USRE1758E - Improvement in harvesters - Google Patents

Description

UNITEDv STATES 'M. N. WHITELEY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSGNEEOF ABNER VVHITELEY,

OF SAME PLACE. 1

' Sprcifcation forming part 0l' Letters Patent No. 12,769, dated April 24, 1855; Reissue No. l,758, dated August 30, 1864.

To all rhum yit muy concern:

Be it known that ABNER WHLTELEY, of Springtield, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, did invent several new and useful lniprovements in Grain and Grass Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a l'nll, clear, and exact description ot' the construction and operation of the same, reference heilig had tothe accompanyingdrawings, and the letters marked thereon, making a part ot' this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inaehine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. :i is a View of a portion of the reel, showing the attachment of the rake thereto. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are sectional views of the axle of the reel and of the manner of preventing the rake from removing the gavel when not made large enough atone revolution of the rake. Fig. 8 is an external view of the inner side of the machine. Fig. 9 is a plan view and a section of the cutter. Fig. 10 is a pla-n view ofthe crankshaft, the pitman, its connection to the crank and also to the cutter-bar, and the peculiar manner of keepingit in connection with the utter-bar. Fig. 11 is a plan view of one of the spring-guides for the rake. Fig. 12 is an internal view ofthe outer side ofthe machine. Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of the divider, grain-wheel, guard-lingers, cutters, Ste. Fig. 14 is side and end views ofthe cutter-s sheath. Fig. 15 is side views ofthe lower and upper guard-fingers. Fig. 16 is an elevation showing the position of the grain-wheel in respect to the plane of the platform. Fig. 17 is a side view of the cutter on the divider detached therefiom. Fig. 18 is a section illustrating the manner of attaching the driving-pulley of the reel to the axle of the driving-wheel, so as to have the pnlleys shaft parallel with the reel-snaft when the wheels axle is not parallel therewith. Fig. 19 shows one of the hooks for the reel-belt.

The nature of that part of said invention which is claimed under this patent, and the objects designed to be accomplished thereby will best be understood from the following d escription of the several parts and their connections with each other.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use said invention, 1 will 'proceed to describe its construction and operation.

That side of the machine which is at the left when behind and facing it [call its inner side, I

surround this wheel, and which frame is sustained by the axle C, which revolves iu the boxes a and b, secured to this frame. The cutters driving-gear A', A2, A3, andI A4 are secured to the main frame by their shafts and boxes, and are of the ordinary kind, except that the cog-wheels A3 and A4 are so shaped as to have the crank-shaft c lie and work properly at an angle to the vertical plane of A. The drivingpulley D of the reel driven by the outer end of the axle O has a peculiar connection therewith, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 18 of the drawings, where the extended part of the box bis formed into an axle,

li', parallel with the finger-bar and reel-shaft. On this shaft b the lpulley D is made to revolve b v m eaus of a clutch-pin, d, being passed through the axle O, where its vertical center crosses thatof the yvertical center of b and lits the slot in the pulley D in which it works. The inner end of the linger-barE (to which bar is secured the cutting apparatus) and that ofthe beam, which, together with other framing thereby sustained, supports the platform F, is connected to the main frame in such a manner as to be oblique to the main frame, but at right angles to the cutters driving crank-shaft, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. To the outer end of the finger-bar and the beam which supports the platform F is secured the outer side of the machine, the frame of which is composed of the -divider G, the

- each other, and secured to a cutter-bar,

eeeeeeeeeeeeeceeeeiearetheguardtin gers, a side view ofa bottom one (marked 2) and a top one (marked 1) of which is seen in Fig. 15 of the drawings, and between the outer ot said lingers and the divider is a longer one, e', which stand at right angles to the fingerbar (while the other iingers are parallel to the inachines path) for separating that part cut hctween the outer nger and the divider into tw'o parcels, andv so that thatpartof' the crop which stood next to that portion left standing may be cut a more uniform distance from the ground than it could be were this extra finger not used, and which extra linger need not be used unless desired. The upper one of said regular lingers, as will be seen at Fig. 15, has a shoulder in rear of the cutter-bar against every alternate one ofl which shoulders the cutter-bar always bears, but changes that bearing from oneto another of' these shoulders every time the cutter-bar is moved inward or outward the length of its reciprocation, so as to let any clogging matter drop out below which has passed back over the cutter, the open spaces between the cutter-'bar and the finger-bar over the fingers under the cutterbar always permitting the clogging matter to pass away from the cutter-bar, and thus the cutters and cutter-bar are freed from the injurious e'ects of clogging matter remaining between them and the ngers.

