IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES.
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Garrett, of Leiston Works, near Sax-
mundham, Suffolk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING
MACHINES.
Sealed the 7th April 1854, and dated the 30th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Garrett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
January 1854.
I, RICHARD GARRETT, of Leiston Works, near Saxmundham, Suffolk, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING
MACHINES" to be as follows:-
The Invention relates, first, to giving motion to thrashing machines; and,
secondly, to improvements in the straw shaking apparatus of thrashing
machines. Heretofore it has been usual to apply the power directly to the
axes of the drums of thrashing machines, and from those axes to the other
parts.
Now, the first part of my Invention is to apply the power to drive the
parts of a thrashing machine which require slower motion than the drum, and
then to the axis of the drum; by which means the prejudicial result consequent
on getting all the power up to the high velocity requisite for the drum, and
then bringing the velocity down for the parts requiring slower motions, is
avoided.

page_text: In the construction of straw shaking. apparatus for thrashing machines it
has been usual to mount the. bars of which a shaker is composed on cranks
at each end, or a crank at one end and a vibrating lever at the other end.
Now, the second part of my Invention consists of giving motion to the
bars of which a shaker of a thrashing machine is composed by a crank or up-
and-down motion at one end, and to cause the bars to rock intermediately of
their length on rocking levers or bearers, so that their ends beyond their
points of bearing may have an up-and-down motion..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Garrett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
July 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,, I, RICHARD
GARRETT, of Leiston Works, near Saxmundham, Suffolk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Garrett, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Garrett.
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Garrett, 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
THRASHING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Garrett, 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 Richard Garrett, do hereby, declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof (that is to say):-
The Invention relates, first, to giving motion to thrashing machines; and,
secondly, to improvements in the straw shaking apparatus of thrashing machines.

page_text: Heretofore it has been usual to apply the power directly to the axis of the
drums of thrashing machines, and from those axes to the other parts.
Now, the first part of my Invention is to apply the power to drive the
parts of a thrashing machine which require slower motion than the drum, and
then to the axis of the drum; by which means the prejudicial result conse-
quent on getting all the power up to the high velocity requisite for the drum,
and then bringing the velocity down from the parts requiring slower motions,
is avoided.
In the construction of straw shaking apparatus for thrashing machines it
has been usual to mount the bars of which a shaker is composed on cranks
at each end, or a crank at one end and a vibrating lever at the other end.
Now, the second part of my Invention consists of giving motion to the
bars of which a shaker of a thrashing machine is composed by a crank or
up-and-down motion at one end, and to cause the bars to rock intermediately
of their length on rocking levers or bearers, so that their ends beyond their
points of bearing may have an up-and-down motion.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a left hand side elevation; Figure 2, a longitudinal section;
Figure 3, a front view; Figure 4, a back view; and Figure 5, a right-hand
side elevation of a portable combined thrashing machine, constructed in
accordance with my Invention. a is the main shaft or driving axis, having
keyed thereon a driving pulley b, which receives motion from a steam
engine or other prime mover. At the opposite end of the shaft or axis a is
keyed another pulley c, which by a band d gives motion to the pulley e on
the axis of the drum or beater g; h is another pulley, also on the main
shaft or axis a, which by the band i gives motion to the cranked axis k.
On one of the cranked axis kare keyed two pullies 1, m. The pulley 1, held
by a band n, gives motion to the pulley o on the cranked axis p. The
pulley m on the axis & gives motion to the pulley r on the axis s, by means of
the endless band t. On the axis s is keyed the bevilled pinion u, which takes
into and drives the bevilled toothed pinion w, fixed on the axis w¹ of the fan w".
The cranked axis p, by a connecting rod p', gives a to-and-fro action to the
screen p², which is provided with sieves or riddles p, p, as shown. The
screen p hangs loosely by links p, p, two at either end, which allow of its
free movement to and fro, by the action of the crank p and connecting rod p¹.
The axis & has two cranks at either end, in opposite directions, and it is to

