Improvements in the Knotting Apparatus of Harvesting Machines and Straw Trussers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1891-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Knotting Apparatus of Harvesting Machines
and Straw Trussers.
We, JAMES HORNSBY, JOHN INNOCENT, and JOHN HENRY SMITH, all of the
Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, Engineers, do hereby.
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the knotting apparatus of
harvesting machines and straw trussers.
In the knotting apparatus as at present constructed a strong spring is required
to close the jaws of the knotter hook or forceps by which the knot is tied. To
avoid the necessity for this spring we make the knotter hook in the following
manner it has a middle jaw in one piece with the rotating spindle and this jaw
has a broad point or head and shoulders behind this head; there are also two
moveable jaws one on either side of the fixed jaw. The moveable jaws form a
second piece which is jointed to the spindle. When the forceps are closed the
points of the three jaws are all in one transverse line and they are in contact but
behind the points and nearer to the spindle, there are spaces between the jaws in
which the string can lie without being tightly nipped.
For tying the knot the two parallel strings surrounding the sheaf are laid across
the jaws in the usual manner and the spindle partially rotating causes the string to
be lapped around the closed jaws; then before the rotation is completed the jaws
are opened and they receive the ends of the strings between them. The tightening
of the string around the jaws closes them again. When the string is cut and the
sheaf falls away the pull upon the string draws the loop off the points of the jaws
and over the ends of the string which are retained between the jaws over the fixed
jaw and under the moveable jaws. The ends of the string are prevented from
escaping endwise past the points of the jaws by the head and shoulder of the fixed
jaw but not being nipped they draw out, the string running between the jaws up on
one side of the fixed jaw and down on the other side until the ends pass out and
escape; the knot in the meantime being tightened.
In the use of knotting apparatus some difficulty is experienced in ensuring that
the string which is brought by the needle over the top of the sheaf shall be caught
by the knotter hook when it revolves so that it may become lapped around the jaws
in the manner above described.
To overcome this difficulty we employ arrangements for bringing the string that
passes over the top part of the sheaf and placing this string in such a position that
the knotting hook shall take it with certainty. This part of the mechanism is
somewhat similar to that described in our Specification No. 886986 and is an
improvement thereon. We provide an instrument generally called a tucker and
we mount it to slide in a groove upon the knotter plate. When the string is
brought forward by the needle, it passes from the back to the front of the tucker
being directed by an inclined surface thereon. The tucker is then forced forward by
the needle and by it the string is laid close to the knotter hook and truly in position so
that knotter hook as it revolves may take both the strings and ties the knot. The
sheaf is then discharged and when the needle returns the tucker also is drawn back
to its normal position by a spring. The tucker and spring may be mounted either
on the upper or lower side of the knotter plate.
Dated this 17th day of September 1890.
JAMES HORNSBY.
JOHN INNOCENT.
J. H. SMITH,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Knotting Apparatus of Harvesting Machines
and Straw Trussers.
We, JAMES HORNSBY, JOHN INNOCENT, and JOHN HENRY SMITII, all of
the Spittlegate Iron Works, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, 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 :-
This invention has for its object improvements in the knotting apparatus of
harvesting machines and straw trussers.
:
In the knotting apparatus as at present constructed a strong spring is required
to close the jaws of the knotter hook or forceps by which the knot is tied. To
avoid the necessity for this spring we make the knotter hook in the following
manner it has a middle jaw in one piece with the rotating spindle and this jaw
has a broad point or head and shoulders behind this head; there are also two
moveable jaws one on either side of the fixed jaw. The moveable jaws form a
second piece which is jointed to the spindle. When the forceps are closed the
points of the three jaws are all in one transverse line and they are in contact but
behind the points and nearer to the spindle, there are spaces between the jaws in
which the string can lie without being tightly nipped.
For tying the knot the two parallel strings surrounding the sheaf are laid across
the jaws in the usual manner and the spindle partially rotating causes the string to
be lapped around the closed jaws; then before the rotation is completed the jaws
are opened and they receive the ends of the strings between them. The tightening
of the string around the jaws closes them again. When the string is cut and the
sheaf falls away the pull upon the string draws the loop off the points of the jaws
and over the ends of the string which are retained between the jaws over the fixed
jaw and under the moveable jaws. The ends of the string are prevented from
escaping end wise past the points of the jaws by the head and shoulder of the fixed
jaw but not being nipped they draw out the string running between the jaws up on
one side of the fixed jaw and down on the other side until the ends pass out and
escape; the knot in the meantime being tightened.
