US Patent: 5,335
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| Reaper
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Patentee:
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| Cyrus H. McCormick (exact or similar names) - Steele's Tavern, Rockbridge County, VA |
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Patent Dates:
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| Granted: |
Oct. 23, 1847 |
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Patent Pictures:
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Joel Havens
"Vintage Machinery" entry for International Harvester Company of America
A brief biography of Cyrus Hall McCormick
Invention of the McCormick Mechanical Reaper
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Description: |
| Abstract:
The leaping-machines heretofore made are defective in the following particulars The driving-wheel is placed forward of the mechanism that operates the vibrating sickle, and so far forward as to leave too much of the weight of the machine back of the -driving- wheel, and therefore tending to strain the horses as well as the frame of the machine, and the gearing which communicates motion to the crank is placed- back of the driving-wheel, which is therefore subject to be clogged by sand, dirt, straw, &c., and in consequence of the relative position of the various parts the attendant is obliged to walk on the ground; by the side of the machine, to rake the cut grain from, the platform as it is delivered and laid thereon by the reel. These defects, which have so much retarded the introduction into practical-and general use of reaping-machines, I have remedied by my improvements, the nature of which consists in placing, the driving-wheel farther back than heretofore, and back of the gearing which communicates motion to the sickle, which is placed on a line back of the axis of the driving-wheel, the connection being-formed by means of a lever and connecting-rod, thus placing the cog-gearing which operates the, crank forward of the driving- wheel, for the purposes described, and also bringing the driving-wheel sufficiently far back to balance the frame of the machine with the raker on it, and make room for him to sit or stand on the frame back of the driving-wheel and with his back .to the horses, so that from this position and the placing of the reel farther forward than heretofore and making it wheel board or guide, which prevents the grain from -passing under the machine or, into the gearing, thereby avoiding the necessity of a long-reel, he can rake off the grain with a sweep of his rake (having- the free use of his body and arms) in a curve of which his body is the center, and thus lay, the grain on the ground with the heads outward at right angles to the swath, which cannot be done if the raker walks on the ground by the side of the machine, as heretofore, for then the sweep which he makes with his rake relatively to the motion of the machine lays the grain on the ground with the heads oblique instead of at right-angles with the swath, as with the improved mode.
Claim:
Placing the gearing and crank forward of the driving-wheel for protection from dirt. &c. and thus carrying the driving-wheel farther back than heretofore, and sufficiently so to balance the rear part of the frame and the raker thereon, when this position of the parts is combined with the sickle, back of the axis of motion of the driving-wheel, by means of the vibrating lever, substantially as herein described. The arrangement of the seat of the raker over the end of the finger-piece, which projects beyond the range of fingers and just back of the driving-wheel, as described, in combination with and, placed at the end of the reel, whereby the raker can sit with his back toward the team, and thus ,have free, access to the-cut grain laid on the platform and back of the reel and rake it from 'thence onto the ground by a natural sweep of his body and lay it in a range at right angles with the swath, as described, thereby avoiding unevenness and scattering in the discharge of the wheat as well as accomplishing the same with a great saving of labor. |
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