IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING-MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gottfried Orendi, of Leschkirch, Transylvania, Austria,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING-MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gottfried Orendi at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th February 1879.
GOTTFRIED ORENDI, of Leschkirch, Transylvania, Austria.
HARVESTING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention relates to improvements in harvesting or reaping machines the
chief novel features of which are as follows, that is to say :-
First. A rotary motion is given to the interior parts of the machine as the latter
is moved forward, both operations being effected by one and the same pushing-
force.
Secondly. A comb is provided which enters the corn in front of the cutters.
Thirdly. The bunches of grain which have been divided in the gaps of the said
comb are cut by means of eight cutters revolving over this comb.
Fourthly. Means are provided for the immediate removal of the said bunches
of grain so cut by means of arms which revolve with and accompany the said
cutters.
Fifthly. An arrangement is provided by means of which the bunches of grain are
caused to lean against and slide along delivering arms and bands which surround the
machine, the said bunches being thus removed in a standing inclined position instead
of lying down.
Sixthly. Means for gathering these standing bunches into perfect sheaves at a
point where the frame of the machine is widened out at the back, the space
thus formed constituting a chamber to receive the grain from the delivering
arms.
The said machine is constructed as follows, that is to say :-
I provide a strong wooden or iron under frame or carriage consisting of two side
beams and one cross beam, which closes the frame at the back and joins the two
side beams, while the fourth or the front side is closed by the aforesaid comb which
is semi-circular in form and is fixed on the right and left hand side to the said side
beams. Inside this four-sided frame the mechanism is placed. The said under-
[Px'

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!
frame is provided on three sides with railings which are for the purpose of collecting
what has been cut and to protect the machine at the outside. For this purpose the
said railings are covered with canvas or similar material. Two of the said side-rails
slope down towards the ground at the front end of the side-beams, so that the
Towards 5
under-frame by means of this pointed shape may readily enter the corn.
the back on the right-hand side-beam there is a door which allows an attendant
to step in and out through the railings. Shafts for a horse, also a guide or
support for a vertical driving spindle, may be attached to the cross railing at the
rear.
At the centre of the under-frame is placed a frame or cage which acts as a 1
support for the chief parts of the mechanism, and consists of a four-column cross-
frame which is fixed in such a manner that its feet, that is to say, the horizontal
projections at the bottom of the four columns or beams, rest on both sides upon the
aforesaid side-beams, at the' rear on the cross-beam; and in front on the flange of
the said comb. One part of this frame or cage serves as a fixed support for the 1
revolving,mechanism while the two side columns which rest on the side-beams also
serve as bearings for the axle of two wheels on which the machine travels over tho
ground. The axle is so fitted that the said wheels may be raised and lowered. Near
the centre of this axle a toothed wheel is provided. The said wheels on which the
machine travels rest on and run on the ground, and support the whole apparatus
from the under frame to the top-guide-rod; they are also the means, when a pushing
force is applied, of carrying the machine along and at the same time setting the
mechanism in motion.
The machine proper, that is to say, the part which actually has to do the desired
work, is a revolving cage having the cutters and the collecting arms securely
attached thereto. This revolving cage is constructed as follows, that is to say-I
provide a disc at the upper part with a central aperture in which is fixed a bush for
the vertical driving shaft to work in, also a hoop larger than the disc and which forms
the lower part of the revolving cage, and eight side-strips which connect the said
disc and the hoop by having their ends fixed at equal distances to the disc and the
hoop, and the whole thus forms a cage having its upper part smaller in diameter
than the lower part. This cage is suspended over the cross-frame in such a manner
that the central aperture and the bush bearing in the top-cover of the revolving-
cage coincide exactly with a central aperture in the top crossing-point of the
aforesaid frame or cage with four columns, through which openings the aforesaid
vertical driving spindle passes and forms a journal for both the said cages, conse-
quently the said revolving.cage hangs loose on the raised bearing at the central
aperture of the other cage and can easily revolve on this bearing. The spaces
between the said side strips are closed by means of plates or canvas.
cage.
a
In
On the aforesaid bush in the revolving cage there is a clutch into which gears
coupling on the vertical driving shaft which is thus enabled to drive the
order to effect this the said vertical driving-spindle passes through the central
apertures of both the cages, the upper end of this spindle projects upward above the
bush, and its lower end is furnished with a toothed wheel which gears with the
toothed wheel on the aforesaid wheel-axle.
1
The motion from the said wheels is therefore transmitted upwards to the said
vertical driving spindle by means of the said toothed wheels. The forward motion
of the wheels will therefore put the mechanism in action.
