Certain Improvements in and connected with Cultivators.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in and connected with Cultivators.
I, JOSEPH BAMFORD, of Market Street. Lichfield, Staffordshire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed improvements in and connecte
with those cultivators (including harrows horse hoes and the like) which are
provided with spring teeth or tines.
The first part of this invention has reference to those cultivators in which the
spring teeth are carried by independent metallic sections jointed to the frame of
the cultivator so that the various sections with their teeth can move up and down
as the cultivator is drawn along, and so that the sections can be raised when desired
or depressed and the downward pressure on the sections increased or diminished at
will. This part of this invention consists of the following improved arrangement
of mechanism by which the sections can either be raised or depressed by the same
lever handle and the pressure on the teeth increased or diminished as desired. In
carrying out this part of my invention each of the sections is jointed to the front
part of the frame of the cultivator as at present. On the axle of the cultivator
(on which are the travelling wheels) I provide a tubular sleeve fixed to the under-
side of which there is a flat spring lever for each section pointing outwardly.
towards the back of the section. Fixed to the tubular sleeve I also provide above
each section, a lever arm the outer end of which is connected to its corresponding
section by a chain or links or other means. The said sleeve is provided with a
lever handle by which it can be turned on the axle. When the lever handle is
pulled in one direction that is towards the back of the cultivator the pressure of
the spring levers on the sections is increased and the teeth of the sections forced
into the ground this pressure being increased or diminished by means of the hand
lever which partly raises or depresses the said spring levers. By moving the hand
lever in the opposite direction the sections are raised by means of the lever arms
connected thereto by the chains so that the teeth will then clear the ground.
Thus by means of the one lever handle the sections can either be raised or
depressed and the pressure thereon increased or diminished as desired. Instead of
providing the tubular sleeve on the axle I may fix the said spring levers lever
arms and lever handle directly to the cross axle which will then be arranged to
rock to and fro in its bearings when the lever handle is pushed either one way or
the other. Instead of using the spring levers I may provide rigid levers between
the outer ends of which and the sections coiled wire or other springs are interposed
to act upon the sections.
The second part of this invention consists of the herein described improved
removable lower working part or point (hereinafter called the point) for the spring
teeth of all kinds of cultivators. This improved point is made of inverted channel
section, or with backwardly projecting side pieces of steel or other suitable metal
and is curved so as to fit on to the upper side of the lower part of the spring tooth
where the said point is secured preferably by one bolt passing transversely through
the point and through the lower part of the tooth. By the tooth fitting in the
channel part, or between the said side projections, of the loose point, the latter is
prevented from turning or getting out of place. This loose point can either be
made as a double point that is pointed at each end so as to be reversible for either
end to be used or the said improved point may be pointed only at one end.

page_text: Another part of this invention consists in making the said spring teeth from
steel wire or other suitable metal wire instead of strip steel as at present. The
wire is bent to the curve and shape of the required tooth two or more thicknesses
of wire being used in each tooth and arranged at a short distance apart so as to
permit of a removable point being fixed to the lower end. The upper ends of the
wire teeth may be secured to the crossbars by similar means to those employed with
the spring teeth as now made.
Heretofore it has been customary for the spring teeth to be bent so as to present
their full width as a flat surface to the ground. According to another part of my
invention I make the teeth with movable heads so that the teeth can be slightly
twisted some to one side and some to the other side and I sharpen the edges so that
they will form a sort of shell board and meet the ground slightly edgeways
thus working through the ground more easily than when arranged in the
usual way.
In combination with the spring teeth of cultivators I provide, according to
another part of my invention, an arrangement of diagonal knives or cutters at the
back of the teeth or tines so as to effectually break up the clods. These knives
or cutters are by preference made of strip steel fixed in pairs on to a swinging
cross bar or frame so as to trail behind the tines the said knives or cutters being
arranged diagonally with their front ends near together and their back ends some
distance apart.
According to another part of my invention I fx the spring tines or teeth
directly to cross rocking bars or sleeves carried by the frame of the harrow
and I connect these rocking bars or sleeves together and to the tubular sleeve
or rocking axle by levers and connecting links so that by means of a lever handle
all the tines can be raised or lowered together as desired and by means of a
catch on the lever handle the times can be fixed in any desired position so as
to either entirely clear the ground or work at any desired depth therein.
In the said cultivators it is customary to provide each of the sections with a shoe
which projects downwardly from an arm at the far end of the section and bears on
the ground. Instead of employing an arm as heretofore I fix the said shoe
directly on to the last cross bar or to the last cross bar but one so as to follow
behind the tooth or tine immediately in front of the shoe. I may employ various
means for fixing the shoe to the cross bar so that it can be adjusted thereon either
sideways or for height. For instance I may employ a Ụ shaped clip bolt which
embraces the cross bar and also passes through a vertical slot in the shoe and is
provided with a nut on its outer end by which the shoe is clamped to the cross bar
in any desired position.
Another part of my said invention consists of the herein described improved
construction of the sectional frames of the said cultivators. Heretofore it has
been customary to make the sides of the sectional frames of angle iron provided
with cross bars of flat section to which latter the spring tines are fixed these
cross bars being fixed to the angle iron sides by means of one rivet or bolt through
each. Now according to this part of my invention I weld a short cross piece on
each end of each of the cross bars so as to make these ends T shaped or L shaped
thus giving a longer bearing on the angle iron sides and through each of these
Tshaped or shaped ends and the angle irons I pass two bolts or rivets thus
firmly securing the cross bars and angle iron together.
Another part of my said invention consists of the following improved means
for securing the spring tines or teeth to the cross bars of the sections. In
carrying out this part of my invention the upper part of the spring tine or
tooth rests against a crossbar either above or below the same and passes through
holes in the upwardly projecting arms of a metal cramp which is somewhat
U shaped or inverted U shaped when viewed end wise this cramp being provided
with a set pin which passes through the cramp and bears against the crossbar thus
firmly cramping the crossbar and spring tooth together. By first unscrewing the
set screw the cramp with the spring tooth can be moved to and fro along the

