IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR HARVESTING GRAIN AND GRASS CROPS, AND IN THE AUTOMATIC DELIVERY THEREOF
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Stettinius Clark, of the American Patent
Agency, 133, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR HARVESTING GRAIN AND GRASS CROPS,
AND IN THE AUTOMATIC DELIVERY THEREOF."-A communication from
Alexander Hamilton Caryl, of Sandusky, Ohio, U.S. America.
Sealed the 12th January 1858, and dated the 14th July 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Stettinius Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th July 1857.
I, WILLIAM STETTINIUS CLARE, of the American Patent Agency, 133, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR HARVESTING GRAIN AND GRASS
CROPS, AND IN THE AUTOMATIC DELIVERY THEREOP" (a communication), to be.
as follows:-
In that class of machines which have but one ground wheel, the outer end
of the finger bar having no other support than the ground, acts as a lever
against the end of the draught pole, causing a heavy side or latteral draught
upon the pole, and subjecting the team to unnecessary fatigue. In other
machines there is no arrangement by which the cutters may be raised when

page_text: the machine is in motion. Methods have been proposed for accomplishing
this end by throwing the whole weight of the forward part of the machino
upon the tongue, but this throws so great a weight upon the team as to
render the method impracticable. In other machines there is no adequate
arrangement for separating the grass to be cut from that to be left standing,
and consequently such do not work well in tangled or lodged grass. These
and other defects of the machines as now constructed I have remedied by my
present improvements, which are as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in balanceing the tongue and a
portion of the weight of the machine, which is carried by the tongue by the
weight of the driver.
The second part of my Invention consists in connecting the draught pole
to the frame of the machine by means of chains or other flexible links
attached to the frame at a point below the level of the axle, and at the rear
thereof, and at the same time so connecting the rear end of the tongue or
hound to the frame that the force by which the machine is backed shall be
applied to the frame at a point to the rear of the axle, and very nearly upon
a level therewith, so that the driver, by throwing a portion of his weight upon
the after part of the frame, can readily raise the cutters clear of the ground to
surmount any obstacle.
The third part of the improvement consists in a peculiar method of securing
the finger bar to the divider, whereby the mown grass is prevented from
clogging the motion of the cutter bar by becoming jammed between it and
the divider. In the accompanying Drawing, A is the wheel frame, to which
are attached the operating parts of the machine; B, the axle of the main
driving wheel C; D, the tongue; E, the hounds; II, spring levers; I, links,
which hook into the pounds, see (Fig. 1); K is an arm connected to the
forward part of the machine by the links L; M is a post, and supports the
treadle O; the cutter bar is adjustable by the change of the pin in (d) in
the holes (c) in post P; the cutter bar is connected by a link at (f) with the
sliding bar (s), and is suspended by arms (T) carrying the roll (9); X, the
divider; Y, the off wheel, running immediately behind the divider; W, a
rail for steadying its motion.
The Invention further consists in providing a rake for relieving the falling
or cut grain from the platform. C is the frame of the machine (see Fig. 2),
which is hung in suitable bearings on the shaft D of the driving wheel E;
Fis a standard; G is a brace, the middle of which is formed into a step (a)
for a vertical shaft EI; I is also a horizontal shaft; A' is a cap; and B', a
sleeve, into which fits the horizontal shaft I; L and K are bars; (c), a short

