IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING MACHINERY
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN HARRISON of Thirsk in the County of York, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING MACHINERY" to
be as follows:-
Firstly to reduce the width of sheaf binding machines so as to enable them to
pass through any ordinary gateway without unshipping any part or in any way
interfering with the machinery.
Secondly to improve and simplify the mechanism for weighing or measuring the
size of the sheaf and automatically starting and stopping the knotting mechanism.
Thirdly to effect a better separation between the corn being bound and the corn
collecting to form the next sheaf.
To carry my improvements into effect prefer to construct my machine on a
principle which I call semi low level, that is I make a machine binding the sheaf
only slightly above the top of the road wheel or main driving wheel. The corn
being cut falls on to a platform and is conveyed by chains or by any ordinary
method to the elevators. I prefer to make these elevators (which are of novel con-
struction and which will be presently described) vertical or only slightly inclined
toward the binding table.
The corn on being discharged from the top of the elevators is pressed forward by
packers. These packers or rods are mounted vertically underneath the binding-
table and are actuated by cranks preferably at the lower end, the upper end
protruding alternately through the binding table. These rods or packers are guided
by short links having a fulcrum or pivot at about half the length of the packing
rods and the other end is pivotted to the frame. The protruding ends of these
packers receive the corn from the elevators and press it against the trip fingers.
These fingers are keyed on to a shaft running parallel with the needle shaft, it has
its bearings provided with slots to allow it to be drawn in by short cranks or teeth
upon the needle shaft for compressing the sheaf; at the outer end of the trip finger
shaft is keyed a crank connected by a rod to a rocking lever, which is centred to
the frame, a little beyond the periphery of the driving wheel on the knotter shaft
and lies parallel with the face of the wheel. This rocking lever is provided with a
projection for the pawl or catch to strike which throws the knotter out of gear and
allows the driving wheel on the knotter shaft to run loose. The knotting and
discharging apparatus is mounted above the binding table upon an overhanging
bracket and is driven by a shaft which has on its other end a crank disc for

page_text: actuating the needle; the driving wheel already mentioned is mounted loosely upon
the inner side of the crank disc. This disc is shaped on its outer edge to form a
cam which acts upon a small roller mounted upon the end of the rocking lever, for
the purpose of holding the trip fingers up whilst the bundle is being compressed
against it when binding; it is provided with a suitable depression to allow the trip
fingers to fall whilst the sheaf is being ejected, and also a second depression to allow
the rocking lever to rise for tripping.
The pawl or catch for throwing the roller in and out of gear I shape somewhat
like the letter L and mount it at the angle; either on the crank pin or on a stud
near to this point, between the crank disc and driving wheel. The rim of the
driving wheel is either provided with internal teeth or made to engage with one leg
of the L shaped pawl by friction, the other leg projects out between the crank disc
and the driving wheel and is acted upon by the projection of the rocking lever.
The whole of the machinery derives motion from a spur wheel fixed upon the
main road wheel, and the knotting apparatus is driven by a wheel held in position
by a fork fixed to the frame which carries the packing and knotting apparatus so
that when the knotter is adjusted to suit longer or shorter corn the wheel slides
upon a keyed grooved shaft. This shaft lies parallel with the knotter shaft and is
driven by bevil gearing from the first motion shaft. In my improvements the
driving wheel upon what I have hitherto called the knotter shaft (this shaft runs
along the top of the overhanging bracket and has fixed upon one end the delay
wheel, various cams for actuation, the knotter and the ejectors for discharging the
sheaf; parts common to the class of machines known as the Appleby binder) is
continually running and is alternately engaged and disengaged with the crank disc
by the shape pawl already spoken of.
