IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF ACTING FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 28th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 27th May, 1887.
I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 46 Southampton Buildings Holborn in the
county of Middlesex and 31 Lincoln Place Leinster Street Dublin Patent Agent do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF ACTING
FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES to be as follows:-
By, the present invention the apparatus is much simplified in construction, it effects
its object with facility, regularity, economy and safety to the attendants, whilst it is
more compact and less likely to wear by reason of the reduction of frictional parts.
The sheaf being untied is cast loosely at the summit of an inclined plane whence it
falls of its own weight to a series of toothed disks, actuated with an intermittent rotary
motion which movement is employed to separate and give it a circular movement at
the same time a rake equalizes and regulates its thickness. This rake has an oscillatory
motion from front to rear and inversely, which motion is communicated to it from a
second rake at the end of the machine and distributes the straw in strictly uniform
quantities to the thrasher.
The person superintending the feeding of the machine merely unties the sheaf
away from any machinery in motion consequently no risk is run in supplying the
machine.
Figs. 1. 2. and 3 of the accompanying drawings represent the self-acting feeder,
eccentrics are done away with, motion being transmitted by shafts and jointed levers
easily accessible for lubrication whilst in motion frictional parts being reduced to a
minimum and protected from dust or grit wear is practically nil.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse section following
the line 1-2. The frame of the machine is formed of two open iron work sides a. a',
of symmetrical proportions united by wooden bars a² a³ a', on the latter, two iron

page_text: pieces rest between a' and the interior projections a cast with the sides and bent
at the requisite angle to receive the inclined plane, the latter leaving a space 2, to
allow foreign matters contained in the sheaf to escape before being drawn into the
machine.
The sides are provided with cushions for supporting the shaft e on which the disks d,
with teeth are mounted. Metal sheets cover and separate the series of teeth
allowing them to pass or extend sufficiently forward in front whilst at the rear they
are concealed by the sheets which here form a curvilinear guide to the straw and
deliver it in an appropriate form to the thrasher.
Parallel with the shaft c near the rear of the machine the sides a. a' receive the
governing shaft f, in blocks, this shaft is bent in two directions for connection with
two levers g. g', which oscillate round the bends or throws of this shaft f, being for
this purpose articulated at their upper ends to two shafts h. ', the other ends of which
are jointed to fixed pieces i. i. borne by the bar or traverse a³. The lower ends of the
levers g. g bear the bent iron bark of the toothed distributing rake ¹.
C
The shaft fat one of its ends and outside the frame receives the pulley p* on which
the driving belt runs. On the other end a crank m, is fixed which by a shaft 7
establishes a connection with the shaft, and the click mechanism of the shaft e inside
the piece 0,
is mounted loose on the end of the shaft c, and the click which forms a
lever to the piece o gears with the teeth inside the crown o¹, keyed to the axis of the
shaft c.
At each revolution of the shaft fa double oscillation of the click lever o is produced,
and causes a partial rotation of the toothed disks d. d. On the ends of tlie shaft c,
outside the sides a. a' of the frame of the apparatus loosely oscillate two levers p. p¹
which form sheaths to two extending parts q. 7, which are drawn out of the sheaths
more or less as required, and which bear a hollow bar r, to which are fixed the long
teeth s. of the second rake. A screw 2 fixes the slides q. q' when they have been
regulated. In connection with the teeth s are spurs s', whose object is to reject the
excess of straw drawn along; in the same manner the teeth only allow a regular and
equal thickness of straw to be drawn.
The rake s to fulfill its functions is animated with as oscillatory motion which it
communicates to the rake by aid of two shafts (. t', the heads of which are connected
at one end to the levers p. p and at the other ends to the bar without in the least
hindering the movements of the rake k¹.
""
A series of blades', fixed to the bar a³, and the rest a cast with the sides of the
frame a. a', serve to support the ends of the bar a³.
Dated the 28th day of Auril 1886.

