A MACHINE TO CUT STRAW OF ANY LENGTH REQUIRED, THEREBY RENDERING STRAW A BETTER AND MORE CONVENIENT WINTER FOOD FOR CATTLE, AND THE MANURE PRODUCED IN FARMYARDS, &C. FIT FOR IMMEDIATE USE; ALSO FOR RENDERING DRY STRAW A MANAGEABLE MANURE; ALSO POR CUTTING STRAW TO MIX WITH HORSE'S CORN; ALSO POR CUTTING STRAW TO ANY GIVEN LENGTH FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE
Year: 1819

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
SHORTHOUSE, of Dudley, in the County of Worcester, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the First day of
November, in the sixtieth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said Samuel Shorthouse, my exors, admors, and assigns, His especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Samuel Shorthouse,
my exors, admors, and assigns, should and lawfully might, during the termi
of years therein expressed, make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
-Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A MACHINE
TO CUT STRAW OF ANY LENGTH REQUIRED, THEREBY RENDERING STRAW A BETTER AND
MORE CONVENIENT WINTER FOOD FOR CATTLE, AND THE MANURE PRODUCED IN
FARMYARDS, &C. FIT FOR IMMEDIATE USE; ALSO FOR RENDERING DRY STRAW A
MANAGEABLE MANURE; ALSO POR CUTTING STRAW TO MIX WITH HORSE'S CORN;
ALSO POR CUTTING STRAW TO ANY GIVEN LENGTH FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that if I, the said Samuel
Shorthouse, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to
be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within.six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that

page_text: then the said Letters Patent,. and all liberties and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determiné, and become void, as in and by
the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Samuel Shorthouse, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in the Drawing hereunto annexed, and following
description thereof, that is to say:
The framework of my machine is composed chiefly of cast iron, and consists
of two pillars, two bearers, one connecting piece, and two angular pieces.
No. 1 on the Plan represents, one of the pillars, A being a front view, and B a
side view thereof. No. 2 is the front bearer, A being a front view, and B a
horizontal view thereof. No. 3 is the back bearer, A being a back view, and
Ba horizontal view thereof. No. 4 is the connecting piece, of which A is a
back view, and B a horizontal view....No. 5 is, a front elevation of the whole
machine, and No. 6 is a side elevation thereof. No. 7 is a back view of the
framework, and No. 8 is a horizontal plan of the straw-box, &c. The two
bearers No. 2, and No. 3 are fastened with screw pins, to the upper. ends of the
pillars, as seen at a and E, No. 5, a, b, No. 5, being the front bearer, and a, b,
No. 7, the back bearer, so, that the two bearers are opposite to each other, the
upper ends of the pillars, C, D, No. 5, being. situated between them. Each
pillar has a bracket or projection cast to the upper end of it in front, as seen at c,
No. 1, by which form the front bearer is brought. forward and a greater space
obtained between the bearers. Each pillar. has also a bracket or projection
cast to the lower end of it, as seen, at d, No. 1, against which the connecting
piece No. 4 is fastened with screw pins through the, pillars, as seen at e, e,
No. 5, and at c, c, No. 7. The bearer. No. 3, and the connecting. piece, No. 4,
have each two brackets or. projections, or ears cast to them, as seen at c, c,
No. 3, at d, d; No. 4, and also at a, a, No. 6. One of the angular, pieces of
the frame. before mentioned, is, represented by the letters c, d, e, f, g, h, No. 6.
The lower. ends of both these angular pieces, are placed against the brackets
or ears of the connecting piece, and fastened thereto by screw, pins, as seen at
9, 9, No. 5, at e, No. 6, and also, at e, e, No. 7; the upper ends of the angular
pieces apply themselves against the corresponding, brackets or ears, on the
bearer No. 3, and are fastened, thereto, by, screw. pins, as seen at c, No. 6, and
at g, ig, No. 7., The two angular pieces, therefore, stand, parallel with each
other, and in a direction at right angles with the two pillars C, D, No. 5. A
square flanch or projecting, rib is, cast to each angular, piece, between 9, and h;
No. 6; as seen at k, k, No. 7 A piece of wood. or iron is; pinned, to these

