US361644A - pitts - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

` A. V. 8v PI-TTS.

CORN SHELLER.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. V. & M. H. PITTS.

CORN SHELLER.

Patented Apr. 19, 1.887.

N. PETERS Fhowumogmphw. wnshingmn, D. cA

NITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

AURELIUS V. PITTS AND MARCELLUS H. PITTS, OF MARSEILLES, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE PITTS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. f

CORN-SHELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,644, dated April 19, 1887. Application tiled October 24,1885. -'Renewed October 2, 1886. Serial No. 215,196. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that we, AURELIUs V. Prrrs and MARenLLUs H. Prrrs, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Marseilles, in the county of La Salle and State of,

Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gorn-Shellers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure lis a side elevation of the sheller with a swingingcob-carrier at one end, a feedelevator at the opposite end, and a side elevator for elevating shelled corn, 4all mounted on trucks for transportation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sect-ion of the sheller, the cobcarrier being detached, and also showing a side view of the yielding breast and endless traveling bed. Fig. 3 is a plan view on the engaging-surface of a portion of the yielding breast. Fig. 4is a side View of a section ofthe yielding breast and a cross-section of the side bars for holding its sections in place and of the longitudinal bars above for holding the coil-springs between them and the sections of the breast. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the sheller, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the sieve for separating the shelled corn from the cobs. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a section ofthe endless traveling bed. Fig. S is a rear view of the lower end of the swinging cob-carrier, showing the parts for supporting it. Fig. 9 isafront view of the mechanism for driving the endless conveyer vof the swinging cob-carrier. Fig. 10 is a side view of the lower end of the swinging cob-carrier, showing the manner of the attachment ofthe belt for driving its conveyer; and Fig. 1l is a plan view ofthe upper end of the toothed endless traveling bed, showing the stationaryteeth at its sides, attached to the machine-frame, and the two spring-arms for con-- ducting the ear corn to the center of the traveling bed.. f y

This invention relates to certain improvements in corn-shellers, which improvements are fully setforth and explained in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sides of the machine, inclosed within the vertical posts P, l), and P and resting on the sills S and held together by means of proper crossbeams, and provided with a pair of sills, B, se-

cured to the lower part, at' the sides of the machine, for supporting it on proper trucks and 5 5,

for supporting at the front end an endless carrier, for feeding the machine, and an endless swinging cob-carrier at the rear end, as shown in Fig. 1.

H is an endless traveling bed, located longi- 6o tudinally within the machine, between its sides A, and mounted on the sprocket-wheels W and sheaves 7L, as shown in Fig. 2, the sheavewheels h being on shaft S and the sprocket-- wheels XV on shaft R, the latter being the 6 5 drive-shaft. The endless. traveling bed H is formed, as shown in detail in Fig. 7, from a pair of sprocket chains, m m', the alternate links of which are provided with inwardlyprojecting eye-lugs for the attachment of the toothed sections H', as shown in said figure.

Each sprocket-chain in m travels on a sprocket-wheel W and on a sheave h, such as is shown in Fig. 2.

sprocket-chains, are arranged to be contiguous to each other, so that grain will not fall loe` tween them in the shelling operation.

The shaft S', upon which the sheaves -h are mounted, is supported in sliding boxes arfio for the purpose of giving tension to said endless traveling bed.

Guiding-plates G2 are arranged in the sides of the sheller in such manner as to project under the sprocket-chains m m of the endless traveling bed to properly hold that portion of 9o the traveling bed next the breast above to its work.

The yielding breast N, which is arranged immediately above the upper surface of the toothed endless traveling bed, is constructed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and consists of a series of contiguous yielding sections, each composed of a block, n, having a metal plate, Q, fixed on its vupper surface and a plate, N',

on its lower surface, some of which platesl N roo may be toothed or ribbed and some plain. The blocks n are made shorter than said plates,

The toothed sections H of the traveling bed, when attached to said 7 5 so as to leave recesses for the reception of the bars r, as shown in Fig. 4, said recesses being wider than said bars, to permit vertical movement of said sections. At each end of the said yielding sections is arranged a cross-bar, fr, connecting the said bars r, and upon which are secured the longitudinal bars g, as shown in Fig. 2. The bars g g are each recessed immediately over each section of the breast for the reception of coilsprings b, which are arranged in pairs between said bars and each section of the breast, as shown in Fig. 4, so that each section may be yieldingly and independently held to its work. rlhe ends of the side bars, r r, terminate in eyes, and are pivotally connected to a pair of arms, T T, on each side of the machine, the upper ends `of which arms incline toward each other and are slotted for the reception of bolts, by means of which they are secured to the inner sides of the machine, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and are forthe purpose of permitting slight vertical movement of thefbreast and preventing its longitudinal movement. The breast is suspended by means of the screw-threaded rods d4 and y', as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The rods d4 pass np through perforations in plates d, secured to the crossbars z and z of the machine. Cylindrical rubber cushions d2 are sleeved on said rods d4, and held up against said plates d by means of nuts turned on said rods; and thumb-nuts turned on said rods and l down on said-plates securely hold said rods in proper position, and, together with the nuts below said cushions, furnish means for the vertical adjustment of the breast. The rods y' pass up through boxes attached to the side of the cross-bar z2 of the sheller, and are similarly provided with nuts and cushions as rods d4, and are for the same purpose. The inner sides of the sheller are provided with a series of teeth, i', arranged between the traveling bed H and the breast N, (shown in Fig. 2,) for the purpose of assisting in the shelling operation at the sides of the machine.

