IMPROVEMENTS IN CRADLES FOR RECEIVING AND DELIVERING CUT CROP FROM HARVESTING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: We JAMES HORNSBY, JOHN INNOCENT and FREDERICK CHARLES SOUTHWELL all
of the Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham in the County of Lincoln Engineers do
hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CRADLES FOR
RECEIVING AND DELIVERING CUT CROP FROM HARVESTING MACHINES" to be as
follows:-
It is often desirable to retain for a time the crop cut by the harvester on the
machine and only allow it to drop to the ground at intervals. This is especially
the case with self binding reapers for by collecting several sheaves on the machine
and dropping them at intervals so as to form rows across the field the operation of
stooking is performed in very much less time than when the sheaves are deposited
all over the field as they are bound.
The apparatus by which we effect this consists of a cradle or carrier mounted
alongside the sheaf binder.
This cradle is made in two parts, that part furthest from the sheaf binder
consisting by preference of several metallic bars of wrought iron or steel. These
bars are attached to an axis and are free to vibrate on this axis. The lower part
of these bars are ordinarily in a nearly horizontal position the outer part of them
being curved upwards and attached to an axis mounted on suitable supports
attached to any convenient part of the machine.
The other part of the cradle consists of by preference a board or it may be laths
or metallic prongs. That side of the board next to the sheaf binder is jointed to
suitable supports, while the other side of the board towards the middle of the
cradle is free to fall when it is desired to deposit the sheaves on the ground.
The two parts of the cradle are connected by a rod so that when the board falls
the prongs are caused to turn backwards and thus the cradle opens at about its
centre, one part turning down towards the machine and the other part turning
down away from the machine. The sheaves are thus deposited on the ground, the
cradle being so constructed that its own weight and the weight of the sheaves
causes it when released to open sufficiently to leave the sheaves-When by the
D
017

page_text: forward motion of the machine the cradle has passed clear of the sheaves, it is
caused by a foot or hand lever to return to its original position and is there held to
receive other sheaves to be carried forward and dropped as may be desired.
Instead of forming the cradle in two halves as above described it may be inade in
one, in this case it consists of a series of wood or iron bars by the side of and a
little below the sheaf binder.
These bars lie in the direction that the machine travels when working, and are
supported at or about their centre or forward of the centre of their length by a bar
fixed to the framing of the machine with or without projections between the bars
to help to deliver the sheaves.
If desirable this supporting bar may have friction pulleys attached to it or the
bar itself may be a roller so as to allow the bars carrying the sheaf more easily to
be drawn from under the sheaves.
The series of bars that carry the sheaves may all be connected at the front end
to a lever to be operated by the driver.
When a sufficient number of sheaves have been bound and laid upon these
carrying bars the attendant deposits the sheaves by moving the bars forward
thus drawing them from under the sheaves and allowing thein to fall upon the
ground.
If it is desirable the bars may have a rocking movement on their support the
front end of the bars rising and the back end falling while they are being moved
forward as above described thus giving them a more effectual tendency to deliver
the sheaves.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
:
We JAMES HORNSBY, JOHN INNOCENT and FREDERICK CHARLES SOUTHWELL
all of the Spittlegate Iron Works Grantham in the County of Lincoln Engineers
do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CRADLES
FOR RECEIVING AND DELIVERING CUT CROP FROM HARVESTING MACHINES" and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
It is often desirable to retain for a time the crop cut by the harvester on the
machine and only allow it to drop to the ground at intervals. This is especially
the case with seli binding reapers for by collecting several sheaves on the machine
and dropping them at intervals so as to form rows across the field the operation of
stooking is performed in very much less time than when the sheaves are deposited'
all over the field as they are bound.
The apparatus by which we effect this consists of a cradle or carrier mounted.
ngside the sheaf binder.
his cradle is made in two parts, that part furthest from the sheaf binder
consisting by preference of several metallic bars of wrought iron or steel. These
bars are attached to an axis and are free to vibrate with this axis. The lower part
of these bars are ordinarily in a nearly horizontal position the outer part of them
being curved upwards and attached to the axis which is mounted on suitable
supperts attached to any convenient art of the machine.
"
1
The other part of the cradle consists of by preference a board or it may be laths.
or metallic prong's. That side of the board next to the sheaf binder is jointed to
suitable supports while the other side of the board towards the middle of the cradle
is free to fall when it is desired to deposit the sheaves on the ground.
The two parts of the cradle are connected by a rod so that when the board falls
the prongs are caused to turn backwards and thus the cradle opens at about its
centre, one part turning down towards the machine and the other part turning
down away from the machine. The sheaves are thus deposited on the ground, the
cradle being so constructed that its own weight and the weight of the sheaves.
causes it when released to open sufficiently to leave the sheaves. When by the
forward motion of the machine the cradle has passed clear of the shaves, it is
caused by a foot or hand lever to return to its original position and is there held to
receive other sheaves to be carried forward and dropped as may be desired.
Instead of forming the cradle in halves as above described it may be made in
one, in this case it consists of a series of wood or iron bars by the side of and a
little below the sheaf binder.
These bars lic in the direction that the machine travels when working, and are
supported at or about their centre or forward of the centre of their length by a bar
fixed to the framing of the machine with or without projections between the bars.
to help to deliver the sheaves.

page_text: If desirable this supporting bar may have friction pulleys attached to it or the
bar itself may be a roller so as to allow the bars carrying the sheaf more easily to
be drawn from under the sheaves.
The series of bars that carry the sheaves may all be connected at the front end
to a lever to be operated by the driver.
When a sufficient number of sheaves have been bound and laid upon these
carrying bars the attendant deposits the sheaves by moving the bars forward
thus drawing them from under the sheaves and allowing them to fall upon the
ground.
If it is desirable the bars may have a rocking movement on their support the
front end of the bars rising and the back end falling while they are being moved
forward as above described thus giving them a more effectual tendency to deliver
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are a back view, a plan and a front view of part of a Hornsby
self binding reaper provided with a cradle constructed according to our invention.
In these figures the cutting apparatus and platform are omitted, it is situated to
the left of Figures 1 and 2 and to the right of Figure 3.
a is the drivers seat, b. b. are the two endless bands or sheets which carry the
cut crop over the main driving wheel c and deliver it on to the inclined board d
down which it slides on to the arms e which hold it whilst being tied by the
binding apparatus and which are then withdrawn to allow the sheaf to fall on to
the ground when the machine is not provided with a cradle or into the cradle in
the present case. All this is old and well known and requires no further
description.
A is a board which forms one half of the cradle and the rod B with its four
arms B¹ B¹ B' B¹ is the other half. The bearings in which the rod B is free to turn
are carried at the ends of the bara C C¹ which are fixed to the frame of the
machine the bar C at the back of the machine inclines upwards as shown to ensure
its clearing, as the machine moves forward, the sheaves which have been dropped
on to the ground. The side of the board A nearest to the machine has fixed to it
a bar A¹ one end of which is carried in a bearing at the end of a bracket D fixed
to the frame of the machine, the other end being carried by a bearing in the bar C¹.
The bar A¹ and rod B have fixed to them levers E E' whose ends are coupled by
the connecting rod F so that the two halves of the cradle open and close together.
It will be observed that the board A and arms B¹ are so hung that the cradle tends
to fly open unless restrained.
The drawings show three ways of holding the cradle closed. In Figure 1 the
rod B has fixed to its back end a lever G to the end of which is pivotted a rod H
having a handle H¹ within the reach of the driver. To close the cradle the driver
pushes the rod H from him until a notch on its under side catches on a pin H²
which prevents the rod from returning until it is released by the driver when the
weight of the sheaves and cradle again force it back towards the driver. Figure 4
is a similar view to Figure 1. Here the cradle is closed by a cord J attached to
the end of a lever K fixed to the rod B. The cord J passes over a pulley on the
frame of the machine and down to, a foot lever controlled by the driver. By
raising his foot the driver allows the cradle to open and discharge the sheaves and
he then closes it by again pressing down his foot. This arrangement is also shown
in plan in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows a similar arrangement but in this case the
cord is at the front instead of at the back being attached to the end of the lever L
fixed to the bar A¹. The cord passes over pulleys on the frame and then back to
the foot lever as shown.
In Figures 1, 2 and 4 the cradle is shown closed and containing three sheaves
whilst a fourth has just been tied and is about to drop into the cradle. The

page_text: In
positions of the parts when the cradle is open are shown in dotted lines.
Figure 3 the cradle is shown open having just dropped four sheaves, the positions
of the parts when the cradle is closed are shown in dotted lines.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a modification of the cradle. Figure 5 is a side elevation
and Figure a plan. As before a is the drivers seat and c is the main driving
wheel. The machine moves in the direction of the arrows. In this arrangement
the cradle consists of a bar M provided with straight rods N which rest on
bars 0, 0, fixed to the frame of the machine. To discharge the sheaves the cradle
is drawn forwards into the position shown by the dotted lines. This is done by
means of the lever P which is pivotted at P¹ to the frame of the machine and
having one end connected to the cradle and the other to the rod Qwhich is
provided with a handle Q within the reach of the driver. By pulling the rod Q
towards him the driver draws the cradle forwards thus discharging the sheaves
and he then replaces the cradle by pushing the rod Q away from him.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we would have it
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details shown but we
declare that what we claim is
First. A cradle carried by a harvesting machine for receiving and delivering
the cut crop which is made in two parts, opening at about the centre to allow the
cut crop to drop out substantially as described.
Second. A cradle made as above claimed in which the two halves are so hung
that their own weight and the weight of the cut crop tends to open the cradle when
released substantially as described.
Third. A cradle made so as to discharge the cut crop by being drawn forward
substantially as described.
Fourth. The improved cradles substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings annexed.