IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF FEEDERS AND GUARDS FOR THRESHING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Reuben Moore, of Fulbourn, in the County of Cambridge,
Machine Owner, and Joseph William Lee, of the Avenue Works, Cambridge,
in the County of Cambridge, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
2-
11
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Reuben Moore and Joseph
William Lee at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
19th October 1881.
REUBEN MOORE, of Fulbourn, in the County of Cambridge, Machine Owner,
and JOSEPH WILLIAM LEE, of the Avenue Works, Cambridge, in the County of
Cambridge, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF FEEDERS AND GUARDS FOR
THRESHING MACHINES."
In constructing the feeding apparatus we employ a cast iron frame of suitable
shape and about two feet high. This frame is placed on the top of the machine
and secured to each side of it by bolts; the back part of the frame is covered with
sheet iron, and at the bottom of the front side are projections for the bearings
for a roller, which roller is made of iron, and is about twenty inches in diameter,
and fitted with four T iron beaters.
Above the roller on the top part of the cast iron frame are two cross bars with
tines fixed upon them; these tines come down from the cross bars nearly to the
centre of the top part of the roller, for the purpose of dividing the corn as it passes
over the roller on its way to the beaters of the machine. Motion is given to the
tines by means of a disc on the roller spindle having the ends of two connecting
rods fitted to it, while the other ends are secured to levers that are fitted to the
two cross bars which carry the tines. When the tines are set in motion they work
past each other in the direction length-wise of the machine over the top of the
roller, and effectually prevent more corn passing than is required. Ample means
are provided for altering the tines backwards or forwards, or up or down to
regulate the supply to the beaters of the machines.

page_text: In connection with the above is a feed board that receives the corn before it
reaches the large roller and tines. In the feed board are fitted five or six small rollers
of some seven or eight inches diameter which carry the corn to the large roller.
Round the centre of the spindle of the above roller is fitted a bearing which
projects out from each side of the feed board. This bearing is supported by two
pieces of wood or iron fastened to the cast iron frame of the feeder, and takes a
bearing also on the machine. These pieces of wood or iron have holes in them to
carry the bearings that project from the sides of the feed boards, and thus support
the weight. The feed board being thus supported can be made to work easily on
its centres up or down as required, without affecting the action of the roller in any
way.
Connected with the feed board is another board which we call the guard board,
and which is suspended immediately above the feed board.
The back part of this guard board is fitted with joints, and also that part of the
feed board which is next to the large roller, so that the inside of the feed board and
the back part of the guard board are connected together by means of two levers
working on the joints, as above named, and so arranged that should any weight be
brought on to either of them they both move down or up at pleasure. When both
are up the feeder is in a position for working, but if any weight comes upon either
of them, they both fall and close the mouth of the feeder so as to prevent anything
passing into it.
The weight necessary to keep the boards in position can be
regulated by a spring or springs, or a balance weight; we prefer the latter for that
purpose.
Motion is given to the large roller by means of a pulley on the shaker shaft on
the machine connected with a pulley on the roller spindle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Reuben Moore and Joseph William Lee in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th April 1882.
REUBEN MOORE, of Fulbourne, in the County of Cambridge, Machine Owner,
and JOSEPH WILLIAM LEE, of the Avenue Works, Cambridge, in the County of
Cambridge, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF FEEDERS AND GUARDS FOR
THRESHING MACHINES,"
In constructing the above feeders, and in order that the principle may be
clearly understood, we proceed to describe the same by the aid of the Drawings
herewith.
Figure 1 is a side elevation with guard board "G" closed down as when
travelling; ", 1," are two levers connected with the ends of the cross bars that
carry the tines, as shewn in Figure 3; c, c, are connecting rods which give motion
to the tines, and are secured at one end to the levers, and to the crank pin in the
disc "d" at the other; C¹ is an iron frame which supports the bars and tines;
"W" is a wooden side secured to the iron frame; b is a bearing in the side of the
wood which carries the weight of the feed board, and upon which it revolves by
means of a bracket fastened to the sides of the feed board.
Figure 2 is a side elevation and part section; G is the guard board open as when
at work; R 2 is a small rod that hooks into the eye upon the joint "O," and holds
the board in position while at work; F is a section of the feed board carrying a
small roller R 1. This small roller works in connection with the large roller R,
and carries the corn on to the beaters of the large roller; C2 is a lever fastened at
one end to a piece of wood which forms part of the guard board; the other end is
fastened to the lower part of the feed board, so that when any weight beyond that
of a sheaf comes upon the feed board, or any weight is put upon the guard
board "G," they both fall and the mouth of the machine is closed. The balance
weight "2" adjusts the position of the feed and guard boards so long as the small
rod "R2" holds the guard board up in position, causing them both to move freely
up or down at pleasure.
T, T, shew a side view of a double row of tines. When these. tines are set in
motion by the levers described in Fig. 1, they pass each other in the direction
lengthwise of the machine, and being double they strike the corn as it passes over
the roller twice, while the single row only strikes once, and therefore have a greater
separating power over the corn as it enters into the machine; "P" are dotted lines
of two pullies fixed on the shaft of the large roller; the large pulley drives the
small roller in the feed board, and the smaller one is driven by a pulley on the
shaker shaft of the machine, and gives motion to the disc which works the levers
and the tines, as shewn in Figure 1.
B2 are tee iron beaters secured to the cast iron rings which form the roller.
These rings and the bottom part of the tee iron are covered with sheet iron
forming a round roller with part of the the iron projecting, for the purpose of
forcing the corn against the tines, thus causing the tines to divide the corn as it
passes over the roller into the machine.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the tines; T, T, T, T, T, shew two tines in the front
bar b1, while three are secured to a similar bar at the back of it; these bars work
on a round rod which works in the bearing E, shewn in Figure 2. The tines are
secured at the top to a small flat bar "a" for the purpose of keeping them in a
vertical position; 1, 1, 1, 1, are four pieces rivetted on to the bars that carry the
tines. The small flat bars are secured to these upright pieces, which have holes in

page_text: the end for the purpose of raising the tines when it is necessary to give more feed,
or the corn is more difficult to pass into the machine.
Our claim is,
1st. The double action tine motion, as herein explained.
2nd. The self acting feed board and guard board combined, as herein explained.
3rd. The formation of an iron roller with tee iron beaters and roller feed board,
and also the general arrangment of the whole apparatus, as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Reuben Moore and Joseph William Lee, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.