Figure 1 is a side view of a knotter hook constructed in accordance with our
invention; it is here shown with the strings laid across its closed jaws as at the
commencement of tying the knot.
Figure 2 is a front view of the hook with the strings in the same position.
Figure 3 shows the opposite side of the knotter hook and the strings are now
shown lapped around the jaws as they are by the semi rotation of the hook from
the position in which it is represented in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side view of the hook with its jaws open and the strings as they
become placed by the rotation of the hook somewhat beyond the position indicated
in Figure 3.
Figure 5 shows the hook returned after a complete revolution to the same
position as is represented in Figure 1 and the hook now has the knot upon it.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the hook with its jaws open.
Figure 7 is a plan and
Figure 8 a section on the line 8. 8 in Figure 3.
a is the spindle; bis the middle jaw which is of a piece with the spindle and
has an enlarged head . cc are the two outer moveable jaws, they are formed in.
one piece and are pivoted to the middle jaw at c'. Near the points of the jaws c.
on the inner side are projections c²² overlapping the edges of the head as is
clearly seen in Figure 2. In rear of the projections c2 c2 the outer jaws do not fit
closely to the middle jaw so that when the string is placed between the jaws as in
Figure 4 and the jaws are closed upon it as in Figure 5 the string does not become

page_text: nipped but held so that it can run through under and over between the jaws.
After the knot has been formed to the stage indicated in Figure 5 the string is cut
behind the knotter hook and then the bound sheaf falls away dragging upon the
string in a direction from left to right. The loop of the knot then passes over the
points of the jaws whilst the cut ends of the string are detained but finally escape
by being drawn between the jaws in a direction from back to front in respect to
Figure 5.
3 is a roller mounted on the back of the inoveable jaws, it is acted upon in the
usual manner by an incline carried by a spring for the purpose of opening the jaws.
A light spring serves the purpose as this knotter hook does not require a powerful
spring to close the jaws.
is an incline on the moveable jaws which controls the string whilst the knotter
hook rotates to form the loop.
Another part of our invention has for its object to render the action of the
knotting apparatus more perfect.
In the use of knotting apparatus some difficulty is experienced in ensuring that
the string which is brought by the needle over the top of the sheaf shall be caught
by the knotter hook when it revolves so that it may become lapped around the jaws
in the manner above described.
To overcome this difficulty we employ arrangements for bringing the string that
passes over the top part of the sheaf and placing this string in such a position that
the knotting hook shall take it with certainty. This part of the mechanism is
somewhat similar to that described in our Specification No. 88698 and is an
improvement thereon. We provide an instrument generally called a tucker and
we mount it to slide in a groove upon the knotter plate. When the string is
brought forward by the needle, it passes from the back to the front of the tucker
being directed by an inclined surface thereon. The tucker is then forced forward
by the needle and by it the string is laid close to the knotter hook and truly in
position so that knotter hook as it revolves may take both the strings and tie the
knot. The sheaf is then discharged and when the needle returns the tucker also is
drawn back to its normal position by a spring. The tucker and spring may be
mounted either on the upper or lower side of the knotter plate.
Figure 9 shows the top side of the knotter plate together with the parts in
connection therewith.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of the same.
g is the knotter plate, it has a trough like depression in it, and at the bottom
thereof is a longitudinal slot or opening g' through which the needle ascends. The
needle is represented by dotted lines in Figure 10 and is shown in section in two
positions in Figure 9. The needle is marked h. i is the tucker or slide, it is
capable of moving longitudinally upon the knotter plate along another slot or
opening g³ therein. The tucker is held back by the spring k which is connected at
one end with a stud upon the slide and at the other end with another stud upon the
plate. When the needle ascends it drives the tucker before it to the second position
in which it is represented by dotted lines in Figure 9. The needle passes over the
sheaf to be bound with the string in front of it so that the string comes against
the back of the tucker at i', and this part being inclined it passes to the front of
the tucker at 2. Then the tuckerfadvances and the part of the string between the
tucker and the needle point is presented to the knotting apparatus and the knotter
hook catches the string immediately below the tucker. The tucker thus places
the string so as to be caught with certainty.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A knotter hook with a middle jaw and moveable jaws one on either side of the
middle jaw and so arranged that the. formation of the string loop on the hook

page_text: serves to close the jaws together to retain the ends of the string whilst the loop
escapes over the ends of the jaws.
2. A tucker consisting of a slide upon the knotter plate moved forward by the
needle and drawn back by a spring, such tucker being inclined at the back so that
the string may pass to the front of the tucker and then be placed by it within
reach of the knotter hook.
3. Apparatus substantially as described and represented by the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 17th day of June 1891.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.