Improvements in Straw-trussing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept.. 1894
ONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Straw-trussing Machines.
We, JAMES HAROLD HOWARD, GEOFFREY HOWARD and GEORGE GIBBS,
all of Britannia Iron Works, Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in straw-trussing machines of the class
described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 462, January 27th, 1883,
granted to James Howard and E. T. Bousfield, and has for its object to increase
the efficiency and durability of such machines, to simplify their mechanism, and to
reduce the number of parts therein.
The first portion of our invention relates to the means for driving the conveying,
packing, and binding mechanism; this has hitherto been accomplished by fixing a
chain wheel upon the shaker driving-shaft or other convenient rotating shaft of a
thrashing machine, and connecting it by an endless chain to a chain wheel upon
one end of the binder driving-shaft of the trusser. This latter shaft was formerly
placed under the binding table and by means of a series of cranks formed upon it,
actuated a number of vibrating packers for the purpose of forming the straw into
bundles or trusses.
Upon the other end of this cranked shaft a pinion fitted with a spring driving-
pawl was loosely placed and a suitable driver was securely attached to the said
shaft; the pinion formed one member of a train of gearing for driving the knotting,
compressing, and ejecting mechanism.
According to one part of our invention we simplify and improve the mechanism
described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 18,922 April 29th, 1892,
granted to us, in, for instance, the following manner-Upon the packer driving-
shaft we place loosely a gear wheel, preferably a bevel pinion which is provided
with a spring driving-pawl, and next to the said pinion we mount upon the same
shaft a chain wheel with two. studs projecting from each side of it, upon which
studs antifriction rollers are carried; these rollers upon the side next to the pinion
are so placed that they engage with the driving pawl and carry it and the
pinion around with the chain wheel and thus operate through a shaft and bevel gear
or otherwise the knotting, compressing, and ejecting mechanism.
Upon the needle crank-shaft which forms part of the binding mechanism a spring
lever is carried in such a position that when the said binding-mechanism has
completed its operation, the end of the spring lever is brought by well known
means into the path of a projection upon the driving pawl on the pinion which is
thereby forced out of the path of the driving rollers on the chain wheel and
consequently the train of gear, and the binding, compressing and ejecting mechanism
are stopped until the spring lever is removed from contact with the driving pawl,
whereon, the pawl being forced into the path of the driving rollers by its spring,
the operation of the binding, compressing and ejecting mechanism recommences.
We secure upon the packer driving-shaft a disc or driving plate provided with a
second driving pawl (similar to the one upon the aforesaid bevel pinion) with which
the rollers projecting from the other side of the driving chain wheel engage and
cause the packer crank-shaft to revolve with it.
We support the outer end of the packer crank-shaft by a bracket attached to
the frame of the machine. Upon this bracket we pivot a double-ended lever in
such a manner that one end of it acts similarly to the spring lever which is carried
upon the needle shaft and by coming into the path of a projection upon the
aforesaid second driving pawl forces it out of the path of the rollers and thus

page_text: stops the packer shaft. The other end of the said lever is so constructed and
placed that when the needle shaft has completed the operation of binding, and
returns to its position of rest, it depresses one end of the double-ended lever,
turning it upon its pivot and thereby lifting its other end and releasing the driving
pawl, the spring of which again places it in the path of the driving rollers.
The effect of this arrangement is that when one driving pawl is in action, the
other is at rest. The conveyor crank-shaft is coupled to the packer crank-shaft by
an endless chain or by any other suitable means, therefore the packers and the
conveyors are at rest during the operation of binding and do not force the straw
down during that operation.
For the purpose of rendering the conveying, packing and binding mechanism all
inoperative without stopping the thrashing machine or engine, we provide upon a
suitable pivot, for instance the same pivot as that which carries the double ended
lever, another lever which can be turned by hand into the path of the driving
pawl and thus be utilized to stop the packer driving shaft. We provide upon the
packer driving-shaft a ratchet, and upon the bracket we provide a pawl adapted to
gear with the ratchet to prevent rebound of the packer shaft and its attachments
when stopped as aforesaid.
It is also a feature of this invention that we relieve the aforesaid cranked shaft
and its bearings of the strain and wear consequent upon the transmission there-
through of the power for binding, compressing and ejecting the sheaves or
trusses, by placing the driving chain wheel upon the same end of the binder
driving shaft as the gear for such purposes, instead of at the opposite end as
heretofore.
