AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PULLING FLAX AND. OTHER SIMILAR CROPS
Year: 1867

page_text: Sealed the 23rd July 1867, and dated the 28th January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th January 1867.
"
I. GEORGE HASELTINE. of the International Patent Office." No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PULLING FLAX AND. OTHER SIMILAR CROPS," a communi-
cation, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is the construction of a machine which as it is
drawn along will pull up the crop by the roots and deposit the said crop
systematically and in such a manner that it may be conveniently bound into
gavels or sheaves.
The said Invention relates chiefly to the use of a series of endless belts or
bands arranged upon pulleys to work in conjunction by pairs; each belt of
[Price 8d.]

page_text: each pair working in the same plane as its fellow to secure to the crop
(without injury thereto) a continuous and uniform movement from the point
of its first contact with the belts to the point of its delivery from the same.
The said Invention also relates to arranging these belts to travel in an
inclined plane, by which arrangement they are caused to lift or force the crop
out of the ground.
The framing of the machine consists mainly of side pieces, cross pieces.
and pendent pieces firmly fastened together and to a transverse beam which
extends laterally to suit any desired width of swath. Longitudinal pieces or
arms and stanchions are firmly secured upon the transverse beam of the
framing whose parts are arranged to leave an open space through which the
crop may pass freely to a platform at the rear of the machine. The actuating
side of the machine is supported by a driving wheel, while its opposite side is
supported upon another wheel of much smaller diameter, which is placed in
such a position as to travel within the path of the machine bui ont of the way
of the crop, as the latter passes between the pulling belts to the platform.
The driver's seat is connected by a spring to the tongue or pole; the latter
is also attached by a flexible connection to the frame of the machine. The
platform is attached to the machine by hinges which allow it to fold up when
required, and when the machine is at work to yield sufficiently to avoid
injury from contact with the ground. A pinion upon the end of a transverse
countershaft. gears into a toothed wheel which runs loose upon the axle of the
driving wheel upon the opposite end of the said countershaft a bevel wheel is
fixed which gears into another bevel wheel secured upon the first of a series of
inclined shafts, whose upper ends carry the pulleys which drive the pulling
bells of the machine. The lower ends of these inclined shafts carry toothed
wheels of equal diameter, which gear with each other and communicate the
required motion and speed to each of the said inclined shafts. The driving
wheel carries a pawl which is arranged to take into the teeth of a ratchet.
connected with the toothed wheel on the main axle: if the said pawl is put in
gear with the ratchet when the machine advances the said toothed wheel
turns with the driving wheel, and motion is communicated therefrom through
the intermediate wheels and countershaft to the series of inclined shafts. The
arms on the transverse beam carry at their front ends a series of studs which
stand parallel with the inclined shafts, and upon which the lower belt pullies
turn. The said pullies correspond in number with the pulleys on the said
inclined shafts. Guards are attached to the outer end of the said arms near
the lower series of belt pulleys to separate the crop and guide it properly to
the pulling belts. These guards allow the crop to approach the belts at a point