page_text: crossbar and adjusted in the required position. In combination with the fastening
above described I may employ a loose piece of metal on the top of the crossbar
passing through the cramp under the spring tooth so as to assist in supporting the
latter. The said cramp may also if desired have one or more projecting parts
upon it against which the tine bears and which thus assist in supporting the
latter.
Dated this 6th day of September 1894.
I, JOSEPH BAMFORD, of Market Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention consists of the hereindescribed improvements in and connected
with those cultivators (including harrows horse hoes and the like) which are
provided with spring teeth or rigid tines.
The first part of this invention has reference to those cultivators in which the
spring teeth or rigid tines are carried by independent metallic sections jointed to
the frame of the cultivator so that the various sections with their teeth can move
up and down as the cultivator is drawn along, and so that the sections can be
raised when desired or depressed and the downward pressure on the sections increased
or diminished at will. This part of this invention consists of the following improved
arrangement of mechanism by which all the sections can either be raised or
depressed by the same lever handle and the pressure on the teeth increased or
diminished as desired.
This part of my invention is illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accom-
panying drawings on which Fig. 1 is a plan of a part of a sectional spring tooth
cultivator constructed according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation
of the same shewing the teeth pressed down as when they are at work; Fig. 3 is a
sectional elevation of the same shewing the teeth lifted out of work; Fig. 4 is an.
elevation and plan of a part of the lifting and depressing mechanism separately.
The cultivator illustrated by these figs. is made with four sections marked A
each of which carries three spring teeth K made of flat section spring steel or
the teeth or tines may be otherwise formed. The sections A may as is well known
each carry more or fewer than three teeth, and may also carry knives or cutters
for cutting up the ground. These sections are of the usual construction each
jointed at a to the front part of the frame B of the cultivator as at present.
Fixed in the axle C of the cultivator (on the ends of which revolve the two
travelling wheels D¹ D2) I provide for each of the sections A a spring lever H
pointing outwardly to and resting on the back of the section. These levers H are
fixed to the axle Č (or as hereinafter described to a sleeve thereon) which may be
done in any convenient manner but preferably by fitting between the ears and
jointed or hinged on a cross pin passing there through, these ears being
formed on the collar I which is fixed to the axle C. The levers H will thus lie on
the sections when the latter are lifted instead of standing upwardly as would be the
case if they were not hinged at ' as aforesaid. Fixed to the axle C 1 also provide
above each of the sections A. a lever arm E the outer end e of which is connected
to its corresponding section by a chain for by links or other like means. The
axle C has also fixed on it, in a convenient position for the attendant sitting on the

