IMPROVEMENTS IN HAR- VESTING MACHINES PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM WILKINSON, of Kempston, in the county of Bedford, Machine Fitter,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAR-
VESTING MACHINES PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THRASHING
MACHINES" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for cutting, gathering,
packing, compressing and tying grain into sheaves and for forming and binding
boltings of straw, the object of the improvements being to deliver the grain onto
the platform and to pack, compress, and bind the grain and straw into sheaves and
boltings in a better manner than hitherto and deliver the sheaves at a proper
distance from the standing corn, clear of or outside the main or travelling wheel
without being elevated over it; to dispense with the clevating canvases now
generally employed; to improve the construction of the finger bar, and other parts
of the machine, and to utilize the machine as used for harvesting purposes for
tying up straw when thrashing; also to render the machine lighter.
In reaping and binding machines as now generally in use such as that known as
the Marsh harvester with Appleby's or other string binding apparatus there are
two elevating canvases and in most cases one buttor or discharging carrier canvas;
these canvases are made of material not well suited for use in agricultural machinery
as it is affected by exposure to the weather, and under the effect of wet or
moisture it will tighten up or contract against the buckles used for adjustment
upon the fast running rollers and their respective bearings, thereby tending to
increase the draught and, when they again become dry, the canvases stretch out
to such an extent as not to retain the desired tension upon the said rollers, around
and between the bearings of which, straws frequently accumulate, thereby retarding
the operation of elevating the grain over the main frame and wheels. I have also
found by long experience with machines for cutting grain that in windy weather
and when the crop is laid an accumulation of grain on the outside divider has a
tendency to rest so as to sometimes stop the cutting and the forward progress of
the machine and this accumulation of the grain in binding machines on its way to
the canvases to be elevated is sometimes attended by the choking up and stoppage
of the machine and consequently interferes with the forming of a sheaf in the

page_text: other parts of the machine. When canvases have been dispensed with by tying
the sheaf on the opposite side of the travelling wheel or main frame, it has been
at a less distance from the standing corn and consequently the desired width of
path is not obtained for the next circuit of horses and machine to take various
widths of the latter more especially when required to deal with entangled and laid
crops and to straighten the line when commencing from a crooked fence. Further,
when string binding apparatuses have been placed alongside the platform at the
rear of the self delivering or self raking class of machines the result has been that
there has been too great a weight behind; I have also found in these Machines the
string sometimes comes out of the grip needle & spring string guide & sometimes
becomes twice wound round the latter & obstructs its progress.
Now by any invention I dispense with the canvas and the fast running rollers
usually employed and at the same time I am enabled to deliver the sheaf at about
the same distance from the grain as at present. For this purpose I construct
my improved reaping and binding machine as follows:-To a Marsh harvester
platform with suitable canvas belts or chains or other means for conducting grain
to the inner side of the platform and between the platform and main wheel 1 form
a trough or recess along which by means of mechanism working to and fro
I discharge the sheaf from the platform to an auxiliary table at the rear of the
machine. The rear of the platform is made higher from the ground than usual so
that the desired slope may be given from the same to the trough or recess; means
are provided for regulating the travel of tho said mechanism so as to deliver the
sheaf in any desired position to the binding apparatus for use with string or
otherwise and placed at the side of the said auxiliary platform away from the
standing corn. The discharging mechanism is operated by a chain travelling in
the recess and moved by gearing on an intermediate shaft in the front of the
machine through mitre gearing operating in a similar way to a planing machine.
A rod is attached at the front end to a clutch fork and has suitably shaped pro-
jecting pieces, one above and the other below the said rod. The carrier of the
discharging mechanism presses against the lower projecting piece on its return and
against the upper one when it has advanced to a certain position and partially
turns the said rod and in doing so turns over a ball lever and throws a clutch into
gear with one of two wheels and reverses the motion. When the carrier is
returning to its former position it presses against the projecting piece nearest to
the gearing and throws back the ball lever which is caught by a bell crank at a
point midway between the two gear wheels on the intermediate shaft. The gearing
of the binder is tripped off by the carrier of the discharging mechanism in its
return movement. The main gearing for actuating the discharging mechanism
I place in the front of the machine to counterbalance the weight on the opposite
side of the main axle; the brackets of the binder and other parts are made
principally of wrought iron or steel by preference, and are consequently both strong
and light.