page_text: i
projections and serves to connect the two angular pieces, as seen at No: 7:
Small ribs or projections are cast to the pillars connecting piece,.and angular
pieces, for the purpose of strengthening them, as seen at z, z, z, z; No: 1;.No.,4,
No. 5, No: 6, and No. 7. Each of the above-mentioned. brackets or ears: is
composed of two projections. forming a trough, having a piece of wood intro-
duced to fill up the space between them, as seen. at No. 9, which is a
section cut through the iron and wood, c, c, being, the iron projections, and b
the wood. The upper edge of each of the two bearers. No. 2 and No. 3 has a
flanch or rib cast to it, as seen at b, No. 2, and at b; No..3: These flanchés
forin horizontal surfaces to the bearers, which serve to support two..centre-
pieces of wood, the wood being made fast with screw pins, as seeii.at m, m;
No: 5, m, m, No. 7, and at m; m, No. 6. No. 5 is a wheel with teeth.on its
lower side. o, No. 5; and o, No. 6, are two views of. a crank;. this.wheel and
crank work between and are supported by the two bearers a; b;. No: 5, and
a; b; No 7, the journies of the crank and the spindle of the wheel being
inserted in the centre pieces of wood mi, m, No. 5; and m, m, No. 7. The
centre of the crank is raised to give it room to work, as seen at n;, No. 7; and
at 7, No. 5. The crank o and the wheel n, No. 5, are connected by: à rod, of
iron, as seen at p; p; with moveable joints at p; p: No. 10. is a horizontal plan
of the rod p; p: The end of the crank spindle at q, No..5, is furnished with a
fly wheel marked r, r, r, the connexion of which wheel to the crank is seen
inore distinctly at p, No. 6. The handle q, No. 6, is intended to work the
machine by, and may be fixed in either of the holes at s; No. 5.
An-oblong
öpening is formed through cach of the pillars C; D, No. 5, as seen at e, e,
No. 1; and ät s; s, No. 6. Two rollers are inserted in the oblong opening of
the pillar D, and one in that of the pillar b, as seen by.the dotted circles at
t, t, u, No. 5, and edgewise at s, s, No: 6. A cast-iron bar v, v, No. 5, passes
through the openings in both pillars, and is supported on. the rollers t, t...Tho
bar v; v; has small flanches or ribs cast to the top and bottom edges on each
side of it, which extend to the sides of the openings in the pillars in which it is
placed, but allowing sufficient room for it to work easy, as seen at s, s; No. 6:
, No. 5, is the knife, which is more particularly described by No. 11. The
back of the bar v, v,.from w to w, is made inclined or tapering, as seen at t;
No. 6: The knife is placed on the inclined side of the bar and made fast to it
with screw pins, by which means the edge of the knife is made to incline
towards the face of the straw box, against which it works. A rack y,. No. 5,
is cast on the top of the bar, into the teeth of which the teeth on the lower
side of the wheel n are engaged. The flywheel being turned round by. the
handle q, No. 6, causes the bar v, v, to work backwards. and forwards upon