According to another part of our invention we improve the knotting mechanism
described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 5023, October 22nd 1883
granted to James Howard, by placing the gripper disc used for holding the ends
of the twine during the operation of tying, in an inclined position, and by
actuating it directly from the cam on the knotter driving-shaft without the
intervention of worm gearing, and also by fixing the knife for cutting the string,
upon the gripper or twine holder so that when the taut strings are pushed against
it by the revolution of the gripper disc as described in the Specification of prior
Letters Patent No. 821, February 24th, 1880, granted to James Howard and
E. T. Bousfield, they will be severed. We further improve the knotting mechanism
of trussers by so shaping the cam described in the Specification of prior Letters
Patent No. 4904, 31st March 1888 granted to James Howard, E. T. Bousfield and
Geo. Gibbs as operating for the purpose of opening the knotter jaw, that the said
knotter jaw is kept open except just at and for the time necessary to finish the
knot, so that there will not be the same tendency for the string to slip off. it as has
hitherto prevailed; thus we are able to dispense with the tuckers or guides which
have hitherto been found necessary to keep the strings on the knotter hook.
Dated this 1st day of November 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
We, JAMES HAROLD HOWARD, GEOFFREY HOWARD and GEORGE GIBBS
all of Britannia Iron Works, Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Engineers, 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 straw-trussing machines of the class

page_text: described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 462, January 27th 1883,
granted to James Howard and E. T. Bousfield, and has for its object to increase the
efficiency and durability of such machines, to simplify their mechanism and to
reduce the number of parts therein.
The first portion of our invention relates to the means for driving the conveying,
packing, and binding mechanisin: This has hitherto been accomplished by fixing a
chain wheel upon the shaker driving-shaft or other convenient rotating shaft of a
thrashing machine, and connecting it by an endless chain to a chain wheel upon one
end of the binder driving-shaft of the trusser. This latter shaft was formerly placed
under the binding table and by means of a series of cranks formed upon it actuated'
a number of vibrating packers for the purpose of forming the straw into bundles or
trusses. Upon the other end of this cranked shaft a pinion fitted with a spring
driving pawl was loosely placed and a suitable driver was securely attached to the.
said shaft the pinion formed one member of a train of gearing for driving the
knotting, compressing and ejecting mechanism.
According to the first part of our present invention we simplify and improve the
mechanism described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 18922
April 29, 1892 granted to us. We provide loosely mounted on the packer driving
shaft a chain wheel which is driven from any convenient rotating shaft such as the
shaker driving-shaft of the thrashing machine for example. Said chain wheel is
adapted to drive the shaft which actuates the knotting, compressing and ejecting
mechanism and also drives the packer shaft on which it is loosely mounted and
which through any suitable gearing drives the conveyor driving-shaft. All these
devices will hereinafter be fully explained.
According to the second part of our invention we improve the knotting
mechanism described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 5023
October 22nd 1883 granted to James Howard. We provide for actuating the
gripper disc therein described for holding the ends of the twine, directly from the
cam on the knotter driving shaft without the intervention of worm gearing, and
we otherwise simplify and improve the action of said knotting mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of a straw-trussing machine having our
improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 shew parts of Figure 2 drawn to an enlarged scale and
exhibiting the details of the construction more fully.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the mechanism shewn in Figures 3, 4 and 5.
Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3 shewing a modified construction.
Figure 8 is a plan view of part of Figure 7.
Figures 9 to 11 are detail views of the knotting mechanism hereinafter
described.
Figure 12 shews an old form of knotter, and
Figure 13 our improved knotter.
Like letters denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 6,
A is the packer driving shaft, B is a chain wheel loosely mounted thereon and
adapted to be driven by a chain B', which is indicated in Figure 2 only, operated
by the shaker driving shaft or any other convenient rotating shaft of a thrashing
machine. B2, B2 and B3, B³ are anti-friction rollers or sleeves mounted on
studs B, B+ and B3, B5 respectively fixed on the chain wheel B.
C is a bevel pinion which is also loosely mounted on the shaft A and has
attached to it a pawl C' which is controlled by a spring C' in a manner well
understood.
The bevel pinion C is in engagement with a bevel wheel D, Figures 1 and 2,
secured on the end of a shaft D₁ which is mounted in suitable bearings on the
framework of the machine. D² is a bevel wheel mounted on the opposite end of
the shaft D' to the wheel D, and in engagement with a wheel D³ fixed to the.
