US149233A - Improvement in grain-binders - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets--Sheet 2r S. D. LOCKE.

A Grain-Binders.

NO HLQZS v Patented March 3i, 1874.

3Sheets--Sheet3- S. D. LGKE. Grain-Binders.

Patpnted March 31, 1874.

`UNITrm STATES PATENT Origin.

sYLvANUs D. Locke, or Hoosick FALLS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN (EIFLAIN-BINDERS Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,233, dated March 3l, 1874; application tiled september 4, 1873.

CASE A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLvANUs D. LocKE, of Hoosick Falls, in the county of Rensselear and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Binders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadl to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a harvesting-machine with my attachment.I Fig. 2 is an end elevation of my invention. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, S, 9, 10, 11 represent parts assembled and detached of my binding-head. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional elevation of my invent-ion. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of my binding-head. Figs. 14,15, 16 represent my take-up spool. Fig. 17 is a plan of the rack-box.

This invention relates tol improvements in automatic binding-machines, and particularly on that class of binders to which belong improvements heretofore patented to me 30th August, 1870, and particular reference is hereby made to said patent for a description of the general method of operation of my said invention, which consists, first, in mechanism to advance the compressing-arm faster than the binding-arm during a certain part of its revolution 5 second, in devices to limit the movement of the vibrating arm third, in the method of constructing the binding-head; fourth, in stops to prevent the backward movement of the binding' mechanism after the same has been thrown out of gear; fifth, in a permanent ledge to assist the binding-head to penetrate and separate the gavel; sixth, in the tensionspring upon the vibrating' arm, seventh, in the retaining-springs, to complete the separation of the bound from the unbound gavel prior to the discharge of the former; eighth, in a stationary fender-rod to prevent the gra-in from becoming entangled with the revolving meehanism of the binder.

That others may fully understand my improvement, I will particularly describe it.

On Sheet 1 is represented in perspective the full machine, consisting of the reapingmachine with cutters, reel, and carrying and elevating aprons, and attached thereto the binding apparatus, which forms the subject of this patent. A

The cradle or receptacle A, into which the eut grain is delivered from the elevating-apron, is composed of a suitable frame-work, covered with sheet metal or other suitable material. At one side there is firmly bolted to said frame a pillar or standard, B, with an arm, I), projecting from the top thereof, and extending over said cradle to its center. The pillar B and its arm b support the operative mechanism of the binder, which is driven through the medium of the shafts Gand D and their pinions, actuated by and connected with the main driving-wheel E. At the outer end of shaft C is mounted a binding-arm, F, which carries at its outer end the binding-head G and a compressing-a 1m, H. There is also pivoted to the end ofthe arm b, and operating in connection with the binding and compressing arm H F, a vibrating arm, I.

he above-named parts and their general mode of operation are described in my former patent referred to, and are herein set forth merely as the foundation of my present im.

provement, now to be particularly described.

