IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAW ELEVATORS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Guest, of Bedford, in the County of
Bedford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAW ELEVATORS."
Sealed the 28th August 1874, and dated the 12th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Guest at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th March 1874.
I, JOHN GUEST, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAW
ELEVATORS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to straw elevators or stackers, and consists,―
First. In using two horizontal frames, the lower frame being stationary
and the upper frame (which carries the machine and clevator) adjustable
horizontally and radially over the lower frame on a pivot or centre pin

page_text: by means of a toothed wheel or pinion mounted on the edge of the
upper frame and working into a rack fixed to a circular bar on the front
edge of the lower frame for the purpose of building up three or more
stacks without shifting the body of the carriage of the machine.
Secondly. In driving the elevating gear of the machine, in whatever
position the upper adjustable frame may be relatively to the lower
stationary frame, by carrying the spindle or shaft of the driving wheel or
pinion on a plate fixed to the lower stationary frame, the said driving
wheel or pinion gearing into a corresponding wheel radial to the pivot
or centre pin before mentioned, or by any other suitable contrivance.
And, Thirdly. In raising the scaffold poles for carrying the elevator
simultaneously by connecting them at the top and bottom and drawing
them up together by means of the rack roller for that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Guest in the Great Seal Patent Office on 1
the 8th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GUEST, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of 2
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the 37th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Guest, Her special license that I, the
said John Guest, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Guest, my executors, administrators, or 2
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to timo
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAW ELEVATORS," upon the 3
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Guest, my exccutors

page_text: or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within.six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Guest, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to straw clevators or stackers, and consists,—
First. In using two horizontal frames, the lower frame being
stationary and the upper frame (which carries the machine and clevator)
adjustable horizontally and radially over the lower frame on a pivot or
centre pin by means of a toothed wheel or pinion mounted on the edge
of the upper frame and working into a rack fixed to a circular bar on the
front edge of the lower frame for the purpose of building up three or
more stacks without shifting the body of the carriage of the machine.
Second. In driving the clevating gear of the machine, in whatsoever
position the upper adjustable frame may be relatively to, the lower
stationary frame, by carrying the spindle or shaft of the driving wheel or
pinion on a plate fixed to the lower stationary frame, the said driving
whcel or pinion gearing into a corresponding wheel radial to the pivot
or centre pin before mentioned or by any other suitable contrivance.
. And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved straw clevator or
stacker; and Figure 2 a plan of the same.
The straw clevator or stacker as generally constructed consists of a
single frame. or carriage mounted on wheels and carrying at its hinder

page_text: end the driving shaft, elevating gear, and feed box of the machine. At
its front or opposite end are the two scaffold poles and gear for raising
the same separately into an upright position over the said frame or
carriage. Hinged to the under end of the latter is the elevating trough,
and intermediate to the two ends of the gear for raising the elevating
trough to any required height or inclination by means of chains or cords
attached to the latter and passing over the upper ends of the scaffold
poles. Along or close to the upper and lower sides and over the ends of
the elevating trough passes the endless traveller or elevator for carrying
the straw from the feed box to the stack in course of erection. By this
machine only one stack can be built without shifting the frame or
carriage.
According to the first part of my Invention instead of the single frame
or carriage above mentioned I use two horizontal frames A and B. The
lower frame A which represents the said single frame or carriage is
mounted on wheels and remains stationary whilst the machine is
working. The upper frame B which carries the elevating gear and
other parts of the machine, as before described, normally rests on the
lower frame A which is provided at its hinder end with an upright
shaft C passing through a hole or socket in the corresponding end of the
upper frame B and forming a centre pin or pivot round which the latter is
capable of sliding horizontally and radially in either direction on the
lower frame A when required, as seen in Figure 2. This movement is
imparted to the upper frame B by means of a toothed wheel or pinion D
worked by a handle a and mounted in a suitable bracket or bearings
attached to the front end of the upper frame B. The said toothed
wheel or pinion gears into a corresponding rack E curved radially to the
centro pin or upright shaft C and fixed to the front end of the lower.
frame A which is also similarly curved and is extended on each side
beyond the latter to any desired distance. The extremities of the
extended portions are supported by suitable legs provided with feet for
resting on the ground as shewn.
According to the second part of my Invention I mount the horizontal
driving shaft F of the machine in suitable bearings b, b', carried by a
plate G which is pivoted or hinged to the upright shaft C and slides
radially thereto on the lower part of the hinder end of the lower frame A
in such a manner that the centre line of the said shaft and bearings