Having described the main body of my improved harvesting machine I will now
proceed to describe the parts which are employed for gathering in the grain and
operating upon it or upon straw in forming them into sheaves or boltings as the
case may be. The main frame is of ordinary construction so far as relates to the
gearing for driving the knife of the machine. To secure a good grip on the
ground I place biting irons in a zig zag course round the travelling wheel and
by this means I obtain a continuous bearing surface. On a suitable shaft I mount
a bevil wheel having dugs or teeth on its periphery so as to form a chain wheel
for communicating motion to the packer hereinafter described; the said bevil wheel
gears with a pinion on a shaft which carries a chain wheel for driving an "Appleby "
or other binding gear by means of a chain passing to a chain wheel on the said
binding gear; brackets are fixed to the fraine of the machine for holding the
binding gear at the required elevation by the side of the binding table or platform;
the needle bracket and gearing rest on an extended portion of the frame. The reel
gear is also driven by the said gearing operating the discharging mechanism in front
"

page_text: of the machine; I provide a standard on which I pivot a lever for carrying the reel
upon which a chain wheel is fixed; the lever has a bearing for the reel at one end
and a spring slide and tension wheel at the opposite side of the pivot; by this
means I drive the reel with one chain from the herein before described gearing. The
required tension of the chain is always maintained by this arrangement of the said
wheels and lever and allows of the reel being operated by one chain instead of two,
or by one chain and spur or bevil gearing as hitherto. The lever is held in the
various required positions by a slide bolt having a rod working in a quadrant for
raising or lowering the reel. In order to move the reel inwards or outwards, a
standard is provided turning upon the hereinbefore described intermediate shaft at
its lower end and capable of being adjusted in various positions by a slide bolt acted
upon by a rod and handle and secured upon another toothed quadrant. Similar
quadrants to those I have just described have before been employed but not in
conjunction with a lever, chain and wheels arranged as described. The blades
which bring in the corn are constructed with their ends extending towards the
knife so as to better conduct the grain towards the middle of the knife and finger
bar which I purpose making T shaped in section and cranked at the end next to the
main frame, the fingers of ordinary construction being fitted on the front flange, the
platform on the back flange and the canvas bearings on the upper flange or rib
whereby obtain great strength and rigidity.
To assist the passage of the grain and prevent its accumulation on the outside
divider when the wind is blowing and when the grain is laid straight or entangled,
I remove the top board of the divider and attach a roller, preferably of a pyramidal
form tapering from the back end towards the front of the machine the said roller being
connected by chain and bevil gearing to and driven from the platform wheel or other
suitable part of the machine so as to rotate from the upper surface towards the
platform and throw off the grain onto the platform. This arrangement can be
employed in connection with existing reapers; strips are placed longitudinally at
intervals for clearers to prevent grain being taken underneath. When the grain is
straight and no wind is blowing, the clearers may be replaced by brackets and the
ordinary board or divider may take the place of the roller. To assist the grain still
further and to form it into sheaves to be discharged to the rear of the machine,
1 pack it against two levers either by means of the ordinary double throw packer
now generally in use or preferably by means of a cylinder or drum having an
adjustable crank spindle or axis in the inner side of the outer casing and eccentric
to the axis upon which the outer casing turns so as to cause projecting rods or teeth
to pass through the outer casing at a suitable point near the grain or straw on the
platform and take hold of the grain or straw and in their rotary movement press
the grain against the lever or levers and recede to the level of the surface of the
drum at a point opposite so as to be clear of any grain which may tend to travel
round with the cylinder. The said teeth may be formed upon heads extending
along the interior surface of the cylinder, such heads being operated by means of a
cam at each end of the cylinder; the cylindrical packer is thrown out of gear by
means of a bolt, operated by the packing levers, being forced against a catch and
throwing the cylinder out of gear as follows:-A ratchet wheel is formed on the
intermediate shaft, a quadrant being attached to a bevil pinion turning loose on the
same; the catch is held in position by a spring on the ratchet when turning until
the packing lever being pressed back by the sheaf, the bolt is shot, a stud on the
catch is struck, the catch is lifted off the ratchet and the quadrant is stopped from
rotating with it; the packing levers give way when suflicient grain has accumulated
to overcome their resistance and when it is required to relieve them from grain or
straw; the chain connecting the levers to a hook upon a bell crank lever is then
tightened, overcoming the desired resistance placed upon it by a spiral spring and
hand wheel; the bell crank lever then falls throwing the clutch into gear and
causing the carrier to advance, the distance of its travel being regulated by a hand
wheel and pinion and rack moving one of the herein before described projections
along the rod attached to the clutch fork and the sheaf will be placed in propor

page_text: position to suit the length of the crop upon the compressing platform or table to
receive the band or string.
