IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO HARVESTRES OR REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Thomas, of the Oity and County of
Bristol, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO HARVESTRES
OR REAPING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by Elisha
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Thomas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th February 1869.
I, CHARLES THOMAS, of the City and County of Bristol, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
TO HARVESTERS OR REAPING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of harvesters by which the grain
as it is cut is bound by the operation of the machine. In the machine
the rake makes its effective sweep across the platform from the grain
side of the same toward the main frame. The grain is thus gavelled or
bundled at the inner edge of the platform, and is held by the rake
against a wire which is supplied from an elevated reel and held by

page_text: grasping devices at a point below the gavel. The wire is made to
completely encircle the gavel by the descent of a binding arm, and a
length is cut off and twisted so as to firmly and securely bind the grain
into a sheaf. The binding arm wbich carries the wire around the sheaf
is made adjustable so as to bring the wire in position to bind at the
centre of the gavel. A suitable length of wire is then cut off and the
ends are seized by a pair of pincers or a twisting hook connected with
the rake. The twisting hook remains at rest as the rake makes the
stroke which gathers the grain, the hook being thus permitted to
maintain the position which enables it when rotated to catch the wire
after the same has been passed around the gavel by the descent of the
binding arm. The rake is brought to rest as often as it completes its
effective stroke in order that it may serve as an adjunct of the binding
device in confining the grain within the path traversed by the binding
arm until the latter has completed its descent and so encircled the gavel
with wire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
THOMAS, of the City and County of Bristol, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Thomas, Her special licence that
I, the said Charles Thomas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Charles Thomas, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO HARVESTERS OR
REAPING MACHINES," being a communicatiton to me from abroad by
Elisha Foote, of the City of Washington, United States of America,

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charlos Thomas,
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 be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Thomas, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
This Invention relates to that class of harvesters by which the grain
as it is cut is bound into a sheaf by the operation of the machine. In
the improved machine the rake makes its effective sweep across the
platform from the grain side of the same toward the main frame. The
grain is thus gavelled or bundled at the inner edge of the platform and
is held by the rake (which has an interval of rest for that purpose)
against a wire which is supplied from an elevated reel and hold by grasp-
ing devices at a point below the gavel. The wire is made to completely
encircle the gavel by the descent of a binding arm, and a length is cut
off and twisted so as to firmly and securely bind the grain into a sheaf.
The binding arm which carries the wire around the sheaf (and which in
conjunction with the other devices directly concerned in the binding
operation) is made adjustable so as to bring the wire in position to bind
at the centre of the gavel or sheaf so that the apparatus will be suitable
for binding up grain of any length of straw. When a suitable length
of wire is cut off the ends are seized by a pair of pincers and a twisting
hook connected with the rake. The twisting hook derives its motion
from the rake in such a manner that the twisting hook remains at rest
as the rake makes the stroke which gathers the grain, the hook being
thus permitted to maintain the position which enables it when rotated to
catch the wire after the same has been passed around the gavel or sheaf
by the descent of the binding arm. The rake is brought to rest as often
as it completes its effective stroke in order that it may serve as an adjunct
of the binding device in confining the grain within the path traversed

page_text: by the binding arm until the latter has completed its descent and so
encircled the gavel with wire.
Fig. 1 is a plan or top view of the machine partly in section, the plane
of section being below the seat and reel, which consequently are not
seen; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, the plane of
section being indicated by the line e, e, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation
of the binding arm and its appendages detached; Fig. 4 is a view of the
back of the machine; Fig. 5 is a plan drawn on an enlarged scale of
the parts and the adjuncts of the same which cut and twist the wire
after it has been made to encircle the gavel or sheaf; Fig. 6 is a vertical
transverse section through the parts shewn in Fig. 5, a portion of the
binding arm being here introduced to illustrate the twisting operation;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a portion of the main gear wheel and the
mitre which drives it pertaining to the twisting apparatus shewing the
manner of coupling the wheels under the effective motion and permitting
the independent motion of the mitre at other times; Fig. 8 is a detached
view shewing the operation of the stop pin in relation to the rake.
A and A' represent the side pieces of the frame of the machine;
B the ground or carrying wheel, which gears with a pinion B² on a
transverse horizontal shaft C. On the opposite end of this shaft is a
bevil wheel C that takes into and gears with a pinion on a longitudinal
horizontal shaft, which is connected to the sickle E by means of a
crank and connecting rod, which together with the pinion and shaft are
not shewn in the Drawings, as these devices form no part of the present
Invention. Attached to the side piece A of the frame are bearings F
and F extending downward and receiving a horizontal rock shaft G.
Attached to this rock shaft is a second pair of bearings r and that
receives a second shaft G. To the shafts G and G is attached the
binding arm H, which extends toward the platform and over the twisting
device. This arm is so fitted to the shafts as to be capable of being
moved thereon in the direction of their length. Beneath the shafts G, G*,
and connected to the shaft G just outside of the bearings of arm H is a
frame W, which is also so fitted to the shaft as to be capable of moving
thereon longitudinally. This frame is bent round so as to bring the
ends thereof at right angles one with the other. The end extending
toward the platform is bolted to the framework W carrying the twisting
device and its appurtenances. The frame W* is held in guides or ways

