US666614A - Tongue-support. - Google Patents

Description

No. 666,6l4. Patented Jan. 22, 190i.

O. GARDNER &. J. L. MARTIN.

TONGUE SUPPORT.

(Application filed Mia- 27, 1899. Renewed .Dec. 29, 1900.)

2 Shanta-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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TONGUE SUPPDRT.

(Application; 11106 May 27, 1899. Renewal! Dec. 29, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shut 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORRIN GARDNER, OF EAST GROVELAND, AND JOHN L. MARTIN, OF CLARENCE, NEW YORK.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,614, dated January 22, 1901.

A li ti fil d May 27, 1899. Renewed December 29, 1900- Serial No. 41,520. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ORRIN GARDNER, residing at East Groveland, in the county of Livingston, and JOHN L. MARTIN, residing at Clarence, in the county of Erie, State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Tongue-Carrier, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in tongue-carriers for machines used on farms.

Heretofore in tongue-carriers having a vertical shaft supported by a wheel the shaft or rod was mounted either in a casting bolted to the side of the tongue or in plates bolted to the top and under side of the same. The tongue was thus unavoidably weakened to the extent of the holes bored, and it was therefore liable to be broken, particularly from the twisting strain caused by turning corners. Farmers therefore distrust such a carrier and often decline to purchase it or to give it a trial. We have found such tonguecarriers wanting in suitable means or in any means at all for adjustment to the variable positions of the tongue dependent upon the difiering sizes of teams and the variable vertical adjustments of the machine both in the field and on the road. Again, the tongues of certain machines are coupled so low that when cutting short grain no spring of suitable length can be used to take up the shocks caused by traversing the rough surfaces in fields. Furthermore, the draft-bar, if any is used, operates at unsuitable angles with the vertical shaft when the tongue is elevated above a mean height and the lack of adjustment herein tends to prevent the free vertical play of the shaft in its bearings. As a consequence the use of the tongue-carrier is not practical on the road or when the machine is trucked.

The primary objects of a tongue-carrier are to relieve horses of weight, to steady the tongue laterally, to steady the motion of the gearing of the machine, and thus conserve the same, and to enable the driver of a harvesting-machine to operate the tilting-lever with ease. These objects have been partially attained in previous devices.

The objects of our invention, in addition to the above named, are to provide a tongue-carrier of such construction, first, that the full strength of the tongue may be preserved; second, that without change of length or set of spring it may be adjustably attached or clamped to the tongue to suit the varying elevations or depressions of the same; third, that'ample purchase on the vertical shaft may be secured, so as to reduce the twisting strain on the tongue when turning corners; fourth, that there shall be a plurality of adjustments for the pivotal end of the draft rod or bar to offset any shift in the elevation or depression of the tongue; fifth, that one spring of suitable length may be used for all positions of the tongue; sixth, that time and labor may be saved and less skill may be required in attaching the improved device, and, seventh,

that it may be serviceably attached to a machine when on the road or when it is on trucks, as well as in the field.

We attain our objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved tongue-carrier clamped to the tongue; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same; Fig. 3, a rear elevation of the same when the bolster and twin shafts are used; Fig. 4:, a view of the clamp and hook-bolts; Fig. 5, a view of the substitute frame; Fig. 6, a view of the draft-rod.

Similar letters refer to like parts in the several views.

The frame or casting B is formed of two vertical side bars I) b, placed 'edgewise to the tongue for strength and cOnnected by two cross-bars V and U, the upper one having formed therein the eye S, Fig. 2, and the lower one the slot T. The vertical shaft or rod E is mounted in the said cross-bars through the said eye and slot and is limited in downward movement by the detachable collar F, fastened at the upper end by the set-screw G. In place of the collar we reserve the option to use a nut and to thread the shaft or to perforate the shaft horizontally and to insert a spring-cotter or a pin. The lower end of the shaft is beveled and inserted through a perforation in the crown J of the wheel-frame K and riveted. Between the curved forks of the wheel-frame is journaled the wheel L upon the axle-pin M, The wheel is led or guided by the draft-bar I, whicinhav-i'n g for-m e'd there'- in the eye S at one end, is loosely sleeved, to-. gether with the spiral spring H, over the shaft E upon the crown of the wheel-frame. The

other end of the draft-bar is hinged or pivoted l upon the pivot-pin R in the holder or guide P. The holder or casting is bolted to the tongue forward of the frame. It consists of a plate having two curved pendent wings or ears Q, connected by a web N. The said ears have a plurality of horizontal perforations or pivot-bearings 0, arranged (preferably, butnot necessarily, in a curve) in graduated vertical order for the purpose of effecting s'u'itable adjustments to offset any shift in the elevation or depression of the tongue. It is not essential that the wings or cars are curved.