rlhe mechanism for feeding ear corn to the sheller is shown in Figs. l and 2, andconsists in an inclined trough, M, hopper M', and shafts RT and m, upon which are secured pulleys, on which an endless carrier, d, is mounted between the sides of said trough, said feed mechanism being attached to the machine, so as to deliver ear corn to the endless traveling bed, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2. A pair of crossguide boards, I and I', located as shown in Fig. 2, serve to properly guide the ear corn to the endless traveling bed, and a pair of spring-arms-such as is shown at ef in Figs. 2 and ll-are secured to the inner sides of the sheller immediately over the inner end of the traveling bed, and their inner extending ends Y converge to conduct the corn to the center of the sheller, theinner side of one of said springarms being shown in Fig. 2 and the two being shown inFig. 11.

A curved shield, B', is arranged to fill the space between the sides of the sheller and immediately in the rear ofthe endlesstraveling bed,'as shown in Fig. 2, and is for the purpose of preventing the shelled grain from being scattered out of the sheller. A depending apron, A2, suspended from the lower side of said shield, assists in preventingthe scattering of the grain.

.A vibrating sieveshoe, D, is suspendedby means of arms G and G3 immediately under the rear end of the traveling` bed, and is provided with a sieve, D, upon which the cobs and shelled grain fall. The sieve is made from a plate of sheet metal, having its meshes formed by cutting portions of said plate in a circular form, and so as to leave the cutout portions integral at one side with said plate, said out portions being` alternately bent to project up Ward and forward and downward and backward, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6.

The sieve-shoe D is caused to vibrate by means of its connection with crank-shaft R2 through the medium of pitman D', which is pivotally connected to said shoe, as shown in Fig. 2. rllhe movement of said shoe in its vibration is forward and upward and backward and downward.

The upward-eXtendng projections of the sieve serve to carry the cobs out of the sheller, and the downwardly-extending portions ofthe sieve serve to conduct the blast of wind from the fan up through the perforations in the sieve while the grain is falling through them and through-the grain thereon to more thoroughly clean it of chaff. The grain drops from the sieve on an inclined floor, which conducts it to an inclined spout, G', which in turn conducts it to the elevator F, at the side of the machine.

The fan that creates the wind blast is shown at E2, and is placed on shaft R and rotates in the case K, constructed to convey the wind blast in the proper direction, as shown in Fig. 2. As the grain is elevated in the elevator` F, it is discharged at the spout F, from whence it may be conveyed by a secondary spout in any direction.

The cob-carrierEis shown in Figs. 1, 8, and 10, and consists of an inclined trough pivotally mounted on the cross-bar t', secured to the rear ends of the sills B through the medium of standard t, and is arranged to have its outer upper end turned in any direction Within certain limits to discharge the cobs where desired, and is supported at its outer end by suitable legs, as shown in Fig. 1. Each end of the, carrier E is provided with a cross-shaft properly boxed theretoA and having suitable pulleys upon which an endless beltis mounted. The shaft at .the lower end of said carrier is provided with a sheave-pulley, O5, to which power is applied to drive said endless carrier through the medium of belt O', as shown in Fig. 10, from the mechanism shown more particularly in Fig. 9, which consists of a pair of short horizontal shafts and a short perpendicular shaft connected through the medium of two pairs of miterlgears, V and V, the lower IOO IIO

horizontal shaft being properly boxed to a cross-bar on the rear part of the sheller, 'and having a sheave'pulley, e, on its outer end, to which power is applied to drive it.

The short vertical shaft rests in a step-box on said cross-bar, and is properly supported by a stationary box immediately above its lower miter-gear. Boxed to said vertical shaft above its stationary bearing is a swinging frame, O3, which has the upper horizontal shaft boxed in its upperpart. The outer end of said frame rests upon semicircular frame 0*, and has a hooked bolt, O2, arranged therein to clasp said frame O4 and hold said frame O3 in any position. The said upper horizontal shaft is provided with a sheave-pulley on its outer end, as shown in Figs. l and 9, to drive belt O to operate the cob-elevator. The vertical shaft to which frame O3 is boxed stands directly over the pivotal support of the cobcarrier. As the cobcarrier is turned in any desired direction, the swinging frame O3 may be turned correspondingly, so that beit O may be properly operated to drive the cob-carrier elevator, while the lower horizontal shaft remains in a stationary position. By this construction the cob-carrier may be turned to deliver cobs in any desired direction, and the mechanism that drives it turned in a corresponding direction to operate it at the will of the operator.