The arm F has upon its hub a segmentgear, J, which meshes with la corresponding segment, K, upon the hub of the arm I, whereby said arm' I is actuated in one direction as the arm F rotates, and is moved in the opposite direction by means ofthe pin L and cam M, as described in my prior patent, above referred to. But I desire to impart to the compressor H a more rapid advance during that portion of its revolution which is at the apex of its circuit, and I therefore attach tothe hub of said compressor H two teeth or eogs, N, and to the segment K I attach two corresponding teeth, O, projecting beyond the teeth of said segment, which are adjusted to mesh with each other at the proper moment, and impart to the compressor a more rapid advance, as stated. When said gears N O go out of mesh, the arm H recovers its position by the action of the spring P. The momentum of the moving parts is considerable, and as the arm. I is for a moment during each revolution twice out 'of gear with those parts which actuate it, its momentuml may sometimes be so great as to carry it too far for proper engagementv again, unless provision is made to limit its movement at each extremity; and I have, therefore, placed upon the arm I a stop, Q, which, coming in contact with the hub of arm F, prevents further movelment of arm I in that direction; and to limit `inclosng-shell g, and the other the base-block and shield h, which is located partially within said shell, and secured there by screws. The form of the part a is shown in Fig. S On the inner side ofthe base h there is a stud, z', upon which the twisting-pinion S is mounted, as secured by a screw, and 011 the outer surface, opposite said twisting-pinion, the clamping nipper-plate T is mounted. At co and d the base-plate It is cut away or notched, so as to permit the binding-wire to approach and enter between the teeth of the twister, which consists of a single pinion, S, projecting from said head at one side thereof, far enough to engage with the rack U, to receive therefrom its rotary motion. The clamping-nipper T is pivoted to the outer side of the base-plate h, and is actuated by the contact of one or the other of studs e f with properly-disposed camsurfaces u t, located in the rack-box U. The front edge of said nipper is provided with a notch, h, and it works under stationary plate V, clamping the end of the band-wire thereunder, while it, by the same movement, cuts the wire free from the shcaf by means of said notch k acting against a stationary cuttingedge `formed by a steel plate, on, inserted in the base-plate 7L. The thickness of the nipperplate is not quite equal to the thickness ofthe space within which it moves beneath the plate V, so that the binding-wire may be drawn under said plate by the notch k, and clamped there, while the head Gr is being carried around the gaveh During this movement around the gavel the binding-wire becomes bent backward over the hooking end a of the plate V, and downward through the space or notch d, where it enters between two of the leaves ofthe twister, and at this moment the compressor H advances, as heretofore described, and pushes the binding-wire in front of the ledge p, whereby it is prevented from escaping from its position in the twister. rIhe further movement of the binding-head G carries itentirely around the gavel, and, as it enters the rack-box U, the spool end ofthe binding-wire enters the space or notch a, and between the leaves of the pinion S on the side opposite the clamped end of the wire. rIhe pinion S then engages with the rack in rackbox U, and begins to twist the wires together, and, at or about the same instant, the nipper is opened by contact of stud f with a cam4 properly located in box U, so as to release the clamped end of the wire, and immediately closed again by contact of stud e with another cam iu said rack-box, thus severing the wire and clamping it again for the next sheaf. That portion of the nipper-plate T which is along the edge at q is in thickness equal to 1 the space below the plate V, so that the clamped end of the wire is pushed out from under said plate, and therefore enabled to becomejammed thereunder, or prevent the free working of the parts. rlhe part Z is made detachable, so as to permit the removal of the twister S from its stud. The roller j traverses the inner surface of the rack-box to prevent friction of the head G thereon.

From vyear to year, or from one field to another, grain will stand at different heights, so that it is necessary either to move the gavel lengthwise in the binder or to adjust the bindin mechanism on the main frame, so that the band will be placed around the middle of the sheaf.

' I have constructed my binding-machine so that it can readily be moved sidewise to adjust the binding mechanism according to the length ofthe straw ofthe grain which is to be bound, and I also arrange the connections so that the entire binding apparatus may be readily detached and removed from the frame of the reaper when, for any reason, such removal is desirable.

To this end I attach the upper edge of frame A to the upper bar s of the elevator-frame by means of hooks t, which a-re permanently secured to said frame A, and engage with Hangeplates or ledges u, attached to said bar s. The lower end of the frame A is supported upon feet WV, which are secured to said frame and rest against the end bar e of the reaper-frame. Bolts w, passing downward through the feet XV and the beam t, secure the binding apparatus firmly in place; and by elongating the bolt-holes in the beam e, or by aseries of such holes, any required lateral adjustment of said binding apparatus may be secured; or, by removing said bolts, the entire binding apparatus 1n ay be removed from the main frame.

In the machine represented on Sheet l, a shaft, A', is laid across the reaper-framefu, to transmit motion from the main wheel E to the cutters and traveling belts, and upon said shaft I place a bevel-pinion, a', to mesh with and drive the bevel-wheel b, fastened to the lower end of the shaft D, and motion is thereby transmitted from the driving-wheel to the binding mechanism. I arrange said pinion a! to slide upon said shaft upon a spline or feather, and to keep it always in mesh with the wheel b', a toe, c', is placed upon the foot W, so as to prevent the said pinion from backing off. A large or stationary apron,` B', is secured to the bar s, to project over and cover the joint or seam between the binding-machine and said bar s, and to prevent the lodgment of grain therein. If the grain stands thin upon the ground, it

may happen that during the time of one revolution of the binding-arm an insufficient quantity of grain will have been cut for a propersized sheaf, and itis, therefore, required that the attendant may stop or start the binding mechanism at will. I therefore arrange a ratchetclutch, C', upon the shaft I), whereby, with the treadle d', the binding mechanism may be thrown out of gear at any moment; but when so stopped the weight of the revolving arms might cause them to move forward or backward into inconvenient positions unless restrained. I therefore place uponthe shaft l) a ratchet, g', with which a spring-pawl, e', engages. The clutch 1s made with double faces,

as shown, so that the arm cannot revolve any faster than its drivin g-shaft during those portions of its revolution when the weight of the said arm tends to accelerate its movement.