ffffffffffffffffffff are the SP0-i tions of wlnch the cutter is formed, the same in number (except the cdd finger) as the fingers and divider of the same length on the bar as the points or centers ofthe fingers are from i whose outer end terminates with the outer section of the cutter, and thus forms what l term a short cutter. By having the cutter thus Vconstructed its outer end will be drawn farther inward when in its inner. reciprocation than those parts ofthe divider against which thecropiscut, and thereby will allow the uncut crop to pass back of' the cutting part of the outer edge of the cutter and impede or prevent its return outward. To obviate this diiculty the divider, G through which the slot is made, in which said outer edge of the cutter works, is placed so far inward that the outer end of the cutter when in its inner reciprocation will not be drawn out of said slot in the divider, and those parts of it against which the crop is cut away, as seen in Fig. 13, so much that there will be about the. same space be tween said parts of the divider and the regular iinger next to them, as' there is between two o f the fingers, and so much as to make the' npper of those parts against which the crop is cut ofa less width than one-halfthe length ofa section ot' the cutter, and be what I term a narrow divider, so that the grain-wheel may be placed the nearer to the end of said short cutter when said wheels plane is opposite the end of said cutter, and thereby save running the point of the divider ont so far for bringing the grain in front of the grain-wheel into the cutters, and which bringing in ci said grain (in iront of the grain-wheel) causes it to be cut farther trom the ground than that part of it cut by any other ot' the cutters.

To prevent the wood from wearing away where the outer end of the cutter-bar worksin the mortise in the. dividers sill, a metal sheath, g', seen in Fig. 14, is inserted into said mortise and extended as far inward as the outer end of the cutter-bar is drawn, when in its inner reci procalon.

On account ofthe finger-barE being oblique to the machines path and the guard-fingers parallel therewith` it is necessary so to vary the angles of the right and left cutting parts of' each section ot' the cutter as to make each c utting-edge ofthe cutter the same angles to the edges of' the fingers; and it is also necessary when the cutters are to bensed with guard-v tingers, which have every alternate one above while the others are belowr the cutter, to make the sections ofthe cutters in pairs-that is, t0 bevel the adjoining edges of each adjoining section the saine way, so that each adjoining edgeA of two sections will shear against the4 linger which they are reciprocated across, whether below -or above the cutter.

In order to maintain the advantages gained by serrating the cutting parts ot the cutter, and at the. same time to retain the principle of grinding the bevel side of said cutting-parts and maintaining a close shear-edge, the sections of the/cutter are either swayed down on the flat side so much that the chisel will but raise the highest parts of the serrations to the height or thickness that the section was before being serrated, or, it' more, grind them down to the sections thickness, or cut the serrations with a sharp chisel sutciently deep to remain of adequate depth when the parts raised thereby are ground down t0 the sections thickness, so that the serrated parts ot' the sections will not bear more against the fingers than the smooth parts do.

h is a guideway, as seen at Figs. 8 and 10, in which the inner end or heel of the cutterbar slides, and with a part thereof in front of the connection of the pitman with the cut.- ter-bar for holding said parts invconnection with each other, and in a better manner than they can be held by a key passed through the end ofthe pittnan, after in the hole in the cut.- ter-bar, as said key is liable to be lost or wear out and thus let the pitman out of' the cutterbar so as to be broken.