At the same time the levers are pressed back, their bolts, by means of the extended
part above, are thrust forward and the revolving packer is thrown out of gear;
this part of the invention is operated by the chain wheel driven from the chain
wheel on the bevel gear hereinbefore described on the front of the machine; a chain
wheel below is attached to one of the platform rollers; a chain wheel carried at the
lower end of a vertical shaft operates the carrier of the discharging mechanism. The
lever or levers are pressed back hy means of the carrier of the discharging mechanism
which in its forward movement passes along a rail or bar which is so bent as to cause
the carrier to press the levers back but allows the levers to come forward towards
the rotary packer when the carrier is home or at rest. Both platform rollers are
raised behind and the inside or near platform roller at the end next to the recess
is driven from the packer or cylinder gearing above it, so that when the cylinder
stops, the canvas platform also stops during the movement of the carrier in delivering
the sheaf onto the table at the rear of the machine. I trip off the gearing working
the mechanism for discharging the sheaf on to the auxiliary platform in the rear.
I cause projections to travel to and fro across the table by means of a crank acted
upon by a toothed quadrant or are on the large wheel of the binder gearing and
working in a pinion so as to make one half turn at about the commencement and
the other half just prior to the completion of the revolution of the cam or main
wheel of the knotter upon which it is fixed or with which the quadrant or are
revolves; the said projections or compressers serve to bring the sheaf into position
for being operated upon by the needle and are connected with levers by a rocking
bar.
To better conduct the string to and secure it in the grip I take the end of the
same from the box and apply tension on a greater portion of the string than at
present by passing it through two picces of india rubber between which is a grooved
pulley around which I pass the string and I apply a disc lined with suitable material
which acts as a brake to a certain extent to this pulloy; I then pass the string
through suitable guides and a solid loop upon a weight free to move up and down
a standard in order to allow for any sudden movement of the string in working
and I then thread it into the needle through a hole near the shaft or axis on which
it turns. The needle is made hollow with grooves or recesses at intervals on its
outside so as to thread the needle up to the eye near the point. To better hold the
string in the grip of my Improved harvesting machine as herein described I form
the grip wheel with one or more grooves on its surface with a corresponding bed
which is tightened up or adjusted to the required degree by means of a thumb screw
and spiral spring which being connected to a catch holds it against the ratchet as
well as tightening the grip; I provide a lever having a catch for rotating the grip
wheel by catching against a lug or projection on a cain wheel against which it is
held by a hooked spiral spring at the end of the lever which is provided with a
roller. A slot is formed at the end of the lever for adjusting the position of the
roller. The grip wheel is mounted on a bracket and can be removed without
removing the knotter. A catch is pivotted at the lower end to hold the ratchet
from being pulled back by a string. The said spiral spring and thumb screw servo
to tighten up the catch as well as the bed of the grip wheel. Instead of the grip
wheel being centred on and attached to a bracket forming a portion of the knotter
frame I sometimes carry it on a separate bracket attached to the plate or stay of
the knotting apparatus underneath; in order to regulate the distance between the
knotter hook and the grip wheel I make the bracket moveable by providing slots
for bolts and attach it to the plate upon which it is supported; this also allows it
to be readily taken away with the grip or bed without removing any other part of
the knotter.
In order to attach an "Appleby's" or other knotter such as is now generally
employed, the two intermediate wheels between the pinion on the shaft and the
toothed wheel are dispensed with, the said pinion and toothed wheel gearing direct

page_text: one into the other. The chain wheel upon the pinion shaft is driven from the chain
wheel hereinbefore described at the rear of, the machine. To this wheel is attached
one portion of the clutch which runs through the bearing and turns freely in it and
upon the shaft. The herein before described pinion is fixed upon the said shaft and
one half of the clutch slides along the shaft and is forced towards the other half
by means of a spiral spring: a catch holds the clutch out of gear by a spiral spring
which bears against its upper end. The carrier as hereinbefore described moves the
sheaf along the recess onto the table constructed as herein before described at the
rear of the machine. After delivering the sheaf in the required position, the
carrier in passing a switch on its return movement pulls it and another switch back,
lifts the catch by means of a connecting rod and frees the clutch which is then
forced into gear by the spiral spring. While the toothed wheel is performing a
revolution it draws out a spiral spring. A lug is provided at the back of the said
wheel which lug tapers backwards so as to slide a stud at the end of the clutch
fork rod and the clutch out of gear. In order to bring the said lug clear of the
stud the last herein described spring is provided and having been distended during
the revolution of the wheel now springs back and draws the lug with it; the
toothed wheel is prevented from rocking by means of a bolt shot into a cavity
therein by means of a spring. The catch holds the clutch out of gear until the
return of the carrier as before described.
