US539091A - Fodder-harvesting machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Mmm.) 2 sheet-sneet 1. W. G. SMITH.

PODDER HARVESTING MACHINE. N0.539,091. Patented May 14, 1895.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)`

v W. Gr. SMITH. FODDER HARVBSTING MACHINE.

Patented May 14 EEICE@ PATENT WILLIAM e. SMITH, or TEIBUNE, KANsAs.

FODDERl-HARVESTING MACH-INE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 539,091, dated May 14, 1895.

Application filed March 3ll 1894.

To all whom it may concern.' Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tribune, in the county of Greeley and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Fodder- Harvesting Machine, of which the following is a specification. f My invention relates to harvesters,and particularly to machines for cutting fodder, and it has for its objects to provide a simple, efficient, and durable device for cutting the fodder and depositing it upon a table provided for the purpose, in convenient position for .tying in bundles or stacking; and to'provide means for adjusting the several parts of the mechanism to suit fodder of different heights.

Furtherobjects and advantages of the invention will appear in the' following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 3 is a plan view with the platform partly broken away to show the subjacent mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the guiding- Vrolls and supporting-bracket detached. Fig.

5 is a detail bottom plan view' of the guard which is carried by the curved butt-guide and between which and the said guide the cutter operates.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings. 'f

The framework of the improved harvester comprises theparallel side-beams 1 which are connected by the front and rear cross-beams 2 and 3, an intermediate cross-beam 4 con-' necting the side-beams in rear of the front beam, and an intermediate longitudinal beam 5 connecting intermediate points of the crossbeam 4 and the rear beam 3.

The main or drive shaft 6 is Ymounted in bearings in the side-beams and carries the ground-wheels 7, and a sprocket-chain 8 connects the main or drive-shaft to a countershaft -9 by meansv of the sprocket-wheels 10 and 11, secured respectively to said shafts. A .truck 12, having the supporting wheels 13, is pivctally connected to the center of the Serial No. 505,942. (No model.)

bearing 16 in said bar is mounted the ini clined .cutter-spindle 17carrying the annular rotary cutter or knife 18, which coacts withthe curved guide 19. The inclination of the cutter spindle causes the cutter or knife to decline toward its inner oroperating edge, and the curved guideis arranged upon a similar inclination and has an upstanding flange 20 which rises above the plane of the cutter or knife for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The guide is preferably made of angle iron and it extends from a `pointvon the cutting side of the machine slightly in advance of the cutter or knife around to the upper or outer edge of the same, above the table 21 which is provided for the reception of thef'odder. The front end of the guide Visdeflected as shown at 22 to form a gathering-finger and lin connection with the guide-block 23 which is attached to the adjacent side-beam vdirects the stalks to `the cutter or knife. The guide is further provided upon its under side, at the point of intersection yof the cutter or knife therewith, with a guard 24,-Which passes under and lies close to the under surface of the cutting edge of the cutter or knife, whereby the latterloperates between the under side of the guide and the said guard, thus forming anforce-feed and/preventing the` deflection of thecutterk or knife at the ,operating point. Guiderolls 25 mounted upon a bracket 26 are arranged in operative relation with the outer edge'of the cutter or knifeiuadvance of the intersection of the latter-with the guide 19, to prevent deflection and vibration.

Carried bythe cutter or knife, and spaced above the same by the interposed rim 27, isa peripherally toothed reel y28, the teeth of `which operate close to the plane of the upper edge of the flange 20 on the curved guide and Serve to carry the buttsofthe stalks around to the table after severance. The stalks rest uponand are supported by the cutter or knife, and are prevented from becoming displaced by said flange on theguard. The tops of the IOO ' front end of said butt-guide 19.

stalks are carried ata rate corresponding with theirlower ends by superjacent reels 29 which are fixed to the cutter-spindle. This spindle is preferably angular in cross-section above its bearing in the bar 15, and the cutter and reels are provided with angular bored hubs 3.0 which fit the spindle and are locked in place by means of set-screws 31, whereby the upper-reels may be adj usted verticallyv upon the spindle to suit the height of the fodder.

