IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR TYING UP CORN OR OTHER CEREALS INTO SHEAVES OR BUNDLES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hillam, of Croxton Kerrial, in the
County of Leicester, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR TYING UP CORN OR OTHER CEREALS INTO
SHEAVES OR BUNDLES."
Scaled the 5th January 1875, and dated the 29th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said William Hillam at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th July 1874.
I, WILLIAM HILLAM, of Croxton Kerrial, in the County of Leicester,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR TYING UP CORN OR OTHER CEREALS
INTO SHEAVES OR BUNDLES," to be as follows :—
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hillam at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th July 1874.
I, WILLIAM HILLAM, of Croxton Kerrial, in the County of Leicester,
3 Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR TYING UP CORN OR OTHER CEREALS
INTO SHEAVES OR BUNDLES," to be as follows:-
I employ several modifications of machinery and apparatus for
effecting the tying up.
The first modification consists of a machine which may be attached
on one side of its framing to any reaping machine, the opposite side of

page_text: the framing has the axle of a travelling wheel secured to it. This
wheel carries a toothed wheel which forms ono of a train of threo or
more other toothed wheels; the axle of one of these wheels carries at
its opposite end a toothed spur wheel or a beveled wheel which gears into
a ring or rim of teeth on the under side of a revolving platform carried
by the framing. Above this platform is a second platform which is
caused to revolve when required by a block or carrier attached to the
lower platform. In bearings below the platforms an axlo revolves
which is provided with a toothed wheel at each end, and an arm at one
end. These wheels are alternately traversed the reverse way by a
segment of teeth on the lower platform. The arm carries a string, wiro,
or straw band across the top platform, the reaping machine then lays
a sheaf on the string, wire, or band, the arm being then reversed
carries the string, wire, or band back again, but over the sheaf, holding
both ends until the revolving platforms twist them together; the ends
may then be tucked under the band by the attendant or by a recipro-
cating driver operated by the machine; the sheaf then glides down a
board to the ground and the process is repeated. The train of wheels
above mentioned are for the purpose of giving more or less speed to tho
platforms and apparatus.
A second modification consists of a similar machine, but having two
additional travelling wheels and a pair of shafts, so as to be drawn by
ono horse; and in front of the machine are five or moro teeth which
gather and lift up the cut corn from the ground. It is then takon by
chains or equivalent apparatus to the upper platform and placed upon
the string, wire, or straw band, and the tying up is completed, as in the
first modification.
The straw hand is made by a twisting apparatus operated by the

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Hillam, Her special licenco
that I, the said William Hillam, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Hillam, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR TYING UP CORN OR OTHER CEREALS INTO
SHEAVES OR BUNDLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Hillam, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, tho said William Hillam, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
forming a part of this Specification.
I employ several modifications of machinery and apparatus for
effecting the tying up.
The first modification consists of a machine which may be attached
on one side of its framing to any reaping machine, the opposite sido of
This
the framing has tho axle of a travelling wheel secured to it.
wheel carries a toothed wheel which forms one of a train of three or
more other toothed wheels; the axle of one of these whcels carries at
its opposite end a toothed spur wheel or a bevelled wheel which gears into
a ring or rim of teeth on the under side of a revolving platform carried
by the framing. Above this platform is a second platform which is
caused to revolve when required by a block or carrier attached to the
lower platform. In bearings below the platforms an axle revolves

