US558251A - Corn-harvester - Google Patents

Description

7 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

D. M. BAIR. CORN HARVESTER.

Patented AV LMQG. l

a jmzwbflli'owr ANDREW [1.GRAHAM FHOTWLITHQWASNINGTON. DC

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2. D. M. BAIR.

CORN HARVESTER.

Patented Apr. 14

AN DREW B GRAHAM. PMOTGMTHQWASNI N610". lzcv (No Model.) 7 SheetsSheet 3.

D. M. BAIR. CORN HARVESTER.

No. 558,251. Patented Apr. 14, 1895.

. ANDREW RGRAHAM.PHDTO-LITNQWASHINETONDY (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

D. M. BAIR. CORN HARVESTER.

P e edApr 14,

Wilgzsscs ANDREW B GRAEAMFMOTO-LHMO WASPIINFI'ONJZC (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

D. M. BAIR.

CORN HARVBSTER.

N 558,251. PatentedApr. 14, 1896.

v nacgfr flam'eLJ QF AN DREW B.GRAHAM. PHDTO-LWNOWASHINGTON. D C

(No Model.) 7 SheetsSheet 7.

D. M. BAIR.

OORN HARVESTER.

Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

Wihyzsscs NITEED STATES ATENT FFICE DANIEL M. BAIR, OF BURNS, KANSAS.

CO RN- HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,251, dated April 14, 1896.

Applicati n filed November 14, 1894. Serial No. 528,786. (No model.)

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. BAIR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burns, in the county of Marion and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Corn-Harvester, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to corn-harvesters,and has for its object to provide simple and efficient mechanism for gathering, cutting, conveying, and shocking the fodder.

The special objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 isa view of the opposite side. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken centrally and showing the shock-receiver in its discharging position. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is atransverse section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the shock holding and tying mechanism. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan View. Fig. 9 is a detail view in perspective of the turn-table for supporting the shock-holder. Fig. 10is a detail view in perspective of the shock compressing and tying mechanism. Fig. 11 is a detail plan view of the cutting mechanism; Fig. 12 is a detail view of the clutch connection between the ehain-wheels at one end of the mainshaft.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The main framework of the machine comprises, essentially, the parallel side beams 1, connected at their rear ends by a cross-beam 2 and near their front ends by the transverse guide-bars 3, and above this main framework is arranged an auxiliary frame having the parallel side bars 4, arranged, respectively, above the side beams of the main frame and connected at their rear ends by the cross-bar 5. Projecting laterally from the main side beams are axles 6, upon which are mounted the ground-wheels 7, and mounted in bear-- ings in front of the ground-wheel axles is a transverse main shaft 8, upon the extremities of which are slidably mounted the chainwheels 14, carried by the ground-wheels, and

chains connecting said chain-wheels 14: with the loose wheels 12, is imparted to the slidable chain-wheels, and hence to the shaft, whereas backward rotation of the ground wheels causes a lateral movement or deflection of the slidable chain-wheels, and thus a disengagement of the clutch-faces by reason of the beveled surfaces on the teeth of the clutchfaces.

The side bars of the auxiliary frame are attached to the ends of the guidebar 3 and are held at the desired interval by means of spacing-blocks l5, and projecting forward from the said guide-bar is an intermediate frame 16, having obliquely-disposed sides, which combine with the lower bars of contiguous swinging frames to form throats, in which are arranged fixed knives, hereinafter described. These knives are arranged adjacent to and in front of openings 19, formed in the transverse guide-bar 3,and are arranged in a plane corresponding with the bottom of said openings, whereby the stalks after severance are received by and passed at their lower ends through these openings. Mounted at their lower ends in suitable bearings in the forwardly projecting intermediate frame above described and at their upper ends in bearings formed in the horizontal upper frame 20 are vertical rollers, which carry the gathering- belts 22 and 23. The front rollers are provided with upper and lower reels 24, the arms of which are projected sufficiently to engage the stalks and direct them into the throats of the machine, and the intermediate rollers,which are arranged between said front rollers and th e rear rollers, are set out to cause the convexing of the intermediate portions of the outer sides of the belts.