The bottom hoop of the revolving cage exactly covers the semicircular edge of
the comb, but does not overlap the round gaps between the teeth of the comb. The
cutters are held by carriers fixed on the aforesaid side strips and revolve with their
cutting edge near to and immediately above the semi-circular row of round gaps
and consequently they cut off the bunches of grain contained in the gaps of the
comb.
In order to effect the removal of the grain from the place where it was cut, that
is to say, from the breast-boards of the machine and always at the same moment, it
is cut and thus constantly keep the machine in perfect working-order; each cutter

page_text: is accompanied by two collecting-arms which are placed on the same side strip on
which the corresponding cutter-carrier is fixed, and either in a vertical or upwardly
inclined position above the cutter. The collecting arms are fixed on the side strips
of the cage by carriers which, by means of a spring, give the said arms an elastic
forward pressure, and the lower collecting arms are also provided with a pointed
catch piece which describes an obtuse angle with the collecting arm and answers
the purpose of raising the straw. Underneath the cutters are fixed curved runners
to cause the edge of the revolving cage to slide more easily over the surface of the
comb.
Thus the bunch of grain caught in the gaps of the comb, but still standing on the
ground, is not only held by means of the collecting arms above in an upright position
at the very moment when it is cut off from the ground by the cutter, but it is
immediately removed from the place where it has been cut by means of the rotary
motion of the revolving cage, and after each cut each corresponding cutter carries
the contents of a gap in the comb away with it by means of its collecting arms, and
delivers the quantity cut off at each stroke into the aforesaid receiving chamber in
connection with the delivery arms on the right hand side of the machine; thus
relieved the cutter travels round the rear part of the machine to the cutting
crescent of the comb and then cuts again in precisely the same manner.
In order to facilitate and perfect the removal of the corn by the collecting arms
delivering arms are placed between the collecting arms and round the breast board
of the machine; these delivering arms consist of two broad steel bands which are
fixed to the railings on the left hand side of the machine, and are curved round
the front of the revolving cage in such a manner that they are firmly secured round
the front of the machine at a suitable distance from the revolving cage, and
between and above the two rows of collecting-arms, so that the collecting arms
pass through, round, and between these fixed bands without coming in contact with
them. The bunches of grain are therefore supported and passed forward from the
collecting arms without interruption in an upright position through having the
bands curved so as to form a semicircular wall.
I provide another band above the other two, but this one does not pass round
the machine; it is fixed by one end to the aforesaid bush, and the three bands form
at one end part of the receiving chamber for the cut grain; this chamber has a
movable partition; the attendant who accompanies the machine to remove and bind
the sheaves removes the same through the aforesaid door from the machine thus
clearing the receiving chamber while the machine is working, room is therefore
provided for fresh sheaves, and stoppage is prevented.

page_text: 1.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gottfried Orendi in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th August
1879.
"
GOTTFRIED ORENDI, of Leschkirch, Transylvania, Austria. IMPROVEMENTS IN
HARVESTING-MACHINES."
This Invention relates to improvements in harvesting or reaping machines, and
its chief features of novelty are the following:-
Firstly. A rotary motion is given to the interior or working parts of the machine
as the latter is moved forward, both operations being effected by the same pushing
force.
Secondly. A comb is provided, which enters the corn in front of the cutters.
Thirdly. The bunches of grain which have been divided by the teeth of the said
comb, and are contained in the spaces between them, are cut by means of (eight or
any other suitable number of) cutters revolving over this comb.
Fourthly. Means are provided for the immediate removal of the said bunches
of grain so cut by means of arms, which revolve with and accompany the said
cutters.
Fifthly. An arrangement is provided by means of which the bunches of grain
are caused to lean against and slide along delivering arms or bands which encircle
the machine, the said bunches being then removed in an upright but somewhat
inclined position.
Sixthly. Means for gathering theso bunches into sheaves at a point where the
frame of the machine forms a chamber for receiving the grain from the delivering
arms.
On the annexed two Sheets of Drawings the said harvesting machine is repre-
sented in two different arrangements. Fig. Ĭ is a side olevation; Fig. 2, a transverse
section; and Fig. 3, a ground plan of the first arrangement; Fig. 4 shows the
inodified machine in a perspective view with horse attached; Fig. 5, in plan, partly
in section, Fig. 6, in side elevation, and Fig. 7, in transverse section.
The under-frame or carriage of the machine (which is by preference made of
iron or steel) consists of two side beams e', e¹, and of one cross beam e², which
closes the frame at the back and forms a connexion between the two side beams.