page_text: which is provided with a toothed wheel at each end, and an arm at onc
end. These wheels are alternately traversed the reverse way by a
*segment of teeth on the lower platform. The arm carries a string, wire,
‹or straw band across the top platform, the reaping machine then lays
´a sheaf on the string, wire, or band, the arm being then reversed carrics
the string, wire, or band back again, but over the sheaf, holding both
ends until the revolving platforms twist them together; the ends may
then be tucked under the band by the attendant or by a reciprocating
driver operated by the machine; the sheaf then glides down a board to
the ground and the process is repeated. The train of wheels above
mentioned are for the purpose of giving more or less speed to the plat-
forms and apparatus.
A second modification consists of a similar machine but having two
additional travelling wheels and a pair of shafts so as to be drawn by
one horse; and in front of the machine are five or moro teeth which
gather and lift up the cut corn from the ground. It is then taken by the
chains or equivalent apparatus to the upper platform and placed upon
the string, wire, or straw band, and the tying is completed, as in the
first modification.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a side view of a machine constructed
according to my Invention.
A is a framed platform, to the under side of which are secured 2
bearings in which the axle of two carrying wheels B, B, revolve. On
the fore part of the framed platform are two inclined side frames C, C,
the lower rails of which are connected by boarding, which may be
covered with zinc or other suitable material, the upper part of frames
carry the axle of three chain wheels or pulleys D, and the lower part of 3
the frames carry the axles of two other chain wheels D'; on the axle of
the carrying wheels a sixth chain wheel D is secured. The whole
of these chain wheels are alike in form, but such form may be varied
to suit the shape of the links of which the chains may be composed. A
chain being passed round tho wheel D³ and the outer wheel D, and two 3

page_text: other chains being passed round the inner wheels D and the two
wheels D', upon the machine being moved forward the chains will be
propelled in the direction of the arrows. The two inclined chains are
secured to the ends of toothed rake rails D³, the teeth of which just
clear the zinc or other covering of the inclined boards. The outer
forward end of these boards carry a bar provided with teeth E which
pass under, gather, and lift the cut corn from the ground. Sufficient to
form a sheaf is then taken by one or other of the rakes D³ up to the top
of the inclined zinc covering from which it falls into the trough of a
circular platform F, which is caused to revolve by the attendant by the
following means:-The vertical axle of the platform F is carried by and
revolves in bearings F' secured to the uprights of the inclined side
frames. Above the lower bearing the axle of the platform is provided
with a toothed bevil wheel, which gears into a similar wheel secured on
the inner end of an horizontal shaft carried by bearings secured to the
platform A. The outer end of this shaft carries a toothed wheel G,
which gears into and is driven by a similar toothed wheel G' which is
free to turn on the axle of the carrying wheels, and is provided with a
toothed and grooved clutch collar G³ which is capable of being thrown
into gear with a toothed collar, secured to and carried by one of the
carrying wheels B; the collar G can be moved in or out of gear by
the hand lever G³. There is a seat H upon which the attendant sits
when at work. Upon the opposite side of the scat to the hand lever is
a short lever which can be operated by the foot of the attendant; this
lever is attached to an axle I which rocks in bearings secured to the
platform A. The axle carries two levers on its lower side, each of which
are secured to a bolt K sliding in bearings on the lower side of the plat-
form A. There is a spring attached to cach bolt and to the platform,
which springs hold the bolts in the position seen at Figure 2. Each
bolt holds a balanced board M secure until withdrawn by the attendant
pressing down the lever I. Each board has a ledge on its lower and
inner edge and is provided on its under side with eyes, thimbles, or
staples, to receive the ends of a diagonal axle M which carries it
and upon which it turns when the bolts are withdrawn by the
attendant.
The machine is provided with shafts N, one of which carries a socket
in which a bar N¹, attached to the framing of the machine, is adjustable
so as to regulate the height of the gathering teeth E from the ground.

page_text: The machine is operated as follows:-An horse being placed in the
shafts and the machine being drawn along the cut corn will be lifted by
the teeth E, upon which it will accumulato until sufficient to form a
sheaf is taken by the rake teeth D³ and deposited in the trough of the
platform F. The attendant takes a portion of the sheaf to form a band
which he passes under the sheaf; then throwing the clutch G³ into gear
causes the platform F and sheaf to revolve so as to twist the band, tho
ends of which he holds with his hand until sufficiently twisted, when he
throws the clutch out of gear and tucks the end of the band under
itself and deposits the sheaf on to one or other of the tumbler boards L,
each of which is large enough to hold four sheaves. When the cight
sheaves are deposited on the boards he withdraws the bolts K by pressing
with his foot on the lever I, the boards will then turn over towards each
other and the sheaves will be deposited upon the ground, their heads lying
towards cach other above a bar O, which is held by loops on the under side
of the platform A, and is drawn from between the sheaves as the machine
advances, leaving the eight sheaves standing on one shock or stoop.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hillam, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, O.E.,
Nottingham.
WILLIAM HILLAM. (L.S.)