The operation of any improved harvesting machino is as follows:-
The grain is conducted as much as possible towards the middle of the knife by
means of the extended blades upon the reel which is raised or lowered and moved
backward or forward as herein before described; it is driven from the intermediate
shaft, the required tension of the driving chain being maintained in the various
positions in which the reel may be placed. The grain as herein before described has
a tendency in windy weather and with laid crops to accumulate on the outside
divider; when such is the case the top of the ordinary divider is removed and the
pyramidal roller is put in its place and is driven from the upper extremity towards
the platform by means of suitable gearing but preferably from the platform wheel;
the grain is thus assisted in its course onto the platform; it is then conveyed towards
the inner part of the machine by means of straps or canvas as hitherto. The drum
or cylinder placed over the platform at the near side and having teeth projecting at
the bottom part which are drawn in at the upper part then packs the grain into sheaves
against the packing lever or levers ready for being conducted along the recess or
trough by means of the travelling carrier. This carrier which delivers the sheaf
onto the table or platform at the rear of the machine is started by a quantity of
grain of the required size being pressed against the levers which are thereby
tightened; the chain draws the bell crank, lets the ball drop and puts the clutch into
gear so as to turn the bevil wheel and operate the chain travelling with the carrier
upon it. When the carrier has delivered the sheaf onto the compressing table in
returning (having freely passed the switch in advancing) it draws back the switches
and lifts the catch and allows the clutch to be forced by its spring into gear; the
toothed wheel then begins to turn, the crank, by means of the quadrant, rack, and
bevil pinion receives half a rotation and the hooked rods or compressers working
along the slots in the table are drawn along and bring the sheaf ready to be operated
upon by the arm or needle; when the cam wheel of the "Appleby', or other
similar knotting gear, such as is now generally employed, is completing its revolution,
the lug, tapering at one end and attached to the wheel comes in contact with the
stud or small roller upon the clutch fork rod and draws the clutch out of gear; on
the clutch being caught again by its catch or lever, the crank performs the other
half revolution and throws back the compressers to the farther side of the table.
The ejectors then deliver the sheaf in the usual way and it will fall at about the
same distance away from the standing corn as it would if it had been elevated it
will be clear of the main or travelling wheel and will leave ample room for the next
circuit of the horses and machine To tie up sheaves of grain & boltings of straw
with a portion of the straw or alike to be bound up when length and strength will

page_text: permitt I remove some of the parts as used for binding the shorter crops of grain
with string and in a similar position as with the additional platform or binding table
at the rear cause the gearing as before described as being tripped off by the
discharging contrivance to turn a crank as to move in a slot & thereby raise &
lower a standard made with a cross piece at its lower end & free to turn in a
swivel joint at its upper. By cutting a groove up this standard and forming it
spiral at its lower end to corrispond with a fixed studd or by other suitable means
I cause to be given to it a rotary movement when being raised & lowered. To this
crosspiece I pivot two levers or arms with quadrants at their upper ends and springs
in a suitable position to adjust the distance apart. These arms have at their lower
ends forks and graspers both by preference encased in india rubber. I provide the
quadrants with switches, springs, lugs, and connecting links, and arrange them so
that the upward movement of the standard effects their position & cause thereby
the closing of the graspers which I make to take hold of a hand placed by an
attendent or otherwise conveyed into a channel across the auxiliary platform to be
held at each end raised & twisted one turn and a quarter.
I cause a loop to be upon the sheaf when the latter is on this platform as moved
thereto by the discharging contrivance-I make one of the quadrants to act upon a
suitabley shaped piece connected with one of the arins so as to press down the end of
the band tightly on to the sheaf (after its being twisted as above) and into
this loop which I connect to the crank for working the projections by arc and pinion
as before described; and thereby draw the end of the straw band underneath the
band & the top of the sheaf and thus secure the tie as in binding by hand, the
sheaf is afterwards ejected in the usual manner-This portion of my invention as
contained in my improved harvesting machine may be applied to the upper part of
thrashing machines for the like purpose, or as follows.
In order to utilise the hereinbefore described harvesting machine for iying up
straw from thrashing machines into boltings with a portion of the straw I connect
one of the chain wheels on the shaft carrying the driving bevel gear to a suitable
wheel on one of the spindles of the thrashing machine and the straw falls from the
shakers into the canvass platform to be operated on in a similar manner to that
herein before described for grain, the pole, knife, reel & other parts which are not
required being dispensed with, the binder is blocked up in a level position & the
clutch on the said bevel gearing is disengaged so as not to turn tho travelling
wheel.
Altho I have described my Invention under several heads, I would have it
understood they are not to be considered as seperate disconnected Inventions but
only as integral parts of one Invention each being new & all being adjuncts
depending one on the other to produce the best results when used in combination.
Dated this twelfth day of January 1884.

page_text: I WILLIAM WILKINSON of Bedford Road Kempston Bedford Machine fitter do
heroby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING
MACHINES PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THRASHING
MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascortained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to Improvements in Machines for cutting, gathering,
packing, compressing, & tying grain into sheaves & for forming & binding boltings
of straw the object of these improvements being to deliver the grain on to the
platform & to pack compress & bind grain & straw into sheaves & boltings in a
better manner than hitherto & deliver the sheaves at a proper distance from the
standing corn clear of or outside the main or travelling wheel without being.
elevated over it, to dispense with the elevating canvasses now generally employed
to improve the construction of the finger bar, needle, & other parts of the machino
& to tie up with string or a portion of meterial aliko to be bound up.
