USRE2047E - Improvement in harvesters - Google Patents

Description

Nieren STATES PATENT @retest .AIMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,705, dated March 19, 1861; Reissue No. 1,763, dated vSeptember 13, 1854; Reissue No. 2,047, dated August 8, 1865.

To all @chum it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUsDU'r'roN, ot' the city and State of New York, lately of Brooklyn, in said State, and formerly of Dayton, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing and Rcaping Machines; and l do` hereby declare that the following is at'nll, clear, and exact description ot' a partot'my said invention, otherparts of saidin vention being described and included in other Letters iPatent, reference heilig had to the aci com panying drawings, and to the letters of reference' marked thereon, and making a part et' this specitication. 4

The nature of this partoi' myinvention cousists 1n an improved arrangement of the gearing and frame ot' the machine, and also ot'a device for raising the linger-bar, so as to avoid or escape obstruction or to facilitate the transportation ot' the machine, and in the application and use of an improved guard-linger.

Figure l is a general perspective view of the machine with the linger or critter bar broken ott'. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view, showing the cutter-bar in three positions. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a portieri of the tinger-har with guard-lingers attached. Fig. et is a plan view ot the same. Fig.5 is an end view ot' the same.

Like letters in the several figures lrefer to the same parts ofthe machine. A represents the tongue or pole ofthe ina-- chine, B, one of'the driving-wheels, the main outer drivingw heel, B', being of the same size and at the other end oi' the axle Gr, on, which they are mounted.

The main gear-wheel 0,-which actuates the working parts ot' the machine, is situated close to the main or outer driv'ingwheel, and is coupled to such wheel by a pawl and ratchet,

so constructed and arranged that as the machine moves forward the driving-wheel and the main gear-wheel are coupled together, but as the machine is moved backward they will be uncoupled. The driving-wheel B isin like manner constructed with.a ratchet-recess similar to that ofthe main driving-wheel, in which engages a pawl-tlange, rigidly attached to the axle on the inner side ot' such wheel, and which couples the axle and wheel together or uncouples them, as described with' reference to -the main driving-wheel. It s desira ble for the purpose-of centering or balancing the draft on the pole, and to avoid side draft,

tioned, the main `gear-wheel C and the secondary gearing that gives vibration to t-he cutter-bar are placed on the same side ot the machine with and close to such driving-wheel. Bythis arrangement of placing the gear-wheel at'the extremity ot' the axle opposite the finger-bar its weight, which is considerable, helps also to equalize the draft ot' the machine. Other advantages are also secured by placing such main gear-wheel in close proximity to the main driving-wheel, and coupling them together, as desired. lVhen the gear-wheel is situated near the middle of the axle it is more liable to'strike obstructions in the path; but this'ohjection is ohviated to a great de grec by placing it at one end. There is also considerable saving in expense, for when the gear-wheel is situated away from the main drivingwheel a tlange or its equivalent must be used to couple the main driving-wheel to the axle, which is unnecessary when the driving and gear wheels are placed together.

At a suitable place inside of hutnear the main gear-wheel G there is secured to the axle G by means ot'an eye and socket the outer side, D, of the frame of the machine, and to the other extremity of the axle outside of the driving-wheel B issecured the inner side, H, of the frame, the connection between this side and the axle being by an eye or socket, i", in which the axle turns.

youd the driving-wheels, and are connected hy means'of the end piece, I, ofthe frame, which end piece is elevated, so as to pass over the grass. On the end ofthe side or plate D, and on the inner sidethereof', is a metallic piece, having hearings S S for the crank shat't F, which connects by a beveled pinion with ahev- The sides D and H extend be eled wheel in the casing E, and which receives motion from the main gear-wheel O. rlhe two sides ot' said metallic piece are atl right angles and tit to and rigidly brace the corner formed by theintersection of the side piece D and the end piece, L'said end piece being bent around and bolted to the side piece I), and also to such nietallicpiece. The opposite or innerend of the piece I is bent or turned downward on the inner side, H, of the frame, and rigidly secured thereto, as shown at h. The inner side, H, of the frame extends .beyond the junction ofthe end piece, I, therewith, and underneath the hinge -piece t' of the iingerbar, thus forn'iing thedrat't-shoe H. The end ot' such side piece H is turned np' and forms a lng or ear, z, to

which a similar lug or ear, It', on the hinge-piece fi is jointed by a piti or bolt. A lug or ear, It', ou the other end ot' the hinge-piccet' is in like manner jointed by a pivot,.h, to the end piece, I, hear itsj unction or intersection with the side piece H. The lugZ may also be formed ot'asep;

