AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BINDING CUT CROPS AND STRAW
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th April 1878. A communication
from abroad by Ernest Landolle, of Paris, France.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BINDING CUT CROPS AND
STRAW." [A communication from abroad by Ernest Landelle, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to a machine for automatically binding cut crops and
straw, and has for object,-
1st. To bind with iron wire ties either machine or hand-reaped cereals at different
distances from the root ends, according to the length of the crop.
And, 2ndly. To bind the straw as it comes from the thrashing machine.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I will describe it
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, which represent, by way of example
only, a machine constructed according to this Invention,-
Figure 1 being a side elevation of the entire machine; Figure 2, a longitudinal
section of the same; and Figure 3, a cross section on line A, B, Figure 2, of the
gathering or lifting prongs.
Figure 4 is a plan of one of the bars on which the elevator tines are mounted;
and Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 show on a larger scale details thereof, and of the endless
straps of the elevator.
Figure 9 shows a plan of the lever and needle or wire carrier.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of the binding mechanism separately.
Figure 1 shows inside face and edge views, and Figure 12 outside face view and
section of a cam wheel, for a purpose to be hereafter described.
Figure 13 is an elevation, Figure 14 a plan, and Figure 15 a rear view of the
main supporting frame.
Figure 16 shows the form of the said frame at Y, Z, Figure 14.
Figure 17 is a section of the clutch lever, together with the clutch for throwing
the binding mechanism in and out of gear with the supporting wheel, by which it
is driven.
Figure 18 is an elevation, Figure 19 a plan, and Figure 20 an end view of the
carriage on which the wire cutting and twisting mechanism is mounted.
Dis 1021

page_text: Figure 21 is a section online figure, showing the poSITION OF BING THE OF
the wire held between the nipper and the movable cutter.
Figure 22 is a section of the movable and stationary cutters.
Figure 23 is a side view of the rotating cutter.
Figure 24 shows the position of the wire fed forward by the needle during the
movement of the cutter.
Figure 25 shows a plan of the rails, down which the grain or straw slides to the
binding mechanism, and of the oscillating tines for arresting its descent during the
binding of a sheaf.
In all these Figures the same letters and numbers of reference indicate the same
parts.
The machine is composed of four principal parts, viz. (1), the main supporting
frame, wheels, and gear in connection therewith; (2), the gathering or lifting prongs;
(3), the elevator; and (4), the binding mechanism.
1, 2, are a pair of wheels mounted on an axle 3, supporting the inain frame 4, to
which the shafts are attached, and which carries the driver's seat 6 and the tool
box 7, the lever 8 for raising the front part of the machine when travelling on roads,
and a treadle 9 for throwing the binding mechanism into gear.
The gathering or lifting prongs 10 are about eight in number, forming a sort of
rake projecting from the front edge of a sheet metal guide or apron 11, and moving
along the ground so as to pass underneath and lift the cut crop, and supply it to the
elevator.
The elevator is composed of a number of wooden cross bars 12, attached to endless
straps 13, and each carrying about four tines 14, spring jointed to said bars,
and which raise from the gathering or lifting prongs the grain collected thereon
during the progress of the machine. This endless band of tines is supported and
driven by means of the roller 15, which receives motion from the wheel axle 3 by
the pitch chain 16, the sprocket wheel 17, the pinion 18, and the spur wheel 19
keyed on the axle. The bands 13 also run over guide rollers 20, 21, and 22, which
hold the bands in their proper position, and keep them in tension.
The rows of tines 14 on the lower or descending side of the elevator are caused
to assume a horizontal position before arriving at tho gathering or lifting prongs 10
by coming in contact with the curved sheet metal guide or apron 11.
On the ascending side the bars 12 slide upon two rails 23 fixed to collars fitted
on shafts 24 and 25, and the grain as it is carried up by the elevator tincs is
supported and slides upon iron rails 26 attached to and extending upwards from
each gathering or lifting prong 10, and supported at the rear part of the machine on
the cross bar 27, these rails forming a sort of supporting table for the grain in its
passage from the front to the back of the machine.
The root ends of the crop abut and rub against the sheet-iron plate 28, which
brings those ends level or flush with one another. These different parts are sup-
ported in position by two cast-iron sido frames 29 and 30, which are pivoted on the
axle 3.