The belt 22 is carried by a front roller 25, a rear roller 26, and an intermediate roller 27, whereas the other belt 23 is carried by a front line corresponding approximately with the front of the intermediate frame are the swinging frames 33 and 34, the upper and lower bars thereof being provided with trunnions mounted in brackets 35 and 36. The brackets 35 are supported by upper side bars 37, i

held in place by vertical connecting-rods 38,

and the lower brackets are supported by the side bars of the auxiliary frame.

The front ends of these upper side bars 37 are connected by an arch 39, having a central vertical arm 40, which is attached at its lower end to the upper intermediate frame 20. Mounted in suitable hearings in said upper and lower bars of the swinging frames are rollerscarrying the gathering- belts 41 and 42, the belt 41 being supported by and receiving its motion from the front roller 43, the intermediate roller 44, and the rear roller 45, and the 1 belt 42 being carried by and receiving its mo- 1 tion from the front roller 46, the intermediate roller 47, the rear roller 48, and a supplemental roller 49, whereby the belt is carried for a distance substantially parallel with the above-described guide-bar, for a purpose to.

be hereinafter explained.

In addition to the rollers which carry the belt 42 I employ a tightening-roller 50, held in place by the adjustable arms 51, which are attached, respectively, to the upper and lower bars of the swinging frame. Springs 52 are arranged in operative relation with the swingin g frames to press them toward the intermediate frame, whereby the stalks as they enter between the laterally-deflected front portions of the gathering-belts are compressed and are held and guided positively until after they have been severed by the knives. The front rollers of the swinging belts carry reels 53, similar to those described in connection with the belts which are mounted on the fixed intermediate frame.

The construction of belt which I prefer to employ for gathering the stalks embodies a plurality of endless runners or bands 54,whieh are connected by the transversely-disposed metallic strips 55, said strips being spaced apart slightly at their contiguous edges and being concaved in shape, so as to present a series of convex surfaces. This construction provides for the necessary engagement of the stalks without the use of spurs or studs, which have a tendency to remain in engagement with the stalks and carry them beyond the point of delivery, thereby choking the passages and interfering with the operation of shaft receives motion through a chain 59,

which traverses one of the slidable chainwheels on the main shaft and a chain-wheel 60, which is fixed to the end of said transverse shaft 58. The front rollers of the swinging belts are similarly extended and carry pinions 61, which mesh withgears 62, carried by stubshafts 63, and these stub-shafts are driven by means of said chain 50 and a similar chain 64, respectively, the chain 59 traversing a chain-wheel 65 on the end of one stub-shaft and the chain 64 traversing a chain-wheel 66 011 the other stub-shaft. A belt-tightening pulley 67 is arranged in operative relation with the chain 64 and a tightener 68 is arranged in operative relation with the chain 59.

The front end of the framework is supported by the caster-wheels 69, which are mounted in forks 70,having disks 71,which are mounted 011 the lower ends of vertically-adjustable stems 7 2 between fixed disks 73 and nuts 74, which are threaded upon the lower extremities of the stems between the arms of the forks. Said stems are preferably angular in crosssection and are fitted slidably in guides 75, supported by the framework, and coiled upon the stems above a fixed part of the framework are springs 76, bearing at their lower ends upon a fixed partof the framework and at their upper ends against split pins 77, fitting in perforations of the stems. These springs hold the front end of the framework pressed downward, whereby the lower bearings for the stems rest upon the fixed disks of the stems, and in order to change this adj ustment to elevate the front end of the framework I provide cords or chains 78, fixed to the framework adjacent to the stems and extending over antifriction-rolls 7 9 at the upper ends of the stems, said cords being reeled upon drums 80, provided with squared terminals 81, adapted for engagement by a wrench. These drums are held from backward rotation, in order to retain the caster-wheel stems at the desired adjustment, by means of pawls 82, en gaging ratchet-wheels 83.

Draft-rods 84, to the front ends of which are attached the whiffletrees 85, extend to the rear of the machine and are attached to the extremities of a draft-equalizinglever 86, and guide-tongues 87 are attached at their rear ends to the arms of the caster-wheel forks and are connected at their front ends by an arch 88. The rear ends of said draft-tongues are bifurcated, as shown at 89, and the extremities are attached, respectively, to the arms of the forks, whereby a lateral movement of the horses will be communicated directly to the caster-wheels to change the direction of movement of the machine.

