IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES, ÅDRADAMES CONNECTED TWIN POR BINDING UP THE STATO AD PROVISIONALARA THEREWITH FOR BINDING UP THE SHEAVES AS THEY ARE CUT
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Agars Walker, commonly called John
George Agars Walker, of Danes Hill, near Retford, in the County
of Notts, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES,
ÅDRADAMES CONNECTED TWIN POR BINDING UP THE STATO AD
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Agars Walker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd June 1875.
I, GEORGE AGARS WALKER, commonly called John George Agars
Walker, of Danes Hill, near Retford, in the County of Notts, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING
MACHINES, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR BINDING UP THE SHEAVES
AS THEY ARE CUT," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the gathering together of the corn
as it leaves the knives of the reaping machine, forming the same into
a sheaf, spinning the band, and tying up the sheaf ready for stacking,

page_text: the whole of which operations after cutting have been hitherto effected
by manual labor.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which my Invention is
carried into practice.
The corn after passing the reaper knives falls upon an endless band
or travelling surface to which an intermittent motion is given. The
mechanism for imparting motion to this band or travelling surface is so
arranged that when sufficient corn has fallen upon the endless band
it is propelled forward within reach of a second piece of mechanism,
consisting of a set of grippers, in connection with which is fixed a
mechanical twister. The grippers gather up the corn into the form of a
sheaf, and the twisters, which consist of one or more revolving hooks
suitably shaped, get hold of small particles of the straw and gradually
twist it into a band. So soon as the grippers have got firm hold of the
corn, and the twister of the necessary amount of straw for commencing
the band, a revolving motion to the extent of one revolution is given
to the gripper to allow the band to be spun and twisted round the sheaf;
the band is then fixed in position ready for tying, this latter operation:
being accomplished as follows:-In a suitable position over the line
in which the band has been spun mechanism is arranged consisting of a
set of spring pinchers; these are so arranged as to grip the band ends
as they leave the twister, and entwine them together. So soon as this
operation. is completed a swan-necked cam moves forward across the
path of the pinchers and turns or tucks under the entwined portion
of the band, thus completing the tying up of the sheaf. When this is
accomplished the grippers open and the sheaf is deposited at the side
of the machine, the delivery being effected either by a special releasing.
motion in connexion with the grippers, or by a movable platform under
the grippers.
In order that my improvements may be applicable for gathering
crops of every description, light and heavy, I vary the speed of the.
mechanism so as to give a longer time for gathering the amount
requisite to form a sheaf on light crops, and to expedite the same
on heavy crops.
To enable the travelling platform to carry forward the amount of corn
to form a sheaf without being intermixed with what is being cut by the
knives during the same time, I introduce two swing bars, one on each.

page_text: side of the travelling band or surface, and worked by suitable mechanism
therefrom. These swing bars which are fixed to the trough sides hold
up the heads of the following corn from the band or travelling surface
so long as necessary, after which they are restored to their normal
position at the side of the trough, and the following lot of grain hitherto
held up from the band or travelling surface now falls on to it to form
a portion of the next sheaf, and is subsequently carried forward in like
manner.
To ensure the grippers encompassing the whole of the grain brought
forward from the knives I introduce a swivel bar with an alternate
motion so arranged that as the grain advances up to the grippers
the bar in question depresses the same to come within the range of
the gripper. When this is accomplished the bar rises up again to
make room for the succeeding delivery, which is operated upon in the
same manner.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements in lifters for
raising fallen crops in order to bring them under the action of the
reaper knives. This mechanism consists in the introduction of a
moveable pivoted frame over the knives carrying two spindles and
double sets of wheels or pulleys round which is strung a chain, rope,
or belt carrying blades at a distance from the periphery thereof; thesc
by means of the pivoted frame above mentioned may be set at varying
distances from the ground so as to raise the grain upwards to the reaper
knives as the machine advances. By this arrangement a straggling or
fallen crop is brought uniformly to the knives of the machine, causing
greater regularity in cutting, and also in the subsequent operation of
forming the sheaves.

page_text: '
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-ninth
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Agars Walker, Her special license that
I, the said George Agars Walker, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Agars Walker, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REAPING MACHINES, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR BINDING UP THE
SHEAVES AS THEY ARE CUT," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said George Agars Walker, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Agars Walker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object the gathering together of the corn as
it leaves the knives of the reaping machine, forming the same into a
sheaf, spinning the band, and tying up the sheaf ready for stacking.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood and
readily carried into practice I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.

