IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING HARVESTERS, AND TRUSSING MACHINES to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: We, JAMES HOWARD, EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, and GEORGE GIBBS, all of
Bedford, in the County of Bedford Engineers do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEAF-BINDING HARVESTERS, AND TRUSSING
MACHINES to be as follows:-
"
°
Our invention is partly designed to improve sheaf-binding harvesters and
trussing machines in respect of tying or knotting mechanism such as is referred
to in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to one of us dated October 22nd
A D, 1883 N° 5023.
By our present improvements, we combine the advantage obtained by the
rotatory mechanism described in the Specification of the aforesaid Patent, with
the advantage of a swinging frame arrangement.
In carrying out this part of our invention, we mount the knotting hook and the
string lever with its cutter on one frame, and the gripper disc with its worm wheel
and driving pinion upon another frame. The first named of these frames, which
carries the knotter hook &°, is rigidly attached to the guard-plate of the binding-
table; the second frame, which carries the gripper disc &, is attached and pivotted
to the knotter main shaft or spindle, so that the gripper disc & is, within a certain
range, free to move in the arc of a circle to and from the knotting hook. The
object of permitting the gripper disc thus to move is to prevent undue tension
upon the string just at the moment when the knot is being formed, the tension upon
the string being sufficient to draw the frame with its gripper disc toward the
knotting hook At all other times the gripper disc is kept at the requisite distance
from the knotting hook by the weight of its frame, or it may be controlled by
a suitable spring between the two frames.
Our invention also relates to improvements in appliances such as are described
in the specification filed by two of us with our application for Letters Patent and
bearing date September 10th A D 1884 N° 12251 for carrying sheaves after they
have been bound and until they are deposited upon the ground.
The lever appliances described in the aforesaid specification N° 12251 for
actuating the sheaf table are so constructed that the proper discharge of the
sheaves is interfered with by the rear portion of the frame, and the lever appliances
for connecting and actuating the two leaves of the sheaf table. To obviate these

page_text: defects we raise the rear part of the frame for carrying the leaves of the table, s0
that when the leaves are lowered, no obstruction to the discharge of the sheaves
is offered by the rear part of the frame, and instead of connecting and operating
the two leaves of the table in the manner described and shewn in the aforesaid
specification, we connect the two leaves. together at the front end of their frame,
and the lever appliances operate both leaves from the rear pivot of the inner leaf,
by these two arrangements we remove all obstructions to the proper discharge
of the sheaves.
In certain cases instead of using trap doors as described in the aforesaid
specification N° 12251, we propose to hinge to the main frame of the machine,
below the binding table a number of steel prongs which form a skeleton platform,
upon which the sheaves are received as thrown off from the binding table. These
prongs are so formed and placed that, whilst in position, the sheaves are carried
securely upon them, they offer the least resistance when dropped or lowered to
the discharge of the sheaves. The prongs are held in position by similar lever
appliances to those described in specification No 12251 which appliances also serve
for the purpose of lowering the prongs for the discharge of the sheaves, and for
raising the prongs again-into position.

