IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING MACHINES." A communication from
abroad by Alfred Léon Dudoüy, of Saint Ouen l'Aumône, near Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th February 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING
MACHINES." [A communication from abroad by Alfred Léon Dudoüy, of Saint
Ouen l'Aumône, near Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to apparatus combined with or attached to a fixed or
portable thrashing machine for weighing and binding the straw as it is discharged
from the shakers.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
an example thereof in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents
'an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of a straw binder to be attached to a thrashing
machine; Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section, and Figure 4 a plan of a feed
apparatus which may also be applied to the machine; Figure 5 shows one of the
discs for twisting and cutting the binding wire.
The Invention relates first to the straw binding apparatus shown in Figures 1
and 2. a is the frame of the binder, and b is a shaft driven from the machine by
a belt d upon a pulley e. The straw coming from the shakers passes down the
shoot fand falls into the trough at bottom, where it is readily seized by the arms b²
on shaft b, whereby it is raised between the spring blades g which receive and
guide it. When a sufficient quantity of straw to form a truss has been thus brought
within the range of the binder, a shaft i driven by a belt k upon a pulley j is
thrown into gear by a clutch, as hereinafter described. This shaft carries the
binder arm l, which is thus made to revolve in the direction of arrow X for the
purpose of carrying the binding wire around the bundle or truss. m, n, are reels
Price 1071

page_text: of wire respectively at the front and back of the machine, the binding wire being
represented by the thick line. The point of the binder arm has a notch o in the
plane of the wire, and its head carries two toothed discs p, of which one is shown
separately, Figure 5. Each disc p has a notch q, and the notches coincide when
the arm seizes the wire and winds it around the bundle of straw. The wire entering
the notches in the discs p is nipped, and thereby twisted itself upon said discs
coming into gear with the fixed curved rack r. The two bights of the wire being
sufficiently twisted together the wire is severed at about the middle of the twist
by the disc cutters p, one of which is arrested while the other continues to be
revolved by the teeth at the upper part of the rack being made only half width.
The bound truss is released by the cutting of the wire and falls down the board s
to the ground, whilst the portion of the twisted wire left behind unites the wire
coming from the two spools m, n. The wire must now be stretched tight again, for
which purpose I employ the elbow levert and spiral spring u, and the tension
device v.
To ensure the parallelism of the straws I apply a feed apparatus to the
thrashing machine, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. This feeder consists of two shafts
1 and 2 mounted on frames 3 upon the feed board 4 of the thrashing machine, of
which 5 is the beater drum and 6 the concave. The shafts 1 and 2 are provided
with tines 7, and are driven in the same direction from the thrashing machine by a
belt 8 on pulley 9, shaft 1 driving shaft 2 by a belt 10 on pulleys 11. Figures 6,
7, and 8 illustrate improvements in the head of the binder arm, Figure 6 showing
an elevation of the head with the cover removed; Figure 7 is a top view, and
Figure 8 a longitudinal section of part of same taken on the line 1-2, Figure 7.
In these Figures the same letters indicate the same parts. a, head of the binder
arm with a slit 6 for the entry of the wire; c, d, are the toothed cutters, of which
c turns upon a fixed stud c¹, while the other wheel & turns on a stud on a cover e
in which is a small friction roller f against which the wire bears, a similar one g
being mounted on the upper side of the head.
In order that the notches h in wheels c, d, shall always coincide when the binder
arm comes into action, the motion of the wheels is independent, and two detents i
are employed pivoted on a cross pin j and pressed up by springs k upon a cross
pin l. These detents engage with the teeth of wheels c, d, and their tail ends
project slightly beyond the face of the binder head, and are pressed inwards by
suitable projections on the curved rack before referred to, either alternately or
together, to permit the rotation of one or both of the wheels as desired. By this
improved arrangement the wheels cannot turn one another, and they are arrested
suddenly and with certainty, so that when the wire has been cut the two notches
may be again brought to and held in a coincident position.
The Invention also relates to an automatic weighing machine whereby the straw
to form the truss is weighed and the binder is thrown into gear, as hereinafter
described. Figure 9 shows an elevation of the apparatus; Figure 10 shows in
outline the two positions of the mechanism which holds the binder shaft out of
gear; Figure 11 is a cross section, and Figure 12 a plan, and Figure 13 a longi-
tudinal section on a larger scale of the clutch upon the binder shaft.
In these Figures the same letters indicate the same parts. a is the casing of the
thrashing machine, with an additional framing b at the end next the straw shakers
to carry the straw binding apparatus before described. The straw on leaving the
shakers is deposited upon an endless apron c, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 9,
and driven by a pulley d and belt e, and by which it is delivered to a weighing
drum f, also shown by dotted lines mounted upon a horizontal shaft g. The
apron c may be attached to two endless, belts or chains to ensure the parallelism
of its motion. The straw falls into a compartment of the weighing drum f, and
when a sufficient weight to form a truss has accumulated the drum f makes a
quarter of a revolution and delivers the straw contained to the binder, at same
time that the binder shaft is thrown into gear by the sliding clutch r, Figures
12, 13, on the shaft g of the weighing drum being released from the detent p
(Figures 9 and 10). which holds it out of gear, and pushed into gear with a

page_text: The
corresponding clutch won the wheels (Figures 12, 13,) by a spring x.
weighing drum f is held stationary whilst receiving the straw by one of four
arms h on the end of its shaft resting on a counterweighted lever i pivoted at j,
and having a counterweight k at its other end which rests on a pin on the framing.
When the compartment of the drum ƒ has received a sufficient weight of straw the
arm h escapes from the lever i and strikes the arm of an elbow lever n pivoted
at o, whose other arm is connected by a rod q with the detent p, which it thereby
raises, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 10, and allows the clutch r to gear the
toothed wheels with the binder shaft t, whereby the shaft is put in motion and
the binding of the truss effected as before described. The wheel s is driven by a
belt upon pulley v and gear wheels v¹, v². When shaft t has made a revolution
a lug y upon the clutch rabuts against detent p, which has been meanwhile
returned to position by the weighted arm z immediately the arm h released the
lever n.
The lug y is bevelled at one side, as shown in Figure 12, and on this
bevelled surface coming in contact with detent p the clutch r is forced back out of
gear with clutch w, and the detent p holds the lug y by its square shoulder.
The shaft t is thus held stationary until the detent p is again raised as before.
The counter-weight k is made adjustable along lever i to enable: the drum f to.
weigh any desired quantity of straw. This weight may also serve instead of
weight to return the detent to position after each movement of the weighing
drum, but it is preferably to employ the weight z.
By suitably regulating the delivery of the straw by the endless apron c amplė
time is allowed for preparing and compressing the straw delivered to the binder
before the latter is thrown into gear. The binding and other apparatus mounted
on framing may be made separate and attached to the thrashing machine only
b
when required.
:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th August 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Alfred Léon Dudoüy, of Saint
Ouen l'Aumône, near Paris, France.
This Invention relates to apparatus which may be either combined with or
attached to a fixed or portable thrashing machine for weighing and binding the
straw as it is discharged from the shakers.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
some examples thereof in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents
an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of a straw binder to be attached to a thrashing
machine. Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section, and Figure 4 a plan of a feed
apparatus, which may also be applied to the machine. Figure 5 shows one of the
discs for twisting and cutting the binding wire.
The Invention relates first to the straw binding apparatus shown in Figures
1 and 2; a is the frame of the binder, and b is a shaft driven from the machine by
a belt d upon a pulley e. The straw coming from the shakers passes down the
shoot fand falls into the trough at bottom, where it is at once seized by the arms 62
on shaft b, and raised between the spring blades g, h, which receive and guide it.
When a sufficient quantity of straw to form a truss has been thus brought
within the range of the binder, a shaft i driven by a belt k upon a pulley j is
thrown into gear by a clutch, as hereinafter described.
This shaft carries the binder arm 1, which is thus made to revolve in the direction
of arrow X, for the purpose of carrying the binding wire around the bundle or
truss. m, n, are reels of wire mounted respectively at the front and back of the
machine, the binding wire being represented by a thick line. The point of the
binder arm has a notch o in the plane of the wire, and its head carries two toothed
discs P of which one is shown separately in Figure 5. Each disc p has a notch q,
and the notches coincide when the arm seizes the wire and winds it around the
bundle of straw. The wire entering the notches in the discs p nipped, and
thereby twisted on itself upon said discs coming into gear with the fixed curved
rack r.
In Figure 1 is shown in dotted lines the straw gathered into a bundle for
binding; the wire is also shown in position for being seized by the binder arm and
wound round the bundle. The wire as will be seen passes across the bundle, and
is first seized at point 1 by the binder arm, which unwinds the wire from the reel
and winds it round the bundle, after which the binder arm in continuing its
motion again seizes the wire at point 2 just before the discs come into gear with
rack r.
The two bights of the wire having been thus sufficiently twisted together,
the wire is severed at about the middle of the twist by the disc cutters p, one of
which is arrested in its motion (for which purpose the teeth at the upper part of
the rack r are made of only half the width) while the other cutter continues to
revolve. The bound truss is released by the cutting of the wire, and falls down
the board & to the ground. The portion of the twisted wire left behind unites the
wire coming from the two spools m, n, and the wire must now be stretched tight
again, for which purpose I employ the elbow levert and spiral spring u, and the
tension device v.
To ensure the parallelism of the straws, I apply a feed apparatus to the thrashing
machine, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. This feeder consists of two shafts 1 and 2
mounted on frames 3 upon the feed board 4 of the thrashing machine, of which 5

page_text: is the beater drum, and 6 the concave. The shafts 1 and 2 are provided with tines 7,
and are driven in the same direction from the thrashing machine by a belt 8 on
pulley 9; shaft 1 driving shaft 2 by a belt 10 on pulleys 11. Figures 6, 7, and 8
illustrate improvements in the head of the binder arm; Figure 6 showing an elevation
of the head with the cover removed; Figure 7 a top view, and Figure 8 a longitudinal
section of part of same, taken on the line 1-2, Figure 7. In these Figures the same
letters indicate the same parts. a, head of the binder arm with a slit b for the
entry of the wire; c, d, are the toothed cutters, of which c turns upon a fixed stud c¹,
while the other wheel d turns on a stud on a cover e, in which is a small friction
roller f against which the wire bears, a similar one g being mounted on the upper
side of the head; h, h, notches in wheels c, d. In order that the notches h in said
wheels shall always coincide when the binder arm comes into action, the motion of
the wheels is independent, and two detents i are employed pivoted on a cross pin j,
and pressed up by springs k upon a cross pin l. These detents engage with the
teeth of wheels c, d, and their tail ends project slightly beyond the face of the
binder head, and are pressed inwards by suitable projections on the curved rack
before referred to, either alternately or together, to permit the rotation of one or
both of the wheels as desired. By this improved arrangement the wheels cannot
turn one another, and they are arrested suddenly and with certainty, so that when
the wire has been cut, the two notches may be again brought to and held in a
coincident position. A simplified arrangement of binder head may also be employed
with but one toothed wheel having continuous motion. This wheel simply serves
to effect the twisting of the wire which is severed by a spring acting cutter so
arranged that during the passage of the binder head over the curved rack r,
Figure 1, before described, an internal projection on said rack shall act at the
desired moment upon the cutter for effecting the severance of the wire.
Figure 9 is an elevation of the binder head provided with a spring acting cutter,
and Figure 10 a top view of same. Figure 11 is a top view of a modification, the
cutter and spring being in one piece; a, binder head with a slit 6 for the entry of
the wire; c, toothed wheel controlled by a detent d and spring e as before. The
second wheel is omitted in this arrangement, but the second detent f is retained, it
being however modified in form and provided with a knife edge h; i is a spring
pressing on the tail end j of detent f. In Figure 11 the cutter is formed on the
end of spring k, the bowed part of which projects beyond the side of the head.
When the binder head moves over the curved rack before referred to, the tail end j
of lever f, or the part of spring k, as the case may be, effects contact at the
desired moment with a nib or projection on said head, so as to cause the cutter to
sever the wire engaged in the notch in the wheel after it has been previously twisted
therein. The form and arrangement of the cutting apparatus may however be
otherwise varied as desired.
The second part of the Invention relates to an automatic weighing machine,
whereby the straw to form the truss is weighed and the binder is thrown into gear
as hereinafter described. Figure 12 shows an elevation of the apparatus; Figure 13
shows in outline the two positions of the mechanism which holds the binder shaft
out of gear. Figure 14 is a cross section; Figure 15, a plan, and Figure 16, a
longitudinal section on a larger scale of the clutch upon the binder shaft.
In these Figures the same letters indicate the same parts. a is the casing of the
thrashing machine with an additional framing b at the end next the straw shakers
to carry the straw binding-apparatus before described. The straw on leaving the
shakers is deposited upon an endless apron c, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 12,
and driven by a pulley d and belt e, and by which it is delivered to a weighing
drum f, also shown by dotted lines, mounted upon a horizontal shaft g. The apron c
may be attached to two endless belts or chains to ensure the parallelism of its
motion. The straw falls from the apron into a compartment of the weighing drum f,
and when a sufficient weight to form a truss has accumulated the drum f makes a
quarter of a revolution and delivers the straw to the binder at same time that the
binder shaft is thrown into gear by the sliding clutch r, Figures 15, 16, on the

page_text: '
shaft g of the weighing drum being released from the detent p (Figures 14 and 15),
which holds it out of gear, and pushed into gear with a corresponding clutch won
the wheel's (Figures 15, 16) by a spring x. The weighing drum f is held stationary
whilst receiving the straw by one of four arms h on the end of its shaft resting on
a counterweighted lever i pivoted at j, and having a counterweight k at its other
end, which rests on a pin on the framing. When the compartment of the drum f
has received a sufficient weight of straw the arm h escapes from the lever i and
strikes the arm of an elbow leader n pivoted at o, whose other arm is connected by
a rod q with the detent p, which it thereby raises, as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 13, and allows the clutch r to gear the toothed wheels with the binder
shaft t, whereby the shaft is put in motion and the binding of the truss effected as
before described. The wheels is driven by a belt u upon pulley and gear
wheels v¹, v. When shaft t has made a revolution a lug y upon the clutch r abuts
against detent p, which has been meanwhile returned to position by the weighted
arm z immediately the arm h released the lever n. The lug y is bevelled at one side,
as shown in Figure 14, and on this bevelled surface coming in contact with
detent P the clutch is forced back out of gear with clutch wand the detent p
holds the lug y by its square shoulder.
The shaft is thus held stationary until the detent p is again raised as before.
The counterweight k is made adjustable along lever i to enable the drum f to
weigh any desired quantity of straw. This weight may also serve instead of weight
to return the detent to position after each movement of the weighing drum, but it
is preferable to employ the weight z.
By suitably regulating the delivery of the straw by the endless apron c ample
time is allowed for preparing and compressing the straw delivered to the binder
before the latter is thrown into gear. The binding and other apparatus mounted
on the framing may be separate from and attached to the thrashing machine only
when required.
Another improvement consists in the addition to the binder of a rod or clamp, by
the aid of which (1) the trusses or bundles are produced with greater regularity;
(2) the straw is held and compressed while being tied, thereby facilitating the
operation, and (3) the truss when made is discharged from the rack or from the
binder head. Figure 17 shows a front view of this clamp, and Figure 18 an end
view of same. The clamp is mounted in eyes p upon the cross bar a carrying the
curved rack and connected to a crank m upon the end of the binder shaft b by a
chain and connecting rod c; s is the casing of the rack. The action of this clamp
as applied to the binding apparatus is as follows:-As the space X, Figure 18,
becomes filled with straw supplied in the manner previously described it presses
gradually up against the clamp t, which is made of the curved form shown, and
when the truss is ready for binding the clutch is thrown into gear and the binder
head put in action, whereby the straw held by the clamp t is compressed. Mean-
while the crank m has also been turned in the direction of the arrow pulling on
the chain c, which exerts a twisting action upon the horizontal arm of clamp t,
whose free end bears against the binder shaft b. By this means the curved arm of
said clamp is caused to bear against the truss while being tied, disengaging it after
this operation has been effected.
:
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. In a binding apparatus for thrashing machines, the framing a supporting the
shaft b driven by belt d upon pulley e, as shown and described.
2nd. The combination with the shoot f of arms 62 on shaft b for seizing the straw
delivered from the shakers.
3rd. In straw binding apparatus the combination of shaft i and binder arm
driven by a belt k upon pulley j.
4th. The binder arm having a slit o in combination with reels m and n, as
described and represented in Figure 1.

page_text: 5th. The toothed discs p, Figure 5, having notches q in combination with rack r
formed with teeth of only half the width at its upper part for twisting and cutting.
the binding wire as described.
6th. The employment of bent lever t, spiral spring u, and stretching device v, for
maintaining the wire in tension after the truss has been bound, substantially as
shown and described.
7th. The combination with a thrashing machine and binder of a feed apparatus
composed of shafts 1 and 2, having tines 7 driven by a belt 8 on pulley 9,
whereby the parallelism of the straws is ensured, substantially as shown and.
described.
8th. The employment in the binder head of toothed cutting discs c, d, friction
rollers f, g, detents i, and springs k, substantially as shown and described for the
purpose specified.
9th. The employment in the binder head of a toothed disc c, controlled by
detent d and spring e, in combination with a cutting blade h attached to or formed
in one with detent f, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 9 and 10
for the purpose specified.
10th. In a binder head the employment of a cutting blade formed on the end of
a spring bowed at l so as to project from said head, substantially as described and
represented in Figure 11 for the purpose specified.
11th. The combination with the binding apparatus of the automatic balance,
consisting of endless apron c, weighing drum f mounted on shaft g, cross arms h,
lever 2, and counterweight k, substantially as shown and described.
12th. The combination with the automatic weighing and binding apparatus of
the elbow lever n, detent p, rod q, clutch r, toothed wheels, and spiral spring x,
substantially as described for the purpose specified.
13th. The combination with the binding apparatus of the rod or clamp t, crank m,
and chain and rod c, for compressing the truss, substantially as described and shown
in Figures 17 and 18.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, A.D. 1881.