The cutting mechanism which I prefer to employ and have shown in the drawings consists of the combination of fixed and reciprocatory knives. The fixed side knives 90 converge toward their rear ends to a point in advance of the openings in the transverse guidebar 3, and interposed between the side knives of each cutting device is a forwardly-tapered intermediate knife 91, the cutting edges of which diverge respectively from the contiguous side knives. The side knives extend in rear of the cutting edges of the intermediate knife, and the rear portion of the intermediate knife is tapered rearwardly, whereby its sides are parallel with the side knives. This arrangement of cutting edges causes an effective severance of the greater proportion of the stalks without the use of a moving cut-.

ter; but to prevent choking and sever any stalks which may escape the stationary knives I employ a reciprocatory cutter 92, arranged approximately in the plane of the bottoms of the openin gs in the guide-bar 3 and operating between the above-described fixed knives and guards 94, which are supported by said fixed knives. Motion is communicated to this movable cutter through a crank-disk 95, carried by a shaft 96, and a pitman 97, connecting the cutter to the said disk. The shaft of the crank-disk is fitted with a pinion 98, which meshes with a gear 99 on the main or driving shaft of the machine.

Arranged transversely in rear of the gathering-belts and approximately in the plane of the upper edges thereof is a carrier-frame 100, having an upper bar 101, which is connected to the upper member of the intermediate gathering-belt frame by means of an arched brace 102 and is supported from the adjacent framework by means of vertical rods 103, and having a lower transverse bar 104, which is parallel with the upper bar 101. The upper bar terminates at its rear edge in a guide-strip 105, consisting of an extension of a guideplate 106, which is arranged vertically and transversely in rear of the gathering-belt and close to the plane of the sides thereof, and terminates at its lower edge adjacent to the plane of the upper side of a transverse conveyer-belt 107, which is carried by the end rollers 108. These rollers 108 are mounted in suitable bearings in the framework above the plane of a horizontal guard-plate 109, and one of these rollers is provided with a pinion 110, which receives motion through an intermediate pinion 111 from a gear 112, which is carried by a shaft 113. The shaft 113 is provided with a chain-Wheel114, which is traversed by one of the chains which communicates motion from the main or driving shaft to the mechanism which drives the gathering-belts.

It will be understood that the guard-plate 109 is arranged below the plane of the lower side of said conveyer-plate.

tremities of the elevator-frame 135.

The end of the guide-plate 106 to which is connected the guide-strip 105 is rounded, as shown at 115, adjacent to the rear portion of the adjustable gathering-belt 42. Contiguous to this rounded end of the guide-plate, above the plane of the upper edge of the belt 42,is a concave guide 116,and directlybeneath this guide is a tripping-apron 117, arranged to move in the direction parallel with the side beams of the framework and carried by rollers 118, one of which is fixed to a shaft 119, mounted transversely in suitable bearings on the framework and receiving motion through a pinion 120 from the above-described gear 112.

Arranged between the planes of the guideplate and guide-strip above described, with its sides parallel, respectively, therewith, is a top-carrier belt 121, provided with spurs or fingers 122, which extend outward over the upper edges of said guide-plate and guidestrip to engage the tops of stalks, for a purpose hereinafter fully explained. The spurs or fingers on the front side of this top-carrier belt span the interval between the guideplate and the rear sides of the gathering-belts, whereby as the severed stalks are released by the gathering-belts their butts fall uponthe horizontal conveyer-belt 107 and they are engaged at their tops by spurs or fingers on the top-carrier belts. In order to insure the vertical positions of the stalks which leave the gathering-belts located on the opposite side of the machine from the concaved guide 116, I employ a yielding holder 123, which'is pivoted to the uppermember of the intermediate gathering-belt frame and is provided with a spring 124 to normally hold it extended across the interval between the guide-plate and the rear side of the intermediate gathering-belt 22. The tops of the stalks are held by this arm until their butts have been advanced by the conveyor-belt sufficiently to bring the stalks into a substantially vertical position, when the pressure is sufficient to deflect the holding-arm and allow the stalks to advance toward the tripping-apron above described. The top-carrier belt traverses and receives motion from the carrier-wheels 125, one of which is provided with a vertical spindle 126, terminating at its lower end in a pinion 127, which meshes with the above-described gear-112.

