
a relatively short time as the machines may be made of great breadth and provided
with one or more sheaf-binding devices if desired.
Moreover the driving wheel is placed at a considerable distance from the cutting
and binding mechanisms an even draught from the number of horses or other animals
required for the machine is obtainable and sheaf-carrying mechanism of considerable
size may be provided. Knives of great length may also be used with such machines.
As stated the driving wheel is placed at some distance from the cutting and tieing
mechanism so that ample room is afforded for tieing, and, if required, for sheaf-
carrying and packing, no elevators being required for taking the cut crop or the
formed sheaves over the driving wheel.
The power is also exerted upon the knives more directly and without the
intervention of a sway board, the knife being driven, by means of guiding and
driving bars, from as many points as its width or length renders desirable.
The driving gear is, according to this invention, placed in front of the machine.
An additional spur wheel is provided to enable the collecting mechanism and platform
or apron to travel in the proper direction.
In some cases provision may be made for causing the tieing-arm to work
downwards instead of upwards.
The cut crop is carried by the apron to the edge of the covering over the collecting
packing and binding mechanisms where it is caught up by the spikes or arms of the
collecting wheel and passed on to the sheaf-carrier.
Two wheels are provided for the machine to travel upon when not in work; these
will be taken off when the machine is to operate and a third wheel, which, when the
machine is at work, is at the side, will, whilst the machine is travelling, be at the rear
thereof.
A machine constructed according to this invention comprises the following parts
amongst others.
The framework of the machine is adapted to carry all the other parts. The main
driving wheel imparts motion to the other going parts by suitable connections, the
knife being actuated by connecting and guiding rods or bars. Suitable clasps may
hold the knife and guide-bar. The platform canvas or apron runs upon rollers and
the collecting wheel carries pressers.

page_text: Sprocket wheels and chains may drive the rollers and collecting-wheel above
referred to. Suitable packers are employed and the tier-arm may be made to work
upwards or downwards."
The machine is also provided with the usual devices for gathering up the crop as it
is cut and with sheaf-binding devices of the usual construction.
The pole is placed at the front of the machine when at work and at its end when
travelling.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1, is a general plan view and
Fig. 2, an elevation of some of the parts, the remaining figures illustrating details
as hereinafter more amply referred to.
The machine when in operation rests upon the road-wheel A (Figs. 1 and 2)
its extreme end receiving additional support from a wheel n mounted in an adjustable
bracket m suitably attached to the machine. The small supplemental wheel n, and its
bracket m are shown in side elevation in figure 3, and in end elevation in fig. 3.
The motion of the road wheel A is shared by the main driving-wheel B and trans-
mitted to the pinion C (fig. 1) mounted on the same shaft as the bevel wheel D. This
through the bevel pinion E connected with the spur wheel F drives the spur wheel G
actuating the connecting rod H. The rod H is, at 1, jointed to the driving bar I, I,
operating the knife J, J, (see details in figs. 4 and 5) K, K, are plates or bands on the
driving bar which keep the knife from rising from its work whilst h, h are points
engaging with the sockets i, i to drive the knife.
On the same spindle or shaft as the spur wheel is mounted a chain or sprocket
wheel G¹, thence a chain f, f (Fig. 2) passes to the chain wheel L which operates
the platform roller, the chain-wheel M which drives the collector, and the chain
wheel N, operating the binder and other parts. . are small tension wheels used
for the purpose of giving a firm "grip" to the chain, more particularly where it runs
over the binding-gear pulley the action of which should be as regular as practicable.
O, O, are rollers over which an endless apron passes to receive the sheaves.
Fig. 6, shows on an enlarged scale a collector-wheel or roller P, and parts
connected therewith. Fig. 7, shows the collecting devices in front elevation, and
fig. 7 in end elevation, P is the roller itself; j, j, are spikes mounted thereon
for the purpose of gathering up the cut corn; k. k are bent bars or guards which
confine the cut corn on the collector P until it is carried to the packing and sheaf
binding devices.
The packers, that is to say the devices for gathering the cut corn and forming
a sheaf therefrom are of the usual construction and are therefore not shown but
merely indicated at QQ R showing the position of the tier-arm which (as well as
the tying mechanism S in general) may be of any suitable kind; T, T, is a platform
or carrier for the sheaf which works on a rod W and is fitted with springs U, U,
to bring it back into its normal position after the sheave or sheaves are discharged,
the catches V, V, retaining the platform in position.
The reel or fan for pressing the standing corn against the knife and for pushing the
cut corn upon the endless apron passing over the rollers 0, 0 (Fig. 1) is not
shown, as its construction is well known; but a is the chain wheel attached to the
main wheel A from which motion is derived for this portion of the mechanism there
being a chain e for this purpose which passes over said chain wheel a and another b,
see figs. 1 and 2, operating the shaft ; c. d are chain-wheels over which passes a
chain e and convey motion to the reel shaft w¹.
In figs. 8 and 8 an arrangement is shown allowing the height of the machine
above the ground to be varied. The bracket m carrying the supplemental wheel n, as
above stated, slides between guides p, p, and a stop o serves for fixing it in place.
Fig. 9 shows a plate y, attached at some convenient part of the machine for the
reception of the supplemental wheel when desired.
Figs. 10, 10" and 11 show details of the arrangement for the platform receiving
the sheaves. is a rod working in bearings u, u, and connecting the catches V which
hold the sheaf carrier in position. is a rod actuating the catches through the rod r ;

page_text: t is a spring causing the catches to return to their original position. vis a hand lever
to operate the catches by.
The operation of the machine will be understood from the drawings.
The stalks of corn or cereal, cut by the knife J, are by the reel carried to the endless
apron passing over the rollers 0. 0. The apron conveys the corn to the packer or
sheaf forming mechanism Q, Q, and the binding mechanism S (driven by the
gearing XYZ) completes the sheave which then passes upon the platform or sheaf
carrier T. When a sufficient number of sheaves are collected the driver, by the lever v
(Fig. 10) releases the platform which being tilted, by the weight of the sheaves,
discharges the latter at the rear of the machine. Stops z. z. (Fig. 10) prevent excessive
rising of the platform. The springs U, U, (or instead of these a weight placed at x
fig. 1) return the platform to its normal position for the reception of a fresh load.
Having now described the nature of the said invention as communicated to me by
my Foreign Correspondent and the manner in which the same is to be performed
I declare that I claim
1. A reaping or harvesting machine constructed arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purposes described and as shown in the drawings.
2. The construction of the frame and arrangement of parts enabling the knife to be
lengthened as set forth.
3. The arrangement and construction in a machine such as described of the platform
for receiving, carrying and discharging the sheaves as set forth.
4. In a reaping or harvesting machine the combination of a lengthened knife and
its driving gear and of a platform for receiving carrying and discharging the
sheaves.
5. In a reaping machine the knife J, combined with the driving bar I, acting thereon
by points engaging with the sockets i and operated by gearing connecting it with
the main driving wheel as set forth and shown in the drawings.
Dated the Nineteenth day of April 1888.