IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING, GATHERING, AND STACKING HAY AND OTHER CUT CROPS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Francis Hancock, of Whittlebury, in the County
of Northampton, Gentleman, and Edmund Carthew Hennah, of Lewisham
Road, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING, GATHERING, AND STACKING HAY AND
OTHER CUT CROPS."
Sealed the 13th November 1877, and dated the 6th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Francis Hancock
and Edmund Carthew Hennah at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 6th September 1877.
THOMAS FRANCIS HANCOCK, of Whittlebury, in the County of Northampton,
Gentleman, and EDMUND CARTHEW HENNAH, of Lewisham Road, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING, GATHERING,
AND STACKING HAY AND OTHER CUT CROPS."
The object of our Invention is to enable the farmer to collect, carry, and stack
his cut crops much more speedily, and at a much less expenditure of horse and
manual labour than is now required for these operations.
By. the use of our improved apparatus no manual labour is required for raking
up and collecting the hay or other crop, nor are the ordinary waggons required for
carrying the hay from the field, as the crop is collected from the ground as it is left
by the mowing machine or scythe, and is gathered into bundles by the apparatus
itself, and is transferred in that form to a carrying device, from which it is lifted by
an elevating apparatus on to the stack. By this means the tedious operations of
horse or hand raking the hay, pitching it into the waggon or hay cart, and pitching
or lifting it from the latter by hand labour on to the stack are dispensed with.
Our improved apparatus consists of several separate parts, each of which is
intended to perform a distinct operation.
The first part of the apparatus may be called the collector, as it collects or rakes
up the hay from the ground, lifts it up and deposits it on the second part of the

page_text: apparatus, which may be termed the gatherer, inasmuch as it gathers a considerable
body of hay, and forms it into a bundle, in which form it is transferred to the third
part, which is the carrier, whereby it is transported from the field to the locality
where the stack is placed.
The fourth part of the apparatus lifts the bundles from the carrier, and deposits
them on the top of the stack, leaving the attendant nothing more to do than to
arrange the hay on the top, so as to make the stack of the proper form.
The collector consists mainly of a large cylinder provided with any convenient
number of curve shaped tines, and mounted on an axle, to which rotary motion is
imparted by means of toothed gearing connected with the running wheels, on which
the apparatus is mounted. The curved tines are arranged on shafts extending
across or from side to side of the machine. Each of these shafts carries at one or
both ends an arm or lever provided with antifriction rollers, which run in a cam
groove in the side plates of the machine, so that the tines are made to project
through holes made in the periphery of the cylinder, and are drawn back or into
the cylinder during a portion of the revolution of the latter. In combination with
this cylinder there are two concave shields or guards, one in front and the other behind.
The function of these guards is to prevent the hay from being thrown about; and
they are moreover intended to assist in guiding the hay into the gatherer.
When the gatherer is removed the implement (when drawn over the cut crop)
will act just like an ordinary hay-making machine, that is to say, it will lift and
toss about the crop; and in order more effectively to toss the crop we may, if
desired, adapt a series of rotating forks on a fork barrel to the upper part of the
framing of the machine, the fork barrel to be rotated by a band or other convenient
means.
In order to prevent the tines from being broken or injured, should they
accidentally strike against any hard substance on the ground, the bars which carry
them are made to yield at the lower part of their revolution.
It will now be understood that as the implement is drawn over the field the
cylinder, with its tines, will be caused to rotate, and rake up and collect the hay,
which will be lifted up by the rotary tines, and dropped over the hinder guard or
shield on to the platform of the gatherer, which is hooked on behind and therefore
travels with and after the collector.
If desired, the collector may be provided at each side with curve guide plates,
which will (as the implement is drawn forward) push forward towards the centre
the portions of hay which extend laterally beyond the reach of the tines.
The gatherer consists of a low platform mounted on wheels, and provided at its
rear with a tumbling frame supported behind by a jointed strut, which, however,
will allow the frame to fall down into a horizontal position when required. This
frame carries at its upper end a bar provided with a number of hooks, on to
which may be suspended one end of a net, or open-work or flexible fabric, the
opposite end of which is attached in a similar way to the hooks of another bar
mounted in bearings at the rear end of the collector.