page_text: upon the opposite side of the axes of the lower belt pulleys to that at which the
said crop is grasped by the belts. The crop is carried around by the fingers in
the said pulley from the point of its approach to the point at which it is ad-
mitted between the belts. One belt of each pair is made outwardly convex on the
central portion of its grasping surface. and a corresponding portion of the
other belt of the same pair is made concave. By forming the belts in this
manner they will grasp and hold the crop more firmly and cause less friction
than if their surfaces were plain or flat. The lower belt pulleys are arranged
to leave an open space between the grasping sides of the two belts of cach
pair to insure the free admission of the crop between the said belts: these
belts are preferably constructed with a foundation of webbing which is
comparatively non-clastic. the grasping surfaces of the said belts being formed
of india-rubber or other soft and elastic substance united to the said webbing.
The wheels and pulleys by which the belts are driven are so proportioned that
the said belts travel backwards at a speed corresponding with the forward
movement of the machine. Fingers are inserted in the lower belt pulleys to
comb or incline the crop within the grasp of the belts. Boards are firmly
attached at their upper ends to a projection of the stanchion, and at their
lower ends to the ledges of the arms; these boards form stiffening braces to
the said arms and also serve to guide the belts. Intermediate pulleys are
fitted to turn upon studs which are inserted through transverse slots, and are
fixed on springs, by which the said guide pullies are automatically adjusted to
regulate the pressure of the pulley belts upon the crop. A separating device.
is employed for dividing the swath from the standing crop, which device
consists of a vibrating bar pivoted to the guard and operated by one of the
lower belt pulleys in such manner as to shake apart the clinging tops of the
crop or swords may be rigidly attached to the guards, which swords will
separate the tops of the crop and assist in guiding the same properly between.
the belts. Shields are employed to prevent the crop from being drawn
between the belts in the wrong direction, and other shields or hoods and
covering boards are provided to prevent the clogging or other injury of the
toothed wheels, belts, and pulleys. The device used for the automatic
delivery of the crop is arranged at the side of the platform. and consists
mainly in the combination of an endless apron with suitable guides. The
endless apron runs over two pulleys and receives its motion by means of a
belt and driving pulleys from the transverse countershaft. The guides are
secured rigidly to the stanchions on the transverse beam. and support the
crop in an upright position as it is carried along at the bottom by the action
of the endless apron to the side of the platform where it is deposited. An

page_text: automatic raking or delivering device is also employed to deposit the crop, and
may be used in combination with the device above described. The said
raking device consists essentially of endless bands which are provided with a
series of projecting fingers. The said endless bands run over pulleys carried
by two upright shafts, one of which is arranged at each side of the platform;
and motion is communicated to the said shafts from the transverse counter-
shaft by means of a short shaft geared in connection with the said countershaft,
and provided with a driving pulley over which a band passes to another pulley
on one of the said upright shafts. As the crop passes from the grasp of the
pulling belts it is supported in an upright position by brackets, while it is
carried along to the side of the platform by the fingers in the endless bands
and deposited.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office." No. 8: Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto me,
the said George Haseltine, Her special licence that I, the said George
Haseltine. my executors, administrators. and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Haseltine, 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
"AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PULLING FLAX AND OTHER SIMILAR CROPS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Haseltine, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to he 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE. that 1. the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed. to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, forming a
part of this Specification:-
The object of this Invention is the construction of a machine which as
it is drawn along will pull up the crop by the roots and deposit the same
systematically in such a manner that it may be conveniently bound into gavels
or sheaves.
The said Invention relates chiefly to the use of a series of endless belts or
bands arranged upon pulleys to work in conjunction by pairs. The said belts
or bands are caused to run backward as the machine travels forward, and the
crop is seized between each pair of belts and thereby pulled from the ground.
Each belt of each pair works in the same plane as its fellow, thereby securing
to the crop (without injury thereto) a continuous and uniform movement from
the point of its first contact with the belts to the point of its delivery from the
same.
The said Invention also relates to the arrangement of these belts to travel
in an inclined plane whereby the belts of each pair are caused to lift or
raise the crop as it is seized between them and force the same out of the
ground.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a plan of the top of my improved machine; Figure 2 is an
elevation of the actuating side of the said machine; Figure 3 is an elevation
of the other side of the same; Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the said
machine; Figure 5 is a plan; Figure 6 is a rear elevation; and, Figure 7.
a side clevation of a similar machine with additional parts; Figure 8 is a
plan of part of a machine provided with raking mechanism for effecting an
automatic delivery of the crop; Figure 9 is a side elevation of the same;
Figure 10 is a section of one of the belt pulleys drawn to an enlarged
scale; Figure 11 is a transverse section of a pair of belts on the line x, 2,
Figure 1, also drawn to an enlarged scale; Figure 12 is a plan illustrating
the mode of regulating the pressure of the said belts. Like letters indicate
the same parts in each of the Figures.
The framing of the machine consists mainly of side pieces A. cross pieces
A', and pendent pieces A firmly fastened together, and to a transverse beam
A", which extends laterally to suit any desired width of swath. Longitudinal
arms A and stanchions A are firmly secured at proper distances apart upon