The drive-shaft R is provided with thelarge drive-pulley Q',- aud a smaller beltpnlley, al, at one end, and a balance-wheel, V, and a pair of belt-pulleys, a and a', at its opposite end. A belt, C5, mounted on pulley al and pulley a of elevator F, serves to operate said elevator. A belt, c', mounted on pulley a of shaft vIt and pulley a3 of shaft R3, serves to drive said shaft R3, which is cranked t0 drive the sieve-shoe. A pulley corresponding with pulley a is arranged at the side of the latter on shaft R3, and has mounted thereon b elt C4,

' which drives pulley e to operate the cob-carrier. rlhe belt C, mounted on pulley a and pulley of shaft R2, serves to operate the feedelevator; and a belt, C2, mounted on pulley a5 ofshaft S, which supports the front end of the endless traveling bed, and a pulley, af, on shaft R of the fan serve to operate said fau by means of the motion given pulley a5 through the medium of traveling bed H from the driveshaft R.

The belt O', which transmits power from pulley O to pulley O5 to operate the endless conveyer of the cob-carrier, is shown as passing over a pair of idler-pulleys, O, which are attached to one side of the cob-carrier trough for the purpose of holding said belt away from the sheller, so that it will not engage and be dislocated by projecting parts when the cobcarrier is being swung from side to side. The cobcarrier may, however, have a sheave-pul ley secured on its upper cross-shaft and the belt O' may be arranged thereon, if desired, running straight lout from pulley O, which would operate the endless conveyer of the cobcarrier in like manner, as shown.

To operate the machine, the endless feed-elevator M delivers the ear corn to the upper end of the toothed endless bed H, by means of which it is carried between it and the yielding breast above, which-is set a little farther distant from the endless bed at its upper front end than at its lower end, so'as to make room for large quantities of car cor'n to enter be'- tween them, the ears being larger with the corn on than the cobs are with the corn off.

It is intended that the corn will be shelled by rolling the ears between said parts, which reduces friction toD its lowest limit in cornshelling. Should an ear chance to enter the machine endwise, the plain sections of the yielding breast permit it to be turned so as to roll, as stated, the sections thereof having but a single rib to assist it to turn. When so large a quantity of corn has entered the machine as to elevate the sections of the breast beyond the limit of the recesses in the ends of said sections, then the rubber cushions d y2 operate to make the breast still more yielding, to prevent injury to the parts. When it is desired to operate the sheller by means of a tu mbling-rod, a coupling-link for that purpose may be attached to the outer end of shaft R.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

l. ln the sheller shown and described, the yielding breast N,consisting ofthe several independently-yielding sections,arranged and s upported as set forth, and having some of said sections provided with teeth or ribs on their engaging-surfaces and some left plain on their engaging-surfaces,for the purpose specified.

2. In the corn-sheller shown and described, the yielding breast N, having the side bars, o 1', longitudinal bars g,and coil-springs b,in combination with the armsTT, having their lower ends pivoted,respectively,to the outer ends of the said side bars and theirl upper ends slotted and inclined toward each other and secured to the inner walls of the sheller-f rame, bolts passing through said slots, the screw-threaded rods d* and y',h'aving the rubber cushions d2 and y?, and nuts at each end thereof for vertical adjustment of said cushions and breast, and the endless traveling bed H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In the corn-sheller shown and described, the yielding breast N,having the sidebars, rr, longitudinal bars'g, and coil-springs b, in co1n bination with the arms T T,having theirlower ends pivoted,respectively,to the outer ends of the said side bars and having their upper ends slotted and inclined toward each other andsse- IOO IIO

cured to the inner sides of the sheller-fra1ne,

and bolts passing through said slots, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In the sheller shown and described, and in combination with the toothed endless traveling bed H and yielding breast N, the side converging arms,e, for guiding the ear corn to the central part of said traveling bed, the cross guide-boards I and I', for properly guiding ear corn to said traveling bed, and a suitable feeding mechanism for delivering ear corn to the machine, as and for the-purpose set forth.

5. In the corn-Sheller shown and described, and in combination with the traveling bed H and yielding breast N, the teeth i, arranged along the inner sides of the sheller ou a line between said endless traveling bed and yielding breast, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In the corn-Sheller shown and described, and in combination with the endless traveling bed H, the yielding sectional breast N, having a portion of its sections toothed or ribbed and a portion of its sections without teeth or ribs,

AURELIUS V. PITTS. MARCELLUS H. IPITTS.

Vitnesses:

Trios. H. HU'roHINs, WVM. J. HUToHINs.

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