IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Rowley Holben of Barton in the County of
Cambridge and Samuel Wilkerson, Junior, of Bassingbourn, also in the County
of Cambridge for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING APPARATUS FOR
THRASHING MACHINES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Rowley Holben
and Samuel Wilkerson, Junior, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 11th December 1883.
RICHARD ROWLEY HOLBEN of Barton in the County of Cambridge and
SAMUEL WILKERSON, Junior of Bassingbourn also in the County of Cambridge
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES
"
Our Invention relates to improvements in thrashing machine drum feeding
apparatus of the kind in which a set of yielding prongs or tines combined or
alternated with a set of rigid prongs or tines, are arranged above the distributing
cylinder for the purpose of preventing the corn being fed in excessive quantities to
the drum. And the Invention has for its object to make the rigid tines adjustable
according to the desired rate of feed, and to enable the position and motion of the
yielding tines to be varied to suit the adjustment of the fixed tines.
According to our Invention the rigid tines are all fixed to a stock or holder
provided with a screw adjustment whereby the said tines may all be raised or
lowered at once in order to set their points at the desired distance from the
distributing cylinder, and the tines pass through a second bar or holder and through
slots in the cover or case, the said bar being fixed in position thereon by set screws
whereby the position or inclination of these tines relatively to the distributing
cylinder may be varied as required.
The yielding or clearing tines may be attached to a rock shaft provided with a
weighted lever arm at right angles to the tines, the weight being capable of adjust-
ment to regulate the pressure required to deflect the movable tines and an adjustable
stop being provided to adjust their relative position to suit the fixed tines.
The Invention also relates to a curved prong or prongs mounted on an axis beneath
the feed board and arranged to rise up through a slot or slots therein, the point of the

page_text: prong or prongs being directed and moving towards the distributing cylinder for
the purpose of assisting to convey the corn towards the said cylinder. Oscillating
motion is imparted to the axis from a crank on the distributing cylinder shaft
through adjustable connections whereby the motion of the prong or prongs may be
varied as required. We also place a hood on the feeder making same a perfect
guard this hood being pivoted to the case of the feeder at each end wherein the
hood is balanced by weights. These weights are fixed to lever arms at the ends of
the hood the arrangement being such that should a man fall onto the feeder his
weight must necessarily come on the hood and cause the latter to completely close
the mouth of the feeder or should a sheaf be thrown onto the hood the latter will
be caused to close the mouth of the feeder and will be restored to its proper
position by the counterweights on the removal of the sheaf. This hood prevents
all corn being lost. To prevent the thrashed corn from escaping we provide an
inclined board or protector which extends from side to side of the machine, and
prevents the feed drum from throwing the loose corn out.
In lieu of the tines previously described we may have two or three L shaped
tines suspended from a rod mounted beneath the top of the case and hanging over
the distributing roller to which a rocking motion is imparted from a crank or pin
wheel on the distributing roller shaft. The shape of these tines with a return
piece is essential to the proper working of the apparatus as it prevents the tines
from carrying any of the material towards the drum or beaters in its backward
motion. The oscillating tines are furnished with cutters attached to them at their
points for the purpose of severing very rough material before it is delivered to the
beaters.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Rowley Holben and Samuel Wilkerson, Junior, in the Patent
Office on the 11th June 1884.
RICHARD ROWLEY HOLBEN of Barton in the County of Cambridge and
SAMUEL WILKERSON Junior of Bassingbourn also in the County of Cambridge
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FEEDING APPARATUS FOR THRASHING MACHINES ">
Our Invention relates to thrashing machine drum-feeding apparatus, in which a
set of yielding or oscillating prongs or tines is combined or alternated with a set
of rigid prongs or tines and arranged above the distributing cylinder for the
purpose of preventing the corn being fed in excessive quantities to the thrashing
drum, and the invention relates to the adjustment of the rigid tines adjustable
(as to height and inclination relatively to the distributing cylinder) according to
the rate of feed desired and to the adjustment of the position and motion of the
yielding or oscillating tines to suit the adjustment of the fixed tines.
The Invention also relates to a curved prong or prongs rising through the feed
board and receiving rocking motion in the direction of the distributing cylinder
for the purpose of assisting to convey the corn thereto.
The Invention also relates to a balanced guard for the drum feeder.