page_text: seat J, a lever handle G by which the axle C can be turned in its bearings con
the cultivator frame B. When the lever handle G is pulled in one direction that
is downwardly towards the back of the cultivator as shewn in Fig. 2 the pressure
of the spring levers H on the sections A is increased and the spring teeth K of
the sections are forced into the ground, this pressure being increased or diminished
by means of the lever handle G which partly raises or depresses the levers H.
By moving the hand lever G in the opposite direction, say to the position shewn by
Fig. 3 the sections A are raised by means of the lever arms E connected thereto by
the chain so that the teeth K will then clear the ground. Thus by means of
the one hand lever G the sections A can either be raised or depressed and the
pressure thereon increased or diminished as desired. In order to maintain the lever
handle G in any desired position I provide an ordinary tooth quadrant L fixed to
the frame B of the cultivator and with which the ordinary spring catch g¹ of the
lever handle G engages.
Instead of the spring levers H lever arms E and lever handle G being fixed
directly to the cross axle C as above described and shewn upon my drawings, I
may fix the said levers H lever arms E and lever handle G on a tubular sleeve or
on tubular sleeves through which the axle C is threaded and which will then by
preference be made round for the tubular sleeves to turn upon it, or the levers H
arms E and lever handle G may be fixed on an axle which is not the road
axle or on a sleeve not on the road axle, but I prefer to fix them on the road
axle C as above described.
The second part of this invention consists of the hereindescribed improved removable
or working part or point (hereinafter called the point) for the spring teeth of all kinds
of cultivators. The teeth K of the cultivator illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of my
drawings are provided with points constructed according to this second part of my inven-
tion and one of these points is also shewn on an enlarged scale by Fig. 5 and another
of my improved points made single ended is also shewn separately by Fig. 6. My
improved point M is as shewn made of inverted channel section steel that is to say,
it has downwardly projecting side pieces m' m² between which the spring tooth K
fits and the point is curved as shewn to fit on the upper side of the lower part of
the spring tooth K where the point is secured preferably by a single bolt n (see
Fig. 3) passing transversely through the point and through the lower part of the
tooth. The front edges m³ of the point are rounded off as shewn so as the better
to pass through the ground. By the teeth K fitting in the channel part m, that
is between the side projections m¹ m² of the loose point M, the latter is prevented
from turning or getting out of place. Or the same effect may be obtained by
the point having only one of its sides turned down. This loose point M can
either be made as shewn in Fig. 5 as a double point that is pointed at each
end m m so as to be reversible for either end to be used, or as shewn by Fig. 6
my said improved point may be pointed only at one end ..
Another part of my invention is applicable to those cultivators in which the
tines or teeth are fixed directly to cross rocking shafts or sleeves which are
arranged to turn in the sides of the section and this part of my invention consists
in the employment of means whereby all the tines or spring teeth can be raised
or lowered and the pressure of the same on or in the ground increased or
diminished by one and the same hand lever. This part of my invention is
illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9 of which Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a cultivator
constructed according to this part of my invention and Fig. 9 is a plan of the
same. K are the spring tines or teeth fixed directly to the cross rocking bars
or sleeves which are arranged to turn in the sides of the sections. Each of
these rocking bars or sleeves O has an upwardly projecting lever P fixed on it and
these levers are connected together by the connecting link Q the ends of which
are or may be turned up as shewn so as to be connected to the lever E which
is fixed on the same axle C or sleeve on which the hand lever G is fixed. The
connections of the connecting links Q to the lever E may be of any convenient
kind such for instance as by the front end q' of each of the links Q being

page_text: connected to the corresponding lever E by means of the coiled wire spring and the
other end q' of the connecting link Q is connected to the same by the chain s.
Thus by means of the lever handle G all the tines K of the cultivator can be
raised or lowered together as desired and by means of the catch gi on the lever
engaging in the tooth quadrant as above described the tension of the spring r and
the pressure of the tines on the ground can be regulated as required and the tines
can be fixed in any desired position so as to either entirely clear the ground or
work at any desired depth therein.
According to another part of this invention I employ a U form clamp to secure
the spring tooth to the crossbar of the sectional frame and by the aid of the same
clamp I fix a piece of metal which I call a spring tooth helper. This spring
tooth helper may be made in a piece with the clamp. This part of my invention
will be clear by an examination of Figs. 2, 3 and 7 where T is a U-shaped metal
clamp for fixing the tooth to the crossbar a² and U in Figs. 2 and 3 is the spring
tooth helper made separate from the clamp T. Fig. 7 shews the helper made as a
downwardly projecting part t¹ in a piece with the clamp T and curved so as to
support the upper part of the tooth K as shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The apparatus for lifting and applying an adjustable pressure to the sections
or frames which carry the tines or teeth; namely, the spring pressure lever or
spring pressure levers the lifting arm or lifting arms and the hand lever all
movable together about a centre or fulcrum and so arranged that when the handle
is moved in one direction a progressively increasing pressure is applied to cause the
tines or teeth to penetrate the soil and when the handle is moved in the contrary
direction the pressure is relieved and finally the tines or teeth are lifted off the
land.
2. The apparatus for lifting and applying an adjustable pressure to the sections
or frames which carry the tines or teeth; namely; the spring pressure lever or
spring pressure levers the lifting arm or lifting arms and the hand lever all movable
together with or around the axle of the carrying wheels of the implement and
operating in the manner described.
3. In a cultivator provided with independent metallic sections to which are
attached rocking cross bars or sleeves carrying teeth or tines, the combination
with the said rocking bars of upright levers fixed thereon, links connecting said
levers together, a cross rocking axle or one or more sleeves provided with levers
connected to said levers of the rocking bars and also provided with a hand lever by
which all the rocking cross bars carrying the teeth of the sections can be turned to
raise or depress said teeth, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Figs. 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In combination with the spring teeth of cultivators the employment of the
hereindescribed improved loose point M made either double ended or single ended
and with one or both of its side edges turned down to fit against the spring tooth,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6 of the
accompanying drawings.
5. The hereindescribed loose point M for use with the spring teeth of cultivators,
made either double ended or single ended and with one or both of its side edges
turned down to fit against the spring tooth, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
a
6. The combination with the spring tooth and spring tooth helper U of
cultivator, of a U-shaped clip such as T for the purpose of attaching the spring
tooth and spring tooth helper to the cross bars of the sections of the cultivator,
substantially as herein before described by the accompanying drawings.
7. In a cultivator provided with spring teeth, the employment of a U-shaped
clip such as T made with downwardly projecting part for the purpose of

page_text: connecting the spring teeth to the cross bars and bearing on the spring teeth,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Fig. 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 7th day of June 1895.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.