Arranged in rear of the guide-plate and below the plane of the guide-strip is a fixed cradle 128, having a cross-rod 129, supported in a suitable substantial manner upon the framework, and holding-rods 130, which terminate at their'lower ends adjacent to the lower end of an elevating device 131, consisting of an endless apron 132, carried by the upper and lower rollers 133 and 134:, which are mounted in suitable bearings at the ex- In order to cause the upper portion of the apron to travel in an approximately horizontal direction to convey stalks to a point for discharge into a subjacent shocking mechanism here- IIO inafter described, I employ guide-rollers 136 and 137, the first of which guides the front or operative side of the apron, while the other guides the rear side of the same. This apron is constructed substantially as described in connection with the gathering-belts in that it consists of runners or endless bands 138, connected by transverse convexed strips 139; but owing to the necessity for arranging a portion of the apron in an approximately vertical position I provide the transverse members with spurs or fingers 140. The apron receives motion from the lower guiding-roller .134, which is carried by the above-described transverse shaft 119.

The fingers of the above-described cradle incline toward the lower end of the elevatorapron in orderto present the stalks in a horizontal position within reach of the spurs on said apron, and in order to provide for tripping the stalks and causing them to assume a horizontal position I employ a buttguide rod 141, arranged parallel with the front side of the elevator-apron and extending transversely above the tripping-apron, and there fore across the path of stalks, the butts of which are supported by said tripping-apron, and a top-gnide rod 142, which is arranged parallel with and adjacent to the abovedescribed guide-strip and at such a distance from the strip that the space therebetween is spanned by the spurs or fingers on the topcarrier belt. The top-guide rod is connected at one end with the butt-guide rod at the opposite end by means of an inclined guide-rod 148, which serves to guide the intermediate portions of the stalks as theypass from a vertical to a horizontal position. Attached at their ends to the butt'guide red are the elevator guide-rods 144, which are arranged parallel with the front side of the elevator-apron and serve to hold the stalks in contact therewith during their elevation.

Arranged upon a platform 145, attached to the main framework, is a shocking apparatus having a shock-form 146, consisting of a receptacle which is tapered toward one end and is adapted to cooperate with a butt-adjusting plate 147 to arrange the stalks, which are discharged thereinto from the upper end of the elevator, to form a shock. The portion of the shock-form which receives the butts of the stalks is enlarged in order to allow for the necessary spreading of the bottoms of the shocks to cause the latter to maintain an upright position when delivered, and the buttadjusting plate is provided with a convex surface 148, which corresponds in circumference with the enlarged end of the shock -form. This butt-adjusting plate is yieldingly supported upon the framework and is preferably provided with a spring 149, whereby it is pressed toward the shock-form, and the shockform carries a spring-actuated locking-bolt 150, adapted to engage a catch 151 on the butt-adjusting plate to maintain the shockform in its receiving position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The shock-form is pivotally mounted upon a turn-table 152, supported by antifrictionrolls 153, said turn-table being provided with front and rear rests 154 and 155, the former of which is of greater height than the latter, whereby the smaller end of the shock-form is normally held above the plane of the larger end thereof. This inclination of the shockform has a tendency to cause the stalks to move toward the butt-adjusting plate when the form is in its receiving position, and in order to facilitate this movement I provide the shock-form in its bottom with an antifriction supporting-roll156. A spring 157 is attached at one end to the turn-table and at the other end to the shock-form in order to return the latter to its normal position after a shock has been discharged, and guide-rolls 158 are provided to bear upon the upper surface of the turn-table to prevent straining of the latter when the shock-form is tilted. A traveler 159 is mounted upon the shock-form near its enlarged or outlet end to bear upon the platform supporting the shock-form, whereby the approximately horizontal or normal position of the shock-form is maintained While the latter is being turned to its discharging position, such discharging position being with the axis of the form at right angles to the side beams, as shown in Fig. 4. An antifriction-roller 160 is also located at the discharge end of the shock-form to reduce the friction and facilitate the release of the shock.