:

page_text: shaft D which operates the binding, knotting and delivery mechanism in the
ordinary manner. It will be observed therefore that the bevel pinion C when
actuated operates the binding, knotting and delivery mechanism. The said pinion
may be connected to the binding, knotting and delivery shaft by means of chain
driving gear or through a train of spur wheels instead of the bevel wheels and
shaft D above described. The bevel pinion C is actuated by the chain wheel B
through the medium of the rollers B2, B32 acting on a projection C³ on the pawl C¹
as hereinafter described.
The rollers B3, B³ act on a projection E on a pawl E' which is similar to the
pawl but which is mounted on a driving plate E' secured to the packer
shaft A.
The conveying prongs shewn at F, F, Figure 2 are operated by a shaft Fl
which has a chain wheel' F2 secured thereon, said chain wheel being driven by a
chain wheel A' on the shaft A by means of a chain A2 G is a shaft which forms
part of the binding mechanism; said shaft has a lever G loosely mounted thereon.
An arm G2 is firmly secured to the said shaft and connected by a spring G³ with
the lever G. G, G' are the packers.
The shaft A is supported at its outer end by the bracket H secured to the
frame.
It will be observed that in our improved construction the power required for
operating the binding, knotting and delivery.mechanism is not transmitted from
one end to the other of the packer shaft A as has been the case with machines
heretofore constructed but is transmitted from the pinion C which is at the same
end of the shaft A as the chain wheel B; the power transmitted therefore only
passes through a small part of the packer shaft.
I is a lever pivoted at I to the bracket H; the end 12 of said .lever is bent
round the wheel B as shewn very clearly in Figures 1 and 6, so as to be capable of
engagement with the arm G for a purpose hereinafter specified. 1° is a spring to
control the position of said lever. K is a hand lever pivoted to the bracket H
and which can be put into operative connection with the paw! E so as to stop the
packer shaft when desired. L is a pawl also pivoted to the bracket H and
provided with a spring L' which presses said pawl against the driving plate E2
with a notch Es in the periphery of which said pawl can engage, for the purpose
of preventing any backward rotation of said shaft when the pawl E' driving the
same is put out of gear.
The operation of our improved mechanism will now be described.
The packer driving shaft A is driven from the wheel B by means of the
rollers B3, B³ which as before described act on the projection E of the pawl E',
said projection of the pawl being pressed outward from the shaft A. by the spring E'.
This position of the pawl is shewn clearly in Figure 3. When sufficient straw or
other material to form a truss has been collected by the conveying prongs F, F
and packed by the packers G, G, the lever G is lifted by the pressure of the
packers as described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 9967,
9th July 1884 granted to James Howard and E. T. Bousfield. The upward
movement of the lever G¹ and of the arm G2 releases the end 1 of the lever I.
The lever I is then turned on its pivot by the spring 1° and the other end 13 of said
lever coming into contact with a projection E on the pawl E' presses said pawl
backwards against the force of its spring E. The projection E of said pawl is
thereby moved out of the path of the rollers B³, B3 so that the shaft A is no longer
rotated, the conveying and packing mechanism is therefore stopped. The pawl L
engaging with the notch E of the driving plate E' prevents rebound and consequent
backward rotation of the shaft A as hereinabove mentioned. During the time that
the packer shaft is being rotated, that is to say, as long as the lever G' is in its
lowest position a projection on the pawl C' is caught by the end of said lever and
said pawl is forced back against the pressure of its spring C2 so that the
rollers B2, B2 on the wheel B do not engage with the projection C³ of the paw
and the bevel pinion C is not rotated, but when the lever G₁ is raised it no

page_text: longer engages with said pawl which is therefore forced forward so that the
projection C³ is caught by the rollers B2, B3 on the wheel B, the bevel pinion C
is then rotated and the binding knotting and delivery mechanism is operated:
by the means above mentioned. The position of the various parts at this stage.
of the operation is shewn in Figure 4.
As soon as the binder, knotting and delivery shaft D has completed one.
revolution, that is to say, when the binding operation is finished, the lever G¹ is
depressed to its lowest position and catches the pawl C' in the manner hereinabove-
described so as to stop the rotation of the pinion C and the shaft. D' is therefore
no longer rotated. The arm G2 being also depressed presses on the end I of
the lever, and thereby raises the end 13 of said lever so that the pawl E' is.
released and the packer shaft A is rotated. The position of the parts is then,
the same as that first described and is shewn in Figure 3.
