USRE1824E - Improvement in harvesters - Google Patents

Description

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID s. MCNAMARA, or TROY, NEW YORK.

IIYIPRVEMENT -|N. HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part Letters Patent No. 17,691, dated June 30, 1857; Reissue No. 1,824, dated l Nnvenib'er 22, 1st-iA scription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a parto this specification, and in which- Figure 1 repesents a perspective view of my said improved harvester. Fig. 2 represents an inside view without the cutting vapparatus and linger-beam, as seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 representsasection of Fig. 1, taken just inside of the tongue.

In-the drawings, A represents the main frame, which is supported by the large wheel, B, upon the'inner surface of which are cogs or teeth B. Y

C is the tongue by which the machine is drawn forward, and which is supported at the 'rear by a hinge, as seen at a a, the latter being ear-pieces, which project down from the extension-piece- A of the main frame A.

From the rear of the extension-piece A projects the curved brace E and the shoe partl F of the main frame, to which the heel of the ringer-beam G is fastened.

The rear of main frame A and the brace E are connected by a riser, E', which serves the purpose of a brace, and also as a supportfor the rear bearing of thecrank-shait b, whose Iront bearing rests upon the piece A. The sickle or cutter H in thisinstance is placed above the cutter-bar, its teeth working through the slotted open guards c c, and having a curvilinear motion when in operation, and which is ef fected by the curved slots d d in pieces ee fastened to the cutter-bar, in connection with the pinsffin the finger-bar.

Motion is imparted to the' cutter from the crank-shaft b by means ofthe pitman g. Crankshaft `b is operated from the main wheel D by means of the bevel-gearsh and t', and the small cogwheelj. The bevel-wheelt'and cog-wheel j' are both upon the shaft k, the cog-wheel j' taking into the teeth B in the rim of wheel B and the bevel-gear t' working into the bevelwheel h on the front end of the crank-shaft b. The frame which supports the crank-shaft does not extend back as far as the rear ofthe.

nects the front end ot' said lever with a windless-shaft, 0, which has its bearings in the ends of the uprights J J', the uprights being properly fastened to a base-piece supported on the lpiece A. A hand-wheel,K, and ratchetp are fastened upon and turn with shaft o.

To one ot' the uprights J' is pivoted a long pawl, y, the upper end of which is conned to the ratchet-wheel by a spring, r.

It will be seen that by turning` the shaft o the chain or repen will be wound onto the shaft, and that the front end ot' lever I can be elevated and retained at any required height, pawl'y taking into ratchet-wheel p. It will be further observed that by raising the frontend of lever I the finger-bar G and cutter H will both be raised, and that consequently the cutter can be elevated and retained at any desirable position above the ground either to pass obstructions or to vary the cut of the stubble'.

In the lower ends of the-.uprights J J a shaft, t, has its bearings. This shaft has a lever, U, attached to it, said lever projecting out forward at right angles, or nearly so, to the shaft, while another lever, fv, is attached to the opposite side of said shaft. Lever v is curved downward, and its end connected by a link, zo, to a rod L, which is fitted and allowed to slide freely in guides x, fastened to the under side of tongue O.

To one side of lever c a spur or projectingl arm, q, is attached, and this spur or arm extends under the front end of lever I and in front ot' the lower end of the pawl y, as indicated in the-drawings; By depressing lever U the shaft t will beturned, and the spur or projecting arm q will strike against the lower side ot' lever I and raise it. This lever is placed within reach of the foot of the driver, by whom it can be actuated when necessary.

The yoke-ring in which the end of the tongue is placed, as usual, ts in a recess, o', in the rod L, and when the team is backed the shaft f twill be actuated through the medium of link w and lever e, whereby lever I ma-y be raised either bythe driver depressing lever fu with his foot, turning hand-wheel K,-or backing the team.

By this simple device the sickle, so far as adjustabilityis concerned, is placed completely under the control of the driver. It' the sickle becomes clogged or choked by the backward motion of the team, it will be raised before the machine is acted upon, and a` few strokes ot' the sickle will cause itto clear itself. This is a great advantage, because sickles are liable to clog orl choke, and considerable time has hitheto been consumed in clearing them.

In case any obstruction lies inV the path of the sickle the latter may be raised by the driver by means of the foot-lever U, or by the hand-wheel K, as before described, and that, too, without stopping the machine or checking its movement, and in case it becomes necessary at any time to lower or drop the sickle entirely it may be done byfdepressing the lever U suiciently to cause the spur or arm q to actuate the lower end ofthe pawl y, so that its upper end will be thrown tree from ratchetwheelp. Y

In all mowing-machines it is desirable to have the shoe which supports the heel of the finger-beam run close to the ground; but when the said shoe and finger-beam are both allowed to .dragiheavily upon the surface of the ground the draft of the machine is greatly increased. Again, when in operation the cut grass is liable to drop over and clog up the heel of the cutter-bar-unless rolled or pressed down in advance thereof.

lwheel, M, to the front of the shoe part ofthe main frame in such a manner that it will run Vover and press down thecut grass in advance ofthe heel of the cutter and finger-barspand the bearing part of the shoe to which the heel of the finger-beam is attached. Wheel M is journaled to arm-piece N, which in turn is fastened tothe under side of the inclined shoe part F of the main frame by means of bolt O, which passes through a slot in the elevated part of F, whereby wheel Mean be adjusted to carry the shoe partl` of the main frame and finger-beam at any desired height from the surface ofthe ground. I Bolt O hasa nut to hold` it in place. (See the drawings.) The adjustment is easily effected by simply moving armpiece N forward or back, as may be desired. Wheel M enables the nger-beam and cutting apparatus to surmount obstacles, ridges, ancL lslight elevations in the surface of the ground' with great ease. It also greatly facilitates the passage of water-furrows.

The main frame is lnade so as to wdroop in the rear and toward the standing grass,l

whereby the finger-beam is brought down to the ground. This feature, in connection with the use of a hinged tongue and the rear caster-wheel and its lever, renders the machine peculiarly adapted to mowing grass, since the 'finger-beam ,easily conforms lto the inequalities of the ground, andethat, too, without liability of catching and dragging the grass cut by a previous swath, while at the same time the finger-beam can be easily adjusted to cut high or low. j

rlhe machine may be applied to either harvesting grain or grass.

I do notclai'm broadly raising the cutterbar of harvesters by means of a lever, for various arrangements have heretofore been devised for such purpose.

Having described my improvements, what 1 claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a pointed Yor hinged lever and caster-wheel with the drooping end of the main frame'and finger-beam of a harvester, when arranged in relation to said main frame and finger-beam substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of lever I, frame A, and

caster-wheel and leading-wheel, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. An adjustable leading andV supporting wheel, in combination with the shoe part of the main frame, which supports the heel of the finger-beam in a mowing-machine when arranged so as to run directly in advance of the. heel end of the finger-beam and cutter-bar and the bearing part of the sl1oe,and whenthe axis of said wheel is rigidly connected with the main frame, 'substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The combination and relative arrangement of frame A, finger-beam G, lever I, caster-wheel J, and leading-wheel M, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination and arrangement of the main frame, flngerlbeam, shoe part F of the main frame, and crank-shaft, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. Connecting the shaft 'l by means of the arm and link with the rod placed at the under side of the draft-pole and connected with the yoke-ring, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

DAVID s. MGNAMARA.

Witnesses:

, FRANKLIN Sco'rr, Unas. H. ADAMS.

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