page_text: the transverse beam A, and form a solid support for the shafts and other
portions of the machine, the parts of the same being arranged to leave an
open space through which the crop may pass freely to the platform B. The
latter is attached to the said machine by hinges B' which allow it to fold
upward when required, and also permit it to yield sufficiently when the
machine is at work to avoid injury from contact with the ground, which might
occur in consequence of the wheels of the machine passing over a surface
lower than the ground immediately under the platform. The actuating side
of the machine is supported by a driving wheel C. while its opposite side is
supported upon another whee! D of much smaller diameter, which is placed
in such a position as to travel within the path of the machine but out of the
way of the crop as the latter passes between the pulley belts to the platform.
The driver's seat E is connected by a spring E' to the tongue or pole 'E; the
latter is also attached by a flexible connection E* to the frame of the machine
and extends through the guard E. being held in any desired position by the
pin E which is passed through either of the series of holes or perforations in
the sides of the said guard. The whole of the parts are so evenly balanced
that very little of the weight falls on the necks of the horses while the machine
is at work. A pinion F upon the end of a transverse countershaft. G gears
into a toothed wheel H which runs loose upon the axle C of the driving
wheel C. Upon the opposite end of the said countershaft a bevel wheel I is
fixed, which wheel gears into another bevel wheel J secured upon the first of
a series of inclined shafts K whose upper ends carry the pulleys L which
drive the belts M, M¹. The lower ends of these inclined shafts K carry
toothed wheels N of equal diameter, which gear with cach other and cause all
of the said inclined shafts to travel at the same speed and also cause every
alternate shaft in the series to turn in the opposite direction, as indicated by
the arrows, Figure 1. A pawl O is pivotted at O' to an arm of the driving
wheel C, and is arranged to take into the teeth of a ratchet wheel 0° attached
to the toothed wheel on the main axle C. The lever 0 and spring O' are
provided to throw the pawl O into and out of gear with the ratchet wheel 02.
If the said pawl is put in gear with the ratchet when the machine advances
the toothed wheel turns with the driving wheel and motion is communicated
therefrom through the intermediate wheels and countershaft to the series of
inclined shafts K. The arms A on the transverse beam A³ carry at their
forward ends a series of studs P which stand parallel with the inclined shafis K
and carry the lower belt pulleys Q. The ends of the arms A' are chamfered
or bevelled to give the required inclination to the studs P, and the latter pass
through slots in the said arms which allow of their adjustment when required.