The action of the weighing or measuring apparatus is as follows. Sufficient corn
having been fed into the space between the trip fingers and the packers, the rocking
lever is raised through the connecting rod, attached to the crank ou the end of the
packer finger shaft and disengages the projection on the rocking lever and projection
on one end of the L shaped pawl. This pawl being provided with a spring engages
with the driving wheel and the whole revolves together, causing the needle to place
the band round the sheaf, the knots to be formed by the knotting apparatus, the
trip finger to fall, the sheaf to be ejected by the discharging arms, and the trip
fingers to be brought to their normal position so that the projection on the rocking
lever and the end of the L shape pawl come in contact and automatically throw the
knotter apparatus out of gear. This is all accomplished whilst the knotter shaft is
making one revolution.
I will now describe my novel elevators.
Hitherto elevators have been used only for conveying the corn to the binding
table and discharging the corn in a continual stream, this of course necessitates
providing sufficient space upon the binding table for the discharging corn whilst a
sheaf is being bound.
In my improved elevators the discharge is intermittent and only when the
packers and the knotting apparatus are free to receive it the corn being collected in
the elevators whilst a sheaf is being bound. These elevators can be made either
single or double and constructed either of canvas or any kind of webbing, or they
can be arranged with series of bands or chains having prongs which feather or are
masked at their upper end whilst collecting. When I construct these elevators of
canvas or webbing I prefer to make them double (that is of the class common to
high level machines when the corn is conveyed between two aprons) and pivot one
or both on or near the centre of the bottom roller; preferably I pivot only one and
make the one nearer the knotting apparatus fixed and in some cases in two or more
parts, to allow the needle to pass through. And I arrange the outer one so that it
shall swing open at the top when sufficient coru has been discharged upon the
binding table to form a sheaf.
This has the effect of forming the elevators into a V shaped trough for collecting
and straightening the corn. I prefer to effect the swinging of the elevator either

page_text: by a can on the knotter shaft or by a crank fixed upon the needle shaft and
provided with suitable connecting rods, and arranged to act as soon as the needle
commences to rise, to compress and place the string round the sheaf.
When I arrange my elevators with chains I can use single elevators, that is only
one set or series of bands provided with prongs for conveying the corn, the corn
being conveyed on the side nearer the knotting apparatus or these bands may be
made to revolve in a contrary direction and convey the corn on the side where the
corn is cut, The former of these two arrangements is similar to the one described
with canvass or webbing, with the exception that there is only one series of bands,
which would represent the swinging apron, the other apron being replaced by a
board or slats for the purpose of holding the corn against the prongs-Slats are
also provided between each of the chains or bands which curve over the top of the
binding table to guide the corn--These slats form a mask for the prongs when the
elevator is swung back.
In the latter of these arrangements I make the chains or bands which are
provided with prongs for conveying the corn to swing in towards the knotting
apparatus; and in this arrangement I prefer to use only one series of three chains-
These chains are mounted upon a fixed shaft at their lower end upon loose pulleys
having a spur wheel cast upon each pulley driven from spur wheels upon the crank
shaft for driving the packers, and the upper ends of the chains are carried by loose
pulleys which are mounted upon swinging frames-These frames being centred
upon the shaft just mentioned, the elevators are provided with masks at their upper
end and are made of such a length that they stand a little above the binding table
for the purpose of bringing the corn in with them to secure a better separation
when the elevators are swung in. The swinging frame carrying the two chains, one
on either side of the packers, is allowed to slide upon the fixed shaft and is guided
by the frame carrying the knotting and the packing apparatus, so that these two
chains are adjusted with the binding table to suit long or short corn, the third chain
which is mounted upon a separate swinging frame on the fixed shaft already spoken
of is placed to act upon the butt end of the corn and the spur wheel for driving it
upon the knotter shaft slides on a key or the shaft is made square at this end and
the bearing is formed on the boss of the wheel.
Upon this boss is cast a wheel for driving the reel, also a wheel for driving a
roller which may be provided with spikes for feeding the corn into the bottom of
the elevator.
The swinging frame, carrying the chains which are moved with the knotter and
packers, is connected to a crank on the needle shaft for the purpose of swinging the
frame in.
