Improvements in Grain Binders.
Year: 1894

page_text: Improvements in Grain Binders.
I, WILLIAM C. BARKER of 18 Water Street Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Manager, 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, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cord holding, knotting, cutting, stripping,
and tucking devices as seen from the stubble side of a self-binding harvester.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same parts.
Figure 3 shows the same parts as Figure 2 as seen from beneath.
Figure 4 shows the cam and gear wheel for giving motion to all of the moving
parts enumerated above.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the knotter frame.
Figure 6 is a side view of the segmental cam and gear wheel in section.
Figure 7 is a sectional view of the segmental cam and gear wheel, the disc of
the same being removed to show the tucker and the contour of the cam-groove for
moving it.
Figure 8 is a front view of the parts shown in Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the tucker.
Figure 10 shows the tucker in position for acting as a stop to retain the twine in
position on the knotter.
Figure 11 shows the position of the tucker finger after having delivered the
twine to the knotter.
The object of the invention is to perfect the band uniting mechanism, and its
nature will be hereinafter fully pointed out.
The devices, as shown, are adapted to the form of binder having a frame shaped
like the letter U on its side, in the arms of which are bearings for the knotter
driving shaft and needle shaft, as shown in various Patents.
In the drawings, A is the knotter driving shaft, having keyed to it on either
side of the knotting mechanism the discharge arms A'A'. Keyed to this shaft
is the mitre gear A³. Supported loosely on this shaft, so as not to be revolved by
it, is the knotter frame B. (Shown in perspective in Figure 5, where B¹ is a
sleeve which forms a bearing on the shaft A.).
B is an arm thrown out to assist in supporting the breast plate.
B³ are holes through which screws pass to secure the knotter shaft bearing to
the frame.
B is a stud on which the cord holding disc is supported and revolves.
B is a sleeve in which the shaft of the tucker rocks.
B is a recess formed by the casing B' in which the mitre gear L³ on the
segmental cam and gear wheel revolves.
Be is a casing for the mitre gear A³.
C, Figure 6, is a stout cylindrical stud provided with the head C" and threaded
at C³, where it is screwed tightly into the frame B.
E is the breast plate, secured to the frame by the rivets E', passing through the
head of the bolt C, and by the screws Es through the arm B³.
F is the knotter, consisting of two jaws-one fixed, the other moveable-on a
knotter shaft F¹, revolving in the sleeve D. To this shaft is keyed the pinion F³.
The knotter shaft is slotted through to receive the moveable jaw, so that the
Pl

page_text: point F of the pivoted jaw of the knotter will bear against the end of the fixel
jaw. The moveable jaw at its heel is provided with the anti friction roller F.
The end of the sleeve D, where contiguous to the knotter jaws is so shaped as to
form a cam to open the pivoted knotted jaw and to permit it to close as the roller
on its pivoted jaw passes under the cam shaped block G, mounted upon the end of
the spring G', which is secured to the sleeve D at G'.
The construction of the knotter and the mechanism for opening and closing the
jaw and the operation in tying the knot are well known and need not be more
minutely described.
Upon the stud B is placed the cord holding disc H (see Figures 3 and 6,)
which as far as the construction and operation are concerned, differs little from
some in common use; but in the matter of driving and retaining in position it
differs materially, as will now be explained. Cast as one piece with the disc is a
pinion having six teeth, or any number that shall correspond with the number of
notches in the periphery of the holding disc, which teeth are bevelled, so as to
properly engage with a tooth or teeth of a bevel segment. H' are extensions of
the teeth of this pinion, which extend from the body of the pinion toward the axis
of the cam and gear wheel-that is, such is the general direction.
As far as the extensions H¹ of the teeth H2 are concerned, the pinion is in form
a pin-wheel. The holding disc H occupies such position relative to the knotter
that the twine carried by the needle will, when laid across the knotter jaws be also
laid into the proper notch in the disc. Coacting with the notched disk is the
holder plate or shoe I, grooved to permit the disc to revolve therein, the edges of
the metal forming the sides of the grooves being so curved and sinoothed that the
twine carried by the disc in its rotation shall not be treated harshly.
The holder plate or shoe is pivoted at I' to the sleeve D and is elastically held
in contact with the disc by the spring 12.
Referring to Figure 1, the breast plate is shown to have the slot E' for the
passage of the needle in its movement to lay the twine on the jaws of the
knotter. At its lower end near the knotter the slot is extended laterally and
given the peculiar form shown at E. The purpose of this lateral extension of the
slot will be fully described when describing the discharge of the knot from the
knotter; but in this connection it is stated that provision must be made for
keeping the twine, when laid across the jaws of the knotter as in Figure 1, from
escaping through the slot. Supported in the sleeve B' is the short rock-shaft J,
to one end of which the tucker is firmly secured. To the opposite end of this
shaft is secured the short arm J'. The short arm is provided with an anti friction
roller J which moves in the cam groove in the knotter operating wheel. (Shown
in Figure 7.) The tucker arm is so bent as to reach for a distance in a direction
parallel with its axis of vibration, and is then bent so as to lie flatwise beside the
breast plate, as seen in Figures 7, 8, and 9. The position of the shaft of the
tucker and its length are such that its operating point J' shall move so close to
the needle as it brings the twine around the gavel that it may take the same and
depress it to a position within reach of the knotter jaws as shown in Figure 11.
In Figure 1 the needle is shown in section and the twine in relation thereto in
that part of its movement in which it is when the point J of the tucker sweeps in
the path indicated by the broken lines to engage the twine.
The tucker-arm is provided with the supplemental finger J' in such a position
that when the tucker at rest the finger shall occupy the position shown in
Figure 10, where it is seen to be thrust across the slot in the breast plate, and
the twine is prevented from escaping the knotter. A third position is given the
tucker for an instant-namely, that shown in Figure 1-where it is thrown
upward so far as to be fully withdrawn from crossing the slot, so that the knot
stripping or discharging device may be at liberty to remove the completed knot
by carrying the twines into the slot E.
K is an arm free to revolve on the stud bolt C, and adapted to rotate close to
the breast plate on a plane parallel thereto, and its extremity K' of such length