The fourth or front side of the frame is closed by the aforesaid comb x of semi-
circular form, which is fixed with its ends to the beams e¹. The said under-frame
is provided on three sides with railings, the object of which is partly to collect the
grain which has been cut, and partly to enclose the machine, so as to prevent any
danger arising from its operation. For this purpose canvas or other similar material
may be stretched out between and attached to the rails. The fore end of the upper
rail ton either side slopes downward, and is connected with the corresponding end
of the side beam el, whereby a pointed divider is formed, which allows the machine
to be pushed more readily into the corn. Towards the back of the machine, on
the right hand side, there is a door g¹, through which an attendant removes the
collected grain for binding it into sheaves. Shafts for a horse, also a guide or
support for the vertical driving spindle d, may be attached to the cross-railing at
the rear; but the said guide has not been shown in the Drawing, as the inventor
at present prefers to pivot the shaft d at its lower end by means of a stay or
bracket u fixed to the stays s and s¹, or as shown by Fig. 7.
In
1 the centre of the under frame a frame or cage e, e, is placed, which serves as a
support for the chief parts of the mechanism. This frame has four legs, the two
lateral ones of which are fixed to the side-beams e¹, e¹, while the rear and the front
leg are attached to the cross-beam e² and to the comb x respectively. At the top
of this frame there is a bearing e³ for the shaft d, and which also serves to support
the revolving cage A and the mechanisin attached to it. To the two lateral legs
.
5
1

page_text: the bearings p for the axle b of the travelling wheels rare fixed. These bearings
are fitted in such a manner that the wheels r, r, may be raised or lowered. Near
its centre the axle b is provided with a bevel-wheel b¹ gearing with the wheel d¹
fixed on the shaft d, whereby the operating parts of the machine are set in motion
when the machine is propelled forward. Whenever the machine is adjusted higher
or lower with regard to the travelling wheels the bevel-wheel d¹ must be adjusted
accordingly, so as to remain in proper gear with 61. The necessity of adjusting d'
may however be obviated by constructing b¹ in form of a crown-wheel, and substi-
tuting for the bevel-wheel d¹ a long spur or lantern-pinion, which allows the teeth
of b¹ to operate upon any point of its length.
The machine proper, that is to say, the part which has to execute the desired
work, consists of a revolving cage A to which the cutters y and the collecting arms
and h are attached. The top of the said revolving cage is formed of a disk a¹
having a boss or sleeve a' in its centre through which the vertical driving-shaft d
passes freely, so that the shaft and the disk may rotate independently of each other.
The lower part of the cage consists of a hoop a larger in diameter than the disk a'.
The said parts are connected together by eight or any other suitable number of flat
bars a³. The conical cage thus formed is suspended over the frame part e, e, in such
a manner that the hole in the boss or sleeve a' coincides with the hole in a boss es
provided in the centre of the frame-part e, e, and, through these boles the driving
spindle passes. The cage A thus hangs loose on the projecting portion of boss e
d
and revolves on it as bearing. The spaces between the bars a³ are closed by means
of plates or canvas.
The cage A is driven from the spindle d by means of a coupling-clutch ³, the
teeth of which gear with other teeth at the end of the boss at The clutch d² is
pressed against the boss by a spring which abuts against an adjustable ring d³. The
teeth of the coupling are shaped in such a manner that the cage A will be driven
when the machine is propelled forward, while it remains at rest when the machine
is moved the other way. This construction also allows the cage to continue rotating
for a short time when the machine is suddenly stopped from any accidental cause,
thereby relieving the mechanism of the strain which would otherwise be thrown on
the same in such case.
The bottom hoop of the cage A covers the semi-circular edge of the comb x but
does not overlap the round gaps between the teeth of the comb. The cutters or
knives are held by carriers h¹ fixed to the bars a³ and revolve with their cutting
edge near to and immediately above the semicircular row of round gaps, and con-
sequently they cut off the bunches of grain contained in the gaps of the comb.
In order to effect the removal of the grain from the place where it was cut, and
immediately after the cutting, each knife is accompanied by two collecting arms s
and h which are attached to the same bar as as the knife. These arms may either
be vertically above the knife, or they may be arranged in an oblique line with the
same so as to allow the grain to lean in an inclined position against the arms after
having been cut. The said arms are attached to the cage by joints, and springs
serve to keep them in a more or less radial position. The lower arms consists of
two limbs, also jointed together, the outer limb, which tapers out into a point, being
maintained at an obtuse angle to the inner limb by a separate spring. The said
outer limb of the arm z is made tapered and pointed for allowing it to lift up straws
which may have fallen down before the cutting.
As soon as the grain is cut it is transported forward by the collecting arms. The
whole quantity which has been cut by any one of the knives during one passage
over the comb is thereupon delivered into the receiving chamber, which is formed
by the delivery arms g, g, and g², and a door g¹. The delivering arms g consist each
of a band of steel or iron which extends around the cage A at a suitable distance
from the same, and which is fastened at either end to the frame of the machine.
