Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Manures or Fertilizers, or other Pulverulent or Granular Materials, and Applicable for Sowing Grain or Seeds.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1891-Accepted, 25th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Manures or Fertilizers,
or other Pulverulent or Granular Materials, and Applicable for
Sowing Grain or Seeds.
I, JAMES MOKIDD, of Thurso Foundry, Thurso, in the County of Caithness,
Scotland, Ironfounder and Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation of
apparatus for distributing manures, or fertilizers or other pulverulent or granular
materials; my improved apparatus being also applicable for sowing grain or seeds
in some cases.
In carrying out my invention I provide a framing on wheels and with trams or
shafts for one or more horses; or the apparatus may be arranged to be moved along
or worked partly or wholly by hand. In one modification the framing has fixed to
it three conical hoppers placed vertically, and which may be adjustable at a greater
or less distance apart, but the machine may be made with more or fewer hoppers;
and the framing has also on it one or more boxes to contain additional materials to
replenish the hoppers. In each hopper there is a vertical shaft which is made to
rotate by means of bevil wheels from a transverse shaft above, the latter shaft being
driven by means of a sprocket wheel and a pitch chain from a sprocket wheel fixed
on the hub of one of the carrying wheels. A clutch is provided for putting the
upper transverse shaft into or out of gear. The vertical shaft in each hopper has
fast on its arms or blades for agitating or stirring the materials in the hopper; and
at the lower end the shaft has fast on it curved blades turning just above the bottom
of the hopper, and which carry the materials over a delivery hole made in the bottom
at one side of the centre. The quantity delivered is regulated by an adjustable
sliding door connected to a hand lever which whilst resting against an adjustable
screw stop can at any time be moved by the attendant for the purpose of clearing
the delivery hole if required. The vertical shaft is continued through the bottom
of each hopper and has on its end a small crank the rotation of which imparts a
vibrating motion to an inclined delivery shoot. The materials falling on this shoot
are by its vibration spread over a sufficient width of the drill or of the surface over
which the machine is being drawn.
In a modified arrangement of the machine suitable for distributing or sowing
materials broad cast, there are substituted for the vibrating delivery shoots,
horizontal disks placed directly below the delivery holes in the bottoms of the
hoppers; and these disks are made to rotate rapidly so to scatter the materials in
all directions as they fall upon them. The disks, which may have radial ribs on
them, are driven by bevil wheels from a transverse shaft carried below them,
and which is driven by means of a pinion on it gearing with a spurwheel on the hub
of one of the carrying wheels, a clutch being provided for putting the shaft into or
out of gear.
Dated this Thirteenth day of September 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing. Manures or Fertilizers,
or other Pulverulent or Granular Materials, and Applicable for
Sowing Grain or Seeds.
I, JAMES MCKIDD, of Thurso Foundry, Thurso, in the County of Caithness,
Scotland, Ironfounder and Implement Maker, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation of
apparatus for distributing manures or fertilizers, or other pulverulent or granular
materials, my improved apparatus being also applicable for sowing grain or seeds
in some cases.
I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
to, and showing by way of example, one modification of my improved apparatus as
arranged for distributing manures or fertilizers, Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, being a side
elevation, and Figure, 2, a vertical section whilst Figure, 3, is a horizontal section
of a detail, and Figure, 4, on sheet, 2, is a back elevation. In these drawings the
same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they
are repeated.
In carrying out my invention I provide a framing, 5, on wheels, 6, and with trams
or shafts, 7, for one or more horses; or the apparatus may be arranged to be moved
along or worked partly or wholly by hand. In the modification shown in the
drawing the framing, 5, carries three conical hoppers, 8, placed vertically and which
may be adjustable at a greater or less distance apart; the machine may however be
made with more or fewer hoppers. The hoppers, 8, are of cast iron and are made
with flanges by means of which they are fixed to lower and upper transverse
bars, 9, 10, of the framing. The framing has also on it one or more boxes, 11, to
contain additional materials to replenish the hoppers, 8.
In each hopper, 8, there is a vertical shaft, 12, which is made to rotate by bevil
wheels, 13, from a transverse shaft, 14, above, the latter shaft being driven by means
of a sprocket wheel, 15, and a pitch chain, 16, from a sprocket wheel, 17, fixed on
the hub of one of the carrying wheels, 6. A clutch, 18, movable by a hand lever, 19,
is provided for putting the upper transverse shaft, 14, into or out of gear. The
vertical shaft, 12, in each hopper, 8, has fast on it arms or blades, 20, for agitating
or stirring the materials in the hopper; and at the lower end the shaft has fast on
it curved blades, 21, (Figure, 3,) turning just above the bottom of the hopper, and
which move or scrape the materials over a delivery hole, 22, made in the bottom at
one side of the centre. The quantity delivered is regulated by an adjustable sliding
door, 23, connected by a rod, 24, to a lever, 25, on a transverse shaft, 26, having on
it a hand lever, 27. This hand lever, 27, which is pushed by a spring, 28, towards
a position for holding the door, 23, full open, rests against a pin placed to suit the
extent of opening required, in one of a number of holes in a plate, 29; the attendant
can however at any time work the hand lever for the purpose of clearing the delivery
holes, 22, if required, the lever returning to its place against the pin, on being
let go.
Below each hopper, 8, there is an inclined delivery shoot, 30, which is jointed at
its upper end to a pin, 31, fixed to one of the transverse frame bars, 9; and a
vibrating motion is applied to each shoot, 30, in order that the materials falling on
it may be spread over a sufficient width of the drill or of the surface over which the
machine is being drawn. Each shoot has ribs fixed on it to divide the materials
falling down it and to equalise their distribution. The vibrating motion may be
imparted to the shoots, 30, by cranks on bottom projecting ends of the vertical
hopper shafts, 12. I however prefer to employ for this purpose the mechanism
shown in the drawings, and which is arranged so that either of two speeds may be
used according to circumstances.

page_text: The three shoots, 30 are connected by rods, 32, and the middle shoot is connected
by a rod, 33, to the inner end of a lever, 34, the outer end of which is connected by
a universal joint to a rod, 35, having its other end similarly connected to a crank, 36
on an inclined shaft, 37. This shaft, 37, has on it two bevil pinions, 38, 39, gearing
respectively with bevil wheels, 40, 41, fixed on the hub of one of the carrying
wheels, 6. The bevil pinions, 38, 39, are loose on the inclined shaft, 37, but either
of them can be engaged with the shaft by a clutch, 42, which is moved by means of
a hand lever, 43. The shaft, 37, receives a greater number of revolutions when
driven by means of the outer pinion, 38, than when driven by the inner pinion, 39.
In a modified arrangement of the machine suitable for distributing or sowing
materials broadcast, there are substituted for the vibrating delivery shoots, 30,
horizontal disks placed directly below the delivery holes, 22, in the bottoms of the
hoppers, 8; and these disks are made to rotate rapidly so as to scatter the materials
in all directions as they fall upon them. The disks which may have radial ribs on
them, are to be driven from a transverse shaft carried below them, and which is
driven by means of a pinion on it gearing with a spur-wheel on the hnb of one of
the carrying wheels, 6, a clutch being provided for putting the shaft into or
out of gear.
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 combination of parts constituting as a whole my improved apparatus, for
distributing manures, or fertilizers or other pulverulent or granular materials
substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for distributing pulverulent or granular materials one or more
hoppers each with a vertical rotating shaft having on it stirring blades and at the
bottom, curved blades which latter move the materials over an adjustable discharge
hole, combined with an inclined vibrating delivery shoot or with a rotating disk
below the hopper substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twelfth day of June 1891.
ADETTA
זזזז
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.