IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CORN AND SEED DRILLS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Kell, of Ross, in the County of Hereford,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CORN AND
SEED DRILLS."
Sealed the 21st December 1874, and dated the 26th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Kell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th June 1874.
I, SAMUEL KELL, of Ross, in the County of Hereford, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF CORN AND SEED DRILLS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improved combinations and arrange-
ments of parts and mechanism in the construction of corn and seed
drills, whereby the advantageous operation and adjustment of the same.
are facilitated in a great degree as compared with the methods of con-
struction previously adopted.

page_text: One principal part of this Invention consists in the construction and
arrangement of a lever joint (the levers themselves being formed of
steel), by means of which the coulters can be set closer to or further
from the travelling wheels, as may be desired, whilst the seed pipes are
retained in a sloping position, but in a right or straight line from top
to bottom. The lever joint is held by means of a screw pin in the
centre thereof, a flat surface being provided with flanges or lips to press
against the lever bars. The top and bottom flanges or lips are con-
structed of a wider form at each side of the joint than at the middle
thereof in order to allow the lever to turn and thus admit of the
adjustment of the coulter. The lever bars to which the levers are
attached are arranged to rise and fall so as to give the coulters more or
less "draft" or capability of entering the ground, and thus requiring
less weight to be brought to bear upon the coulters.
Another part of the improvements embraced by this Invention
consists in the arrangements for driving the delivery barrel of the
machine. One dead and one sliding centre wheel are respectively fixed
on a plate. The dead centre wheel cogs or gears into the first motion,
driving, or nave wheel of the machine, whilst the sliding centre wheel
moves in a circle round the dead centre wheel, and thus is capable of a
being shifted nearer to or farther from the neck of the delivery barrel
(which passes through the gudgeon or bearing on which the plate
swings), and thus admits of larger or smaller wheels being placed on-
the barrel. The lifting end of the before-mentioned plate is attached by
means of a link piece to a crank or eccentric, which raises the dead a
centre wheel out of the first motion wheel, such operation being
accomplished at the same time, and in the one action of lifting the levers
to raise the coulters out of the ground. The barrel to which the lever
chains are secured is so arranged that it turns up beyond the centre
thereof to a stop, which is fixed in a suitable position to receive the
same, so that the weight of the levers comes upon the barrel and holds
it up without the necessity of fixing a hook or other means of retention
when turning at the ends.
-
A second or carrying chain is so attached to the barrel as to be tight
when the levers are lowered into a working position, thus effectually a
preventing any of the coulters entering too deeply into soft places in
the ground under treatment. The last-mentioned chain can be adjusted

page_text: so as to allow of the corresponding adjustment of the coulters, as may
be desired.
The neck or driving end of the barrel is separate from the other part
thereof, and is attached thereto by means of a joint or screw, thus
requiring but one neck for different barrels. In consequence of this
arrangement it is not necessary to cut any slots or openings in the box
heads as the barrel can be taken out in the length of the box.
Semi-spherical troughs are attached to the drill boxes for the purpose
of receiving the corn or sced when the same are emptied, and con-
veniently conveying it into a bag or other receptacle.
It is preferred to make the press irons (the nature of which is well
understood) in jointed lengths and provided with steelyards on which
weights are placed, the preservation of an uniform depth of operation of
the machine being thereby facilitated.
It is preferred to attach a swivel wheel to the front of the drills in
order to take the weight off the back of the horse or other animal by
which the machine is drawn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Kell in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
KELL, of Ross, in the County of Hereford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Kell, Her special licence
that I, the said Samuel Kell, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Kell, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CORN AND SEED DRILLS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Kell, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain 5
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Kell, do hereby declare 1
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the annexed Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in certain improved combinations and 1
arrangements of parts and mechanism in the construction of corn and
seed drills, whereby the advantageous operation and adjustment of the
same are facilitated in a great degree as compared with the methods of
construction previously adopted.
One principal part of my said Invention consists in the construction 2
and arrangement of a lever joint (the levers themselves being formed of
steel), by means of which the coulters can be set closer to or further
from the travelling wheels, as may be desired, whilst the seed pipes are
retained in a sloping position, but in a right or straight line from top
to bottom. The lever joint is held by means of a screw pin in the 2
centre thereof, a flat surface being provided with flanges or lips to press
against the lever bars. The top and bottom flanges or lips are con-
structed of a wider form at each side of the joint than at the middle
thereof in order to allow the lever to turn, and thus admit of the
adjustment of the coulter. The lever bars to which the levers are 3
attached are arranged to rise and fall so as to give the coulters more or
less "draft" or capability of entering the ground, and thus requiring
less weight to be brought to bear upon the coulters.
Another part of the improvements embraced by my said Invention
consists in the arrangements for driving the delivery barrel of the 3
machine. One dead and one sliding centre wheel are respectively fixed
on a plate. The dead centre wheel cogs or gears into the first motion,

