IMPROVEMENTS. IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING STRAW AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Fellowes and Henry
Hemfrey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 1st July 1862.
We, THOMAS FELLOWES and HENRY HEMFREY, both of Spalding, in the
County of Lincoln, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS. IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING STRAW AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCE," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for elevating
straw and other agricultural produce. For these purposes an endless rope,
chain, or band is employed, to which several apparatus are applied, each of
which collects a quantity of straw or other agricultural produce, and having
collected such quantity the parts of the apparatus are arranged to close
towards each other and to retain the collected quantity securely till the appa-
ratus has been raised by the movement of the endless' rope, chain, or band to
the highest position, where the parts of the apparatus are caused to relax their
hold of the straw or other produce, and allow it to drop on to a stack or other
surface whereon it is desired to deposit such straw or other produce. The endless
rope, chain, or band is carried by two pullies or wheels kept at the desired
distance apart, in order that one pulley may be in the position where the straw.
is supplied from a thrashing machine, or otherwise, and the other pulley held
in a position above the stack, or other surface, on to which the straw or other
produce is to be deposited when it has been raised. Each apparatus for col-
lecting and holding a quantity of straw or other produce consists of two main
frames or parts, the under one of which is so formed that it will, by passing
over a platform or surface, collect any straw or other produce deposited

page_text: thereon by the teeth or ribs of which such under frame is partly composed
passing under such straw or produce. It is preferred that this under frame
should be composed of parallel teeth or ribs and wire netting, or other light
openwork, between the several teeth or ribs above mentioned. Above this
lower frame there is an upper one similarly constructed to the under one,
which turns on a hinge or axis, so that it may be opened out at a distance
from the under frame when such under frame is collecting or raking up a
quantity of straw or other produce from the platform or surface on to which
such produce has been deposited, and provision is made for closing the upper
frame of the apparatus towards the lower frame when it has collected the
straw or produce on to it, and further provision is made for opening such
upper frame when the apparatus comes to the highest position, in order that
the quantity of produce held by the apparatus may be deposited. Each appa-
ratus has two rollers below it, which are supported by canvass or other
suitable material extending from the lowest position to the highest. Each
apparatus is connected to the endless rope, chain, or band at a point between
the two rollers, so that the endless rope, chain, or band is between the two
extended pieces of canvas or other suitable material. The straw or other
product is deposited on to two boards, which are situated at the lower end of
the endless rope, chain, or band, and are inclined to a like angle to that. of the
endless rope, and the endless rope passes between these two boards or inclined:
platforms, so that as the forward points of the teeth or ribs of the under frame
of each apparatus pass over such boards or platform they pass under and rake
up the straw or other produce placed on the inclined boards or. platform, and,
baving done so the upper frame of the apparatus is caused to close towards
the lower one, so as for a time to embrace or hold the collected quantity
between the upper and lower frames. The several collecting and holding
apparatus are attached to the endless rope, chain, or band at a suitable
distance apart, so that they may come into action in succession. It is pre-
ferred that the two pieces of canvas employed (one on either side of the
endless rope, chain, or band,) should, when out of use, be wound on an axis
interior of a hollow drum or cylinder. The endless rope, chain, or band is
caused to rotate by giving motion to the lower pulley or wheel, and the
endless rope, chain, or band is held extended, and the upper end thereof.is
raised to the desired height by means of a pole or otherwise.