CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Rowland Westby Ralph, of Honnington Grange,
near Newport, in the County of Salop, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO REAPING MACHINES."
Sealed the 28th January 1863, and dated the 7th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Rowland Westby Ralph at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th August 1862.
I, ROWLAND WESTBY RALPH, of Honnington Grange, near Newport, in the
County of Salop, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO REAPING MACHINES,"
to be as follows, that is to say:
The object of this Invention is to obtain an easy and rapid delivery in
sheaf for heavy crops to supersede tipping platforms and other similar
appliances, which cannot at all times be worked without involving extra
labour. By these improvements I also obtain a good side delivery for the
crop "in sheaf." The way in which these operations are effected is as
follows: My Invention being applicable to any of the ordinary reaping
machines now in use, excepting "Bell's," without any material alteration of
the main framework of such machines. Instead of the platform on which the
grain ordinarily falls, I employ a cloth, the front edge of which is attached to

page_text: or just above the bar carrying the fingers through which the knife works.
The rear edge of the cloth is attached to a roller, which roller is actuated by
a combination of springs and cords, by which it is advanced to or withdrawn
from the finger bar in a plane at a suitable angle with the ground.
As the
roller advances the cloth is wound round it by the action of a coiled spring
contained within the roller, causing the roller to revolve. The roller is thus
drawn forward until it comes close up to the finger bar, when the cut corn
falls to the ground. The roller is then drawn back either by an attendant
pulling a cord wound round another roller in the rear of the apparatus, or by
the driver putting in gear with the main travelling wheel a friction wheel to
which the cord from the rear roller may be attached. Should it be desired
to obtain a side delivery, a light platform is hung beneath the "roller cloth '
platform in a position to receive the cut corn as soon as it is free to fall by the
running up of the roller. This second platform is suspended by parallel rods
hanging from a framework erected on the main framework of the machine.
These rods turn on centres at their points of suspension, being also connected
to the platform by joints so arranged that when the rods move in a plane át
right angles to that in which the machine advances, that is to say, in a plane
parallel to the cutter bar, they carry with them the platform horizontally.
The platform therefore has a side motion and also an upward motion due to
the radial action of the suspending rods, being so raised, that by the time it
has reached the end of its journey sideways, it is sufficiently elevated from
the ground to allow the corn to be thrown off by depressing the rear edge of
the platform. These movements can be effected each at its proper time by
the action of the rear pulleys which work the roller platform.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Rowland Westby Ralph in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROWLAND
WESTBY RALPH, of Honnington Grange, near Newport, in the County of
Salop, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,, the said
Rowland Westby Ralph, Her special license that I, the said Rowland Westby

page_text: ,
Ralph, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said
Rowland Westby Ralph, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "Iμ-
PROVEMENTS IN 'OR APPLICABLE TO REAPING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Rowland Westby Ralph, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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, the said Rowland Westby Ralph, 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 fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
J
The object of this Invention is to obtain an easy and rapid delivery in
sheaf for heavy, crops to supersede tipping platforms and other similar
appliances which cannot at all times be worked without involving extra
labour, my Invention being applicable to most of the ordinary reaping
machines now in uso without any material alteration of the main framework of
such machines. Instead of the platform on which the grain ordinarily-falls,' I
employ a cloth, the front edge of which is attached to, or just above the bar,
carrying the fingers through which the knife works. The rear:
r edge of the
cloth is attached to a roller, .which roller is actuated by a combination of
springs and cords, or other suitable mechanical appliances by which it is
advanced to, or withdrawn from the finger bar in a plane at a suitable angle with
the ground. As the roller advances the cloth is wound round it by the action
of a coiled spring contained within the roller, causing the roller to revolve.
The roller is thus drawn forward until it comes close up to the finger bar,
when the .cut corn falls to the ground. The roller is then drawn back either
by an attendant pulling a cord wound round another roller in the rear of the
apparatus, or by the driver putting in gear with the main travelling wheel a
friction wheel to which the cord from the rear roller may be attached.
"
I will now proceed to describe my Invention in detail with the aid of tho
annexed Drawings. For the fixed platform upon which the cut corn falls, in ordi-
nary reapers, I substitute a cloth (c, c, c', c;) Figure 1, one edge of which (c, c,)

