IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING AND COLLECTING HAY AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Newzam Nicholson and William Mather, both
of Newark-upon-Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING AND
COLLECTING HAY AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 7th December 1877, and dated the 11th June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Newzam Nicholson
and William Mather at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
11th June 1877.
WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON and WILLIAM MATHER, both of Newark-upon-
Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING AND COLLECTING HAY AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES."
The first part of our Invention applies to haymaking machines having sliding
pinions connected with the fork carriers for giving a forward or a reverse motion at
pleasure to the forks, and consists of an arrangement of a lever having either forked
or single ends working upon a centre between the sliding pinions. Studs or gluts
áre formed upon the ends of the lever, and take into grooves upon the pinions in
such a manner that upon one pinion being slided upon its shaft, the other pinion is
compelled by the lever oscillating upon its centre to slido in an opposite direction.
The breadth of the teeth upon the pinions is so proportioned, that whilst both of the
pinions are always in gear together, yet neither of them can be in gear with the
main driving wheel at the same time as the other.
'
The second part of our Invention relates to a new method of springs connected
with the fork bars of haymaking machines. In one of these metliods we fix spiral
springs concentrically with the axle of the machine to the fork carriers, which
spring pressing against rigid levers act upon the tooth' carrying bars so as to allow
the teeth to give way to any obstacle. By another plan we fusten elastic steel.rods
radially into the boss of the fork carrier; and attach the fork bars by.sockets. or

page_text: other contrivances to these elastic rods, using by preference two elastic rods to each
set of forks.
The third part of our Invention relates to a method of mounting the teeth of
horse rakes or inachinery for collecting bay or similar substances. In such machines
the teeth are usually fixed in sockets of cast or malleable iron hung on a tooth 5
carrying-bar or tooth rod. This tooth rod is carried on a number of brackets
attached to the framework or to the axle of the machine. After much use the ends
of the tooth sockets become worn, and the teeth in consequence have so much play
that the efficiency of the machine is impaired.
Our Invention consists in the use of short sockets or lengths of tube strung upon 1
the tooth rod within each of the brackets that carry it, the holes in such brackets
being enlarged for that purpose. The effect of this is that when worn, by tightening
a nut at the end of the tooth rod, the worn tooth sockets are brought together, and
work as steadily as when first made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Newzam Nicholson and William Mather in the Great Seal
Pateni Office on the 11th December 1877.
WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON and WILLIAM MATHER, both of Newark-upon-
"IMPROVEMENTS
Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers.
IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING AND COLLECTING HAY OR SIMILAR SUBSTANCES."
The first part of our Invention applies to laymaking machines having sliding
pinions connected with the fork carriers for giving a forward or a reverse motion
at pleasure to the forks, and consists of an arrangement of a lever having either
forked or single ends working upon a centre between the sliding pinions. Studs or
gluts are formed upon the ends of this lever, and take into grooves upon the
pinions in such a manner that upon one pinion being slided upon its shaft, the
other pinion is compelled by the lever oscillating upon its centre to slide in an
opposite direction. The breadth of the teeth upon the pinions is so proportioned,
that whilst both of the pinions are always in gear together, yet neither of them can
be in gear with the main driving wheel at the same time as the other.
The second part of our Invention relates to a new method of springs connected
with the fork bars of haymaking machines. In one of these methods we fix spiral
springs concentrically with the axle of the machine to the fork carriers, which
springs pressing against rigid levers act upon the tooth carrying bars so as to allow
the teeth to give way to any obstacle. By another plan we fasten elastic steel rods
radially into the boss of the fork carrier and attach the fork bars by sockets or
other contrivances to their elastic rods, using by preference two elastic rods to each
set of forks.
The third part of our Invention relates to a method of mounting the teeth of
In such machines
horse rakes or machines for collecting hay or similar substances.
the teeth are usually fixed in sockets of cast or malleable iron hung on a tooth
carrying-bar or tooth rod. This tooth rod is carried on a number of brackets

page_text: attached to the framework or to the axle of the machine. After much use the ends
of the tooth sockets become worn, and the teeth in consequence have so much play
that the efficiency of the machine is impaired.
Our Invention consists in the use of short sockets or lengths of tube strung upon
the tooth rod within each of the brackets that carry it, the holes in such brackets
being enlarged for that purpose. The effect of this is that when worn, by tightening
a nut at the end of the tooth rod, the worn tooth sockets are brought together and
work as steadily as when first made.
In the accompanying Drawing Figures 1 and 2 represent in longitudinal and
transverse sections respectively, a portion of a haymaking machine to which the
first part of our Invention is applied. A and A, x, are pinions sliding on their
shafts B and B, x, so as to gear when required with gearing in the travelling
wheel H. On an axis C, between the pinions, is mounted a lever D baving studs
or gluts e on its extremities. These studs or gluts take into grooves formed on the
pinions A and A, x, in such a manner that on either of them being moved along its
shaft, the other one is compelled to move in an opposite direction, as shown by the
dotted lines. The pinion A, x, is made of sufficient breadth, that when it is moved into
gear with the travelling or driving wheel H, it will still be in gear with the pinion A,
and thus communicate motion to the said pinion A in a contrary direction to that
of the driving wheel. It will be seen that the pinions A or A, x, cannot be both
in gear with the driving wheel H at the same time. The lever D can be made
with a single end, as shewn, or with double or forked ends, embracing collars on
the pinions.
Figure 3 shows a transverse section, and Figure 4 an elevation of part of a hay-
making machine, to which the second portion of our Invention is applicable, and
which relates to a new method of springs connected with the fork carriers of hay-
making machines. A spiral spring K in a box L is attached by clips to the fork-
carrying arms M. These clips hold the spring box firmly to the fork arms, and
brace and stiffen the said arms. A rigid lever O, having its fulcrum in the boss of
the fork carriers, is caused by the spiral spring to press with its outer end on the
fork-head shoe P in such a manner that whilst the fork can give way to any
obstacle they are held firmly enough for tossing the hay. We do not confine our-
selves to the exact position of the spiral spring and clips shown in Figures 3 and 4,
Rs it is obvious that the fulcrum of the lever O could be placed between the forks
and the spring, thus making it a lever of the first order, instead of one of the third
order.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another plan of carrying out the second part of our
Invention, which consists mainly in substituting for the usual rigid fork carriers
elastic rods R. The fork bars S are carried in sockets or other contrivances fastened
to the end of these elastic rods, the rods themselves acting as springs, and allowing
the forks to give way to any obstacle. On the outer periphery of the sockets are
notches b into which studs or pins fastened in the fork bars take, so as to hold the
fork bars, which can be turned in their sockets when opened out in the proper
position for working, or when closed for travelling. By having a sufficient number
of notches in the sockets, the teeth may be held at any required angle. The
elasticity of the rods holds the notched sockets firmly over the studs or pins in the
fork bars.
Figure 7 shows the method of carrying out the third part of our Invention for
tightening up the teeth of horse rakes when worn loose. To effect this the holes in
the brackets T, which carry the tooth rod V, are made sufficiently large to receive
sockets or short lengths of tube a. These sockets are wider than the brackets, and
can slide therein. It will be seen that on tightening up the nuts at the ends of the
tooth rod V, the teeth are pressed up to one another on the entire length of the rod,
and
any looseness or play is thereby taken up.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Inventions, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be carried into practical effect,
we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention the general construction

page_text: of the various parts of machines for making and collecting hay and similar substances,
substantially as herein-before more particularly described and represented by the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Newzam Nicholson, on behalf of
myself and the said William Mather, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witnessed by
ARTHUR T. ALLCOCK,
Engineer,
Newark.
WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON. (L.S.)