The means for compressing and tying the shock after a sufficient number of stalks has accumulated in the shock-form consist of the opposite curved arms 161 and 162, carried by the rock-shafts 163, which are provided with crank-arms 164. These crank-arms are connected by a rod 165, to an intermediate point of which is attached a hand-lever 166, said hand-lever being fulcrumed upon a bar 167, forming a part of a frame in which said rockshafts are mounted and is adapted to hold it in its adjusted positions for engagement with a rack 168. One of the compressing-arms, and preferably the one designated as 162, is provided with a terminal notch 169 for engagement with one end of a tie-cord 170, said tie-cord being extended through a guide loop or eye 171, which is arranged near the fulcrum-point of the said arm.

In addition to the means above described for adjusting the front portion of the framework and supporting the same at the desired elevation I employ means for adjusting the rearend of the frame, and in the construction illustrated the axles of the ground-wheels are attached to the vertical arms 172 of a yoke 173 and operate in curved slots 174 of the guide-boxes 175, said slots being concentric with the shaft 8. The upper ends of the side beams of the yoke are provided with antifriction guide-rolls 176, over which pass the cords or chains 177, attached at their outer ends to the said boxes. Said chains or cords also pass under guide-rolls 178, mounted in suitable brackets upon the framework, and are attached at their inner ends to a drum 17 9, having a terminal wrench-seat 180. This drum is held from backward rotation by means of a pawl 181, engaging a ratchet-wheel 182.

The slots 174 are concentric with the shaft- 8 to preserve the proper tension of the chain connecting the chain-wheels 12 and 14c at all adjustments of the frame of the machine independently of the yoke 173, and said yoke, by extending under the frame, serves to limit the downward movement of the rear portion of the frame and prevents the same from dropping into an inoperative position in case of injury to the cords or chains 177.

In addition to the above-described means for guiding and carrying the various belts and aprons I employ guide-rolls 183 for contact with the lower edges of the gathering-belts to prevent the downward movement thereof between said carrying-rolls, and similar rolls 184 arranged in contact with the side edges of the elevator-apron to prevent lateral displacement.

This being the construction of the machine, the operation thereof is as follows: The stalks are engaged by the gathering-belts and the cooperating reels and are held in compact form until severed by the cutting devices. The point of the intermediate fixed knife strikes the center of each hill as it is guided into the throat of the machine and in connection with the adjacent side knives severs the majority of the stalks; but in case any of the stalks should escape severance by the fixed knives they are brought into contact with the reciprocatorycutter. After severance the butts of the stalks are received by the transverse conveyer-apron, while the tops are engaged by the fingers on the transverse top-carrier belt and are advanced between the transverse guide-plate and the rear sides of the gathering-aprons in the manner hereinbefore described. W'hen the stalks reach the end or curved portion of the guide-plate and are received at their upper ends between the same and the concaved guide 116, the butts are dropped from the conveyer-apron and are received by the longitudinally-disposed tripping-apron. This tripping-apron carries the butts toward the rear, while the tops of the stalks after rounding the end of the guideplate are moved back inthe opposite direction to that in which they moved in approaching the concaved guide, and therefore the stalks are thrown into a horizontal position and are received by the yielding arms of the cradle. In connection with the trippingapron I employ a fixed stop 185, which prevents the butts of the stalks from being displaced while their tops are being carried transversely across the machine by the top-carrier belt. As the stalks are deposited in the cradle they are engaged by the elevator-apron and v the operator to facilitate tying.

carried upward and to the rear and discharged into the shock-form. As the stalks fall into the shock-form they move downwardly or toward the butt-adjusting plate, whereby when a sufficient number of the stalks has accumulated to form a shock the butts thereof, which are in contact with the convexed surface of the butt-adj ustin g plate, are concaved. The hand-lever which is connected to the compressing-arms is then operated to bring the arms into operative position, the lever being locked when the shock is sufficiently compressed. Simultaneously with compressing the shock one of the arms has carried the tying-cord around the same, and the end thereof is held within convenient reach of After the shock has been tied and the compressing-arms have been released the locking-bolt, whereby the shock-form is held in its receiving position, is disengaged from the catch on the butt-adj usting plate and the shock-form is turned to a position approximately parallel with the side beams of the framework and is tilted to discharge the shock, butt downward, upon the ground. As the shock leaves the form the return-spring which is attached to the form throws the latterback to its approximately horizontal position in the rests, and this impulse, acting through the antifrictionroller at the outlet end of the form, serves to straighten the shock and throw it into a vertical position.