page_text: parallel with the shafts carrying the arm H, and is capable of a longi-
tudinal movement, that is to say, a movement parallel with the grain
as it lies upon the platform. Attached rigidly to the rear end of the
frame W is a vertical standard m, Fig. 2, which is connected to the
lower end of a vertical lever N by means of a horizontal rod m³. The
lever N is so arranged as to be capable of an oscillating movement upon
its fulcrum, and is held at any adjusted angle by means of slide rod
or trigger 4, that takes into notches in the upper edge of segment 6.
It is known that the length of straw varies much, and in order to make
a binder operate practically it should be adjustable, so as to always apply
the binding wire to the centre of the sheaf, and it is for this purpose
that
the parts heretofore described are designed and made adjustable.
The adjustment is effected as follows:-The driver by moving the
oscillating lever N, which is connected with the frame W by means of
the rod m and standard m (the frame W being so fitted to the shaft G
as to come in contact with the bearings of the arm H), gives the binder
and twister and their several accessories a longitudinal movement upon
the rods G, G, which brings them and the wire to any suitable point so
as to bind the sheaf in the centre. Firmly attached to the shafts G and G³
is a transverse horizontal lover n connected to the forward end of a longi-
tudinal horizontal lever I by means of a vertical rod f. The lever I extends
backward to the rear end of the machine, and is fulcrumed near its end
upon a shaft I. The rear end of the lever arm I is provided with rigid
jaws, the extremities of which carry friction rollers that occupy positions
above and below, and rest against a cam J keyed upon a transverse
horizontal shaft L. Loosely fitted upon the shaft L near the cam J is a
sprocket wheel M that receives a chain belt N' that extends forward and
around a like wheel M³ on the axle of the driving wheel B. The hub of
the wheel M is cut away in the form of ratchet teeth, which engage like
teeth cut in the end of the clutch K on the shaft L. This clutch is
provided near its centre with a circumferential groove that receives the
lower forked end of a vertical lever K³, as shewn in Fig. 4, the lever
extending upward and being provided at or near its centre with a fulcrum
upon which the same may oscillate. The upper end of the lever has
attached to it a chain V that passes around a pulley at right angles with
the lever, and is attached to a horizontal rod Vs that extends forward and
is fastened to a treadle a in front of the driver's seat. The rake derives
motion from the shaft L, as will be herein-after explained.

page_text: The object of this mechanism may be stated as follows:-Should the
grain be sparse or not sufficiently abundant to supply a gavel or sheaf
as fast as the rake would gather it under the motions at which the
parts are normally timed to operate, the driver can readily by forcing
the treadle a downward throw the rake and binder out of gear, or, in
other words, throw clutch K out of the notches in the end of the
wheel M, thus allowing the rake and binder to remain at rest until the
machine has moved a proper distance to gather enough grain to form a
suitable sized gavel or sheaf.
On the outer end of the shaft L is a bevil wheel O that takes
into a like wheel O* on the upper end of a vertical shaft I?.
Attached to the lower end of this shaft is a crank lover e, Fig. 2,
that is hinged or jointed to a horizontal rod e. The opposite end of
the rode is provided with a stud that works within a slot cut
longitudinally in the arm S, which is hinged or jointed to a second
arm S, Fig. 1, that is pivotted to a sliding sleeve R on a horizontal
guide rod R. The sleeve R is so fitted to the guide rod as to be
capable of sliding or moving thereon its entire length. Upon the guide
rod R and at the ends of the slide R is attached the shank of the rake
head T, which is also so fitted to the shaft as to be capable of moving
thereon. Hinged to one of the bearings or shank of the rake is a vertical
lever 8 (Fig. 4) that is provided at the lower end with a friction
roller 9. This lever is so arranged that as the rake T is moved forward
or toward the binder by means of the slide R, the lever will be loose
upon its axis and allow the roller to pass along and outside or in the
rear of the guide U that is bolted to the platform of the machine; but
as the rake recedes or moves backward, the roller 9 comes in contact
with and against the curved portion of the guide U, thus throwing the
roller to the front side of the guide U, which brings the upper end of
the lever 8 against a stop pin in the shank of the rake, thus raising
the same to an oblique vertical position, which allows the rake to move
backward over the fallen grain and across the platform. As soon as the
rake has passed the entire length of the guide, the roller 9 of the lever 8
passes through the space between the end of the guide U and the grain
board (on the outer side of the platform), thus allowing the rake to
drop down to a horizontal position and upon the platform back or outside
of the fallen grain. Attached to the inner end of the arm S is a
sector X, Fig. 1, to which is made fast a chain h, which extends in the

