IMPROVE- MENTS APPLICABLE TO REAPING MACHINES FOR BINDING THE CUT CROP Into Sheaves
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Hulcupp Withers and
William Wells at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 27th August 1875.
We, HENRY HULCUPP WITHERS, of Longparish, Yeoman, and
WILLIAM WELLS, Engineer, of Whitchurch, both in the County of
Hants, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS APPLICABLE TO REAPING MACHINES FOR BINDING THE CUT CROP Into Sheaves,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements applicable to reaping
machines for binding the cut crop into sheaves.
In reaping machines having our improvements applied to them the
corn as it is cut is laid by the dummies or beaters against a breasting
in rear of the knife, and a rake or rakes lift it from time to time and
throw it over the breasting on to a platform. A rake is then caused to
traverse the platform to gather the cut crop to the end of the platform
at the near side of the machine and enclose it in a box or trunk of
which the platform rake forms one side. A presser or moveable top of
the box or trunk is then allowed to descend and compress the bundle

page_text: or sheaf and is held down by the action of a revolving quadrant, which
also serves to give more pressure if necessary; afterwards a piston lying
behind the butt end of the sheaf is caused to advance and to push the
sheaf out through a mouth-piece; a band or bond is placed around the
end of the mouth-piece, and when the sheaf has been pushed a distance
through the mouth-piece, a finger carried in advance of the piston
pushes the band off the mouth-piece and on to the sheaf; the upper part
of the mouth-piece, which is moveable, being thus set free will be
drawn up by a spring or weight, and relieve the sheaf from the pressure
of the mouth, the pressure of the moveable top of box or trunk
remaining until the stroke of the piston is complete. The remaining
stroke of the piston pushes the sheaf sufficiently far to ensure its
delivery into the field ready for setting up; the piston and rake then
retire to their original positions, and a fresh band or bond is placed
around the mouth-piece. The presser or moveable top of box or trunk
also again rises before a fresh quantity of corn is gathered up into the
box or trunk.
The following is the. manner in which we propose to adapt our im-
provements to machines already constructed, subject to such alterations
as are absolutely required to adapt them to the varying styles of such
machines With one of Wood's reaping machines with armless driving
wheel and square ended frame, we take away the whole of the present
appliances for bending corn before knife and delivery after, and fit a
platform about 7 feet long by about 6 feet wide, fitting to it 2 guide bars
to carry platform rake, and a breasting behind knife for corn to lay
against for a time on this platform and bolted down to it an enclosure
on three sides; the near side one being much the longer is the main stay
of the new work, carrying a brace under finger plate to old framing;
then we lengthen the shaft used to drive the pinion of knife crank and
fix a small pulley on it, then place a 24 inch shaft above with large
pulley on it.
Belt to be stopped or started by means of friction pulley
and lever at discretion of driver, as in case of a very thin crop. Next
on this shaft is fixed a segment of 3 feet radius, 10 inches wide, with
point on near side in advance; this point coming in contact with a roll
fixed to end of a lever acting on a fulcrum throws the extreme end of
lever 4 feet for the purpose of raking the platform; next on the same
shaft is fixed a wheel about 6 feet diameter (beyond this the shaft does
not extend; wheel to hang close to near side of cut being covered on

page_text: face, thus shielding other parts of machinery and keeping up corn that
may hang over near side of cut. At the back of this wheel is fixed a
quadrant, the frame of which is filled with small rolls to lift the presser,
keep it up for a time and when turned down to hold it down for a time.
Also at the back are fixed 2 projections, one to drive the piston for
pushing out sheaves by the side of near partition, and the other to effect
the return motion of rake across platform. To the front of wheel are
fixed the dummies and rake for laying and lifting, taking hold of
standing corn about 4 feet in advance of knife. The corn being bent by
dummies is after passing knife laid by them on breasting; the rake or
rakes coming once in every revolution of wheel lift it and throw it over
breasting into platform immediately the presser begins rising, and at
the same time the platform rake traverses platform from off to near side
(pressure being kept up by lever acted on by segment as before
described) and forms one side of box or trunk, the long partition the
others; the quadrant having held the presser to an uniform height now
releases it and turns round to give it more pressure if required. The
piston lying behind the butt of sheaf being fitted with V shaped wheels
to run on V guides above and below, and also carrying a finger in
advance now moves forward to push the corn out through the partially
sliding mouth (the mouth being kept together by means of a bond
placed on its extreme end as before stated); when the piston with finger
placed at any desired distance in advance has pushed off the bond on to
the sheaf, the top part of mouth now being disengaged will by a spring
or weight be drawn up, thus easing the pressure of mouth, when
remaining stroke of piston pushes the sheaf sufficiently to ensure its
delivery into the field ready for setting up, as herein-before described.