The Invention also relates to the bow form of the tines and to providing the
oscillating tines with cutters.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood we have illustrated
it in the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification, and will.
proceed to describe it with reference thereto. Figure 1 is a side elevation with the
near side of the casing removed showing the oscillating tines worked by a crank.
Figure 2 is a front elevation. Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the yielding
tines counterbalanced, and figure 4 is a front, elevation, Figure 5 shows a tine
separately According to our Invention the rigid tines a are all fixed to a holder.
or cross bar provided with screw and lever adjustments whereby the said tines may
all be regulated at once as to the distance of their points from the distributing
cylinder c and as to their inclination relatively to said cylinder. For this purpose
the tines a in figure 1 are fixed to a cross bar 6 which is supported from the
cylinder hood or cover by eye bolts d having nuts whereby the distance
of the points of the tines from the cylinder may be regulated. The cross
bar b may turn in the eyes of the bolts and it has a lever arm e fixed
on it whereby the inclination of the tines may be adjusted by pinning
the lever at the proper height to a standard f pivoted to the top of the
hood. The yielding or oscillating tines g are attached to a rocking shaft h
which is mounted in bearings in side standards i fixed to the framing of the
hood by bolts passing through slots or series of holes at which allow of
the adjustment of the rock shaft both up or down and backward or forward to
suit the position of the fixed tines. In figure 1 this rock shaft h receives
oscillating motion from a crank pink on the shaft of the distributing cylinder,
through a connecting rod and crank arm m fixed on the shaft h, the point of
connection of and m being capable of adjustment to suit the position of the
shaft.
In figure 3 the fixed tines a are fixed to a bar b placed on top of the cylinder
hood or cover through slots in which the tines pass the bar being fixed in position
by set screws d. In this arrangement the yielding tines g instead of receiving
oscillating motion from the cylinder shaft, are merely held in position by weighted
lever arms n attached to their shaft h the weights being adjustable to regulate the
pressure required to deflect the tines.
In each of these arrangements the fixed and movable tines are made with a

page_text: curved extension or return piece at back to strengthen them and prevent them
carrying any corn towards the drum or beaters in their backward movement.
The oscillating and fixed tines 9 have cutters x attached to their points as
shown in figure 5 for the purpose of severing very rough material before it is
delivered to the beaters.
Referring again to figure 1, there are one or more curved prongs o fixed on a rock
shaft p mounted beneath the feed board q through slots in which the prongs rise
with their points directed toward the distributing cylinder the prongs receiving
oscillating motion through an arms and connecting rod r from the crank pink for the
purpose of assisting to convey the corn towards the distributing cylinder c.
t is a
balanced guard pivoted at u to the case or hood of the distributing cylinder and
supported by spiral springs von quadrant shaped guide-rods fixed to the sides of
the hood and sliding through the guard t, or the latter may be supported by
counter-weighted arms as will be readily understood the arrangement of the guard
being in either case such that the weight of a sheaf or a man falling onto the
guard will depress it and cause it to close the mouth of the feeder.
This guard also prevents corn being lost, and to prevent the loose corn from being
thrown out a lip or board w is fixed in front of the distributing cylinder.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we declare that what we claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is:-
1st In a drum feeder for thrashing machines, the combination of a set of rigid
tines and a set of oscillating or clearing tines working between or alongside of
them and receiving a positive oscillating motion from a crank or its equivalent
substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.
2nd In a drum feeder for thrashing machines, the combination of sets of rigid
and of oscillating or yielding tines (whether receiving positive motion or merely
counterweighted) both sets being arranged so as to be capable of adjustment as to
height and inclination relatively to the distributing cylinder and to each other,
substantially as herein described and illustrated in the drawings.
3rd The construction of the tines with a bow shaped return piece as shown and
described.
4th The combination with the oscillating tines of cutters as and for the purpose
specified.
5th The combination with a drum feeder for thrashing machines, of one or more
curved prongs receiving oscillating motion and working through slots in the feed
board as and for the purpose specified..
6th The combination with a drum-feeder for thrashing machines, of a guard
pivoted to the hood or case of the distributing cylinder and supported in a yielding
manner in such position as to be depressed by a heavy weight falling on it and
close the mouth of the feeder substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof I the said Samuel Wilkerson, junior for myself and on
behalf of the said Richard Rowley Holben, have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Tenth day of June A.D. 1884.