page_text: Machines.
We, JAMES HOWARD, EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD and GEORGE GIBBS, all of
Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Engineers, 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:-.
. Our invention relates to sheaf-binding harvesters and trussing machines, and
comprises improvements in tying or knotting mechanism, such as that referred to
in the specification of Letters Patent of the United States granted to J. F. Appleby,
September 17th A.D. 1878, and also in the Specification of British Letters Patent
granted to one of us and dated October 22nd 1883, N° 5023. The said mechanism
comprises a gripper-dise; and one object of the improvements forming the subject of
the said Britisli Patent was the operation of this gripper-disc by rotary mechanism,
instead of by the reciprocating devices which had been previously used for this
purpose.
By our present improvements we combine the advantage obtained by the
rotary mechanism described in the Specification of the aforesaid British Patent;
with the advantage of a yielding or elastic support of the said gripper-disc and its
adjuncts.
In carrying this part of our invention into practice, we mount the knotting hook,
and the string-lever with its cutter, on one frame, which we term the "fixed"
frame; and the gripper-disc with its worm-wheel and pinion upon another frame,
which we term the "swinging" frame. The fixed frame, which carries the knotter-
hook and its adjuncts, is rigidly attached to the guard-plate of the binding table;
and the knotter-shaft passes through, and has a bearing in, this fixed frame. The
said knotter-shaft also carries the cam or wheel, on which are formed teeth which
gear with, and drive, the worm-shaft-pinion for operating the gripper-disc. The
swinging frame, which carries the gripper-dise; is pivotted or hung on the knotter
shaft or spindle, so that the said gripper-disc, within a certain range, is free to
move to and from the knotting hook, in the arc of a circle concentric with the
knotter-shaft, in consequence of which movement the worm-shaft-pinion remains
in gear with the teeth on the side of the aforesaid cam. The object of permitting
the gripper-disc thus to move is to prevent undue tension upon the string, just at
the moment when the knot is being formed; the string, when under sufficient
tension, drawing the frame with its gripper-disc toward the knotting hook. At all
other times the gripper-disc is kept at the requisite distance from the knotting
hook by a spring between the two frames.
Our invention also comprises improvements in appliances for carrying sheaves
after they have been bound, and until they are deposited upon the ground..
In the accompanying drawings
:
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing those parts of the knot-tying mechanism
of. a sheaf-binding harvesting or: trussing machine to: which our improvements
particularly relate
2

page_text: Figure 3 is a front elevation of a sheaf-binding harvester, illustrating part of our
improvements relating to the sheaf-carrier.
Figure 4 is a plan of the said sheaf-carrier.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of a sheaf-binding harvester provided with another
form of sheaf-carrier, and
Figure 6 is a plan of this sheaf-carrier.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate the improvements in the knot-
tying mechanism :-
a is the fixed frame; b is the knotter shaft or spindle; and c is the knotting
hook..
d is the cam fixed on the knotter-shaft, and having on it the teeth d for driving
the said hook, and the teeth d³ for actuating the gripper-dise; e is the swinging or
pivotted frame; and f is a pinion which gears with the teeth d² and is fixed on the
upper end of the worm shaft or spindle f¹. This shaft or spindle is carried in the
swinging frame e, and has the worm g fixed on its lower end.
7 is the gripper disc or wheel; and h¹ is the gripper-arm which acts in conjunction
with the said disc, and is kept in the proper position relatively to the same, by a
spring. The said gripper disc or wheel is mounted on the short shaft i which is
carried in the said swinging. frame. j is a worm-wheel fixed on the shaft i and
gearing with the worm g to impart the required movements to the said gripper-
disc; and is a spring which offers an elastic resistance to the swinging frame
when the latter is pulled inward or toward the fixed frame by the string.
This spring affords the advantage that it enables the cam and roller heretofore
employed for keeping the fixed and swinging frames apart to be dispensed with,
and it only gives string to feed the knotter when the latter requires it; which
is not the case with the cam and roller, which give slack string whether it is
required or not.
The cam d has a rotary motion imparted to it by well known means which need
not now be described, and, in its rotation, the teeth d pass into, and out of, gear
with the pinion f, thereby so operating the worm g as to cause it to impart to the
gripper-disc the required intermittent movements. The action of this disc in
gripping or holding the string while the knot is being tied by the hook is the same
as heretofore, but, instead of maintaining a rigid tension upon the string, as when
carried in a fixed support, the said disc adapts itself automatically to the varying
positions of the hook in tying the knot, and thus prevents an undue or excessive
stress or tension on the string at any part of the operation.
As the aforesaid swinging frame is hung or pivotted upon the axis of the series
of teeth d³ with which the worm-shaft-pinion is geared, it is obvious that, in all
the positions of the said swinging frame, the said pinion will remain concentric
with the teeth d³, so that the action of the gripper-driving mechanism is not
interfered with; and this contrivance enables us to accomplish, in a very convenient
and satisfactory manner, the chief object of this part of our invention as above
stated, viz: the combination of driving mechanism, all the movements of which
are rotary, with a swinging or pivotted and elastic or yielding support and action
of the gripper devices.
That part of our invention which relates to the sheaf-carriers of sheaf-binding
harvesters comprises improvements in appliances such as are described in the
Specification filed by two of us with an application for Letters Patent bearing
date September 10th A.D. 1884, N° 12,251.
The lever appliances described in the aforesaid..specification No 12,251 for
actuating the sheaf-table. are so constructed that the proper discharge of the
sheaves is interfered with..by..the rear portion of the frame, and by the lever
appliances for connecting and actuating the two leaves or flaps of the sheaf-carrier,

