AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND CONNECTED WITH PLATFORMS OF HARVESTING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Andrews, of. Little Langford, in the County
of Wilts, Agriculturalist, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND
CONNECTED WITH PLATFORMS OF HARVESTING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Andrews at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1881.
HENRY ANDREWS, of Little Langford, in the County of Wilts, Agriculturalist.
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND CONNECTED WITH PLATFORMS OF HARVESTING
MACHINES."
The object of my Invention is to construct the platform of harvesters with the
whole or a portion only, and preferably that near the finger end or front, a perforated
or open worked plate or plates that the seed and grain which become beaten
out or otherwise separated from the straws as they descend on to and are moved
over the platform may fall through said perforations in to a box or receptacle
arranged underneath, from which they may be removed periodically or as
desired.
According to my Invention I arrrange the frame or skeleton of the platform for
the reception of one or of several plates or 'sheets of perforated or open meshed
metal or other suitable material, and secure said plate, plates, or sheets to the frame
that their upper surface is about flush with the finger bar as with the platforms of
ordinary harvesters. Within or below the frame I arrange one or a series of trays
or receptacles for the reception of the seed or grain; the trays can be made to slide
or be drawn out for emptying purposes or a belt or band may travel at right angles
to or in line with the travel of the machine that the grain or seed may be led into
a receptacle at the side or at the rear.
My perforated or open meshed upper surfaced platform is applicable to all
reaping and combined reaping and binding machines, the advantage being a collec-
tion of those grain and seed which fall from the straws when the straws are cut
and permitted to fall upon the platform, as well as the grain or seed which become
detached from the ears while the straws are being raked or otherwise moved over
the platform.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Andrews in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
August 1881.
HENRY ANDREWs, of Little Langford, in the County of Wilts. "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN AND CONNECTED WITH PLATFORMS OF HARVESTING MACHINES."
The object of my Invention is to construct the platforms of harvesters with the
whole or a portion only, and preferably that near the finger end or front, with a
perforated or open worked plate or plates that the seed and grain beaten out or
otherwise separated from the straws as they descend on to and are moved or tied
into sheaves over the platform may fall through said perforations in to a box or
receptacle arranged underneath, from which they may be removed periodically or
as desired. The perforated or open meshed platform is applicable for the collection
of loose grain and seed as the table or binding platform (preferably corrugated)
under the binding appliances for straw binding machines.
According to my Invention I arrange the frame or skeleton of the platform for
the reception of one or of several plates or sheets of perforated or open meshed
metal or other suitable material, and secure said plate, plates, or sheets to the frame
that their upper surface is about flush with the finger bar as with the platforms of
ordinary harvesters. Within or below the frame I arrange one or a series of trays
or receptacles for the reception of the seed or grain. The trays can be made to
slide or be drawn out for emptying purposes, or a belt or band may travel at right
angles to or in line with the travel of the machine that the grain or seed may be led
into a receptacle at the side or at the rear.
My perforated or open meshed upper surfaced platform is applicable to all reaping
and combined reaping and binding machines, the advantage being a collection of
those grain and seed which fall from the straws when the straws are cut and
permitted to fall upon the platform, as well as the grain or seed which become
detached from the ears while the straws are being raked or otherwise moved over
the platform. Where endless travelling canvas bands are used as platforms, as in
some constructions of combined reapers and binders, I fit the trays directly under
the upper ply of canvas, which I make open meshed for the purpose of permitting
the grain and seed to pass through to the receptacles.
My Invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed Drawings,
in which I show a plan view at Figure 1, and at Figure 2 a view of the under side
of a platform A of a reaper arranged with perforated or open meshed plates B, B, at
the front portion only, and with three receptacles C, as in the sectional view,
Figure 3, closed by covers D, D, D, which can be drawn backwards by the
handles E, E, E, and the rods F, F, F, to allow of the removal of the grain or seeds
which have passed through the openings of the plates B, B. G, G, are supporting
stays or ribs which also serve to prevent the plates B, B, buckling.
The sliding covers D, D, D, may be made as trays, and be removable at the side
of the machine, this being determined by the construction of the machine to which
my Invention can be adapted, whether said machine be a reaper or a combined
reaper and binder. H is the finger bar, and J, J, are the fingers, within the tangs
of which the knives or cutters are actuated in 'the. well known manner.
Figure 4 is a plan view of a corrugated and open meshed binding table or plat-
form A of a harvester according to my Invention. If desired, instead of the plate
or plates being perforated or open meshed in themselves the edges may be arranged
to overlap to allow the loose grain to escape to the receptacles; K is the gap in
which the binding head moves.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
The construction of platforms of harvesters or a portion only of such platforms

page_text: perforated or open meshed plates (plain or corrugated) and with receptacles under
for the collection of loose grain or seeds which fall from straws falling on to and
while moving on or being moved or being bound or tied over said platforms as
hereinbefore described.
Secondly. I claim the employment of perforated or open meshed platforms or a
part only of such platforms of harvesting machines with one or more receptacles
as described and substantially as shown in the annexed Drawings for the purposes
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Andrews, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
HENRY ANDREWS. (L.S.)