In the accompanying.Drawings Fig 1 represents a front elevation & Fig 2 a
plan of my Improved Harvesting & Binding Machine In Fig 1-A represents the
canvass belt or platform (the strips upon which aro preferabley encased in india
rubber) for conducting tho grain as it is delivered from the reel A** to the side of the
machine nearest the driving wheel A*-B represents a trough or recess along which
by means of reciprocating mechanism described hereinafter the grain is discharged
from the said canvass belt A to a table G* at the rear of the machine & trough B.
The rear of the machine is at a greater elevation above the ground than at the
front as shown in Fig I to provide for getting sufficient depth to form the trough B
in consequence of the said front of machino where the fingers are placed being close
to the ground and also to keep the tablo on which the binding mechanism is placed
at a suitable clevation above the ground to prevent the needle & other gear under
the said binding mechanism from coming into contact with the ground. C repre-
sents the packer placed at the end of belt A nearest the driving wheel A* The
said packer C consists of two cylinders C & C of sheet iron closed at one end
& having the two open ends towards one another & secured together and at a
proper distance apart by stay rods C³ The said packer is pivoted at each end and
driven by a bevel gear wheel C' fixed to one end of said packer between the
ends of the said packer & below the centre of same is fixed a rod or shaft C³ held
stationary on which are mounted or pivotted rods C which project through or
round the periphory at equal distances apart of said packer to carry the grain
along when the same is rotated, The rods C being mounted on shaft C³ are
thereby fixed excentrically with the packer C and when the same is rotated the
said rods which turning with it will some of them project through & some of them
remain inside the periphery of said packer the arms always projecting more at the
bottom of said packer on account of the excentricity of shaft C being greatest at
that point. D represents bars or rods placed behind the packcr & over the
trough B these rods are mounted on a shaft D'-These rods D are so fixed that
the grain is accumalated against them by the said packer C & when a certain
quantity has accumulated between them & the said packer the said rods D give
way & allow the grain to drop into the trough or recess B-on which travels a
vertical board or discharger D3 which is set in motion to & fro.in the trough by
mechanism which I will now proceed to describe, E is a shaft pivotted & revolving

page_text: in the front of the machine as shown in Fig 2 the said shaft having a wheel on one
end driven by a pitch chain from a wheel e¹ mounted loosely on a shaft
& connected by a clutch e³ to said shaft which is driven by a spur pinion wheel c
which also gears with internal spur wheel e5 on the driving wheel A* the clutch e
may be actuated by a lever not shown in the drawing The shaft E has placed
loosely upon it a double clutch E which slides lengthwise on the said shaft É on a
feather key on either side of clutch E' and at a suitable distance from it are
mounted loosely two bevel wheels E² & E³ which gear with another bevel wheel E*
below them which is mounted on a nearly vertical shaft E This shaft E³ projects
below the bottom of the trough B at the front of the machine & has mounted on it
a pitch wheel B' which is connected with another pitch wheel B³ at or beyond the
other end of the trough B-This pitch chain has fixed on it in a suitable manner
the discharger D A forked rod E mounted at one end of a shaft E* grips the
clutch E¹ & extends above the same terminating in a ball E as shown in Fig 3
This ball in its normal position rests in a cup D' fixed at the end of a rod D³
which is mounted near one end of the shaft D' as shown in Fig 2 On the extreme
end of the shaft D' at the front of the machine is fixed a short lever D° which is
caused to move by the said shaft D¹ & arms D by the accumalation of grain against
the latter the outer end of which bears against a stud or pin Dª which slides in a
bearing D & is kept against the end of the said lever D³ by a spring D³ The
stud D has a screw thread upon it on which turns a nut d'against which the
spring D presses besides returning the stud D to its normal position when
the pressure is taken off the lever by so adjusting the position of the nut on
the said stud the spring is compressed more or less also regulating the amount of
grain allowed to pass between the packer & the arms-The stud D is so placed
that when it is pushed forward by micans of the lever D it comes in contact or in
the way of a spring pawl. Fas shown in Fig 4 which is mounted on the back of
a bevel wheel F as loosely on the shaft E which gears with the bevel wheel C'
fixed on the packer C. This pawl Fin its normal position gears with a ratchet
wheel F which is keyed on the shaft E thereby driving the packer but when the
stud D is pressed forward by means of the lever 1³ the said stud Dª gets in the
line of movement of the pawl F & lifts it out of engagement with the ratchet
wheel thereby stopping instantly the rotation of the said bevel wheel F & with
it the packer CThe shaft E is carried along above the trough B terminating at
a suitable point as shown in Fig 2 near each end & underneath the shaft E are
fixed cam pieces e & e formed so that when a rod D* fixed on & projecting above
the discharger D² makes contact with the said cam piece in the movement of the
discharger from one end of the trough to the other they cause the said shaft E* to
partly rotate in either direction according as either cain piece is made to move as
shown in Fig 3. The cam piece E is mounted on the shaft that it can be moved
or adjusted backwards or forwards by means of a hand lever e³ to the lower end
of which a toothed quadrant et is fixed which gears with a toothed rack co on the
Lop of the said cam piece e above the shaft E* This is arranged for the purpose
of altering the travel of the discharger. The shaft E* being connected to the
clutch E by means of the forked rod E causes the said clutch to gear with either
of the bevel wheels E² & E³ according as it is moved by either of the cam pieces
& thus rotates the level wheel E, shaft E³ & pitch wheel B in the direction as
hereinafter fully set forth-As the amount of grain dropped between the rod, D
& the packer C is not suflicient to force back the said rods D to the opposite side
of the trough EI fix on the inside of the said rods a flat bar D so arranged
that a suitable roller D10 mounted & fixed above the discharger Dª is caused to
move along said bar D' when the discharger moves forward to move the grain away
Thus forces the bars or rods D to the side of the trough B opposite to the packer.