A top-guide 32 to coact with the upper reels is arranged above the butt-guide 19 and corresponding with the latter in shape, and it comprises, essentially, the curved rods 33 and 34, held in place at their rear ends by the inclined braces 35 and provided at their front ends with eyes 36 which fit slidably and adjustably upon a standard 37 rising from the These eyes are secured in the desired positions upon the standard 37, to suit the adjustment of the topreels 29, by means of set-screws 38, and the front ends of the guide rods are deflected, as shown at 39 to agree withthe deiection of the front end of the butt-guide.

A series of curved or deflected detaching'- fingers 40 is arranged adjacent to the table to guide the stalks outward from `the reels and deposit them upon the table, the said fingers being arranged respectively between the planes of adjacent reels.

The cutter-spindle receives motion from the counter-shaft through bevel- gears 41 and 42 secured respectively to the spindle and said counter-shaft.

This being the construction of the machine, the operation thereof is as follows:

The cutter and reel carrying spindle is inclined laterally inward or toward the crop in order to bring the operating portion of the edge of the cutter close `to the ground and enable the stalks to be carried to afable arranged in a plane above thefpoint ofA severance. A further advantage in laterallyfinclining the cutter and reel spindle isthat the top-reels are enabled to gather the spread tops ofthe stalks. In addition to this lateral inclination of the spindle l preferably give`it a forward inclination in orderthat the topreels i may engage the tops of the stalks before they are severed by the cutting mechanism, to insure a proper and effective engagement preparatory to carrying the stalks to the table.

The cutting operation will be understood without further explanation, andafter the stalks are detached their butts rest upon the upper surface of the cutter, being held thereon by means of the curved butt-guide, and their tops are held in place by the top guides, while the reels carry them aroundtto a point adjacent to the table. As the stalks approach the table they are gradually pushed outward by the detaching fingers and are dropped in convenient position for manipulation .upon the table.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of tlieinvention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination with a supporting framework having ground-wheels, of an upstanding spindle, connections between the ground-wheels and said spindle, a butt-guide having a curved or semi-circular portion arranged concentric with said spindle, and a laterally deflected `front end arranged at an angle to one side of the framework to form a throat for the reception of stalks, a co-operating throat guide-block secured to the framework, a standard rising from the extremity of the laterally deflected front end of the buttguide, afrotary cutter secured to said spindle contiguousto the plane of the under surface of sa'id butt-guide and cooperating therewith to sever the stalks, a fiangeon the inner edge of said `butt-guide, a butt-reel fixed to the spindle contiguous to the plane of the upper edge of said flange and having a solid center and peripheralpoints 28 which operate close to the edge of said flange and extend thereover and4 beyond the same, top-guides arranged above tlie ybutt-guide, corresponding in formtherewith,` and having curved portions arranged `concentric with the spindle, the front ends of saidtop-guides being de tachably and adjustably connected to the standard rising from the extremity of the buttguide, top-reels fitted upon said spindle and having rotary arms which extend outward and overlap the concentric portions of the topguides, and means `for `adjusting said topreels vertically upon-the spindle to agreemespectively,twith thetplanes of the top-guides, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a framework having ground-wheels, of an upstanding spindle, connections between said spindle and the ground-wheels, a butt-guide having curvedportions concentric with the spindle and having alaterally deflected frontend arranged at an angle with the contiguous side of the framework to form althroat for the reception of the stalks, a cutter fixed to the spindle contiguous to theiplane of the under surface of the butt-guide and extending outward beyond the inner edge of said guide to co-operate `therewith `in severing the stalks, a guard secured to the under side of the butt-guide and extending under the contiguous portion of the cutting edge of the cutter to prevent downward displacement of the cutter at one side of the throat, a bracket secured to the framework at the opposite side of the throat and having anti-friction rolls which bearrespectively upon the upper and lower surfaces of the cutter, a flange at the inner edge of the butt-guide, a butt-reel fixed to thespindle contiguous to the plane of the upper edge of said ange and provided with radial peripl1- eral points which extend outward beyond the IOO IIO

y 539,091 v 1 i e flange, top-guides having curved portions army own I have hereto affixed my signature in ranged concentric with the spindle, and topthepresence of two Witnesses. f reels fixed to the Spindle approximately in the planes," respectively, of said top-guides f WILLIAM G' SMITH' 5 and having arms extending 4outward beyond Witnesses: saidI guides, substantially as specified. ROBERT KING,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as v CURRAN H. ADAMS.

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