IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WINDING, LOOPING, AND KNOTTING STRING FOR BINDING GRAIN STRAWS IN HARVESTING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hardy, of the Waterloo Foundry, near Poole, in
the County of Dorset, and William McIntyre Cranston, of Worship Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR WINDING, LOOPING, AND KNOTTING STRING FOR BINDING
GRAIN STRAWS IN HARVESTING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hardy and William
McIntyre Cranston at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
9th December 1879.
THOMAS HARDY, of the Waterloo Foundry, near Poole, in the County of Dorset,
and WILLIAM MCINTYRE CRANSTON, of Worship Street, Finsbury, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WINDING, LOOPING, AND KNOTTING
STRING FOR BINDING GRAIN STRAWS IN HARVESTING MACHINES."
The object of this Invention is mainly a special apparatus or combination of
appliances to form part of or be connected with a combined reaper and binder, in
which a binder head or shuttle strains string around and forms a bundle or sheaf,
and lays the string in the path of a gripper for that end of the string to be held
firmly until the next bundle or sheaf is encircled, the string of the first named
bundle being severed and the ends released and then gathered into the hook of a
winding or rotating device, whereby a mechanical winding, looping, and knotting
operation of the two free ends of string after severance can be effected, and the
bound sheaf ejected from the machine.
The apparatus consists of a tubular sleeve, having at its upper part a hook for
winding, this being rotated by means of a pinion at its base gearing into a rack
having a to and fro motion within a bracket under the action of a lever from a
cam, the rotation of which cam is obtained by gearing from the main shaft.
The underside of the rack has two inclined surfaces of different depths, and these
cause a vertical hooked stem to slide downward when the rack moves in one
direction, the hooked stem being within the tubular sleeve and without a rotatory
motion.
Near the hooked portion of the stem a hinged barb or tongue is fitted, the tail
end being under the action of an enclosed spring to keep the barb away from the

page_text: hook, except when acted upon by a collar arranged between the stem and the
rotating winder hook. A spring is fitted to return the stem to its upward position
when released from the inclines of the rack.
The sleeve and stem are fitted within a box of the main frame, and a slot in the
top plate is formed to facilitate a hooked push plate or strip pushing the string
from the binding head or shuttle over the top of the sleeve and into the path of
the rotating hook for each winding, looping, and knotting or tying operation.
The gripper by which the string is held for the binding operation works within
guide straps, and an extra leg with which it is fitted and formed like a spring
enables the gripper to adjust itself to the varying thickness of the string being
used. The action of this gripper is governed by a lever worked from the cam race,
a portion of the gripper having a knife edge to sever the body of the string, so
that the two ends of the binding length are left free for the winding, looping, and
tying by the appliances before and hereafter named.
Above the box before mentioned is a fixed plate, this having a slot and oblong
hole in it directly over where the tying is effected.
Above and below this plate and united at each end is a double hooked push
plate for the treble purpose of,-
Firstly. Receiving the string from the shuttle or binding head, and, together
with said shuttle, of delivering it into the path of the rotating winding book and
the path of the two legged elastic combined gripper and knife.
Secondly. The double hooked pusher is fitted to jam the ends of the string
against one side of the slot in the top plate of winder and looper box chiefly for
the purpose of holding the string from the time it is severed and released till the
knot is secured.
Thirdly. The double hooked pusher plate (and this is the chief reason of its
being double) is for the purpose of safely expelling the back portion of the string
from its jamined position and the pushing of the knot into a favourable or safe
position for coming off the hook of the vertical stem and out through the oblong
hole in top plate of winder and looper box.
The string on its passage between the spool or bobbin and the binding head
passes through eyes of a long arm, which in one position produces the necessary
tension while the binding lead is moving to wrap the string around the sheaf, the
tension being taken off sometime while the binding head returns to its first position
that the winder hook may draw the string freely from the bobbin without drag.
For this purpose the inner end of the long arm is provided with a connecting rod,
whose lower end is kept in a notch by a spring until lifted by a snug or cam on a
shoulder or boss of the upper rotating shaft. The string between the long arm and
the bobbin has several wrappings around a drum head capable of rotating by the
drag of the string, the necessary tension on this drum head being governed by a
gut or other band regulated by a screw and spring.