In order to provide for cutting the stubble and leaving the field in condition for plowing, I employ stubble-cutting knives 186, which converge toward their front ends and are secured together approximately in the line of and between the stalk-cutting devices, their rear ends being attached to fixed parts of the framework under the side beams. In the construction illustrated in the drawings Ihave shown the rear ends of the stubble-cutting knives attached to a depending transverse guard 187, supported by hangers 188, and the front ends of the knives are supported by a similar hanger 189.

The advantage of the above-described conveyer-belt is that it is light in weight and occupies the minimum space for the requisite strength. The sheet-metal transverse strips being thin do not cause the conveyer to project as far from the faces of the rollers or drums as those belts in which lighter material for the transverse bars is employed. Furthermore, the concavo-convex cross-sectional construction of the transverse bars prevents them from bending, and hence enables the conveyer to carry a heavy weight between the endless bands without bulging downward.

A further advantage of the metallic strips of the construction described is that when a belt or conveyer is arranged in a vertical position it may be supported by small horizontal antifriction-rollers, as hereinbefore described in connection with the gathering aprons, the extremities of the transverse bars being arranged to form an approximately continuous edge to traverse said rollers. Hence the sagging of the intermediate portions of the conveyer when in use as gatheringaprons is prevented.

It will be understood that in practice various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a supporting framework and cutting mechanisms, of transverse conveying-belts arranged in rear of the cutting mechanisms, gathering belts arranged in advance of the cutting mechanisms, vertical rollers carrying said gatheringbelts, the rear rollers of one of the intermediate gathering-belts being disposed respec tively adjacent to one of the cutting mechanisms and adjacent to the rear roller of the other intermediate belt, whereby the interval between the cutting mechanisms is spanned by said intermediate belt, and operating connections, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a supportingframework, and cutting mechanisms, of gathering-belts arranged in front of the cutting mechanisms to guide the stalks thereto, butt and top carrying belts arranged transversely in rear of the cutting mechanisms and adapted to receive the stalks after severance, the buttcarrying belt being horizontally disposed to support the stalks, means for guiding the gathering-belts whereby their rear portions span the interval between the cutting mechanisms, and means for operating said parts, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a supporting framework, and cutting mechanisms, of gathering-belts arranged in front of the cutting mechanisms to guide the stalks thereto, butt and top carrying belts arranged transversely in rear of the cutting mechanisms and adapted to receive the stalks after severance, the buttcarrying belt being horizontally disposed to support the stalks, means for operating said parts, and a pivotal spring-actuated detent spanning the space between the rear ends of the gathering-belts and the front side of the top-carrying belt, substantially as specified.

4:. The combination with a supportingframework, and cutting mechanism, of gath ering-belts, transversely-disposed butt and top carrying belts in rear of the cutting mechanism, the top-ca1rying2belt being arranged with its parallel sides in a common horizontal plane, means for guiding the stalktops around one end of the top-carrying belt, butt-detaining devices arranged beneath said means for guiding the tops, elevating mech- 1 anism to receive the stalks when released by the top-carrying belt, and operating connections forsaid parts, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a supportingframework, cutting mechanism, gatheringbelts and operating connections, of transverse conveying mechanism for receiving the stalks after severance, said conveying mech anism consisting of butt and top carrying belts, and the top-carrying belt being arranged with its sides in a common horizontal plane and being carried by end rolls, a trip belt arranged at the delivery end of the buttcarrying belt and mounted to move in a direction transverse to the butt-carrying belt, top-guides arranged above the trip-belt in the plane of the top-carrying belt to guide the stalk-tops around the end of said belt, a tripbar arranged transversely above the trip-belt to check the forward movement of the stalk butts, a guide-rod arranged parallel with and in the same horizontal plane with, the rear side of the top-carrying belt, and means for operating said parts, substantiallyas specified.

