USRE238E - Improvement in reaping-machines - Google Patents

Description

UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN REAPlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5,l89,- dated July 10, 1847; Reissue No. 206, dated October 2l, 1851 Reissue No. 228, dated January 11, 1853; Reissue No. 23S, dated April 26, 1853.

.To all whom it awry concern:

Be it known that I, WlLLIAM F. KETCHUM, ofBuffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new, useful, and Improved Grass and Grain Harvester; and I d0 hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

Of said drawings,Figure 1 is an isometrical view; Fig. 2, a diagram showing the relative position of the cutters to the driving-wheel, and Fig. 3 a separate view of two of the links of the sickle-edge cutters.

My invention consists, irst, in connect-ing the cutter-bar to the frame of the machine in such a manner as to bring it parallel with and close to the surface ofthe ground and at a convenient distance from the wheel whatever may be the diameter of the driving-wheel or height ot' the main frame, so as to cut closely and prevent the loose and cut grass lying between the heel ot'the cutters and driving-wheel from clogging the cutters or retarding the free passage of the machine over the ground; second, in placing the line of the cutters in or nearly in the same vertical plane with the axis on which the frame swings, so that the vibrations ofthe frame on uneven ground shall not inaterially elevate or depress the cutters, which desideratum cannot be attained it' the cutters occupy a position remote from said plane; and, third,vin an endless-chain cutter consisting of a series ot' serrated or sickled edge cutters linked together, and the application and arrangement of it in such a way as causes it to run around pulleys with the back ofthe cutters against the pulleys, the pulleys having their bearings in the cutter-bar, and the cutters being covered all over except their cuttingedges.

In said drawings, H is a crooked arm or coupling-piece. It may be made of castor Wrought metal. One end of it is fastened permanently to the frame I in any well-known manner and at any part thereof so as to bring the cutters in the desired position above stated, and the other end has a sort of open mortise in it, in which the cutter-bar is fastened by bolts J J.

It (the coupling-piece) should be long enough to allow the cutters to swing the proper dfstance from the surface ot' the ground, and it should be so constructed as to be at about the angle tothe cutters and frame represented in the drawings, so that it will pass freely over the loose and' cut Agrass lying between the heel ofthe cutters and the driving-wheel, and the cutter-bar or line of cutters should be in nearly the same vertical plane with the axis. Thus it will be seen that with this arrangement and attachment ofthe cutters bar with the frame the cutters are always parallel with and close to the surface ofthe ground, although the snrface ofthe ground may be irregular and the center of the driving-Wheel elevated two or more feet. The elevation of the cutters from the ground must under all circumstances be substantially the same, for as thedrivingwheel passes overthe elevated and depressed portions ofthe gronnd the cutters will be elevated and depressed accordingly.

It is obvious that any skillful mechanic may devise numerous ways of fixing the cutter-bar in the same position relatively to the wheel and frame, but all these would involve the same principle and improvement.

The endless belt of cutters, as seen at A, is made ot' iron or steel segments or pieces about three or 'four inches long and connected together by lapping the longest pieces on top ot' the short pieces,('seen at B, Fig. 3.) The ends ofthe longest pieces meet in the center of the short pieces,and the shortpieces are riveted fast .with two rivets atone end, and the other end is riveted to the other long piece with one rivet, which is the joint or pivot on which the pieces Work orturn. rlhe inner corners of the longest pieces are rounded ofi', so that the belt may bend or work around the pulleys, (seen at cc.) The belt ofthe cutters is placed on the rack-piece l) iiatwise and around the pulleys edgewise, or,

rather, the back part of the cutter is against the pulleys and the cutting-edge projecting from them between the rack-teeth. The rackteeth are fastened to the rack under the belt ofcutters, and are seen at E E projecting out in frontofthe cutting-edge. The inner corners ofthe longest pieces or segments of the belt ot' cutters heilig rounded allowsv the belt to yield and work around the pulleys edgewise. The pulley nearest the .driving-wheel is propelled by cogs on the shaft F, which shaft is propelled by the main cog-wheel, (seen at N.)

The other pulley yields to the uneven surface of the belt by a spring, G, bearin g against its boxing.

Having thus fully described my improvements, what l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Placing the cutter-bar and cutters lower than the frame of the machine and opposite the side of the plane of the Wheel in such a manner as to leave unobstructed space below the frame, and also between thewheel and the cutters with their supports, to allow the machine to pass freely and Without clogging over the cut grass or grain, as set forth.

2. Placing the cutters lower than the frame and axle and in or nearly in the same vertical plane with the axle on which the trarne hangs and vibrates and parallel, or nearly so, to said axle, so that the vibrations of the frame on uneven ground shall not materially elevate or depress the cutters, as herein set forth.

3. The endless chain of cutters, in combination with the guard-teeth, operating substantially as described.

- WILLIAM F. KETGHUM.

Witnesses:

H. B. BURT, B. R. SMITH.

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