A Swath Turner.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 28th May, 1892
A Swath Turner.
I, EDWARD CHRISTOPHER BLACKSTONE, of Rutland Engineering Works,
Stamford, in the County of Lincoln, Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to machines chiefly designed for turning clover when lying
in swaths, but my improved machine is also applicable for turning swaths of hay
and the like.
In carrying out my invention I provide a rake or fork which is arranged at an
angle to a line drawn longitudinally through the machine say at an angle of 45°
thereto, the said fork or rake being oscillated by means of a crank or eccentric in
a well known manner.
In practice I prefer to employ two of such rakes in a single machine, so that the
machine may turn two swaths simultaneously, the horse drawing the implement or
machine walking between the swaths and the travelling wheels being placed
sufficiently wide apart to run outside the swaths. Or the travelling wheels may be
adapted to run upon the ground uncovered when turning the swath.
Motion is advantageously cominunicated to one of the forks by suitable gearing
driven from the axle of the travelling wheels, motion being imparted to the other
fork by sprocket wheels and a chain driven from the first mentioned fork. The
travelling wheels are connected with their axle by ratchets and pawls.
Instead of using forks operated as described I may employ rotating forks.
One of the chief advantages of my machine is that the clover or grass turned
thereby still remains in swaths.
.
1001
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
A Swath Turner.
I, EDWARD CHRISTOPHER BLACKSTONE, of Rutland Engineering Works,
Stamford, in the County of Lincoln, Agricultural Implement Maker, 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 :-
My invention relates to machines chiefly designed for turning clover when lying
in swaths, but my improved machine is also applicable for turning swaths of hay
and the like.
In carrying out my invention I provide a rake or fork which is arranged at an
angle to a line drawn longitudinally or transversely through the machine, say at
an angle of 45° thereto, the said fork or rake being oscillated by means of a crank
or eccentric in a well known manner.
In practice I prefer to employ two of such rakes in a single machine, so that the
machine may turn two swaths simultaneously, the horse drawing the implement or
machine walking between the swaths, and the travelling-wheels being placed suffi-
ciently wide apart to run outside the swaths. Or the travelling-wheels may
adapted to run upon the ground uncovered when turning the swath.
be
Motion is advantageously communicated to one of the forks by suitable gearing
driven from the axle of the travelling-wheels, motion being imparted to the other
fork by gearing from the gearing of the first mentioned fork. The travelling-
wheels are connected with their axle by ratchets and pawls.

page_text: One of the chief advantages of my machine is that the clover or grass turned
thereby still remains in swaths.
To enable my invention to be fully understood. I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan of a machine provided with my improvements; and,
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same:
Figures 3 and 4 are front and side elevations respectively of one of the forks or
rakes detached.
:
The framing of my machine, as slewn in the drawings, comprises two main
parts a, a', the former of which is carried directly upon the driving-axle whilst the
latter is connected to the part a by the connecting bars c, c¹ and the tie-rod d,
the front of the framing being supported upon a wheel e to the standard of which
the shafts for the horse are connected. 99 are the travelling-wheels which are
mounted upon the-axle and connected thereto by means of ratchet and pawl
mechanism in a well known manner to enable either wheel to move independently
of the other such ratchet and pawl mechanism being arranged in the boxes gg.
, are the rakes or forks by means of which the swaths are turned. Each of
the said forks is provided with a bearing i, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, by means
of which the fork is connected to its crank whilst the upper end of each fork is
connected by a link to a suitable point upon the framing. The fork is operated
by the crank, the shaft k of which carries a bevel-pinion with which a bevel-
wheel upon the driving-axle engages, whilst the fork is driven by a crank 1,
the shaft of which is operated from the shaft through the medium of the bevel
gear-wheels 1, 2, the shaft 13 and the bevel-wheels 1, 1. As shewn in the drawings
the two forks are arranged at an angle of about 45° to the axis of the machine or
to a line drawn longitudinally through the same, and as the cranks driving the said
forks are not at a similar angle the forks are fixed angularly upon their shanks.
If desired, the forks' may be arranged to work towards each other in order to
throw two swaths into one. To enable this to be accomplished, I have shewn the
shaft as provided with a crank m to which the fork may be connected, and I
have shewn upon the bar c' of the framing a socket to which the link of the
fork ' may be connected.
In order to prevent the forks from being damaged by coming into contact with
any unevenness of the ground, I pivot the forks as indicated at o in Figures 3 and 4,
and provide springs p, p which normally retain the prongs in their proper positions
but which allow the same to yield in the required manner when desired.
In order that when the machine is travelling along the road the forks shall
remain stationary, I advantageously arrange the bevel-wheel loosely upon its
shaft, and provide for locking the same to the shaft when the machine is to be
worked by means of a sliding-clutch 9 which may be operated in any suitable
inanner to engage with teeth upon the boss of the wheel k³."
It is to be understood that in using the machine one of the forks may be dis-
connected so that the machine will only turn one swath.
It is also to be understood that motion may be communicated to the forks by
any convenient mechanism, for instance, by means of sprocket chains and wheels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. A swath-turner provided with one or more oscillating forks arranged at an
angle to the axis of the machine, substantially in the manner described.
2. The manufacture and use of the improved swath-turner herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of A w 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.