page_text: direction of the width of the machine, and passes over the pulley d and
thence around a like pulley d' on the horizontal shaft g, to which latter
pulley the chain h is made fast. The shaft 9 extends parallel with the
shafts G and G³, and is provided with a pinion i, Fig. 5, that is so fitted to
the shaft as to be compelled to always partake of the rotation thereof, but
is capable of being moved thereon in the direction of its length to conform
to the position of the binding mechanism. The pinion gears with a
like pinion & keyed upon a vertical shaft Cs that has loosely fitted upon
it a gear wheel Y which gears with a pinion Y' on the vertical shaft O',
to which is attached the twisting hook A³. Attached to the frame W³
and parallel with the shaft g are clamp plates 2 and 3, the plate 2 being
movable, so that as the arm H is forced down its wedge-like extremity
finds its way between the same and so forces them asunder; but as the
arm H ascends the clamp plates 2 and 3 are forced together by the
action of a spring 15, or its equivalent, thus holding the end of
the wire below the twisting hook A³. Attached to the framework
or lap of the twister is a movable slide L* (see Fig. 6), which
slides in guides or ways, and is held in proper position by means of
a spring M. The slide is so fitted in the platform as to be nearly
flush with the upper surface thereof, and is capable of being moved
or forced back by the downward movement of the arm H, the
resistance thereof being such as to force the wire tight against
the inner edge of the arm, thus holding the same while it is being
twisted by the rotation of the hook after the wire has been out
loose from the arm. The pinion of the shaft Os is provided with a
cavity or chamber that receives a movable block or self-adjusting
key d, Figures 5 and 7. The cavities in the respective wheels are so
formed that as the pinion is rotated under the receding motion of the
rake the block will drop down and take into a like
upper surface of the wheel Y, thus causing the wheels
simultaneously, and thereby putting the twisting hook
when the motion of the pinion is reversed the block will rise out of the
chamber in the wheel Y by reason of one side of the chamber being
oblique, as shown, and allowing the pinion and shaft g carrying the same
to turn backward without moving the wheel Y or the twisting hook.
The shaft g, Fig. 1, is encircled by a spiral spring g³ whereby the backward
motion of the shaft is produced as the chain is loosened by the forward
movement of the rake. That motion of the shaft g which puts the
twister As in motion is effected by the unwinding of the chain / upon
chamber in the
and Y to rotate
in motion; but

page_text: the pulley d², the proper motion to so unwind the chain being com-
municated to the sector X by the rake when receding. As the chain
must be rewound upon the pulley & in order to adapt the shaft to be
rotated in the effective direction as often as the rake recedes the spiral
spring is so applied to the shaft as to give it a reverse and as before
explained ineffective motion as the rake sweeps toward the twister, the
effect of which is to wind up the chain h as it is slacked during the
motion of the rake. Bolted to the frame of the twister is a cutter
blade P³, Fig. 5, so arranged as to cut the wire near and below the
twisting hook As as the hook makes its first revolution after receiving
the wire from the arm H. Hinged to the pivot of the rod e³ and working
in the slot of arm S, Fig. 1, is an arm t that is provided at its inner end
with a circular hook t' working around a stop pin #. To the arm t is
jointed at one end a second arm whose opposite end is jointed to the
main frame. The hook by its engagement with the stationary pin t³
serves during certain stages of the motion of the rake to give proper
direction to the stud which traverses the slotted arm S, but when the
rake reaches the end of its motion toward the twister the hook t
disengages itself from the stop pin &, leaving the arms t, ts, and rod e
in such relative positions that the actuating stud on the rod e* is allowed
to traverse the slot of the arm S without imparting motion to the latter
or to the rake until the crank e has completed about one-fourth of a
revolution, when the continued motion of the crank brings the arms t
and together with the hook into proper relative position to impart
the receding motion to the rake. This motion of the rake is not
initiated until the sheaf has been fairly encircled by the wire, and it is
obvious that by keeping the rake at rest as above described it assists
the wire against which the grain is first pushed by the rake in confining
the grain till the sheaf has been completely encircled in consequence of
the descent of the binding arm. The arm H, Fig. 1, of the binder is
provided with a spool H³ carrying the wire. This spool is mounted to
rotate at the centre of the arm and is provided with guides that direct
the wire on leaving the spool parallel with the centre of the arm. The
wire as it leaves the spool passes through loops or eyes in the upper and
outer sides of the arm and round a roller inserted in the lower end of the

