USRE1776E - Improvement in harvesters - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES ,PATENT OFFICE.,

OF HOSEA VVILLARD AND RGBT. ROSS.

lIMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

` Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,562, dated November 3, 1857; Reissue No. 1,776, dated September Q7, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that HOSEA WILLARD, of Vergennes, in thel county of Addison and State of Vermont, and ROBERT Ross, formerly of same place, butnow residing at SaintAlbans,in the county of Franklin, in said State, invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain and Grass Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription,

- reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, and in Figure 1 is a plan or top view Showing one mode of applying said improvements when the machine is to be used as areaper.l Fig. 2 represents a front view of Fig. 1 with the leadingwheel removed to show the parts in rear of it more fully, the coupling-arm, finger-beam, and platform being shown in different positions to V illustrate the flexible connection ofthe fingerbeam with the machine. Fig. 3 represents a section and side view on line .r w, Fig. 2, when the parts are in position as shown in black lines. Fig. 4 represents in black lines a. front view of the machine when arranged for mowingand in blue and red lines two of the different positions which the fnger-beam and cut` ting apparatus are made to assume when belngpreparedor folded for transportation. Fig. Y

5 represents a section on lines y y, Figs. 1 and 4, when the machine is arranged for mowing, as shown in black lines, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represente a plan or top view of linger bar or beam,

F', shoe F, leading-wheel g, and part of the coupling-arm or linger-bar extension-piece E; and Fig. 7 represents a side view of one ofthe tingersand an end or cross-section of the nger bar or beam, showing how a part of the finger is made to rise up bythe front edge ofthe bar wheel or device, c', while a Similar ratchet device, a, is fastened to the outer hub or side'of wheel B. VheelsBBf, with their hub-ratchets, are iittedlooselyon shaftX. Aslidingratchet wheel or device, b', works on shaft X, andis So connected therewith as to be revolved when said shaft revolves, but is susceptible of a lateral movement, so that itcan be moved inand out of action with ratchet a' by means of pin c in lever c, whose front end is pivoted to the under side of piece B, fastened to the front of the frame. Pin c lits into a groove turned in the part b', so that the said part b' operates like a sliding revolving clutch. A similar ratchet or clutch, b, is fitted to he worked by lever C on the outside ot' wheel B.

C isl the drivers seat, which is fastened to the rear of the main frame, and in such a pof sition as that levers C and'Cv are both Within his reach. Y

As the machine is drawn forward by tongue C, (shown in section,) wheels B B revolve,

and when both or either of the clutches b b are in action with their respective ratchets a a!v shaft X is caused to revolve, together with cog-wheel D, fastenedthereto, and which gears into cog-wheel D on a shaft, X', supported at one end 'by a hanger, D, depending from piece A", and at the other in a projection, d, from hanger D", in which la short crank-shaft turns, the latter having on its rearendabevelgear, d, which is Operated by bevel-gear d on the end ot' shaft X.

` On the front of the crank-shaftis fitted a balance-wheel, e, with acrank-pin upon which is placed the outer end of the pitnlan c', which gives motion to the cutter-bar e, to which are attached teethf, which work as they vibrate through slottedopen ngersj".

The class of mowing-machines which are provided with a tinger-beam so hinged or connected to the main frame as that while free to rest on the ground they are also free to rise or fall bodily or at either end independent of the other present many advantages, pre-eminent among which may be mentioned the close, even, uniform cut of stubble, and that, too, on uneven ground. This class of machines,however, as heretofore constructed, have not had sufficient provision made for raising the loose 1inger-beam olf ofthe ground in an lexpeditious i screw or bolt, j', while the other end has upmanner to avoid stumps, stones, or other similar obstacles in the path of the machine.