Suppose that the several parts are arranged in the manner above described, the
operation of the implement will be as follows:-The rotating tines will pick up the
hay and will deposit it on the outspread net on the platform of the gatherer. An
attendant will tread down the hay close until a sufficient quantity has been gathered
together to form a bundle of convenient size. In practice we have found that these
bundles may be made of such a size that each will contain about one-third of a
waggon load of hay. When sufficient hay to form a bundle has been gathered into
the net the attendant will unship the hook bar at the rear end of the collector, and
will attach to it the ends of two strong cords, chains, or straps, which are connected
by their opposite ends to two barrels mounted on a rotating bar placed just behind
the hook bar of the gatherer; then, upon rotating these winding barrels by means
of a winch handle, the cords, chains, or straps will be wound thereon, and the two
hook bars will be drawn close together. The two ends of the net or flexible fabric
which envelopes the hay may then be detached from the hook bars and tied together

page_text: by short strings, and the bundle will be complete, when it may be removed
from the gatherer by allowing the tumbling frame to fall back, so that the bundle
may be rolled off the platform on to the carrier, whereby it may be carried from
the field to the stack.
A second net may then be attached to the hooked bars, and
a second bundle of hay collected and formed in the same manner. These operations
may be continued until all the crop is collected, gathered into bundles, and carried
to the stack.
The carrier consists of a low carriage mounted on small running wheels, and
carrying a curve shape tumbling frame, which, being mounted on centre pins, is
capable of being tumbled over backwards, so that when the carrier is backed up
against the gatherer, and the tumbling frame is thrown back, the bundle of hay
may be easily rolled off the gatherer on to the tumbling frame, which may then be
moved back and secured in its proper position. Or the bundle of hay may be
rolled on to the ground, whence it may be readily rolled on to the tumbling frame
of the carrier. The carrier (being provided with shafts) may then be drawn by a
horse to the stack, on to which the bundle of hay may be lifted by the elevator,
which forms the fourth part of the apparatus.
This elevating apparatus consists of a pair of sheers, or two vertical or inclined
struts connected together at the upper end, and jointed at their lower ends to a
foundation plate, on which they are capable of rocking. These struts are secured
by suitable guy ropes in a vertical or slightly inclined position, and from their upper
end is suspended a horizontal spar, which is capable of being rocked on its point of
suspension, and also of being turned round horizontally in either direction. At one
end of this spar is an eye or hook, to which one end of a cord or rope is attached
for the purpose of holding the spar in the horizontal position, the other end of the
cord or rope being attached to the foundation plate. By this means the spar will
be fixed in the horizontal position, but will be capable of swinging in to the right
or left.
At the opposite end of the spar is a grooved pulley, over which is passed a
cord or rope, whereby the bundle of hay may be lifted up.
It will now be understood that a bundle of hay (consisting of, say, one-third of a
waggon load) having been formed and brought by the carrier to the stack, as already
explained, it will only be necessary to hook the bundle on to one end of the elevating
rope, and attach the other end to the carrier, which, on being drawn away by the
horse, will lift the bundle of hay on to the stack. The attendant on the stack will
then unloose the enveloping net, and spread the hay on the stack, which will be
formed in the usual manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Francis Hancock and Edmund Carthew Hennah in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th March 1878.
THOMAS FRANCIS HANCOCK, of Whittlebury, in the County of Northampton,
Gentleman, and EDMUND CARTHEW HENNAH, of Lewisham Road, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND GATHERING
AND STACKING HAY AND OTHER CUT CROPS."
The object of our Invention is to enable the farmer to collect, carry, and stack
his cut crops much more speedily, and at a much less expenditure of horse and
manual labour than is now required for these operations.
By the use of our improved apparatus no manual labour is required for raking
up and collecting the hay or other crop, nor are the ordinary waggons required for
carrying the hay from the field, as the crop is collected from the ground as it is left
by the mowing machine or scythes, and is gathered into bundles by the apparatus
itself, and is transferred in that form to a carrying device, from which it is lifted by
an elevating apparatus on to the stack. By this means the tedious operations of
horse or hand raking the hay, pitching it into the waggon or hay cart, and pitching
or lifting it from the latter by hand labour on to the stack are dispensed with.
Our improved apparatus consists of several separate parts, each of which is
intended to perform a distinct operation.
In the accompanying Drawings we have shewn various views of the different
parts of our improved apparatus for collecting, gathering, and stacking hay or other
cut crops.