page_text: jaws 2 and 3, Figures 1 and 5, and as the arm H is elevated it leaves
the wire in a vertical position. The grain is then moved across the
platform and against the wire by the rake T, which remains stationary
and against the grain, until the arm H is depressed into the casing of the
twister, thus carrying the wire around the grain. The rake is then
moved back across the platform in the manner already described, the
chain of the sector ✗ rotating the shaft 9 in the proper direction to
actuate the twisting hook A³ through the medium of the pinion i and ³,
the wheel Y and Y causing the hook to rotate. This brings the point
of the hook between the wire and end of the arm, thus carrying the wire
against the cutter blade P³, whereby the wire is cut loose from the
arm H. The hook A makes several revolutions, thus firmly twisting
the wire and binding the sheaf. The twister A³ catches that part of the
wire first held between the jaws 2 and 3, and also that part which is
brought down by the descending arm H, these two parts of the wire
being severed by the knife P³ just at the under surface of the twister As,
the under surface of which acts as a shear blade of the twister As,
and as the wire shortens in the act of twisting it ultimately frees itself
from the twister by rising within and passing out of the fissure between
the hook and body of the twister. The binding and twisted wire being
thus released by the twisting device enables the bound sheaf to fall on to
the ground from the inside of the platform, it either being jarred off by
the motion of the machine or pushed off by the succeeding sheaf. The
arm H does not rise until the wire is cut and twisted, the arm serving in
conjunction with the sliding plate L', as before explained, to clamp the
wire and prevent it from slipping permanently from the twister after it
is cut. When the arm H rises the wire depending from its lower end is
seized by the jaws 2 and 3 as soon as the latter are allowed to come
together by the withdrawal of the wedge-like extremity of the arm.
The wire is thus held ready for a repetition of the above operation. ³
(see Fig. 3) is a hollow rectangular stock embracing and movable
vertically in relation to the arm H. This stock carries at its upper and
a. roller or pin ho, which by the action of a spring h* on a lever H (which
carries the stock) is made to bear down upon the wire and so retard its
motion as it is paid out from the spool upon the binding arm as the
latter descends. Sufficient tension is thereby applied to the wire to
enable the sheaf to be firmly bound therewith. When the arm H
ascends the contact of the lever H with the main frame of the machine
serves to elevate the stock h³ and roller he, thus relieving the wire of

page_text: pressure and permitting it to be paid out freely as the lever rises. The
employment of two shafts G, G, in conjunction with the bearings of the
arm H obviates the use of a spline, which in the case of a single shaft
would be necessary in order to impart vertical vibrations to the arm.
The two shafts are preferable for the reason that a spline would be
subject to a wrenching and twisting action calculated to seriously impair
the same.
Having thus described the Invention which has been communicated
to me as aforesaid, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,―
First. The binding arm H, capable of adjustment in the direction of
the length of the grain, in combination with an automatic twisting
device, as and for the purposes described.
Second. The shafts G, G³, in combination with the binding arm H,
for the purposes set forth.
Third. The arrangement of the cam wheel J, forked lever I, rod f,
and lever n for giving a vertical vibrating motion to the arm H.
Fourth. The hook twisting wheel A³, having an intermittent rotating
motion, in combination with the stationary knife P³, for the purpose
explained.
Fifth. The clamp plates or jaws 2 and 3, arranged and operating in
combination with the arm H for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. The side plate L, arranged and operating in combination with
the arm H for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. The combination of the shaft 9, spring g³, chain h, and
sector X for giving an intermittent motion to the twisting device A³, as
described.
Eighth. The combination of the reciprocating rake T, hinged weighted
lever S, stop pin &³, and guide U, arranged and operating as described.
Ninth. The employment of the jointed arms t, t, stop pin t³, and a
hook, or equivalent devices, in connection with the connecting
rods S, 8, e, e, whereby the rake is held at rest for a specific period
every time it completes its motion toward the binder, as and for the
purpose explained.
Tenth. The tension device consisting of the arms H, h³, 1, and a
spring *, applied and operating for the purpose explained.

page_text: Eleventh. The combination of the crank lever e, rod e³, arm t, or its
equivalent, slotted lever S, and rod S for the purpose of imparting a
reciprocating motion to the rake, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Thomas, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Ninth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
CHARLES THOMAS. (L.S.)