page_text: rack bar; N is a block or stock, against which the shaft I brings up when
swung towards the front of the machine; (d) is an elastic cushion to relieve
the concussion of the shaft 1; (e) is a spring break; (h) is a cog wheel, and
engages with a rack (i) on the face of the bar P; Q is the rake; R, the
platform or table on which the cut grain falls; (r), a dog, which is held by
a spring (p) in contact with a ratchet wheel (7, secured to the end of the
shaft O. By this arrangement, as the pinion is revolved, it revolves the shaft
O, and through the cog wheel (h) and rack (i) lifts the rake up vertically
clear of the grain. Attached to and rising vertically from the frame C is a
short adjustable standard S (Fig. ), the foot of which is formed of a slit x,
which embraces the frame C. T, a flat quadrant-shaped piece, the shaft D
turning freely in it. Near the outer edge of the piece T is secured to its face a
curved spring (a), and a little further in from its edge is a block (6). Secured
to the shaft D is a ratchet wheel V, which revolves with the shaft, bearing
against a shoulder, and against the block b, a screw (c) passing through the
of the wheel V, secures it to the shaft D after the rake has swept the
grain off the table, and is lifted up out of the grave. The wheel V being
locked by the lever (h'), the machine proceeds until sufficient cut grain has
fallen on the table R to make another gable or bundle for binding, when the
driver presses with his foot on the end (K') of the lever (h'), and sets free
the wheel V, when, by the uncoiling of the spring (e), the wheel is turned in
an opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow, and the dog (t) is triped
by the block (v), and the shaft O being set free, the weight of the rake causes
it to descend its rod (p) until arrested by the pin (m). It will be seen by
the above arrangement of parts, the movements of the rake are entirely under
the control of the driver, and by simply pressing his foot upon the treadle
(K) the cut grain will be swept from the platform and laid smoothly behind
the machine, the rake leaving it without scattering or tangling the grain in
the least; or, if desirable, to have it lay a continuous swarth in the path
of the machine. The driver need only hold down the treadle by pressure of
bis foot, when the hook (n') at the other end of the lever (h') will not detain
the wheel V, and the vibratory motion of the rake will be regular and rapid,
and by the adjustment of the rake may be made to work in either long or
short straw.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Stettinius Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
STETTINIUS CLARK, of the American Patent Agency, 183, High Holborn, in
the County of Middesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight bundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Stettinius Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Stet-
tinius Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Stettinius Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR HARVESTING GRAIN AND GRASS CROPS, AND IN THE
AUTOMATIC DELIVERY THEREOF," a communication from Alexander Hamilton
Caryl, of Sandusky, Ohio, U.S. America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Stettinius Clark, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to bo
filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Stettinius Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
The Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, is
thus described, reference being made to the accompanying Drawings, of which
Figure 1 represents a view of the machine with my improved automatic raking
attachment; Figure 2, a detail of a portion of the rake apparatus; Figure 3,
a section on the line A, A, of Figure 2; Figure 4, a section on the line B, B,
of Figure 2; Figs. 5, 6, 7, details, to be referred to thereafter; Figures 8, 9,
10, 11, 12, represent a plan of the same for mowing grass crops.
I will premise with some of the objections which have been found to exist

page_text: in the automatic raking attachments as heretofore applied to reaping machines.
Where the rake is automatic in its movements, being actuated by gearing
from the main or ground wheel, and moves back and forth at stated intervals
over the table on which the cut grain falls, it must necessarily make the gavels
or bundles of grain which are swept off from the platform of a varying size,
and again from the manner in which they leave the grain when they are
being raised from it to make the return movement, after having swept the
grain from the platform (that is, by being partially revolved, to raise the points
of the teeth above the platform), they are liable to scatter the grain or tangle
it, and not being made adjustable they do not operate equally well in different
lengths of grain. These objections I have obviated by placing the sweeping
motion of the rake under the control of the driver of the machine, and by
causing the rake teeth to be lifted up in a direct line out of the grain after
having cleared the platform, and by making adjustable the point to which the
rake reaches forward towards the front of the machine, before it commences
to sweep the grain from the platform. C, of the Drawings, represents the
frame of the machine, which is hung in suitable bearings on the shaft D of the
driving wheel E; F are standards, which carry the raking attachment; G is a
brace, extending from one of the standards F to another one near the middle
of their length; a is a step for a vertical shaft H, having its upper bearing at
b; between the heads of this pair of standards, and secured to the shaft HI, is
the horizontal shaft I; these shafts are connected in the following manner :-
A cap A' fits on the head of the vertical shaft II; attached at the top of the
cap A', at right angles thereto is a sleeve B', into which fits the horizontal
shaft I; supported on the heads of the standards F is a flat bar L (see Fig. 2),
to one end of which is connected another bar K, which extends out from it at
right angles towards the rear part of the machine; the outer ends of these two
bars are connected by the flat circular way M, forming a quadrant; to the
outer end of this quadrant is secured a short rack bar C; attached to the other
end of the way is a block or stop N, Figure 3, against which the shaft I
brings up when swung towards the front of the machine; a cushion d of india-
rubber is attached to the inner edge of the block N to relieve the concussion
of the shaft I, and to check its speed before it strikes the block; the latter
has attached to its upper side a spring brake e; fand g are two arms secured
to the shaft I; these arms carry in bearings at their outer ends a smaller shaft
O, to the outer end of which is attached a cog wheel h, which engages with a
rack i on the face of a bar P, which has a longitudinal movement in a box k,
attached to the outer end of the shaft I. The plate to which the rack i is
attached projects on each side of the bar P, and enters grooves in the side of

