US624829A - Cotton chopper and cultivator - Google Patents

Description

No. 624,829. Patented May 9, I899. w. H. LEDBETTER.-

COTTON CHOPPER AND CULTIVATOR.

(Application filed July 9, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Shaat I.

(No Model.)

No. 624,829. Patented May 9, I899.

W. H. LEDBETTEB.

COTTON CHOPPER AND OULTIVATOR.

(Application filed July 9, 1895.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. WILLIAM H. LEDBETTER, or DALLAS, TEXAS, A'SSIGNOR TO ELIZABETH A. LEDBETTER, OF HALE CENTER, TEXAS.

COTTON CHOPPER AND CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,829, dated May 9, 1899. Application filed. July 9, 1898. Serial N- 635,56l. (No model.)

similar view of a modification. detail view of the double sprocket-wheel de-' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,WILLIAM I-I. LEDBETTER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cotton Choppers and Cultivators, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to cotton choppers and cultivators,"and has for its object to provide improved cotton-chopping mechanism which may be readily applied to a straddle-row cultivator of ordinary.construction, whereby j and arrangement of parts hereinafter de-j scribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims following the description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein-- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved implement. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig.

3 is a detail perspective View of the chopper.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view thereof. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modification. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the chopper an'd chopper supporting and a part of the chopperdriving mechanism removed. Fig. 6 is adetail perspective viewof a part of the drivingmechanism-supporting .frame. Fig. 6 is a Fig. 7 is a tached from the Wheel-hub. Figs. 8, 9, and 11 are detail views of modified forms of crossarms for supporting the chopper-blades, and Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of the clutch for throwing the driving mechanism into and out of operation. 7

Referring to the drawings, the numerall indicates the arched axle of the cultivatoris an arched-beam support 5, the lower ends of which are bent laterally outward at right angles to form spindles 6. Journaled on the spindles 6 are the forward ends of the cultivator-beams 7, to the rear ends of which are attached plow staudards 8, carrying shovels 9, as usual. An arched beam Wis attached at its opposite ends to the cultivatonbeams and holds the same parallel with each other.

The cultivator as above described is of ordinary and well-known construction and need not be further described.

In practice lifting mechanism will be provided for raising and lowering the cultivatorbeams to regulate the depth of penetration of the plows for raising them out of operative position; but inasmuch as such lifting mechanism is of usual and ordinary construction well known to persons skilled in the art and forms no part of this invention the same is not illustrated. Depending from the side pieces 3 of the cultivator-frame are two metallic straps 10, the lower ends of which are attached to an approximately rectangular gear-frame 11, the forward end of the latter being supported by a tie-rod 12, attached at its upper end to the tongue 4 Journaled in the sides of the gear-frame is one end of a shaft 13, the other end of which is jourualed in a sleeve 14, having a rearwardly-projecting extension 15. To the extension is bolted one end of an arm 16, the other end of which is sleeved upon the axle-spindle or otherwise suitably supported, and a brace-rod 17 is: I

bolted at its lower end to the saidextension and at its upper end to the tongue 4. Fixed upon thehub of one of the ground-wheels 2 is a double sprocket-wheel 18. As shown most clearly in Fig. 7, the double sprocket-' wheel consists of a central band or collar 19, provided with radial arms 20, on which latter are fixed the sprocket-rims 21 and 22. Arranged in the band or co1lar.19 is a plurality of centering-bolts 23, each provided at its inner end with a segmental head Zet, adapte 7 which pass hooked bolts 27.

