IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO REAPING MACHINES, AND RE- LATING TO THE BINDING OF THE CROP CUT BY SUCH MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest George Cook Bomford, of Fladbury, near Pershore,
in the County of Worcester, Farmer, and Henry James Hogg King, of New-
market, in the County of Gloucester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO REAPING MACHINES, AND RE-
LATING TO THE BINDING OF THE CROP CUT BY SUCH MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest George Cook Bomford
and Henry James Hogg King at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 15th March 1876.
ERNEST GEORGE COOK BOMFORD, of Fladbury, near Pershore, in the County of
Worcester, Farmer, and HENRY JAMES HOGG KING, of Newmarket, in the County
of Gloucester, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO REAPING
MACHINES, AND RELATING TO THE BINDING OF THE CROP CUT BY SUCH MACHINES."
This Invention relates partly to apparatus to be used in connection with sheaf
binding apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to Ernest George Cook Bomford, one of the present applicants, and dated
5 March, 1875 (No. 817), and partly to certain modifications of the binding
apparatus itself.
By the present Invention the crop as cut by the reaping machine is conveyed
to the box or hopper of the binding apparatus by a rake which, according to one
modification, is one of a pair that are moved by two endless chains actuated by
the gearing of the machine. A horizontal platform, upon which the crop falls as it
is cut, is fitted at a somewhat higher level than the ordinary platform of the
reaping machine, and at one side this platform is continued in an inclined direction
to a level sufficiently high for the binding apparatus. The two endless chains are
disposed in transverse vertical planes, one at the front and the other at the back
of the platform, being guided by pulleys, so that the upper parts of the two chains
run along the edges of the horizontal and inclined parts of the platform. Each
rake consists of a fore-and-aft bar with. prongs-fixed to it at right angles, and with
the front end of the bar attached to one chain and the back end to the other; and
is arranged so as to pass in an erect position over the platform, and so as to
gather the cut crop on the platform and convey it up the inclined side and into
the hopper of the binding apparatus. The continued motion of the chains carries
[Price 10d.]

page_text: cach rake (in a folded condition) under the platform back to the starting point,
and when one rake is being thus moved back the other is in the act of conveying
a portion of the crop to the hopper. More than two rakes may be comprised in
the circuit of the endless chains.
In a second modification the crop is moved to one side of the platform by trans-
verse horizontal screws, or by one or more endless aprons or bands, and at the side
is lifted upwards and into the hopper of the binding apparatus by a rake moving from
a horizontal to a vertical or inclined position upon a fore-and-aft horizontal axle.
The rake prongs are on a bar fitted to slide on a frame which carries and turns
the rake up, and as the frame rises a fixed cam bar causes the pronged bar to movo
towards the axle and to compress a spring or springs in doing so. The spring is
held compressed until the pronged bar is turned down again, but being then
released shoots out the pronged bar so that it gets under any crop that may then
be at that side of the platform. The rake may be moved out by a lever instead of a
spring.
In a third modification one or more rakes are swept over the platform and up
the inclined extension at one side by a single endless chain, which is guided by
pulleys and otherwise, so as to turn each rake up when moving it back from the
hopper of the binding apparatus.
In a fourth modification the rake or rakes are by one or two endless chains
moved to and fro across the platform and its inclined side, the prongs projecting
up through slots in the platform when moving towards the hopper of the binding
apparatus, and being folded down when returning.
One improvement in, or modification of, the binding apparatus described in the
earlier Specification herein-beforo referred to consists in making stationary the
forceps by which the binding string or cord is held, and carrying round the bobbin
or both the bobbin and hopper containing the sheaf or bundle of crop.
By a second modification the twisting of the ends of the string is dispensed with,
and the ends are simply passed, through the middle of the sheaf, one before winding
round the sheaf and the other after.
.
By a third modification the string or cord is put round the sheaf or bundle in a
more rapid manner by means of two arms on two spindles placed parallel to the
hopper, and one on each side of it. One spindle is tubular and the string passes
through it and to the end of its arm. The two spindles revolve in opposite
directions, and the string from one is caught by the arm of the other and carried
round at its side of the hopper, whilst the arm delivering the string carries it round
the other side.