arate' piece bolted or fastened to the end of the drat't slice H. The pivot h and the opposite point are on aline with eachother, sothat the iinger-bar K (on the. inner end of which is the hiuge-piecet`)is easily folded over on the frame, when desired,for couveniencciu taking the niachine trom place to place, &c. B y the arrangement also ot' making the inner side, H, of the franieforxn the shoeot'tlie tiugerbar, which shoe rests on the ground, and connecting such side H to the axle by anv eyel or socket, so that the lower end of sut-h side piece and the inner end of the linger-bar connected to it can rise and fall, such tinger-bar can adapt itself` to the ilicqualities oft he ground. The tinger-barK is also so hinged that its outer end can drop below, as well as be raised above, the horizontal plane in which it usually resta It will be apparent that itis equally it not more important that the outer end ofthe linger-bar, heilig at a greater distance from the fratrie. should be allowed to rise above or fall below the surface on which the dri ving-wheels are passing than that the inner end alone can so rise and fall. When the inside wheel passes over a. clod or along a ridge.l

of ground, the outer endot'the tinger-bar, itfnot hinged so that it can fall or drop, will bc elevated so as tocut a high and uneven stubble, while if suoli outer end is Apermitted to droop a close cut will be obtained the whole length of the bar. For practical operation, however, it is not necessary that the outer end of the linger-bar should droop more than from eight to twelve inches. To sustain the linger -bar when folded over the frame a support, Z,\ex tends from the side piece D of the frame to which it is bolted.

The nger-bar is raised, lowered, and controlled by the opcratorfwhile sitting in the seat M by the following arrangement: On. the axle Gr, at a suitable 'position near such seat, is tixed a ground-segment, L', turning on said axle, and having a socket, in which fits the end ot' a lever or handle, N,'exteiidiiig npward, so as to be vconvenientlyoperated by the driver. The segment L may, however, be dis pensed with, and the lever N be supported directly on the shaft or axle. In the upper part of this segment, or to the lever N, is attached a cord or chain, b, passing over a pulley, a. fixed to the pole A, and extending downward and fastened to the end piece,I, ot'the fratrie by an eyebolt, i. The iinger-barwill droop more or less by varying the length of the cord or chain b. `In the place of the pulley a an arm pivoted at one end and moving iu such pivots may be made use of, and in machines having a .ixed or rigid pole such pulley or arm may be fixed to any partof the frame instead of t' the pole. By such arrangements, when the lever N is thrown forward, (in the case of the cutter'bar heilig behind the wheels,) the rear end of therframe, and also the inner end of the ringer-bar, is raised from the ground, and when the finger-bar is foldedover the rear end of the frame the entire dnger-bar will be suiciently elevated toy allow the machine to be transported from place to place. To hold the lever N when thus thrown forward, l usually employ-a hook, it, secured to the pole; and in order to catch thelever underthe hook and detach it therefrom the segment L is alloweda little lateral movement. At a proper position on the pole l also secure a strapfor the purpose of preventing the lever N from falling over when in an upright position. By supporting the lever N upon or near the axle ofthe machine itis convenienttoberontrolled and operated by the driver, and can be easily and quickly handled by him while sitting in his seat, and that equally well whether the sickle is behind or before the wheels, it only being necessary to move such lever in an opposite direction, according as the cutters are before or behind. The main shaft ofthe machine also furnishes a strong and stable support for such lever.

v ,lt' the inger-bar is extended, as when in operation, and the end ot' the frame is raised, as before described, by means ot' the lever N, it is apparent (the finger-bar being hinged at ,g and h) that the outer end of the linger-bar would not be raised, but would still rest on the ground, while the draft-shoe H would be elevated. A

To raise the outer end of the finger-bar at' the same time the draft-shoe is raised, and

also to raise it still higher than such draitslice when necessary, I make use of the follow-4 ing arrangement: On the point h ot'tlie hinge-v piece i is supported or attached a lever,p, so arranged that it can turn freely toward the tinger-bar, but is prevented from turning independently in the opposite'direction or toward the machine by striking against the hingepiece Such lever p is bent or curved upward, as shown in the drawings, so as to get suicient elevation, and is then turned inward, and extends somewhat beyond the end of thpole a, as shown in Fig. 2. On the rear end of the pole, or on some part ot' the frame directly over such lever 19, is placed a horizontal faction-roller, c, or its equivalent, against which, when the end of the frame is raised by the action of the lever N, the lever P strikes and is pressed down, causing the hinge-piece 'i to be turned inward, and thereby elevating the outer end of the finger-bar. The

finger-bar is thus raised or lowered and controlled by the driver while sitting in his seat and without trouble. By such a construction of the lever p and its manner of connection with the hinge-piece i or heel of the cutter-bar, substantially as described, while thelever can q have motion freely toward the finger-bar, it becomes, when turned in the vopposite direction,