We reserve the right to make them of any dein the tongue and that the f nil-strength of the tongue is preserved; 'also, that a firm grip is secured on all sides of the tongue. The slots 15 1, in the clamps provide for "adj'ustab'il ity t'o tongues unlike in thickness.

The slotted cross-bar U of the frame carrying the tongue rests upon the spiral spring H around the shaft. This spring both prevents the draft-bar from sliding up the shaft and takes up all the jars of the machine. Any

desired length of spring may be chosen for any kind of machine, and, if need fu lfthe position of the cross-bar may be changed or the frame may be lengthened; but the improved device enables us to use'a framea'nd a spring of certain lengths and coverany required range of adj ustmentfor any self-binder. By loosen ing the clamps the tongue may be raised or lowered and be reclamped at any desired point of vertical adjustment.

The shaft rises and falls in its bearings owing to alternate spring compression and etpansio'n, and this movement must be free. If we "did not use the draft-bar, the shaft'would bind or lock. If we had no slot T inthe cross-- bar U, it would, nevertheless, do thesame, be-

cause as the draft-bar and the tongue app'roach to and recede from each other the vertical shaft oscillates in a small-arc longitudinally with the tongue.

Any shift of the tongue from a low to a medium or a high position changes the angle of the draftbar with the shaft to one more acute, which causes the shaft toosci-liate farther to and fro from a vertical position, thus requiring a longer slot in the cross-bar U and tending to bind or lock. Therefore in order By these to offset any shift of the tongue-in elevation or depression we have constructed the holder or'guide P, having the choice of several vertical adjustments. The lowermost pivot-bearings in the same enable us to use the tongueca-rrier when the machine is loaded on trucks for transportation. 'Other tongue-carriers fail herein for want of adaptation.

When turning corners, the draft-bar does not draw. ,1 The tongue pulls the carrier laterally, and as the latter is a rotating caster it tends to roll backward, impelled by the the weight thereon. The-eifecton the tongue is a twisting strain. If the hearings in which the shaft is m'ou nteda'r'e close together--abou t the thickness of the tongue, as in previous devices-the tongue has only a short purchase on the shaft to maintain it vertical when the wheel rotates to a right angle with the tongue. Hence a twisto'n the tongue is marked. In

our arrangement the points of hearing are located in the upper and lower cross-bars of the frame and afford a long pu rchase on the shaft. If we were to form the eye 8 in the lower cross-bar of the framean d the slot T in the u pper cross-bar, the fulcrum on which the shaft acts would be shifted without detriment. We claim the option to make the change.

a We do not confine ourselves to the form of the frameshow n in Fig. 1. In Fig. 5 is shown a substitute or equivalent frame or casting. In this the vertical side bars "19 b are doubled at both ends for the purpose of producing narrow vertical slots W W, through which I maybe inserted ordinary headed bolts, which when furnished with washers would answer the purpose of 'hook bolt s. In adjusting the tongue up ordown the bolts would slide along in both slots. In this frame the cross-bar U, containing the slot T, is pieced above, but at some distance below the top, and the crossbar V, .con-tain i-ng'the eye 8-, below. The double si'de ba'rs 'hb are bent opposite the cross-bar U to suit the slot T, in which the shaft vibrates to and fro.

