USRE4945E - Improvement in harvesters - Google Patents

Description

C. WHEELER, 1r, .4Sheets--Sheet 1.

Improvement in Harvesters.

No. 4,945. Reissuedlune11,1872.

C. WHEELER, Jr. Improvement in Harvesters N0. 4,945, I Reissued June11,1872'.

4 Sheets--Sheet 3.

C. WHEELER, 1 4Sheefs--Sheet 4.

improvement in Harvesters.

Reissued June M1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OYRENUS WHEELER, JR, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 682, dated March 12, 1861; reissue No. 4,945, dated June 11, 1872.

DIVISION A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OYRENUs WHEELER, Jr., of Auburn, county ofUay'uga, State of New York, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part ofthis specification, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the machine when arranged for mowing grass. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 represent details of the machine which will be hereinafter re- :t'erred to. Fig. 11 represents, in perspective, the machine (when arranged for mowing grass) as having its finger-bar folded up for transportation from place to place. Fig. 12 represents, in perspective, the machine as arranged for reaping grain.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to a combined reaping and mowingmachine convertible, to either purpose, and embracing the necessary elements to adapt it to either use. The leading characteristics of the machine are the subject-matter of Letters Patent heretofore granted to me; and this invention consists in the details of the machine, which may be briefly enumen ated, as follows: The arrangement for'folding and carrying the cutter and finger bar; the manner of hanging the seat-frame and the main frame to the axle of the'machine, and

the manner of combining the cutting apparatus therewith; the clutching and unclutching devices; the arrangement of levers for controlling the hinged cutting apparatus, and the latches for catching and locking the levers and the finger-bar; the lock on the trackclearer for making it yielding or rigid; and the plate under the cutters, and the method of holding it there. I thus briefly enumerate the points in the'invention to which I proposeto extend my claims, but will hereafter more fully and specifically point out their construction and combinations with each other and with the machine generally to effect the objects for which they are designed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use m i'nvention,'I will proceed to dein that direction.

' main frame A there is a shaft, a, supported in,

boxes 1). One end of this shaft has upon it a pinion,.c, that gears with the cogs d of the drive-wheel D, and thus a rotating motion is communicated to-this shaft a, and, through it, to the cutters, as follows: A bevel-wheel, E,

, on the shaft (0, meshes with a bevel-pinion, c,

on a shaft, f, that extends rearward and inclines downward and rotates said shaft f. The shaft f has a crank-wheel, g, onits extreme rear end, and to a wrist-pin in this crank-wheel the pitman h is attached by one of its ends, the other end thereof being connected to the cutter-bar z, and through this gearing the cutter-bar is vibrated. In order that the cutter-bar may be at rest when the machine is not cutting grass or grain,-I have arranged a clutching and unelutching apparatus for engaging or disengaging the bevelwheel E'and the bevel-pinion e, as follows: A plate, j, is bolted to the main frame, in the top of which there is an oblique slot, k, that has a recess at both ends of it, so as to receive and hold a lever, 1, that works through said slots when said lever comes opposite either of said recesses, it being thrown and held in them by a spring, m, upon its side, that presses it Underneath the slot there is a way, a, that inclines in the same direction with said slot, and upon this way a a carriageplate, 0, is moved that has a flange, 11, upon it that projects into a groove formed in the axle or shaft a, so that sliding the plate 0 obthe lever it is first forced against its spring m until it leaves the recess, then moved in the direction of the slot. At the rear end of the main frame, and on the grain side thereof, there is bolted a quadrant or sector plate, F, and to this plate, or through it and to the main frame, is pivoted, bya pivot-bolt, q, a movable quadrant or sector plate, G, that is in contact or close proximity to the stationary one F. That the plate Gr may work freely on its pivot withoutbeingshackling,itmoves through a guide-piece, r, at its front, and has a restraining-piece, 8, toward its rear, which steadies it to the rigid plate F. A hand-lever, t, is connected to the moving sector-plate G, and to this is pivoted a latch or looking lever, u, with a spring, '0, behind it. The lower end of the latch-lever is bent into a hook-form, and pass ing through an opening in lever t and plate G, will catch, it unrestrained, into one of the series of holes 1 2, 820., in the stationary plate F, and thus lock the two plates together. By slipping a ring over the lever t and over the latchlever a, so as to hold them close together, this locking cannot take place, and then the plate G can move on its pivot until its shoulder w comes against a pin set in the hole 3, where it is stopped, that piu being at a point where it will catch the finger-bar before the points of the'fingers would be apt to run into the ground by' their downward inclination. The plate G has other devices connected with it, viz., the

- projections w, to which the shoe H is pivoted,

and a hinged hook and latch, y, which holds the lever I in two'positions, as will be described hereafter. The shoe H is pivoted to the arms or projections .90 or at z 2, through the lugs 1 2 at its front and rear, and the finger-bar J is connected to the shoe by means of a recess and bolts or rivets to give it the proper degree of strength. To the outer end of the fingerbar is attached the outside divider, K. This divider has a recess, 3, (see Figs. 1, 7, and 8,)

, in it, in which is secured a plate, 4, having horizontal lugs 5 on it, through which an inclined pivot-pin, 6, passes to form a hinge for the curved shank L, to which the outside caster-wheel M is hung. When the machine is drawn forward the'caster-wheel and its curved shank swing backward and behind the path of the divider K, as seen at Figs. 1 and 7, which allows the finger-bar and its several appliances to come down close to the ground; but when the machine is being geed around, or turned to the right-hand,the caster and its shank swings into the position shown in Fig.

