IM- PROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathaniel Clayton and Joseph Shuttleworth, both of
Lincoln, in the County of Lincoln, Engineers, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING MACHINES."
Sealed the 8th February 1878, and dated the 13th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathaniel Clayton and
Joseph Shuttleworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
13th August 1877.
NATHANIEL CLAYTON and JOSEPH SHUTTLEWORTH, both of Lincoln, in the
County of Lincoln, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING
MACHINES."
Our Invention relates to guards or protective appliances for securing an immunity
from danger to persons engaged in feeding thrashing machines or approaching the
mouth of the drum, and it consists of an improved arrangement and combination of
hood and feed board whereby on weight or pressure being applied either to the hood
or the feed board the two close simultaneously, thereby completely covering the
mouth of the drum; and also of an improved mode of adjusting the space for feeding
between the hood and the feed board.
In carrying out our Invention we employ an adjustable balanced feed board
mounted on a pivot, and extending across the machine, in combination with a hood,
also mounted upon a pivot, the two being connected together so as to admit of their
working in unison in the following manner :-To the end of the pivot on which the
feed board is mounted is secured a lever which is connected by a coupling rod to one
arm of a double-armed lever, the opposite arm of which carries a thumbscrew for
securing it firmly to a slotted sector keyed on the end of the pivot on which the
hood rotates. The hood may thus be adjusted and the space for feeding increased
or diminished without the necessity for the man leaving the box, the width of
opening which is left between the edge of the hood and the feed board, being varied
by regulating the position of the thumbscrew in the slot of the sector.

page_text: The details of the apparatus may be varied by employing equivalent devices, such,
for example, as ratchet wheels & springs, as is well understood.
By means of our Invention the following advantages are obtained, vizt. :-
1st. Perfect safety to the man engaged in feeding the feed board, being imme-
diately acted upon by any slight pressure (caused by the man falling or otherwise),
which closes the hood.
2nd. Perfect safety to persons at the back or sides or the hood, which closes
simultaneously with the feed board under a weight or pressure, the mouth of the
drum being therefore completely closed.
3rd. The facility with which the hood can' be adjusted to suit the different
descriptions of corn to be thrashed.
4th. The position of the bottom edge of the hood is such that a clear space is left
(whether the hood be up or down), for sweeping loose corn into the drum.
5th. The absence of all obstruction to the man engaged in feeding, and the freedom
of the mechanism from derangement, it being placed below the scaffold boards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent filed by
the said Nathaniel Clayton and Joseph Shuttleworth in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th February 1878.
NATHANIEL CLAYTON and JOSEPH SHUTTLEWORTH, both of Lincoln, in the
County of Lincoln, Engineers. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THRASHING
MACHINES."
Our said Invention relates to guards or protective appliances for securing an
immunity from danger to persons engaged in feeding thrashing machines or
approaching the mouth of the drum, and it consists of an improved arrangement
and combination of hood and feed board, whereby on weight or pressure being
applied either to the hood or the feed board, the two close simultaneously, thereby
completely covering the mouth of the drum ; and also of an improved mode of
adjusting the space for feeding between the hood and the feed board, all as herein-
after described with reference to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto. annexed.
Figure 1 of our Drawings represents a side elevation of a portion of a thrashing
machine with our said Invention applied thereto, the hood and feed board being
shewn in their open position; Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 but with the
hood and feed board represented as closed; and Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to
Figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
In carrying out our said Invention we employ an adjustable balanced feed
board A extending across the machine, and carrying pivots a, a¹, mounted in
bearings at a² in the frame A', in combination with a hood B, carrying pivots b, b¹,
which are supported in bearings at 62 in the frame A¹, the feed board A and hood B
being connected together so as to admit of their working in unison in the following
manner: To the end of the pivot a¹ of the feed board A is secured a lever C which
is connected by a coupling rod D to one arm e of a double-armed lever E mounted
loosely upon the pivot 6¹, and carrying on its opposite arm e¹ a pin having a thumb-
screw, c. The latter serves for securing the lever E firmly to a sector F keyed on

page_text: to the pivot 61, and which is provided with a slot c' in which the pin of the screw c
engages. The hood may thus be adjusted by varying the position of the pin of the
thumbscrew c in the slot c¹ of the sector F without the necessity for the man leaving
the box, and the space for feeding, that is to say, the width of opening which is left
between the edge b³ of the hood B and the edge a³ of the feed board A, thereby
increased or diminished as required.
We have represented the hood B and feed board A, in Figure 1, as in their normal
open position, to admit of the produce being supplied to the drum G, and in Figure 2
in their closed position, covering the mouth of the drum G. The parts are brought
into the position shewn in Figure 2 whenever weight or pressure is applied either
to the hood or the feed board, the two working in unison and closing simultaneously
by reason of the connection C, D, E, between them.
By means of our said Invention the following advantages are obtained, videlicet:-
First. Perfect safety to the man engaged in feeding, the feed board being imme-
diately acted upon by any slight pressure (caused by the man falling or otherwise),
which closes the hood.
Second. Perfect safety to persons at the back or sides of the hood, which closes
simultaneously with the feed board under a weight or pressure, the mouth of the
drum being therefore completely closed.
Third. Facility for adjusting the hood to suit the different descriptions of corn to
be thrashed.
Fourth. The position of the bottom edge of the hood is such that a clear space
is left at d (whether the hood be up or down), for sweeping loose corn into the
drum.
Fifth. The absence of all obstruction to the man engaged in feeding, and the
freedom of the mechanism from derangement, it being placed within and below the
top of the frame A¹.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we
would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The peculiar arrangement and combination of hood and feed board, whereby
on weight or pressure being applied either to the hood or the feed board, the two
close simultaneously, thereby covering the mouth of the drum, substantially as
herein-before described, and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The mode of adjusting the space for feeding between the hood and the
feed board, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Nathaniel Clayton and Joseph Shuttleworth,
have to this our Specification set our hands and seals, this Eighth day of
February One thousanaud eight hundred and seventy-eight.
NATHANIEL CLAYTON.
JOSEPH SHUTTLEWORTH. (L.S.)
(L.S.)