"
The first part of the apparatus is shewn in elevation at Fig. 1, and in plan at
Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. This part may be
called the collector," as it collects or rakes up the hay from the ground, lifts it up,
and deposits it on the second part of the apparatus, which is shewn in side elevation
at Fig. 4, and in plan at Fig. 5. This part of the apparatus is shewn in the
Drawing as in combination with the collector, and may be termed the gatherer,
inasmuch as it gathers a considerable body of hay, and forms it into a bundle, in
which form it is transferred to the third part, which is shewn in side elevation at
Fig. 6, and in plan at Fig. 7. This is the "carrier," whereby the bundle is trans-
ferred from the field to the locality where the stack is placed.
The fourth part of the apparatus lifts the bundles from the carrier, and deposits
them on the top of the stack, leaving the attendant nothing more to do than to
arrange the hay or other cut crop on the top of the stack, so as to make the stack
of proper form. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, and Fig. 9 an end elevation of this part
of the apparatus.
The collector, Figures 1, 2, and 3, consists mainly of a large cylinder a provided
with any convenient number of curve shaped tines b, b, and mounted on an axle c,
to which rotary motion is imparted by means of toothed gearing, shewn by dots in
Fig. 3, connected with the running wheels d, d, on which the apparatus is mounted.
There may be any convenient number of these curved tines b, b, which are attached
to bars b¹ extending to the centre of the drum. Each of these bars is carried at
each end by an arm or lever e mounted on a rocking shaft, and is provided at one
end with antifriction rollers, which run in a cam groove in the side plates of the
machine, so that the tines 6 are made to project through openings made in the
periphery of the cylinder a, a, and are drawn back or into the cylinder during a
portion of the revolution of the latter. In combination with this cylinder a there
are two concave shields or guards g and g', one in front and the other behind. The
function of these guards is to prevent the hay or other cut crop from being thrown
about, and they are moreover intended to assist in guiding the hay into the gatherer,
shewn at Figures 4 and 5.

page_text: When the gatherer is removed the implement (when drawn over the cut crop)
will act just like an ordinary hay-making machine, that is to say, it will lift and
toss about the crop; and in order more effectually to toss the crop we employ a
series of rotating forks adapted to a fork barrel mounted at the upper part of the
framing of the machine. The forks may be rotated by a band or other convenient
means, and will toss the hay about in the same way as ordinary hay-making
machines.
In order to prevent the tines b from being broken or injured should they
accidentally strike against any hard substance on the ground, the bars which carry
them are made to yield at the lower part of their revolution. To this end the
lower part of the grooved cams f are hinged or jointed, as at f*, so that they will
yield to any undue strain.
It will now be understood that as the implement is drawn over the field the
cylinder a, with its tines b, will be caused to rotate, and will rake up and collect the
hay, which will be lifted up by the rotary tines b, b, and be dropped over the hinder
guard or shield g¹ on to the platform h of the gatherer, which is hooked on behind,
and therefore travels with and after the collector, as shewn at Fig. 4.
If desired, the collector, Figures 1, 2, and 3, may be provided at each side with
curved guide plates g*, which will (as the implement is drawn forward) push
forward towards the centre portions of hay which extend laterally beyond the reach
of the tines b.
In order to lift the tines b, b, from off the ground when the machine is not at
work or is travelling along a road, the hinged portions of the cam grooves f are
provided with arms f¹, Figures 1 and 3, which carry studs that project through the
sides of the machine. To these studs are adapted link rods fi connected to hand
levers f³, whereby they may be drawn forward, and thereby made to lift the tines
clear of the ground.
The "gatherer," Figures 4 and 5, consists of a low platform h mounted on wheels
or castors i, and provided at its rear with a tumbling frame į supported behind by
a jointed strut j, which, however, will allow the frame to fall down into a
horizontal position when required. This frame carries at its upper end a bar k
provided with a number of hooks, on to which may be suspended one end of a net,
or open-work or flexible fabric 1, the opposite end of which is attached in a similar
way to the hooks of another bar k* mounted in bearings at the rear end of the
collector.