The binding comprises six different oporations, viz.-(1), supplying the wire;
(2), holding back the grain supplied by the elevator during the binding of a sheaf;
(3), compressing the sheaf; (4), tightening the wire tie; (5), twisting and cutting
the wire; (6), discharging the bound sheaf.
The wire is drawn off from the reel 47, on which it is wound, by means of the
lever 31 (see Figure 10) and needle or wire carrier 32.
The end of the wire is first held by an automatic nipper, shown in Figures 21
and 24, and situated at A, Figure 10; and the lever 31, on being set in motion,
describes an arc of 108°, thereby delivering a length of wire equal almost to twice the
radial distance of the extremity of tho needle 32 from the axis 38 of the lever.
The lever 31 then returns to and becomes stationary in its normal position B, C,
and, the wire delivered being held with slight pressure by the screw 33, the wire
hangs by its own weight and that of the sheaf, which it virtually encircles in the
nosition A. D. C.

page_text: The arrest during the binding of a sheaf of the supply from the elevator is effected
by tines 35 (Figures 10 and 25), mounted on a shaft 36, and made to oscillate
from E, E, to E, G, by levers actuated by the cam wheel 34, omitted in Figure 10,
but shown in Figures 1, 11, and 12.
The compression of the sheaf is effected by curved spring arms 37 mounted on a
shaft 38, operated through pinions 39 and 40, and toothed segments on a lever 41
from the cam wheel 34 by means of connecting rod 43 and lever 42, carrying a
friction roller 64 which runs in the cam groove.
The curved arms 37 are thrown up from their normal position H, I, J, to the
position H, K, L, their springs enabling them to yield more or less according to the
size of the sheaf. At the same time that the compression is effected the lever 31
descends to the position B, M, and during this movement a tako-up lever 44
(Figures 9 and 10) having a hole in the extremity, through which the wire is passed,
and provided with a friction_roller 45, running on the inclined rail 46, is held up
by said rail in the position N, O, and the wire is consequently doubled from M to O,
this doubled part of the wire being either taken up from the slack of the wire
encircling the sheaf, or drawn from the reel 47; but as the latter is prevented by
the pressure of the spiral spring 48 and the conical friction rollers 49 from turning
and delivering more wire until all the slack is taken up and the wire drawn tight
on the sheaf, the latter will be securely bound.
The double operation of twisting and cutting the wire is effected when the sheaf
is compressed, a stoppage being effected during which the cam wheel, by means of
the toothed portion of its circumference 50, gears with the pinion 51 keyed on
shaft 52. Upon this shaft is also keyed a mitre wheel 53 (Figure 19), which gears
with another mitro wheel 54 keyed on the same shaft 54*, with a spur wheel 55,
which gears with a pinion on the axis of the twisting screw 56. 57 is the rotating
cutter, also fixed on shaft 54*, which severs and at same time retains the wire
by means of the stationary cutter 58 and the nipper 59, as shown in Figure 21.
The various devices just described are mounted on a movable carriage, which may
be fixed at any desired point by means of the set screws 60.
The single tooth 61 on the cam wheel 34 serves to impart a movement through
an are of 150° to the twisting screw, in order that the two ends of the wire shall
not be on the same side of the arms 62.
The lever 63 (Figure 10) provided with a lug at its extremity, holds the pinion 51
stationary during the binding operation.
When the binding is complete the arms 37 are lowered to the position H, P, Q,
(Figure 10), and at this moment the sheaf is released and falls to the ground.
The six movements above described are obtained by means of the cam wheel 34
and the lever 42, which transmits motion by means of the connecting rods 43 and
66 to the various parts of the machine.
The cam wheel is set in motion by means of the clutch 67, lever 68, and treadle 9
(see Figure 14). 69 is a friction roller upon the lever 68, serving to hold the clutch
during a revolution in gear with the driving wheel. The clutch is fitted to slide on
four pins fixed to wheel 34.
When the straw is to be bound or tied as it comes from the thrashing machine, the
rear part of the above machine, viz., the binding mechanism only would be used,
the straw falling directly on to the apparatus, which would be driven from the
thrashing machine itself.