page_text: The said pulleys correspond in number with the pulleys L on the inclined
shafts K. Guards R are attached to the outer end of the arms A' near the
belt pulleys Q to separaie the crop and guide it properly to the belts. Fingers.
Qare inserted in the pulleys Q to comb or incline the crop within the grasp
of the said belt. In Figure 7 metal piece R' is shown. attached to the
fixed. the said piece
In this case the said
said arms on which piece the guards R are formed or
being also provided with slots to receive the studs P.
guards allow the crop to approach the belts at a point upon the opposite side
of the line of the axes of the pulleys Q to that on which the crop is grasped
between the belts, and the crop is carried around by the fingers Q from the
point of its approach to the point of its admission between the said belts.
Boards S are firmly attached at their upper ends to a projection of the
stanchions A, and at their lower ends to the ledges of the arms A'. These
boards form stiffening braces to the said arms, and also serve to guide the
belts M. Intermediate guide pulleys T are fitted to turn upon studs T, which
are inserted through either of the transverse slois T in the boaris S and are
fixed on springs by which the said guide pulleys are automatically adjusted
to regulate the pressure of the pulley belis M, M. upon the crop. A separating
device for dividing the swath from the standing crop is shewn in Figures
and 3. and consists of a vibrating bar pivotted at. U to one of the
guards R. and operated by one of the lower belt pulleys Q in such manner
as to shake apart the clinging tops of the crop. The swords R. Figures 5 and
7. which are rigidly attached to the guards R are also used to separate the
tops of the crop and assist in guiding the same properly between the belts. A
shield V is employed behind the two central pulleys of the upper series L to
prevent the entrance of the crop between the belts M. M at this point and
its being drawn therefrom between the said belts in the wrong direction. The
shield or hood W is provided to prevent the clogging or other injury of the
toothed wheels I, J. and g². The belts M. M'. and pulleys L are also
protected from like injuries by the covering boards X. Figures 5. 6. and 7.
The mechanism used for effecting the automatic delivery of the crop at the
side of the platform is represented in Figures 5. 6, and 7: the said mechanism
is arranged at the rear of the machine. and consists mainly of an endless
apron Y and the guides Z; the said apron runs over the pulleys a, a¹,
and receives its motion by means of a band b and driving pulley c from
the transverse countershaft G. The guides Z are secured rigidly to the
stanchions A on the transverse beam A, and support the crop in an upright
position as it is carried along at the bottom by the action of the endless apron
to the side of the platform B where it is deposited so as to fall in a swath upon.

page_text: the ground at right angles to the path of the machine, or by the aid of proper
devices may be deposited in gavels. An automatic raking or delivering
device which is employed to deposit the crop, and may be used in combination
with the mechanism shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7. is represented in Figures
8 and 9; the said raking device consists essentially of endless bands d which
are provided with a series of projecting fingers d'. The said endless bands
run over pulleys e carried by two upright shafts /. one of which is arranged at
each side of the platform B. Motion is communicated to the said shafts
from the transverse countershaft G by means of a short shaft geared in
connection with the said countershaft by its pinion and provided with a
driving pulley over which a band i passes to another pulley on one of the
said upright shafts. As the crop passes from the grasp of the pulling belts
M, M', it is supported in an upright position by guiding brackets while it is
carried along to the side of the platform B by the fingers d' in the endless
bands d, and deposited in the manner above described. The pulleys are
cach surrounded by a friction band L'. as shown in Figures 9 and 10. which
causes a more tenaceous adhesion between the said pulleys and the belts
M, M the latter are preferably constructed with a back or foundation m. m².
of webbing which is comparatively non-elastic. the grasping surfaces n, n', of
the said belts being formed of india-rubber or other soft and elastic substance
united with the said webbing. One belt of each pair is made ontwardly
convex on the central portion of its grasping surface, and a corresponding
portion of the other belt of the same pair is made concave, the two belts
fitting together as shown in Figure 11; by forming the belts in this manner
they will grasp and hold the crop more firmly. requiring less pressure from
the intermediate pulleys T. and therefore working with less friction than
if their surfaces were plain or flat. The lower belt pulleys Q are arranged to
leave an open space between the grasping sides of the two belts M. M' of
each pair, as shown in Figure 1. to insure the free admission of the crop
between the said belts. The parts of the machine are constructed and arranged
as shown in independent sections, whereby the said machine may be made to
suit any width of swath without changing its mode of construction. The speed
at which the belts M. M¹, are driven around the pulleys L and Q should
correspond with the motion of the machine as it advances over the ground.
that is to say, the wheels and pulleys whereby motion is communicated to the
belts M, M', from the driving wheel C should be so proportioned that the
pulling surfaces of the said belts will run backward or in the direction
indicated by the arrows, Figure 1, at a speed equal to that at which the
machine travels forward. The required pressure of the belts M, M', upon