Instead of using string for binding, twisted bands of straw, wire, or other suitable
material may be employed; and may be previously prepared and wound up in balls,
or they may be twisted on the reaping machine itself, a boy riding on the machine
feeding straw in between a pair of grooved rollers, which are held in a ring or frame,
to which a rotatory motion is imparted by the gearing of the machine. The grooved
rollers may be turned on their own axes as the ring carrying them revolves by
means of a bevil pinion rolling round on a fixed bevil wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest George Cook Bomford and Henry James Hogg King in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th September 1876.
ERNEST GEORGE COOK BOMFORD, of Fladbury, near Pershore, in the County of
Worcester, Farmer, and HENRY JAMES HOGG KING, of Newmarket, in the County
of Gloucester, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO REAPING
MACHINES, AND RELATING TO THE BINDING OF THE CROP CUT BY SUCH MACHINES."
Our said Invention relates partly to apparatus to be used in connection with
sheaf binding apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Patent

page_text: granted to Ernest George Cook Bomford, one of us, and dated 5 March 1875
(No. 817), and partly to certain modifications of the binding apparatus itself.
By the present Invention the crop as cut by the reaping machine is conveyed to
the box or hopper of the binding apparatus by a rake or rakes working across a
platform on the reaping machine, this platform being continued at one side in an
inclined direction to a level sufficiently high for the binding apparatus, or equi-
valent mechanism being fitted at the side, to raise the crop and transfer it to the
hopper.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, we hereunto append five Sheets of explanatory
Drawings, to be herein-after referred to in describing our improvements. In these
Drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the same or
like parts wherever they are repeated.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of the Drawings are vertical sections as at right
angles to each other, showing one modification of our transverse raking arrangements.
In this case a rake R, one of a pair moved by two endless chains 1, which are
actuated by the gearing of the machine, moves a portion of the cut crop across a
horizontal platform P and up an inclined continuation 2 of that platform at one
side, delivering it into the hopper H of the binding apparatus. The two endless
chains 1 are disposed in transverse vertical planes, one at the front and the other
at the back of the platforms P, being guided by pulleys, so that the upper parts of
the two chains run along or near the edges of the horizontal and inclined parts of
the platform. Each rake consists of a fore-and-aft bar 3 with prongs R fixed to it
at right angles, and with the front end of the bar 3 attached to one endless chain 1,
and the back end to the other; and is arranged so as to pass with the prongs in an
erect position over the platform, and so as to gather the cut crop that has fallen on
the platform P and convey it up the inclined side 2, and into the hopper H. The
continued motion of the chains 1 carries each rake (in a folded condition) under the
platform back to the starting point; and when one rake is being thus moved back
the other is in the act of conveying a portion of the crop towards the hopper.
More than two rakes R may be comprised in the circuit of the endless chains 1.
Each rake R is prevented from turning back during its traverse towards the
hopper H by a little bell crank 4, having a roller on its end which runs along under
the edge of the platform or under a separate guide; and when this roller gets
beyond the edge of the guide it allows the rake to fold back, this movement being
insured by a stop 5, which the rake encounters. An inclined guide 6 at the other
side of the platform causes each rake to be turned up into a vertical position when
it reaches that side.
In another modification the crop is moved to one side of the platform P by
transverse horizontal screws 7, as shewn in Figures 5 and 6 on Sheet 2 of the
Drawings, or by a number of endless bands 8, as shown in Figures 7 and 8 on the
same Sheet, and at the side (Figures 5, 6,) is lifted upwards and into the hopper H
of the binding apparatus by a lifting rake L moving from a horizontal to a vertical
or inclined position upon a fore-and-aft horizontal axle 9. The rake prongs L are
on a bar 10 fitted to slide on a frame 11, which carries and turns the rake up; and
as the frame 11 rises a fixed cam guide 12 causes the pronged bar 10 to move
towards the axle 9, and to compress a spring or springs 13 in doing so. The
spring 13 is held compressed by a catch until the pronged bar 10 is turned down
again, but being then released shoots out the pronged bar 10, so that its prongs L
get under any crop that may then be at that side of the platform. The rake L 10
may be moved in and out by means of a lever or levers, as in modifications herein-
after described, instead of by a spring. A curved sheet iron shell 14 is fitted over
the details of the lifting rake L, being formed with slots through which the prongs
project, and the prongs carry the crop upwards over this shell.
