Year: 1898

page_text: We, DANIEL BELCIDER and RICHMONDAND CHANDLER, LIMITED, of Southall Street,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Agricultural Implement Manufacturers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in chaff cutting machines and the objects
of our improvements are to prevent the attendant from getting his hand caught
between the feed rollers and at the same time to improve the feeding qualities of
the machine.
In applying our improvements to a chaff cutting machine which has an endless
feeding web working at the bottom of the feed hopper, we employ a train of presser
rollers of any suitable diameter, preferably from 2 to 5 in number, all in the same
plane either inclined or horizontal. These presser rollers are placed behind the upper
feed roller of the machine along and at right angles to the hopper and over the feed
web which they do not touch. We journal the ends of the roller spindles in a
frame and pivot the front end of this frame so that it and the upper feed roller of
the machine rise and fall together according to the varying thickness of the
material being fed and in such a position that the presser rollers will give the
required pressure on the material. The back end of the frame containing the
presser rollers is free to rise and fall within certain limits, and in order to obtain
the required pressure on the material being fed by the presser rollers we weight the
back end of the frame by using one or more heavy presser rollers, or we obtain the
required pressure in any other convenient manner.
As an alternative the axle of the first or front of the train of rollers carried in
the frame or the frame itself might be journalled in slide blocks or their equiva-
lents, fitted in slots in the side plates of the machine and be pressed down upon
the material in the hopper either by springs or by weight or in any other con-
venient manner, and so be independent of the ordinary feed rollers, the train (f
rollers being otherwise arranged as above described.
When the machine is running empty the presser rollers remain stationary, but
when it is fed in the ordinary way the hay or other material is carried forward by
the travelling feed web under the presser rollers which are then raised and caused
to rotate by the moving material, thus acting as revolving pressers and doing away
to a great extent with the labour of the attendant pressing the material in the
hopper on to the web.
Whenever the attendant's hands, resting on the material in the hopper, are
moved forward towards the feed rollers, they will come in contact with the back
presser roller, or the frame containing the same, which will prevent them approach-
ing dangerously near to the feed rollers.
"9
By the term "required pressure we mean so much pressure on the material
in the hopper as will enable the web on to which the material is pressed to carry
it forward to the feed rollers.
Although we have described the train of rollers as being idle or not driven yet

page_text: if found desirable we might give motion to the front or any other roller in the
train.
Dated this 27th day of January 1898.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicants.
We, DANIEL BELCHER and RICHMOND AND CHANDLER LIMITED, of Southall Street,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Agricultural Implement Manufacturers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Our invention relates to improvements in chaff cutting machines and the objects
of our improvements are to prevent the attendant from getting his hand caught
between the feed rollers and at the same time to improve the feeding qualities of
the machine.
In applying our improvements to a chaff cutting machine which has an endless
feeding web working at the bottom of the feed hopper, we employ a train of presser
rollers of any suitable diameter, all in the
or' horizontal. These
same plane either inclined
presser rollers are placed behind the upper feed
roller of the machine along and at right angles to the hopper and over the feed
web which they do not touch. We journal the ends of the roller spindles in a
frame and pivot the front end of this frame so that it and the upper feed roller of
the machine rise and fall together according to the varying thickness of the
material being fed and in such a position that the presser rollers will give the
required pressure on the material. The back end of the frame containing the
presser rollers is free to rise and fall within certain limits, and in order to obtain
the required pressure on the material being fed by the presser rollers we weight the
back end of the frame by using one or more heavy presser rollers, or we obtain the
required pressure in any other convenient manner.
As an alternative the axle of the first or front of the train of rollers carried in
the frame or the frame itself might be journalled in slide blocks or their equiva-
lents, fitted in slots in the side plates of the machine and be pressed down upon
the material in the hopper either by springs or by weight or in any other con-
venient manner, and so be independent of the ordinary feed rollers, the train of
rollers being otherwise arranged as above described.
When the machine is running empty the presser rollers remain stationary, but
when it is fed in the ordinary way the hay or other material is carried forward by
the travelling feed web under the presser rollers, which are then raised and caused
to rotate by the moving material, thus acting as revolving pressers and doing away
to a great extent with the labour of the attendant pressing the material in the
hopper on to the web.
Whenever the attendant's hands resting on the material in the hopper, are
moved forward towards the feed rollers, they will come in contact with the back
presser roller, or the frame containing the same, which will prevent them approach-
ing dangerously near to the feed rollers.
By the term "required pressure'
"
we mean
so much pressure on the material
in the hopper as will enable the web on to which the material is pressed to carry
it forward to the feed rollers.

