Improvements in or relating to Grain Binders.
Year: 1892

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Grain Binders.
A communication from THE MASSEY-HARRIS COMPANY, LIMITED, of Toronto,
in the County of York, Province of Ontario, Canada.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 :-
The object of this invention is to design a sheaf-carrier which will discharge the
sheaves in straight and even rows, and it consists essentially of a series of fingers
situated below the discharge side of the binder table and operated by mechanism
arranged to first drop the fingers so as to partially discharge the sheaves and then
swing the said fingers from under and around clear of the discharged sheaves.
substantially as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1 is a perspective skeleton view of the parts connected with this invention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective detail of the operating mechanism in the first
position.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective detail of the operating mechanism in the second
position.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective detail of the operating mechanism in the third
position.
Before describing the operation of this improved carrier I will first proceed to
explain the details of its construction commencing at the point where the mechanism
is operated by the driver.
A is a foot crank journalled on the foot board B in proximity to the seat C.
D is a rod connecting the foot crank A to a crank formed on the rod E. This
rod is suitably journalled in the frame of the machine and has a double crank F
formed on its lower end (see Figs. 2 and 3). A bracket G is fixed to the
rock-shaft H which is suitably journalled in brackets fixed to the frame of the
machine.
I is a rod arranged to connect the bracket G to the elbow of the double crank F.
In Figs. 2, 3 and 4 one finger J only is shown, the single one being sufficient for the
purpose of this Specification.
K is a quadrant-shaped bracket fixed to the rock-shaft H. The inner end L of
each finger is bent at right angles and fits into a horizontal journal box M which
box has a vertical stud N which fits into a suitable vertical bearing formed in the
bracket K. These two journals permit the finger J to have a free vertical
movement as well as a swinging horizontal movement.
The quadrant-shaped portion of each bracket K is set at an angle so that each
finger when not otherwise held has a tendency to fall downwardly towards a position
parallel with the rock shaft H. Each journal box M has an arm O projecting from
it which arm is pivotted to a bar P. In this way all the fingers are connected by
the bar P and consequently all the fingers must work at once.
Qis a rod connected to the lower end of the double crank F and extending to the
slot R made in the bar P. The said rod is connected to the bar P as indicated, in
such a manner that the connection will not interfere with the free horizontal
movement of the bar P except when the rod Q abuts against either end of the
said slot.
On reference to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be observed that the fingers J all extend out
from and at right angles to the rock shaft H the said fingers forming a horizontal
carrier for the sheaves. On reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that owing to
CD

page_text: the position of the crank F; the end of the rod Q is held against the end of the slot R
thereby locking all the fingers J in the horizontal position shown. It will also be
observed that the bracket G is away from the shoulder a formed in the hub of the
arm S which supports the end of the rock shaft H.
When the driver wishes to. drop the sheaves off the carrier he presses his foot
against the crank A which action causes the rod E to roll raising the upper portion
of the crank F and by the rod I which acts against the bracket G, the rock shaft H
is caused to roll so as to lower the ends of the fingers J, the drop of the fingers being
sufficient to permit the sheaves to fall off or partially off the carrier. By the time
that this drop is effected the end of the rod Q has reached the end of the slot R
striking the said end with sufficient force to give the bar P a longitudinal impetus
of sufficient force to cause all the fingers J to swing on their respective pivots
towards a position parallel with the rock shaft H in which position they are folded
out of the way. Fig. 3 shows the position of the parts at the moment that the
sheaves have been dumped and the end of the rod Q striking the end of the slot R
giving the said bar the impetus required. In order to raise the fingers J into the
horizontal position they appear in Fig. 1 the driver presses on the foot crank A. so
as to rock the rod E in the opposite direction. This movement forces the crank F
downwardly, drawing the bracket G away from the shoulder a thus rocking the
rock shaft H so as to raise the ends of the fingers J clear of the stubble before the
end of the rod Q has reached the end of the slot R so as to give the bar Pa
longitudinal movement opposite to that which it has, previously moved thereby
forcing the fingers J back into the horizontal position. From this description it
will be seen that mechanism is provided for operating the fingers) in such a manner
that the said fingers will first drop to discharge the sheaves and then swing around
clear of everything and that in returning the fingers to their initial position they are
first raised clear of the stubble and then moved to the horizontal position necessary
to constitute them a sheaf carrier. Owing to the fact that each finger is pivotted
in a horizontal journal so that it is capable of an independent vertical movement the
weight of the sheaves will not put the operating mechanism into action whereas
should the fingers come in contact with a stump or other obstruction the whole
carrier will instantly swing clear of the said obstruction.
It may be mentioned here that the amount of drop the said fingers J shall have is
regulated by the position of the shoulder a the lower the said shoulder the greater
the drop.
In order to prevent the grain on the fingers clogging the moving part of the said
fingers a board T is placed as indicated in Fig. 1.
With the view of holding the sheaves on the fingers J until the said fingers are
dropped the curved fingers U are provided, which are connected to the bar V
hinged as indicated at bin such a manner that the said bar with its fingers may be
folded back out of the way on top of the binder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. As an improved sheaf carrier a series of fingers located at the discharge side
of the binder table and operated by mechanism arranged to drop the ends of the
fingers and then swing them clear substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. As an improved sheaf carrier a series of fingers located at the discharge side
of the binder table each finger independently carried in a horizontal journal box
provided with vertical stud fitted into a suitable bearing box in combination with
mechanism by which the fingers are dropped and then swung upon their vertical
bearings substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A rolling rod E suitably journalled to the frame of the machine and having a
double crank F formed at its lower end a bracket G fixed to a journalled rock
shaft and connected to the crank F in combination with a series of fingers J
independently journalled in journal boxes M each journal box having a vertical

page_text: stud N which is journalled in a bracket fixed to the rock shaft H substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
4. A series of fingers J each finger carried in a pivotted journal box M and each
journal box connected to the bar P having a slot R made in it in combination with
the rod Q crank F all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
5. The combination with a series of fingers J of a finger or fingers U connected
to the hinged bar V substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 5th day of January 1892.
ALFRED J. BOULT,
Chartered Patent Agent.