page_text: of the machine as shown at Figure 1; Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views
of several modified arrangements of band spinners or twisters; and
Figures 9 and 10 show side and end views of apparatus for lifting the
corn when laid into an upright position to enable the reaper knives to
cut the same.
This improved sheaf tying apparatus may be adapted and applied to
reaping machines of every description, suitable arrangements being made
for delivering the corn to the gripper arms.
Self-raking machinery can be readily arranged to deliver the grain to
the grippers herein-after described without any intermediate mechanism.
In the application of my Invention to manual machines I apply
either an endless band or travelling surface, or in lieu thereof the
mechanism herein-after described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 of
the Drawings annexed.
One part of the Invention consists of the gripper arms h, h', which
gather the corn as it leaves the self-raking apparatus or other suitable
delivery mechanism, as the case may be, and presses together the requisite
amount of grain to form a sheaf.
The motion of closing the grippers h, h², is effected as shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3. A pin a in a circular plate 6 gives reciprocating
motion to a slide link c, which is connected at the centre to a spindle d
sliding through a revolving bush e, and is connected at the opposite end
in a long boss supporting two plates f forming cross bars, to which at
each end (of these plates) is attached between them friction rollers g for
working on the back of the gripper arms h. The sliding spindle is con-
tinually sliding to and from the crank plate b, and at each stroke makes
one sheaf.
b
Immediately the grippers i have gathered the corn up into a compact
sheaf a lug attached at k to the circular plate 6 comes into contact with
a lever attached to a spindle at m and moves it a short distance, the
effect of which is to give motion to a bevel wheel segment n at the other
end of this spindle, which is geared into a bevel pinion segment o, to
which is attached a fork p on a cranked rod. The motion thus acquired
moves the fork p across the sheaf and detaches some ends of the straw_
or corn and places them in position for the band spinner 9 (shown also
at Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) to commence to make the band. After the

page_text: fork has held the straw to the band spinner q a sufficient time the
lever ceases to be in contact with the lug k, then the spiral spring "
acting on the lever pulls it back to its original position in readiness to
commence operations on the next sheaf.
The band spinner shewn at. q, Figures 1, 2, and 3, has a constant
motion, and now commences to twist the band and the sheaf, at the same
time commences to revolve by an intermittent motion applied to the
gripper arms through being jointed to the bush e in bracket at s, to
which is attached a bevel pinion t working into a toothed segment u on
crank plate b.
2
The sheaf revolves from the band spinner q, and thus pulls the band
underneath and brings it up on the opposite side, which, however, is still
fast in the sheaf, and the band has to a certain extent been made from
the straggling straws which surrounded the sheaf, and which the spinner
hooked up as they came to it. When the sheaf has completed its
revolution, the band still being held by the spinner, the cross bars at f
are on the return stroke and through the medium of the roller v (in
some cases it may be found better to place this roller in the centre as at
x, and arrange the tying centres accordingly), which strikes a lever at w
and moves it a given distance, the effect of which is that the curved
lever at ¹ is moved downwards a corresponding distance, and in its
descent takes the band from the spinner q and tucks it into the sheaf, a
weight y having been moved upwards by this last motion, and the
roller passing out of contact with the lever w allows the weight or a
spring as at y¹ to react on the lever x¹, drawing it back to its normal
position. The cross bars f attached to sliding crank spindle d are now
nearing their extreme backward position, and coming into contact with
the curved ends of gripper arms h, h¹, opens each arm to its respective
distance and allows the sheaf to roll off the platform, which is inclined
for that purpose.
The grippers i (an end view of which is shown at Figure 2) are joined
at their sides to the gripper arms h, h¹. A small jointed pin or arm b*
with hinge and stop at the top of right-hand gripper pushes a portion of
the corn to the left when the arms are closing to ensure at all times a
portion of the corn being in the exact position required for the fork p to
turn it over to the spinner q. This pin or arm 6* also gives a firm hold
to the end of the band in the sheaf, and prevents the band spinner

page_text: gathering to fast. The curved arm shown at c* on left-hand gripper
arm h' keeps the sheaf up in a compact form, and in the case of its being
a small sheaf keeps the straw sufficiently high for the spinner fork p.
The grippers i are flattened at the top in order to keep the sheaf down
from the spinner when the sheaf has been turned round and the band
made, in order to give the spinner an opportunity of finnishing the band
by keeping clear of the sheaf. The elastic arm or spring d* acts to
ensure the corn being brought into position for the spinner fork to take
hold of same. A stop at ex is employed to prevent the sheaf being
pressed up too much.
The band spinner, as shown in this arrangement, is driven by gearing
direct from the main reaper wheel, as shown in Figure 1. The spinner q
is inclined in order that the band may be spun as near as possible direct
from the centre of spinner, so as not to drag down from it. The outer
gripper bar may, if desired, be stationary, and the sheaf be delivered from
the machinery by means of a falling or tilting platform (not shown in
the Drawings).
The manner of gathering the straw from the sheaf for the band is in
each case the same, viz., the spinner being always in motion at once
takes a portion of the straw as held up by the spinner fork p. The
sheaf now revolves, and the band winds away from the spinner, which
finds fresh material from the sides of the sheaf, but finishes the band
when the revolution is complete by not having anything more to get
hold of. The curved lever ¹ then descends and tucks the end of the
band into the sheaf.
The "spinners," various modifications of which I employ for special
purposes, I will now proceed to describe as follows:-
The band spinner shown in Figure 4 has a curved slot with a pro-
jecting point a¹ on the top curve. A curved lever a moves on a pin b
inside the frame, and by the action of a spring a* inside closes the slot
near the shaft or axis, thus giving a taper to the mouth of the spinner
at a', the effect of which is that the straw when entering works itself to
the centre, and the curved lever a regulates the supply by opening at
the centre when clogged up, and closing at the point a¹.
The band spinner shown at Figure 5 works in the same way as that
previously described, with two points or hooks a', and two levers a, open_

