Improvements in Machines for Pressing Hay and Straw.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1888
Specification Accepted, 20th July, 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Pressing Hay and Straw.
I, VALENTINE INGRAM ALLEN, of 11 Welland Place, Spalding, in the County of
Lincoln, Hay and Straw Merchant, 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 (reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon) that is to say :-
My invention relates to improvements in machines for pressing hay and straw, and
by means of which improvements a machine is constituted which possesses the
advantages of simplicity of mechanism, combined with great efficiency of working.
In a machine embodying my improvements, I provide a framing or casing, by
preference constructed of angle iron, and I strengthen the said framing or casing with
tie and cross bars which are well braced together and secured by bolts and nuts. The
whole of this structure forms, as it were, a cage, and it is provided on one of its
sides with a door or guard of special construction.
In the interior of this structure I arrange a bottom plate, slab, or platform which is
adapted to be raised or lowered, at will, by means of mechanism hereinafter fully
described, and upon this plate, slab or platform the hay or straw to be pressed is
placed. A vertical movement is imparted to this plate slab or platform (through
suitable gearing) worked by a handle, or handles, which actuates, or actuate, four or
more racks, two, or more, of which are fixed to each end of the framing of said plate,
slab or platform. This vertical movement carries the hay or straw, on the bottom
plate, against a fixed counter-plate or top plate where it is pressed into the form of a
truss and then tied in the usual manner, and by the aid of the usual appliances.
Or, if desired, the counter-plate or top plate may be rendered adjustable, by screws
and hand wheels, in order to suit varying quantities of hay or of straw.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I proceed to describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 an end view, and Figure 3 a plan of a machine
constructed according to my Invention: Fig. 4 is a detached view of the bottom
plate, slab, or platform, and its racks above referred to. Fig. 5 shews, in elevation,
the modification of the counter plate or top plate herein before mentioned, and Fig. 6
is a plan of the same.

page_text: Like letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
A is the framing, body, or casing constructed in the manner above described and
forming a cage which is secured to a hed or foundation A², made either of iron or
of wood, or of both, as found most suitable for the purpose. This bed or foundation
is furnished, when necessary, with wheels B for convenience of transport, but these
are detached when it is intended to work the machine. Or instead of wheels a roller,
working in bearings, may be placed at each end of the machine.
On one side of the machine is arranged the specially constructed door or guard
composed of a suitable number of iron bars p pivotted to and depending from an
angle iron support p* fixed on the top of and extending along the entire length of
the framing, or body, of the machine. At a convenient point in the length of these
bars, I pivot them to a horizontal bar p¹, provided at its right, or left hand end with
a handle p². This horizontal bar, when the door or guard is closed, rests by its
handle end in a corresponding support på fixed on the framing, its opposite end
being placed in a loop or staple p₁ screwed to that end of the framing. I may, how-
ever, provide each end of the said horizontal bar with a handle so that the door or
guard may be raised either in a right hand, or left hand direction, as found most
suitable to the position of the machine. When it is required to open, or raise this
door or guard, in order to introduce the material to be pressed, or to remove the
pressed truss, it is only necessary to withdraw the horizontal bar from its loops or
staples and to lift said bar by its handles until it is sufficiently raised in a direction
parallel to the top framing, when the bars will lie close alongside each other, as shewn
in dotted lines in fig. 1. This guard, when so raised, is held securely in its open
position by a hook p³, provided for that purpose, and attached either on the right or
on the left of the framing.
C is the counter plate or top plate of the machine which, in figs. 1, 2, and 3, is a
fixture. It is supported by uprights of angle iron placed at each corner of the
machine.
D is the bottom plate, slab, or platform upon which the hay or straw to be pressed
is placed. This plate, slab, or platform is supported upon a framing d, d, as shewn
in figures 1 and 4, and at each end of the said framing, and rigidly secured thereto,
(as clearly shewn in detached view Fig. 4) are two racks E, which are caused to travel
vertically in guide ways F, formed between vertical bars f of angle iron. These
racks are actuated by pinions G which are mounted fast upon cross shafts H, capable
of revolving in bearings h upon the framing. Other cross shafts J, also mounted
in bearings j, on the framing, at each end of the machine, carry toothed pinions K
which gear into toothed wheels L, keyed on one end of each of the cross shafts H.
The opposite ends of these cross shafts H are fitted with bevel wheels M, M, which
gear into bevel wheels N N, mounted at the ends of the longitudinal shaft P. This
longitudinal shaft P, by coupling together the bevel gearing upon it and the cross
shafts H, ensures regularity of motion to the racks and permits of the machine being
worked by one handle Q, thus releasing an attendant to other duties. The machine
may however be worked by both handles at the same time; or at the required moment
for putting on the final pressure. These handles Q, on being operated, impart motion
to the pinions K, wheels L, and pinions G, which latter impart the vertical movement
to the racks causing them to rise and to carry with them the plate slab or platform,
upon which is placed the hay or straw to be pressed, as before stated.
The truss, or trusses, after being thus pressed are tied in the usual manner, and
removed, the bottom plate descends by gravity, as hereinafter explained, and a fresh
quantity of hay, or of straw, is placed upon the table and the operation repeated.
In order to control the rise and descent of the bottom plate, slab, or platform, I
key upon each of the cross shafts H a ratchet or click wheel I, into the teeth of
which, during the vertical movement of the racks, engage pawls i at the end of click
levers, having their fulcra at k, and these pawls maintain the said racks, together
with the bottom plate slab or platform, in position, and at any and every degree of
elevation and until the pressing of the hay or straw is effected. When the truss is
pressed and tied it is only necessary to operate these click levers to remove the pawls

page_text: from the teeth of the ratchet wheels when the racks, together with the plate, slab, or
platform, and its framing, will descend by gravity.
In the modification shewn in figures 5 and 6 the adjustable counter plate or top-plate
is arranged by fixing castings R', R2, R³ to the top framing of the machine. These
castings are chased for screws », each screw having a hand wheels attached to its
upper end, its lower end being free to turn in a casting t on the adjustable plate U, so
that when the screws are turned, by means of the hand-wheels, the adjustable plate is
raised, or lowered, to suit the quantity of hay or straw placed in the machine.
desired pressure screws may also be fitted at each corner of the machine.
If
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a machine for pressing hay or straw, the combination with the plate, slab, or
platform D and its frame d, of the racks E, said racks being adapted to travel in the
guide ways F formed by the vertical bars f, as and for the purposes described and as
shewn.
2. In a machine for pressing hay or straw, the expanding and contracting door or
guard constructed of a number of vertical bars p pivotted at their upper part to the
machine, and at their lower part to a horizontal bar p¹, furnished with handles p², as
shewn and described, and for the purposes set forth.
3. In a machine for pressing hay or straw, the adjustable counter plate or top plate
adapted to be operated by screws and hand-wheels in order to render the machine
suitable for pressing various quantities of material, as described, and as shewn with
reference to figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
4. The improved machine for pressing hay or straw constructed, arranged, and
combined to be operated substantially as hereinbefore described and as shewn with
reference to the annexed drawings.
Tool
1
T
1000