Improvements in Knotter Mechanism for Grain Binders.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May. 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Knotter Mechanism for Grain Binders.
We, MANFORD FRANKLIN FAIRBANK, JOSEPH RICHARDSON MEACH and
THOMAS MEASURES, Farmers, of Ogden Centre, County of Lenawee, State of
Michigan, United States of America, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved knotter mechanism for grain binders, and
consists in the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully set forth,
the essential features of which being pointed out particularly in the claims.
The objects of the invention are to provide simple and effective means for tying
the binding twine so as to form a hard knot therein, and to provide for cutting the
twine close to the knotter-bill to effect a saving in the use thereof. These
objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which ;-
Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the knot tying mechanism, portions
being broken away to more clearly show the construction of parts.
Fig. 2 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section, through Fig. 1, with a portion
of the frame broken away.
Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section, of the mechanism for operating the twine
engaging disc.
Fig. 4 is a section on dotted line 4-4 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is an end elevation partly in section as on dotted line 5-5 of Fig. 2, the
driving wheel being removed.
Referring to the letters of reference, A designates the frame upon which the
mechanism is mounted. Journaled in a sleeve A', at the top of said frame, is a
shaft A carrying at its end a driving wheel B. On the inner face of said wheel
at the perimeter thereof, is a segment of radial gear teeth B', that, as said wheel
revolves, are adapted to engage and cause one revolution of the conical pinion B",
mounted on the vertical spindle journaled in the frame, which spindle passes
through the horizontal ledge of the frame, and is provided at its lower end with
the fixed jaw a of the knotter-bill. Said bill consisting of said fixed lower jaw
having at its outer end a tooth c, and the movable upper jaw a¹ having an aperture
or recess that receives said tooth. Said upper jaw is pivoted at cl to the lower jaw
and the top thereof is enlarged so as to form a circular table d, having a curved
inclined plane d' at the back thereof and provided with a central flaring aperture
that freely receives the spindle b which passes therethrough, thereby permitting of
the free movement of the jaw a' upon its pivot.
Let into the outer edge of the ledge b¹ of the frame, is a plate f having
two ears depending therefrom through a recess in said ledge, between which
ears is journaled an anti-friction roller e', that bears upon the table d of the
knotter-bill and rolls thereon as said bill is revolved. The riding of said roller
onto the inclined plane d' of said table, causes it to tilt and open the knotter-
bill so as to grasp the binding twine in forming the knot, as hereinafter set forth.
The plate, to which the roller e¹ is attached, is resilient and reinforced with a
spring leaff, whereby said roller is held with a yielding force upon the table of

page_text: the knotter, permitting the parts to adjust themselves and obviating undue wear
and friction.
The twine gripping and cutting mechanism is mounted on a swinging frame C
hung upon a horizontal shaft C adapted to have longitudinal movement in its
bearings in the main frame A. Secured to the lower portion of the swinging frame
upon the inner face thereof, is a plate C₁, having in the upper edge thereof a deep
notch 7, and at one side of said notch an overhanging curved flange adapted to
embrace a portion of the periphery of the revoluble disc D which is seated against
said plate and provided with a central stem D' that passes through said plate and
the frame C, and receives upon its outer end a coiled spring D which is confined
between the washer g thereon and said frame and is retained in place by the
nuts. By which construction, the disc D may be caused to bear against its seat
with any degree of tension.
The periphery of the disc D is provided with a series of notches i which are
caused to successively register with the notch in the seat or plate C" by means
of a ratchet E mounted on the face of said disc, and the pawl E¹ engaging said
ratchet, whereby said disc is intermittently rotated. Said pawl being held by a
spring and actuated by means of a lever E" fulcrumed near its longitudinal
center to the frame C, and to the lower end of which said pawl is pivoted, the
upper end of said lever being pivoted to the head F, mounted on the longitudinally
movable shaft C', and secured thereto by means of a gib k engaging notches on
said shaft and held in place by a set screw k¹, which construction is clearly shown
in Fig. 3, and permits of the adjustment of said head to regulate the throw of the
lever E to compensate for any wear of the pawl E'.