page_text: these cranks that the sets of straw shaking levers or bars ¹, , are attached,
and derive their motion; the one set of shaker bars k', being attached at
either side to the bearings of the cranks in the one direction, and the other
set of shaker bars being attached in a similar manner to the bearings k³, k,
of the cranks in the opposite direction. The straw shaking bars are con-
nected together in sets by cross bars * suitably formed by allowing
of the alternate movement up and down of the sets of shaker bars, the one
set passing between the spaces of the other set as the cranks of the one set
exchange the higher for the lower position with the cranks of the other set of
shaker bars, and vice versa. The sets of shaker bars k, l, are further
supported by the radius bars, levers, or supports, h, which rock to and fro
on their axis q. The radius bars, levers, or supports, it will be seen by
referring to the longitudinal section, are placed intermediate of the lengths of
the shaking bars h, k, which is very important, inasmuch as it gives an up-
and-down movement to such bars beyond their points of bearing, by which a
far more thorough shaking of the straw is effected. The axis s has at one
end a crank s', (see side view, Figure 1.) which actuates the riddle box by
means of the connecting rod s", attached at its one end to the cranks, and at
its other to the universal joint s', of the riddle box s. The wheat, barley, or
other crop to be thrashed is fed in at the hopper A, and is first acted on by
the beaters g of the drum g, in such manner as to separate the grain from the
straw, the grain thus separated passing through the concave or breast work æ,
between the cross bars a', while the straw is carried by the beaters g' of the
beater g on to the shaker bars ', . The grain, chaff, &c., thus separated
from the straw, after passing through the concave or breast work a, falls on to
the inclined board a', thence on to the screen p, and by the to-and-fro action
of the screen 2, and its inclination, the same are caused to pass over the
sieves p, p, through which the grain and chaff pass down the inclined sides of
the hopper of the screen on to the sieve or riddles, the short straw and rubbish
passing out of the machine at B, and falling on to the ground. The grain
and smaller portions of the chaff are then sifted in the riddle box or sifter s.
The separation of the chaff, dust, &c. is effected by the fan w, driven as
previously described, and the current of air acting upon the lighter par-
ticles drives them from the machine at opening C, see Figure 1. The grain
passing through the sieves ***, and then passing away by the inclined
bottoms, of the sifter or riddles, to the box y of the elevator, which
is composed of two drums y', y, and an endless belt y, to which are attached
numerous cans or buckets y, which take up the grain, thus far thrashed
and dressed, and carry it up and shoot it into the spout y, down which

page_text: it travels into the revolving screen y, which has within it a spiral con-
ductor, by the revolution of which with the screen y the grain is caused
to travel through such screen y, and pass out therefrom into the mouth
or opening into a sack or other receiver, placed there for that pur-
pose. These last-mentioned parts receive motion in the following manner :-
On the main driving shaft or axis a, intermediate of those already referred
to, is a small driving pulley a, which by a band a passing around it, and a
pulley on the axis, gives motion to the upper drum of the elevator,
which is keyed on the axis ; and the lower drum y of the elevator is driven
by the endless belt y', to which the numerous cans or buckets y', previously
referred to, are attached; the buckets on the endless belt and the lower drum
of the elevator being so formed and affixed that the cans shall by descending
and passing into the box y of the elevator scoop up the grain contained therein,
and carry it up until it arrives at the upper drum y¹ of the elevator, and then
to shoot it into the spout y, which directs it into one end of the revolving
screen in the manner herein-before described.
The seconds or inferior grain which escapes through the sieves of the
revolving screen is caught on the flooring c', and can be drawn off therefrom
by the spout c³, as often as requisite. The revolving screen is driven as
follows: On the shaft or axis y of the elevator, and near to the pulley y
just referred to, is a pulley y', which by a band y gives motion to the pulley
10, keyed on the axis y" of the revolving screen y
APPARATUS TO DE EMPLOYED WHEN THRESHING BARLEY ONLY.
Near to the small intermediate pulley ², on the main driving shaft or axis
a, is another pulley a³, which by a band a' gives motion to a pulley b² on the
axis b, which is the axis of the barley aveller. When using the barley aveller,
the grain, instead of being delivered from the elevators direct to the revolving
screen, is caused to enter first the barley aveller, and this is effected by a
hinged trap, which closes the passage to the revolving screen, and opens the
passage to the barley aveller. At the under side of the lower end of the barley
aveller is a sliding door, by which the barley, after being operated upon, is con-
ducted to the revolving screen, and passes to the sack or receiver, as before
described when treating other grain.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to
the details or mechanical parts employed for carrying out my Invention; and
although I have shewn several parts of a thrashing machine to which my
Invention does not apply, I have done so simply to facilitate the under-

page_text: standing of my improvements, and I make no claim to the parts so shewn:
But what I claim is,-
Firstly, the driving of the axis of the drum of a portable combined thrash-
ing machine as herein described.
And, secondly, I claim the combination of parts herein described for con-
structing and giving motion to the straw shaker of a thrashing machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Garrett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
THO MAYHEW,
Sol',
Saxmundham.
R GARRETT.
(L.S.)