page_text: Although we have described the train of rollers as being idle or not driven yet
if found desirable we might give motion to the front or any other roller in the
train.
In the accompanying four sheets of drawings-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 an end elevation of part of a chaff cutting
machine to which our improvements are applied. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section
on the line A B, Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are side elevations showing modifications of our invention.
In the drawings,-2 denotes the main side plates of a cutting machine; 3 the
hopper, and 3 the endless feed web; 4 and 5 the axles of the feed rollers; 6 the
rising cover, which rises and falls with the upper feed roller; and 7 a coiled
spring for weighting the top feed roller by means of connecting rods in the
ordinary way. To the rising cover 6 we secure a metal strap to which is pivoted
at 6ª a frame 8 in which are journalled the spindles of a series of presser rollers 9.
The spindle of the back roller passes through slots in guides 10 pivoted to the
hopper sides at 11 and side guard plates 12 are secured to the lower portion of
the sides of the frame 8.
In order to obtain the required pressure on the material being fed to the feed
rollers we make the frame of suitable weight, or effect the same object by using
a specially heavy presser roller or rollers at the back of the frame 8.
In Fig. 5 the frame 8 is hinged on the axle of the front presser roller 9, and
the axle (which rests on the side plates 2 when the machine is not in operation) is
journalled in the two links 14 which move vertically in guides 15 on the side
plates 2. Round the lower ends of these links are coiled springs 16 which tend
to draw the links and the front end of the frame 8 down towards the feed web 3*.
In Fig. 6 also the frame 8 is hinged on the axle of the front presser roller 9,
and the axle (which rests on the side plates 2 when the machine is not in opera-
tion) is journalled in the twe links 18 round the lower ends of which are coiled
springs 19, which bear against collars with rounded upper surfaces resting
against the under side of the frame of the machine, and so allowing freedom of
motion to the front end of the frame 8. On the axle 4 of the upper feed roller
and the axle of the front presser roller 9, we place loosely radial links 17, and on
one end of each of the same axles we fix chain wheels 20 and 21 connected by an
endless chain 22. In this manner the front presser roller is driven by the axle 4
of the upper feed roller, or it may be driven by toothed wheels.
We prefer to make the driven presser roller, fluted or star shaped with sharp
edges in order that it may act with greater effect to force the hay or other material
into the grip of the feed rollers.
In Fig. 7 the axle of the front presser roller is fitted in blocks 23 free to slide
in slots in brackets 24 secured to the sides of the machine frame. In this case,
as in Figs. 5 and 6, the frame 8 is shown hinged upon the axle of the front
presser roller.
In all arrangements we propose to secure side guard plates 12 to the sides of
the frame 8, or instead of attaching separate guard plates we may make the frame
sides so deep that they will overlap the sides of the hopper even when the back
of the frame is lifted to its highest point by a thick feed, and consequently the
attendant cannot get his hands or fingers between the bottom of the guard plates
and the top of the hopper and his hands are thus prevented from being trapped
or hurt when the frame 8 descends. The side guard plates also prevent the
frame 8 from getting jammed by the hay between it and the top of the hopper.
The frame 8 is made so long that the attendant's hand is effectually protected
from being caught by the feed rollers, and however far he allows it to pass under
the presser rollers he can withdraw it readily, and therefore does not depend for
safety upon any reversing motion as is the case in almost every other make of
chaff cutter.
An advantage which all the arrangements, Figs. 56 and 7 have over the plan
first described is that the lift of the front presser roller 9 is greater than in the

page_text: first arrangement, as it falls lower and rises higher, thus enabling the front
presser rollers to act on both a thinner and a thicker feed than when the frame 8
is pivoted to the rising cover 6 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4).
When the machine is running empty the presser rollers in the frame 8 remain
stationary, but when the machine is fed with hay or other material to be cut it
is carried forward by the travelling feed web 3* under the presser rollers, which,
when the hopper is full, are raised at the back (and to a more limited extent in
front) and caused to rotate by contact with the moving material thus acting as
revolving pressers to compress the material so that the feed rollers can grip it,
and doing away to a great extent with the labour of the attendant pressing the
material in the hopper on to the feed web.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
-
1. In a chaff cuiter fitted with an endless feeding web, a train of more than
two presser rollers of any suitable diameter, preferably four small rollers, placed
behind the upper feed roller of the machine, at right angles to the hopper and
above the feed web, the ends of the presser roller spindles being journalled in a
frame provided with side guard plates and pivoted at its front end so that it
and the upper feed roller of the machine rise and fall together, the back end of
the said frame also being free to rise and fall within certain limits and the presser
rollers being driven only by contact with the moving feed, substantially in the
manner herein described and shown.
2. In a chaff cutter fitted with an endless feeding web, a train of more than
two presser rollers of any suitable diameter, preferably four small rollers, placed
behind the upper feed roller of the machine, at right angles to the hopper and
above the feed web, the ends of the roller spindles being journalled in a frame
provided with side guard plates and rising and falling within certain limits
independently of the upper feed roller of the machine and the presser rollers being
driven only by contact with the moving feed substantially in the manner herein
described and shown.
3. In a chaff cutter fitted with an endless feeding web, a train of more than
two presser rollers of any suitable diameter, preferably four small rollers, placed
behind the upper feed roller of the machine, at right angles to the hopper and
above the feed web, the ends of the roller spindles being journalled in a frame
provided with side guard plates, and one of the said rollers being preferably
Huted or star shaped and mechanically driven while the remaining presser rollers
are only driven by contact with the moving feed substantially in the manner
herein described and shown.
Dated this 26th day of Novambon 1808
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicants, 17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.