This frame has a rod fixed to it which passes loosely through a hole in the other
swinging frame to allow the frames to be brought nearer or set further apart when
In this arrangement as
the packing frame is adjusted for different lengths of corn.
in the one just described suitable slats or rods are provided for guiding the corn
against the elevator prongs.
Slats or sheets of iron are also fixed between the elevating chains and form a
mask for about half the length of the clevator (from the top) when it is swung back
to prevent the elevator discharging the corn up on the binding table.
Dated this 5th day of January 1884.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JOHN HARRISON of Thirsk in the County of York, Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTING MACHINES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Firstly to reduce the width of Sheaf Binding Machines so as to enable them to
pass through any ordinary gateway without unshipping any part or in any way
interfering with the machinery. Secondly to improve and simplify the mechanism
for weighing or measuring the size of the Sheaf and automatically starting and
stopping the knotting mechanism. Thirdly to effect a better separation between
the grain being bound and the grain collecting to form the Sheaf. This is
accomplished by novel elevators which are constructed to allow the grain to collect
whilst a Sheaf is being bound. Hitherto elevators have been used only for the
purpose of conveying the grain to the Binding table and discharging it in a
continual stream this of course necessitates providing sufficient space upon the
Binding table for the discharging grain, whilst a sheaf is being bound. In my
improved elevators the discharge is intermittent and only when the packers and
the knotting apparatus are free to receive it, the grain being collected in the
elevators whilst a sheaf is being bound-These elevators can be made either single
or double and constructed either of canvas or webbing, or they can be arranged
with series of bands or chains having prongs which are masked at the upper end
whilst collecting.
The principle of these elevators will be clearly understood by reference to Sheet 1.
of the accompanying drawings Figs 1 and 2. shew double elevators or elevators-
where the grain is conveyed between two canvas aprons A. and B. and discharged
upon the binding table Č. The apron B. is pivoted on or near the centre of the
bottom Roller B₁ which is so arranged that it shall swing open at the top when
sufficient grain has been discharged upon the binding table C. to form a Sheaf.
This position is shewn in Fig 2. I prefer to actuate the swinging of this elevator
either by a cam upon the knotter-shaft or a crank fixed upon the needle shaft-
provided with suitable connecting rods and arranged to act as soon as the needle
commences to rise, to compress and place the string round the Sheaf. Figs 3 and 4
shew single elevators which are composed of series of bands or chains A provided
with prongs A¹ for conveying the grain to the binding table C. and having a
suitable mask at A2 The whole is pivoted at A³ to swing in for the purpose
herein-before dèscribed Fig 3 shews the position whilst discharging the corn upon
the binding table C. Fig 4. shews position when the sheaf is being bound.
Figs 5 and 6 represent another system of single elevators, when the corn is
conveyed on the side nearest the binding table against a platform or board A the
elevators are composed of bands or chains having prongs for conveying the corn
and are swung back when the sheaf is being bound for the purpose already
described Fig 6. shews the position whilst discharging the corn upon the binding
table C. and Fig 7. shews position when the sheaf is being bound.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings how
my invention may be carried into practical effect, and to facilitate a clear
understanding of the construction and operation of my invention I have omitted
adjacent or surrounding parts which would tend to confuse the illustration or
interfere with a clear comprehension of either the construction or operation of the

page_text: parts under consideration Figs 7 and 8. of the accompanying drawings shew the
elevators and binding mechanisms of my machine with elevators upon the principle
shewn in Figs 1. and 2. of Sheet 1. of the accompanying drawings, in this case
I make the fixed apron of the elevator in two parts to allow the packers and
needle to pass through it. The corn being cut falls on to a platform constructed in
an ordinary manner (not shewn in drawings) and is conveyed by an apron (driven
from roller X.) to the elevators A and B. which are slightly inclined towards the
binding table C. The corn on being discharged from the top of the elevators is
pressed forward by packers D. D. these packers are mounted vertically underneath
the binding table and are actuated by cranks D₁ D' at the lower end, the upper
end D2 D3 protruding alternately through the binding table. The packers D. D.
are guided by short links D³ D³ having a fulcrum or pivot at D' D' and pivoted
to frame D³. The protruding end D of the packers receives the corn from the
elevator and presses against the trip fingers F. (The trip arrangement is shewn
detached and to an enlarged scale on Sheet 3. Fig 9. is an end elevation.
