US1733061A - Grain-guiding attachment for harvesters - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, 1929. D. HOFER I GRAIN GUIDING ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS Filed Nov. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 22, 1929. D. HOFER 1,733,061

GRAIN GUIDING ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS Filed Nov. 1927 2 Sheets-Shem 2 17 um flan:

Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES DAVID HOFER, F RALEY, ALBERTA, CANADA.

GRAIN-GUIDING ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS A Application filed November 4, 1927. Serial No. 231,129.

grain adjacent the shearing knives, and the consequence is that the heads are either completely cut off or partially cutoff, resulting in the loss of a great deal of grain. Besides this, the grain which escapes treatment in this manner is thrown on the binder platform after cutting in a very irregular manner, so that in travelling to be bound the heads of the grain are entangled and caught in the midst of the sheaf, where, due to con ditions, growth commences.

In addition to this, the heads or a portion ofone sheaf invariably are entangled in adjacent sheaves being formed, which not only causes, a further loss, but involves a great deal of time and trouble in separation.

The main object of my invention is to eliminate loss of grain in this manner by raising the heads of grain up from the knives.

A further object of my invention is to regulate the grain being cut in such a manner that it willfall uniformly onto the receiving platform, and avoid entanglement, etc.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an attachment of this character for binders which may be attached to any type of machine with very littletrouble, and which fully described in the accompanying specification and drawings which form part of the same.

' In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a -to be attached thereto.

binder illustrating the platform and showing the improved guide members mounted in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a binder illustrating the lever connection of the guide members and the main operating lever.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the complete guide member attachment.

Fig. 5 is a modified form of the mounting of the guide members. Y

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the guide rod casing.

. Referring now to the drawings, A designates the conventional binder, and B designates the guide members as a whole adapted These guide'members comprise essentially a rod 10 adapted to extend under the binder platform for attachment thereto and extending forwardly of the cutter bar and finger bar to form a guide member 11 which may be rearwardly and upwardly bent or formed to provide directing arms 12 adapted to contact with the bent over grain and to raise the same to upright position. This directing arm may be formed integral with the bar or made in a separate piece to be welded thereto as desired, while it is preferable that the forward point there of be slightly upwardly curved in order to provide for even movement over rough ground and the like.

In addition, in order to secure this guide member to the platform of the binder, I pro- 'vide bracket members 13 and 14 adapted to be secured by bolts or the like to front and rear of the platform respectively, such types of machines. It will be understood,

. however, that any convenient form of bracket member may be employed and any convenient form of collar or means for securing the members against end movement may be used.

In order to efficiently direct grain which has been blown or beaten downwardly in different directions, I provide adjusting means for the guide members so that they may be swung or turned on their axis to move the forward directing arms to the right or to the left, thereby raising the grain to vertical position. This means comprises a plurality of small lever members 18' rigidly attached to the rear end of the guide members and retained thereon in any convenient manner, for instance by cotter pins or a nut and bolt connection. The lever for each guide member may be formed integral therewith, but for thepurpose of facilitating attachment I prefer'to make these separate. These levers are in turn pivoted to a main operating link 19 in turn in pivotal connection with the main operating lever 20 through the link member 21. The main operating lever 20 is constructed according to the usual. type and operates on the rack 22 in convenient reach of the drivers seat. This lever rack may be supported conveniently on an auxiliary lever frame consisting of members 23 and 24, so situated as to conform with the bolt connection of the conventional binder, and thereby facilitate attachment thereto. Abrace rod 25 may be employed in order to stabilize this structure.

It will thus be seen that on operation of the lever 20 to the right or to the left, a sliding movement of the link member 19 will take place with a consequent movement of the guide members in the direction the link is moving. In order to guard the portion of the guide rod extending under the binder platform, a casing may be used consisting of a channel member 26 formed at the ends with an extended portion 27 adapted to engage the frame work of the binder platform to retain the casing thereon, and form a bracket for the guide member. This forms a complete casing around the rod members and provides against, damage or bending of the rod members by stones or the like during the course of travel of the binder.

In operation it will be seen that the binder may travel through the field and grain bent downwardly will, before, reaching the cutter knives andfinger bar, be brought into engagement with the guide member 11, which will immediately start to raise the bent-over grain upwardly through the directing arms 12 and by moving the lever 20 the directing arms 12 may be, as stated, moved to the right or to the left, so that the grain is not only raised but it is directed into its natural course. The grain is then cut by the knives and falls onto the platform in uniform manner, as directed by the guide member and directing arms. From past experience in cutting, I have found that the heavy' heads of the grain when falling upon the platform of the harvester especially in headers and combined harvesters involving long platforms, tends to move with the conveyor belt at a greater speed than the ends of the grain,so that in travelling up the conveyor the grain is in sloped relation; With my improved guide member this disadvantage isobviated, due to the fact that through the movement of the directing arms12 in one direction or another the grain may be caused to fall on the binder platform in slopedrelation in such manner as to compensate for this-action, so that during travel on the conveyor, as previously described, the grain will arrive at the binding platform in substantially par-E. allel relationship with the binding mechanism, which is greatly to be desired in forming sheaves.

An important feature of my structure will be apparent in the positioning of the guide. members. This will present a decided ad vantage in working with a machine of this character, in addition to the function they are specifically adapted for. 'The machine may be used in parallel relation with the ground without adjustment in. an inclined plane, as heretofore. This has always resulted in a great deal of trouble, since the fingers of the finger bar invariably dig into the ground and hamper the work.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have devised'a complete and simple means of regulating and guiding the grain during harvesting to avoidthe disadvantages pointed out. and that such device is of simple nature which can be adapted on the various types of machines now in use with very,lit tle trouble.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention within the scope of the claims constructed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the present specification and accompanying drawings shall be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A grain guide attachment for harvesters comprising in combination a plurality of grain guide members consisting of .a plurality of straight rods adapted to beattached adapted to be turned about their own axes,

means on the guide members for preventing axial movement. thereof, channelmembers secured to the base of the platform for encasing and securing the guide members thereunder and lever control means connected to the inner ends of said guide members operatively co-active therewith for simultaneously turning and controlling the movement of the guide members in either direction as desired, independently of the movement of the barvester.

2. A grain guide attachment for harvesters comprising in combination a plurality of grain guide members consisting of a plurality of straight rods adapted to be attached to the underside of the platform of the machine, extending outwardly on each side thereof, and formed with integral upwardly and rearwardly extending grain directing arms at the forward ends thereof said rods adapted to be turned about their own axes, means on the guide members for preventing axial movement thereof, channel members secured to the base of the platform for encasing and securing the guide members thereunder, a plurality of vertically extending levers rigidly secured to the rear ends of said guide members, a link member pivotally connected to said levers, and a main operating lever in pivotal connection with the link for oscillating the guide members collectively as desired in either direction independently of the movement of the harvester.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

DAVID HOFER.

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