USRE149E - Improvement in seed-planters - Google Patents

Description

M. & s. PENNocK.

` Grain Drill.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IMPROVEM ENT IN SEED-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1,999, dated March 12, 1841; Reissue No. [49, dated October 30, 1849.

First. We construct a suitable fra me of wood,

A B C D E F.

Second. To the front beams, A B and C F, is attached a pair of shafts, or a tongue, so 4as to use the machine with one or two horses. l

Third. On the extremities ofthe axle O, and

inside of the frame, are placed the wheels G H. One of these wheels is fixed firmly on the axle, so that they must revolve together. Both wheels may be fixed on the axle.

Fourth. On this axle are titted at intervals cast-1r0n spur-wheels of any required number of teeth. i Y Fifth. About ten inches, or at any required `distance behind the axle of the machine, two

upright posts, T T, are mortised into the beams A E and BVD, to support a horizontal beam,`

1 I, parallel to the axle. On the upper side of this beam are placed at intervals staples i2,

large enough to allow a square slide, S2, toY

playin each of them freely. These staples may be made of cast-iron and secured to the beam I I in any convenient manner.

Sixth. Wooden slides S2 K rest on the beamV 'I I, and slide backward and forward in the staples described in the last article. The hinder end of each slider is formed into a handie.y The slider plays lengthwise thirteen inches, having a notch on the under side, near its forward end, at K, which, when the slider is drawn back, Ifalls on and fits to the beam I I.

Just beyond this notchv is a pin projecting from the under side of the slider, which prevents it frombeing drawn out of the staple. Another notch, at S, on the under side of the slider, when it is pushed forward, fits to the beam I I. These notches are cut to nearly half the depth of the slider.

Seventh. Immediately behind the notch S inthe slider, and between the handles is a vertical mortise, through which passes loosely a tenon, formed on the upper end of a bent lever, L M. The lower end of this bent lever falls into a cast-iron box secured to the beam E D, having an iron pin passing horizontally through the said box and lever, forming a fulcrum on which the lever moves. By means of this fulcrum or joint at the angle of the said bent lever the slider maybe readily moved kback and forth, so that either notch shall fall on the beam I I while throwing the seeding roller and drill into or out of operation simul taneously. v

Eighth. When the slider attachedto the upper end of this bent lever is drawn back, so that the notch Kv falls on 4the beam I I, the forward end, N, ofthe bent lever will be elevated; but when the handle of the slider is pushed forward, so that the notch S falls on the beam I I, this extremity of the lever will be depressed.

Ninth. A hinged frame, V W, to support the hopper, is fitted at one end by va hinge to the bearnF C, and extends horizontally over the axle. The end V rests on the short arm of the bent lever, and rises or falls as the latter is elevated or depressed.

Tenth. The hopperP,forcontainingtheseed, is made in the form of a frustum of a pyramid. A cast-iron grate forms the bottom of the hopper. The opening in the hopper-bottom is divided by small bars in the iron grate into several apertures. To adapt these apertures to the various kinds of seed or grain to be sown, a number of wooden bottoms,'a b c, are formed to tit into the hopper and rest on the grate. 1n each of these one or lmore apertures, d, are formed, corresponding exactly with an equal number of those in the grate. Thus for wheat' or rye a bottom must be used having au aperture corresponding with one of the larger ones in the grate, and for Indian corn a bottom must be employed withan aperture corresponding to the other; but for clover-seed a bottom must be employed with 'small apertures corresponding to the small ones in theA grate.

Eleventh. Directly under the hopper is a roller, Y, whose axis is parallel to that of the principal axle. This roller turns on an iron axis, which passes through it, and works at each end in a box secured to the under side of the frame on which the hopper rests. To one end of the roller is fixed a cast-iron spur-wheel,

y per, through the apertures in its bottom, the seed or grain to be scattered.

