US573054A

US573054A - Potato-planter

Info

Publication number: US573054A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1913-12-15

Description

(N0 Model.)

' J. w. UNDERHILL.

POTATO PLANTER.

'No. 5731054. Patented Dec. 15,1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JAMES IV. UNDERIIILL, OF PINE GROVE, MICHIGAN.

POTATO- PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,054, dated December 15, 1896. Application filed February 2'7, 1896. Serial No. 581,011. No model.)

T at whont it may con/001w:

Be it known that 1, JAMES WV. UNDERHILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pine Grove, (P. 0. address Gobleville,) in the county of Van Bu ren, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Hand Pot-atollanter, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to effect certain improvements in the class of planters shown to facilitate their construction and use, all as more particularly described below and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the planter complete; Fig. 2, a broken detail of lower portion of Fig. 1,1ooking from a point at the left; Fig. 3, a cross-section on line a a in Fig. 1, looking from a point above; and Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective more particularly described below.

Referring to the parts of the drawings pointed out by numbers, 5 is the U-shaped spout portion of the planter, made in the ordinary form by bending a strip of metal and attaching its edges to the back piece 6. At 7 is the V-point, made by folding a piece of metal upon itself, leaving the back side straight and closed and the front side slanting, as in Fig. 1, so as to make it sharp at lower end to enter the ground the same as all planters of this class. This point is attached to the base of the spout, said spout extending a little into it, as in Figs. 1 and 3. The open side of the point is closed by a swinging gate 8, pivoted in said opening at 9. The peculiar construction of this gate, in connection with the shape of thepoint 7, is of great advantage in preventing dirt from entering the sides of the point when the gate is open and in preventing sticks and straws from catching in between the gate at the upper end and the sides of the point at 10. It will be seen that the gate and side of the point are on a line clear to the upper end, leaving no opening at 10, as heretofore. The gate is turned at right angles at the sides 11 inward throughout the length of the gate, and the gate is set in far enough in the opening of the point 7 to leave the edges of the point projecting well out, as at 12, at the sides and at .13 at the bottom, Figs. 2 and By this nieansno dirt can enter when the gateis opened, and What is more important the point enters the ground easier and, as stated, no sticks and straws can be caught. At 14 is the ordinary step for pressing down upon to open the gate 7. This step is attached to the gate by the V-rod 15, and at 16 is a spring to bring the gate back to its closed position.

The depth of planting is controlled by an adjustable step-gage 17, Figs. 1, 2, and 3. It is provided with an elongated vertical slot in that vertical portion 19 which fits against the body of the point 7. Two bolts 20 pass through the slot 18 and are provided with nuts. These bolts are separated a little from each other and each bolt is separated a little from the ends of the slot, so that the stepgage will be held from canting laterally and can be adjusted to the desired height by loosening the nuts. I locate this step-gage 17 on the left-hand side of the planter for righthand personsand on the other side for lefthand persons, by which means the operator does not have to cramp and twist the foot, as is the case where the step is located in the rear, as heretofore.

In the operation the operator takes the planter by the handle 21, if right-handed, puts a potato in the tube 5, thrusts the point in the ground, and if the ground is too hard for this to be accomplished by hand-pressure the operator puts his right foot straight on the step-gage until it comes in contact with the ground, thus indicating the proper depth of planting, and as he steps forward be brings the step 14: in contact with the ground the same as in prior planters, which action opens the gate 7 and leaves the potato in the ground.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- The combination,of the U -body or spout portion, a point having its sides closed throughout its entire slanting portion leaving no opening at 10, the gate withinwardly-turned edges and set well in from the outer side edges of In testimony of the foregoing'l have herethe point and the vertieallyedjustable c0111- unto set my hand in the presence of two itbined step and gage, the same being located on one of the sides of the planter, the same nesses. having the Vertical elongated slot, and bolts JAMES V; UNDERHILL. therein separated from each other and sepa- \Vitnesses: rated from each end of said slot, substantially THOMAS A. STEWART,

R. A. HART.

as set forth.