page_text: the box K (as seen in Fig. 2); a pin m regulates the distance to which the bar
P shall descend. To the lower end of this bar is attached by the middle of its
length the rake Q, the longer axis of which is in the same plane as the axis of
the shaft I; the pin m is so placed that the points of the rake teeth may
descend to within a very short distance of the platform R, on which the cut
grain falls on the shaft O; near its bearing in the arin g is a roller 1, Figures 2
and 3, which revolves on the shaft on the way M; as the shaft I is swung
towards the block N, the roller is pressed between the spring brake e and
the way M, and the motion of the shaft is checked before it strikes the block;
alongside of the roller there is running on the shaft O a pinion wheel n,
Fig. 2, of a little less diameter than the roller, which, as the shaft I is swung
towards the back of the machine, rises on to and engages with the short rack
c; this pinion n, when traversing the rack c towards the outer end of it, is
clutched with the shaft O in the following manner :-Secured to the pinion
N is a disc o, to the outside of which is pivoted a dog r, which is held
by its spring p in contact with a ratchet wheel q, secured to the end of the
shaft O. By this arrangement, as the pinion is revolved as above mentioned,
it revolves the shaft O, and by means of the cog wheel h and rack i, lifts the
rake up vertically clear of the grain. When the pinion n has reached the
outer end of the rack c, and the shaft I, with its attachments, is required to be
swung back again, as will be hereafter explained, the ratchet wheel q is held
by the dog t, pivoted at s to a short standard w attached to the shaft I (see
Fig. 4), a spring u attached to the shaft I serving to keep the dog in contact
with the wheel; thus, the shaft O is prevented from revolving, and the pinion
n is allowed to revolve on the shaft as the pinion passes over the rack c on
its return from the end of it; as the shaft O is held and prevented from turn-
ing, the rake will be held up and carried back towards the front of the
machine as the shaft I swings round towards the block N; just before it
strikes this block, the foot of the dog t strikes on a block von the bar L, and
the dog is lifted out of the ratchet wheel 9 (see Fig. 4), when the shaft O is
free to revolve, and the weight of the rake causes it to descend into the
position seen in Figure 1, ready to sweep the grain from the platform.
The manner in which the vertical shaft H is revolved, and the shaft I is
swung round, will be now explained :-Attached to and rising vertically from
the frame C is a short adjustable standard S, Fig. 5. A flat quadrant-shaped
piece T is hung upon the main shaft D, the shaft turning freely in it. A
screw pin Y with a nut passes through a slot Z in the standard S, and secures
the piece T in position. To the outer edge of the piece T is secured to its
face curved spring a' and a block . Secured to the shaft D is a ratchet

page_text: wheel U (Fig. 5, and dotted in Fig. 1), which revolves with the shaft; a
screw c¹ passes through the hub of the wheel U, secures it to the shaft D.
V is a box wheel hanging loosely on the shaft D (Figures 1 and 6), which runs
in contact with the hub of the wheel U, and retained in place by the sleeve d'.
The wheel V, which is hollow or formed like a box, contains a coiled spring e'
(Fig. 1 and 6), the inner end of which is secured to the hub of the wheel,
and the other end at f¹ to a piece W (detached, see Fig. 7), which is secured
to the frame c by suitable screws. This piece extends out laterally from the
frame c, and is forked at its outer end into two parts, No. 1 and 2, the former
of which enters a circular slot g' in the inner face of the box wheel V, and
has attached to it at f one end of the spring e; thus, as the wheel is
revolved in the direction of the arrow, the spring is wound up. Pivoted at i
to the part 2 of the fork of the piece W, is a long bent lever h', the longer
arm of which extends up within reach of the driver's foot, being widened out
at this end at to accommodate the foot. A spring m³ throws out this end
of the lever, and keeps the other end in contact with the periphery of the
wheel V. The lower end of the lever his furnished with a hook n¹, which
catches a stop o³, secured to the edge of the wheel V, and retains the wheel
against the resistance of its spring e', after it has been wound up, as will be
explained. Pivoted to the inner face of the wheel V at r¹ is a pendant
dlog p', which vibrates freely in a plane parallel to the face of the wheel. The
lower end of this dog p' is bent out of right angles, and rests upon and
engages with the ratchet wheel U, as seen in red, Fig. 5. A pin q' on the
face of the wheel V, prevents it from swinging out too far.
A bevelled cog
segment X, on the inner face of the wheel V, engages with another bevelled
cogged segment on arm Y, secured to vertical shaft H; thus, as the wheel V
revolves, the shaft H is caused to turn in its bearings.
The manner in which the reach of the rako towards the front part of the
machine is adjusted will now be explained:-When it is desired to incline
the box K at the end of the shaft I, so that the bar P, as it slides through the
box, shall descend in a line inclined to the perpendicular, the shaft I is
turned a short distance in the sleeve B', and is secured by the pin passing
through the sleeve into the shaft. As turing, the shaft I raises or lowers the
shaft O and parts connected therewith, it becomes necessary to alter the
height of the shaft I above the plate L, that the roller may be kept in con-
tact with the curved way M; this is adjusted by means of the moveable cap A'
on the top of the vertical shaft H.
The operation of the rake attachment is as follows:-The parts being in
the position, as seen in Figure 1, as the main or driving wheel revolves in the

