US149169A - Improvement in automatic seeders and fertilizers - Google Patents

Description

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Automatic Seeders and Fertilizers. NO.149, ]69. Patent edMarch 31,1874.

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Automatic Seeders and Fertilizers. N0.T49,l69. Patented March31,18]4.

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UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. TUXBURY AND GEORGE E. TUXBURY, OF SACO, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC SEEDERS AND FERTILIZERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,169, dated March 31, 1874; application filed December 23, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it knownvthat we, CHARLES H. TeX- BURY and-GEORGE E. TUXBURY, of Saco, in the county of York, State of Maine, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Seeder and Fertilizer, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art orscience to which our invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan or top view of our improved machine. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the same, taken on a line through the center of the plow. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on a line through the seedstirrer. Fig. 4 is a View showing the auxiliary slides.

Like letters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

. Our invent-ion relates to that classof seedplanters which are operated by horse-power, and are adapted to planting or sowing seed and distributing a fertilizer at the same time; and consists in a novel construction and arran gement of devices, as hereinafter more fully set forth, by which a very simple, inexpensive, and effective machine is produced for the purposes stated.

4 In Fig. 1, A A are the shafts; B B, the wheels on which the sower is supported; Z, the main axle; (l, the seed-hopper; W, the fertilizer-hopper; D, the main driving-gear attached to the inner side of the wheel B; E, the drivers seat; F, the whiffletree crossbar of the shafts or thills, G'Gr, a floating framework hinged to the under side of said crossbar; H, the floating drag or coverer; I, the elevating or adjusting chain J, the seedstirrer provided with the teeth 0 c; N, a stud or journal-box projecting from the axle Z, in which one end of the shaft J is disposed; (I, an aperture leading through the bottom of the hopper O, and d an aperture through the bottom of the hopper W. One end of the shaft or seed-stirrer is disposed in the stud or journal-box P, projecting from the axle Z, and is also provided with the spur-wheel R and splined sliding clutch S. A loose pinion is also disposed on the end of said shaft, and so arranged as to intersect with the gear D, the

teeth of which project inwardly. A lever, T, extending above the hopper G, is pivoted to the stud W which projects from said hopper, the lower end of said lever being jointed to the sliding bar U, and also provided with a small spur or dog, which works in a groove on the face of the clutch S.

In Fig. 2, L is the bull-tongue or plow for opening or producing the furrow, into which the seed and fertilizer fall through the mouth of the hopper or tunnel y. The plow is formed with a spade-shaped point, in the usual manner, and is fitted to slide in the grooved stud or support 2', projecting downward from the axle Z, its upper end being attached to the bar m, which extends across between and connects the sides of the frame G G, Fig. 1. The drag or covere'r H is concaved on its lower side, and forms the cross-bar at the lower end of the floating frame G G. The chain I, for raising and lowering said frame, has one endfastened to the coverer, and passes up over the hopper, being hitched to the pin it within easy reach of the drivers seat E. The sliding bar U is attached, by a laterally-projecting arm, to the slide V, disposed at the bottom of the hop pers O W, which slide operates said bar to open and close the apertures d d, Figs. 1 and 3. The slideVis provided with apertures corresponding with the apertures d d, Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and also with small auxiliary slidesjj, for increasing and diminishing the size of the apertures in said slide, and whereby the quantity of seed and fertilizer to be sowed is deter mined. Immediately below the, hoppers O W, Fig. 3, at the rear of the main axle Z, and between said hoppers and the tunnel y, there is a chamber, which we denominate the clearer) Passing through this chamber is a shaft, K, provided with the teeth a. a, the ends of said shaft being supported in studs or journal-boxes projecting from the axle Z, and one end thereof being provided with the gear A, which intersects with the spurwheel It on the shaft J.

Across the lower part of said clearer or chamber there is a grated floor formed of Wires stretched laterally over the mouth of the tunnel y, between the bars of which grate the teeth a a pass as the shaft K is revolved. These wires do not entirely cover the mouth of said tunnel, but there is an open space in the center of said floor for about one-third of its length. The teeth a a of the shaft K are of such a length and so arranged as not only to pass freely between the wires 1; b, but to come nearly into contact with the under side of the slide V in the immediate vicinity of the apertures through said slide. The clutch S, Fig. 1, has its hub or shoulder, next the loose pinion Z, halved or divided, said pinion being also provided with a hub or shoulder, extending toward the clutch S, halved or divided in acorresponding manner, so that when the clutch S is moved along its shaft, by means of the shipper or lever I, toward the wheel D, the divided hubs of the clutch and pinion will be interlocked in a way well understood by all practical mechanics, the clutch being prevented from turning on the shaft J by an ordinary spline or any other suitable means.