These holes, in regard to number and size, are calculated to receive the quantity of seed designed to be dropped atonerevolution of the wheels. Thus,

in that part of the roller which revolves under one of the larger apertures in the hoppers bottom we generally have ten holes, each capable of receiving a grain of Indian corn, so situated as to divide the circumference ofthe roller into ten equal parts. The grain will be dropped a little over eleven inches apart. In like manner, for any other kind of grain, the contents of one line of holes in the circumference of the roller must be equal to the quantity designed to be discharged through the corresponding aperture in the boppers bottom during one revolution of the wheels. The roller runs close to the grated bottom of the hopper,

which is rendered concave yto lit the convexity of the roller. There is of course no way for the seed to escape from the hopper but by falling into these holes. lf the frame of the grated bottom at the extremity of all the apertures` were made to lit close upon the roller, it might frequently happen that a grain of the larger tation is made on the under sideof this grate,

opposite the hinder extremity of each larger aperture, of the size to admit the passingof a grain. This indentation is filled up by a small wooden bolt, furnished with ashoulder resting against thegrate, so as to prevent the bolt from being pushed forward upon the roller. A spring lixed on the outside of the hopper presses against the outer end of the bolt and keeps it in its place. `When a grain partly in the hole in the roller, butstanding above its surface, is brought into contact with the end of this bolt, it pushes it back against the spring, which, yielding to the pressure, either permits the grain to pass through and drop with the others or bya rebound throwsit back into the hopper.

Thirteenth. Immediately under the roller is the drill U, the mouth of which is large enough to catch all the seeds that fall from any part of the roller. The drill is composed chiefly of cast-iron. The front curvesa little toward the point, which projects forward like the colter of a. plow. The opening at the lower extremity is about one and a half inch long by one inch wide, of any suitable size. The front plate of the'drill, aswell as the `lower half of the "side ones; from the point upward, is composed of cast-iron or other suitable material. `Across the top, on the hinder side ofthe drill, is extended an iron rod or bail, having a loop or eye inthe middle, to which a rope or chain is attached to support the drill. The drill is cast Into this socket the loose end of a hinged or jointed beam, G 0 V E, is firmly fitted, with its end pressing against the drill. On the under side of this beam there is a strong iron strap, N O, two inches wide and two feet long. This strap at the forward end, V E, or that farthest from the drill, is fastened to the beam by iron bolts passing through them. At the hinder end, N O, the strap is a small distance from the beam, and has secured on its upper side a wedge of wood of the same width as the strap. Through the strap thus compounded ot' wood and iron, near the end N 0, passes a barrow-tooth. The upper half of this tooth is -reduced to a cylinder having a shoulder on the back part of the tooth, which presses against theunder side of the iron strap. 0n this cylindrical part a screw is cut,which, after passing through the iron strap and contiguous wedge, is screwed. into the beam G 0 V E. By this screw the depth which the tooth runs into the ground maybe varied. Dn this screw, between the wedge and the lever, a nutis lxed, to screw down hard on the wedge and prevent the strap from sliding up and down on the tooth. This is fixed to run about two inches before'the point of the drill, and to penetrate a little deeper into the ground. It thus catches and carries with it those, portions of the weeds and grass which would otherwise collect 0u the drill itself and obstruct the discharge of the seed. Fixed to the forward end of this hinged beam V E by the bolts above mentioned, which pass through the lever and iron strap, is a forked hinge eight inches long, spreading at the forward extremity nearly nine inches. This hinge works at the extremity of its branches in a pair ofiron straphooks, which are screwed by screw-nails to the front of the beam A B. A narrow strip is v xed by screw-nails to the front of the beam A B, running lengthwise with itjust above the hooks, to prevent the hinges slipping out of them. On the hinged beam, and between the' hinge and the drill, is an open box, H A, for holding the weight when necessary to sink the drill more deeply into the ground. The rope or chain attached to the loop in the bail of the drill passes into an open mortise in the end N of the short arm of the bent lever'described in article eight, and has a loop or ring thrown over a pin iu the same. This rope or chain is prevented from slipping out of the open mortise by a scew-nail passing horizontally tlnough the lever a short distance beyond the rope.

on the axle of the. machine, thereare to be the same number of rollers and drills of the kind with a socket projecting from its front plate..