page_text: direction of its arrow, when the machine is being drawn along, a tooth of the
ratchet wheel U catches the dog p', and carries it round between the wheel U
and the curved spring a', on the stationary piece T, revolving the wheel V
about a quarter of a turn, winding up the spring e', when the stop o' is caught
by the hook n', on the end of the lever h', and the dog p' being forced out from
under the tooth of the wheel U by the block b', escapes from under the end of the
curved spring a', and the ratchet wheel U revolves without turning the wheel V.
As the wheel V is turned in the direction of its arrow, it revolves (by the con-
nection of the cogged segments) the shaft H, which swings round the shaft I
attached to the head of it, the roller b running on the way M. By this movement
of the shaft I, the rake Q pendant from the outer end of it, sweeps the cut grain
back off the platform R, and leaves it on the ground in the required position
behind the machine; through means of the cog wheel h and rack r, the rake Q
is lifted up vertically clear of the cut grain; the dog t engaging the ratchet q
on the end of the shaf O, prevents it from turning in the opposite direction,
and holds the rake suspended whilst the shaft I is being swung back towards
the front of the machine. After the rake has swept the grain off the platform,
the wheel V being locked by the lever h', the machine proceeds until sufficient
cut grain has fallen to make another bunch for binding, when the driver
presses with his foot on the end of the lever h, and sets free the wheel V,
when, by the uncoiling of the spring e', the wheel is turned in the direction
opposite to that indicated by the arrows, and swings back the shaft I towards
the block N on the end of the way M. The instant before this shaft strikes
against the rubber cushion d on the block N, the dog tis tripped by the
block v, and the shaft O being set free, the weight of the rake Q causes it to
descend its rod P until arrested by the pin m. The brake e retards the latter
part of the swing of the shaft I, and graduates the force with which it strikes
the block N.
When the machine is intended to be operated in grain, the straw of which
is shorter than usual, the reach of the rake is adjusted by turning the shaft I,
so that the bar P descends in a line inclined to the vertical, the pin m in the
bar P being adjusted to allow the rake teeth to descend near enough to the
platform or table.
It will be seen by the above arrangement of parts I place the movements
of the rake entirely under the control of the driver, who can keep it sus-
pended at the back of the machine until a quantity of cut grain has fallen on
the table, sufficient to make a gavel of a uniform size, without reference to the
thickness of the standing grain, when by simply pressing his foot on the treadle
the cut grain will be swept off and laid behind the machine. Should it be

