Improvements in Harvesting and Straw Trussing Machinery.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 26th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 6th May, 1887.
Improvements in Harvesting and Straw Trussing Machinery.
We JAMES HORNSBY and JOHN INNOCENT both of Spittlegate Ironworks Grantham
in the County of Lincoln Agricultural Engineers do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for. IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING & STRAW TRUSSING MACHINERY to be
as follows:-
The object of our invention is to make the mechanism of Sheaf Binders and Straw
Trussers more simple & more certain in their action.
Our improvements principally apply to that part of the Machine that binds the crop
into sheaves after it has been cut & elevated to the Binder table, where it is passed
forward by packers and bound into sheaves. The extreme end of the cord or String
with which the Sheaf is bound is held by a rotary Wheel Gripper the crop is passed
forward by the packers & laid upon this cord. When sufficient crop for a sheaf is
laid upon the cord the binding mechanism is set in motion & the needle carries the
cord round the sheaf, the knot is then tied on the cord & the sheaf is quietly passed
from the Binder table to the ground.
One part of our improvement consists of making the needle of such a shape that it
will carry the cord round the Sheaf & the needle will return to its normal position
with much less friction to the Binding cord than usual. We construct the needle
with the usual concentric bar to keep back the crop while the sheaf is bound.
The point of the needle & the slot through the nose for the string are made in the
usual manner. We make a part of the needle near the point U shaped, by pre-
ference only making this U shaped part of sufficient length to carry the String clear
of the knotting & string cutting mechanism, an opening on one side of the
needle allows the String to come to the outside of the needle so as to pass along
the side of the needle to the usual string guide behind the needle. Another part
of our improvement consists making the Tucker of such a shape & so mounting
it that it is more certain in its action. We pivot the Tucker on the upper part of the
Knotter plate allowing the extreme end of the Tucker to slightly project across
the path of the needle so that the string for binding the Sheaves will easily pass the
end of the tucker, but the needle when carrying the string round the Sheaf will come

page_text: into contact with the projecting end of the Tucker & will press the Tucker forward
so as to thrust the String into the path of the Knotter when the Knot is being tied.
When the needle is returned to its normal position the Tucker is brought back into its
original position by a spring.
The Knotter we prefer to use is that patented by William Hornsby No. 2540 dated
February 27th 1836.
Anotlier part of our invention is to use a metallic bar or tube over the Binder at
the upper end of the Knotter plate. This bar may be of any desired section, as
angle, T, channel or other section. By preference we use a Tube to give rigidity
with lightness.
Another part of our improvement refers to the elevator mechanism. The crop is
usually carried up between two sets of travelling canvas running over rolls-
extending from the front to the back of the Machine or nearly so, it has always been
difficult to oil the bearings of the two lower rolls of the elevators as the bearings have
been on the inside. We now make the Spindles of these Rolls longer & mount the
bearings on the outside framework or boards so that the Spindles of the lower Rolls of
the Elevators may be oiled from the outside.
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page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Harvesting and Straw Trussing Machinery.
We JAMES HORNSBY and JOHN INNOCENT both of Grantham in the County of
Lincoln Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the samo is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to make the mechanism of Sheaf binders and Straw
trussers more simple and mere certain in their action.
Our invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows
an end elevation of a part of the binding mechanism and the framework which
supports it. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the end of the needle-Fig. 3 is a similar
view to Fig. 2 but showing the bar G across the needle.
Fig. 4 shows an elevation of a part of the needle.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of a knotter plate with our improved tucker mounted upon it.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 shows elevation of the plate K with an angle bar N¹ in place of the tube N.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
In Fig. 1. A is the cross beam of the gear frame A¹ is the elevator post. B. B¹
and B' are three longitudinal pieces of the framework B³ is a post supporting the
lower part of the binder frame Cand are the tubes on which the parts composing
the Binder are mounted C is the platform on which the crop or straw is delivered
ready to be bound D is the retainer wheel which holds the extreme end of the string
whilst the sheaf is being bound This wheel may be operated by any suitable
mechanism. E is the needle which carries the string round the sheaf or truss when
they are bound To protect the string with which the sheaves are bound and keep it
clear of the working parts, we make a part of the needle near the point by preference
U shaped only making this U shaped part of sufficient length to carry the string
clear of the knotting and string cutting mechanism An opening E¹ on one side of
the needle allows the string to come outside and pass along the side of the needle to
the usual string guide F behind the needle, our object being to reduce the frictional
surface and allow the string to pass along the needle more freely.
The novelty of this part of our invention is to make the needle of such a shape that
it will guard and keep the string clear of the working parts of the knotter Then
from an opening in the needle the string passes alongside of the needle directly to the
guide F.
The dotted lines show the needle in its normal position with the string passing
directly from the Knotter H through the point of the needle E to the cord guide F.
At Figs. 3 & 4 we show another way in which the needle may be constructed by
passing the string under the bar G.
We do not confine ourselves to make the neck of the needle in the shape of the
letter U as it may be L or other shape if desired.

page_text: Another part of our invention is shown at Figs. 5 and 6. and consists of making
the tucker of such a shape and mounting it so that it may be operated directly by
the needle E We mount the tucker J on the Knotter plate K and pivot the tucker
on the pin L on which it vibrates.
The string when carried round the sheaf is in front of the needle and sufficient
room for the string to pass is left between the tucker J and the edge of the Knotter
plate K. so that the string is passed in front of the tucker and the needle E. (best
seen at Fig. 5 where the needle is shown in section) coming in contact with the
tucker J. moves it forward to the position shown by the dotted lines and the tucker
passing the string before it, places the string in the path of the Knotter.
When the needle returns the tucker J is brought back to its normal position by the
spring M or in place of the spring M any other arrangement of spring may be used
as desired.
The novelty in this part of our invention is the tucker being operated direct by the
needle.
Another part of our invention is shown at Figs. 5 and 6. and consists of using a
metalic tube N in place of the wood bar generally used for supporting the upper end
of the plate K In place of a tube a channel, T, or angle shaped bar, N' as shown at
Fig. 7 may be used-by preference we use a tube to give rigidity with lightness.
The whole of the above named improvements are applicable to both sheaf binding
and straw trussing Machines.
Having thus described the nature of our invention and the manner of per-
forming the same we declare that what we claim is
First. In sheaf binding or straw trussing Machines a needle whose neck is shaped
to guard the string and keep it clear of the working parts of the Knotter, the string
then passing to the outside of the needle and directly to the back string guide
substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
Second. A needle constructed substantially as described and illustrated with reference
to drawings Figs. 3 and 4.
°
Third. A tucker mounted so that it is operated direct by the needle, substantially as
described and illustrated with reference to drawings Figs. 5. & 6.
Fourth. The metalic tube or bar at the upper end of the Knotter plate, substantially
as described and illustrated with reference to drawings Figs. 1. 5. 6 and 7.
Dated this Twenty fourth day of March 1887.