' Fourteenth. As there are several spur-wheels described above. The distance from the middle of one wheel t'o-that of the other is about six feet, and the drills are so located as to divide this space into equal sections. Consequently when all the drills are used the seed is deposited in rows at equal distances apart; but these drills and the hinged beams that sustain them are connected with the frame in such manner that any one or more of them can be taken ed' and the others left for use.

Fifteenth. To each of the two outside drills is attached (in a manner to be taken ott' or put on atpleasure) a box, X, by side straps of iron, so as to allow a vertical motion, but keeping the box directly behind the drill. This box is composed of boards or other material, and is open at top, so as to contain a small weight. O11 the under side o f this box are fixed two shovel-formed teeth, so located as to cast a ridge of earth on the line traced by the point of the drill.

Sixteenth. When the sliders described in the sixth article are pushed forward, so that the notch S nearest the handle falls on the beams l. I, the arm L N of the lever assumes its proper position. The drill is then at liberty to sink into the ground. The stud of the frameV W, which supports the hopper, rests in the angle of the lever, and the teeth on the spur-wheel on the roller fall into gear with `those of the principal axle. Consequently the revolution 0f the axle, caused by the progressive movement of the machine, must under these circumstances cause the roller to revolve; but when the slider is drawn back until the other notch, K, falls 0n the beam I I, the .forward end, N, of the lever is elevated, the drill is raised out of the ground, and the teeth of the roller are lifted clear of those on the axle. When all of the sliders are thus situated the machine is totally out of gear. From the manner in which the sliders are situated it is clear that any one or more of the drills and seeding-rollers may be thrown out of gear simultaneously without affecting the others. This is a great convenience in case ot' sowing point-lands.

Seventeenth. In the middle of the beam E D a hole is bored horizontally, to receive a bolt, on whichis made to revolve vertically an arm, S E. Thisfarm, when in a horizontal position, rests in a hook. This hook serves to retain the arm in its place while in use, when the arm is placed in a vertical position, as it must be when turning the machinery. To this arm is tted a sliding arm, W A, which slides along the arm S E in two strong iron clasps.

This sliding arm may be drawn out to various distances, so as to compose with the hinged arm a compound arm of various lengths. Two portions of the slider, near its outer end, are cut into a cylindrical form, each of these cylindrical portions being about two inches long. Round these cylindrical portions of the slider are bent two iron straps, the ends of which are riveted to the flattened end ot' a tracer, S S. These bent straps thus forni eyes, by means ot' which thetracer is kept at right angles tothe sliding arm and permitted to revolve upon it in that position. The lower end of the tracer carries aninstrument called the marker, A G. The marker is firmly fixed on the end ot' the tracer in such manner that when the arm S E is brought to i'tsv horizontal position the marker will be on the ground with its ridge pointing forward. When the machine is set in motion,this marker, acting in the mannerof a shovel-plow, will trace on the mellowground a shallow furrow, along which the horse may walk on his return. By properly adjusting the length of the arm, composed of the branches S E and W A, the machine maybe drawn backward and forward across the eld in parallel lines at such distances as the nature of the case may require.