The actions of this looping and knotting appliances are as follows:-
A single "ply" of string from the binding head is passed into the slot and
between the gripper and its fixed plate. The straws gathered from the harvester
collect upon the board or in a cradle in sufficient quantity to form a sheaf; the
binding head then descends, carrying the string over the bundle so formed, and
compressed in the usual manner.
The binder head travels far enough to carry a new portion of the string on the
back side of the sheaf forward till meeting with that portion of string on the front
side of the sheaf; the two portions of string are then together pushed into the
position, when the pusher jams then against one side of the slot in the top plate
of the winder and looper box, the slot being also provided with a spring if
necessary to assist in jamming or gripping these two portions of string close to the
sheaf.
The binder head or shuttle still moving forward in conjunction with the hooked
pusher delivers the string into the path of the winder hook, also into the path of
the two legged combined gripper and knife, in which position the string is retained

page_text: by another pusher moving in unison with the double hooked pusher, and both
deriving their motion communicated through a suitable lever, etc., from the main
cam race.
"
The next operation is the releasing of the gripped end from and by the opening
or receding of the two legged gripper and knife. The main cam next produces a
slight forward motion of winder hook, carrying with it the two portions of string
already in its path; this draws the released end just clear of the two legged
gripper and knife, at the same time drawing from that portion on the back side of
sheaf sufficient extra string towards the looping appliances for forming the knot,
and as this extra string would otherwise come towards the looper and knotter with
an undue drag from the tension the "take up arm with two eyes or friction rolls
in it, through or over which the string passes, is provided with a fulcrum and lever,
on which a spring is fitted to act, which keeps it in its proper position till the extra
string is required for forming the knot, at which time a snug or cam on the top
shaft touches a rod connecting with the said lever, overcoming the resistance of the
spring and so acting on the long "take up" arm as to move its extreme end, over
which the string passes nearer the winding and looping mechanism, thus casing the
tension at the necessary point to prevent the otherwise undue strain on the binding
material.
The two legged knife and gripper now moves forward, the latter being slightly
in advance of the former, thus gripping that portion of the string intended to form
part of the next or second bond, while the knife severs it from that portion forming
part of the first bond. The string being severed and the gripping of the new ond
ready for next bundle completed the winder hook again moves forward to complete
the first revolution, which has now wound the two portions or free ends of string
once around the body of the vertical hooked stem and underneath the barb or
tongue of the same.
The first or shallow inclined surface or cam on the underside of the racked bar
(which rack also communicates motion to the sleeve winder hook) now draws the
vertical hooked stem, and along with it the first wrapping or winding of the string.
The second wrapping, as the winder proceeds with its second revolution, crosses the
first wrapping as the second wrapping is placed above the barb or tongue and
under the top hook of vertical stem.
As soon as this second wrapping is wound under or into this hook the second or
deep incline on the rack comes into action and forces the stem down to close the
barb over the nose of the hook to free the first wrapping of the string that it may
escape over the top of the hook to form the knot by the loop that is within the
hook, and to draw the knot perfectly tight. The rack now returns under the
action of its cam to release the central stem from the deeper incline surface, and
that the central stem may lift under the action of its spring for the barb to be
removed (by its spring) from the nose of the hook, that the loop last made in the
string, by which the knot was formed, may be released from it, which it does by
the retirement of the shallower incline of the rack bar permitting it to rise to its
highest limit ready for the next first wrapping of the binding string of the next
succeeding bundle; the last bound bundle having been released may be ejected by
the kick out lever or otherwise.
The binding head on the completion of each tying has a quick upward motion
through the shape of the cam, by which its lever is operated, the spring of the long
arm producing a fresh tension on the string when the binding head moves in a
downward direction for binding the string around a fresh gathered bundle.
The main features of novelty of this Invention are,-
1. The rotatory tubular winder in combination with an up and down motioned
central hooked stem enclosed and working within said tubular rotatory winder.
2. The combination of the rack for producing the rotation of the winder with
the inclines on the underside of the rack for regulating the pull down action of
the booked central stem, thus producing by one and the same cam action a knot
in the free ends of string used for binding straws into bundles or sheaves.