4ends of the finger-balare also such that when the linger-bar is raised by them the outer end ot' suchbar is elevated vconsiderably higher than the inner end. 'This manner of elevating the finger-bar enables the operator to pass over or by obstructions-as stumps, stones, 850.-' withoutl turning lout so far as to allow the end of the bar to pass by on the side ot' such obstruction. t

rlhere are certain ele ments necessary or very desirable to malte a mowing-machine which will do good work, and at the same time can be handled with ease and convenience on rough and uneven ground which are not so essential on smooth and level ground. Such a machine should have two independent driving and sup'- porting wheels, with a cutting apparatus so hinged by one ofits ends tothe machine that notonlytheentirecuttingapparatus,but either end thereof independently of the other end,l

van freely lise above or fall below the plane on which the driving-wheels are passing, and it should he so constructed that when the shoe or inner end of the iinger-bar rises or falls in passing over irregularities of the ground the end ofthe frame of the machine to which the bar is attached (and by the fr-aine ofthe machine7 I here mean that part which supports the bearing of the crank-shaft to which the upper end ofthe connecting-rod is attached) will receive the same motion-'that is, rise and fall so that the rotation of thetwo bearings ofthe lcrank-shaft connecting the crank and knifeported on or controlled bythe frame of the machine, and has been placed on theopposite side of the axle from the finger-bar for the purpose of preserving the due balance ofthe machine, (the end ofthe frame to which the linger-bar is attached being necessarily much the heaviest;) but the radius from the axle to the nger-bar isso short that when the driver's seat is placed on the frame the motion communicated to the frame by the inner end wheel of the ifgerbar passing over theinequalities of the ground is so great as to render it very difficult for the driver to occupyhis seat with proper cotilfort and safety. seated upon the frame of the machine,and upon the side opposite that to which the fingerbar is attacked and on the opposite side ofthe axle,his weight, which acts as a balance to the finger-bar, acts so unequally when passing over rough or uneven ground as frequently to elevate the tinger-bar above the surface of the ground, thereby causing it to cut an uneven stubbe. There should also be such mechanism that the driver while in his seat can raise the entire cutting apparatus from the ground and support it on the driving-wheels for the purpose of passing over obstructions, turning corners, and transporting the machine from place to place. These elements may be found in different machines; but lam not aware that they have ever before been all united in the salue machine.

1n twowheeled machines heretofore made having the drivers seat controlled by the pole the cutting apparatus has been so hinged that it would turn freely only in an upward direction, and the outer end could not droop more than the ordinary spring of the linger-intr caused by its own weight, and to raise the outer end of such a iinger-bar no other dev-ice was necessary than'that used for raising the y inner end. This machine also does not require or make'use ot' a supporting caster-wheel, as

is usually the case with loosepole machines,V

for supporting the drooping end of the frame or the drivers seat.

In machines using a supporting caster-wheel such wheel, or some part of the machine supported in whole or in part byit, and other than the pole ofthe machine, is made a l'ulcrum for raising the linger-bar and a support for moving it from place to place. This machine does not require, or dispenses with, such a supporting caster-wheel,a1id the pole is made the fulcruln to raise and support the linger-bar. The v arrangement of the frame, finger-bar, and drlvers seat with respect to the axle of the machine is also such that while the machine Again, when the driver is whole weight ofthe machine is supported by the twodrivingwheels, allowing the machine to turn freelyand easily from right to left,and vice versa, and to be easily transported Jfrom place to place.v y

' When the ringer-bar is set up or folded on the machine thel hinge-piece t' is turned partially or wholly bottom side up. In such case the lever p drops down and rests on the end of the eyebolt i 4ot' the end piece, 4I.

That/the operatorwhen walking behind the machine may have control ofthe finger-har,an upright handle, O, of suiieient height for the purpose designerhis secured in any convenient manner to the rear end ot the draft-shoe H. By raising this handle the outer end ot' the tinger-bar is elevated by mea-ns of the bent leverp and t'riction-rollerc, ortheir equivalents, in the same manner as by operating the lever N, as before described.