page_text: In order to-obviate these defects, we arrange the parts of the sheaf-carrier as
shown in Figures 3 and 4, that is. to say, the rear part of the frame carrying the
leaves or flaps m, m¹ of the table, is placed at such a height above the ground that;
when the leaves are lowered, no obstruction to the discharge of the sheaves is
offered by the said rear part of the frame. Also, instead of connecting and
operating the two leaves of the table in the manner described and shown in the
aforesaid specification, we connect the two leaves together, at the front end of their
frame, by means of the levers n, n¹ and the connecting rod o.
Both leaves are operated from the rear pivot o¹ of the inner leaf m by means of
the lever pand the rod p¹ extending to a point within reach of the driver. By
these two arrangements, we remove all obstructions to the proper discharge of the
sheaves.
In certain cases, instead of using trap-doors, as described in the aforesaid
Specification N° 12,251, we construct. the sheaf-carrier of a number of hinged bars
or prongs g, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.
These bars are preferably formed of steel, and are hinged at r to the main frame
of the machine, below the binding table 8, so as to swing horizontally and vertically,
and form a skeleton platform, upon which the sheaves are received as they are
thrown off from the binding-table.
In order to prevent the sheaves from sliding off the platform, the latter is held.
in the position shown in full lines in Figure 5; while, to discharge the said sheaves,
the platform is lowered to the position indicated by the dotted lines. Above the
level of the platform is mounted the bar t carried on pivots t¹; and to the said bar
are secured the supports u, one of which is provided for each prong. These
supports are inclined or somewhat V-shaped at the outer ends, as shown in Figure 6,
for the purpose hereinafter described.
The platform is held in position by similar lever appliances to those described in
specification N° 12,251, which appliances also serve for the purpose of lowering the
prongs for the discharge of the sheaves, and for raising the prongs again into position.
The operation of this carrier is as follows, that is to say:- When a sufficient
number of sheaves has been deposited upon the platform, the rod p¹ is released in
the usual manner by the driver; the platform then falls vertically until the prongs
strike the ground, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 5, when the sheaves roll
off the platform.
To prevent the prongs from being damaged by catching against stones or other
projections upon the ground, they are adapted to swing laterally upon their pivots,
as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 6.
. After the sheaves have been deposited upon the ground, the platform can be
again raised by means of the rod p¹. By making the ends of the supports inclined
or V-shaped, as shown, the prongs, owing to their weight, are caused to return to
their original positions during the raising of the platform.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
First. The improved knotting mechanism in which the string-holding or gripping
devices are mounted upon a swinging frame pivotted on the knotter-shaft, and
arranged in combination with the knotting hook and held apart from the same by
an elastic or yielding support, substantially as set forth, and for the purposes
specified.
Second. The combination, with the series of teeth concentric with the knotter-
shaft, of the pinion f, shaft f¹, worm g, and worm-wheel ; mounted on the swinging
frame, substantially as set forth, for operating the gripper-disc in the manner, and
for the purpose, specified.
Third. The combination of the said improved knotting mechanism with the
binding arms and other parts of a sheaf or truss binding machine, for the purpose
Bpecified.

page_text: Fourth. The improvements herein-before described with reference to Figures 3
' and 4, whereby we provide for operating the leaves of the sheaf-carrier, for the
purpose specified.
'
Fifth. The improved sheaf-carrier consisting of the parts constructed and com-
bined substantially as described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings
and operating as set forth.