to bear against the circumference of the hub. Screwed on the bolt 23 on opposite sides of the collar or band 19 are nuts 25, by means of which the bolts may be adjusted radially inward and outward. By adjusting the bolts in the manner described it will be manifest that the double sprocket-wheel may be fixed and accurately centered upon any part of the hub of the ground-wheel. The radial arms 20 are provided with bolt-holes 26, through The hooked ends of the bolts engage the spokes of the ground-wheel, and by tightening up the nuts 28 on said bolts the double sprocket-wheel is drawn up firmly into place. A corresponding double sprocket-wheel 29 30 is loosely arranged on the end of the shaft 13. A clutch is arranged on the end of the shaft 13 outside of the sprocket-wheel 2f) 30 and operates to throw the latter into and out of engagement with said shaft, so as to rotate therewith or independently thereof. Said clutch is most clearly shown in Fig. 10 and isconstructed as follows: Referring to said Fig. 10, it will be noted that the sprocket-wheel 29 30 has a bearing against the outer end of the sleeve 14 and both held against endwise movement on theshaft 13 by a collar 32, which abuts the inner end of the sleeve and is fixed on the shaft by a set-screw 33. Fitted on the end of the shaft 13 is a cap 34, and loosely arranged over said cap is a sliding cylindrical clutch 35, provided on its inner end with ratchet-teeth adapted to engage similar teeth formed on the face of the sprocket-- wheel 30. The clutch is provided longi: tudinally with a bayonet-slot 36, and passing through the end of the shaft 13 and cap 34 and projecting into said slot is a pin 37, which while permitting the clutch to freely slide on the shaft and cap prevents the clutch from turning. Arranged about the shaft 13 is a coiled spring 38, which bears at one end against the inner end of the cap 34 and at its other end against a collar 39, formed on the interior of the clutch. The spring 38 normally operates to hold the clutch in engagement with the ratchet-teeth on the'sprocket wheel, so as to cause the shaft and sprocketwheel to rotate together. When, however, it is desired to throw said sprocket-wheel out of engagement with the shaft, it is merely necessary to move the clutch endwise away from the sprocket-wheel, thus separating the two, and by then giving a partial turn to the clutch the pin engages, the enlarged end of the bayonet-slot 36 and holds the clutch out of engagement with the sprocket-wheel. In

' order to prevent the sprocket-wheel from following the endwise movement of the clutch, I insert a pin 40 in the shaft 13 immediately adjacent to the outer face of the sprocket.-

" wheel, which forms a stop to'prevent such movement. Instead of the pin,however,I may arrange a small coiled spring about the shaft, between the collar 39 of the clutch and the face of the sprocket-wheel; but such spring must manifestly be weaker than the spring 38, so as not to interfere with the operation of the latter. By the arrangement described the shaft 13 may be thrown into and out of operation, and any backward movement of the ground-wheels will not communicate motion to said shaft, in an obvious and wellknown manner. Fixed upon theopposite end of the shaft 13, between the sides of the gearfra me 11, is a beveled gear-wheel 41, and j ournaled in the rear end of the gear-frame, at right angles to the shaft 13, is a short shaft 42,

which has fixed on its forward end a beveled pinion 43, which gears with the beveled gearwheel 41. A sprocket chain 44 serves to communicate motion from the double sprocketwheel on the-hub of the ground-wheel to the sprocket-wheel 011 the shaft 13. The toothed peripheries of the double sprocket-wheels are of different diameters, as shown, whereby by shifting the sprocket-chain from one pair of wheels to another the speed of rotation of the shafts 13 and 42 may be differentiated for the purpose hereinafter described.

In order to take up the slack in the sprocketchain when it is shifted on the sprocket wheels, I provide an idle-wheel 45, arranged as follows: Formed integrally with or attached to the extension 15 or the sleeve 14 is an upwardly-projecting arm 46, having formed therein a Vertical slot 47, and in said slot is adj ustably arranged the threaded end of a spindle 48, provided with a collar 49, which bears against one side ofthe arm 46. A nut is tapped over the threaded end of the spindle, and on the opposite end is journaled the idle-wheel 45,which engages the sprocketchain. By loosening the nut 50 the spindle carrying the idle-wheel can be adjusted vertically to produce the desired tension on the sprocket-chain, after which the nut is again tightened to hold the idle-'wheel fixed in its adjusted position, as most clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 6.

To the rear end of the shaft 42 is fixed a universal joint 51, the rear section of which is provided with a sleeve 52, in which is fitted the forward end of the ob opper-shaft 53. The chopper-shaft and sleeve are each provided with a perforation and are fixed one to another by a break-pin 54. The rear end of the shaft 53 is loosely journaled in a sleeve 55, which is provided on its opposite sides with eyes 56 and on its upper side with an eye 57. Attached to the eyes 56 are two chains or other flexible connections 58, which at their ends are provided with hooks 59. The hooked ends of the chains are passed through eyes 60, formed on sleeves 61, and by hooking the hooks in the links of the chains the latter may be adjusted to the proper length. The sleeves 61 are slipped over the upperends of the plowstandards 8, and the chains 58 thus serve to support the rear end of the chopper-shaft. By altering the engagement of the hooks 59 from one link to another of the chain the height of the chopper-shaft may be adjusted in anobvious manner. Instead of attaching the chains 58 to sleeves arranged on the plowstandards, as described, said chains maybe attached to the plow-beams or to any other supports suitable for the purpose.