page_text: as to sweep by the end of the knotter between the latter and the breast plate and
to overreach the width of the slot E. This arm is preferably made of steel,
and has as one piece with it the knife K2, its blade bent abruptly to a plane at or
near a right angle to the arm K¹ and of such length and radial sweep as to pass
between the cord holding disc and the knotter.
The operating parts have so far been treated but singly. The mechanism for
giving them movement in the proper directions and at the proper relative
intervals will next be considered, and the respective operations and the coaction of
all of the elements of the invention explained.
As already stated, the stud bolt C serves as means for connecting the breast
plate to the frame. Besides this it serves as an axle on which the segmental cam
and gear wheel for giving the parts motion may revolve.
Referring now to Figure 6, L is a sleeve free to revolve on the bolt C, and
having as one piece with it the following parts: L' is a thin disc concentric for
nearly its whole circumference, and its periphery adapted to slide on the delay
surface F on the knotter pinion formed by cutting the flange of the latter to
conform to the same. At the point where the periphery of the disc is cut away
to permit the flange of the pinion to roll, and abutting against such space, are the
teeth L of the segmental car and gear wheel which operates the knotter, of
such number, radius, and pitch that they inay engage with the teeth of the knotter
pinion and give the latter one rotation. At the ending thereof the completed part
of the periphery again strikes beneath the delay surface of the pinion and
lucks it.
Upon the side of the disc L' nearest the breast plate E are arranged two
flanges L and L, of proper width to form a cam groove that shall permit the
roller J to travel therein and give it proper breadth of tread. These flanges
are, at all parts of the wheel, parallel, and the contour of the channel formed by
them such as shown in Figure 7, where it is seen that for the greater part of the
circumference (that part numbered 1) it is concentric; and hence during the
greater part of the revolution of the wheel the tucker finger moved thereby will
remain in one of the three positions longer than any other. This position is that
shown in Figure 10, where, as already explained, the escape of the twine from the
knotter is prevented by the finger J resting across the slot E.
In the movement of the binder the needle soon reaches a certain position and the
tucker is required to engage the twine and carry it positively to the knotter by a
downward sweep. To give the tucker this movement the cam track has a sudden
bend outward, as at 11, so that as the inner wall impinges upon the roller the tucker
will be thrown to the position shown in Figure 7. The tucker should remain in
this position until the knotter has full control of the strands of twine, or at least
has the knot formed, when it may be removed.
The operation of the knotter in forming the knot by a rotation on its axis is.
precisely like that well understood, and need not be further described, other than
to speak of the positions of the strands of twine when the tucker withdraws and
the stripping arm K approaches. When the knotter comes to rest, the loop of the
knot encircles the transverse jaws, and the strands of twine that are to form the
bow are held between them and ready for the completion of the knot by the forcing
of the loop over the bow and off the jaws by stress in the proper direction applied
to the band twine. The incline 2 in the cam and gear wheel now effects the
removal of the tucker to the position shown in Figure 1. The twine cutting and
knot discharging arm, as stated, revolves on the stud bolt C as an axis, and from
preference they are made as one piece with the sleeve L, providing the latter with
the wing L and riveting the arm thereto. The arm is so located and its radial
sweep is such that at the instant that the knotter has done its work and the tucker
has withdrawn from across the slot E' the edge of the arm K' cuts across the axis
of the knotter between the latter and the breast plate engaging the twine and
suddenly changing its direction to such a position in relation to the knotter that
the stress on the twine incident to the expansion of the bundle shall be effectual in