The movement of the shaft C to actuate said lever and pawl is accomplished by
means of an incline F' leading from the recess in the inner face of the wheel B to
the plane of its raised surface F", which incline, as said wheel revolves, engages
the anti-friction roller ¹ on the inner end of said shaft and moves said shaft
longitudinally outward compressing the spring G¹ thereon between said head and
the frame and swinging the lever E" and operating the pawl E', thereby rotating
the rack E and the disc D.
When the shaft has been thrust outward to the extent of the rise of said incline,
it is held extended by the raised surface F11 upon which the roller i rolls as the
wheel B continues to revolve, until said roller encounters the decline G from the
surface F, when the spring G¹ will return said shaft to its normal position throwing
the lever E back and withdrawing the pawl so as to engage a succeeding tooth on
the rack E, in position for another operation.
The twine cutting mechanism consists of the fixed lower knife I secured to the
swinging frame and standing adjacent to the inner face of the gripper disc D, aud
the upper movable knife H' mounted on an arm II", pivoted upon a screw m passing
through the fixed knife and serewing into the frame C, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.
By this construction, as the arm H is moved, the upper knife I' swings upon the
pivot m and is caused to shear by the knife H to sever the twine, the position of
parts during which operation is clearly shown in Fig. 1.
Pivoted to the upper end of the arm H" carrying the movable knife, by means
of a screw n, is a link 1, the upper end of which is coupled by means of a form of
gimbal-joint to the depending crank I, shown in Fig. 4, in which said link is
pivoted to and adapted to rock upon the outer end of the pin o which is journaled
in the lower end of said crank. This coupling permits said link to reciprocate to
actuate the knife H', and allows the frame C, carrying said knife, to swing inward
as the twine is taken up by the knotter-bill.
The crank J is secured to one end of a rock shaft J, which passes through and
is journaled in the upper portion of the frame A, the opposite end of said shaft
carrying the curved guide arm K which extends downward in line with the knotter-
bill and is provided with a V-shaped way K' in its lower end that receives and
guides the binding twine. The upper end of said arm extends into the recess in

page_text: the wheel B and is provided with a roller L thereou, that is adapted to be engaged
by the lug L' extending from the hub of said wheel as it revolves, which carries
the inner end of said arm downward, thereby rocking the shaft J and actuating the
crank and link I to operate the knife H¹, as before stated, at the same time
swinging the lower end of said arm outward for the purposes hereinafter set forth.
When in the revolution of said wheel, the lug L' slips past the roller L on said
arm, the spring M attached thereto and to the frame will return said arm thus
rocking said shaft back and restoring said knife and its operative parts to their
former position.
In the operation of this improved tying mechanism, one end of the binding twine,
which is passed around the bundle by the needle, not shown, is secured between the
disc D and the seat or plate C", and extends from the uppermost notch in said
disc, the other end of said twine forming the loop around the bundle, is carried by
the needle, into said upper notch of the gripper disc and the corresponding notch
in the plate C, when the incline F of the revolving wheel B engages the roller
on the end of the shaft C', moving said shaft longitudinally and actuating the
pawl E' to rotate said disc thereby gripping the twine between its inner face and
the plate C, and carrying it into the opening between the knives, as shown by
dotted lines in Fig. 1, at which time the twine extends across the upper face of the
knotter-bill and lies in the V-shaped way in the lower end of the arm K. Said
bill is then caused to make one revolution by the engagement of the segment of
gear teeth B', in the course of the revolution of the wheel B, with the pinion B",
thereby winding the twine on said bill to form the knot in the ordinary way, the
bill opening to receive the twine and closing thereon by the engagement of the
inclined plane d' of its circular table as it revolves, with the roller e¹ as before
described. To hold the bill in position after it has made one revolution, the
pinion B is provided with a flat surfaces which is engaged by the lateral flange s¹
extending from the rim of the wheel B, except at the point where the cog-teeth B₁
are formed, whereby said pinion is permitted to revolve when engaged by said
teeth, but is held from further turning by said flange engaging the flat surface
thereon until said wheel shall have completed its revolution.
