IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOOD OR GUARD FOR THE DRUM MOUTH OF THRASHING PROCHINES, AND IN FENCING OR SHIELDING THE SAME
Year: 1874

page_text: `LETTERS PATENT to William Wilkinson, of Moat Hall, in the County
of Salop, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOOD OR GUARD FOR THE DRUM MOUTH OF THRASHING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wilkinson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st March 1874.
I, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of Moat Hall, in the County of Salop,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR THE HOOD OR GUARD FOR THE DRUM MOUTH of
THRASHING MACHINES, AND IN FENCING OR SHIELDING THE SAME," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates first, to improvements in the hood or guard for
the drum mouth of thrashing machines, so as to render such hood or
guard capable of being folded into the smallest compass, and thus be
more easily stowed away when not in use or when transporting the

page_text: thrashing machine from place to place, and consists in hinging the sides
of such hood or guard to the back so as to fold inwards and lie flat
against such back, or when opened out such sides are held open by a
hook and eye, and secured upon the platform by preference, with a
sliding bolt on each of such sides taking into a scries of holes formed in
the platform. The top boards forming the cover of the hood or guard
are also hinged together in at least two pieces, so that one or both of
such top boards may be folded back, and thus widen the opening for
the more easy introduction of long grain, whilst when not in use such
top boards fold back and lie flat on the opposite side of the back board
to that occupied by the hinged sides.
The second part of my Invention relates to a method of more securely
fencing or guarding the entrance to the drum mouth from each side of
the hood or guard, and consists in hinging a pair of shutters or doors to
the board which rises from the platform behind the " dickey hole," so
that such doors can close in against the sides of the hood or guard when
in position, or may be folded close down on to the board when not in
use, or such shutters_or doors may be hinged for the same purpose to the
top of the platform.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Wilkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WILKINSON, of Moat Hall, in the County of Salop, Farmer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Wilkinson, Her
special licence that I, the said William Wilkinson, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Wilkinson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and nò others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOOD OR GUARD FOR THE DRUM
MOUTH OF THRASHING MACHINES, AND IN FENCING OR SHIELDING THE SAME," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Wilkinson, 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 be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wilkinson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This Invention relates first, to improvements in the hood or guard for
the drum mouth of thrashing machines, so as to render such hood and
guard capable of being folded into the smallest compass, and thus be
more easily stowed away when not in use or when transporting the
thrashing machine from place to place, and consists in hinging the sides
of such hood or guard to the back so as to fold inwards and lie flat
against such back, or when opened out such sides are held open by a
hook and eye, and secured upon the platform, by preference, with a
sliding bolt on each of such sides taking into a series of holes formed in
the platform. The top boards forming the cover of the hood or guard
are also hinged together in at least two pieces, so that one or both of
such top boards may be folded back, and thus widen the opening for the
more easy introduction of lóng grain, whilst when not in use such top
boards fold back and lie flat on the opposite side of the back board to
that occupied by the hinged sides.
The second part of my Invention relates to a method of more securely
fencing or guarding the entrance to the drum mouth from each side of
the hood or guard, and consists in hinging a pair of shutters or doors to
the board which rises from the platform behind the "dickey hole," so
that such doors can close in against the sides of the hood or guard when
in position, or may be folded close down on to the board when not in use,

page_text: or such shutters or doors may be hinged for the same purpose to the top
of the platform.
In order that this my said Invention may be the more readily
understood and carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed
a Drawing of my improved drum guard and fencing for thrashing
machinery.
Fig. I. is a side sectional view, and Fig. 2, a plan drawn to a scale of
about 1 inches to the foot of so much of the platform of a thrashing
machine as is necessary to explain the application of my improvements
which are shewn as applied thereto, the drum guard and fencing
being shewn in position ready for use; Fig. 3 is the same view as Fig. 1,
but shewing the feeding board folded down upon the drum mouth in
order to allow the feeder to leave the dickey hole; and Fig. 4 is again
the same view as Fig. 1, but representing the drum guard also folded
over the drum mouth when it becomes necessary to remove such machine
to another locality; Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views on a smaller
scale of my improved drum guard for thrashing machines shewing the
same in Fig. 5, as fixed open and ready for use, and in Fig. 6, as closed
in a small compass and lying flat upon the platform and forming a cover
to the drum mouth.
A is the platform of the thrashing machine; B, the drum; C, the
drum mouth; and D, the "dickey hole" wherein the feeder stands
whilst introducing the grain into the machine; E is the back board of
the platform; and F the feeding board which is hinged so as to fold
over the drum mouth (as seen in Fig. 3), but this feeding board differs
from those in ordinary use in having the iron rod G jointed to it as
illustrated, so that it becomes impossible for the feeder to open the drum
mouth without raising the ends of such rod over the back board, as seen
in Figs. 1 and 2, in which position such rod forms an obstacle or a
barrier in the way of the feeder to prevent his leaving the "dickey hole
without first closing the drum mouth. This closing operation being
most easily accomplished by pushing such rod forward when the feeding
board will turn upon its hinges, and by the time it has closed itself upon
the drum mouth the rod G will be drawn sufficiently forward to pass the
backboard and to lie flat upon the platform, as seen in Fig. 3.
"
My improved folding drum guard is constructed as follows:-H is the
backboard which is, by preference, hinged on to the platform so as to be

page_text: folded over the drum mouth, or such backboard may be bolted to the
platform or secured thereto by means of a chain. To the upper edge of
this backboard the folding boards I are hinged in two or more boards in
order that one or more of such boards may be folded back if it is desired
to increase the size of opening for the introduction of longer grain. The
end pieces J forming the other portion of my improved portable hood or
drum guard are also hinged to the backboard as illustrated (see Fig. 5),
and are capable of folding back upon the backboard as seen in Figs. 4
and 6, or if desirable may be made to fold on the inner side of the
backboard. These end pieces are secured in the open position by means
of sliding barrel bolts K (see Fig. 5), taking into holes formed in the
platform, and hooks and eyes L are employed for securing the folding
top boards to such end pieces. In the backboard (H) a small doorway
fitted with a falling down hinged door (M) is formed to permit the
grain, etc., accumulating upon the platform from time to time to be
swept into the drum mouth.
In addition to my improved folding drum guard and fencing to
protect the feeder of thrashing machines I sometimes apply a further
protection consisting of a board (O) which may be hinged by staple hinges
to either of the end pieces (J) of the folding drum guard or to the
backboard E, or such board O may be hinged upon the platform, and
when not in use may lie close down upon the platform.
One of the objects of the present Invention is by having a fixed drum
guard capable of folding into the smallest possible compass to avoid the
tendency to accident, often of a most serious nature, arising from the use
of a thrashing machine without a drum guard, and I have studied in my
improved folding drum guard to obviate the disadvantages which aro
incidental to the rigid cover or guard hitherto employed.
'
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this.
my said Invention, together with the best methods with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details, relative
proportions or dimensions shewn on the accompanying Drawing, and
herein-before described, as the same may be considerably varied without
departing from the Invention; but what I claim is,—
First. The construction of a folding drum guard, as and for the
purposes herein-before described and illustrated on the accompanying

page_text: 2nd. The rod G applied to the folding feeding board for presenting
an obstacle to the feeder leaving the dickey hole without first closing
the drum mouth, as herein-before described and illustrated on the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wilkinson, have. here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.