page_text: 3. The double logged flexible gripper enabling string of different thicknesses in
a grain straw binding machine to be used.
4. The combination of the take up arm and its cam appliances for releasing the
tension on the string during the formation of the knot.
5. The particular means when a ball of string is used of producing the necessary
and variable amount of drag or tension to the string by communicating it with the
ordinary friction pulley or brake by winding the string several times to make it
bite around a drum head secured to the said friction pulley, which pulley is under
the influence of an enclosing gut and spring and thumbscrew for regulating the
amount of friction and consequent drag on the string as it is drawn from the ball
for wrapping around the sheaf.
6. The particular method when a spool of string is used of producing an uniform
yet, at the will of the attendant, variable tension by means of a long flat lever
spring fitted so that one end shall press directly against the string itself on the
spool, thus as the string on spool decreases in diameter so the spring correspondingly 1
decreases in strength, the result being a nearly uniform drag or tension on the
string from the first and larger to the last and smaller size of the spool as the string
is being used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Hardy and William McIntyre Cranston in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th June 1880.
THOMAS HARDY, of the Waterloo Foundry, near Poole, in the County of Dorset,
and WILLIAM MCINTYRE CRANSTON, of Worship Street, Finsbury, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WINDING, LOOPING, AND KNOTTING
STRING FOR BINDING GRAIN STRAWS IN HARVESTING MACHINES."
The object of this Invention is mainly a special apparatus or combination of
appliances to form part of or be connected with a combined reaper and binder, in
which a binder head or shuttle strains string around and forms a bundle or sheaf,
and lays the string in the path of a gripper for that end of the string to be held
firmly until the next bundle or sheaf is encircled, the string of the first named
bundle being severed and the onds released, and then gathered into the hook of a
winding or rotating device, and within a hook of a sliding stem, whereby a
mechanical winding, looping, and knotting operation of the two free ends of
string, after severanco, can be effected, and the bound sheaf ejected from the
machine.
Our Invention is clearly shown in the annexed Drawings, Figure 1 of which is
a side view of the apparatus, and Figure 2 a view looking from the rear of a
machine, on the tail of which the apparatus is affixed, Figure 3 being a plan.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are detail views of the hook or looper,
and the mechanism by which the various movements are effected, for the tying
operations, as before set forth.
The apparatus consists of a tubular sleeve a, Figures 4 and 5, having at its
upper part a hook 6 for winding, this being rotated by means of a pinion c at its
base gearing into a rack d having a to and fro motion within a bracket under the
action of a lever e from a cam g (Figure 3), the rotation of which cam is obtained
by gearing from the main shaft.
The underside of the rack & has two inclined surfaces i, j, of different depths,
and these cause the vertical hooked stem to slide downward when the rack d
moves in one direction, the hooked stem k being within the tubular sleeve a and
without a rotatory motion. The rack and inclines may be on a disc as to have a
circular or other motion.
Near the hooked portion of the stem a hinged barb or tongue m is fitted, the
tail end being under the action of an enclosed spring n to keep the barb away from
the hook except when acted upon by a collar arranged between the stem a and
the rotating winder hook b. A spring 9 (Figures 1 and 2) is fitted to return the
stem to its upward position when released from the inclines of the rack d. Instead
of the spring the barb may have a tail piece to work in a groove and catch against
the projections, as seen in Figure 6.
The sleeve and stem are fitted within a box r of the main frame, and a slot s is
formed to facilitate a double hooked push plate or strip t, Figure 3, pushing the
string from the binding head or shuttle u over the top of the sleeve, see Figure 7,
and into the path of the rotating hook b, as in Figure 8, for each twisting, winding,
looping, and knotting or tying operation.
The gripper by which the string is held for the binding operation works within
the guide straps w, w, and an extra leg x, with which it is fitted and formed like a
spring, see Figure 13, enables the gripper v to adjust itself to the varying thickness
of the string y being used. The action of this gripper vis governed by a lever z
worked from the cam race a', see Figure 3, a portion of the gripper having a knife
edge to sever the body of the string, so that the two ends of the binding length,
as at Figure 8, are left free for the coiling or winding, looping, and tying by the
appliances before and hereafter named.

