IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William McIntyre Cranston, of 36, Worship Street, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Walter A. Wood, of Hoosick
Falls. State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 29th December 1877, and dated the 4th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William McIntyre Cranston
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1877.
WILLIAM MCINTYRE CRANSTON, of 36, Worship Street, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING MACHINES." (A communication from
abroad by Walter A. Wood, of Hoosick Falls, State of New York, United States of
America.)
This Invention relates to grain straw binding appliances, which gather the loose
straws upon a staging into a bundle between a gathering arm and a wire, or
between it and a standard connected to a traveller which has a reciprocating action
imparted by ladder chain and a claw wheel from gearing actuated from the main
driving wheel or from intermediate gearing, as desired, in order that the straws so
gathered may be bound round with wire, the wire twisted by special appliances,
and the wire severed during the travel of the traveller in one direction, the bundle
being then taken hold of by fork tines and withdrawn from the gathering arm,' and
swung in a circular direction to the edge of the staging, from which it falls to the
ground, the whole operation being conducted by mechanical means and apparatus as
herein-after described.
In adapting the binder to a reaper it is purposed to fit it to the side of one having
an endless apron platform, with side motion to lead the straws to a second endless
apron, set at an angle vertically to carry them up and over a top part of the
framing, from which they fall on to the staging, in which is a longitudinal slot for a
standard to move to and fro in the front of the standard, having blades affixed to
slide upon the staging, and under run the straws for the gathering operation. Below
this staging and on one side is an endless ladder chain which at one end is upon a
chain wheel receiving rotary motion in any well-known manner, the other end

page_text: of the chain is also upon a chain wheel adjustable in bearings for tightening upthe
chain as desired.
Between the two laps of the chain is a claw wheel having preferably three claws
or hook teeth, which are caused to engage into the chain by tappets in successive
order at each travel of a traveller to which the claw wheel is affixed, the traveller
sliding in V or other grooves of a fixed frame.
The gathering arm is hinged to the standard, and it is drawn downwards by a
chain after the binding appliances have moved a given distance towards the reaper,
one end of the chain being attached to the arm and the other to the fixed frame. As
the arm descends its nose enters into between the straws on the staging and selects
sufficient to form a bundle or sheaf, which is, however, unlimited in quantity or
bulk within the capacity of the arm. When the arm has moved downwards to its
fullest extent its shank is caught by a claw of a lever, whose free end is within
range of a bar or stop piece, against which it bears on the back travel of the
standard for the purpose of releasing the arm, a spring causing the arm to rise into
its first position, where it is held by another claw on the same lever ready for a
repeat of the operation.
Attached to the traveller is a clip for securely holding the extreme end of the
wire between it and a kind of star wheel, so that as the gathering arm springs up it
draws a supply of wire from a reel, the wire being led through a hole in the nose
of it. As the bundle is being gathered the wire near the clip portion presses upon
the straws and gets into the path of a wheel into a slot, in which it is caused to take
by a finger and by the onward motion of the traveller.
The nose of the gathering arm descends through the straws and lays the wire
round them like a band until another portion of the wire is in the path of the slot
in the same wheel, into which it is almost instantaneously put by the nose of the
gatherer. The traveller to which the slotted wheel is attached then commences its
back travel, and the slotted wheel is caused to rotate and commence to twist the two
parts of the wire together, and firmly bind the sheaf in the loop. The traveller
continues its return course, and the twisting becomes completed near the end
thereof.
Just before the traveller arrives at that end a star wheel strikes with one of its
teeth against a stop, and partakes of a partial rotation, another tooth taking a
portion of the wire, which it engages, and drags that portion under the clip to be
held firmly for the next binding operation. The traveller then completes its course,
and at this instant the tail end of a cutting lever rides against a roller, whereby the
cutting end is caused to cross the path of the twisted wire, which it severs by a
shear-like cut.
When the traveller, with its gathering arm and the bundle or sheaf, is approaching
the end of its travel, the sheaf is brought into contact with fork tines, which enter
between the straws, at the same time a spring claw lever passes over one arm of a
bell crank, forming part of the fork attachment, so that when the traveller com-
mences to move towards the newly laid straws upon the staging the claw lever slews
the fork round in a circular direction, which releases the sheaf from the gathering
arm, and carries or slides it to the edge of the staging, from which it falls on to the
ground, the fork returning to position under the action of a spring encircling its
supporting pin.