Arranged on the chopper-shaft 53 is a rotary chopper comprising two approximately semicircular blades 62 and G3,arranged in the same circular plane and carried by two cross arms'64 and 65. The cross-arms are provided intermediate their ends with hubs which are adjust-ably fixed on the chopper-shaft 53, as hereinafter described, said cross-arms being arranged one in advance of the other and at right angles to each other. One end of each of said cross-arms is attached to one of the blades and the opposite end is attached to the other blade. As shown, said semicircular blades are dished or flared outwardly from their rear toward their forward edges, and thelatter are sharpened to form knife-edges, and each of said blades at its forward or entering end is tapered oif to form a sickle-point that perlnits the easy entrance of the blade between the plants without injury to the plants left standing in thehill. Preferably each of the cross-arms is split or divided longitudinally for a suitable distance on each side of and through the hub 60, as at (37, thus dividing the hub into two sections, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, said split sections embracing the opposite sides of the chopper-shaft 53. Bolts 68 are passed through suitable bolt-holes formed in the split portions of the cross-arms on opposite sides of the hub and are provided with nuts 69 on their threaded ends, by means of which the sections ofpthe hubs may be tightly clamped about the chopper-shaft. As shown,there is aspace between the point 62 or 63 and the heel Get or of each of the chopper-blades, and the distance between the points and heels of the blades determines the size of the space left for the cotton to grow or the quantity of the plants left standing. This distance may be regulated in the manner hereinafter explained. The opposite 7 ends of the cross-arms 64 and 65 are bent forward and are also curved laterally in opposite directions, so as to form a juncture with the chopper-blades at an angle of approximately fortyfive degrees, and theextreme ends of said cross-arms are provided'with reduced extremities 70, forming shoulders 71. Formed on the rear edges of the chopper-blades are approximately V-shaped lugs 72, to the rear sides-of which are bolted or riveted the reduced ends of the cross-arms,the shoulders 71 seating against the rearward walls of the V-shaped lugs 72, and thus serving to resist the backward thrust of the chopper-blades and adding strength to the connection between the blades and the cross-arms, By

curving the ends of the cross-arms and at taching them to the rear sides of the chopperblades in the manner described the inner or forward sides of the chopper-blades present a smooth and unbroken surface, which offers but little resistance to the rotation of the chopper and 'furnishesno obstruction or abrupt angles-to catch and retain trash, which would seriously impede the rotation and interfere with the proper operation of the chopper. Moreover,by dishing or flaring the chopper-blades, as described, a clearance is given to the chopper-blades in theirrotation in the earth and plants and materially reduces the resistance ofiered to the rotation of the chopper. Instead of attaching the cross-arms to the chopper-shaft, as above described, the said cross-arms maybe formed solid from end to end and each provided centrally with a hub -or hollow boss 66, which is slipped over the chopper-shaft and fixed thereon by a setscrew 73, as shown in Fig. 9, or each of the cross-arms may be formed in two sections,

bolted at their inner ends to channeled lugs 74, cast integrally with the hub, as shown in Fig. 8. l

Instead of forming the cross-arms as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 each of said crossarms-may be made in two sections, as shown in Fig. 11.

The adjacent ends of the sections overlap each other and each is provided with a half-hub 66". Each section is provided with a shoulder 75, having a groove 76 formed in its face,and the inner portions of said sections are provided with beveled extremities 77, which when the parts are fitted together engage the grooves 76 in the shoulders and aid in forming a close The inner ends of the secand secure joint. tions are provided with transverse elongated slots 78, through which are passed suitable bolts. Thesectional cross-arms thus con.- structed are arranged on the chopper-shaft in the same manner as the cross-arms shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and by first loosening the bolts andthen slightly slipping one section laterally upon the other the blades may be accurately adjusted, so that the points and heels thereof may be maintained the same distance apart, and thus assure the same amount of plants being left in each hill.

Instead of forming the lugs 72 integrally with the chopper-blades I may make them separately and'bolt or rivet them to the blades, as shown in Fig. 4, or the lugs may be omitted altogether and the reduced ends 70 of the cross-arms be extended or lengthened somewhat and bolted or riveted directly to the rear side of the chopper-blades, the shoulders 71 in such case resting against the rear edges of the blades.