page_text: Above the box before mentioned is a fixed plate 6', this having a slot c¹ and
oblong hole din it, directly over where the tying is effected, see Figures 2 and 3.
Above and below this plate, and united at each end, is the double hooked push
plate t for the treble purpose. First. Receiving the string y from the shuttle or
binding head u, and, together with said shuttle, of delivering it into the slots, and
also into the path of the rotating winding hook b, and the path of the two legged
elastic combined gripper and knife v.
Secondly. The double hooked pusher t is fitted to jam the ends of the string
against one side of the slot c' in the top plate bl of winder and looper box r, chiefly
for the purpose of holding the string from the time it is severed and released till
the knot is secured.
Thirdly. The double hooked pusher plate t (and this is the chief reason of its
being double), for the purpose of safely expelling the back portion of the string
from its jammed position and pushing the knot into a favourable or sate position
for coming off the hook 7 of the vertical stem k, and out through the oblong hole d¹
in top plate b¹ of winder and looper box.
The string y on its passage between the spool or bobbin and the binding head u
passes through eyes e¹, e¹, of a long arm f₁, which in one position produces the
necessary tension while the binding head u is moving, to wrap the string y around
the sheaf, the tension being taken off sometime while the binding head returns to
its first position, that the winder hook b may draw the string freely from the bobbin
without drag. For this purpose the inner end of the long arm is provided with
a connecting rod g', whose lower end is kept in a notch by a spring until
lifted by a snug or cam 7 on a shoulder or boss k¹ of an upper rotating shaft 1.
The string y between the long arm and the bobbin has several wrappings around
a drum head m¹ capable of rotating by the drag of the string. The necessary
tension on this drum head is governed by a gut or other band n' regulated by a
screw and spring p².
The actions of this looping and knotting appliances are as follows:-
A single "ply" of string y from the binding head u is passed into the slot d',
and between the gripper and its fixed plate w the straws gathered froin the
harvester collect upon a board or in a cradle in sufficient quantity to form a sheaf;
the binding head u then descends, carrying the string y over this quantity to
compress it into a bundle or sheaf. The binding head travels far enough to carry
a new portion of the string on the back side of the sheaf forward till meeting
with that portion of string on the front side of the sheaf, the two portions of string
are then together pushed into the position, when the pusher tjams them against
one side of the slot c' in the top plate of the winder and looper box r, the slot
being also provided with a spring if necessary to assist in jamining or gripping
these two portions of string close to the sheaf.
The binder head or shuttle u moving forward in conjunction with the hooked
pusher t, and delivers the string into the path of the winder hook b, also into the
path of the two legged combined gripper and knife v, see Figure 7, in which position
the string is retained by another pusher q moving in unison with the double
hooked pusher t, and both deriving their motion communicated through the lever,
from the main cam race 8¹.
The next operation is the releasing of the gripped end of the string from and by
the opening or receding of the two legged gripper and knife v. The main cain
next produces a slight forward motion of winder hook b, carrying with it the two
portions of string already in its path. This draws the released end just clear of
the two legged gripper and knife v, at the same time drawing from that portion on
the back side of sheaf sufficient extra string towards the looping appliances for
forming the knot, and as this extra string would otherwise come towards the looper
and knotter with an undue drag from the tension the "take up" arm f¹ with two
eyes e¹ or friction rolls e in it through or over which the string y passes is provided
with a fulcrum and lever on which a spring is fitted to act, which keeps it in its
proper position till the extra string is required for forming the knot, at which time

page_text: the snug or cam; placed on the top shaft l' touches a rod g connected with the
said lever f¹, overcoming the resistance of the spring and so acting on the long
"take up "
arm as to move its extreme end over which the string passes nearer the
winding and looping mechanism, thus easing the tension at the necessary point to
prevent the otherwise undue strain on the binding material.
The two legged knife and gripper v now moves forward, the latter being slightly
in advance of the former, thus gripping that portion of the string intended to form
part of the next or second bond, while the knife severs it from that portion forming
part of the first bond.
The string being severed and the gripping of the new end ready for the next
bundle completed the winder hook 6 again moves forward to complete the first
revolution which has now wound the two portions or free ends of string once
round the body of the vertical hooked stem and underneath the barb or tongue of
the same, as in Figure 9.