page_text: A
the rollers t, t, and thus gives motion to the knife; the roller u prevents
the bar from rising when the straw presses against the edge of the knife.
A, No. 6, is a side elevation of the straw box or trough which con-
tains the straw to be cut, and No. 8 is a horizontal plan of the
same. A flanch or rib is cast on the inward edge of each of the angular
pieces from to g, No. 6, and seen at a, a, and b, b, No. 8, and at o, o,
No. 7. On each of these flanches a centre piece of wood is placed, having
grooves through them, as seen at v, v, No. 6, and at c, c, and d, d, No. 8.
These centre pieces are made fast to the flanches with screw pins, and
occasionally moved backward and forward to adjust the face of the straw box
to the knife. A gudgeon or axle, seen at w, No. 6, is fastened to the bottom
of the box by means of screw pins; it is also seen at e, e, No. 8. The ends of
this gudgeon or axle being placed in the centre pieces c, c, d, d, No. 8, the
box becomes a lever supported by and working between the two angular
pieces of the frames. The front of the box is furnished with a face of iron or
steel or case-hardened iron, having circular sides, as seen at c, a, t, s, No. 6,
and a straight bottom, as seen at f, f, No. 8, and at A, No. 5, the inward
edge of the bottom being filed off to prevent the knife catching upon it. The
circular sides are described from the gudgeon w, No. 6, as a centre.
circular groove (cased with iron), of which the gudgeon w, No. 6, is also the
centre, is cut through each side of the box, as seen at x, No. 6. The box is
guided between the angular pieces in front by a piece of wood fastened to it
on each side, as seen at H, H, No. 5. A plate or oblong piece of cast iron,
which serves for a press weight, is placed under the box, the ends of which
rest in the apertures of the angular pieces. (These apertures may be made of
any height and width, according to any desired thickness and width of the
press weight.) One end of the press weight is seen at 6, No. 6, resting in the
aperture y, and the length is represented at d, No. 5; a board may be fastened
to the bottom of the press weight, as seen at c, No. 5, No. 14 shows a
press board with a pin h fastened across the top of it (the
at h, No. 8). This press board has a groove through
surface, as seen at No. 12, which is a side section of it;
placed inside the front of the box at B, No. 6, and the pin 9, No. 8, passes
through holes in the sides of the box, and the groove in the press board, as
seen at C, No. 6, and the ends of the other pin h, No. 8, pass through the
circular grooves a, No. 6, in the sides of the box. Two rods of iron, one seen
at D, E, No. 6, are placed on each end of the pin h, No. 8 (one being on
each side of the box); the lower end of each rod is fastened to the press
weight with moveable joints at both ends, as at D and E, No. 6. A pin is
pin is also seen
it parellel to its
the press board is

page_text: fixed across the top of the box (in any desired situation over the press board,)
on which a pully turns, as seen at F, No. 6, and at k, No. 8. A barrel or
roller fixed on a spindle (which spindle. is represented by No. 13) is placed.
across the top of the box at G, No. 6, and which is seen more distinctly
at m, No. 8; the journies a, a, No. 13, being placed in the centres across the
box, as seen at o, o, No. 8, the ends of the spindle will project beyond the
sides of the box, as seen at p, p. On one end of this spindle is fixed the
ratchet wheel H, No., 6, and on the other end the four handles I, I, I, I,
No. 6. L, No. 6, is a beam which moves on the pin S, No. 6, and
is guided by the plate of iron M. To one end of this beam the hook N
is attached, from which is suspended a chain, the lower end of which is
fastened to the weight Q. The forcing catch T is inserted in the beam.
at P, so as to move on a pin, and on the same pin (which comes through.
the beam) is the balance U, the top of which is turned behind the catch T
at P, and operates to keep the top of the forcing catch against the ratchet.
wheel. W is a stop catch; the end of the beam L rests on the piece R,
which is pinned firm to the side of the box; the piece R has a groove
through it, as seen at n, No. 8; a hole is made through the beam at V,
No. 6, over which hole an iron female screw is fastened. The pin O, being passed
through the groove, or in the piece R, and through the hole in the beam which
is immediately over it, is twined through the female screw and made fast in any
required situation with a button or nut at the top, as seen at V, No. 6. The
pin O is made with a round head, and has a washer upon it; it has also a
small bent pin attached to the head to serve as a handle to turn it by. The
slider is a sort of hollow box, of which No. 15 is a side section and No. 16 a
horizontal plan of the same. This slider is fitted withinside of the box, allow-
ing sufficient room for it to slide along easily; it has two feet, as seen at a, a,
No. 16. A side view of the foot is seen at a, b, No. 15. The bottom of the
slider is placed above the bottom of the feet, as seen at c, b, No. 15, by which
means a small space is obtained between the bottom of the box and the bottom
of the slider. On the top of the slider a loop 6, No. 16, is placed, which loop.
is raised on a bit of wood on the top of the box. Along the edges are ledges.
or filletts of wood, as seen at r, r, r, r, No. 8; these ledges confine the slider.
in the box; also on the top of the slider on each side a slip of wood is.
fastened, as seen at d, d, No. 15; these slips go immediately under the-
ledges r, r, r, r, which, together with the feet before mentioned, keep the
slider upright. s, No. 8, is a handle by which the box is put in motion. One.
end of a piece of cord is fastened to the barrel o, o, No. 8, and the other end
is tied to a hook and connected with the slider, and when the box is filled:

page_text: b
with straw (the slider being situated at a No. 17), the cord is extended from the
barrel o, o, over the pulley K," No. 8, and returns to the slider, where it is
fastened by means of the hook and the loop 6, No. 16. The situation of the
cord is seen at b, c, d, e, f, g, No. 17. When the handle a, No. 6 (which is
the same as s, No. 8) is 'lifted up, the face or end of the straw box moves
down and permits the straw to pass under the press board until it comes
beneath the edge of the knife. The handle x or s being then pressed down, the
weight 6 presses on the straw at the face of the box, the straw being at the
same time forced by the leverage or power of the box against the edge of the
knife, and the knife at the same time being in motion backward and forward
the straw is immediately cut through. The straw is advanced or moved
forward in the box in the following manner:When the handle & is lifted up,
as before stated, the beam at N is forced down by the chain and weight Q till
the head of the pin at O comes into contract with the piece R. The catch Tat
the same time forces the ratchet wheel one, two, or three teeth over the
holding catch W, according to the distance from 0 to R, which distance is
regulated by screwing the pin V, O, up or down. The ratchet wheel moves
the barrel O, O, No. 8; round (being on the same spindle), and the barrel, by
means of the cord before mentioned, moves the slider, which forces the straw
forward; but when the straw is required to be cut of a greater length than
is obtained by moving the ratchet wheel three teeth, the barrel must be
moved round by means of the handles I, I, I, I, No. 6, by which the straw is
moved forward, to be cüt off to any length required; the length of the shortest
cut is proportioned to the diameter of the barrel and the number of teeth on
the ratchet wheel. When this machine is made of large dimensions, for the pur-
pose of cutting the long cuts only (the great bulk or depth of straw contained in
the box not admitting of the finest cuts), the pillar D, No. 5, must be fixed at b
instead of E, as seen at a No. 18. The horizontal part of the angular pieces müst
be longer, being proportioned to the length of the box, as seen at A, B, No. 19;
the angular pieces must be fixed at a greater distance from each other,
according to the width of the box, as seen at A, A, No. 18. The barb, b, the
knife. d, and the press weight f, must be longer in the same proportion, as
seen at No. 18. The crank h must be shorter, being proportioned to the power
required; the barrel should be larger, as seen at a, No. 20; the handle of the
box may be put on as seen at 6, No. 20; the beam L, the catch T, the pin O,
and the chain and weight Q, No. 6, must be omitted, and the ratchet wheel
and handles may be fixed on one end of the spindle, as seen at C, No. 20, and
at C, No. 19; or the handles may be fixed on one end of the spindle, and the
ratchet wheel on the other end. A moveable frame of wood, as seen at

page_text: d, e, f, g, h, i, No. 20, must be placed on the top of the box to hold down the
straw, so that it may slide along smoothly. It is held down at h, i, by two bits
of wood to k, fastened to the ledges, and at d, e, by bits of wood fastened to
the sides of the box, as seen at D, No. 19, and other bits of wood fastened
under the ends d, e, No. 20, as seen at a, a, No. 21, the latter of which go
under the former. The proportions for the part of this machine, as well as
the materials of which the same may be made, can be varied according to the
discretion of the workmen, without deviating from my original arrangement
and construction.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Shorthouse, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty.