IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTER RAKES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Anson Wood, of the City and County of Albany,
in the State of New York, and United States of America, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTER RAKES."
Sealed the 26th January 1877, and dated the 28th November 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Anson Wood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1876.
WILLIAM ANSON WOOD, of the City and County of Albany, in the State of New
York, and United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARVESTER RAKES."
My Invention relates to the means for controlling the path of the arms of a
combined rake and reel, adapting said arms to act as reel beaters or gathering arms
only, or as gathering and discharging rake arms, as may be required, and consists
in a novel arrangement in connection with the usual cam track for imparting the
necessary rising and falling movements to the rake and reel arms of a horizontally
pivoted switch or gate located below and vibrating within the path of the rake
rollers for changing the path of said rollers, and causing the arms to act as reel arms,
as herein-after explained.
And it further consists in combining a weighted lever with the vertically vibrating
switch or gate last described for holding said switch withdrawn from the path of
the rake rollers, except when it is moved into said path by the attendant, or auto-
matically by devices connected with the rake arms, and operating on the weighted
lever, as herein-after described.
It further consists in providing the rake and reel arms with adjustable pins,
which by their adjustment towards or away from the rake roller may be made to
act automatically upon the weighted lever and switch for closing the latter, or to
pass by without acting thereon, according as it is desired to have the arms act as
reel or rake arms, as herein-after described.
It further consists in mounting the return switch or that part of the outer reel
track over which the reel arm roller returns to the main or fixed portion of the track
upon a horizontal pivot, and combining with it a spring for holding it in proper
position to return the reel arm roller, except when yielding, to permit the passage.
of a rake arm roller, as herein-after described.
:

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved rake attachment to har-
vesters, or as much thereof as is necessary to show my Invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view of the rake stand and cam, and of the latch or gate
which determines the path of the rake and reel arms.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, with one of the rake and reel arms
applied; and Figure 4 represents sectional views through the cam track, showing
the construction and arrangement of the return switch.
In the Drawing similar letters of reference are employed in all the Figures to
indicate corresponding parts wherever they may occur.
A represents what may be either a portion of the main frame or the shoe at the
inner end of the cutting apparatus and grain platform B, according to the organiza-
tion of the machine; C is the rake standard, made by preference in the yoke form
shown, whereby it is provided with supporting legs, one in front, and the other in
rear of the line of the cutting apparatus and of the crown or rake driving gear D
as shown; E is the rake cam or track mounted on the standard C; F is the vertical
rake shaft; G, the revolving rake head; and H, the rake and reel arms; all of the
above parts, except in particulars herein-after specified, being made in any usual or
preferred form. The cam track E is cut away on its side adjacent to the platform,
and the outer ledge of the portion of track thus cut away is replaced by a pivoted
portion of track e formed upon the forward arm of a vertically vibrating weighted
lever I pivoted at I to an arm El on the cam plate E, the weight at I on the rear end
of said lever serving to hold the track portion e up in proper relation to the track E
to replace the portion of the outer ledge cut away as described.
Inside of the pivoted portion e, and crossing the plane of the grooved portion of.