Attached to the axle lis a seat-support 79, A

which projects rearwardly and has attached to its rear end the drivers seat 80. A cord, chain, or other flexible connection 81 is attached at its lower end to the eye 57 of the sleeve 55, in which the rearen d of the choppershaft is journaled, and said cordor chain is passed through an eye 82 on the seat-support 79 and isprovided at its upperend with a handle 83 within convenient reach of the operator. By means of the cordor chain the operator may lift the chopper-shaft and choppe 0 roo cause the. latter to clear obstructions or spots where the plants are thin and need no chopping, and in order to lighten the weight of the load to be lifted and to assist in the lifting operation I provide a coiled spring 84:, which is attached at its lower end to the eye 57-of the sleeve 55 and atits upper end is provided with two chains 85, which may conveniently be attached by hooks 86 to the seat 80 or other suitable portion of the cultivator. By lengthening or shortening the chains 85 in the same manner in which the chains 58 are lengthened and shortened, as before described, the spring may be adjusted to correspond to the adjustment of the chopper-shaft. In practice the cord or chain 81 may conveniently pass up through the coiled spring, as shown.

Constructed as above described the operation of my improved implement is as follows: The cultivator is driven between the rows, as usual, the cultivator-shovels working in the furrows and the chopper in the row straddled by the shovels. Motion is com municated from one of the ground-wheels to the sprocketwheel 29 30 by the chain 44 and rotates the shaft 13 and through the medium of the gears 41 and 43 rotates the chopper-shaft carrying the chopper.

The chopping-shaft should-be adjusted vertically by means of its supporting-chains in such manner that the chopping-blades will run slightly beneath the surface of the soil.

. In the operation of the machine the chopper is drawn longitudinally along the row of growing plants and at the same time is rotated, and hence the chopper-blades will operate to chop off the plants and the surface of the soil with a combined rotary and forward shearing action. Twice during every rotation of the chopper the space between the heel of one cutter and the point of the other will leave a hill of the plants uncut, and the size of the hill is determined by the distance between the heels and points of the chopper-blades. This is regulated by loosening the bolts or set-screws that fix the hubs of the cross-arms on the chopper-shaft and moving said hubs longitudinally on the shaft toward or from each other. If the hubs be moved apart, then the points of the chopper-blades will be thrown forward by the cross-arms in advance of the heels thereof and conversely the heels will be thrown rearwardly of the points, the space or distance between the points or heels being thus increased. To permit of such adjustment, the blades yield torsionally to a limited extent, giving to the blades a slight spiral configuration, and the latitude of the described adjustment may be increased byslightly loosening the bolts that attach the ends of-the cross-arms to the blades.

- It will be manifest that when the points and pointed ends of the same effect an easy ontrance and separate the young and tender growing plants without injury to the plants left standing.

dished shape of the blades gives clearance to the same. Owing to the s1nooth,even, and uninterrupted surface presented by the inner faces or sides of the blades and the curvature of the cross-arms where they are attached to the blades, no projections or abrupt angles are'furnished to catch the trash, cans in g the chopper to work smoothlyand evenly and with but little resistance. By coupling the chopper-shaf t to the gear-shaft by a universal joint, as shown, the chopper is enabled to accurately follow the row despite any defiection of the draft-team from one side or the other and to accommodate any irregularities of the ground without interfering with its rotary motion or the driving mechanism. In the event of the chopper encountering an obstruction the break-pin by means of which the gear and chopper shafts are fixed together will break, thus detaching said shafts and preventing injury to either the chopper or the driving mechanism. When such obstructions are visible, they may be avoided by the driver by pulling up the cord or chain attached to the sleeve in which the rear end of the chopper-shaft is journaled, thus lifting the chopper over the obstruction, and the same means may be employed for liftingthe chopper over thinly-growing plants that need no chopping, the coiled spring assisting in the lifting operation.

The distance between the hills formed as above described is determined by the speed at which the chopper is rotated, it being manifest that the slower the rotation of the chopper the greater will be the distance between the hills, and this is regulated by shifting the drive sprocket-chain from one set of the sprocket-wheels to another, as before described, the arrangement shown permitting four different adjustments, which are ample for all practical purposes.