On the back of the pitch wheel e' is fixed a bevel wheelf which gears with a bevel
pinion f¹ fixed & rotating with a shaft f On the other end of the shaft is
fixed a pitch wheel-f³ which rotates another pitch wheelf by means of a pitch

page_text: chain fo the pitch wheel f' is mounted & rotates in n bracket f? & is fixed to one
part of a clutch f which is on the other side of the said bracket a shaft ƒ°
revolves in the said half of clutch ƒ³ & pitch whoel f' & carries a feather key on
which is fixed the other part f" of clutch capable of moving lengthways of shaft so
as to gear with other part f8) of clutch as required. In part f of clutch is
formed a groove which is gripped by a forked lover f10 pivotted between its
extremities to an extension of bracket f' the said lever being connected by a
rod f which slides on a further oxtension of the bracket f' & is connected to a
rod Between the outer end of the forked lever f & the extension of bracket is
a spring The rod f¹ is formed as to be overhanging the trough B & has fixed
to its lower end a short rod f¹ su constructed that when it is pushed or moved by
the discharger towards the rear of the machine it swings loose on the end of
rod f& when moved by the discharger in the other direction it moves rod ƒ¹³
along with it-At the rear end of part f of clutch is a spring f bearing up
against a pinion wheel G fixed to shaft & which gears with the cain wheel G
On the front of the cam wheel G is fixed a toothed segment so as to gear with a
bevel pinion G The bevel pinion G is fixed at the top of a vertical shaft G³ at tho
lower extremity of which is fixed a disc crank G' for actuating rods or bars G³ for
compressing the grain previous to tying it. These rods G5 are actuated from tho
said disc crank by means of the connecting rod Go which is fastened to the bar
nearest to the front of the machine-This bar having another connecting rod G7
which makes connection to a shaft G³ from which the other bars are actuated as
clearly shown in Fig 5-The segment G³ is mado seperate from the cam wheel C
to allow of it being adjusted to suit the straw tying mechanism to be described
hereafter G is a lug or projection on the back of the cam wheel for actuating the
bar Q10 for disconnecting the clutch ƒ³ & ƒ³. In Fig 5 is shown my improved
needle H the said needle I make of a hollow section as to contain the string &
prevent it getting entangled in any of the gear-The sides of the said needles are
cut away at different intervals along it to facilitate threading the same-In Fig
is shown my improved Grip P & the method of mounting the same the said grip P
is formed of the usual parts-(viz) the grip wheel I & the grip bed I' The grip
wheel I form with a groove 12 as shown In Fig 7 the grip bed having a
corrisponding tongue to fit tho same. With this arrangement there is less tendency
to cut or break the string than in the ordinary form of grip-I mount the grip
wheel & contigeous parts on a suitable bracket I³ which by being bolted to the
knotter plate, as shown can be easily removed for repairs &c without taking any
of it to pieces as in the caso with several forms of gripping devises. The blades of
the reel A** as shown in Figs 1 & 2 are curved at the extremities to cause the
grain as it is brought in by the said reel to gather up from the sides towards the
middle of the knife At about the middle of the shaft E is koyed a pitch wheel J
in which gears a pitch chain J On the said shaft E is keyed a lover J² at the
outer extremities of which is pivotted a lover J³ at an equal distance on each side
of the pivot of said lover Js are two pitch wheels of equal diameter J & J³ the
three wheels J-J' & J³ are in the same plane and are driven by the pitch
chain J By this arrangement I am able to shift the reel in a vertical & hori-
zontal manner without any alteration in the length of the pitch chain J¹ On both
the levers J & J are notched quadrants for adjusting the position of the same-
The knife (not shown) is actuated by the disc crank K on the shaft K¹ on which is
the bevel pinion K' gearing with the bevel wheel f. On the driving or travelling
wheel I arrange strips or spuds as shown in zig-zag form, round the periphery
of same to securo a good grip of the ground & prevent side movement as it travels
over the same.