the track E, is a vibrating gate e¹, the forward end of which crosses the path of the
rake roller obliquely, and forms the switch for changing the path of said roller, said
gate being connected by a horizontal pivot with the cam plate at e². The rear arm
of this gate e is connected with the weighted lever I by a pin at 2, which enters a
slot at in said lever, the arrangement being such that when the track portion e is
raised by the weighted lover the rear arm of the gate will be elevated by the lever
depressing the switch end of said gate, and withdrawing it below the cam groove
and out of the path of the rake roller, while on the contrary when the weighted
arm of the lever I is raised, depressing the track portion e, and removing it out of
the way of the rake roller, the switch is elevated within the path of the rake roller,
and crossing said path obliquely, as described, causes the roller to be moved outward
over the track e, thereby lifting the rakes out of the grain on the platform, and
causing them to act as reel armis. By this arrangement it will be seen that while
all of the arms may be adapted or set to act as rake arms by simply depressing the
forward arm or track portion e of the lever I all or any number of said arms may
be made to act simply as reel arms. This depression of the forward arm of lever I
may be effected by the attendant at will by means of a link connecting it with a
lever L extended either directly or through the medium of suitable connecting
devices into convenient position to be acted upon by the foot or hand of the driver
in his seat on the machine, and it may also be effected automatically by devices
connected with the rake arms themselves as follows:-The metallic elbow and socket
plate H, through which the rake arms are pivoted to the revolving head G, is
provided a short distance outside of the roller arm with a pendent arm / perforated
horizontally or on a line parallel or nearly so with the rake arm to receive a pin ¹,
as shown. This pin is provided with two or more perforations, in one of which a
pin passing through the arm engages for holding the pin in the required
position. The pendent bracket in the passage of the rake arm over the track
portion e of the weighted lever I is on the outer or platform side of said track e, but
by adjusting the pin inward toward the rake roller said pin is made to rest upon
said track portion, and by the weight of the rake arm to depress it, thereby raising

page_text: the switch e¹, as explained, for causing the rake roller to pursue the outer path
necessary to cause its arm to act as a reel arm. By moving the pin outward it
passes the track e without coming in contact therewith, leaving said track elevated
and the switch e¹ depressed and out of the path of the rake roller. The pin h¹ may
be provided with a friction roller for facilitating its passage over the track, and
the pin may be held at the required adjustment by means of a set screw or other
equivalent device in lieu of the pin and perforations described. The return switch m
(see Figure 4) has on its forward end a pendent lug or car m¹ fitting between a
portion ex of the outer ledge of the cam, and a lug or ear n on the cam plate, and
a pin o passing horizontally through the lugs n, m, and into the rear end of
ledge ex serves to pivot the switch m to the cam plate. Underneath the lug or
ear m¹ is placed a small spring p, the tension of which serves to hold the rear end
of the switch in contact with the permanent portion of the cam track in proper
position to return the rake arm roller thereto after it has been caused to pursue
the outer path of a reel arm roller by the switch e¹, but yielding to permit the
passage of the roller on the inside of the switch m when the arms act as rake arms.
By this arrangement a rocking movement is given to the switch m, and its resistance
to the passage of the reel arm rollers is materially diminished.
Parts of the machine not particularly described may be constructed and arranged
in any usual or preferred manner.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which it is carried into
effect, I would have it understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exact
details as shown and described, as the same may be varied without departing from
the spirit of my said Invention, but what I do claim is,-
Firstly. The combination with the cam or rake track E of the vertically vibrating
switch or gate el, arranged and operating as above described.
Secondly. The vertically vibrating switch or gate e¹ in combination with the
weighted lever I, arranged and operating as above described.
Thirdly. The combination with the switch or gate e¹ and lever I, with its track
portion e, arranged and operating as described, of the link and lever L, or equiva-
lent devices for placing said lever and switch under control of the driver, as above
set forth.
Fourthly. The rake arms H provided with the pendent brackets h and adjustable
pins h', in combination with the lever I and switch c for operating said switch, as
described.
Fifthly. The return switch m adapted to rock or roll on a horizontal pivot, as
described, in combination with the spring p, arranged and operating as above set
forth.
Sixthly. In a harvester, the devices herein-before described, or their equivalent,
to cause the rake arms, or any one of them, or any number of them, to act as reel
arms either automatically or through the intervention of the driver from his seat
on the machine, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Anson Wood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Signed by the said William Anson Wood
at the British Consulate-General, New
York, this Eighth day of November,
A.D. 1876, in presence of
E. M. ARCHIBALD,
(L.S.)
H. B. M. Consul-General,.
New York.
• WILLIAM ANSON WOOD. (L.S.)