The slotted wheel is a kind of lantern wheel, viz., two .discs connected with a
series of pins near their periphery, and forming teeth to gear into other teeth on
the edge of a portion of the fixed frame as a rack, by which teeth it is supported
and caused to rotate in conjunction with an intermediate wheel, which not only
gears into the slotted wheel but into teeth on the edge of another part of the fixed
frame. This slotted disc wheel is an important feature in this Invention, and is
applicable for twisting wires in grain straw binding machines generally. It has no
centre pin, but is held in position by the teeth of a rack and a toothed wheel, by
which it is rotated, or it may be by two wheels or by two racks.
Another important feature in this Invention, applicable also to binders generally

page_text: which have a reciprocating motion imparted to them, is the claw wheel before
referred to. This wheel has, say three claw or hook teeth on one diameter, and say
three stop teeth on another periphery. The first of these, or the claw teeth, engage
into the ladder chain for drawing the binder mechanism to and fro, the stop teeth
releasing, by the movement of pauls, the wheel that it turns freely at the end of
each travel to bring another claw into contact with, say, the lower lap of the chain,
supposing, the upper to have been last in action. The pauls are released by tappets,
and are returned to position by springs.
The reel which carries the supply of wire is fitted to the standard of the traveller,
and the coils are pressed upon by a plate faced with leather, said plate acting as a
break to prevent the reel giving off its wire unnecessarily, and to prevent the coils
overlapping or kinking. Above the reel and attached to the standard is a looped
springy piece of steel, by which the strain upon the wire is relieved at each binding.
This is also an important feature in this Invention, and applicable to binders
generally.
The fork tines having a side circular movement in connection with grain straw
binding mechanism for the purposes described is another feature in this Invention
applicable to all binders having a horizontal staging, or to one having a reciprocating
action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William McIntyre Cranston, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th January 1878.
WILLIAM MCINTYRE CRANSTON, of 36, Worship Street, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING MACHINES." (A communication
from abroad by Walter A. Wood, of Hoosick Falls, State of New York, United
States of America.)
This Invention relates to grain straw binding appliances, which gather the loose
straws upon a staging into a bundle, between a gathering arm and a wire, or be-
tween it and a standard connected to a traveller which has a reciprocating action,
imparted by ladder chain and a claw wheel from gearing actuated from the main
driving wheel, or from intermediate gearing, as desired, in order that the straws so
gathered may be bound round with wire, the wire twisted by special appliances
and then severed during the motion of the traveller in one direction, the bundle
being then taken hold of by fork tines and withdrawn from the gathering arm and
swung in a circular direction to the edge of the staging, from which it falls to the
ground, the whole operation being conducted by mechanical means and apparatus
as herein-after described.
The Invention will be clearly understood on reference to the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a view of that part of the reaper to which the binder is attached. In
this Figure the binder is seen in side elevation.
Figure 2 is an elevation giving an end-on view. of the binder; and Figure 3,
a plan.
Figures 4 to 10 show some of the more important parts of the mechanism in
detail.
In adapting the binder to a reaper, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, I fit it to the
side of one having an endless apron platform with side motion (a portion of the

page_text: .c
bearer" of which is seen at A) to lead the straws to a second endless apron B set
at an angle vertically to carry them up and over a top part of the framing C, from
which they fall on to that portion of the staging marked D, in which is a longitu-
dinal slot (not seen in the Drawing) for a standard E to move to and fro in; the
front of the standard having blades F affixed to guide the binding wire G, and to slide
upon the staging D, and under-run the straws for the gathering operation. Below
this staging D and on one side is an endless ladder chain H, which at one end is
upon a chain wheel I, receiving rotary motion in any well-known manner, the
other end of the chain is also upon a chain wheel J, adjustable in bearings K, for
tightening up the chain as desired.
Between the two laps of the chain is a claw wheel L, having preferably three
claw or hook teeth M, more clearly seen in Figure 4, which is caused to engage into
the chain by tappets N, P, alternately acting upon pauls w, w, at each backward
and forward motion of the traveller Q, to which the claw wheel L is affixed, the
traveller sliding in V or other grooves R. of the frame S.