In fig 1-I show my improved finger bar L. The said finger bar I form of
T section iron, to the one flange of which are fixed the fingers while the other two
flanges bear, one underneath & the other in front of the frame of the machine as
shown. At m in Fig 1 is shown my improved divider this said divider I make of

page_text: a circular form in cross section but tapering in the length & I cause it to rotate by
means of the pitch chain N & bevel wheels N' driven from the outside platform
wheel as shewn the said divider being made adjustable in the usual manner. By
thus giving it a rotary motion as shown by the arrow it prevents any loose grain
that may be driven upon it by the reel from accumulating in heaps as it is apt to
do with a stationary divider especially in windy weather.
I will now proceed to describe my improved arrangement for tying grain sheaves
by a portion of the same. Figs 9 & 10-represent a front & side elevation of the
said apperatus 0 represents a suitable framing with bearings O¹ in which works
the vertical rod O' actuated by a crank O³* as shewn. On the rod 02 is shewn a
groove into which a fixed pin (not shewn) projects from the inside of the lower
bearing O' This groove 03 is caused to twist round the rod so as to give the said
rod when moved upwardly by the crank, a movement of one & a quarter turns―
At the bottom of the said rod 0 is fixed a cross head O' to which are pivotted two
bell crank levers O³ & O" are shown-three fingers the centre one of which O' is
pivotted between the other two. To these fingers 07 are fixed rods of actuated
by springs O these rods being pivotted with rollers at their outer extremities. On
one of the rods is also shewn another rod Q10 at the bottom of which is shewn a
curved jaw Oч the extremities of which are bevelled The action of the said
mechanism is as follows The ordinary string binding mechanism having been
removed & this substituted connection is made by a pitch chain from the pitch
wheel P on the frame O to the pitch wheel P1 on the cam wheel Q¹ on the machine
the mechanism is shown fixed over the end of the trough B. Fig 9 Sufficient
grain having been delivered to form a sheaf a small quantity of grain (sufficient
to make a band) is fed into a trough on a travelling band running under the
trough B-A special seat (not shewn) boing provided at the rear of the machine
for a man to set & keep feeding the said bands into the said trough. Directly the
band is delivered it is gripped by means of the fingers 07 closing in on the rest &
gradually taking up by the bell crank levers 0 & 0 until they reach nearly to
the position of the dotted lines in Figure 9-the bell crank levers gradually closing
in by reason of the rods O* forcing them in as shewn-Having arrived at this
position the bell crank levers make a turn & a quarter thereby twisting the band
to corrispond, the bell crank levers still gradually rising untill having arrived
nearly at the top of the travel, the rollers at the end of the rods Os travel round
cam faces Q which have lugs or projections Q These lugs Q' being in the way of
the rollers on the rods O & Os the said rollers run up & depress their respective
rods the lug which depressed the rod Os being a little in advance of the other
in the direction of the rotation & causes the said rod to act first The rod Os being
depressed as stated compresses its spring & locks itself with a catch Q which is
pivotted on the lever & extends to the other side; at the same time a collar Q³
on the rod Os* comes in contact with a catch Q' pivotted on the said lever which
extends through the same & locking the bar 0% When the collar Q makes contact
with the catch Q' the said catch is lifted out of engagement with the rod 01⁰ which
is instantly forced down by the spring mounted upon it: By this movement at
the end of said rod 10 which is forked as shewn forces down the end of the band
that it holds into the spring fork or loop K Figures 10 & 11 This fork K is held
in such a position that it rests on the top of the sheaf & is made with a portion of
each of its sides set back so that the end of rod O can enter between with very
little side movement of the prongs of the said fork or loop. After the end 0³ of
said rod is forced down, it is lifted out on account of the rod O still noving up to
complete its travel & leaves the end of the band in the fork R which holds it
firmly When this has taken place a pin R' on the rod 02 comes in contact with a
lever K which being connected to the fork R through the medium of the con-
necting rod R³ & lever R causes the said fork R to draw the end of the band
underneath the twisted portion & thus complete the knot-The fork is connected
to an extension on the lever R by means of the spring R° so as to allow it to give

page_text: way to any strain that may be put upon it by the band as it is tightened up around
the sheaf. After the rod O has completed its upward movement it begins slowly
to decend & at the same time gradually draws up the rod O by means of a cam
actuated by a roller or an extension on the bell crank lever O which is gradually
being drawn in towards the centre. Just before the rod 010 completes its upward
movement a collar Q³ fixed upon it comes into contact with the catch Q³ which is
locked in the rod Os disengaging the said catch & causing tho said rod to descend
& close the fingers O' & grip another band preparatory to tying another sheaf.