In Figures 7 and 8 one arrangement of levers is shown for actuating the the lifting
rake L. A fore-and-aft rocking shaft 15, which receives its rocking motion from a

page_text: crank pin on a wheel not shown, but suitably driven from the gearing of the
machine, has fast on it a lever formed with two arms 16, 17. On one lever arm 16
there is jointed a small bell crank 18, which is moved on its joint in consequence
of its lower arm encountering a stop when the rocking shaft 15 turns in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 8, and the other arm then through a link 19 causes
a second bell crank 20 jointed on the lever arm 17 to move the rake L connected
to it to the right hand (Figure 8) under the crop which has been gathered up
against the shell 14. The return movement of the shaft 15 then causes the rake to
lift the crop over the shell 14 into the hopper H; and on the shaft turning towards
the right hand again the motions of the parts are regulated by the action of a cam
guide 21 on the upper arm of the bell crank 20. The prongs L of the lifting rake
are supported by a rod 22 fixed to the lower arm of the bell crank 18.
Another arrangement of levers for actuating the lifting rake L is shown in
Figures 9 and 10 on Sheet 3 of the Drawings, these Figures being respectively a
plan and a transverse vertical section. In this modification the lifting rake L is
fixed on a rocking shaft 23, having fast on it a short lever 24 connected by a link 25
to a lever 26 fast on a rocking shaft 15, corresponding to that similarly numbered
in Figures 7 and 8. In this case the rake prongs L have no motion but that due
to the rocking of the shaft 23.
Instead of using a pronged lifting rake L in combination with a slotted shell or
cover 14, the cover 14 may be dispensed with, and the lifting rake be converted
into a lifting and tipping board or plate L 27, as shewn in Figures 12 and 13 on
Sheet 4 of the Drawings, such board or plate being formed with slots 28 to admit
the prongs R of the gathering rake when they are pushing the crop to and upon the
lifting board.
Having described the various modes in which we arrange the lifting rake or its
equivalent and its actuating parts, we now proceed to describe further modifications
of the gathering rake details, some of which modifications may be combined with
any of the said lifting rake arrangements.
In a second modification of gathering rake, shown in plan and transverse vertical
section in Figures 15 and 16 on Sheet 5 of the Drawings (the first modification
being herein-before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2), the rake R,
with its prongs directed downwards, is swept over the platform P and up the
inclined extension 2 at one side by a single endless chain 1, which is guided by
pulleys 29, 30, 31, 32, one of these pulleys being shaped suitably for driving the
chain and receiving motion from the driving gearing of the machine. As the rake
R is carried round from the top of the inclined platform side 2, an anti-friction
pulley 33, attached to its bar 3, encounters a cam guide 34 fixed to the framing,
and the rake is thereby tilted up and is moved back to its starting point in a
turned-up position.
In a third modification of the gathering rake it is moved to and fro across the
platform, the prongs in some cases projecting up through slots in the platform when
moving towards the hopper of the binding apparatus, and being folded down when
returning. There are two or three varieties of this modification; and in one
arrangement, shown in Figures 17 and 18, on Sheet 5 of the Drawings, an endless
chain 1 is used for moving the rake R. A pin 35, fixed on the chain 1, projects
through a slot in a piece 36, guided on a fixed rod 37, and jointed on a tubular boss
or lug 38 on the end of the rake bar 3; and as the pin 35 is carried round the
pulleys at the ends of the chain, it moves down or up the slot and then reverses the
motion of the rake. The tubular lug 38 slides on a square bar 39, which serves as
a second guide, and also for tilting up the rake during its return movement, the
bar 39 being for that purpose turned a quarter round by a cam movement at each
end of the rakes traverse.