It will be readily understood from the foregoing description that the effect of
these arrangements, is, that when the conveyors, and packers are in action, the
binding, knotting and delivering mechanism is at rest. And that when the
packers and conveyors have conveyed and packed sufficient straw or the like
for a truss they are automatically stopped and the binding, knotting and delivering
inechanism comes into operation. It is clear also that it is impossible for both.
to be in operation at the same time.
For the purpose of stopping the conveyors and packers at the same time as the
binding mechanism is at rest without stopping the engine and thrashing machine,.
the hand lever K which is provided with a projection K is turned on its pivot into
the position shewn in Figure 5. The projection K' comes in contact with the
projection E on the pawl E' in the same manner as the end 13 of the lever I before
described and so stops the packer shaft.
It will be remarked that when once the binding mecbanism has started, that is to
say when the lever G' has been raised, the pawl C¹ cannot be put out of gear with.
the driving wheel B until the binding operation is finished. This may be found
inconvenient in practice and we therefore provide as shewn in Figures 7 and 8 a.
hand lever M pivoted at M' to the bracket H and having a projection M² which,.
when the lever is lifted, engages with the pawl E' and so stops the packing.
mechanism in a similar manner to the lever K above described. The end M³ of the
lever M is bent round the wheel B as shewn in Figure 8 so that it will act upon the
pawl C and put the pinion Cout of gear at the same time as the projection M
engages with the pawl E. The attendant can then by means of this lever stop both.
the packing and the binding mechanism if desired. In the case where such a
lever M is provided we preferably dispense with the lever K.
Referring now to Figures 9 to 11.
Figure 9 is a front elevation, and
=
Figure 10 is a side elevation of the knotter bracket and appurtenances.
Figure 11 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 10.
N is the knotter bracket; O is the gripper wheel or disc; the gripper, and
O'the knife. The gripper wheel receives the binding strings in the recesses O³, Os
and when said wheel rotates the strings are forcibly pressed against the knife O² and
are thereby severed. The shaft O* on which the gripper disc is supported is inclined,
and is actuated by means of a cam on the knotter shaft which is shewn at D' in
Figures 9 and 10. Said cam is provided with a few teeth which engage with a
pinion on the gripper shaft O. We thereby dispense with the worm and gear
described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 5023 October 22nd 1883 before-
mentioned, our improved arrangement being therefore very much more simple and
quite as efficient.
The knotter hook is shewn at P, P1, P being the pivoted part or upper jaw of
the hook. P is the pinion, by which the hook is rotated as described in the Speci-
fication of prior Letters Patent No. 4904, 31st March 1888 granted to James
Howard, E. T. Bousfield and George Gibbs. P³ is the cam which raises the upper
jaw. According to our present invention we so shape the cam P³ that the upper jaw

page_text: is raised during the whole time of forming the knot excepting just as and for the
time necessary to finish the knot. There will not therefore be the same tendency
for the strings to slip off the hook as has hitherto prevailed; thus we are able to
dispense with the tuckers and guides heretofore found necessary to keep the strings
on the knotter hook.
In Figures 12 and 13 of the drawings we shew how far the knot has approached
completion at the moment when the upper jaw is raised in two cases. In Figure 12
we illustrate the method in use prior to our present improvements, in which it will
be seen that the loop is complete before the jaw P rises and obviously some consider--
able force is required to open the hook whilst the strings are in tension and crossed
round it. In Figures 13- which shews a knotter hook constructed according to our
present invention the upper jaw Prises before the loop is completely formed and
consequently very little resistance is experienced by the hook in opening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
-
1. A trussing machine in which the packing mechanism as well as the conveying
mechanism is automatically stopped during the operation of binding the truss.
2. A trussing machine, wherein the compressing, binding, and delivery mechanism
is automatically operated alternately with the conveying and packing mechanism,
substantially as described.
3. Such a trussing machine so constructed that the power for driving the binding,
compressing and delivery mechanism, is transmitted direct to the said mechanism
without being transmitted from one end to the other of the packer driving shaft,
substantially as described.
4. The lever I constructed and operating substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
5. In a trussing machine, the provision of a hand lever such as K for putting the
conveying and packing mechanism out of gear when the binding mechanism is
stopped, or a lever such as M for putting both mechanisms out of gear at the same
time, substantially as described.
6. The combined knotter-jaws and cam constructed and operating so as to form
the loop after the jaws have opened, substantially as described.
7. The knotting mechanism constructed substantially as described and operating
as specified.
8. A trussing machine provided with the improvements hercinabove described
with reference to the accompanying drawings, and operating as specified.
Dated this 1st day of August 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.