Improvements in Grinding Machines, chiefly applicable to the Grinding of Harvester Knives.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1897--Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
Improvements in Grinding Machines, chiefly applicable to the
Grinding of Harvester Knives.
I. ADELBERT ROMAIN CLIZBE, of No. 521 Wabash Avenue, in the City of
Chicago, County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The present invention, whilst applicable to other purposes, has relation more
particularly to that class of grinding machines designed for the grinding of
harvester knives or the like in which the grinding wheel is carried, upon a swinging.
frame adapted to be automatically moved in the direction of the length of the
teeth as the grinding wheel is revolved. The invention consists in the various
novel features of construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation.
Fig. 2 is a plan view.
Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a view in vertical transverse section taken at the operating shaft.
Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation showing the side opposite to the one shown
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a front view of the knife-holding apparatus.
From the base A of the machine rise the standards B that are bolted thereto.
In the upper part of the standards B is journalled the main drive shaft C to one
end of which is keyed the main drive wheel D that is furnished with a handle d
whereby it can be conveniently turned. Upon the drive shaft C and preferably
within the standards B are pivotally sustained the side bars of the swinging
frame E that carries at its front end the grinding wheel F. Preferably the
sliaft C has its ends of smaller diameter than the body of the shaft, these reduced
ends passing through the side bars of the swinging frame E and through the
standards B. This construction, while not essential, is advisable as it aids in
giving rigidity to the swinging frame. The drive shaft C is provided with a
spline c that passes through a corresponding seat formed in a pinion e' that is
mounted upon the shaft C in such manner as to be movable longitudinally thereof.
With this pinion mesh the teeth of the gear wheel G that is fixed to a crank
shaft g journalled in suitable bearings in the standards B. The crank g of the
shaft passes through a suitable yoke or coupling that is adjustably connected to
the end of a bar H, the forward end of which is preferably bifurcated and is
provided with bearings through which passes a rod I that aiso passes through the
side bars of the swinging frame E. The yoke or coupling that is adjustably
connected to the lower end of the bar H consists preferably of the plates h and h¹
having semi-circular seats to receive the crank g of the shaft g, these plates and h¹
being united together by bolts (see Fig. 3); and the plate h of the yoke or
coupling is provided with a long slot through which passes an adjusting screw k
that extends through the lower end of the bar H and is furnished with a thumb-
nut K whereby the screw k may be set at any point within the slot 2 of the
plate . By this means the bar H may be adjustably connected to the yoke or
coupling so that this bar can be lengthened or shortened in order to determine the
ID 27

page_text: throw or extent of vibration of the swinging frame E and consequently of the
grinding wheel F for the purpose to be presently stated.
The grinding wheel F is carried upon a shaft that passes through journal
plates e at the free ends of the side bars of the swinging frame E. Preferably,
although not essentially, the hearing plates e are formed separate from the side
bars of the swinging frame E and are connected thereto by bolts e¹ that pass
through the side bars of the swinging frame and through the rearwardly extending
ends of the journal plates e. Upon the outer end of the grinding wheel shaft f is
fixed a pinion F1, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of the main drive wheel D
so that when the wheel D is revolved by the operator motion will be transmitted to
the grinding wheel F. In the preferred embodiment of my invention the side bars
of the swinging frame E have their outer ends formed with shoulders e against
which will abut shoulders & formed upon the journal plates e in order to more
securely retain the journal plates in position, and it will be seen also that the hubs
of the journal plates e securely rest against the outer ends of the side bars of the
swinging frame E.
From the foregoing description the operation of the parts as thus far defined
will be seen to be as follows, vz.: When the operator, by means of the handle d
revolves the drive wheel D motion is transmitted from the teeth of the drive
wheel D, through the pinion F and shaft to the grinding wheel F and at the same
time motion is transmitted from the drive shaft C through the pinion e¹ and gear
wheel G to the crank shaft g and this crank shaft through the yoke and the
connecting. bar H transmits a vibratory or swinging movement to the swinging
frame E. Hence it will be seen that as the grinding wheel is revolved the upward
and downward vibratory movement is imparted to such wheel and the purpose of
this movement is to cause the grinding wheel to pass up and down the edges of the
knife to be ground when such knife is held in position upon the knife-holding
mechanism, presently to be described. The object of providing the connecting
bar H between the crank shaft g and the swinging frame is to limit the throw of
the swinging frame and thereby preventing the grinding wheel descending so far
as to cut the reinforce bar which in some classes of harvester knives are
employed throughout the length of the knives, and other types of harvester
knives extend along the end portions. It will be understood that by lifting
the swinging frame E after the thumb-nut K has been loosened, the connecting
bar H may be drawn out and when set to this extended position by tightening
the nut K the extent of movement of the swinging frame and consequently of
the grinding wheel will be limited both in upward and downward direction. In
other words the bar H constitutes an extensible or adjustable connector between
the crank shaft g and the swinging frame E.
In order to retain the grinding wheel F in stationary position while it is revolved
for the purpose of cutting a nick or dent from some particular part of the knife
being ground I mount the pinion so that it can be moved longitudinally along
the shaft C into and out of gear with the gear wheel G and it is manifest that
when the pinion c¹ is moved from engagement with the gear wheel G motion will
not be transmitted to the swinging frame E. In order to more rigidly retain the
swinging frame in stationary position I prefer to employ a lock for engaging
the gear wheel G, this lock consisting preferably of a dog W that is formed at the
outer end of a shaft or stud w mounted in manner free to slide within an off-set or
bearing that projects from one of the standards B. This dog W has a tooth w¹
adapted to slide between and engage the teeth of the gear wheel G when the dog
is shifted from the normal position seen in Fig. 2 to the locking position shown in
Fig. 3. That is to say, the dog W is normally disengaged from the gear wheel G,
but when the swinging frame E is lifted to any desired position and the dog Wis
caused to engage with the gear wheel G it will securely retain the swinging frame
in such position. The pinion c¹ being at such time disengaged from the gear
wheel G it is obvious that by turning the drive wheel D the grinding wheel F
will be revolved without vibration being transmitted to the swinging frame E.