page_text: the segment comes into gear. Another arm or projection u** also moves
the lever and pin * up at the moment the gripper arms are opening, this
arrangement allows the gripper arm next the platform to rise above the
sheaf and descend on the other side, thus encompassing the entire sheaf.
This is effected by means of a curved lever at q*, working upon a roller
fixed to a small metal bracket u*. As soon as the lever gets over this
roller the gripper arm falls upon the platform, and the pin at once closes
in the boss of pinion t, and keeps it in the exact position for gearing into
the segment again, a fully cogged wheel cast on crank plate giving a
continuous motion to the bevel pinion t. Figures 1, 2, and 3 may be
used; in such case I attach a clutch with mechanism arranged to work
in connection with the sliding link c on the crank plate.
At Figure 2 another mode of securing and pressing in the band is
shown. The curved lever a³ arranged with small roller behind the
point is attached to a long lever c³ by a pin at d³; the lever a³ is
attached to the same spindle as the double ended lever ea behind. The
downward motion is derived from lever f coming into contact with the
roller on the reciprocating bars in their return stroke, which gives
the required motion to the two levers, thus bringing them both down
the long lever c³, through the pin d³ on lever a³, sliding in the slot. The
fork in its descent (being taper) pulls the end of the band from
spinner and presses it down into the sheaf, until the point 6ª coming
down almost simultaneously pushes through the fork and returning
pulls the end of band into the sheaf. The return motion is effected by
the lever having changed its position to ¹ in the downward motion
of the fork, now comes into contact with the roller von cross bars f, f,
and is moved back a given distance, thereby elevating the fork and band
lever to its normal position. Each of these levers as well as any others
of the kind are free to move to the left upon the return stroke of the
cross bars, by making the lever in two parts with a stop and spring at
the joint k³.
In connection with the crank plate b, and the pin a fixed thereto,
Figures 1, 2, and 3. I place a link consisting of two bars c. c. ioined at

page_text: and pinion at 2*, the shaft m being geared direct to the main travelling
wheel.
Although in the several Drawings and views of the machinery
previously described I have shewn the frame and apparatus as being
arranged square with the reaping machine platform, it will be quite
-evident that any position can be given to it which is found to be most
convenient.
-
Another part of the Invention, represented in Figures 9 and 10 of
the Drawings annexed, consists of mechanism so arranged as to raise
fallen and twisted corn into an upright position ready for the knives,
and finally to lay it down on the platform, and by means of a rake
attached to one of the lifting rollers move the sheaf back to the gripper
The rakes may bo
arms for tying and away from the falling corn.
attached in varied number to the rollers to suit special requirements.
One rake is shewn at Figure 9, which is kept up inside of the lifting
rollers by a spring a, until reaching a radial bar on the platform,
which deflects the lever and causes the rake to take a line straight with
the roller arms c'; the lever continues on this bar until the sheaf has
been moved up the platform its required distance when the rake springs
back into its normal position. The lifting rollers c pivot at the sides
into arms securely fixed into the box link of an endless chain c².
The leading end of this mechanism may be elevated or depressed as it
is found desirable by altering the lever in regulator at d. The support
at back to be connected to the reaper frame. This apparatus is very
suitable to use in connection with the sheaf tying apparatus; in this case
the grippers work entirely on the delivery platform, thus producing a
very compact machine.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing or carrying the same into practice, what I claim is,-
First. The arrangement of the rotative gripper arms h, h', and grippers i,
together with the jointed pin b*, and mode of actuating the same from
crank plate b, and also the manner of giving motion thereto from the
bevel pinion and segment on the crank or segment plate b, substantially
as and for the purposes herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings annexed.
Secondly. I claim the arrangement and construction of the band
spinners or twisters, acting substantially in the manner herein-before

page_text: described and represented in Figures 1 to 8 of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Thirdly. I claim the arrangement and construction of the spinner
fork p, and mode of gearing it to and combining it with the crank
plate b, substantially as herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings annexed.
Fourthly. I claim the arrangement and application of the curved
lever and appliances in combination therewith for securing the band,
substantially in the manner herein shewn and described and represented
in Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed.
Fifthly. I claim the arrangement of the band presser combined with
the lever for securing the band, substantially in the manner herein-
before described and shown in Figure 2 of the Drawings annexed.
Sixthly. I claim the arrangement of the endless chain with arms,
rods, and rakes attached for lifting laid corn and depositing the same
in sheaves on the platform, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before described and represented in Sheet 3 of the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Agars Walker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five.