page_text: COMIDLEID DI MULTICATION.
Improvements in Self Acting Feeding Apparatus for Thrashing
Machines.
I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 46 Southampton Buildings Holborn in the
county of Middlesex and of 31 Lincoln Place Leinster Street Dublin do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF ACTING FEEDING
APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, a .communication to me from abroad by Julien Alexandre Demoney,
constructor of Chateau Thierry France :-
Simplicity of construction is an essential feature of this invention, its functions
operating with facility regularity and economy with the advantage of perfect security
to the attendants being at the same time more compact, and less liable to wear by
reason of the reduction of frictional parts.
The sheaf being untied is cast loosely at the summit of the machine on an inclined.
plane, whence it falls by gravitation to a series of toothed disks, actuated with an
intermittent rotary motion, which movement is employed to separate and give it a
circular motion, at the same time a rake equalizes and regulates its thickness.
This rake has an oscillatory motion from front to rear and inversely, which motion
is communicated to it from a second rake at the end of the machine and distributes the
straw in strictly uniform quantities to the thrasher which directly communicates with
the feeder.
. The attendant who feeds the machine merely delivers the sheaf to it, away from any
machinery in motion, consequently no risk is run in supplying it.
Figs. 1. 2. and 3 of the accompanying drawings represent the self acting feeder
mechanism applied directly to the thrasher, eccentrics are done away with, motion
being transmitted by shafts and jointed levers easily accessible for lubrication, whilst
in motion, frictional parts being reduced to a minimum, and being protected from dast
or grit wear is practically nil.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3, is a
-transverse section following the line 1-2 of Fig. 1.
The frame of the machine is formed of two open iron work sides a. a¹, of symmetrical
proportions, united by the wooden bars a² a³ as on the latter two iron pieces ¹, rest
between a, and the interior projections a' cast with the sides, and bent at the requisite
angle to receive the inclined plane b, the latter leaving a space &², to allow foreign
matters contained in the sheaf to escape, before being drawn into, the machine vide
Fig. 3.
The sides are provided with cushions for supporting the shaft c, on which the cast
iron disks d, with teeth d are mounted. Metal sheets e, cover the disks, and separate
the series of teeth,-ollowing them to extend sufficiently forward in front, whilst at the.
rear they are connected with the sheets, which here form a curvilinear and inclined
plane which guides the straw, and delivers it in an appropriate form to the thrasher.

page_text: Parallel with the shaft c, near the rear of the machine, the sides a. a', receive the
governing shaft f, in blocks, this shaft is bent in two directions for connection with
two levers g. g, which oscillate round the bends or throws of this shaft f, being for
this purpose articulated at their upper ends to two shafts h. ; the other ends of which
are jointed to fixed pieces i. i, borne by the bar or traverse a³. The lower ends of
the levers g. g¹ bear the hollow iron bark, of the toothed distributing rake k². The
shaft at one of its ends, and outside the frame, receives the pulley P, on which the
driving belt runs. On the other end a crank m, is fixed which by a shaft 7, establishes
a connection with the shaft and the click mechanism o of the shaft c.
The continuous rotary motion of the shaft f, is transformed into an intermittent
rotary motion of the shaft c, and consequently a corresponding movement of the toothed
disks d. d by aid of the click lever o, with its ratchet o' and click v.
Fig. 4 shows the interior of the click arrangement. The click is of novel form
having an arm which forms a counterpoise obviating the use of springs to bring
the click into the teeth of the ratchet wheel o¹.
At each revolution of the shaft, a double oscillation of the click lever
and causes a partial rotation of the toothed disks as above described.
0, is produced,
Fig. 1 Sheet 3 shows the click mechanism seen in section taken at the line 1-2 of
Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section at the line 3-4 of Fig. 1. Figure 3, shows the click
lever o, and click actuating piece c¹ only. Fig. 4 shows the click detached.
When it is desired to produce an inverse rotation of the shaft c, then the lever o
and click driver a² are removed, and replaced by another in which the position of the
click driver is reversed as shown by Fig. 5. The same click can be used by reversing
its position as shown Fig. 6ª.
The click lever o is adjusted loosely on the shaft c, of the toothed disks d. d'. . This
lever is animated with an oscillatory movement by the shaft 7. The lever o is solid
with the part or piece c¹ which actuates the click v. o' is the ratchet screwed or keyed
to the shift c.
The oscillatory backward and forward movements of the lever o and the piece c¹
with click e, are successive, the arm & forming the counterpoise to bring the teeth of
the click into those of the ratchet. Consequently when the lever o turns in the
direction shown by the letter Y Fig. 2, the click , pushes the ratchet o' in the
direction of the arrow X, but when this lever turns in the direction marked Y', the
click does not act on the teeth of the ratchet. Hence the intermitter rotary motion
of the shaft c and its toothed disks is produced. The shaft c also bears at its ends.
outside a. al, two levers p.pl, which oscillate loosely and bear the lengthening rods q. q
which are drawn out inore or less as required. These rods pass through the levers
and are fixed by screw rings q², and nuts 93. The upper ends of these rods are
provided with sockets,, in which the ends of a bar, are inserted, this bar bears
the teeths, those s¹ being intended to cause the excess of straw drawn along to be
thrown down. The teeths, prevent more than the requisite quantity of straw to be
drawn and of a determined thickness in accordance with the description of grain to
be thrashed.
The rake to fulfil its functions is animated with an oscillatory motion which it
communicates to the rake by aid of the shafts t, t the heads of which on the ono
hand are connected to the ends of the bar k, and on the other to the extremities of the
levers p, p, of the bar r.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The sheaf having reached (and being spread out on) the inclined plane b, is divided
by the teeth d¹ in portions which as they advance they successively raise. The teeth &
equalize these portions and direct them to the curvilinear surface, which is continued
by the drums e. Then it is that the rake in describing an ascending curve, and
coming in front, then descends to the curvilinear surface to tako in each of its
revolutions a quantity of grain (which is fixed and determined) and conducts it to the
thrasher.
"
Figs. 5, 6 & 7 represent a modification of this feeder, which in this case is
independent of the machine, the straw at the base of the feeding.cloth b is gradually.

