USRE847E - Dewitt c - Google Patents

Description

UNITED ASTATES PATENT @Finca onwirrfc, cUMrNes, or FULTON, nnw Yoan.

IMPROVEMENTIN STRAW-CUTTERS- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13,385, dated August 7, 1855; Reissue No. S47, dated November 8, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, DEwr'rT C. CUMINes, of Fulton, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Cutting Hay or Straw or the like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which- Figure A represents a side view of the cutting-machine, partly in elevation and partly in section. Fig. B represents an end view of the same Fig. C, an end view of the feedrollers and spring detached; Fig. D, a4 detached view of the gearing for operating the feed-rollers Fig. E, a front view of the feedrollers with all the gearing to operate them and Fig. F, a plan of the lower gear-wheel, through which motion is communicated to the lowerroller, showin g the compensating method of hanging it. f

The same letters of reference occurring in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The nature of my invention consists in operating ther lower adjustable feed-roller by means ot' a spur-wheel hung in a vibrating frame or yoke, the axis of which is connected with the said roller by means of a universal coupling, when said roller is supported on sprin g-bearin gsindependent of each other; and a-lso in the employment of a cylinder provided with a kniteor knives which have an upward cylindrical cut, when the same is .arranged with two independent feed-rollers, the lower one of which,being supported on a spring or springs from above or below in such a manner that it can adjust to act` with greater or less pressure on the material to be cut, as is here inafter described.

For the better understanding of the conf struction and operation of my machine, I will describe it by referring to the drawings.

I construct the framing and shoe or feedbox similar to that of the ordinary strawcutter heretofore used. At or near the end of the horizontal framing is hung a shaft, 13, with a series of radial arms, usually four in number, at equal distance apart. At each end within the side plates 15 and to the extremities of these arms, obliquely at an angle of about twenty-tive degrees from a line parallel with the shaft, are attached the knives 7, extending fromv end to end.

Thus far my cylindrical rotary cutter is similar to those heretofore in use, butv it differs from them in the edges of the knives being set upward'instead of downward, revolving in the direction indicated by the arrow, and by their oblique position ei'ect a shearing cut on the straw or other material against the under side ofthe mouthpiece or cuttingplate 6,-which is placed horizontally across the frame and parallel to the axis of the cylindrical knives, in close proximity to them. The reasons for and advantages to be derived from this mode o'f cutting vare that all dry produce which is usually cut up to feed stock contains more or less dust and dirt, and by the variety of methods of cutting downward in feeding it to the cutters the dirt, 825e., is separated from the vegetable matter and collects on the bottom of the feed-box, and is carried forward in mass under the knives and y dulls them very quickly, and although once separated it is again mixed with the feed by discharging into the same receiver, and must be very injurious to the cattle, while by my invention the feed-rollers, in pressing the material between them, loosen the dirt, and `on its passage from. said rollers to the cuttingedges is allowed to spread, when it (the dirt) is liberated and falls beneath the machine through the opening beneath the roller, and y by cutting upward no portion of it can collect on the mouth-piece or cutting-plate to come in contact with the edges of the knives, and nothing but clean cut feed is discharged into the receiver.

The feed arrangement consists of aroller, 5, hung in permanent journals in the frame 10, with a spur-wheel, 23, on one end of its axis and another spur-wheel, 5, on the other end. The wheel 23 is constructed with both intern al and external gear, and through which motion is communicated to the roller, either directly by gearing into the pinion 20 on the axis of the cutters or through the counterwheel 22 and pinion 2l, the counter-wheel gearing into the pinion 20 on the cutter-shaft, (to which. said pinion is attached by a setscrew, so that it may be readily moved on the shaftto gear into the wheel 23 orthe counterwheel 22.) The pinion 21 on thek same axis as the counter-wheel gears into the internal teeth 2V j i 847 of the wl1eel23,aud'thus transmits its motion to the roller in the same direction as if the pinion 20 were directly in gear with the wheel `23, whereas if the pinion 2l on the countershaft geared into the external teeth of the wheel'23 it would move itin ther contrary direction and require another intermediate V wheel to turny it Vthe right way. The stud 24 to vary the speed ot the feed-rollersY and consequently' varying the length of the fragment cut.

.Beneath the roller 5, and parallel with it, is a utedr or ribbed roller, 5', of similar length and diameter, having its axis in` pillarboxes supported on springs 1, by which it is borne upagainstthe fixed roller, one spring on either side, independent of each other, so that it may accommodate itselt' to the varying quantity of feed from side to side Vof the box. In order to communicate rotary motion to the axis of this roller, having motion in a vertical plane', and its ends not being at all times in a horizontal plane, it is necessary to provide it with acompensating-gear arrangement7 which will remain at all times properly in gear with its propelling-wheel regardless of the varying position of the axis to be rotated. For this purpose the wheel 5', gearing into that on the axisof the upper feed-roller, is hung in a yoke, 8, pivoted at'each end in the framing 10. rIhe axis of this wheel is connected with the axis of the lower feed-roller by an universal joint, 4, which admits of the various change of position of said roller, while the wheel 5 i being hung in the yoke, accommodates itself to such change of position.

With the ordinary feed apparatus, where the rollers are 'of equal diameter, the upper portion of the material to be cut, or that portion in contact\ with the smooth roller, has a tendency to slip; consequently there is no uniformity inthe length ofthe material cut. To remedy this, I cause the periphery of the smooth roller to travel at a greater velocity, either by using a smaller wheel on its axis than that on the axis of the ribbed roller.

The springs l at their thicker ends bear against the underside of a cross-piece in the framing ot' the feed-box, and are supported by bolts 2 through them, with nuts on their under side, the thin ends of these sprin gs'bearing the pillar-boxes of the lower roller before described. These springs are capable of being adjusted to suit the material to be cut by screwing 4the nuts whichrsupport them up or down on the bolts 2. When hay or straw is to be eut, there is but little pressure required.

By taking'oi the nuts which support themv they may be turned the other side up, when they will be fully as stift' as at first. y l

When this machine is operated by hand,

the man should stand with his left side to the yfeed-box, turning the balance-wheel 12 by the handle with his right hand in the direction of the arrow, and feeding the material to the rollers with his left. It may be worked by horse or any other power by a band over vthe pulley 18.

From the foregoing it will be seenthat this `machine is adapted to cleaning and cutting hay or straw.

Havingthus described my invent-ion, I wish to be'understood that I do not claim the upward cut in itself, as that has been used before withvthe twoedged reciprocating knit'e, but A Y What I ela-im as new, and desire to secure by Let-tersPatent, is y 1. Operating the adjustable lower teedroller by means of a spur-wheel hung in a vibrating frame or yoke, the axis of which is connected with the said roller by means of a universal coupling, when said roller is supported on spring-bearings independent of each other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The employment of a cylinder provided with a knife or knives which have an upward cylindrical eut, when the same is arranged with two independent feed-rollers, the lower one of which being supported on a spring or springs in such a manner that it can adjust to act with greater or less pressure on the niaterial to be cut, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofl I have hereunto set my hand before two subscribing witnesses this 23d day of March, 1859.

DEWIIT C. CUMINGS.

Witnesses:

' U. W. WADswoRTI-I, S. S. MORRILL.

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