Small ledges D' are placed on the surface of the grain-receptacle just opposite the orifice through which the binding-head G enters-the mass of cut grain toseparate .it into gavels. These ledges turn outwardly from said surface in a direction nearly horizontal, and their effect is to cause the mass or sheet of descending grain to assume a horizontal direction at that point, so that the head Gr will penetrate and the arm I. This latter spring may be made of any suitable elastic material. It aids more particularly in gathering the bundle prior to its full compression between the yielding arm H and rigid arm I, and th ereby prevents the drawing out of an unnecessary length of bindingwire.

I attach to the cradle two light, fiat springs, I1" F', which prevent thesheaf from swinging out of position just prior to the moment of discharge, when it has been liberated from the arm I, and by their recoil, when vthe sheaf has passed over them, they effect a complete separation of the unbound grain from that which has beeny bound.

It sometimes happens that the grain lies upon the cradle in a thick, loose mass. rlhis may be in consequence of its being somewhat tangled, and in this condition it sometimes becomes entangled with the segment-gears of the arms F and I; and to prevent such entanglement, I attach to the arm b a stationary fender-rod, G'. The slack wire is taken up at each revolution by-a spring take-up spool, H', located beneath the cradle. Said spool is constructed with a grooved disk, h' mounted, upon a spindle, i', which latter is firmly secured to the frame A. A coiled spring, It', having one end secured to said spool and the other end to said spindle, serves to actuate it, and a surrounding case or barrel, l', incloses and protects thesprin 0'. end, and provided with several spurs, which penetrate the wood of the frame A, and keep it securely in position. The spindle t" has ai shoulder,rwhi ch comes down upon the bottom of case I', and thereby prevents it from turning around. The spool H' is rotated untilthe spring has sufficient tension to take up the required slack of the bindin g-wire,which is then passed through the orifice m', and out into the' groove n'. 'NV hen the binding-head makes its circuit around the gavel, so much wire is drawn from the reel J' as will equal the circle dcscribed by said binding-head, and this qualitity is in excess of that required to pass around the sheaf. The recoil of the spring 7o' rotates the spool H', and takes up the surplus. rlhe ease I' serves asa brake on the spring, or a limit to its expansion, if the binding wire should he suddenly broken.l In such event, the spring would rapidly uncoil, until the pressure of the revolving spring against the case gradually checks its motion. Otherwise, the rapid revolution of the spring and spool, and their momentum, would cause the breakage of the center coil, or its connection with the spindle t'.

The orifices through which the binding-wire passes may be re-enforced by bushing or` protected by friction-rollers, as at r'.

I place a removable wind-board, K', along the front edge of the binder-cradle, to prevent disturbance of the cut grain by the wind, and said board is secured between the arms L', which are secured to the bar s or other convement part of the reaper-frame, so that said board is not attached tothe binder; and when the latter is adjusted upon the reaper-frame, it slides under said wind-board, which, therefore, needs no adjustment.

Having described my improvement, what l claim as new is l. In combination with the binding-arm F and vibrating compressor I, and the segmentgears by which the latter is actuated, the compressor H and the extra gears O N, whereby said compressor H is advanced faster than the binding-arm, substantially for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the binding-arm F and the vibrating compressor I, the stops Q It, to limit the vibrations of said compressor, as set forth. e

`3. The pointed hollow shell g,'formed to receive the base-plate-of the shield IL, which supports the twisting and cutting devices, and partially incloses said twisting and cutting devices, as set forth. i

4. In combination with the main shaft l), for giving motion to the operative mechanism of an automatic binder, the ratchetand pawl g' c', to hold said binding mechanism from retrograde motion when the same may be uneoupled from the driving-mechanism.

5. In combination with the gathering-arm F, the ledge D upon the cradle A, to hold the grain in position While said arm passes through and separates the gavel. 6. In combination With the vibrating,` compressor I, the tension spring E, stretched across the curve of said arm, substantially as set f'orth.

7. The cradle A, provided with the retaining-springs F',substantia11y as and for the y purpose set forth.

8. In combination with thelaterally-adjustable binding attachment, the stationary Windboard K', attached to the frame of the harvester, but unattached to said binder.

9. In combination with the revolving conl- SYLVANUS D. LOCKE.

Witnesses LYN P. Woon, EDWD. H. VALENTINE.

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