8, which raises up the shoe or divider and outer end of the finger-bar, as shown by the comparative height of the divider above the horizontal line under the casters in Figs. 7 and I S. I use but one shank for my caster-wheels,

saidwheels being hung to the side ofthe shank; this prevents the accumulation of straw and other obstructing material, and avoids the choking and clogging of the wheel incident to its use when working between two legs or shanks. To the rear end 7 of the outside divider K is bolted or pivoted the track-clearer N, which is made as follows: A metallic shoepiece, 8, is secured at its point to the divider K. This shoe-piece has flanges or lugs 9 turned upon it, through which avertical pivot passes to form ahinged connection between said shoe and the vertical (or nearly so) board 10. The back of the shoe-piece 8 extends rearward and forms a shank, 11, which lies snugly up against the board 10. On the outside of the board 10 there is a pivot-catch, 12, (see Fig. 4,) which,

when let down upon its stop 13, overlaps the shank-piece 11, and thus makes the shoe and board rigid and as though made of one piece;

but, by raising up the rear end of the catchpiece 12 to a vertical (or nearly so) position, it releases the catch-piece, and the board will swin g freely inone direction (viz., away from the standing grass) on its hinged connection. The track-clearer may thus be a rigid or a hinged one, as may be neferred, or as its special duty may require. 14 is the handle by which the trackclearer maybe handled or moved. The object of the track-clearer is too well known to need any further description of it. 0 are the fingers or guards on the finger-beam J and 15 are the guides thereon for the cutter'bar i to work through. The construction of the guards and the action of the cutter therein will be more clearly understood by reference to Fig. 10, where an enlarged sectional view of a guard and its several parts is seen. The guard is cast in two pieces, an upper one, 16, and a lower one, 17, each having projections and recesses, as seen in said Fig. 10. In a recess in the lower part 17 is placed what I term a ledger or cutter plate, 18, resting upon its lugs 19 in said recess. The upper portion 16, after the lower portion 17 is bolted to the finger-bar, as at 20, and the cutter-plate laidin, has its point 21 slipped under the cap 22, and then brought down until its rear 23 comes upon the rear portion 24 of the under part, where the two parts are bolted together, .as at 25. The pr0jection 26 rests upon the heel of the cutterplate, keeping it firmly in place, and the other one, 27, rests behind the finger-bar, so that the two bolts and 25 hold the fingers "to the bar and its parts to each other, and also the cutter-plate in its proper position, leaving room for the cutter-bar and its knives to freely play through. The object of the cutter-plate is to make a shear-edge, as it were, for the cutters to out against. This construction and connection of guards aiford easy access, removal, replacement, or repair of any of its parts or appliances. 1 is a second frame hinged to the axle at 28, and extending rearward and over the rear portion of the main frame. At the rear of this second frame is pivoted, by a vertical pivot, 29, the shank Q, which has connected to it the caster-wheel It, the caster wheel, like the one M above described, being around, and let it down again when the machine starts forward; and as the main frame is'sometimes suspended to this second frame this raising and lowering may be important. To the second frame P is pivoted, at 30, the seat-support S, which carries the seat T; and by a series of holes and a pin, 31, the position of the seat may be varied to allow the driver to face the team or the cutters, whichever requires his attention most. A plate, 32, is bolted to P, which has ajournal, 33, projecting from it, and a ratchet arc, 34, fastened to.

it. On thejournal '33 is placed, so as to turn freely thereon when required, a pulley, 35, which has a hand-lever, 36, fastened to it; and to this lever 36 is pivoted a latch-lever, 37 which has its lower end turned so as to stand at right angles and pass through an opening in lever 36 and takes into the notches in ratcheted are 34, the spring 38 serving to throw it in that direction. A chain, 39, which is fastened to the main frame, is hooked to the pulley 35, so that the operator, by seizing the hand-lever 36 and pressing the top of the latch-lever 37 toward the hand-lever 36, the locking end is withdrawn, and he can raise or lower the main frame at pleasure. When the main frame is suspended to the second frame P they can only move together upward by anything coming under the rear caster It, but the flexibility of the chain 39 will allow the main frame to rise independently of the rising of the second frame, though suspended to it; and when the main frame is let down and the chain slackened either frame may move on the axle independent of the other. The lever I, Fig. 3, is mounted on the same pivot which hinges the shoe to the pivoted quadrant or sector-plate, and has a foot,-40, on it, which bears upon the top of the shoe H. By seizin g this lever and drawing it toward the main frame the driver or operator may raise up the outer end of the finger-bar, and the latch 41 catching over a pin in the lever will hold it thus raised up. The hook (11 keeps the lever up within reaching distance of the operator from his seat. The latch-lever a and handlever t are for raising or lowering the points of the fingers and cutters and holding them at any desired angle for cutting a higher or lower stubble in mowing or adjusting the same, and the platform and reel and gathering mechanism thereon in reaping.