My improved guard tinger 1t is made in a single piece in such a. shape as to secure the. best action ofthe sickle-bar working therein, and so as to be attached lirmly and strongly to the finger-bar, so as to avoid clogging, and at the same time give the greatest amount otl strength With the least quantity oi'metal. The slot'm' and passage a', for the reception re ception respectively ot' the sickle and sicklebar, are substantially of the form shown in the end view, Fig. 5, the passage u being ot' such a size as to leave sufcient space over the top and at the hack of the sickle-bar when working therein to allow the free escape ot' grass ory other matter that may enter or be. carried in by the sickle. The linger o is of the usual shape; but the rear vupper portions, p p, ot' the guard extend outward laterally a suliicient distance .from the tinger to meet ,thc similar' adjacent portions ofthe contiguous surl'ace and a covering for the sickle-bar. The rear edge of the.

guard turns over at right angles, as shown at il', Figs. 3 and 5, thereby for-ming a. plane bearing-surface against the iinger-bar R, and extending the whole width of the guard. The

iront portion,-S S', of the guard below the4 sickle-slot, and corresponding with the i'ront .edge of the portions p' p' above, extends likewise outward from the finger an equal distance with the parts 1J p', and serves as a shield to protect the side bar. A portion, t', under the sickle-bar, on each side ot' the linger-guard, is cut away, as shown in the bottom view, Fig. 3,

for the purpose ot' allowing the free escape ot"- the grass or any other substance tending to clog the' sickle. The rear bottom portion, u', of the guard, substantially of the form shown in the Figs. 3 and 5, extends backward nearly or quite to the rear edge ot' the linger-bar, and forms a bearing-surface against the bottom of said iingerfbar, to which it is secured by means Yot' a bolt', o', on the upper end of which screws a nut, w. The upper surface, p 1J', of the guard, entirely coveringk the sickle-bar, prevents the cut grass or any other substance Afrom coming in contact therewith'and from being drawn under the fingers, causing the sickle-bar to choke and clog, the rear upper portion ofthe guard being raised higher than the linger-bar and nuts w w', obstructing they The' mowed grass in its passage over them. portion r', by forming a plain bearing-surface its entire length against the edge of the fingerbar, prevents any lateral movement of the finger, and makes necessary only a single small bolt, o', to hold the guard-ttiger firmly in its place.' The guard-tinger is much stronger than the open guard-linger, and its under side may' be made lighter, the upper portiompp', having a large surface and extending round, as

Vshown at r', and forming a. portion of the guard as a whole, thereby bracing and sustaining it against all lateral strain.'

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. ln machines having a hinged Aor exible finger-bar, raising such finger-bar by means ot' a lever supported or pivoted atone end on the shoe-wheel of the linger-bar, and turning freely towald the finger-bar, but rigid with it when turnediin an opposite direct-ion, by caus-v ing such lever, when the heel of the tinger-bar is raised, to-bc brought in contact with the pole or the frame ot' the machine or a projection therelrom, so as to press or force down such lever and thereby raise the outer end of the finger-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In twowheeled machines havingahinged iingerbar and havingthe d riveris seat controlled by the pole instead of by the frame ot" the machine, and not using or employing a casterwheel to support the drooping end ot the frame and the inner end ofthe linger-bar, raising the inner end of the linger-bar by means of a lever and cord or chain or its equivalent acting upon the pole or some part connected therewith as a fnlcrum, when the outer end otl such tiuger-bar is raised by means ot a lever supported or pivoted at one end on the shoe or heel of the tinger bar, and turning freely toward/the linger-bar, but rigid with it, when turned in an opposite direction and operated as set forth in the tirst claim.

3. In two-w heeled machines having a hinged ylinger-bar and a loose pole, and having the drivers seat controlled by the pole instead of by the frame ot' the machine, so arranging with reference to the trame of the machine the ln` ger-bar and the mechanism for raising it and the shoe that when the finger-bar and shoe are raised by such mechanism their weight will be so thrown upon thcdriving-wheels that the usc of a caster-wheel to support the drooping end ot' the frame can be dispensed with, and the machine can also be moved and turned with greater ease and facility.

4. ln 4a machine having two independent driving or supporting wheels and having the drivers seat controlled by the pole of the machine, hinging the cuttingapparatus by one of its ends, so that not only the entire cutting apparatus, but either end thereotl independently of'thc other end, can freely rise above or fall below the plane or surface on which the driving-wheels are. moving, in combination with mechanism or devices `for raising both the outer and inner ends of the finger-bar, by which the driver, when in his seat, b vbperating a single lever moving in one direction in a plane substantially parallel with the sides of the driving-wheels, can raise the entire cutting apparatus and support it upon the drivingwheels, for the purposes set forth.

,5.In two-wheeled muchineshaviug a hinged tliigerbar and a loose pole, and having the drivers seat controlled by the pole instead of the frame of the machine, so arranging the 4 levers that raise the inner and outer ends of the tingerbar that as these levers are operated the outer end of the linger-bar shall be raised higher than th'e inner end,Y for the purposes set forth.

6. I do not claim forming a guard-linger in guard -tinger is provided with a bearing-surface, as i, connecting the upper and lower portions of said guard-finger, and resting against the edge ot' the linger-bar and braced and sustained against lateral strain, as herein set forth.

Witnesses:

S. D. LAW, M. N HUTcHINsoN.

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