IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Wardlaw at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
August 1869.
I, THOMAS WARDLAW, of Toughmill, Dunfermline, North Britain, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REAPING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction, arrangement, and mode of
operating a peculiar self-acting double-action side delivery for reaping
machines, and consists of a vertical or nearly vertical shaft which turns
freely at its upper end in a fixed segmental bevel wheel provided with
teeth on, say, about half its circumference, and at its lower end in a
footstep or journal, both of which are carried by a bracket attached to
the frame of the machine, or fixed on a separate bracket or footstep as
may be most convenient. Rotatory motion is imparted to the vertical

page_text: shaft by means of a bevel wheel keyed thereon, and actuated by a corre-
sponding bevel pinion carried by or driven from the main shaft or axle,
or other suitable driving shaft of the machine. The upper end of the
vertical or nearly vertical shaft carries a horizontal cross shaft, which is
provided with adjustable eyes or a fixed bar or strap to carry a rake
at each end, the arrangement of the shafts admitting of the two rakes
forming nearly two sides of a square, and clearing the machine on
returning. The horizontal shaft has keyed on it a pair of segmental
bevel wheels provided with teeth on about one half their circumference,
and rendered capable of adjustment to suit the return of the rakes, such
wheels coming alternately in gear with the stationary segmental wheel
which is secured to a bracket fixed to the frame of the machine. The
vertical or nearly vertical shaft constantly rotating causes the rakes
which both gather the standing corn to the cutters and deliver the sheaf
after being cut to sweep round in a horizontal plane, while the fixed
segment acting on the two segmental wheels carried by the horizontal
shaft imparts to both rakes alternately a partial revolution in a vertical
plane. Thus supposing one of the rakes to be in its elevated position
the segmental bevel wheel connected with it coming into action causes it
to rotate, descend, and gather the corn to the cutters, and the motion
being continued the rake sweeps round the platform, and delivers the
sheaf at the proper height. The sheaf having been delivered at the side
square to the machine the action of the one segmental wheel ceases, and
the other comes into gear, which causes the opposite rake to rotate and
gather the corn and deliver it when cut in the same manner, and so on in
succession. Dumbies may also be provided on a horizontal shaft carried
by the vertical or nearly vertical shaft before referred to, and at right
angles to the rake shaft for the purpose of assisting the rakes in gathering
the corn to the cutters, or in lieu thereof two additional rakes may be
employed, in which cases the segmental wheels which actuate them may
be made smaller than the others or otherwise, and if necessary arranged
to work through the cross head plate carrying the horizontal shaft, an
additional fixed segment being provided to gear with them, or the
dumbies may be fixed to the plate when their double action is not
required. A finger fixed on the horizontal shaft with regulating pinching
screws is also provided for the purpose of adjusting the position of the
rakes. The bevel wheel which drives the vertical shaft may be made
adjustable, so as to admit of different sized pinions being employed in

page_text: order to vary the speed as required. In some cases the fixed segmental
wheel herein-before described as secured to the bracket on the frame of
the machine may be dispensed with and a friction plate substituted
therefor, with arms and wheels to cause the rake shaft to make a
semi-revolution.