F MOEHLMANN.
Grain-DrilL No, 17.581 Patent-ed June 16. 1857.
Unirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.
FRIEDERICK MOEHLMANN, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.
IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SEWING GRAIN IN DRILLS.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I7,58l, dated J une 16, 1857.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, FRIEDERICK MOEHL- MANN, of Bellsville, in the county of St. Clair and State of lllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Sewing Grain in Drills; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1. is a vertical transverse section of the hopper and distributing-plates. Figs.'2 and 3 are top views of the distributing-plates separated. Fig. 4 is a top view, showing the plates arranged one on top of the other, as in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view.
Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.
My invention relates to an improvement in that description of seed-distributer which employs two circular plates,which are slotted and are arranged one on top of the other, and one to be stationary while the other revolves.
The nature of my said invention consists in having the curved slot of the upper stationary plate terminate in the form of a scroll or letter C, and the slot of the lower plat earranged in such relation to the same that, as the lower plate turns, the seed, in order to escape as they are forced along on a curve by spurs of the turning plate, shall be compelled to take a direction toward the axis of the plate, and thus be-saved from being cracked or broken by being compressed between the terminations of the upper and lower slots, as in the distributers of this character above adverted to.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.
Arepresents the hopper of a seed-drill.
B is a longitudinal hinged turning partition or shutter at the center of the hopper.
G is an oblong passage in the hopper for the seed to escape through.
D D are the circular plates. They are arranged one on top of the other, underneath the hopper, and fastened in place and connected loosely together by means of a vertical screw-pin, a, one being stationary and the other capable of turning on the pin.
E F are the curved passages in the plates. The passage E of the lower turning-plate is of equal width from end to end, and is near the axis or pin a, while the passage F of the upper stationary plate is made wider in scroll in Fig. 1.
G is a spur projecting up from the lower plate through the slot of the upper plate and through the passage in the bottom of the hopper. This spur serves for forcing the seed right and left from the chamber 0 to the scroll or C-shaped discharge of the upper plate, as illustrated in Fig. 4. As the seed is forced forward by this spur it is compelled to take a direction toward the axis of the lower plate in order to escape, and itis therebysaved from being cracked or broken, as there is no chance of its being compressed or crowded between the meetingtermination of the upperandlower slots, as in other distributer. Besides breaking or cracking being prevented, a possibility of choking, and consequent irregular sowing, is avoided.
In the drawings the plates are shown with other slots, H, I on their opposite side. The object of this is that the machine, when the hopper is provided with the hinged shutter, may be adapted for sewing either wheat or oats. This is accomplished by making the chamber a, formed by:the plates, designed for oats to fall into from the hopper, a little shallower than the chamberc, designed for the wheat to fall into from the hopper.
A series of seed-distributers constructed according to the foregoing description may be arranged on one hopper, and so connected together by a bar, J, and combined by said bar with a reciprocating rod, K,which is actuated by a serpentine cam, as that a vibrating movement shall be imparted to them allatthesame time.
Suitable slides, 0, maybe provided forshutting off the supply of seed, and the quantity of seed sown to the acre may be regulated by having the loose end of rod K capable of being moved around the gage-bar L by means of the slot 0 and set-screwf, as shown in Fig. 5.
To adapt the machine for sowing oats after it has been used for sowing wheat, all that has to be done is to reverse the position of the hinged partition or shutter B, and vice versa when it is desired to again sow wheat.
I do not claim a double-chambered hopper, nor a turning or reversible partition for separating the chambers of the same. Neither do I claim broadly the use of a distrihuter composed of two circular slotted plates, oneplaced above the other, and one stationary and the other capable of turning irrespective of the position of the slots in said plates relatively to one another and the form of the slot in the upper plate; but a What I do claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-
Having the curved slot of the upper stationary plate terminate in the form of a scroll or letter C, and the slot of the lower plate 'arranged in such relation to the same that, as the lower plate turns, the seed, in order to escape as they are forced along on a curve by spurs of the turning plate, shall be compelled to take a direction toward the axis of the plate, and thus be saved from being cracked or broken by being compressed between the terminations of the upper and lower slots, substantially as set forth.
FRIEDE RIOK MOEHLMANN.
Witnesses:
TnEoD. ENGELMANN, H. SoHLETH.