As the bill revolves in winding the twine thereon, the tension of the twine, as it
is taken up by the bill, causes the frame C, carrying the knives and gripper disc,
to swing inward toward said bill so that the end thereof, as it receives the twine
between its jaws, shall pass close to the knives thereby leaving but a short end of
tle twine extending beyond the bill when it is severed. This movement of the
frame C is permitted at this time, by a cam P on the hub of the wheel B, the low
point r of which encounters a roller t on the end of an arm R of said frame, allowing
said arm to rise and the frame to swing inward on the shaft C. Said arm being
again depressed by the high point of said cam and said frame swung outward after
the twine shall have been severed and the kuot formed.
As the bill completes its revolution with the twine between its jaws, as shown by
dotted lines in Fig. 1, the lug L' on the hub of the wheel B engages the roller L
on the arm K depressing the inner end of said arm and rocking the shaft J thereby
actuating the knife H', as before described, to sever the twine, at the same time
the lower end of said arm carrying the guide K¹ with the twine therein, swings
outward and slips the twine off of the end of said bill, the loop u of the knot being
retained by the tooth c, as shown in Fig. 1, so that when the bundle is discharged,
said loop will pull out forming a hard knot, as will be readily understood, the upper
jaw not being held with tension, the cut ends of the twine will readily draw through
the jaws of the bill. The operation of tying the knot is then completed and the
parts are in position for a succeeding operation.
From the drawings, and the above description, it will now be apparent that this
improved knotting mechanism is simple, compact and effective, and in which the
operation is such as to tie a hard knot in the binding twine and effect a material
saving in the use thereof.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is;
CLAIM 1.
The knotter bill consisting of the fixed jaw on a revoluble spindle, the movable
jaw pivoted thereto and having the circular table through which said stem
passes freely, said table having an inclined plane, and the roller adjacent to said
table.
CLAIM 2.
In a knotter mechanism, the knotter-bill consisting of the fixed jaw on
revoluble spindle and having an extending tooth, the movable jaw pivoted
thereto provided with a recess to receive said tooth and having a circular table
surrounding said spindle which passes freely therethrough, a portion of the surface
of said table extending above the plane thereof, and the roller adjacent to said
table.
CLAIM 3.
In a knot-tying mechanism, the bill consisting of the fixed jaw on a revoluble
spindle, the movable jaw pivoted thereto having a circular table, a portion of whose
surface is raised above the plane thereof and which surrounds said spindle, and the
depending spring-restrained roller standing contiguous to the surface of said
table.
CLAIM 4.
In a knot-tying mechanism, the combination of the knotter, the hinged frame
adapted to swing toward and away from said knotter and carrying the cord holder
and cord cutting mechanism consisting of the rotary gripper disc seated against
a plate between which and said plate the cord is confined, the fixed kufe secured
adjacent to the face of said disc and crossing the plane of its periphery, the
movable knife so located with respect to the fixed knife that the cord is carried
between their cutting edges by said disc, said movable knife being so lunged as to
shear by the edge of the fixed knife adjacent to the face of the disc and sever the
cord as said frame swings toward said knotter.
CLAIM 5.
The combination with the driving wheel, the curved guide arm adapted to be
actuated by said wheel, the rock shaft on which said arm is mounted, the crank
depending from said shaft, the twine gripping disc, and the fixed and pivoted
knives adjacent thereto together with said disc mounted on a hinged frame and the
link coupling said pivoted knife to said crank, in such manner as to enable said
frame to swing freely, substantially as set forth.
CLAIM 6.
In a knotter, the combination of the swinging frame carrying the twine gripping
mechanism and a fixed and pivoted knife, and having an arın extending therefrom,
the revoluble knotter-bill, the driving wheel having a cam on the hub thereof
which engages said arm and causes said frame to swing inward toward the
knotter-bill as the twine winds thereon, said wheel having an incline
its face that actuates a crank to which is loosely attached a link that is pivoted
to the pivoted knife and operates said knife to sever the twine, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 15th day of May 1895.
on
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.