page_text: continually intersects the centre of the upright shaft C. The carrying
plate G is retained or fixed in any desired position on the lower frame A
by a set screw c or by any other suitable contrivance. At the outer end
of the driving shaft F is the crutch d for horse power, and at the inner
end nearest the centre pin or upright shaft C is the bevel or mitre
wheel H which gears into a corresponding wheel H' revolving loosely on
or radially with the said centre pin or shaft. The latter wheel gears
into the bevel wheel 1 fixed on the horizontal shaft 2 which is mounted
in suitable bearings carried by the upper frame B. On the end of this
shaft outside the said frame is fixed the toothed wheel 3 gearing into a
corresponding wheel 4 fixed on the horizontal shaft 5 which extends
across the hinder end of the upper frame B at the lower part of the feed
box 6, as shewn, and drives the endless traveller or elevator 7 in the
usual manner. By this arrangement of the driving gear of the machine
whatever may be the relative positions radially to the centre pin or
upright shaft C of the upper frame B with respect to the lower frame A
and the driving shaft F on its carrying and radially sliding plate G, the
pitch lines of the geared wheels H and H¹ will always preserve their
proper geared positions, thereby enabling the elevator to be driven from
either side of the machine, and the upper frame B at the same time to
be adjusted or placed at any angle with the lower frame A on either side
of the same. By this and the preceding part of my Invention three or
more stacks may be built without shifting the body of the machine.
The manner of raising simultaneously the two scaffold poles before
mentioned for carrying the elevator and trough consists in connecting
the two scaffold poles I, I, at their lower ends by a cross bar K, and at
their upper ends by a cross bar L, as shewn, thus forming a single frame,
hereafter called the "scaffold frame" which is provided on its opposite
inner sides at any suitable distance from the lower cross bar K with
pins or studs x, x, by which it is hinged or pivoted to the standards or
uprights M, M, connected together and secured to the upper frame B.
N is a chain or cord attached at one end to the bottom cross bar K of
the scaffold frame, and at its other end to a roller which is fixed on
the horizontal shaft 8 mounted in suitable bearings on the sides of the
upper frame B, and is provided at one end or both ends with a ratchet
roller and handle or other suitable contrivance by which the said shaft
and roller. are caused to revolve or remain stationary at pleasure.

page_text: When not in use the scaffold frame as well as the endless traveller or
elevator 7 and its trough 9 are closed or folded down on a level with the
top of the feed box 6, the upper frame B is also moved directly over the
lower frame A and the extended portions of the front end of the latter
are folded back so as to economize space when transporting or stowing
away the machine.
When required for building stacks, the machine being first placed in
position, and the closed portions of the front end of the lower frame A
extended so as to rest firmly on the ground the roller O is then turned,
and winding up the chain N pulls down the shorter end or arm of the
scaffold frame and at the same time raises the longer end or arm of the
same until the scaffold frame assumes an upright position over the upper
frame B, as shewn in Figure 1. The endless traveller or elevator 7 and
its trough 9 which are carried by the scaffold frame are raised by the
gear and chain before mentioned for that purpose to the desired heights
or inclinations necessary for building the stack.
1. Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First. The combination of the lower horizontal stationary frame or
carriage with the centre pin or upright shaft and with the upper hori-
zontal and radially adjustable frame in straw elevators or stackers, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated
by my Drawings.
Second. The combination of the toothed wheel or pinion carried by
the upper horizontal and radially adjustable frame with the corresponding
curved rack attached to the lower horizontal stationary frame or carriage
of straw elevators or stackers, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Third. The combination of the driving bevil wheel or pinion gearing
into and moving radially round the corresponding driven wheel with the
centre pin or upright shaft, and with the elevating gear of straw,

page_text: elevators or stackers, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Guest, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of September
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
JOHN GUEST. (L.s.)