Both bell crank levers are actuated precisely the same way except that the rod 010
on the lever 0 is not forked at the end. The forks are by preference encased in
india rubber I will now proceed to describe the action of the whole machine-
preparatory to binding the grain. The grain having been delivered by the
reel Axx is cut & carried by the band A to the packer C where it is gradually
accumulated between the said packer & rods D when a certain quantity of grain
has accumulated the rods D are forced back by the same-the grain therefore
dropping into the trough & through the medium of the shaft D' the cup D' is
moved away which allows the ball E7 to fall on one side putting the double clutch.
into gear on the side with the bevel wheel E-which through the medium of the
bevel wheel E & shaft E³ causes the pitch wheel B' to rotate & by means of the
pitch chain rotating on it moves the discharger D³ towards the rear of the machine
theroby moving the grain at the same time. At the same time the stud D° is
forced forward by means of the lever D thereby lifting the pawl F' out of engage-
ment with the ratchet wheel F& thus causing the packer to stop rotating.
The discharger having delivered the grain at the rear of the machine tho
projecting rod D* comes into contact with the cam piece which being pressed
on one side by the rod D* causes the shaft E to partly rotate causing the double
clutch to fall into gear on the side with the bevel wheel which causes the bevel
wheel to operate in the opposite direction thus causing the discharger to move in
the opposite direction. Just before the discharger delivers tho grain to the end of
the machine it comes into contact with the depending rod f which moves the
rod f¹ & rod f¹ thus causing the forked lever f10 to be drawn back thus moving
the rear part of the clutch fo with it, until the forked lever moves out of the groove
in said clutch The part clutch fº now being free & being pressed from behind by
spring 15 moves into gear with the other part of clutch fs thus causing the
pinion G to gear with cam wheel G₁ &-thereby putting into gear the other parts
necessary to complete the tying The said tying being completed while the cam
wheel makes a completo revolution the part of clutch fº is caused to disconnect
from parts by means of projections on lug CP on cam wheel G' forcing back the
bar Go & causing the said part of clutch foto gear with forked lever 10 as the
operation of forcing back said rod G1º is apt to stop the cam wheel G¹ before it has
caused the forked lever f10 to gear with clutch f I place a long spring so
connected to cam wheel G¹ that just as projection G comes into contact with
bar G¹o the said spring helps tho said cam wheel to perform its work by pulling it
over this point.
This machino may be connected by means of a pitch wheel on the outer end of
shaft of cam wheel G to a similar pitch wheel on a thrashing machine for binding
up the straw from the same by means of the Straw binding mechanism.
Having now described & perticularly ascertained the nature of my said Invention
& the way in which the same may be used or carried into practical effect I observe
in conclusion that I point out what are the important & novel features of my
Invention under the several heads herein described & I would have it understood
that these features of my Invention while they are new as applied are only claimed
as used respectively in combination with the others or other of them or their
equivalents & forming the several new & usefull combinations which constituto
respectively my Improved Harvesting and binding Machine-The combinations
herein described are not disconnected Inventions but are used as parts of a whole

page_text: which I claim as my entire invention & for to obtain the best results by using the
aid parts in combination in respect of which I claim
1st The combination of a trough with a discharger, sloping platform & main
driving wheel as & for the purposes set forth.
2 The combination therewith of the binding table and the arms G & mechanism
for actuating the same substantially as & for the purpose set forth.
3 The combination of a rotary divider with a stationary one & actuated by the
mechanism described for driving the same as & for the purpose set forth.
4 The construction of a packer as described in combination with the method of
actuating the packer rods substantially as & for the purpose set forth.
5 Constructing, the outer ends of the blades of the reel as described.
The combination of the pitch wheels & levers for altering the position of the
reel either in a vertical or horizontal manner & with the tenson wheel as
set forth.
7 Forming projecting ribs or spuds on the paraphray of main driving wheel as
& for the purpose mentioned herein.
8 The construction of the needle as & for the purpose set forth.
9 The combination of the grip wheel & grip bed in this machine constructed
substantially as described & for the purpose set forth.
10 The mechanism for Lying & binding grain & straw with a portion of the
same meterial substantially as described & for the purpose set forth.
11 The spring fork or loop constructed substantially as & for the purpose set
forth.
12 The combination of the Harvesting parts of the machine with the parts for
tying with suitable meterial substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of October 1881.