The manner ot' using the machine may be briefly` given as follows: In the first place, the ground must be well plowed and harrowed, so as to be reduced to a smooth and mellow condition. For wheat, rye, oats, or other grain all the drills are adjusted toitheir places and the machine put in gear as described in the sixteenth article. The wooden bottom, with an aperture over the' line of holes in the roller designed 'for wheat, must be put into each hopper and the proper supply of seed putin. The machine being then put in motion, the roller is turned by the spur-wheel on the axle. The seed discharged from the holes in the roller falls into theopen vdrill below, and, descending to the point below, is deposited in the earth as the point plows its way through the mellow soil. The earth falling back into the furrow of the drill covers all the seed which are deposited in the bottom. Several parallel rows are thus lodged into theearth by each passage of the machine. The sliding arm described in the seventeenth article must be so far drawn out that the horse, or one ofthe horses, returning along the track made by the marker may cause one wheel of the machine to follow the line traced by the outer drill. In this manner a uniform distance will be obtained be tween the contiguous rows. Upon coming to the end of the land orintended rows the lever S E,which carries the marker, must be raised f to a vertical position, the sliders S2 drawn back to throw the machine out of gear, and all the parts leftin that situation till the machine is brought to its proper place for commencing its return. The handles of the sliders are then pushed forward and the marker brought again to rest on the ground. In case of point-lands the proper number of drills may be kept in use and the rest thrown our of gear.

For Indian corn the drills next the wheels are retained and the other five taken ed'. In this case the shafts and a single horse will be most convenient. The proper wooden bottom and the requisite quantity of seed-corn being put into each of the outside hoppers, the arm A W must be drawn out to the required distance. To these drills may now be attached the boxes X, described in the fifteenth article,with

the needful weight in each. A straight line being then traced across the field, two rows about four feet six inches apart are planted, and agridge of earth thrown on each of them bythe teeth in the box, or other suitable means.

At the same time a path is formed by the marker for the horse to follow on his return, so as to make the following row four feet six inchesfrom the former. Thenumberof grains dropped at each revolution of the wheels will correspond to the number of holes made in the circumference of the roller.

For beets or rutabaga the middle or two outside drills may be used; butin that case the .Screws n in the bottom of the seed-holes for wheat, as represented inthe drawings, Figs. 2 and 3, are to be screwed out even with the surface of the roller, in the end of which a hole is drilled suciently large to carry out one beet-seed at least. The arm of the marker must now be madesix feet nine inches in length. The rows in this case will be twenty-seven inches apart.

For clover-seed all the drills are taken oi, kbut the hoppcrs are all supplied with seed, and the second bottom in each has three apertures corresponding to the three in the grate. The holesiu the rollers are calculated to distribute five quarts on an acre. To, scatter the seed regularlyoverthegrouud,aboardn may besuspended underthe rollersin an oblique position. This board is furnished with narrow strips g, nailed across it, so as to scatter the seedsas they fall from the rollers regularly along its whole length. The suspension of the board is eiected by attaching to it at right angles, sixteen or seventeen inches from its ends, two slender arms, the extremities of which work on the arm A B, in the place of the drill-beams de. scribed in the thirteenth article, and the 'rope i, fixed to the board near its ends, is attached vto the contiguous short armsof the bent lever. .This board, however, we seldom have occasion to use.

Wevwish it to he understood that we do not claim the separate or individual action of the seed-tubes independently of the seed rollers and hoppers; but

What we do claim as onrinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The simultaneous throwing into and out of operation, by the. movement of a leveror other'mechanical equivalent or device, each seeding-cylinder and its respective drill or seedtube for the purpose of sowing with any number of hoppers and drills that may be required in sowing point or other irregular-shaped land without stopping the animal or animals attached to the machine, not intending to limit ourselves to the particular construction herein described,and represented in theannexed drawings, but to vary these iu any way that we may deem proper, so that the before-described results are eiected by means substantially the same as those described in the foregoing speciication.

2. The arrangement of the spur-wheels for the purpose of connecting the seed-rollers Y and hoppers P to the shaft O, as before described, in such manner that they can be disengaged or engaged at pleasure While the machine is in motion..

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names before two subscribing wit- `nesses.

. MOSES PENN OOK.

SAMUEL PENNOOK.

. Witnesses: y u

JOSHUA TAYLOR,

WM. CHAMBERS.

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