Suppose that the several parts are arranged in the manner above described, the
operation of the implement will be as follows:-The rotating tines b of the collector
will pick up the hay and will deposit it on the outspread net on the platform h of
the gatherer. An attendant will tread down the lay close until a sufficient quantity
has been gathered together to form a bundle of convenient size. In practice we
have found that these bundles may be made of such a size that each will contain
about one-third of a waggon load of hay. When sufficient hay to form a bundle
has been gathered into the net / the attendant will attach to the hook bar k* at the
rear end of the collector the ends of two strong cords, chains, or straps, which are
connected by their opposite ends to two barrels m mounted on a rotating bar placed
just behind the hook bar k of the gatherer; then upon rotating these winding
barrels by means of a winch handle, as shewn at Fig. 4, the cords, chains, or straps
will be wound thereon, and the two hook bars k and k* will be drawn close together.
The two ends of the net or flexible fabric which envelopes the bay may then be
tied together by short strings, or secured by other means, and the hook bar k* is
detached, and the bundle will be complete, when it may be removed from the
gatherer by allowing the tumbling frame j to fall back, so that the bundle may be
rolled off the platform h on to the carrier, Figures 6 and 7, whereby it may be carried
from the field to the stack. A second net may then be attached to the hooked
bars k, k*, and a second bundle of bay collected and formed in the same manner.

page_text: These operations may be continued until all the crop is collected, gathered into
bundles, and carried to the stack.
The carrier, Figures 6 and 7, consists of a low carriage n mounted on small
running wheels n, and carrying a curved-shaped tumbling frame o, which, being
mounted on centre pins o¹, is capable of being tumbled over backwards, as indicated
by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, so that when the carrier is backed up against the
gatherer, and the tumbling frame j of the latter is thrown back, the bundle of hay
may be easily rolled off the gatherer on to the tumbling frame o of the carrier.
This tumbling frame may then be moved back and secured in its proper position, as
shewn at Figures 6 and 7; or, if preferred, the bundle of hay may be rolled off
from the platform of the gatherer on to the ground, whence it can be readily
rolled on to the tumbling frame o of the carrier, for which purpose the frame
is lowered into the dotted position, shewn in Fig. 6. The carrier (being pro-
vided with shafts) may then be drawn by a horse to the stack, on to which the
bundle of hay may be lifted by the elevator, which forms the fourth part of the
apparatus.
in
This elevating apparatus, shewn in side and end elevation at Figures 8 and 9,
consists of a pair of sheers, or two vertical or inclined struts p, p, connected together
at the upper end, and jointed at their lower ends to a foundation plate q, on which
they are capable of rocking. These struts are secured by suitable guy ropes r, r,
a vertical or slightly inclined position, and from their upper end is suspended a long
horizontal spar 8, which is capable of being rocked on its point of suspension 8', and
also of being turned round horizontally in either direction. At one end of this
spar 8 is an eye or hook, to which one end of a cord or rope t is attached for the
purpose of holding the spar in the horizontal position, or nearly so, the other end of
the cord or rope t being attached to the foundation plate q. By this means the
spar 8 will be held in nearly a horizontal position, but will be capable of swinging
to the right or left.
At the opposite end of the spar 8 is a grooved pulley u, over which is passed a
cord or rope v, whereby the bundle of hay may be lifted up.
It will now be understood that a bundle of hay (consisting, say, of one-third of a
waggon load), having been formed and brought by the carrier to the stack, as already
explained, it will only be necessary to hook the bundle on to one end of the
elevating rope v, and attach the other end of this rope to the carrier, which, on
being drawn away by the horse, will lift the bundle of hay on to the stack. The
attendant on the stack will then unloose the enveloping net, and spread the hay on
the stack, which will be formed in the usual manner.
It will be seen, on referring to Figures 8 and 9, that a windlass w is adapted to
the platform q for the purpose of lifting the bundles of hay or other produce on to
the stack when required.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for
Collecting and Gathering and Stacking Hay and other Cut Crops," and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we claim as the Invention
secured to us by Letters Patent, as aforesaid,--
The general construction and arrangement of parts herein set forth for collecting
and gathering hay or other cut crops into bundles, and carrying and stacking the
same as above described.
We claim particularly the arrangement and construction of parts, shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3, for collecting the cut crop from off the ground, and depositing it
on the gatherer.
We claim also forming the bay or other cut crop into bundles by depositing
it in a net or other flexible fabric or device arranged for the purpose, so that it
receives the crop and afterwards envelopes the same securely for the convenience of
handling.
We further claim the carrier, shown at Figures 6 and 7, for receiving the prepared

page_text: bundles, and transporting them to the stack, on which they are deposited, as herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Carthew Hennah, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
EDMP. C. HENNAH. (L.B.)