IMPROVED FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Rowley Holben, of Barton, in the County of
Cambridge, for the Invention of "IMPROVED FEEDING APPARATUS FOR
THRASHING MACHINES."
Sealed the 23rd July 1878, and dated the 13th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Rowley Holben at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1878.
RICHARD ROWLEY HOLBEN, of Barton, in the County of Cambridge. "IMPROVED
FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES."
My Invention relates to improvements in the drum-feeding apparatus for thrashing
machines, for which Lettors Patent were granted to myself and John Potterton
Fison, dated April 30th, 1875, No. 1605, although it is also applicable to other
forms of feeding apparatus for thrashing machines.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I will describe it
with reference to the apparatus illustrated in the Specification of the above-
mentioned Letters Patent.
My present Invention consists in the employment in combination with the distri-
buting drum or cylinder, which is intended to take the corn from the sheaf on the
feed board and supply it in regular quantities to the endless apron, by which it is
conveyed to the thrashing drum, of a row of flexible prongs and of rigid prongs
behind the flexible prongs, both set above the distributing cylinder, and intended
to replace the adjustable check board for dividing the sheaves described in the said
former Letters Patent, and to enable the row of prongs described therein as
oscillating over the endless sheet or apron to be dispensed with.
According to my present Invention a row of flexible prongs consisting, say, of
wooden bars or rods, or metal springs, are attached to a cross bar, fixed above the
top casing of the distributing roller, the said prongs passing down through slots in
the casing to within a few inches of the distributing cylinder at their lower ends.
These prongs hold back the corn and prevent it being fed in too large quantities at
Dries 671

page_text: once to the endless apron. Being fixed, that is to say, not vibrating, their distance
from the distributing cylinder does not vary, and being flexible they are enabled to
yield to a certain extent, should too great a strain come on them by too large a
quantity of corn being raised at once by the distributing roller. Behind thein is
a row of rigid iron prongs curved downwards and forwards, their points being an
inch or so behind and to one side of the wooden springs or prongs, which, when the
latter yields as above mentioned, project in front of the wood prongs, and relieve
them by retaining the excessive bulk of the corn, whilst it is being uniformly dis-
tributed on to the endless apron by the distributing cylinder.
To avoid as far as possible an excess of corn being raised by the distributing 1
cylinder, I prefer to attach at the middle of the front edge of the hood or the curved
part of the cover, above the distributing roller, a downwardly-projecting strip of
sheet iron, with a scalloped or toothed edge, which breaks the sheaf and throws
back a portion on to the feed board.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Rowley Holben in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
November 1878.
RICHARD ROWLEY HOLBEN, of Barton, in the County of Cambridge. " IMPROVED
FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES."
My Invention relates to improvements in the drum-feeding apparatus for thrashing
machines for which Letters Patent were granted to myself and John Potterton
Fison, dated April 30th, 1875, No. 1605.
In order that the Invention may be readily understood, I will describe it with
reference to the apparatus shown in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1
represents a longitudinal section of the drum-feeding apparatus provided with my
improvements, which consist more especially in the employment in combination with
the distributing drum or cylinder (which is intended to take the corn from the
sheaf on the feed board, and supply it in regular quantities to the endless apron to
be conveyed to the thrashing drum) of a row of flexible prongs and of rigid prongs
behind the flexible prongs, both set above the distributing cylinder and intended
to replace the adjustable check board for dividing the sheaves described in the
aforesaid Letters Patent, and to enable the row of vibrating prongs described therein
as oscillating over the endless sheet or apron to be dispensed with; Figure 2 is a
front elevation of these prongs separately.
A is the thrashing drum; B, the "concave; " C, a plain roller, turning over the
thrashing drum; D, the endless apron, by which the corn is conveyed from the
distributing cylinder F to the thrashing drum, this endless apron being provided
with projections d, and carried on two rollers D' by which the shect is made to
travel in the direction of the arrows; E is a table fixed in an inclined position, on
which the upper half of the apron is supported under the weight of the corn upon

page_text: it; F is the distributing cylinder provided with wooden projections f, by which the
corn is taken from the sheaf placed on an adjustable hopper or foed board G, and
transferred to the apron D, the whole being supported on the framework of the
machine, and enclosed by a cover H, as in the former Patent.
According to the present Invention a row of flexible prongs I, consisting, say, of
wooden bars or rods, or of metal springs, are attached to a cross bar i, fixed above
the top casing H, the said prongs I passing down through slots in casing H to
within a few inches of the distributing cylinder F at their lower ends. These prongs I
hold back the corn, and prevent it being fed in too large quantities at once to the
endless apron. Being fixed, that is to say, not vibrating their distance from the
distributing cylinder F does not vary, and being flexible they are enabled to yield
to a certain extent should an excessive strain come on them by too largo a quantity
of corn being raised at once by the distributing cylinder. Behind the prongs I is a
row of rigid iron prongs J, curved downwards and forwards, their points being an
inch or so behind and to one side of the spring prongs I. When the latter yield, as
shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1, these rigid prongs J project in front of
prongs I and relieve them by retaining the excessive bulk of corn, whilst it is
being uniformly distributed on to the endless apron D by this distributing
cylinder F.
To assist in preventing an excess of corn being raised by the distributing cylin-
der, I prefer to attach to the middle of the front edge of the hood or curved part H'
of the cover, above the distributing cylinder, a downwardly projecting blade con-
sisting of a strip of sheet iron K (shown separately in Figure 3) having a scalloped
or toothed edge which serves to break the sheaf and throw back a portion on to the
feed board G.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I clain as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. In a drum-feeding apparatus for thrashing machines, the employment in
combination with the distributing drum of a row of straight flexible prongs, and a
row of curved rigid prongs, slightly behind and to one side of the flexible prongs,
both sets of prongs being fixed above the distributing cylinder, substantially as and
for the purpose shown and described.
Second. In a drum-feeding apparatus for thrashing machines, the employment in
combination with the distributing cylinder of a blade, having a scalloped or toothed
edge fixed to the front edge of the hood or cover above the distributing cylinder for
the purpose of breaking the sheaf, and preventing an excessive bulk of corn being
raised by said cylinder, substantially as shown aud described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Rowley Holben, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.