page_text: is fastened to a slip of wood secured upon the bar (p, p.) Figure 1, carrying
the finger guards through which the cutting knife works, so that this edgo is
parallel to the finger bar;..the other edge (c, c,) is attached to a roller (y, y).
This roller is mounted upon pivots, which are carried by the bar (r, r, r,)
supported by the frame (L,, L,,) which swings upon bearings at (a, f, a', f.)
the arms (L,, L, A,) being keyed or otherwise rigidly fixed to the axis (0, 0).
Within the roller are coiled steel springs similar to those used in clocks,
bottle-jacks, and other like apparatus; these are so arranged, that when the
cloth is extended, as shewn in Figure 1, they have a tendency to cause the
roller to revolve, drawing it forward, and rolling up the cloth until the roller
reaches the position just above the finger bar, as seen in Figure 2, in which
Drawing (y) represents the roller, in section, with the cloth wound round it;
when this position has been attained, the cut corn which has accumulated on
the cloth will have fallen to the ground; the roller may then be drawn back,
and the cloth extended to receivo another supply.
I will now proceed to describe a mode of effecting this reciprocating motion
of the roller. Figure 1 is a plan of an ordinary reaping machine, shewing
the main framing (ffff) the main travelling wheel (w) and the finger
bar and finger guards (p, p,) the knife and gearing for working it being
similar to those in common use have not been shewn in the Drawings. (0, 0,)
is the divider, and (m) the shoe, all of which parts, are of similar construction
to those in the machines known as the "Hussey" class, the finger bar and
knife being, however, placed behind the travelling wheel, which arrangement,
though not essential, is in some respects the most convenient for the adaptation
of the roller cloth platform. Upon the framing (f,f.f, f.) I erect an upright
framing (A, A, a', a',) the horizontal bars of which are intended to support the
bearings of the reel spindle, whilst the uprights a', a', Figures 1 and 2,
support the bearings (f,f,) of the axis (0, 0); upon this axis (o, o,) is keyed
an arc (t, t,) to which is attached a strap or band (s, s,) either of india-
rubber or elastic material, or attached to a suitable spring fastened to the
cross stay (A, A.) This spring acts with just so much force as to enable it
to draw the framing (L, L, L, L,) through the arc, (1, r²), Figure 2, and at
the same time to extend the sheet with the necessary degreo of rapidity into
the form shewn by the dotted lines (y, y,) Figure. 2.
sheet in this position until the attendant puts in
apparatus, which I now proceed to describo.
It will also retain tho
action the discharging
Upon the main framing (f.f.) Figure 2, is bolted a bearing (K, K,) in
which works an axis, and upon which are keyed the levers (h, h¹), (9, 9).
To the extreme point (h of h, h¹) is fastened a strap or cord (d, d'), the other

page_text: end being secured to the cross stay (E) of the frame (L, L, L, L.) The end
of the lever (9, 9',) is capable of being acted upon by a roller stud (2) fixed
to the face of the travelling wheel (w), and of being carried by the stud from
the position (9", 9,) to the position (g, g'.) So long as it is desired that the
sheet should remain extended the lever (9, 9",) is retained in the position
seen at (9), its point being missed by the stud (2) as it passes. When
delivery of the cut corn is required, the attendant, by means of a cord attached
to the lever (h, h',) or by any other suitable means, draws the lever (9) into
the position (9', g"); it is then caught by the next advancing stud, and
carried into the position (9, 9"), having thus drawn down the frame (f,f,ƒ›ƒ›)
and brought the roller (y) into its lowest position over the finger bar, the
point (g) then slips from the stud (Z,) and the spring (S) carries the roller
out, and again extends the cloth.
(Figure 3) represents the end elevation of the machine with the roller down
in its lowest position. (Figure 4) represents an end elevation of the standing
corn side of the machine. To facilitate the falling off of corn hanging over
the sides I construct the side of three or more pieces of light boarding or
sheet inetal or other suitable-material joined together at their upper corners
with pivots; the lower corner of the last board is to be attached to a pivot
projecting from the bar (r), Figure 2, or from the end of the roller pivot,
as in Figure 4. When the roller is at its furthest point backwards the side
will be in the position shewn in Figure 4. When the roller is in its lowest
position for delivery, the side will assume the form shewn in Figure 5, afford-
ing an easy escape for the siding corn.
Figure 6 shews the roller in section. It consists in this case of a tin
cylinder (w, w, w, w,) mounted upon fixed gudgeons (9, 9, 9, 9,) which are
supported by projections from the bar (r, r, r); (b, b, b, b, b, b, b, b,) are
discs of wood carrying the brass bushes in which the gudgeons work;
(ffff) are coiled springs, one end of each being fixed to the cylinder, the
other to the gudgeon. The gudgeons being fixed, the springs are wound or
unwound by the turning of the cylinder. A machine so constructed may be
worked either by a rakesman sitting on the usual box cover over the wheel,
in which case a portion of the framing intended for the support of the reel
spindle can be removed, or it may be worked with a reel, the spindle of which
should be supported entirely from the main framing by a bracket bearing so
as to dispense with the ordinary supporting framing on the standing corn
side. Where a reel is used, it is desirable that it be driven by a pitch chain,
so as to make a revolution for every one of the main travelling wheel, four
roller studs being used on the travelling wheel for working the discharging

page_text: gear; it may be so arranged that when the sheet is down, one of the reel
boards shall at the same time be passing over the finger bar, which will tend
to insure a cleaner delivery of certain crops, such as barley very short in the
straw, and full of clover.
In my Provisional Specification I have described a modification of this!
arrangement to adapt the machine for delivering at the side; but as I find,
by experiment, that there are difficulties in the way of practically carrying
this part of my Invention into effect, I have abandoned it.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I claim, without limiting myself to these
'precise details, the application to reaping machines of a platform formed of
cloth or other suitable material, which platform is caused, by mechanical
means to wind itself on and unwind itself from a roller on an axis parallel to
the finger bar, the roller alternately advancing and receding from the said
finger bar, as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rowland Westby Ralph, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
ROWLAND WESTBY RALPH. (L.S.)