IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN ROBERT JEFFERIES of the firm of Ransomes Head & Jefferies of Ipswich
in the County of Suffolk Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THRASHING MACHINES" and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
.
My improvements relate more particularly to the apparatus used for cutting and
bruising the straw.
Thrashing machines are frequently furnished with apparatus for cutting and
bruising the straw as it leaves the strawshakers after it has passed through the
drum and the grain has been thrashed out of it.
The straw is thus prepared for use as food for cattle and for other purposes.
This apparatus as heretofore constructed consists of a cylinder fitted with blades
for cutting the straw into short pieces, and a second cylinder furnished with blunt
projections for bruising and softening the cut straw, each cylinder is partly
encased and the respective parts of the casing are furnished with blades and blunt
projections for those of the cylinders to act against, the two cylinders are mounted
on the thrashing machine with the cutting cylinder placed so as to receive the straw
from the strawshaker, and the bruising cylinder is placed vertically below it, so as
to receive the cut straw from the cutting cylinder above it. When it is desired to
cut and bruise the cavings as well as the long straw an elevating band or apparatus
is arranged to convey the cavings from the riddle to the upper or cutting cylinder.
This arrangement is defective-the cutting cylinder is so near to the end of the
straw shakers that there is but little fall for the straw-and consequently the feeding
of the cutting cylinder is liable to irregularity occasioned by temporary accumula-
tions of straw near the end of the strawshakers. Also the elevating band or
apparatus which is required if it be desired to cut and bruise the cavings adds an
unnecessary complication to the machine. By my improvements these disad-
vantages are removed, the feed passes freely to the cutting cylinder and the
apparatus for raising the cavings to the cutting cylinder is entirely dispensed with.
I place the cutting cylinder lower than herefore and in such a position relative
to the riddle that the cavings will pass directly from the latter to the former,
without the aid of any conveying apparatus and I also place the second or bruising
cylinder side by side and in a horizontal line with the cutting cylinder, in place of
beneath it, and in this position it receives the cut straw from the cutting cylinder. -

page_text: When the cutting cylinder is thus placed there is a considerable fall for the
straw from the end of the strawshakers, and every chance of obstruction is removed,
the cutting cylinder is supplied more uniformly, and the cutting of the straw is
thereby greatly improved; the machine is also relieved of the shocks caused by the
sudden advance of the temporary accumulations above mentioned.
In some cases I dispense with the second cylinder, and effect the cutting. and
⚫bruising with a single cylinder; in such cases the single cylinder is placed in the
position above described for the cutting cylinder, so as to receive the cavings from
the riddle and the straw from the strawsliakers.
Sheet 1 of the Drawings shews in three views my improvements as applied to a
thrashing machine with rotary strawshakers.
Sheet 2 shews the same improvements applied to a thrashing machine with
reciprocating shakers.
The same parts are indicated by the same letters in all the figures of both Sheets.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section.
Figure 2 is an end elevation.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the end of a thrashing machine, in section, and
shewing the arrangement where a single cutting and bruising cylinder is employed.
A is the cutting cylinder, B is the bruising cylinder; C is the riddle, D is the
strawshaker, these parts are all constructed and actuated as heretofore, the only
change being in their relative positions, E is a board turning on a pivot at e, and
which when turned into the position E¹, shown by dotted lines, directs the straw,
from the strawshaker to the ground, when the straw is not to be cut. F is a plate,
along which the cavings pass to the cutting cylinder. When the cavings are not
to be cut, this plate is turned up against the plate G, and the cavings fall to the
ground.
By this arrangement the cavings and the straw may be cut and bruised together,
or either of them separately.
In Figure 3 the cylinder is provided with both cutters and bruising instruments-
and the concave with which it works is similarly armed..
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
First. My improvement in thrashing machines consisting in arranging the
cutting cylinder and the bruising cylinder side by side and in such positions that
the cavings may pass direct from the caving riddle to the cutting cylinder
substantially as described.
Second. My improvement in thrashing machines consisting in arranging a single
cutting and bruising cylinder in such a position that the cavings may pass direct
from, the caving riddle to the said cylinder substantially as described.
1
Third. My improvement in thrashing machines fitted with reciprocating straw
shakers consisting in obtaining a better fall for the straw from the end of the
straw shaker by placing the cutting and bruising cylinders side by side and in a
position to receive the cavings direct from the caving riddle without interfering
with the forecarriage or necessitating lower front wheels or raising the delivery
end of the straw shaker.
Dated this 20th day of March 1884.