'lo remedy this defect is the object-of the in-` vention which isclaimed under this patent, and which consists, first, in combining a knuckle with the joint which connects the finger-beam and coupling-arm in such a manner that when the coupling-arm is raised said knuckle will prevent the outer end of the linger-beam from falling below a certain level, thus enabling the entire finger-beam t0 be raised in nearly a horizontal position whenever the coupling. arm is raised; second, in Vcombining a knuckle and set-screw or adjusting-bolt or its equivalent with the joint which connects the heel ofthe linger-beam with the coupling-arm in such a manner that by turning said screw or bolt the horizontal position .of the fingerbeam, when it is raised, can be varied, or in other words, whereby the distance or extent which the heel of the finger-beam can rise be- `fore the outer end is elevated can be varied at the will of the operator; third, in rrthe combination of a lever with the coupling-arm and heel ofthe finger-beam, whereby when the machine is in operation the finger-beam .is left free to rise or fall at either end, yet can be raised or elevated as readily in nearly a horizontal position by power applied to the coupling-arm as if the finger-beam were fastened rigidly to the end ofthe coupling-arm instead of being connected thereto by ajoint.

1t is not now deemed necessary to describe the mowing-machine represented in the drawings further than is necessary to illustrate the invention which forms the subject-matter of this patent, since it is fully described in otherdivisions of even date herewith. The finger beam is hinged at its heel end, or the shoe to which its heel end is attached, to the end of a coupling-arm, which in turn is connected by va hinge and bracket or hanger to the main frame.

From the heel end of the finger-beam, and on a line between the lugs which sustain the hinge-pin fu, a knuckle or linger projects beneath the coupling-arm, so thaty when the coupling-arm and heel end of the finger-beam are raised to a certain height the knuckle will strike against a set-bolt,j2, as shown in black lines, Fig. 2, and consequently any further raising of the coupling-arm will be attended by a similar rising of the tinger-beam, as if the two were rigidly connected instead of by a hinge or joint.

1f the knuckle camedirectly in contactwith e the coupling itself, the distance at which the heel end of the finger-beam could rise above its outer end, or vice versa would necessarily be limited, provided the finger-beam were so arranged as to be raised in a position approaching a horizontal line, in passing over obstructions. Tor obviate this difficulty, a lever or arm, I, is pivoted to the under side ofV coupling-arm E', at j, one end being bent or curved down, and vprovidedwith a set rights l I', which-pass up through holesin the coupling-arm E', and to one ot which the lifting cord or chain J is to be attached. It' used as a reaper, the upright next to the Vjoint j" is used, while it' used'as a mower the other is used, the former being shown in Fig.. 2, the latter in Fig. 4. By this arrangement,

so long' as the chain or cord J is loose the heel end ot' the finger-beam can rise or be deected .upward to any desired height while the outer end is resting sn the ground, one position being shown in red lines,Fig. 2. Gonsequently the finger-beam or either end can freely conform to the uneven surface of the ground when the machine is in operation. Should an obstruction nowintervene-such as a stone or stump-the driver takes hold ot' lever J", fastened to pulley J', 'loose on axle X, and to which chain J is fastened, and raises it up, thus causing chain J to be Wound upon pulley J', whereby the Outer end of lever or arm I is raised up'against vcoupling-arm E', while the other end is thrown down to act against the'knuckle, and render the joint stiff, so that as the coupling-arm is raised the flnger-beam is raised in nearly a horizontal position, as shown in black lines, Fig. 2. By interposing a set or adjusting screwfor bolt between the knuckle and coupling-arm any desired inclination or position as respects the ground can be given. the tinger-beam when raised. lt will thus be seen that the lingerbeam or either end has perfect freedom to couforin to the inequalities in the ground when in operation, while at the same time the cou- Ystruction is such that the entire loose fingerbeam can be raised with a prompt and positive motion to pass over obstructions.

One practical mode of applying said iniprovenients to use havingbeen described, what is claimed under this patent as the invention of said WILLARD and Ross isl. Thecoinbinationofaknuckleor theequivalent thereof' with the joint which connects the finger-beam and coupling-armA for raising the hinged finger-beam ot' a mowing-machine otfof the ground to pass obstructions.'

2. The combination of a lever with a hinged linger-beam and coupling-arm, as herein described, in such a manner that while the tinger-beain or either end is free to conform to the inequalities of the ground while in operation the finger-beam can be raised or elevated to pass over obstructions, as set forth, by simply raising the coupling-arm, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the joint which connects the finger-beam and coupling-aim, ot' a knuckle and adjusting screw or bolt or their equivalents for regulating the upward delec tion ot'the heel end of the tinger-beam.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub-v scribed my name.

In presence of- GEO. EQBALDWIN,

S. SURBURG.

JAMES A. SAXTON.

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