Figure 19 shows an arrangement in which the prongs R project up through the
platform P, the piece 36, connected to the rake bar 3, and acted on by the pin 35
of the endless chain 1, being made like a small carriage with wheels to run along

page_text: a guide 40. The endless chain 1 may be placed horizontally, and so save height.
The rake prongs R may be turned up and down by mechanism analogous to what.
is herein described in connection with other modifications.
What we believe to be the best arrangements for giving the to-and-fro motion to
the gathering rake R is shown in Figures 9 and 10 (Sheet 3), and in it the rake R
is carried and moved by a transverse horizontal rack-toothed bar 41 sliding in
guides just beneath the platform P, and moved by a pinion 42, which also gears
with a rack 43 fixed to the framing of the machine, and which is carried by a rod 44
jointed to a lever 45, partly indicated by dotted lines in Figure 9. The combination
of pinion 42 and racks 41, 43, causes the stroke of the rake to be double that of the
pinion 42. The lever 45 is connected by a link 46 to the lever 26, herein-before
referred to, and which is made to oscillate by a link 47 connecting it to a crank pin⚫
on a spur wheel 48, deriving its motion from the main driving wheel 49 of the
machine through bevel wheels 50 and a shaft 51, the last having on it a pinion
gearing with the wheel 48, but not shown. Mechanism for keeping the rake R
vertical and for turning it down is shown (enlarged) in Figure 14 (Sheet 4). The
bar 3 of the rake is connected to the rack 41, so as to be able to turn through a
quarter of a circle, and has fixed to it a short arm 52 to which a catch 53 is jointed.
When the prongs R of the rake are turned up (in the manner herein-before ex-
plained with reference to Figure 1, for example) the catch 53 engages with a pin 54,
fixed to the rack 41, but as the rake approaches the end of its traverse the catch 53
encounters a fixed stop 55, and is thrown out. The rake then travels on a little
until a pin 50 on the arm 52 gets beyond a lever 57 set on a fixed stud, and then,
on moving back, the, rake is turned down to a horizontal position. The lever 57 is
counterbalanced to make it bear upwards.
The sheaf binding mechanism, as we now prefer to arrange it, is shown in
Figures 9, 10, and 11 on Sheet 3 of the Drawings, Figure 11 being a partial
sectional side elevation. The spur wheel 48, herein-before referred to, is driven so
as to make one revolution for each sheaf tied, whilst a second spurr wheel 58
makes twice as many revolutions. This wheel 58 is on a stud fixed to a bracket 59,
and is attached to and carries round a lever 60 having fixed to it the binder arm 61,
which last is tubular, the binding string being passed through it, and being, by its
revolving movement, drawn off a bobbin 62, carried on the same stud as the
wheel 58. The string passes through an eye in the cranked end of a rod 63, pro-
jecting from the end of the tubular arm 61, and the end of the rod 63 is wedge-
shaped so as to pass between one of the blades and the centre of the forceps
piece 64, which is carried by an arm 65 fixed on a bell crank 66. The end of the
string being held in the forceps piece 64, the arm 01 then passes round the sheaf,
and the rod 63 being moved a little next passes between the other blade and the
centre of the forceps piece, and the string is held and immediately afterwards cut
off by a knife (not shown). The forceps piece 64 is then put into rapid motion by
means of a cord 67 and gearing, which will be easily understood from Figure 11,
and the two ends of the string are thereby twisted together, which tightens up the
sheaf in the manner indicated in Figure 3 (Sheet 1). The bell crank 66 is then
acted upon by a cam 68, so as to turn the arm 65 and forceps piece 64 into the
position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3, and the twisting motion being con-
tinued the twisted ends of the string finally escape from the forceps piece after
twisting themselves round a part of the string passing round the sheaf, and thereby
form a sufficiently securè fastening. Instead of the bobbin 62 being carried as
shown, a bobbin of ordinary form may be carried on the revolving arm 61. The
box or hopper H, in which the sheaf rests whilst being bound, is discontinuous at
the part where the string is passed round the sheaf. The forward part 69 is a semi-
cylindrical shell of thin sheet metal, whilst the after part is formed by two sets of
arms or looped prongs 70, 71, fixed on fore-and-aft rods. The arms or prongs 70, 71,
open to let the sheaf fall out towards the side, and the front part 69 of the hopper
at the same time turns on a rod to let the sheaf drop off it. An arm 72 is provided
for compressing the crop on its being put into the hopper, and after the binding is

page_text: effected this arm turns further downwards and insures the sheaf being properly
delivered from the hopper. Such of the movements herein-before referred to as
have not been fully explained as regards their derivation are produced by cams or
other suitable means in a manner presenting no practical difficulty to the machine
maker, the details having been omitted in the Drawings to avoid confusion.
