IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN AND SEED DRILLS AND SOWING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Josiah Smyth, of Peasenhall, in the County of
Suffolk, Drill Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN
AND SEED DRILLS AND SOWING MACHINES."
aled the 11th June 1878, and dated the 7th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Josiah Smyth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1878.
JAMES JOSIAH SMYTH, of Peasenhall, in the County of Suffolk, Drill Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN AND SEED DRILLS AND SOWING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in corn and seed drills and
sowing machines.
Heretofore in corn and seed drills and sowing machines when revolving dises
carrying side cups have been used for conveying measured quantities of seed to the
receiving hoppers from which the seed passes to the ground, these receiving hoppers
have been so formed that the cup wheels or discs could not be taken out without
previously removing the hoppers. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that
through carelessness the hoppers are commonly improperly fixed after being
replaced, so that when the machine is at work they rise up and get in the way of
and are caught by the cups of the revolving cup wheels, and breakages commonly
arise from this cause.
According to my Invention I form the hoppers in such a manner that the wheels
can be removed without previously removing the hoppers. This may be effected in
various ways.
The plan I prefer to adopt is as follows:-I forin the rear part of the hopper
so as to be on a level with the bottom of the spindle which carries the cup
wheels, and to cause the seed as it drops from the cups to enter the hopper.
joint to the side of the hopper which is next the cup wheel a plate which inclines
from the top of the hopper towards the side of the disc or wheel. The hinge joint
is at the front part of the hopper, and is on a level with the top of the spindle or

page_text: thereabouts. Standing up from the opposite side of the hopper is also a moveable
plate which forms a guard, and compels the seed which drops from the cups on to
the inclined plate before mentioned to enter the hopper; this plate, by preference,
is made to turn on a hinge parallel with and opposite to the hinge of the plate on
the other side of the hopper, and I connect the two plates by a link, so that when
one plate is turned on its hinge the other turns with it. The rear part of the plate
on the side of the hopper furthest from the cup wheel extends downwards and
comes against the inside of the hopper when the plate is standing upwards; it thus
forms a stop to retain the other plate at the incline desired, and prevents it bearing
against the side of the cup wheel.
In order also to entirely close the side of the hopper next to the cup wheel I
joint to this side of the hopper a plate which lies against its outer face and closes a
space between the inclined plate and the side of the hopper in rear of the spindle.
When it is desired to remove the cup wheels this plate is turned down so as to
bring it below the spindle, and the plate which is jointed to the hopper on the side
furthest from the wheel is turned into a horizontal position, and in so doing the
plate on the opposite side of the hopper is moved away from the wheel. When
the plates of all the hoppers have thus been moved away from their wheels the
wheels and the spindle which carries them can be drawn out backwards and the
spindle and wheels reversed, or another spindle with other wheels carrying different
sized cups put in its place.
By this arrangement also the time occupied in changing the cup wheels from one
size to another is much reduced.
Also when the machine is at work seed can be shut off from any one or more of
the hoppers by similarly turning down the plates so that they shall not convey the
seed as it falls from the cups into the hoppers, but allow it to fall back again into
the main seed box.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Josiah Smyth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
August 1878.
JAMES JOSIAH SMYTH, of Peasenhall, in the County of Suffolk, Drill Manu-
facturer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN CORN AND SEED DRILLS AND SOWING MACHINES.".
This Invention has for its object improvements in corn and seed drills and
sowing machines.
Heretofore in corn and seed drills and sowing machines when revolving discs
carrying side cups have been used for conveying measured quantities of seed to the
receiving hoppers from which the seed passes to the ground, these receiving hoppers
have been so formed that the cup wheels or discs could not be taken out without
previously removing the hoppers. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that
through carelessness the hoppers are commonly improperly fixed after being
replaced, so that when the machine is at work they rise up and get in the way of
and are caught by the cups of the revolving cup wheels, and breakages commonly
arise from this cause.
According to my Invention I forin the hoppers in such a manner that the wheels
can be removed without previously removing the hoppers. This may be effected in
various ways.
The plan I prefer to adopt is shown in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
The Drawings shew so much of the main seed hopper and of the spindle carrying
the cup wheels, and also of the receiving hoppers, as is necessary to show clearly
how I carry out my Invention.
