Improvements in Self-binding Reaping Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-binding Reaping Machines.
I, JAMES FORD, of Saughton Hall Mains, Edinburgh, in the County of
Midlothian, North Britain, Farmer 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:—
This invention which relates to improvements in self-binding reaping machines,
forins additions to as well as modifications of my previous Patent Number 4343 of
11th March 1891, and has for its object to provide more efficient and simpler means
for leading the cut grain along the grain table to the elevator, and for elevating
the grain up to the binder.
In carrying out my said invention, I employ a grain table preferably made of
sheet metal, and having a number of slits or openings formed in it so as to enable
the teeth of a series of metal rake rods working through; the said rake rods
being mounted on two or more endless chains underneath the grain table and
driven by the main driving chain of the machine. The said rake rods are mounted
or connected in such a manner to the endless chains and are provided with suitable
guides whereby the teeth of same automatically free themselves from the conveyed
grain just before it reaches the elevator rakes, which are formed as a series of
oscillating or joggling rakes mounted on a suitable crank shaft and driven by the
main driving chain of the machine. The said rakes are suitably shaped and
formed with their teeth of various lengths and connected at their upper ends
to a cross stay by means of movable links so as to ensure of their efficient
working.
But in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a part plan, Figure 2, a part sectional elevation, and Figures 3 and 4,
detail views of my said invention.
Referring to the said drawings I form the grain table A of sheet metal and I
provide it with a number of slits or openings a so as to enable the teeth of a series
of metal rake rods working through; the said table A, is suitably secured to the
framing of the machine and the edges of the slits or openings a bent round as
shown in Figure 4 so as to add to the strength of said table. The series of rake
rods B, whose teeth b project up through the slits a are connected to two or more
undless chains 6' which work around, and are driven by two horizontal shafts C,
having pitch wheels c mounted thereon, and also the back end of one of said
shafts C is provided with a pitch wheel c¹ which may be driven by either the main
driving chain of the machine or by an auxiliary chain, so as to give the necessary
motion to the rakes, which in order to allow of their automatic withdrawal from
the grain, being conveyed, at the proper time, are connected to the endless chains,
by means of the carriers, D, Figures 2, 3 and 4, which are shaped as shown so that
the sides d pass over the chains and are connected to them by means of the chain
pins d' which are made longer than the rest of the chain pins for this purpose; the
carriers D, thus forming part of the chains b¹; the said carriers D are formed with
bearings d³ into which the rake rods B are passed so as to permit of them being
revolved or partially revolved at the proper times. The said partial revolving of
the rake rods is effected by forming the rear end of each rod with a bend or
projection 6' which works in a groove or recess formed in the main framing, the
said recess 6 terminating at a point sufficiently near the driving shaft C, next to
the elevator, so as to permit of the rake rod bends or projections 6 becoming free
of the recess just when the rake rods begin to turn round the pitch wheels c thus

page_text: allowing the teeth 6 to gradually go down out of the grain in a vertical position in
which they remain until the rods turn round the lower parts of the pitch wheels c,
when owing to the weight of the teeth 6 the rods partially revolve until stopped by
the teeth coming against a fixed guard plate 6, mounted underneath the table A,
and over which the said rake rods pass with their teeth b lying down until they
have reached the other shaft and pitch wheels, when the teeth are again raised into
the vertical position by means of the rods projections 6 coming in contact with a
projection formed on that end of the recess in such a manner as to cause the
rods being gradually turned and also the teeth thereby raised into position for
conveying the grain along the table A. The front ends of said rake rods also
work in a recess b' formed in the framing above the knive board angle iron. The
said shafts C are mounted in the framing in such a manner as to permit of the
distance between their centres being varied so as to allow for wear and for adjust-
ment of the chains and rakes. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 I effect this by
forming a part A¹ of the framing at both the back and front of the machine with
two or more slots a¹ so as to enable the said parts being adjusted to the framing as
desired by means of the bolts a².
In order to elevate the conveyed grain from the table A up to the binder, I
mount a serious of oscillating or joggling rakes, consisting of a number of flat bars
or rods E which are bent at their one ends as shown and provided on their lower
sides with a number of teeth e, the lengths of which are varied as shown, so as to
the more effectually elevate the grain up the back board F and over the curved
top plate F to the binder. The said rakes receive their oscillating and joggling
motion by means of the crank shaft G, to which they are mounted by means of the
stationary journals g, and they are also connected at their upper ends to the top
rail H by means of the links J and brackets j, which also tend to prevent any side
movement or twisting of the cranks taking place. The said rakes are mounted
alternately on opposite cranks of the crank shaft G, which is carried by the main
fraining of the machine and is provided at its rear end with a pitch wheel gl so as
to enable it being driven by the main driving chain, though if desired I may
employ an auxiliary chain. The said shaft G may also if desired be geared to the
ordinary grain rake gear and so dispense with the riving shaft at present employed
for such. The conveyor rakes may also if desired be driven by an auxiliary chain
in lieu of the main driving gear.
The whole arrangement thus forms a machine which on the cut grain falling on
the table A, it gets conveyed along by the conveyor rakes to the lower end of the
elevating rakes which then elevate it up the back board F and over the curved
board F to the binder in a very efficient manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. In self-binding reaping machines, forming the conveyor rake rods B, with
bends or projections & in combination with the groove or recess whereby the
rake rods teeth are automatically withdrawn from the grain in a vertical position,
substantially as herein before described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2nd. In self binding reaping machines, the carriers D, substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In conveyor rakes of self binding reaping machines, the adjustable parts A¹
of framing, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and shown
in Figure 2 of the drawings.
4th. In self-binding reaping machines, the arrangement of the series of
oscillating or joggling elevating rake rods E, having teeth e, all substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
5th. In self binding reaping machines, the oscillating or joggling elevator

page_text: rakes, in combination with the metal conveyor rakes and grooved or slit grain
table, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 10th day of Anvil 1800
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.