page_text: the crop while the same is being pulled or lifted from the ground is produced
by means of the adjustable pulleys T. As the machine advances the rear
pulleys exert a continual lifting force upon the grasping sides of the said
belts, raising the crop held between them gradually from the ground and
releasing the same at the rear of the pulleys L. whence it is discharged upon.
the platform B or carried off at the side of the said platform by either of the
automatic raking devices shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, or 8 and 9. By the
arrangement of the guards R and fingers Q. Figures 5 and 7, the machine
can enter a standing crop without materially inclining or otherwise disturbing
the same before it is grasped by the pulling belts.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be conveniently and
advantageously carried into practice. I wish it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein
described and illustrated; but I claim.-
First, the employment of a series of two or more belts or bands made
flexible so as to run around pulleys or drums and arranged to work in con-
junction by pairs so as to eradicate or pull the crop from the earth.
Second. forming the belts M, M', with irregular or corrugated surfaces
upon their outer or grasping sides, for the purposes and substantially as set
forth.
Third, forming the said belts of webbing or other comparatively non-elastic
backing m, m', with india-rubber or other soft material fixed thereon, for the
purpose and substantially as set forth.
Fourth, arranging the belts upon the machine in the position of an inclined
plane and in such a manner that their grasping sides shall travel upward
and backward at the same time, for the purpose and substantially as set
forth.
Fifth, giving to the two belts M. M', of each pair motion in an
opposite direction around the pulleys L and Q. so that the grasping sides of
the two belts shall move together in the same direction, substantially as
described.
Sixth, arranging the belts M. M', to leave an open space between their
grasping sides at the points where the crop cnters, substantially as set
forth.
Seventh, giving to the belts M, M, such motion in relation to that of the
driving wheel as to cause the grasping sides of the said belts to move back-
wards at the same rate of speed as that at which the machine advances, for the
purposes and substantially as described.

page_text: Eighth, the employment of the intermediate pulley T or equivalent devices.
for the purposes set forth.
Ninth, the fingers Q or equivalent devices for bringing the crop between
the belts, substantially as described.
Tenth, the employment of the brace boards S, for the purposes and sub-
stantially as set forth.
Eleventh, constructing that portion of the frame whereon the pulleys are
supported to leave an open space through which the crop may pass unimpededly
to the platform B. substantially as described.
Twelfth, supporting the forward pulleys Q in such a manner that they may
be adjusted to any desired position for the purpose of giving proper tension to
the bolts M, M', substantially as described.
Thirteenth, supporting the intermediate pulleys T in such a manner that
they may be adjusted to produce any desired degree of pressure upon the crop
between the belts M. M. substantially as described.
Fourteenth, providing a harvesting machine with an automatic raking or
delivering device when the same is arranged in such a manner as to support.
the crop in an upright position while it is being conveyed from the platform to
the point of delivery from the same, substantially as described.
Fifteenth, the combination with the pulling belts M, M, of a vibrating
separater for separating the swath from the standing portion of the crop, sub-
stantially as described.
Sixteenth, the separating swords or blades R employed for the purposes and
substantially in the manner described.
Seventeenth, attaching the pulleys T to the machine in connection with
springs to secure to the said pulleys an automatic or self-adjusting pressure
upon the belts M. M'. substantially as described.
Eighteenth, the hinged tongue or pole E. arranged in combination with the
pulley belts M, M', substantially as described.
Nineteenth, the combination of the driving wheel C, the ratchet 0%, and
paw! O with a series of pulling belts, substantially as described.
Twentieth, constructing pulling harvesters in sections in such a manner
that the capacity of the machine may be varied to any desired width of swath
for the purposes and substantially as described.
Twenty-first, constructing and arranging the guards R in such a manner
as to allow the crop to approach the pulling belts M, M', at a point upon
the opposite side of the line of their axes, for the purposes and substantially as
set forth.
Twenty-second, the employment in harvesting flax and other crops which

page_text: require pulling from the ground of pullers which have a continuous move-
ment of their own and are made elastic and pliable on their impinging or
grasping surfaces by the use of india-rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable
material, for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE,
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.s.)