6. The combination with a supportingframework, and cutting mechanism, of transversely-disposed butt and top carrying belts adapted to receive the stalks after severance, a top-guide arranged at one end, and in the plane of the top-carrying belt, a top-guide rod arranged parallel with the rear side of the top-carrying belt, trip devices arranged beneath said top-guide to check the movement of the stalk-butts, elevating mechanism, and a cradle disposed to receive the stalksas they fall to a horizontal position and hold the same in contact with the belt of the elevating mechanism, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a supporting framework, and cutting mechanism, of transverse conveying mechanism including a topcarrying belt having parallel front and rear sides and operating at its front side in conjunction with a vertical guide-plate and at its rear side in conjunction with a guide-strip, said blade having spurs which extend outward over said guide-plate and guide-strip, a top-guide arranged at one end of the carrierbelt and in the plane thereof, a top-guide rod arranged parallel with said guide-strip, a bottom-guide rod arranged parallel with and below the top-guide rod, trip devices arranged beneath said top-guide to check the movement of the stalk-butts, elevating mechanism having an apron arranged atone end adjacent to and parallel with the bottom-guide rod, a cradle having fingers arranged at their front ends in front of the vertical plane of the guidestrip and at their rear ends contiguous to the plane of the elevator-apron, elevator guiderods conforming to the direction of movement of the front or operating side of the elevatorapron, and means for operating said parts, substantially as specified.

S. The combination with a supportingframework, and cutting mechanism, of butt and top carrying belts, a trip-belt arranged to operate in a direction transverse to the butt-carryin g belt anddisposed at one end of the latter, top and butt guide rods arranged parallel with the rear side of the top-carryin g belt, means arranged above the trip-belt for guiding the stalk-butts around the end of the top-carrying belt, a stop arranged contiguous to the trip-belt to hold the stalk-butts from forward movement as their tops are carried forward by the rear side of the top-carrying belt, and a cradle to receive the stalks, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with a supportingframework and cutting mechanism, of transverse conveying mechanism adapted to receive the upright stalks as they leave the cutting mechanism, elevating mechanism adapted to receive the stalks from the conveying mechanism and having its rollers arranged in horizontal planes, and a tripping device arranged between the conveying and elevating mechanisms to engage and impede the forward movementof the butts of the stalks, whereby the uninterrupted movement of the tops of the stalks deposits the latter in a horizontal position for engagement by the elevating mechanism, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with a supportingframework, cutting and conveying mechanisms, and means for operating said parts, of a pivoted shock-form arranged in an approximately horizontal position to receive the stalks, and a spring-s upported butt-adjusting device arranged contiguous to the outlet end of the shock-form when the latter is in its normal or receiving position, said adjusting device being adapted to normally close the outlet end of the shock-form and to automatically return to its proper position when the form reaches its normal or receiving position, substantially as specified.

11. The combination with a supportingframework, cutting, conveying and elevating mechanisms, and means for operating the same, of a shock-form arranged to receive stalks from the elevating mechanism, a turntable supporting said shock-form and to which the latter is pivoted, a butt-adjusting device arranged to close one end of the shock-form when the latter is in its normal or receiving position, said device having an inwardly-convexed surface and being spring-actuated to automatically assume its operative position after displacement, and means for tying and discharging the shock, substantially as specified.

12. The combination with a supportingframework, cutting, conveying, and elevating mounted upon the rest of lesser height, a

spring for normally holding the form in contact with the rest of greater height, a buttadjusting device fixed to the framework opposite the outlet end of the shock-form when the latter is in its receiving position, said butt-adjusting device being spring-carried to adapt it to yield when the shock-form is turned from its receiving to its discharging position, and fixed compressing devices arranged upon the framework at a point contiguous to the upperend of the shock-form when the latter is in its receiving position, said compressing device having arms arranged with the space therebetween in alinement with the shockform when in its receiving position, substantially as specified.

13. The combination with a supportingframework, cutting, conveying, and elevating mechanisms, and means for operating said parts, of a shock-form adapted to receive stalks from the elevating mechanism, compressing mechanism arranged near one end of the shock-form and having pivotal compressing- arms 161 and 162 provided with terminal crank-arms extending in opposite directions, a connecting-rod between the extremities of said crank-arms, and a hand-lever mounted upon a fixed pivot and connected to an intermediate point of said rod, a cordguide arranged contiguous to the fulcrum of one of the compressing-arms, and means carried by the same compressing-arm for engaging the extremity of a tying-cord, whereby when the compressing mechanism is arranged to receive the stalks said tying-cord is arranged contiguous to and extends across the space between the compressing-arms, and the stalks are deposited upon this intermediate portion of the tying-cord, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- DANIEL M. BAIR.

WVitnesses:

R. W. ORDWAY, D. L. HUNTER.

Images