Improvements in and relating to Reaping and Binding Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Reaping and Binding Machines.
I, WILLIAM TAYLOR, of Eastbank, Kinross, in the County of Kinross, Scotland,
Farmer and Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in reaping and binding machines, the
object being to improve their construction and action by doing away with can-
vases entirely and by providing means for delivering the cut crop, or sheaves
behind the driving wheel and for adjusting the relative position of the knives to
the standing grain crop, that is to say adjusting the position of the knives relative
to their height above the ground.
In carrying out my invention, I do away with the existing canvases and employ
endless bands or chains instead. The knives are driven from the big driving or
travelling wheel in the usual way and are so arranged that the grain crop, when
cut, falls on two or more endless travelling bands, or chains which move across
an inclined platform placed behind the knives, the direction of motion of the
bands being at right angles to the direction in which the machine moves, that is
to say when the machine is in operation the chains carry the cut crop as it falls
on the platform towards the packer and knotter which is situated behind the afore-
said travelling wheel. The cut crop is packed, bound and delivered there, in the
form of sheaves. The knives are adjusted relative to their height from the
ground by two independent motions. The one motion raises or lowers the whole
set equally. Such adjustment is made by raising or lowering the machine rela
tive to the shaft to which the horses are attached when drawing the machine
along. This shaft is pivoted to the machine by one of its extremities and is
arranged in such a manner that it can be made to move about its pivot in a
direction perpendicular to the ground, but is kept from moving sidewise by
means of a guide. The vertical movement is controlled by a lever pivoted to the.
guide and coupled to the shaft by a link. By adjusting the position of the lever
the machine is canted up or down and with it the knives. The other motion
adjusts the height of the knives relative to the ground in a direction normal to
the direction in which the machine moves when reaping. Such adjustment is
performed by a lever pivoted on the axis of the small travelling wheel which is
at the end of the machine furthest away from the large travelling wheel. By
raising or lowering such lever the machine is raised or lowered at the side and
with it the knives.
T
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page_text: Improvements in and relating to Reaping and Binding Machines.
I, WILLIAM TAYLOR, of Eastbank, Kinross, in the County of Kinross, Scotland,
Farmer and Proprietor, 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:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in reaping and binding machines, the
object being to improve their construction and action by doing away with can-
vases entirely and by providing means for delivering the cut crop, or sheaves
behind the driving wheel and for adjusting the relative position of the knives to
the standing grain crop, that is to say adjusting the position of the knives relative
to their height above the ground.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto ap-
pended four explanatory sheets of drawings in which the same reference numerals
are used to indicate corresponding parts in. all the figures where shown, that is to
Bay:
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) is a side elevation looking on the driving wheel of a reaping
and binding machine constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 (Sheet 2) is a back view of the machine looking in the direction of
the arrow Z (Figure 1).
Figure 3 (Sheet 3) is a side elevation of the machine looking in the direction
of the arrow Y (Figure 2).
Figures 4 and 5 (Sheet 4) are a sectional and a side elevation showing how the
knives, chains and knotter are driven from the driving wheel.
In carrying out my invention, I do away with the existing canvases and
employ endless bands or chains 10 instead. The knives 11 are driven from the
big driving or travelling wheel 12 in the usual way, that is to say an internal
wheel 13 is actuated by the driving wheel by means of a ratchet wheel 14 on the
internal wheel and a paul 15 on the driving wheel, the arrangement being such
that the internal wheel is made to rotate only when the machine is being drawn
forward. The internal wheel drives a pinion wheel 16 with a shaft 17 upon
which are bevel wheels for actuating pinion wheels which drive the shaft 18 for
the knives, and the shaft 19 for the chains respectively, such shaft 19 again
actuating the knotter shaft 20. The grain crop when cut, falls on two or more
endless travelling bands, or chains 10 which move across an inclined platform 21
placed behind the knives, the direction of motion of the bands being at right
angles to the direction in which the machine moves, that is to say when the
machine is in operation the chains carry the cut crop as it falls on the platform
towards the packer and knotter 22 which is situated behind the aforesaid travelling
wheel 12. To facilitate the transit of the cut crop, the chains are provided with
spikes 23. It is advisable to have a greater number of spikes in the lower chain,
thereby more uniformly carrying forward the butt end of the crop. The cut crop
is packed, bound and delivered there, in the form of sheaves. The knives are
adjusted relative to their height from the ground by two independent motions.
The one motion raises or lowers the whole set equally. Such adjustment is made
by raising or lowering the machine relative to the shaft or pole 24 to which the
horses are attached when drawing the machine along. This shaft is pivoted to
the machine by one of its extremities at 25 and is arranged in such a manner that
it can be made to move about its pivot in a direction perpendicular to the ground,

page_text: but is kept from moving sidewise by means of a guide 26. The vertical move-
ment is controlled by a lever 27 pivoted to the guide 26 and coupled to the shaft
by a link 28. By adjusting the position of the lever the machine is canted up
or down and with it the knives. The other motion adjusts the height of the
knives relative to the ground in a direction normal to the direction in which
the machine moves when reaping. Such adjustment is performed, by a lever 29
pivoted at its extremity 34 and has on it the axis of the small travelling wheel 30,
which is at the end of the machine furthest away from the large travelling wheel.
By raising or lowering such lever the machine is raised or lowered at the side
and with it the knives. It is to be noted that the portion of the machine
furthest away from the large travelling wheel has the motion of greatest ampli-
tude. 31 is a short travelling band, its purpose being to facilitate the passage of
the crop to the knotter and binder. It is actuated by the shaft 32 which in turn
is driven by the chain 33 from the main shaft.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of
construction herein before described and illustrated on the annexed drawings, but
that I hold myself free to make such changes and alterations as conform with
the disposition and scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-
stood that I am aware that the method of driving the internal wheel and pinion
by means of the large driving wheel has been carried out already, and also that
the knotter and packer previously referred to is known and is in use, and I lay
no claim at large to such, but I declare that what I claim is;—
(1) In reaping and binding machines the general construction, combination
and arrangement of parts for receiving the cut crop on a platform 21, carrying
the same to the knotter and binder 22 by means of the bands or chains 10 and
delivering the sheaves behind the large driving wheel 12, substantially as
described and illustrated on the annexed drawings.
(2) In reaping and binding machines of the kind hereinbefore described, the
combination and arrangement of parts for adjusting the height of the knives
from the ground by means of the shaft 24, bracket 26, lever 27 and link 28, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated on the annexed drawings.
(3) In reaping and binding machines of the kind herein before described, the
combination and arrangement of parts for adjusting the height of the knives
from the ground by means of the lever 29 and small travelling wheel 30, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated on the annexed drawings.
(4) In reaping and binding machines of the kind herein before described, the
use of the band 31, substantially as and for the purpose described.
(5) In reaping and binding machines the general construction, combination
and arrangement of parts for cutting the crop and carrying such to the knotter
and binder, delivering it behind the large driving wheel, and for adjusting the
position of the knives relative to the ground, substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of September 1898.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
41, Reform Street, Dundee, Agents for Applicant.