page_text: Upon the base A at its front is mounted the knife-holder whereon the
harvester knife will rest during the grinding operation. This knife-holder is
shown as pivoted to a base plate P from the ends of which rise the lugs p
preferably cast in piece with the base plate. Between the lugs at each end of
the base plate and pivotally connected thereto are the dependent arms r of the
knife-holder R, these arms being preferably cast in piece with the body of the
knife-holder. The arms r of the knife-holder being united by the pivot pins 1 to
the lugs p permit the knife-holder to be rocked in forward and backward direction
while the forward and rearward extensions of the arms will contact with the '
base P and limit the rocking movement of the knife-holder R. The upper face of.
the knife-holder R constitutes the support for the back edge of the knife Y and
the rear edge of the knife-holder R is provided with the upwardly extending
lugs and, which will co-operate with the eccentric clamp handle S in securely
retaining the knife Y upon the knife-holder. By reference to Fig. 6 of the
drawings it will be seen that the clamp handle S which is pivotally connected as
at s to a lug projecting forwardly from the knife-holder, is located at one side of
the centre of the knife-holder and to the grinding wheel F and is located opposite
the lug of the knife-holder. The purpose in thus locating the clamp handle is
to insure a firm engagement of the knife by the clamp handle S and the lug
without danger of cramping or bending the knife which would be apt to occur if
the clamp handle were located centrally of the knife-holder and between the
lugs and . It will be observed that the bearing or eccentric face of the clamp
handle S is adapted to bear upon the lower and upper part of the knife Y but the
central portion of the bearing face of the clamp handle is cut away as at s² so as to
allow a free space for the passage of rivet heads or bolts that may project from the
blade of the knife. At the rear edges and ends of the knife-holder project the
rearwardly extending, curved bearing arms R¹, the upper ends of which are
laterally expanded to form a broad bearing for the face of the knife, the purpose
in curving rearwardly the arms R¹ is to afford an open space for the passage of the
bars that are frequently joined to harvester knives. It will thus be seen that
when the harvester knife Y is set in position upon the knife-holder R and the
clamp handle S is turned in proper direction the eccentric face of the clamp
handle S will bear not only against the lower portion of the harvester knife but
also against its upper portion and thus securely retain the knife in position to be.
ground. Preferably the base plate P of the knife-holder is adjustably connected
to the base A of the machine by means of a bolt p that passes through a slot p³ of
the base plate P, and into or through the base plate A. By loosening the nut p
of the bolt p² the plate P may be turned to any desired position or may be adjusted
in backward or forward direction and when the nut is tightened the plate P will
be securely retained in the required position. When a harvester knife is to be
ground the operator will place the same upon the knife-holder in the position shown
by Fig. 1 of the drawings and will firmly clamp the knife in position by turning the
eccentric clamp handle S which not only serves as a means for rocking the knife-
holder so as to cause the knife to bear properly upon the grinding wheel, but also
serves as a means for securely retaining the knife in position for being ground.
As the swinging frame E moves up and down carrying the rapidly revolving
grinding wheel F with it, the operator will shift the knife-holder and the harvester
knife in order to accurately present the edges of the knife to the surface of the
grinding wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a grinding machine, the combination with suitable supports or standards,
of a drive shaft, a swinging frame carrying a grinding wheel, means for revolving
said grinding wheel, a crank shaft extending between said standards and in gear
with said drive shaft and a suitable bar pivotally connected at one end to the
i

page_text: swinging frame and at its opposite end connected to said crank shaft, substantially
as described.
2. In a grinding machine, the combination with suitable supports or standards,
of a drive shaft, a swinging frame carrying a grinding wheel, means for revolving
said grinding wheel, a crank shaft in gear with said drive shaft and an adjustable
connector between said swinging frame and said crank shaft whereby the extent of
movement of the swinging frame can be determined, substantially as described.
3. In a grinding machine, the combination with suitable supports or standards,
of a drive shaft, a swinging frame carrying a grinding wheel, means for revolving
said grinding wheel, a crank shaft in gear with said drive shaft and a connecting
bar between said swinging frame and said crank shaft having adjustably connected
to its rear end a yoke or coupling that engages with the crank of the crank shaft,
substantially as described..
4. In a grinding machine, a knife-holder constructed and adapted to operate,
substantially as shown and described.
Chicago. Illinois. U.S. A 29th day of September A.D 1896
ADELBERT R. CLIZBE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.