· The gathering arm T is hinged to the standard E, and it is drawn downwards by
a chain U (one end of which is attached to the frame S and the other to the binding
arm T), the pull down of the binding arm by the chain being effected after the
binding appliances have moved a given distance towards the reaper. As the arm T
descends its nose V enters into between the straws on the staging at D, and selects
sufficient to form a bundle or sheaf, which is, however, unlimited in quantity or
bulk within the capacity of the arm T. When the arm T has moved downwards
to its fullest extent the pin T¹ on its shank is caught by the claw W of the lever X,
whose free end Y is within range of the bar or stop piece Z, against which it bears
on the back travel of the standard E for the purpose of releasing the arm T, the
spring a causing the arm T to rise into its first position, where it is held by another
claw bon the same lever X ready for a repeat of the operation.
Attached to the traveller Qis a clip c for securely holding the extreme end of
the wire G, between it and a kind of star wheel d, clearly shown in Figure 6, so
that as the gathering arm T descends it draws a supply of wire from the reel e, the
wire being led through a hole in the nose V of the binder arm T.. As the bundle
is being gathered the wire near the clip portion presses upon the straws and gets
into the path of the wheel f (shown separately in Figures 8, 9, and 10), into a slot
g in which it is caused to take by the finger h (clearly seen in Figure 3) and by the
onward motion of the traveller Q
The nose of the gathering arm descends through the straws and lays the wire
round them like a band until another portion of the wire is in the path of the. slot
in the same wheel, into which it is almost instantaneously put by the nose of the
gatherer, and caught and held in the small notch c¹ of the clip c. This notch is
shown in Figure 6, and more clearly in Figure 7. The traveller to which the slotted
wheelf is attached then commences its back travel, and the slotted wheel fis
caused to rotate by gearing into the rack i and the spur wheel, which in its turn
gears into another rack 7, the racks forming part of the frame S.
The rotation of the slotted wheel f twists the two parts of the wire (now within
the slot of the wheel) together, and firmly binds the sheaf in the loop. The traveller
continues its return course, and the twisting becomes completed when the traveller
arrives near the end thereof, which is when it approaches the end m of the frame S.
Just before the traveller arrives at that end, the star wheel d, shown in Figure 6,
strikes with one of its teeth against the stop n and partakes of a partial rotation,
another tooth taking the portion of the wire held in the notch c¹, which it engages,
and drags that portion under the star wheel d, and between it and the clip, to be
held firmly for the next binding operation. The traveller then completes its course,
and at this instant the tail end of the cutting lever ? (see Figures 3 and 6) rides
against the roller q, whereby the cutting end p¹ of the lever is caused to cross the
path of the twisted wires, and to sever them by a shear-like cut. The end
of
this lever on the forward motion of the traveller comes in contact with the tappet
pin ; which puts the said lever in position for its next cutting operation.

page_text: When the traveller with its gathering arm and the bundle or sheaf is approaching
the end of its travel the sheaf is brought into contact with fork tines s, 8, s, which
enter between the straws at the same time as the spring claw levert passes over one
arm of the bell crank, forming part of the fork attachment, so that when the
traveller commences to move towards the newly laid straws upon the staging the
claw levert slews the fork round in a circular direction into the position shown in
dotted lines, the fork tines yielding at u¹ under the action of a spring u², which
operation releases the sheaf from the gathering arm and carries or slides it to the
edge of the staging, from which it falls on to the ground, the fork returning to
position under the action of the spring encircling its supporting pin.
The slotted disc wheel is an important feature in this Invention, and is ap-
plicable for twisting the wires in grain straw binding machines generally; it has no
centre pin, as is seen on reference to Figures 8, 9, and 10, but is held in position by
its flanges overlapping the teeth of the rack and the toothed wheel by which it is
rotated.
Another important feature in this Invention, applicable also to binders generally
which have a reciprocating motion imparted to then is the claw wheel L before
referred to. This wheel has, say, three claw or hook teeth M, as herein-before
described, on one diameter, and, say, three stop teeth M¹ on another periphery. The
first of these, or the claw teeth, engage into the ladder chain H for drawing the
binder mechanism to and fro as hercin-before described, the stop teeth M² releasing
the wheel by the movement of pauls, so that it turns freely at the end of each
travel to bring another claw into contact with, say, the lower lap of the chain, sup-
posing the upper to have been last in action. The pauls ware released by the
tappets P, N, alternately at the end of the motion of the traveller, and are returned
to position by the springs x.