By the construction and arrangement described the chopping mechanism may be very readily attached to cultivators of ordinary construction and the cotton be cultivated and chopped at the same time and by the same implement,and the chopping mechanism may then be detached and the cultivator used in the ordinary manner.

While I have shown and described one form of cultivator, I do not confine myself to such, as it will be manifest to thoseskilled in the art that the chopping mechanism may be applied to cultivators of varying construction.

The implement constructed as above described is more especially designed for chopping and cultivating cotton; but by removing the semicircular blades from the cross-arms and substituting a continuous blade the machine is rendered equally as well adapted for cultivating young corn. I have illustrated The sharp knife-edges of the blades produce a rotary shearing cut and the such a cutter in Fig. 5, wherein is shown a cutter 87, which is constructed and attached to the cross-armsin the same manner as the semicircular blades before described, excepting that the blade is formed in a single continuous annular piece. When operating to hoe out young corn with such a cutter, the driver by means of the cord or chain attached to the sleeve in which the chopper-shaft is j ournaled lifts the cutter out of operation over the hills, the operation of the implement being-in all other respects the same as that heretofore explained. l

Having described my invention,- what I claim is- 1. A cotton-chopper comprising a shaft, a plurality of cross-arms arranged on said shaft, and flaring semicircular blades fixed on the ends of said cross-arms, each blade having a tapered, pointed forward end and a sharpened forward edge, said blades having spaces intervening between their adjacent ends, and the ends of the cross-arms being attached to the rear or outer faces of the flaring blades, substantially as described.

. 2. A cotton-chopper comprising a shaft, a plurality of forwardly-curved cross-arms arranged on said shaft and curved laterally in opposite directions at their ends, and flaring, semicircular blades fixed on the curved ends of said cross-arms, said blades each having a and the curved ends of the cross-arms being attached to the outer or rear face ofsaid blades, substantially as described. A

4. A cotton-chopper comprising a shaft, a plurality of cross-arms arranged on said shaft and curved laterally in opposite directions at their ends, said curved ends having reduced and shouldered extremities, flaring, semicircular blades each having a tapered, pointed forward end and a sharpened forward edge, and V-shaped lugs extending from the rear edges of the blades, the shoulders on the ends of the cross-arms being seated against the inclined faces of the V-shaped lugs and the reduced ends thereof being attached to the rear or outer faces of the lugs, substantially as described.

5. Acotton-choppercomprisingashaft, two cross-arms arranged on the shaft at right angles to each other, two semicircular outwardlyflaring blades fixed 011 the ends of said crossarms and each having a pointed forward end and a sharpened. forward edge, the opposite ends of the forward cross-arm being fixed to the forward ends of the bladesiand the opposite ends of the other cross-arm being attachedto therear ends of the blades, and'means for adjusting said cross-arms longitudinally on the shaft toward and from each other, to regulate the distance between the points and heels of the blades, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

6. A cotton-chopper comprisingashaft,'two cross-arms arranged on the shaftat right angles to each other, two semicircular blades attached to the outer ends of said cross-arms and having intervening spaces between their adjacent ends, the opposite ends of one of said cross-arms being attached to the forward ends of the blades and the opposite ends of the other cross-arm being attached to the rear ends of the blades, and means for longitudinally adjusting the cross-arms on the shaft toward and from each other, snbstantiallyas described and for the purposes specified.

, 7. Acotton-choppercomprisingashaft', two semicircular blades, supported on said shaft and having spaces intervening between their adjacent ends, and means for adjusting the points and heels of said blades toward and from each other, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

8. A cotton-chopper comprising arotatable shaft,chopping-blades supported on the shaft, and driving mechanism for rotating the same, said shaft being formed in two sections fitted one Within the other and connected by a break-pin, substantially as described.

