US391205A

US391205A - Ice-harvesting machine

Info

Publication number: US391205A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1905-10-16

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. L. SMYTH.

10E HARVESTING MACHINE.

N0. 391,205. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. L. SMYTH.

10E HARVESTING MACHINE. No. 391,205.

Patented Oct. 16. 1888 %tnesses zasm'zl,

N. FEIERS. Phalbhlhognphor, Wnhlllglllfl. D. C.

UNTTED STATES 'WILLIAM L. SMYTH, OF VAN VVIES, NEW YORK.

lCE-HARVESTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,205, dated October 16, 1888.

Serial No. 158,067. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. SMY'IH, a resident of Van \Vies, in the county of Al bany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice- Harvesting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in ice-harvesting machines; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The objects of the invention are made to appear in connection with the'following description.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively front and rear elevations of the S'KUDC.

-My improved machine consists, essentially, of acircularsawsupported bya suitable frame and connected by intermediate gear-wheels and piuions with one or more drive-wheels which actuate the saw, whereby grooves and cross-grooves can be easily and quickly cut in an ice field desired to be harvested, thereby facilitating the breaking up of the field ofice into cakes or pieces suitable for storage in ice houses.

A is a rectangular frame, upon which are bolted two pairs of uprights, Aone pair on each side. These uprights serve as guideways for the slide-boxes A vertically reciprocatory therein. Theslide-boxesreceivetheendbearings ofthc axle, upon which the traction drive wheels \V are fixed. The slide-boxes are also provided on their upper side with an eyebolt, A, to which the link Ais pivoted at its lower end, the upper end of the link being pivoted to the component part A of a compound operatinglever. The part A is fulcrumcd at one end to one of the uprights at A, and the other end of the part is pivoted to the link A which adjustably connects it with the other component part A of the compound lever, the link having adjusting holes A". The component part A is fixed upon the shaft A rotary in boxes 1 supported by the uprights A mounted upon the frame A. The shaft is pro vided with an operating-hant'lle, A, fixed thereon. The handle is provided with a detaininghook, A, pivoted thereon and adapted to hook onto the cross-bar A of the main frame. The main frame is also provided on each side with two supporting-runners, A", adapted to support the whole machine during transportation when the machine is notin use and when turning around upon the ice.

The traction-wheels are lifted from the ice to be supported by the main frame by means of the operating-handle and compound levers connected with the slide-boxes A, as above described.

The traction-wheels are provided with spurs \V, which engage with the ice and cause them to rotate when the frame is in motion.

Motion may be imparted to the frame by a horse hitched to the whiftletree W", secured to the forward end of the frame, or in any wellknown manner. The main axle, to which the tractionwheels are fixed, supports centrally a frame, 13, pivoted thereon at or near its rear end.

The pivoted frame supports a train of gears and pinions adapted to engage with and be actuated by a driving gear-wheel, B fixed upon the main axle B, to which are fixed the traction-wheels. The pivoted frame 13 also supports in suitable bearings at its forward end the rotary shaft B, upon which is fixed a saw, B

The saw-shaft B" is provided with a pinion, B adapted to engage with and be actuated by the above-n1entioned train of gear-wheels and pinions, said train of gears and pinions consisting of the pi uions B, fixed upon the shaft 13 the gear-wheel B pinion B", gear B and pinion B.

The forward end of the frame B is provided with the eyebolts O, fixed thereon and adjust ably connected with the lever-arms O by means of links C", having the adjusting-holes C. The leverarn'is G are fixed upon the shaft C, no tary in boxes C supported by uprights C bolted to the main frame. The shaft 0 is proi be raised or lowered to lift the saw from the ice or lower it to the depth to which it is desired to cut a groove in the ice.

WVhen the saw is forced to the limit of depression to cut the deepest groove, the respective parts of the machine will occupy the respective positions shown in the several figures of the drawings, the controlling-lever C bearing against the shaft A, the shaft acting as a stop to prevent the further depression of the saw. Should it be desired to cut a deeper groove, it isonly necessary to connect the ad justing-links G with the arm 0 at one of the upper adjusting-holes, G which permits the saw-supporting frame to be depressed to a lower plane.

To facilitate the operation of raising and depressing the saw-supporting frame, I provide a counterbalancing-weight, D, adjustable upon the arm D, fixed upon the shaft 0 The frame B will be partially balanced by the driver in occupying the seat S, mounted upon support S, secured to the rear end of the frame by bolt S. I also provide upon each side of the machine guide-blades F, secured to a bar, F, extending longitudinally of the main frame, one at each end of the respective bars. Each end of the bars is secured to one end of the cross-bars F the other end of the crossbars being pivoted to the central part of the main frame, or to a block, F supported centlally of the frame by the braces F bolted to the frame, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. The bars F are connected by chains F and rod F with the lever F, pivoted thereon at E the chains running over pulleys F secured to the main frame. The levers F are pivoted at F upon lugs secured to the main frame.

When it is desired to raise the guides from the ice, it is only necessary to throw the upper end of lever F back and down upon the main frame, where it will be held by the tension upon the rods F, the pivot F occupying a lower plane than the pivot F The operation of the machine is as follows: Therespectivepartsbeinginthepositionshown in the drawings, the machine isdrawn along over the ice in an approximately straight line, which gives a rotary movement to the saw, cutting a groove of the required depth in the ice. After the groove has been cut of the re- The operatingquired length, the lever A is drawn back to lift the traction-wheels from the ice, and the lever F thrown back and down upon the main frame to lift the guide-blade F from the ice. The machine is then turned around, riding upon the runners A in a position such that when the guide-blades are dropped upon the ice by throwing up the lever F the blades upon one side of the machine will drop into the groove just cut. The traction-wheels are then dropped upon the ice by releasing the lever A, and the machine drawn back toward the startingpoint in a direction parallel to the groove last cut, being maintained at the proper distance from said groove by the guide-blades therein. When the machine is again turned at the end of the second groove to cut the third. groove, the operation of lifting and dropping the wheels and guide-blades is repeated, the guide. blades which were idle in cutting the second groove being brought into use by following in the second groove to determine the position of the third groove, and so on until the required number of grooves has been out.

When desired, the main frame and runners may be dispensed with, and the machine, consisting of traction-whee1s,saw, connecting gearwheels, and frame, be drawn along by means of the latter frame.

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

1. In an ice -harvesting machine, a main frame provided with supporting-runners and upright slideways, in combination with traction drive wheels provided with bearingboxes adapted to slide in said slideways and connected with a rotary icesaw by a train of gear-wheels and pinions, the said wheels and frame being provided with a system of levers for lifting the wheels from the ice and supporting them by the frame, substantially as described.

2. In an ice-harvesting machine having a main frame provided with supporting-runners and supports for the bearing-boxes of traction drive-Wheels and a saw-supporting frame pivoted upon the axle of the traction drive-wheels, and a system of adj usting-levers adj ustably connecting one end of the saw-supporting frame with the main frame,acounterbalancingweight adjustable longitudinally of a supporting arm fixed upon said connecting mechanism and vibratory with the levers forming a part of said mechanism, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of December, 1887.

WILLIAM L. SMYTH.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. MosHER, ORVIS GAMBELL.