Year: 1887

page_text: Figure 1 represents a vertical cross section of a grain binder embodying said
improvements, the knotter being removed to show the position of the compressing
mechanism before a gavel of grain has been accumulated on the compressing
fingers.
Figure 2 an elevation of the trip arın and needle just before said needle has started
on its return after the completion of a bundle and just before the latter is discharged.
Figure 3 is a vertical section through the trip arm.
Figures 4 and 5 enlarged elevations of the trip arm, and
Figure 6 a perspective view of a bracket that constitutes one of the improvements.
Referring by letter to the drawings A represents the needle shaft of a grain binder
and B the needle that has its hub B keyed to said shaft. Bolted to a gas pipe C that
forms one of the supporting bars of the grain binder is a bracket D provided with
top and bottom lugs a b that act as stops to limit the swing of a spring frame E
hinged to said bracket, the latter being shown in detail Figure 6.
Adapted to slide in the frame E is a plate F and passed down through the top of
the frame and a spiral spring G to be secured to the plate for the purpose of
confining the spring between it and the top of said frame is the shank H' of a
hook H that engages the adjacent end of a trip arm I.

page_text: Pivoted to the upper portion of the spring frame E is one end of a finger J that
has its other or free end arranged to lic upon the hub B₁ of the needle B, and
the latter end of this finger is offsetted at c to engage a shoulder d on said hub.
Near its rear or pivoted end, the finger J is cast or otherwise provided with a
hook e and to this hook is attached one end of a coil spring K, the other end of
said spring being held by the bracket 1) against the gas pipe C.
The spring K holds the finger J down upon the hub B of the needle B and
at the same time draws the upper end of the frame E toward the shaft A.
Heretofore it has been usual to make the spring frame E straight but in this
instance it is made with a bend E¹ that guides the plate F to which is attached the
shank H of hook H thus causing said hook to rise in the are shown in dotted lines
Figure 1, and described by the engaging end of the trip arm I as it lifts the hook,
otherwise the hook would travel at a tangent to this arc and said trip arm would be
liable to disengage prematurely.
The trip arm I has its hub provided with an eccentric housing in which enters
a sleeved stud L arranged on that side of the needle B that is opposite the finger J
and said trip arm is slotted at g to allow it to be slipped on to the end of the needle
shaft where it is held by a washer h and key i.
The outer end of the trip arm I is slotted longitudinally to receive a bolt j by which
the trip fingers I are adjustably bound to it, and the inner end of this trip arm is
provided with a lug that extends out under the needle.
Screwed up through the lug k is a set bolt M against which the needle B rests
when ready to encircle a gavel, and when said needle is in this position the inner end
of the trip arm I is in position to engage with the spring hook H.
When a sufficient amount of grain has been packed upon the trip fingers I¹ to
cause them to trip the machine into gear, the inner end of the trip arm I is tipped
against the resistance of the hook H and the set bolt M is brought into contact with
the needle B to lift the latter far enough to cause the tripping mechanism to start the
machine.
The needle B now rises and its sleeved stud L lifts and wedges the trip arm up so
as to cause it to compress the gavel (the slot g permitting it to be so lifted) and then
after the gavel has been encircled the compression is decreased until the shoulder d
striking the offset c of the finger J causes it to throw the hook E off said trip arm
and the latter falls to the position indicated by dotted lines Figure 2 where it remains
until said needle has gone back in the direction indicated by the arrow to the position
shown by Figure 3 when by contact with the set bolt M it will force the inner end of
said trip arm beneath the hook H as shown by Figure 2.
By the operation just described it will be noticed that the hook H takes the weight
of the grain as well as the strain caused by the pressure of the needle upon the gavel
as the latter is encircled, and remains in engagement with the trip arm until the said
needle begins to return to its normal position.
To shorten or lengthen the action of the trip fingers it is only necessary to turn the
bolt M in or out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. In a grain binder, the combination with the trip fingers, and the trip arm to
which they are hung, of a spring catch for engaging the inner end of the trip arm,
and a frame in which the shank of the catch slides, said frame being prevented from
vibrating extensively by stops co-acting with stops on the main frame but having a
bend which acting on the lower end of the shank of the spring catch serves to tilt
the same and permits it to maintain its engagement with the trip arm as it is drawn
up by the action of the pressure of a gavel on said trip fingers, as set forth.
Second. In a grain binder, the combination of a spring catch for the trip arm,
a swinging frame for the catch, a finger pivoted to the catch frame, a needle having
its hub provided with a lug, and a single spring arranged to hold the finger down

page_text: upon the needle hub and at the same time draw the catch frame in position to engage
said trip arm, as set forth.
Third. In a grain binder, a spring catch for the trip arm mounted in a swinging
frame, said frame being kept from extensive vibration by suitable stops, but having
curved guides for the catch so that the end of the latter may travel in the arc of a
circle notwithstanding the restrictive action of the stops, as set forth.
Fourth. In a grain binder, a bracket secured to a supporting bar of the machine
and provided with an upper and lower stop, a frame pivoted to the bracket, a spring
caich mounted in the frame to engage the trip arm, and means substantially as described
for actuating said frame at predetermined intervals, as set forth.
Fifth. In a grain binder, a trip arm having an eccentric housing in its hub and
this housing provided with a slot to receive the needle shaft which latter forms a
pivot for the trip arm, in combination with the needle carrying a stud arranged to
travel against the sides of the housing, and a catch for engagement with the inner
end of said trip arm during its act of compression, as set forth.
Sixth. The combination in a binder of a needle having a stud on one side near its
shaft, a trip arm having an eccentric housing and a slot for the needle shaft as well as
a lug for engagement with the underside of the needle, and mechanism for holding
the rear end of the trip arm while a gavel is being compressed, as set forth.
Seventh. In a grain binder, a trip arm having an eccentric housing in its hub and
this housing provided with a slot to receive the needle shaft which latter forms a pivot
for the trip arm, in combination with the needle carrying a stud arranged to travel
against the sides of the housing and having its hub provided with a shoulder a finger
having one end thereof connected to a spring catch for said trip arm and its other
end arranged to come in the path of the shoulder on the needle hub, as set forth.
Dated this 6th day of December 1887.