Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 30th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd May, 1887.
WILLIAM DAVIDSON OF OI Clola Mintlaw, in the County of Aberdeen,
Miller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for distributing or scattering
farm-yard manure, artificial manure, or other substances of a like kind on to land, and
whilst it is particularly applicable in several forms for attachment to a cart or wagon
for carrying such substances it is also adapted in other forms for carrying the load to
be distributed. Under one modification for use particularly in distributing farm yard
manure, the improved apparatus comprises a platform or framework provided with
carrying wheels and having fitted within a box or sides formed or fixed thereon a
rotating disc, a series of reciprocating bars, a travelling web or other means for
feeding or drawing outwards the material which is delivered thereto from the cart or
wagon to which the platform is attached at or near the level of the bottom thereof.
This feeding mechanism, which is by preference in the form of a rotating disc forming
the bottom of a hopper or box as above mentioned, is arranged to deliver the material
to a rotating wheel or disc provided with a series of radially projecting arms, sprockets
or spikes which serve to throw outwards and scatter the manure or other material at one
side of the apparatus. The distributing wheel may be fitted upon a vertical axis in which
case it lies horizontally over a shelf at the rear of the feeding disc or other feeding
mechanism, or it may be upon a horizontal axis the projecting arms in either case
passing, during the rotation of the wheel, across the lower rear end of the box or
shoot and striking the material as it passes out of the box so as to throw it off the
shelf or platform on to the ground in a continuous manner. The sprocket wheel is
driven by any suitable gearing from the axis of the wheels which support the platform
or from a chain wheel on the cart axle so that the velocity of its rotation and
consequently the rate of discharge of the material may be proportionate to the speed
at which the cart or wagon is drawn over the ground and an equal distribution of the
material may be ensured. The arms, sprockets or spikes upon the distributing wheel
are by preference slightly bent outwards in alternate order to each side of the plane

page_text: in which the wheel rotates so that a layer of material of considerable thickness may be
acted on; and the speed of rotation which may be varied to suit the class of material
operated on by the use of change wheels, cone pulleys or the like in the driving gear
is generally such that the straw or similar matter in the manure which tends to
become entangled with the arms or spikes will be thrown off by centrifugal action.
The rate of discharge may however be varied independently of the velocity of the
distributing wheel by varying the speed of movement of the feeding apparatus which
is also driven by gearing from the wheel axle or from one of the driving shafts of the
distributing apparatus.
When the apparatus is used apart from a cart or wagon a box or hopper to hold
the manure or other material is fitted at the forward end of the platform and horse
trams are provided.
In a modification adapted for use in distributing artificial manure such as guano or
bone dust a conical hood is fitted on or over the rotating feed dise of the apparatus
to direct the material towards the outer edge of said disc and the fixed casing or
sides of the hopper containing the material is preferably of circular formation and
terminates at its lower end a few inches short of the disc. Stationary guide blades or
inclined scrapers are fitted at different points around the disc in the space between it
and the lower end of the hopper and these blades serve to direct outwards over the
edge of the disc a series of continuous streams of the manure or other material.
Suitable orifices or shoots in the platform may be provided for directing the material
into the drills when the apparatus is used for distributing material on to ploughed
land. The distributing wheel may in this case be dispensed with.
Dated this Twenty ninth day of June 1886.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Manure or similar
Substances.
I, WILLIAM DAVIDSON of Mill of Clola Mintlaw, in the County of Aberdeen
Miller, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for distributing or scattering
farm yard manure, artificial manure or other substances of a like kind on to land and
whilst it is particularly applicable in several forms for attachment to a cart or wagon
for carrying such substances it is also adapted in other forms for carrying the load to
be distributed.
*
Under one modification illustrated in elevation and plan at figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings and adapted for use particularly in distributing farm yard
manure the improved apparatus comprises a platform or framework A provided with
carrying wheels B, B, and having fitted within a box or sides C, forined or fixed
thereon a rotating disc 1), or a series of reciprocating bars, a travelling web or other
means for feeding or drawing outwards the material which is delivered thereto from a
cart or wagon W, to which the platform A, is attached, as indicated, at or near the
level of the bottom thereof. This feeding mechanism which is by preference, as
shown, in the form of a rotating disc forming the bottom of the hopper or box C, is
arranged to deliver the material to a rotating wheel or disc E; provided with a series
of radially projecting arms, sprockets or spikes e which serve to throw outwards and
scatter the manure or other material at one side of the apparatus.
The distributing wheel E may be fitted as shown upon a vertical axis E' in which
case it lies horizontally over a shelf A¹ or part of the framework at the rear of the
feeding disc D, or other feeding mechanism, or it may be upon a horizontal axis the
projecting arms e, in either case passing during the rotation of the wheel E across
the lower rear end of the box or hopper C, and striking the material as it passes out
of the box so as to throw it off the shelf or platform A¹ on to the ground in a
continuous manner.
The sprocket wheel E is driven by any suitable gearing such as the bevel
wheels G, G and spur wheels H, H, from the axle of the wheels B, B, which
support the platform or from a chain wheel on the cart axle so that the velocity of its
rotation and consequently the rate of discharge of the material may be proportionate
to the speed at which the cart or wagon is drawn over the ground and an equal
distribution of the material may be ensured. The arms sprockets or spikes e, upon
the distributing wheels are by preference slightly bent outwards in alternate order to
each side of the plane in which the wheel rotates so that a layer of material of
considerable thickness may be acted on; and the speed of rotation which may be
varied to suit the class of material operated on by the use of change wheels, cone

page_text: pulleys or the like in the driving gear is generally such that the straw or similar
matter in the manure which tends to become entangled with the arms or spikes will
be thrown off by centrifugal action. The rate of discharge may however be varied
independently of the velocity of the distributing wheel by varying the speed of
movement of the disc D, or other feeding apparatus which is also driven by gearing
such as the pitch chain I and bevel wheels J, J' on the shafts j, j¹, from the wheel
axle b, or from one of the driving shafts of the distributing apparatus.
When the apparatus is used apart from a cart or wagon a box or hopper to hold the
manure or other material is fitted at the forward end of the platform and horse trams
are provided.
In a modification shown in elevation and plan at figures 3 and 4 and adapted for
use in distributing artificial manure such as guano or bone dust or granular material,
a conical hood K, is fitted on or over the rotating feed disc D of the apparatus to
direct the material towards the outer edge of said disc and the fixed casing or sides
of the hopper C, containing the material is preferably of circular formation and
terminates at its lower end a few inches short of the disc D. Stationary guide blades
or inclined scrapers L are fitted at different points around the disc in the space
between it and the lower end of the hopper and these blades serve to direct outwards
over the edge of the disc a series of continuous streams of the manure or other
material. Suitable orifices or shoots in the platform may be provided for directing
the material into the drills when the apparatus is used for distributing material on to
ploughed land. The distributing wheel E, may in this case he dispensed with and the
disc D, is driven by bevel gearing G, G, direct from the wheel axle b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
1. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for distributing
farm yard manure and similar material substantially as described with reference to
figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings.
2. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for distributing
artificial manure or similar material substantially as described with reference to
figures 3 and 4 of the drawings annexed.
3. In apparatus for distributing manure the combination of a moving feed disc or
chain forming the bottom of a hopper and a distributing wheel rotated in proximity
to said disc and adapted to throw off the material delivered to it by the disc or chain
substantially as described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of March 1887.