These bands are so arranged that the collecting arms pass between them.
When the collecting arms while transporting a quantity of cut grain approach
the-forward bend of the delivery aims they encounter the resistance caused by the

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latter in retaining the grain. This resistance induces the springing arms andi
to yield backward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and to pass behind tlie grain
contained in the collecting chamber, whereupon they resume their operating position.
g is a third delivering arm which encircles the boss a* with one end, while near the
other it is fixed to the frame of the machine in a similar manner as the two
arms g,g.
I
When the receiving chamber is filled to a sufficient extent an attendant pushes a
movable partition or plate into the grain contained therein, then removes the portion
in front of the said partition through the door g', and finally binds it into a sheaf.
The machine is to be driven either by animal power, or, when executed in sufficiently 1
small dimensions, by hand.
In the modified machine represented by Figs. 4 to 7 the framing is altered in the
details of its arrangement only. The central and upper part e which contains the
bearing e³ for the shaft d, and to which the axle-bearings p are fixed, is connected
with the parallel side-beams e¹ by its legs and by two stays s¹. The stay s forms 1
the connexion between e and the comb x. Each of the legs of c is bent horizontally
outward at its lower end for the purpose of carrying the corresponding end of the
comb x, and is thereupon turned vertically upward so as to serve as point of attach-
ment for the railing, &c. In the stay m between the bars e¹ a fork is pivotted in
which a roller or wheel n revolves.
2
The rotating cage of the first arrangement has in this case been replaced by a
cast-iron conical drum A, which may be composed of several parts, as shown by
Fig 5. The same has a circular rib as in the middle of its height, and besides the
top disk a projects over the body of the drum. Against these projecting parts the
grain leans while being transported forward. The driving spindle d is arranged 2
substantially as in the first case, but its bottom end is pivoted in a bearing c
supported by the axle b, a collar on the end of d preventing the shaft from rising.
The bearing c is maintained in its place by a shoulder on b on one side, and by the
bevel-wheel b¹ on the other. The collar on d is supposed to be introduced from the
side into the hollow serving for its reception, it being prevented from slipping out
by the pressure between the teeth of the wheels b' and d¹. With this arrangement
the wheels band d' always remain in proper gear, and d' does not require any
adjustment when the bearings of the travelling wheels are shifted on the framing.
The only adjustment required in such case with this construction is that of the
rings so as to keep the spring of the coupling clutch d² at the proper tension.
The delivering arms g have been made shorter in this machine than in the first
one. They do not pass around the drum but only extend into the space left between
the body of the drum and the grain when it approaches the delivering arms, as
they thereby fully ensure the delivery of the grain from the drum provided with
the described peripherical projections. These arms, as also the arms g¹ which have 4
been applied in place of the door g¹, Figs. 1 and 3, are made of steel and sufficiently
thin and elastic as to yield to the pressure when corn is to be taken out of the
receiving chamber, and thereupon to close again automatically. i, i, are arms which
prevent any grain from passing in at the left hand side of the machine.
"
Over the top of the drum a cone k of sheet-iron is placed for protecting the 4
coupling and for assisting in keeping the grain in an upright position. The disc a¹
may be provided with openings so as to diminish its weight, especially when the
said cone is applied: The centre tooth t¹ of the comb a may be provided at the
underside with a rib rounded at the ends so as to keep the teeth free from the
ground.
For the purpose of dividing the grain which is to be taken out of the collecting
chamber from the quantity remaining, and also for preventing the hands of the
attendant from being injured by the rotating parts the instrument g³, Figs. 5 and 6,
is applied in a similar manner as described above. The top and bottom flange of
this piece furnish a passage through which the attendant may with facility pass the
rope by which the sheaf is to be tied.
Having thus described the naturo and object of this Invention, and the manner
E

page_text: in which it is to be carried out in practice, I claim as new and important features
of the same,
1. In a harvesting-machine the conical drum or cage A provided with cutters y,
and which is put in motion from the axle b by means of suitable gearing when the
machine is propelled forward in combination with the comb x, as and for the
purpose specified.
2. In combination with the conical drum or cage A provided with cutters the
collecting arms h jointed to the said drum or cage and fitted with springs, as herein-
before described and for the purpose stated.
3. In combination with the conical drum or cage A provided with cutters the
collecting arms 2, consisting each of two limbs jointed to the drum or cage and to
each other, and fitted with springs, as and for the purpose described.
4. In combination with the rotary drum or cage A the delivering arms g, g, and
the door g', or its equivalent, such as the springing arms g¹, as and for the purpose
stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gottfried Orendi, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the First day of July, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
nine
GOTTFRIED ORENDI. (L.S.)