page_text: desirable to leave the grain in a swarth, the driver need only to hold down the
treadle k, when the hook n' at the other end of the lever h' will not detain
the wheel V, and the vibratory motion of the rake will be regular and rapid,
effectually accomplishing this end; and by the adjustment of the reach of the
rake, the machine can be made to work equally well in either long or short
straw. When mowing grass or other crops, where it is desirable to spread
over the surface of the ground, the platform R is removed.
The portion of my improvement referring more particularly to the machinery
for harvesting grass crops I will now proceed to describe :-First, it consists
in balancing the tongue and a portion of the weight of the machine, which is
carried by the tongue by the weight of the driver, as will be presently more
fully described.
Secondly, in connecting the draught pole to the frame of the machine by
means of chains or other flexible links, attached to the frame at a point below
the level of the axle and at the rear thereof, and at the same time so
connecting the rear end of the tongue or hounds to the frame that the force
by which the machine is backed shall be applied to the frame at a point to
the rear of the axle, and very nearly upon a level therewith, so that the driver
by throwing a portion of his weight upon the after part of the frame, can
readily raise the cutters clear of the ground to surmount an obstacle, or when
the machine is in motion, but not required to operate, and when the team
is backed, the force applied shall not operate to prevent the raising of the
cutter bar.
Thirdly, it consists in a peculiar method of securing the finger bar to the
divider, whereby the mown grass is prevented from clogging the motion of
the cutter bar by becoming jammed between it and the divider. In the
accompanying Figures 8 to 12 represent this portion of my improvements.
A is the wheel frame, to which are attached the operating parts of the
machine. This frame is suspended from the axle B³ of the main driving
wheel C. The tongue D² terminates in the hounds E, which are connected
with the carriage. The driver's seat G is carried by spring levers H², which
have their fulcrum upon the top half of the box, immediately over the main
axle. These levers may be passed a greater or less distance through the
clasps, for the purpose of adjusting the counterbalancing force thrown upon
the tongue by the weight of the driver.
The second part of my improvement referring to this portion of my Inven-
tion I will now describe. The rear end of the hounds are forked, as seen at
a³, and pass over a pin c³ projecting from the wheel frame; this pin is placed
to the rear of the axle, and as near upon a level therewith as may be, and

page_text: thus the machine may be backed without forcing the cutter bar down upon
the ground, the friction of the axle in its bearings tending to raise the forward
part of the machine, so that a small additional weight placed upon the rear of
the machine by the driver will be sufficient to raise the cutters from off the
ground. K is an arm descending from the after part of the wheel frame,
which is connected with the forward part of the hounds by chains or links L²,
and thus the force applied to move forward the machine tends to elevate the
cutters, and enable the driver to raise them entirely from the ground by an
application of a portion of his weight. From the rear of the wheel frame
rises the post M, that supports the treadle 0; immediately in front of the
driver and between the levers El, which supports his seat from the forward
part of the machine, rises the posts P and 0%, through the former of which
the bounds pass. The pin d is adjusted by being placed in one of the
holes in the post P, whereby the cutter bar is made to run at the required
distance from the ground; the cutter bar is connected by a link at f* with
the sliding bar S. This bar is suspended by the arms T, and carries the
rolls, which slays in the zig-zag groove in the periphery of the driving
wheel. The bar S thus vibrates in a short arc and moves with the least
possible friction in its bearings. The divider X is scen detached, Fig. 11, the
forward end of which rises about three inches from the ground, is brought to
an edge, that it may divide the grass to be mown from the standing; upon its
bottom edge it is shod with iron, forined as seen in Fig. 11; the finger bar
is attached to the piece 2, which is secured to the iron m² by a screw n³,
and is held off from it by a washer on the screw n³ and a set screw o³,
leaving a space, through which the cutter bar passes. The off-wheel Y
runs immediately behind and beneath the divider, and its rear end is con-
nected with the rail W, by which, together with the finger bar, its motion
is steadied.
The modifications of which any part of the machine is susceptible aro
numerous; these changes I do not deem necessary to specify, as such of them
which are important will occur to the constructor.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention as communicated to me,
I would havo it understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,-
First, the raising the rake of a self-raking reaping machine up in a direct
line from the grain after raking it from the platform, and when thus raised
holding it suspended above and clear of the grain until the rake has returned
to the front of the machine to repeat its operation, in the manner and for the
purposes herein set forth.

page_text: Second, placing the return movement of the rake when so raised and
suspended under the control of the driver, in the manner described.
Third, operating the raking attachment in one direction by locking it with
the main shafts, and in the other direction by means of a spring or its
equivalent.
Fourth, inclining the rake to the vertical to correspond with the length of
grain being cut, and raising it in the plane into which it is inclined.
Fifth, the application of the power by which the machine is drawn to a
point of the wheel frame beneath the level of the axle, when the hounds are
connected with the frame or the axle, in the manner substantially as described
and shewn in the Drawings.
Sixth, I claim balancing the draft pole by the weight of the driver, in the
manner and for the purposes as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Stettinius Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
WILLIAM STETTINIUS CLARK.
(L.S.)