A modified arrangement of the hopper details is shown in Figure 1, Sheet 1, and
in Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 2. In this case the arms or prongs 70, 71, are arranged
to open along the middle of the bottom and to revolve completely round, so as when
coming round and downwards to the closed position in which they are shown in
Figure 8 to force out the sheaf should it not by that time have dropped out. The
forward part 69 is arranged to tilt on transverse journals so as to allow the sheaf
to fall from its back end as the machine moves forward, and the part is weighted so
as to resume the horizontal position of itself. The binding and hopper arrange-
ments herein-before described may be further varied by making the hopper revolve
with the sheaf or bundle of crop in it, and so as to wind the string round itself.
By a second modification of our improved binding apparatus the ends of the
string are not twisted, but are simply passed through the middle of the sheaf, one
before winding round the sheaf and the other after.
By a third modification, the string or cord is put round the sheaf or bundle in a
more rapid manner by means of two arms, 72, 73, as indicated in Figure 3 (Sheet 1),
these arms being on two spindles placed parallel to the hopper, and one on each
side of it. One spindle is tubular, and the string passes through it and continues
through guides to the end of its arm 72. The two spindles make each half a turn
in opposite directions, and the end of the string from the arm 72 being caught by
the end of the other 73, fitted with a spring nipping blade for the purpose, is carried
round by the arms and the ends lodged in the forceps piece 64 (shown both in
Figure 3 and Figure 4 as turned on its axis from the position in which it receives
the string).
It is desirable when reaping machines are provided with automatic sheaf binding
and delivering apparatus, such as is herein-before described, to keep the successive
portions of cut crop as distinct as possible, and so as not to interfere with each
other. With this view the reel used to lay the crop over the machine should be
driven at a suitable comparatively slow speed, and so that the portion of crop
gathered in each space between the paddles or vanes may correspond to a sheaf.
The paddles may also be arranged to feather, so as to keep the portions of crop
better separated; or the reel may be moved intermittently or with varying speed
for the same purpose.
Instead of using string for binding, twisted bands of straw, hay, wire, or other
suitable material may be employed; and such bands may be previously prepared
and wound up in balls, or they may be twisted on the reaping machine itself, a boy
riding on the inachine feeding straw in between a pair of grooved rollers, which
are held in a ring or frame, to which a rotatory motion is imparted by the gearing of
the machine. The grooved rollers may be turned on their own axes as the ring
carrying them revolves, by means of a bevel pinion rolling round on a fixed bevil
wheel.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise details herein described or delineated but that what we believe to be novel
and original, and claim, as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is-
1. The combination with automatic sheaf binding apparatus of any of the herein-
before described arrangements of apparatus for transferring the cut crop from the
platform of the reaping machine to the hopper.
2. The improvements in the binding apparatus herein-before described with
reference to Figures 3, 9, 10, and 11 of the accompanying Drawings.
3. The turning round of the hopper and sheaf instead of carrying the string
round the non-rotating hopper, as herein-before described.

page_text: 4. The securing of the ends of the string by passing them through or thrusting
them into the sheaf, as herein-before described.
5. The herein-before described arrangements of the hopper details, to facilitate
the delivery of the sheaf therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry James Hogg King, on behalf of the said
Ernest George Cook Bomford and myself, have hercunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
HENRY JAMES HOGG KING. (L.S.)