page_text: raised in a perfectly equalized and continuous sheet which of its own accord presents
itself to the thrasher.
Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the feeder. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section
and Fig. 7 an end view from the side of the click mechanism.
The same letters of reference indicate like parts shown in the different Figures. It
should however be mentioned that the levers p, p² are mounted on the shaft e within
the sides of the frame a, a¹ and are connected to the arched shafts t, t, the lower ends
of which are articulated to the bar or traverse k. In this case the continuous motion
of the pulley P is transformed :—
1st. Into complex oscillatory movements of the rake ¹ which takes the straw at b
and raises it so as to place it within the teeth d².
2nd. Into partial rotary and intermittent movements of the shaft c, and its teeth
bearing plates d, d' by aid of the crank m, shaft l, and click lever o. The effect of
such movements is the lifting of the straw by the rake ¹.
3rd. Into alternate rotary movements of the rakes s, s¹ by means of the shafts t, l',
and levers p, p, these rakes equalizing the straw drawn by the teeth d, d, and in rear
the regulation of the sheet of straw drawn by these same teeth. Beyond the rake with
Alexible blades s, the teeth d leave the straw to itself, which then falls into the beater
of the thrashing machine.
Fig. 8 is a transverse section of another modification much simplified, the application
of which to thrashing machines, thrashing the maximum-number of sheaves in a givon
time. This kind of feeder comprises two sides a, a' of a frame with traverses a², a³, a'.
An apron or table, where the loosened sheaves are thrown. The shaft c which is the
driving shaft bearing the disks d, with teeth d¹, is animated with a continuous rotary
motion. The sheet iron guide e-The rakes, the equalizer of the sheet of straw drawn
along this rake mounted on the traverse or bar r, is subjected to the action of a
counter weight which drives it forward, whilst at the same time allowing it to give
way if necessary under the influence of the pressure exercised by an excess of straw
being drawn. A screw al serves to limit, or regulate the position of the teeth s to the
thickness of the straw it is wished to allow to pass. In like manner a projection
is formed to keep this rake raised and inactive whilst the attendant passes to the
feeder the waste collected at the end of a days work.
The straw thus raised and equalized by the teeth , is left to itself to fall to z
connected with the thrashing machine.
The continuous movement of the shaft c, and consequently of the disks with
teoth d. d' is of a speed capable of regulation in accord with the delivery to the
thrashing machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
1st. The feeder in which the loosened sheaves are thrown on to an inclined plane b
whence they are led by toothed disks d. d', a sheet iron e, and rakes s. s¹ and are
distributed to another rake k¹ which finally presents them to the beater of the thrashing
machine as herein described and as represented by the Figures 1. 2 and 3 Sheet 1 of
the accompanying drawings.
2nd. The method of communication between the two shafts c, and f, without the aid
of eccentrics or gearwork. The toothed disks d. d¹ which prepare the straw, and the
rake which feeds the thrasher, by means of the levers m. o. p. q and shafts and t
as already described and illustrated by Figs. 1. 2 and 3 of Sheet 1.
3rd. The combination of the disks d. d, of the rakes 8. s' and as well as the
complex movements of the rake k³, in conjunction with the method of mounting it on the
throws of the driving shaft, and its shafts and t as herein described and represented
by Figs. 1. 2 and 3 also of Sheet 1.
4th. The click and ratchet mechanism o. acting without the aid of a spring, trans-
forming the continuous rotary motion of the shaft, into an intermittent rotary motion
of the shaft c, and consequently a corresponding movement of the toothed disks d. d'
by aid of the click lover o, ratchet o' and click r.

page_text: 5th. The method of constructing the feeder shown by the Figs. 5. 6. 7 Sheet 2
comprising what is claimed by claims 1 to 5 inclusive, but in which feeder, the rake &
lifts the loosened sheaves to the toothed disks d. d' which next deliver them to the
thrasher perfectly equalized.
6th. The feeder for supplying thrashing machines, thrashing the maximum number
of sheaves at a time, shown in transverse section Fig. 8 Sheet 2, comprising the
driving shaft c, bearing the toothed disks d.d, turning with a continuous motion, and
distributing the straw properly equalized, in conjunction with the rake 8, with counter
weight a, and regulating screw, as hereinbefore mentioned.
Dated this 28th love of January 1887
A. C. HENDERSON.