Fig 10. a part sectional side elevation, like letters indicate the same parts in both
drawings) which are mounted upon shaft F* which runs parallel with the needle
shaft H. and may have bearings provided with slots to allow it to be drawn in by
a short crank or teeth upon the needle shaft, (not shewn on drawings) at the other
end of shaft F* is formed a crank F' and is connected by rod F2 to a rocking
lever E. which is centred to frame I. at E¹. The Rocking lever E. is provided with
a projection E for the pawl K. to strike which throws the knotter out of gear, and
allows the driving wheel L. on the knotter shaft M. to run loose. The knotting
and discharging apparatus is mounted above the binding table. On the knotter
shaft M. is keyed a crank disc O. for actuating the needle N. and the driving
wheel L. is mounted loosely upon the inner side of crank disc O. The disc O is
shaped on its outer edge to form a cam which acts upon a small roller E³ mounted
upon a stud on the rocking lever E. for the purpose of holding the trip fingers F.
whilst the bundle is being compressed for binding and is provided with a suitable
depression O¹ to allow the trip to fall whilst the sheaf is being ejected and also a
second depression O² to allow the rocking lever E to rise for tripping The Pawl
or catch K. for throwing the knotter in and out of gear is shaped somewhat like
the letter L. and mounted on a stud on the crank disc O. between the crank disc O.
and the driving wheel L. The rim of the driving wheel L. is provided with
internal teeth to engage with the leg K2 of the Pawl K. the other leg K³ projects
out between the crank disc O. and the driving wheel L. and is acted upon by
projection E² of the rocking lever. The action of the weighing or measuring
apparatus is is as follows, sufficient grain having been fed into the space between the
trip fingers F. and packers D. the rocking lever is raised through connecting rod F²
attached to the crank F' and disengages the projection on the rocking lever E. and
the projection K' of the pawl K. This pawl being provided with a spring engages
with the teeth on the driving wheel H. and the whole revolves together, causing
the needle to place the band round the sheaf the knot to be formed by the knotting
apparatus the trip fingers to fall the sheaf to be ejected by discharging arms, and
the trip fingers brought to their normal position so that the projection on the
rocking lever and the end of the L shaped pawl come in contact and automatically
throw the knotting apparatus out of gear-this is all accomplished whilst the
knotting shaft is making one revolution.
The machine derives motion from a spur wheel W. mounted upon the main
driving wheel gearing into pinion W which is cast in one piece into bevil
wheel W. The Bevil wheel W³ drives the sickle crank disc through pinion W
and a shaft W through a pinion W. The shaft W drives the elevator and apron
through chain and spur gearing as shewn in Figs 8. and 9. also the packer crank
shaft through sprocket wheels T. and T³. The whole of the binding mechanism
and the inner apron slide upon timbers P. and P¹ to suit long or short corn and is
driven by pitch chain from packer shaft. Having now particularly described and

page_text: ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, I declare that what I claim is
First. Collecting the corn between two aprons and swinging one or both of the
aprons open substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The methods of masking the teeth of elevating or collecting bands shewn
Figs 3. 4. 5. and 6. of drawings substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The combination of elevators and packers substantially shewn and
described.
Fourth. The whole of the apparatus for weighing or measuring the sheaves and
automatically throwing the knotting apparatus out of gear-as substantially shewn
and set forth.
Fifth. The combination of collectors packers and trip arrangement with the
method of adjusting the binding mechanism for long or short corn described and
shewn upon Sheet 2. of drawings.