The reel which carries the supply of wire is fitted to the standard of the traveller,
and the coils are pressed down by the plate y, faced with leather, said plate being
attached to the arm of a coiled spring 1 on the spindle 2, carried in the upper part
of the standard E, and just beneath the wire reel as shown. A paul and wheel 3
regulates the tension of the spring 1, and consequently the pressure of the plate y
upon the coils of wire on the wire bobbin, this plate acting as a break to prevent
the reel giving off its wire unnecessarily, and to prevent the coils overlapping or
kinking. Above the reel and attached to the standard is a looped springy piece of
steel 4, which derives its elasticity from being coiled at the points marked 5, and by
which the strain upon the wire is relieved, and which takes up the slack at each
binding operation; this is also an important feature in this Invention, and is ap-
plicable to binders generally.
The fork tines having a side circular movement in connection with grain straw
binding mechanism for the purposes described is another feature in this Invention
applicable to all binders having a horizontal staging, or to those having a recipro-
cating motion.
In the plan view, Figure 3, the platform is removed (with the exception of a
small portion D¹, which carries the fork guard 6, as also the standard E), to enable
some of the more important working parts of the Invention to be seen.
The wheel I, which gives motion to the ladder chain, is driven by the shaft 7, to
which it is feathered, and in which it can slide to and fro and be secured in any
position to suit the length of grain to be bound by means of the hand lever 8 and
the link 9, which latter is attached to the under side of the platform D, as seen in
Figure 2. The hand lever 8, and consequently the binder arm, is secured in its
proper position relatively to the grain by means of a quadrant plate 10 bolted to
the framing, a spring bolt on the hand lever 8 taking into the quadrant, and so
locking it where required.
It will be observed by referring to the Drawing that the frame S is supported at
its inner end on the shaft 7, grooved as before mentioned, while its outer end is
carried by the legs 11, which carry rollers 12, taking on to the bar 13, supported on
an extension of the main frame. The shaft 7 giving motion to the binder is driven

page_text: by the main wheel of the reaper, through the spur wheel 14, pinion 15, and bevil
wheels 16 and 17, as clearly shown, the shaft 18 taking its motion by means of its
pinion 19 gearing into the spur wheel 20, on the main wheel 21, as clearly seen in
Figure 2. The pinion 19 is thrown out of gear with the spur wheel 20, by means
of the hand lever 22, when it is desired to stop the working of the binder.
The upper roller 23 of the grain elevevator B is driven by the chain wheel 24,
which receives its motion from a similar wheel 25 on the shaft 20, which latter also
carries a bevil pinion 27, in its turn driven by the wheel 17. It may, however, be
driven from any other part of the machinery found convenient. The pinion 15 is
keyed to' and drives the pitman shaft, as clearly shown.
The height of cut is regulated by means of the removable lever 28 shown in
dotted lines and chain arrangement, one end of the chains 29 being attached to the
lever shaft 30, while the other ends are secured to other levers 31, one end of each
of which is pivotted on the main axle, the lower portion or bight of the chains
passing under the rollers 32, carried by quadrant-shaped brackets 33 attached to the
main frame, the whole being secured by means of the paul wheel 34 and paul 35,
äs clearly shown.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The improvements in grain straw binding appliances applicable for
attachment to reaping machines, herein-before described, and substantially as shown
in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the slotted disc wheel ƒ for twisting the binding wires in
grain straw binding machines, shown in Figures S, 9, and 10 of the annexed
Drawings.
Thirdly. I claim the combination of the claw wheel L and pauls W, driven by
the ladder chain H, for imparting motion to binders having a reciprocating action, in
the mauner herein-before described, and substantially as shown in Figures 4 and 5
of the annexed Drawings.
Fourthly. I claim the spring 4 (shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed
Drawings) for taking up the slack wire in grain straw binders as herein-before
described.
Fifthly. I claim the spring (shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed
Drawings) in combination with the plate y, reel bobbin e, and coiled spring 1, acting
in unison for regulating the tension and taking up the slack wire in grain straw
binders, as herein-before described.
Sixthly. I claim the fork tines S having a side circular movement for the purpose
of clearing the bound straws from the binder, as described, and as shown in Figures
1 and 3 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William McIntyre Cranston, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight.
W. M. CRANSTON. (L.S.)