The grain-wheel M has its connection to the post H inadeeby a flat barvof iron having a series of' large holes and a series ofsmall'ones cnt therein, the large holes having screwthreads made in them, and confining the bar to the post in such a manner that a plane vertical with the grain-wheels axle will pass aboutthrough the `vertical center of the master-wheel, making a hollow axle with a broad collar on its inner end, out of which projects Ya small stud which Will tit one of the smaller holes in the iron bar, and passing a joistboltthrougli a large washer and then through on their outer ends the fan or gatherer t, which said axle(after`the wheel is on it) into one of the larger holes (when the stud is in one ot` the smaller holes) and rscrewing it up tight. By this means of attaching the grain-wheel to the divider it is very quickly attached or the height of the cutting apparatus at that end changed. By placing the grain-wheel axle substantially in the same vertical plane with the cutters, as seen inFig. 12 of the drawings, the stubble will be cut of a much inore uniform distance from the ground at the outer end of the cuttingapparatns, where the stirface is rough or undulating, than when said wheel is placed differently, as the wheel and cutting apparat us always rise and fall together; and also the entire machine is better balanced by thus placing the grain-wheel axle; but particularly the divider side and the fingers are carried in a ninch more rigid position than they can be when the grain-wheel axle is in rear of the tingerfbar. By having the grainwlieel connected to the divider at the end of the cutter, as shown, and the cutter of the length hereinbefore stated, and the divider of the width stated Where the cutter is reciprocated through it, the point of the divider re- .quires to be set out a less distance than with any other arrangement of cutting apparatus which had the grain-wheel opposite the end of the cutter previous to the atoresaid invention, and the grain-wheels tread within the space cleared by tliepoiiitoftlie divider, so as not to run on the standing grain, and thereby the erop cnt between said divider and regular finger next to it will be cut much nearer the saine distance from `the groundV of that cut against the-other fingers or the inner edge of 'this one (even when the extra tingeris not used) than it can be by any other arrangement of parts which preceded the'aforesaid invention.

N and N are the shafts, between which the rear horse is harnessed to the machine, and with a cross-piece at their front end, in which is a hook by which the front horse draws.

O 0 isan angular frame, attached to B. 0' 0 is another frame ofthe same shape, attached to B'. 0n the upper part of these frames is secured the drivel-s seat P, and at the proper distance below it, between 0 and 0', is secured the drivers foot-board Q, the frontend of which is secured to the upright R, which has its lower end secuied to the beam B, and the inner end ot the reel shaft S, (which is parallel with the finger-ban) sustained by its upper end, while the outer end of S is sustained by` J. From this shaft S is extended at about right angles thereto three pairs of arms, each pair from a different side, as ordinary reels have them, with a l'an or gatherer on each pair for gathering and pressing the standing crop back to the cutting apparatus, while from the fourth side of the shaft S, as seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 12 of the drawings, is extended out in an oblique direction thereto two arms, s s, which serve as cranks for drivin g the rake i', and have also serves as a wrist-pin for the cranks to which the rake r is connected by the pitmeii p p; that one of the fans or gatherersv opposite to the rake, as will be observed, is much heavier than the others, for counterbalancing the weight of the rake. l

U is the pulley on the reel-shaft S, in line with the pulley D on the box and axle b', and driven by the axle C by having the belt V pass around them. The ends of this belt are coniiected together by hooks k k, a side view ot' one of which is seen at Fig. 19 of the drawings.

W is the chiite at the outer rear corner ot' the platform and rear ofthe outer side of the machine. By having this chute so constructed and connected to the outer rear corner of the platform and outer side of the machine as to forni parts thereof, as shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 12 ofthe drawings, that part ofthe gavels cnt by the outer end of the cutting apparatus will be carried farther before reaching the ground or stubble than that part of them cut by the inner end of said apparatus, and so far inward -as to be ont of the horses and machines road when cutting the next round.

X is a guide for the inner edge of the gavels.

By having this guide connected to the inner side of the machine, as shown in Figs. l and2 of the drawings, the width ot the gavels is narrowed so niuch that they are bound with less labor than they could be were' they not so narrowed, as they yare removed heads fore' 'them heads foremost over and ottl the platform.

Y and Y are the spring-guides, which may be made of either metal or wood', and so attached to the side framing of the machine as to spi-ing apart as the rake is moved backward between them, and inward again when itis in rear of them, so as to carry it upward and forward again to the position seen in Fig. 12.