page_text: stripping the knot off from the jaws, at the same time completing it by drawing
the loop over the bow.
Referring to Figure 7 it is seen that the blade K' of the knife is somewhat in
advance of the stripping arm K1; hence, of course, the twines drawn between the
holder and knotter will be severed just before the knot is free from the knotter.
After the completion of the operation of discharging the knot the tucker may be
brought to its position for stopping the new twine laid across the jaws of the knotter
from escaping into the slot E. For this purpose the cam track is given the outward
throw 3 which, acting upon the short arm J', rocks the tucker to the position
shown in Figure 10.
During the interval of time occupied in tying the knot and discharging the same
another operation has been performed, which will next be considered. On the face
of the wing L, in proper position to engage the teeth of the cord holder pinion H³,
is a single tooth L properly bevelled and adapted to engage the teeth of the
pinion and thus move the holding disc. I use a single tooth, and hence advance
the pinion but one tooth at a time, and, the number of notches in the disc corre-
sponding with that of the teeth at each passage of said single tooth, a new notch
is presented to receive the twine.
All of the movements have now been described, and it is seen that such
movements have been made by parts combined as one piece, the proper timing of the
movements being due to proper radial arrangements of the cam, segment, and
other parts.
As means for locking the pinion in any position to which it may be advanced by
the single toothed segment a flange is provided on the sleeve L in such a position
that it shall be intersected by the axis of the holding disc pinion, of such diameter
and thickness that its periphery shall move close fitting between the extensions H¹
of the teeth H. It is clear that with the parts in the positions shown in Figure 2
no movement of the pinion can take place. To permit rotation of the holder at
the proper interval, the disc or flange M is cut away, as seen in Figure 7, to form
a notch of width slightly greater than the diameter of the circle described by the
rotation of the extensions H' of the pinion. The tooth L is so placed that at the
time the twine is fully laid into the notch of the holder the said tooth shall engage
a tooth of the pinion.
At the same instant the edge M' of the flange M has passed beyond the space
between the teeth and set the pinion free, which moves as long as the tooth L
remains in contact; but when the tooth has ceased to move the pinion, the latter
having fully assumed its new position, the edge M' of the flange passes in between
a succeeding pair of the teeth H¹ and the holding disc is again locked.
By the use of the mitre gears A and L, the former keyed to the shaft A and
the latter cast upon the sleeve L it is possible to rotate the mechanism that gives
motion to the knotter, tucker, cutter, holder, and stripper on such a plane that the
knotter may be driven by spur-segment and pinion rather than by bevels, and to
vibrate the tucker on a plane at a right angle to the axis of the knotter, and to
move the holder by the same rotating parts.
The bundle discharging arms are located on the shaft A and made of such length
that they overreach the breast plate and remove the completed bundle in the usual
manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The rotary knotter mounted in a stationary bearing and provided with the
stop pinion, in combination with the stop motion gear engaging said pinion, the gear
shaft parallel with the axis of the knotter, and the stripper arm secured to the
gear shaft and adapted, as shown, to extend beyond and sweep over the end of the
knotter, and the knife secured to said stripper.
2. The rotary knotter provided with a stop motion pinion, in combination with

page_text: the parallel shaft provided with the stop motion gear engaging the pinion, and
with the stripper arm adapted to extend across and sweep over the outer or under
face of the knotter.
3. The knotter provided with the stop pinion, and adapted to form the knot by
a revolution on its axis, and the cord holder, all combined with the segment L
the arm K¹ kuife K³, and rack L, all revolving on a common axis, substantially as
described.
4. The combination, with the knotter driving shaft A, of the knotter F and the
revolving knife K², arranged on axes substantially parallel with each other and
provided with the cord holder disc H located between the axes and operated by
means of pinion H2 having stop teeth H' tooth L, and notched flange M, revolving
on the same axis with the knife substantially as described.
5. The combination with the knotter F and the revolving knife K³, arranged on
axes substantially parallel with each other, of the cord holder disc H, placed
between the knotter and the axis of the revolving knife and operated by means of
the pinion H' and tooth L revolving on the same axis with the knife, substantially
as described.
6. The knotter, the breast plate having the slot with the lateral extension E* to
permit the discharge of the knot from the knotter, combined with the tucker having
the supplemental finger J', substantially as described.
7. The knotter and its delay pinion, in combination with a driving gear L', with
the gear segment and delay surface to impart complete intermitting rotations to the
knotter, the driving gear shaft L, parallel with the axis of the tyer, the cord holding
disc with the series of peripheral notches therein, the disc operating pinion H', and
the pinion extension H¹ having the series of cross slots therein, the rack arm L³,
carried by shaft L and adapted to give partial rotation to the pinion and disc and
the notched disc M, also carried by the shaft L, whereby the differential rotations
are imparted to the knotter and the disc.
8. The knotter frame having the sleeve B¹ the stud bolt C, at a right angle
thereto, the shaft A, having the gear A³, the sleeve carrying the mechanism for
giving motion to the parts, and the gear L³ all combined substantially as
described.
9. The knotter frame and the breast plate combined with the connecting stud
bolt C, said bolt adapted to form an axis for the mechanism for moving the various
parts substantially as described.
10. In combination with the rotary knotter and its stop pinion and the adjacent
cord holder, a shaft parallel with the axis of the knotter, the knotter driving pinion
on said shaft, and the arm K attached to said shaft, its outer end extended in the
plane of rotation to sweep over the end of the knotter and strip the knot therefrom
and the knife secured to said arm at a distance from its end at substantially right
angles to the plane of rotation, whereby it is adapted to pass between the knotter.
and holder.
Dated this 15th day of December 1894.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.