\Vhen the finger-bar is to be folded up into the position shown in Fig. 11 for transportation, it may be first raised up into a perpendicular position; the pin is drawn from the hole 3, the locking-lever a is pulled back to hand-lever t, and the plate G,to which the finger-bar is pivoted, is free to turn forward, and the finger-bar with it, until the shoulder w rests upon the guide-piece v, the point of the outside divider K resting in a loop or arm, 42, on the front of the frame A, the arm 42 preventing it from swinging in or out, and the weight of the fin ger-bar. being carried by the hinges. The tongue Uis hinged to the front of the main frame at one side thereof to counteract side draft, and opposite to it, at the other corner, is a shoe, V, for receiving the post that sustains the drivers seat, as shown in dotted lines, when the machine'is converted into a reaper, as will be hereinafter explained.

Fig. 2 represents a reel-post, which is used when the machine is arranged for reaping grain; and Fig. 6 represents a caster which belongs to the grain-table. Both of these will be more particularly mentioned in describing the arrangement for reaping, and to which they properly belong.

To convert this machine from a mower to a reaper the track-clearer N, the outside'caste-r M, and the lever I are removed. The graintable WV is adjusted and bolted to the fingerbeam. The reel-post X, Figs. 2 and 12, is fitted on where the lever I comes off. The belt-guide Y is set in the socket prepared for it. The drivers seat Z is set in the shoe V. The platform or grain-table has upon-it the outside reel-post A and its caster B, and a long divider, G, that lies up against the shoe K, but projects beyond it; and when the reel D is set in its supports and the band E adjusted over its pulleys F G andthrough the guide Y, and the finger-bar set up or raised to the proper height, the machine is ready for reaping grain.

The necessity of the belt-guide is this: That the outer end of the finger-bar and the platform is still free to rise and fall to the slopes of the ground, and if not controlled the reelshaft, moving with the platform, would throw off-the belt, but the guide Y prevents it, as

any end motion of the reel-shaft is not transmitted to the belt beyond said guide.

It is unnecessary to further describe indetail the construction of the parts which convert the machine from a grass to a grain cutting machine. It has all the necessary elements within itself for either work. The finger-bar can be raised or lowered at either end or at both ends. It can be turned to raise or lower the points of the guards; it can conform to the ground at one end or at both ends; it is self-yielding or flexible; it can be folded up out of the way and work with or without the grain-table.

The seat T, mounted on the frame I, serves the double. purpose of a drivers seat when mowing grass and a rakers seat when reaping grain. The raker, sitting on the seat T, which is adjustable, can face the team, or sit obliquely to the falling grain and deliver the same in gavels at the side of the platform out of the way of the team in the next round. ()n the foot of the reel-post X there is a projection, 43, by which it is secured to the lug I on the shoe H, and also an are, 44, furnished with holes for lowering or raising and holding the reel-post when adjusted.

hen the machine is arranged for cutting grass or the reel removed the reel-post is also taken off, and when the reel-post is on the lever I is removed.

Having now described the invention, what I claim as new in this division is 1. The hinged shoe H, in combination with the pivoted plate Gr, adapted to allow the finger-bar connected with said shoe to be folded to or around by the main frame, and to be supported by and carried on its hinges, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a machine having a hinged tongue, of the two frames A P connected to the same axle, one supporting the gearing and cutting apparatus and the other extending rearward and, by means of its caster, supporting the driver, and a raising and lowering apparatus for raising, lowering, or suspending the frame A, substantially as described.

3. The stationary and pivoted sector or quadrant plates, in combination with a lever conapparatus, of a pivoted lever for raising or holding the outer end of the cutting apparatus, astop for locking or holding said lever, and a liftinglever on the seat frame, whereby the attendant can raise the entire cutting appa ratus bodily, or either end independently of the other.

5. A cutting apparatus connected with its frame by two hinges or pivots at right angles to each other,.in combination with-a pivoted finger-bar in another position, substantially as described.-

7. The clutching and unclutching mechanism, composed of the obliquely-slotted stationary plate j, the inclined movable plate 0 and its fian ge p, and the lever 1, arranged substantially as described.

8.'The manner of. holding the cutter-plate 18 in place by means of its own projections and those upon the upper part of the finger, sub stantial] y as described.

9. In combination with a hinged track-clearer, a locking device, 11 12, or its equivalent;

whereby said track-clearer may be made either rigid or flexible, asoccasion may require, substantiallyas described.

0. WHEELER, JR.

YVitnesses:

HORACE T. COOK, A. G. BEARDSLEY.

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