It is well known to all acquainted with cotton-planting that it is exceedingly difficult to sow or plant cotton-seed on account of the hirsute or pubescent nature of the kernel of the seed, the wool on the same tending to clog the mechanism and prevent an even distribution. This difficulty is entirely obviated in our improved fertilizer and seed-sower, which is more especially designed for that class of work, although adapted to various other kinds of plantin From the above description the nature and operation of our invention will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters.

The hopper 0 being filled with seed, and the hopper NV with fertilizer, the clutch S and pinion Z are caused to intersect by drawing or moving the upper end of the shipper T toward the hopper G. The same movement also withdraws the slide V, and opens the apertures d d, permitting the seed and fertilizer in the hoppers to fall through into the clearing-chamber described. Now, if the coverer H is lowered so as to rest on the ground, and the sower is moved forward or propelled on its wheels B B, motion will be communicated, through the gear 1) and pinion Z, to the shaft J, and, through the spur-wheel it and gear A, to the shaft K. The teeth are of the stirrer are flat or rhomboidal in shape, and arranged around the shaft diagonally, in such a manner as to form segments of the threads of right-and-left-hand screws in the hoppers O and NV. By this construction and arrangement of the teeth 0 c, it will be seen that the seed and fertilizer "will be not only thoroughly stirred and prevented from clogging in the hoppers as the shaft J revolves, but also constantly fed or pushed toward the apertures d (1, through which they will fall into the clearing-chamber, and thence through the tunnel y into the furrow made by the bulltongue L, where they will be covered and properly pressed down by the coverer H as the machine is drawn across the field. To prevent any clogging of the seed or fertilizer which may occur at the apertures d d, we provide the clearer K, having the teeth a a, as described. These teeth catch the seeds as they protrude through the aperture (1, and the lumps of fertilizer as they are pushed through the aperture (1, and throw them upon the grating-bars b b, where they are separated by the action of said teeth and bars, and finally fall through the wide central space in said grating into the tunnel or educt-pipe y, and thence into the furrow. It will be seen that when the floating frame G G, hinged to the cross-bar F, is raised by means of the chain I attached to the coverer or drag H, the bull-tongue or plow L will also be elevated, being attached or hinged to the crossbar m of said frame. By means of this construction and arrangement theplow and coverer can be uniformly adjusted to plow and cover to any desired depth at one operation.

When the machine is not in use, the frame G G should be elevated and secured by the chain I, and the shipper T should be pushed toward the wheel B, disconnecting the sliding clutch S and pinion Z, which will also move the bar U and slide V, and close the apertures 01 d, leaving the wheels B B free to turn on the axle Z without communicating motion to the other parts of the machine, in which condition it can be driven to and from the field like any ordinary two-wheeled carriage.

We do not confine ourselves to using the hopper WV for planting a fertilizer, as it may be used for seed when a fertilizer is not required. Neither do we confine ourselves in the use of the machine described to plant-ing or sowing cotton-seed, as it is valuable for many other purposes of a like nature.

lVe are also aware that seed-sowers in which a mechanism for distributing or sowing a fertilizer is combined have been known and used for many years, and do not-claim the same, broadly; also, that many of the parts and devices in our improved machine are in common use, and therefore do not claim such parts when in and of themselves considered, but

What we do claim is- 1. In an automatic seed-planter, the clutch S, pinion Z, sectional stirrer J, gear D, bar U, slide V, hoppers W and O, clearing-chamber, and shaft K, combined as and for the purposes specified.

2. In an automatic seed-planter, the clearing-chamber provided with the tooth-shaft K, and having a grated floor with central opening, as described, in combination with the hoppers W and O, slide V, and stirrer J, substantially as specified.

3. In an automatic seed-planter, the grated floor described, provided with a wide central opening in the grate, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES HILL'TUXBURY. GEORGE EDWIN TUXBURY. \Nitnesses:

DAVID TUXBURY, A. G. TUXBURY.

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