Figure 1 shews a front view of the main seed hopper, the cup wheels, and the
receiving hoppers; the right-hand portion of this Figure is a section taken through
the line a, b, Figure 2; Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line c, d,
Figure 1 and Figure 3, a transverse section on the line e, f.
In these Figures a is the ordinary main seed hopper which passes across the
machine from one side of it to the other; b, b, are openings at the bottom of this
hopper to allow seed to pass from the hopper into the seed boxes c in which the
measuring cup wheels revolve; d, d, are the disc wheels carrying measuring cups e;
these cup wheels are secured at distances apart from one another to the spindle f,
which extends from one side of the machine to the other. The spindle is at its
ends carried in bearings formed in the manner usual in drills and seed-sowing
machines, that is, the bearing is formed in such a manner that by removing the
back part of the bearing the spindle may be drawn back horizontally, or nearly so,
and removed. g, g, are the receiving hoppers which receive the seed that falls from
the cups of the cup wheels; h, h, are the outlets from these hoppers. The rear part
of the hopper is, as shewn, on a level with the bottom of the spindle f, whilst the
front of the hopper is on a level with the top of the spindle or thereabouts. To
the two sides of the hopper are jointed metal plates k, l, the hinge joints m being
just above the front part of the sides of the hopper. The plate k inclines from the
top of the hopper towards the side of the discs or wheels d, d, and seed falling from
the cups of the cup wheels drops on to this inclined plate, and is guided by it into
the hopper. n is a link coupling the plate k to the plate l. When the plate k is
inclining from the hopper to the disc wheel the other plate is in a vertical position,
as shown on the right-hand side of Figure 1, and serves not only as a guard to
ensure the seed falling into the hopper, but also as a stop to hold the plate k at the
required angle and prevent it bearing against the side of the disc wheel, and this it
does as its lower part then abuts against the side of the hopper, as shown at
Figures 1 and 3.
The side of the hopper which is next the cup wheel has on its exterior and
jointed to it a metal plate o turning on a pin at p; it is so shaped as to fill in
the space between the top of the rear part of the hopper and the bottom of the
plate. %.

page_text: Whenever it is desired to take out the spindle f the door g at the back of the
apparatus is opened and the plates o are turned down so as to bring their rear ends
below the side of the hopper; they will then not interfere with the spindle being
drawn backwards. The plates k and I are also turned on their hinge joints so as to
move the plates out of the way of the cup wheels, as shewn on the left-hand side
of that portion of Figure 1 which is in section. The spindle together with the cup
wheels upon it can now be drawn out backwards and a fresh one carrying different
sized cups put in its place; or the spindle can be reversed end for end so as to
bring into operation other cups which might be formed on the back of the cups
previously in use.
It will thus be seen that the time occupied in changing one set of cup wheels for
another is much reduced, and also that there is no danger of any part of the
apparatus being injured through negligence, as the plates cannot interfere with
the revolving of the cup wheels when the spindle has been placed into its bearings.
Whenever also it may be desired to shut off seed from any one or more of the
hoppers when the machine is at work; this may be effected by turning the plates k
into the position shown on the left-hand side of that portion of Figure 1 which is
in section, the seed falling from the cups will then not be conveyed into the
hopper, but will drop back again into the seed box from which it was picked up by
the wheel.
Having thus described my Invention, I would state that I do not confine myself
to the precise mode shewn in the Drawings of making the upper parts of the
receiving hoppers capable of being turned on hinge joints so as to move them out
of the way of the cup wheels at the times when the spindle and wheels have to be
taken out, as the way in which this is effected may be considerably varied; but
what I claim is,―
First. Constructing drills and sowing machines in such a manner that the cup
wheels of the seed-measuring apparatus can be removed without previously
removing the hoppers which catch the seed as it falls from the cups.
Second. Constructing the receiving hoppers of drills and sowing machines in such
a manner that their upper parts can be turned on hinge joints so as to move them
out of the way of the cup wheels when it is desired to remove the cup wheels and
their spindle.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Josiah Smyth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JAMES JOSIAH SMYTH. (L.S.)