By having the platform, automatic rake, and its driving mechanism, constructed and conibined as herein shown and described, the rake receives its motion t'roin the ground-wheels shaft through another shaft, which may be made to run slower or faster than the gronndwheels shaft, so that a less or greater number of gavels than the number of revolutions made by the ground-wheel may be deposited,

and thereby a lai-ge or .smallground-wheel be used. This rake while receiving its motion through this other 'shaft removes the garels heads foremost over the platform 'out of the machines road when cutting the next round,

from being broken by the uncut gra-in which it'engages with and which' it would beu very liable to be brolkenby had itthat regular move--r ment over the platform whichcog-wheels or pulleys alone would give it.

The just-explained combination of parts, although giving to the machine new functions liever before therein, lacked one very essential elementthat of a shipping mechanism for the rake, which enables the attendant to change the frequency of the gavels removal so as to make them of the propersize.

For supplying a harvester havingthe hereinjust described advantages with a shipping mechanism which enables the attendant to have the rake so held as to remove the gavels from the platform less frequently where the grain is thin than where it is thick on the ground, and thereby lnake the gavels of a more uniform size than they would be were no such shipping mechanism used, the rear end ofthe knee-lever Z was inserted through a mortisc in the board z, which forms a fulcrum for Z,

on whose front end was placed the cone Z', as seen at Fig 2 of the drawings, which the attendant, by thc aid of the knee-lever, pushes outward so as to force the outer and bent end ofthe rake-latch r (which is pivoted at 8' to S) out so much as to prevent the rake reaching and following down the guides X and X2, the sliding pin q by its own weightslidingout 'and holding therake from swingingr out in the other direction until so high as not to interfere with the falling grain. The rake will be held in this manner until a gavel of the desired size will be formed by timethc rake reaches the butts of the gavel, at which time the latch is unlatched by pressing the knee-lever in the opposite direction until the rake is let loose to assume its regular motion.

The aforesaid machine, although having an automatic rake which has imparted to it that movement produced by a crank and pitman and removing the gavels head foremost over the platform out of the road of the horsesand machine when cutting the next round, and a shipping mechanism which enables the attendant to properly regula-te the size of the gavels so removed, whether the grain be heavy or light, lacked a shipping mechanism for the reel, which enabled the attendant to stop its motion' when the machine is being moved from place to place. To obviatethis defect in said machine the lever Dhad its forked and lower end so curved as to `tit in the groove d' in thepulley D and the fulcrum in the drivers footboard ,near its outer edge, so that he could take hold of the upper end of said lever and throw the yslot in the pulley D olf its clutchpin d` when he' desires to stop the motion of the reel, and onto it again when he wishes to start the reel in motion.

G is a gather-board or compressor, which guides the inner portion of the standing crop into the cutters when the machine is driven too far into the standing grain.

H is a scraper, which removes the butts of the gavels out of the roal'lof the machine when it is driven too far from the standing grain.

From the description given of the aforesaid invention, it is believed that any one familiar with the use of harvesters will be'enabled to construct and use' it. t

VWhat I claim under this patent as the invention of the aforesaid ABNEB WHITELEY ls- 1. The alternate spaces in rear of the cutterbar and sections of the cutter combined with the shoulders of the fingers, against which the cutter-bar works, for the purpose of altering the bearing, as and for the purposes set forth and described.

2. The cutter-section f, (seen at Fig. 9 of the drawings) serrated on the flat side and beveled on the other, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and described.

3. The combination of the herein-described platform, automatic rake, and its drivin g mechanism, or their equivalents, for the-purposes specified.

4. The combination of the herein-described platform, automatic rake, its driving mechanism, and its shipping mechanism, or their equivalents, for the purposes specified.

5. The combination of the herein-described,

narrow divider, short cutter, grain-wheel at its end, platform, automatic rake, and its driving mechanism, or their equivalents, so as to cut the grain, remove the gavels, and deposit them, as herein described, at one continuous automatic operation.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in presence of two witnesses.

WM.' N. WHITELEY. Witnesses:

DAN RoULAND, JOSEPH SYKES.

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