It is not essential that we use two clamps and four bolts. We can dispense with one double side bar band the included slot by making the other stronger-and usi-n g but one heavier clamp and two heavier bolts. We may employ th'i'ssubstitute frame inverted. We do not limit ourselves to theconstructi o'n described-yin which the wheel is 'led at the side of the tongue. Itis desirable to balance the weight of the tongue central-1y over the wheel, particularly when the tongue is wide and the weight thereon unusually heavy. In 3is shown the arrangement for guiding the wheel under the tongue. The main vertical shaft E is cut short, threaded at the end, and inserted through thehub yof the bolster X and confined by a nut Z. The bolster is provided with a slot at bothends, by which 'adjustmentcan made to tongues unlike in width and through which the twin vertical shafts 'e e are inserted. The lower end of each shaft is threaded to receive the IIO nuts Z, which secure it to the bolster. No clamps are used, as two frames, preferably of the form shown in Fig. 5, are required to mount the twin shafts, and the tongue A is held between them by the bolts d. The upper ends of the twin shafts are threaded to receive the nuts ff, or a collar similar to the collar F may be used to limit the downward movement. The cross-bar V, Fig. 5, rests upon the spiral spring it around each shaft.

We do not confine ourselves to the draft-bar I for guiding the wheel. In Fig. 6 is shown a draft-rod made of a single rod bent double to produce two parallel arms and having these arms spread at the bend made in doubling to form the eye S and having the ends of each arm bent to form the pivot-eyes S Having thus described our invention, we claim as new- 1. In a tongue-carrier, the combination, of an upright frame or casting adapted to have a tongue clamped or bound at any desired height thereto, seated on a spring, supported by a caster-wheel, and having loosely mounted therein a vertical shaft for a connection with said wheel, with the tongue having thereon a holder or casting to which is adjustably coupled or pivoted a draw-bar leading the said caster-wheel, and clamped or bound to said frame in such manner that the tongue may be shifted vertically and may be supported at any altitude within the limits of the vertical extension of the frame, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tongue-carrier, the combination, of an upright frame or casting adapted to have a tongue clamped at any desired height thereto, seated on a spring, supported byacasterwheel, and having loosely mounted therein the vertical shaft of said wheel, with the tongue clamped or bound to said frame in such manner that the tongue may be shifted vertically and may be supported at any altitude within the limits of the vertical extension of the frame, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tongue-carrier, an upright frame or casting consisting of vertical or approximately vertical side bars connected by two cross-bars containing respectively an eye and a slotin which the vertical shaft of a casterwheel may be mounted, and adapted to have a tongue clamped or bound thereto in such manner that the tongue may be shifted ver-.

tically and may be supported at any altitude within the limits of the vertical extension of the frame, substantially as set forth.

4. In a tongue-carrier, the combination, of

the upright frame or casting B, adapted to have the tongue clamped at any desired height thereto, and having loosely mounted therein the Vertical shaft E, having a wheel fork or frame bearing a wheel attached thereto and provided with a collar and with a spiral spring on which to seat the frame, with the tongue having thereon the holder P, containing a plurality of vertically-arranged perforations,

to which is pivoted at one end the draw-bar 1, leading at the other end the said wheel by the said shaft inserted through the eye S, in the bar, and clamped or bound to the said frame by means of the clamps C O, in combination with suitable bolts whereby the tongue may be shifted vertically and may be supported at any altitude within the limits of the vertical extension of the frame, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a tongue-carrier, the upright frame or casting B, consisting of two vertical side bars connected by two cross-bars having respectively an eye and a slot in the upper and the lower bar in which the vertical shaft of a caster-wheel may be loosely mounted, and adapted to have the tongue clamped or bound thereto by means of the clamps O O, in combination with the bolts D D, at any desired height within the limits of the vertical extension of the frame, substantially as described.

6. In atongue-carrier,secured to the tongue, the holder P, consisting of a plate having two parallel pendent wings or ears connected by a web, the said ears having a series of horizontal perforations or pivot bearings arranged in graduated vertical order for the purpose of pivoting thereto, at suitable angles and at such points as will offset elevations and depressions in the adjustment of the tongue, the draft rod or bar leadinga casterwheel, substantially as described.

7. In a tongue-carrier, the combination, with the shaft E, having a wheel-frame hearing a wheel attached thereto, of the bolster X, having a hub at the middle in which said shaft is loosely mounted and having mounted in a perforation or slot at each end a vertical shaft provided with a spiral spring for suit able connections with the upright frames embracing the tongue,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

ORRIN GARDNER. JOHN L. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD P. OoGUE, WM. H. HARRISON.

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