Sweet Clover: Harvesting and Thrashing the Seed Crop

by H. S. Coe

Fig. 6.—Plans for the pan to be placed under the binder deck of the grain binder. A, Size and shape the metal should be cut before bending; B, general plan of the pan when completed, as viewed from the top.

Fig. 7.—Plans for the guard to be placed at the end of the binder deck of the grain binder and cross section of the pan and supports illustrated in [figure 6. A], Size and shape of the metal for the guard; B, shape of the guard when completed; C, cross section of the pan and support to which this guard is attached; D, angle iron which supports the guard at the end of the deck; E, guard bolted in position; F, stirrup which hooks over the outside sill and to which the support is belted.

The pan to be placed under the deck of the machine will serve to collect the seed which is shattered on the deck and the extension to the deck. The plans for making this pan are shown in detail in [figure 6]. The material should be cut along the solid lines and of the size designated in [figure 6, A]. The sides of the pan should be bent upward on the dotted lines, so that the pan will be 24 inches wide at the top. The ends should then be made in the manner described for the pan which is placed under the opening of the platform and lower elevator. A door may be put in the rear end of this pan if desired; but this is not necessary, as no trouble will be experienced in removing the seed. [Figure 6, B], gives a top view of the pan when completed and also a portion, of the guard which serves to direct into this pan the seed which shatters on the deck. This guard is shown in detail in [figure 7]. As this pan is larger and heavier than that placed under the lower elevator, not only should it have strips of iron riveted to the outer edges of the sides, but two cross braces also should be employed. Those may be fastened to the strips of iron supporting the sides of the pan and should be about 12 inches from the ends of it. This pan is supported by two strips of strap iron bent to conform to the outside of a cross section of it and hook over the binder pipe under the deck and bolt to stirrups placed on the outer sill of the frame. Each support may be made from one strip of strap iron. It may be necessary to bend the ends of the supports which hook over the binder pipe in opposite directions. Both ends of the supports which hook over the binder pipe may hook outward, as shown in [figure 7, C], or the rear support may hook inward, as illustrated in [figure 5]. It is not absolutely necessary that those supports of the pan hook in opposite directions on the binder pipe, yet when this is done it will make the pan more rigid. The pan may be attached by first hooking the supports over the binder pipe underneath the deck and then bolting the other end of the supports to the stirrups on the outer sill. The pan should be fastened to the supports. A cross section of this pan, the supports for it, and the stirrups which hook over the sill are shown in [figure 7, C].

If this pan extends beyond the deck so that the seed which is shattered on the deck will drop directly into it, the bundles when released from the packers will strike the pan. For this reason it is necessary to place a guard at the end of the deck, so that the seed which falls on the deck will be directed into the pan. This guard, as shown in figures [5] and [7], consists of a piece of galvanized metal, to the upper side of which has been riveted a strip of iron. The upper side of this guard should be bent slightly inward at the lower edge of the strip of iron and placed in such a position that it will be approximately 1½ inches beyond the lower end of the binder deck and extend from 1 to 1½ inches above the deck. If it is placed at right angles to the deck and no higher than 1½ inches above it, it will not interfere with the bundles as they are released from the packers. This guard should be supported by two angles of strap iron, as shown in [figure 7, D]. Those braces are bolted to the supports of the pan, and the guard is bolted to the braces. As this guard should extend a little below the supports of the pan, so as to prevent the wind from blowing the seed over it, it is necessary to cut slots in the guard so it will fit over the supports. The ends of this guard should be rolled slightly inward, so that the seed falling close to them will be directed into the pan. When the extension to the binder deck is placed in the proper position, the seed collected by it will be directed against the guard and then into the pan below.

The extension to the elevator should be bolted to the rear elevator plate. This extension should be so wide that the tops of the plants will not reach beyond it. The details for this extension are shown in [figure 8]. The outer edge and lower end of this extension should be bent upward and slightly inward, so that the seed which falls upon it will be directed to the opening between the platform and lower elevator, where it will fall into the pan beneath. The curved edge of the lower part of this extension should be flattened as much as possible, so that it will not interfere with the upper portions of the plants as they pass from the platform to the elevators. The opening must be sufficiently large, however, to permit small branches and racemos which fall upon the extension to pass into the pan. The angle of the lower portion of it must be large enough to permit the seed to run directly into the pan below. If this portion is sloped from the seat pipe to the opening between the platform and the lower elevator no trouble will be experienced. This extension may be bolted to the machine by drilling holes in it to coincide with those in the elevator plate.

Fig. 8.—Plan of the extension which is bolted to the rear elevator plate of the grain binder. A, Size and shape of the metal to be used for this extension; B, extension when completed.

It is necessary to widen the binder deck, so as to save the seed which is shattered from those portions of the plants which extend beyond it. This may be done by bolting to the rear end of this deck an extension, as shown in detail in [figure 9]. This extension may be made from one piece of galvanized iron, which should be cut along the solid lines and of the size shown in [figure 9, A]. It should be bent upward and slightly inward at the dotted lines shown in this figure. The extended strips, as shown in [figure 9, B], should be riveted to the main part of the extension. When this is done a trough will be formed along the side and lower end of it, so that all seed which shatters upon it will be directed into the pan below the deck. The object in riveting the extended strips at the end of the extension to the main part is to prevent the tops of the plants from catching in the trough when the bundles leave the packers. It may be necessary to fasten a brace to the bottom of the deck to support this extension. This can be done, however, by using a strip of strap iron or wood. The upper end of this extension should be bent to fit under the upper end of the one attached to the elevator plate, so that the plants will not be hindered in passing from one to the other. Both extensions may be braced strongly at the top by fastening them to a right angle of iron or wood.

A grain, binder equipped with the pans and extensions herein outlined is shown in [figure 10].