Improvements in Thrashing Machines,
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thrashing Machines,
We, FRANK NEEDLEY and GEORGE CLARVISS KIRBY, Manager and Foreman
respectively in the Thrashing Machine Department of Messrs. Ruston, Proctor,
& Co. Ltd., of Sheaf Iron Works, in the City and County of Lincoln, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In thrashing machines in which the shakers and the two reciprocating parts,
usually termed the top" and "bottom" shoes are driven by eccentrics fixed
on a straight shaft, two on either side of the machine as described for example
in Patent No. 16089 of 1884, it has been customary hitherto to put this shaft
above the upper shoe, we now arrange it below, the same, which permits the
eccentric rods to be crossed as shown in Figure 1, and the shakers to be driven
by cross bars carried by the prolonged and over-hanging ends of these rods,
which bars drive alternate shakers respectively, and the shakers themselves,
which may be of any convenient number but generally four or five, are carried
at their suspended ends by rocking levers, spring hangers or other like devices,
arranged alternately front and back as shown in Figure 2.
The shakers driven by the eccentric rods attached to either shoe have their
guided ends more or less over the attached ends of these rods, so that each set
of shakers moves approximately in unison with the eccentric rods which drive it.
In this manner we obtain a more effective movement of the shakers and the
working parts can be well balanced, the eccentric shaft is also out of the way
of the cavings and straw which fall on to the top shoe, and the relative lift of the
shakers one to the other is more uniformly increased, at the back ends particu-
larly; it will be seen also from Figure 1, that the paths of the free ends of the
shakers have a forward character near the drum and the reverse at the farther
end so that the straw is much better tossed than is usual.
In order to keep the rods close in we cut away the frame and put stiffening
pieces outside, but we may arrange one rod inside and one outside the bearing
on either side of the machine, to reduce the overhang which is caused when
both eccentrics are placed outside each bearing.
We further make the eccentrics in the form shown with the upper part prolonged
in both directions to support the rods.
We sometimes make the rods which are preferably of wood flat on one side
and tapered on the other, and we may attach them to the shoes by joints or pins.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1898..
FRANK NEEDLEY.
GEORGE CLARVISS KIRBY.

page_text: Improvements in Thrashing Machines.
We, FRANK NEEDLEY and GEORGE CLARVISS KIRBY, in the Thrashing Machine
Department of Messrs. Ruston, Proctor & Co. Ltd., Sheaf Works, in the City
and County of Lincoln, 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:-
In which the drawings referred to are those left with the Provisional Specifi-
cation except as to the parts specifically drawn out in detail.-In thrashing
machines in which the shakers and the two reciprocating parts-usually termed
"top" and "bottom" shoes-are driven by eccentrics fixed on a straight shaft,
two on either side of the machine as described for example in Patent No. 16089
of 1884;
it has been customary hitherto to put this shaft above the upper shoe A,
we now arrange it below the same, which permits the eccentric rods C & D to
be crossed as shewn in Figure 1 and the shakers H & J to be driven by cross-
bars F & G carried by the prolonged & overhanging ends of these rods, which
bars drive alternate shakers respectively and the shakers themselves-which
may be of any convenient number, but generally four or five, are carried at their
suspended ends by rocking levers, spring hangers, or other like devices arranged
alternately front and back as shewn in Figure 1 at M & N. The shakers H & J
driven by eccentric rods attached to either shoe at O & P have their guided ends
more or less over the attached ends of these rods, so that each set of shakers
moves approximately in unison with the eccentric rods which drive it. In this
manner we obtain a more effective movement of the shakers, and the working
parts can be well balanced, the eccentric shaft E is also out of the way of the
cavings & straw which fall on to the top shoe A and the relative lift of the
shakers H & J one to the other is more uniformly increased, at the back ends
particularly it will be seen also, from Figure 1, that the paths of the free ends
of the shakers have a forward character near the drum and the reverse at the
farther end, so that the straw is much better tossed than is usual. In order to
keep the rods close in, we cut away the frame Y & Y and put stiffening
pieces outside, but we may arrange one rod 1) inside and one outside the
bearing on either side of the machine, to reduce the over-hang which is caused
when both eccentrics are placed outside the bearing E. We further make the
eccentrics in the form shewn with the upper part prolonged in both directions
to support the rods. We sometimes make the rods, which are preferably of
wood, flat on one side and tapered on the other, and we may attach them to the
shoes by joints or pins. When such joints are used, we preferably make them
as shewn in Figs. 3, 4, & 5 in which castings R are arranged bolted to the shoes
with lugs S for receiving the spring hangers T in the usual way but having turned
pins U fitting into bored brackets V, bolted to the rods W which actuate the
shoes, as shewn, which pins may be hollow and provided with loose gluts X and
adjusting wedges Z to take up any slack which may be caused by wear, or fitted
with any other convenient adjustment.
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. The arrangement of eccentrics driving both shakers & shoes substantially
as described and shewn in the drawings,

page_text: 2. The arrangement of eccentrics driving both shakers and shoes, one eccentric
with its rod being placed inside the frame on either side, substantially as described.
3. The combination with either of the above arrangements of adjustable joints
for the ends of the rods substantially as described.
ր 111900
FRANK NEEDLEY.
GEORGE CLARVISS KIRBY.
Applicants.