Improved Machinery or Apparatus for Compressing and Trussing Straw.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machinery or Apparatus for Compressing and Trussing
Straw.
I, ROBERT MAYNARD, of Whittlesford Works, near Cambridge, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a receiver or trough mounted in or on a suitable frame
and being sufficiently wide and long to hold sufficient straw to form a truss of the
average weight when compressed. The two ends and likewise one side of such trough
are left open, while the top and bottom thereof are made movable to allow of the
straw being fed into the receiver to be pressed, and of its being removed therefrom
when so pressed. The straw is compressed by a single squeeze of a ram working
through the open side of the trough, which ram is operated by a crank or in any other
convenient manner. When the straw has been so compressed the action of the ram
is automatically arrested, thus causing it to retain the truss in position while one or
more ties are fastened round the same, after which the ram recedes, and in so doing
opens the bottom of the trough and allows the truss to drop out, thus leaving the
receiver empty in readiness for the next operation. By my invention the operation
of trussing straw is greatly facilitated, while it likewise allows of its being compressed
and tied up in its full length without being doubled, which is a great advantage.
TJAL 19th love of Anvil 1808
ELT & Co.,
Registered Patent Agents,
43 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for Applicant.
Improved Machinery or Apparatus for Compressing and Trussing
Straw.
I, ROBERT MAYNARD, of Whittlesford Works near Cambridge, 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:-
The object of this invention is to greatly facilitate the trussing of straw and to
entirely obviate either doubling or bruising it, which is a great advantage.
I attain such object by the machine or apparatus hereafter referred to as my
improved straw compressor, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein Figure 1 is a side, and Figure 2 an end elevation, and Figure 3 a plan view
of such improved straw compressor; while Figure 4 is a detail view, also in end
elevation, shewing the mechanism whereby the packers and endless apron presently
described are operated.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several
views.

page_text: a is a travelling frame mounted on wheels b. c is a compression chamber, both ends
and one side thereof are left open. d is a ram working therein, being operated by a
crank shaft e mounted in suitable bearings e¹, strengthened by tie rods e. Motion is
transmitted to such crank shaft from any convenient source by a spur wheel and
pinion, and an endless belt working over fast and loose pulleys f³. g is a
cover having slots g' formed therein. Such cover forms the top of the compression
chamber and is raised and lowered by a jointed lever . It is shewn in Fig. 1 in the
raised position by dotted lines. i is a slide forming the bottom of the compression
chamber and having a weight i suspended therefrom working over a pulley . j is a
bolt having a bevelled pin j formed thereon and working in guides j . j is an
inclined stop mounted on a block j. k is an inclined platform on to which the straw
is delivered. is an endless apron working over sprocket wheels ', carried on
spindles and furnished with tines ; arranged in any convenient manner, and an
extension, and operated by belt gearing working over a pulley 7, as presently
described. m, are packers furnished with collars m' which are journalled on a second
crank shaft n carrying fast and loose pulleys n', n², the latter being a composite
pulley. m² are extensions of such packers pivotted in links o working on a cross
bar p fixed to the frame of the machine. Such links prevent the packers revolving
with the crank shaft while they allow them to oscillate. q. q. are cams formed on
the inner face of the spur wheel." r is a lever attached to a connecting rod r working
in guides. A striking fork s is fixed to one end of such connecting rod while its
opposite end is pivotted to a bell crank lever s fitted with a pull s2. t is a slotted
arm through which an endless belt passes as it works over the fast and loose
pulleys n n2. Such slotted arm is furnished with an extension t' and pivotted to a
bracket 2 fixed to the frame of the machine. is a connecting rod having one end
attached to such slotted arm and terminating at its other end in a bevelled tooth t*.
t is a bevelled block fixed to the frame of the machine over which such tooth works.
The operation of my invention is as follows:-
As the straw is delivered on to the platform the packers press it against one series
of tines thus causing the apron, (which is then out of gear,) to revolve slowly until
the last of such tines reaches the lower end of the platform. The packers are then
stopped and the apron thrown into gear automatically by the cams q operating the
lever r and rod t3, which pulls over the slotted arm t, thus shifting the driving belt
from the fast pulley n', on to the loose pulley n², whereby the second series of tines is
brought in contact with the straw, thus pushing it off the platform into the compression
chamber, the lid g being raised by depressing the jointed lever h, to allow of its
falling into such chamber. At the same time the bevelled tooth t is brought in
contact with the inclined stop to thus raising the rod t³, and releasing it from the
lever in which position it remains until the extension, on the apron l, strikes
against the extension of the slotted arm t, thus causing the latter to shift the
driving belt back to the fast pulley. n' from the loose pulley n³, and throwing the
apron out of gear; while the packers are again started and the bevelled tooth t
again engages with the lever r. After the straw has been thrown down into the
compression chamber the cover g is lowered by raising the jointed lever h, while the
ram is actuated by operating the pull s2 and bell crank lever s', which actuates
the connecting
rod and striking fork s, and so shifts the driving helt from the
loose pulley to the fast pulley f. When the ram is so actuated it compresses
the straw by a single squeeze, after which it is automatically thrown out of gear
by one of the cams q operating the lever r and connecting rod r, together with the
striking fork s, and so shifting the driving belt from the fast pulley f to the loose
pulley
When the ram is thus thrown out of gear the endless apron is thrown
into gear and while the ram is so arrested the truss is tied, the needle being inserted
through the slots g' in the cover g, and passing through corresponding slots, (not
shewn in the drawings) in the slide i. When the operation of tieing is completed the
ram is again thrown into gear in the manner already described, thus causing it to
recede the full length of the stroke and by means of the bolt j to carry with it the
slide thus allowing the truss to fall out. When the ram has completed its back

page_text: stroke, (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) it is again thrown out of gear while
the slide is released by the projection on the bolt j, coming in contact with the
inclined stop, thus raising the bolt and releasing the slide i, which is then again
drawn forward by the weight and cord working over the pulley. While the
ram is thus out of gear, a fresh supply of straw is brought forward to the compression
chamber by the combined action of the packer and tines, and after being thrown down
into such chamber it is compressed, tied, and delivered in the manner already described.
I would here observe that I do not confine myself to the precise details of
construction hereinbefore described as the same adinit of modification in minor
respects.
The essential feature of my invention is compressing the straw into a bundle or
truss at a single squeeze without either doubling or breaking it whereby I effect a
very considerable economy both in time and labour.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a straw compressing machine a ram operated in any convenient manner
and working in a compression chamber whereby the straw is compressed into a bundle
or truss at a single squeeze without being broken or doubled, all substantially as set
forth and shewn.
2. In a straw compressing machine a compression chamber furnished with a
removable cover and a sliding bottom which latter is automatically opened and closed
all substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
3. The improved straw compressing and trussing machine or apparatus constructed
arranged and operating all substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
4. The combination of parts all substantially as hereinbefore described forming a
machine or apparatus for collecting the straw as it comes from the shakers of a
thrashing machine or elsewhere and compressing it into a bundle or truss at a single
squeeze without breaking or doubling it.
Dated this 13th day of January 1897.
ELT & Co., R.P.A.,
43 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for Applicant.