Improvements in Harvesters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
Improvements in Harvesters.
·I, JAMES MACPHAIL, of Blue Island, County of Cook and State of Illinois,
United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, 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:-.
My invention pertains to harvesting machines and has particular relation to the
grain dividers thereof. My object is primarily to provide means for decreasing
the width of the machine by hinging the divider boards and incidentally to pro-
vide means for regulating the gather of the grain by the dividers. Harvesting
machines are generally hauled endwise in going to and from the field or
elsewhere, but the divider boards project to such an extent as to prevent them
from passing along narrow roads or through narrow gate-ways and passages. My
construction avoids this objection and at the same time affords means for obtaining
another result, that is, the varying of the amount of gather of the crop.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a harvesting.machine
showing my dividers attached thereto; Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive are detail views
showing the construction of the outside divider; and Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, detail
views showing the construction of the inside divider.
The usual grain wheel 1 is mounted in the usual manner in the main frame,
whose end sills 2 and 3 carry the stationary bearing bracket 4 which may be a
casting preferably as shown in Fig. 5 and secured to the sills in any suitable man-
ner. The upright frame or grain shield 5 of the divider is made preferably of sheet
iron and is secured to a lower sill 6 which is pivotally connected to the lug 7 of
the bracket 4 by means of a bolt or pivot pin 8. The slanting divider board
proper, marked 9, rests upon the top edge of the grain shield 5 and is held in
place by the movable bracket 10. This bracket has a slanting top portion 11 to
which the board 9 is secured and its lower portion is fastened to a flanged frame 12
to which the bracket 10 is also secured. The lower part of this movable bracket
has a pivot pin 13 received in the upper lug 14 on bracket 4. As shown particu-
larly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the upper part of the flanged frame 12 extends backward
and rests upon the top surface of the upper end sill 2 and is held in place by
bolts 15. To provide for adjusting the gather of the divider and to hold such
divider in adjusted position, I provide the flange 12 with slots 16 through which
said bolts 15 pass.
I prefer to use a divider board extension 17 which rests on the board 9, and
all the parts are secured together by a clamp 18, or in any other suitable manner.
This extension 17 is an auxiliary board and is not at all essential and may be en-
tirely dispensed with without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.
In order to brace the front end or nose of the divider and to vary the gather, I
prefer to use a horizontal rod 19 whose forward end is secured to the divider and
whose rearward end 20 is preferably bent at right angles to enter the hollow shaft
or axle of the grain wheel where it may be retained by the cotter 21. The length
of the rod is preferably adjustable by means of a turn buckle 22.

page_text: After removing the bolts 15 and springing the rod 19 out from the grain wheel
axle, the divider is free to be swung to a position transverse of the machine, as
shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The width of the machine is thus shortened up
and the machine can then be hauled endwise and will clear all narrow roads, gate-
ways, passages, and the like. To regulate the gather of grain, the bolts 15 are
first removed and the turn buckle is operated to shorten the rod to increase the
gather and to lengthen the rod to decrease the gather. When the proper position
is determined, the bolts are replaced to hold the parts in such adjusted position.
The inside divider is so pivoted as to be capable of swinging upwards to decrease
the width of the machine at this point. Upon the lower end of an upright sup-
port 23 of the main frame is secured a casting 24 having a projecting bearing pin
25. The divider comprises a substantially triangular frame 26 preferably of sheet.
iron and preferably secured to strips at its horizontal and vertical edges. At the
lower inner corner of the divider is secured a casting 27 provided with a sleeve 28
to receive the bearing pin 25. The inside corner of this casting is slotted as
shown in Fig. 10 and in operative position straddles the first guard finger 29 of
the cutter bar and is thus retained in position against lateral movement. This
construction obviates the use of a cotter pin or nut, or other retainer, on the end
of the pin 25. Upon one side of the divider is secured a flanged bar 30 which is
on an arc of a circle described from the pivotal point. This bar engages over a
retainer 31 having a projecting portion 32. These devices thus form a guide and
support for the divider. It is obvious that the width of the machine may be de-
creased by swinging the divider up as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 7. In the
ordinary construction of harvesting machines, the inside divider especially is
liable to become buckled or broken by striking the ground when the front of the
machine is lowered from any cause, such as unhitching the horses from the
-machine, without tilting it back to normal position. By my construction I avoid
these objections inasmuch as my divider floats and has a movement independent of
the machine frame.
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
1. In a harvesting machine, an outside divider hinged on the inain frame, sub-
stantially as herein described.
2. In a harvesting machine, the combination of an outside divider, a stationary
bearing bracket secured to the machine frame and a movable bracket carrying the
divider and pivoted on the stationary bracket.
3. In a harvesting machine, an outside divider hinged to the main frame and
means for regulating the position of its point to vary the gather of the grain.
4. In a harvesting machine, the combination of an outside divider and stationary
bearing bracket on the main frame, a movable bracket carrying the divider and
pivoted on the stationary bracket and means for rigidly holding the divider in
operative position on the main frame.
5. In a harvesting machine, an outside divider hinged to the main frame of the
machine and having a projecting portion adapted to be secured to the main frame
when in operative position.
6. In a harvesting machine, an outside divider hinged to the main frame of the
machine and having a projecting portion provided with slots and bolts passing
through the slots for securing the divider in different adjusted positions with
respect to the machine frame.
7. In a harvesting machine having end sills, a bearing bracket connected with
the sills, a grain divider, a supporting bracket to which the divider is connected
and pivoted on said bearing bracket and means for regulating the position of the
divider to regulate the gather of grain.
8. In a harvesting machine, the combination of the machine frame, a pivoted

page_text: grain divider and a rod connected at one end to the frame and at the other end to
the divider and means for varying the length of the rod.
9. In a harvesting machine, the combination of the machine frame, a grain
wheel therein, a grain divider pivoted on the frame, and a rod connected at one end
to the grain wheel axle and at the other end to the divider.
10. In a harvesting machine, an inside divider having an elongated bearing on
the machine frame which bearing gives it lateral support without further bracing,
such divider being adapted to be moved to decrease the width of the machine.
11. In a harvesting machine, the combination of an upright or support on the
main frame, and an inside divider pivoted thereto and having a projecting portion
contacting a stationary part of the machine to prevent lateral movement.
12. In a harvesting machine, the combination of an upright or support on the
main frame, an inside divider pivoted thereto substantially at its lower end and
having a slotted portion straddling a guard to shield the guard and prevent
lateral movement of the divider.
13. In a harvesting machine, the construction and arrangement of an outside
divider substantially as herein shown and described.
14. In a harvesting machine, the construction and arrangement of an inside
divider substantially as herein shown and described.
15. A harvesting machine comprising the construction and arrangement of
inside and outside dividers substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1898.
HERBERT HADDAN & COL,
Agents to Applicant,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.