The first or shallow inclined surface i or cam on the under side of the rack bar d
(which rack also communicates motion to the sleeve winder hook) now draws the
vertical hooked stom k and along with it the first wrapping or winding of the string.
The second wrapping as the winder proceeds with its second revolution crosses the
first wrappings as the second wrapping is placed above the barb or tongue and
under the top hook of vertical stem, as in Figure 10. As soon as this second
wrapping is wound under or into this hook the second or deep incline ; on the
rack d comes into action and forces the stem k down to close the barb m over the
nose of the hook 7 to free the first wrapping of the string, as in Figure 11, that it
may escape over the top of the hook to form the knot by the loop that is within
the hook and to draw the knot perfectly tight. The rack d now returns under the
action of its cam g to release the central stem k from the deeper inclino surface j,
and that the central stem may lift under the action of its spring q for the barb m
to be removed (by its spring) from the nose of the hook that the loop last made in
the string by which the knot was formed may be released from it, which it does
by the retirement of the shallower incline i of the rack bar d, permitting it to rise
to its highest limit ready for the next first wrapping of the binding string of the
next succeeding bundle; the last bound bundle having been released may be ejected
by a kick out lever or otherwise. Figure 12 is a plan of the looper.
The binder head has a somewhat slow motion in its downward action and then
a quick gathering and compressing action iniparted to it by a bowl t on its end
riding in an inclined portion u₁ of a fixed cam v¹, and it has a quick upward
motion on the completion of each tying operation.
This will be understood by reference to Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings.
The cam is fixed and formed from a slotted bar, and the bowl t' of the binder
head works in the slot u¹ under the action of the shaft supported by the
bracket w, and receiving a rotary motion by the gearing a from the shaft y', as
seen in Figure 2. The motion of the binder head u is governed by a connecting
rod z', which travels round with the shaft to produce when the connecting rod
moves downwards a penetrating action of the head u into between the straws, and
then a draw back action for gathering and compressing the bundle, at the same
time wrapping the string around it, and into the path of the pusher for gripping
said string and severing the ends for the action of the looper 6 as before explained.
The main features of novelty in this Invention are,-
1. The rotatory tubular winder in combination with an up and down motioned
central hooked stem, enclosed and working within said tubular rotatory winder.
2. The combination of the rack for producing the rotation of the winder with
the inclines on the underside of the rack for regulating the pull down action of the
hooked central stem, thus producing by one and the same cam action a knot in the
free ends of string used for binding straws into bundles or sheaves.
3. The double legged flexible gripper enabling strings of different thicknesses in
a grain straw binding machine to be used.

page_text: 4. The combination of the take up arm and its cam appliances for releasing the
tension on the string during the formation of the knot.
5. The particular means when a ball of string is used for producing the necessary
and variable amount of drag or tension to the string by communicating it with
the ordinary friction pulley or brake by winding the string several times to make
it bite around a drum head secured to the said friction pulley, which pulley is
under the influence of an enclosing gut, and spring, and thumb screw for regulating
the amount of friction and consequent drag on the string as it is drawn from the
ball for wrapping round the sheaf.
Figure 14 is a view of the knot formed by the looper and vertical stem before
referred to.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,―
First. The apparatus shown at Sheets 1 and 2 of the annexed Drawings by
which a winding, looping, and tying of string can be effected in the manner and
for the purpose described.
Secondly. The apparatus shown at Figures 4 to 12 consisting of a sliding hook
provided with a barb m and rotating winder or looper, as described and as shown
in the annexed Drawings for the purpose set forth.
Thirdly. The combination of a rack and pinion and double inclined surfaces
whereby a rotation of the winder and a draw down action of the hooked stem can
be accomplished, the whole working in unison for wrapping string around the
stein below the barb and then above into the hook for tying a knot in the string,
as set forth.
Fourthly. The forked string gripping and cutting apparatus with spring leg,
arranged as described.
Fifthly. The long arm fl and the parts g¹, j, and h¹ connected directly with it
for regulating the tension of string used for binding wheat sheaves, as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Hardy and William McIntyre
Cranston, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
THOMAS HARDY.
(L.S.)
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
40, Fleet Street,
London.
W. M. CRANSTON. (L.S.)