9. In a cotton -chopper, the combination with a wheeled frame, of a rotatable shaft longitudinally supported on said fran1e,chop-v ping-blades supported on the shaft and driving mechanism carried by the frame for rotating the chopper-shaft, said shaft being coupled tothe driving-shaft by a universal joint and formed in two sections connected together by a break-pin, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a wheeled cultivator, of a gear-frame carried by the cultivator, driving mechanism carried by the gearframe and driven by one of the ground-wheels, a rotatable chopper-shaft coupled to the dlriving mechanism by-a universal joint, a chop- .per arranged on the chopper shaft, a sleeve loosely journaled on therear end of the chop per-shaft, flexible connections attached at their lower ends to said sleeve and at their upper ends to fixed supports, and a liftingcord or chain at-tached'to said sleeve and provided with a handle arranged within conven ient reach of the drivers seat, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a wheeled cultivator, of a gear-frame carried by the cultivator, driving mechanism carried by the gearframe and driven by one of the'ground-wheels, a rotatable chopper-shaft coupled to the drive ing mechanism by a universal joint, a chopper arranged on the chopper-shaft, a sleeve loosely journaled on the rear end of the chop per-shaft, flexible connections attached at their lower ends to said sleeve and at their upper ends adjustably attached to fixed supports on the plow-beams, a lifting cord or chain attached to said sleeve and provided with a handle arranged within convenient reach of the drivers seat, and a coiled spring attached at its lower end to the said sleeve and adjustably attached at its upper end to a fixed support, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a wheeled cultivator, of a gear-frame carried by the cultivator, driving mechanism carried by the gearframe and driven by one ofthe ground-wheels, a rotatable chopper-shaft cou pled to the driving mechanism by a universal joint, a chopper arranged on the chopper-shaft, a sleeve loosely journaled on the rear end of the chopper-shaft, flexible connections attached at their lower ends to said sleeve and adj ustably connected at their other ends to sleeves arranged on the plow-standards, a lifting cord or chain attached to the sleeve on the chopper-shaft and provided with a handle arranged within convenient reach of the drivers seat, and a'coiled spring attached at its lower end to the said sleeve and ad justably connected at its upper end'to a fixed support by chains, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a Wheeled cultivator, of a gear-frame supported from the for- Ward end of the cultivator-frame, a shaft journaled at one end in said gear-frame and at its other end in a sleeve carried by a fixed bracket a beveled gear arranged on said shaft, a short shaft arranged in the gear-frame and geared to said beveled wheel by a pinion, a choppershaft connected to the short shaft bya universal joint, a rotary chopper fixed on the chopper-shaft, and means driven by one of the ground Wheels for actuating the driving mechanism, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a wheeled cultivator, of a gear-frame carried thereby,drivin g mechanism carried by the gear-frame, means for differentially operating said driving mechanism from one of the ground-wheels, a rotatable shaft driven by the mechanism, and a rotary cutter arranged on said shaft, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a wheeled cultivator, and a chopper and its actuating mechanism, of a shaft 13 for driving said mechanism, a sprocket-wheel loosely journaled on said shaft, a sprocket-wheel on the hub of the ground-wheel, a chain connecting said sprocket-Wheels,a cylindrical clutch arranged to move endwise on the shaft and provided with ratchet-teeth adapted to engage similar ratchet-teeth on the face of the loose sprocketwheel, a pin fixed in the shaft and engaging a bayonet-slot in the clutch, and a spring for normally holding the clutch in engagement with the sprocket-Wheel, substantially as described.

16. The combination with the shaft 13, and the sprocket-wheel loosely journaled thereon and provided with ratchet-teeth on its outer face, of a cap fixed on the end of said shaft, a cylindrical clutch loosely disposed on the shaft and cap and provided with a longitudinal bayonet-slot, a pin fixed in the cap and shaft and projecting into said slot, and a coiled spring arranged on the shaft between the cap and an interior collar formed on the clutch, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

17. A driving sprocket-wheel for ground- Wheels, consisting of an inner band or collar provided with a plurality of radial arms, a sprocket-rim fixed on said arms, bolts arranged radially in said band or collar and provided at theirinnerends with segmental heads arranged to engage the periphery of the hub, and means for adjusting said bolts radially to center the sprocket-wheel on the hub,substantially as described.

18. A driving sprocket-Wheel for groundwheels, consisting of an inner band or collar provided with a plurality of radial arms, a plurality of sprocket-rims fixed on said arms, bolts arranged radially in said band or collar and provided at their inner ends with segmental heads arranged to engage the periphery of the hub, means for adjusting the bolts radially to center the sprocket-wheel on the hub, and aplurality of hooked bolts passing through said radial arms and adapted to en-' gage the spokes of the ground-Wheel, and nuts arranged on said bolts for drawing the sprocket-wheel onto the hub, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. LEDBETTER. Vitnesses:

J. W. BOWEN, G. A. Lone.

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