page_text: driving, or nave wheel of the machine, whilst the sliding centre wheel
moves in a circle round the dead centre wheel, and thus is capable of
being shifted nearer to or farther from the neck of the delivery barrel
(which passes through the gudgeon or bearing on which the plate
swings), and thus admits of larger or smaller wheels being placed on the
barrel. The lifting end of the before-mentioned plate is attached by
means of a link piece to a crank or eccentric which raises the dead
centre wheel out of the first motion wheel, such operation being
accomplished at the same time and in the one action of lifting the levers
to raise the coulters out of the ground. The barrel to which the lover
chains are secured is so arranged that it turns up beyond the centre
thereof to a stop, which is fixed in a suitable position to receive the
same, so that the weight of the levers comes upon the barrel and holds
up without the necessity of fixing a hook or other means of retention
when turning at the ends.
it
A second or carrying chain is so attached to the barrel as to be tight
when the levers are lowered into a working position, thus effectually
preventing any of the coulters entering too deeply into soft places in the
ground under treatment. The last-mentioned chain can be adjusted so
as to allow of a corresponding adjustment of the coulters, as may be
desired.
The neck or driving end of the barrel is separate from the other part
thereof, and is attached thereto by means of a joint or screw, thus
requiring but one neck for different barrels. In consequence of this
arrangement it is not necessary to cut any slots or openings in the box
heads as the barrel can be taken out in the length of the box.
Semi-spherical troughs are attached to the drill boxes for the purpose
of receiving the corn or seed when the same are emptied and conve-
niently conveying it into a bag or other receptacle.
It is preferred to provide the press irons (the nature of which is well
understood) with steelyards on which weights are placed, the pre-
servation of an uniform depth of operation of the machine being thereby
facilitated.
It is also preferred to attach a service wheel to the front of the drills
in order to take the weight off the back of the horse or other animal by
which the machine is drawn.
;

page_text: I will now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood.
Figures 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, represent the details of the before-
described apparatus.
In Figure 2 A is the joint to which the lever is attached by a pin
through the hole; e, b, are the lever bars to which the joint clips; c is
the clip; and d is a screw pin and nut which hold the joint fast to the
lever bars.
Figure 3 shews the flanges or lips on the joint which clip the lever
bars, and are so made as to allow of turning the coulter further from or
nearer to the travelling wheels.
Figure 4 is the joint as seen from above, and Figure 5 shews the back
part of the joint.
Figure 6 is the semi-cylindrical trough which is attached to the drill
boxes for the purpose of receiving the corn, as before mentioned.
Figure 7 is a back view of the coulter, Figure 8 is a side view, and
Figure 9 a plan of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several
Figures, save that in Figures 1 and 1° large letters of reference are
employed.
a is the sill of the drill frame; b is the first motion, driving, or navo
wheel attached to the stock of the travelling wheel; c is the dead centre
wheel; e is the sliding centre wheel; fis the cog wheel working on the
neck of the delivery barrel; g is the round gudgeon or bearing fixed on
the head of the drill box, through which the neck of the delivery barrel
works; h is the main chair upon which the gudgeon or bearing 9 rests;
i is the plate on which the wheels cand e are fixed, and which swings on*
the gudgeon g. The link picce which joins the plate i to the crank or
eccentric is shewn at j. k is the crank or eccentric fixed on the centre,
upon which the lever barrel swings; is a chair which is fixed to the
end of the sill a, and which receives the centre upon which the lever
barrel swings, the upper part of the chair forming the lock or stop for
the lever barrel when lifted up; m shews the end of the lever barrel and
its connection with the centre upon which it swings; 1 represents the
position into which the lever barrel is usually raised to bring the
coulters out of the ground, in which position it requires a hook or catch

page_text: :
to keep it up; o shews the position into which the lever barrel is raised
by means of the arrangement before mentioned, and in which position .it
is self-holding or locked.
The second or carrying chain which is fixed to the barrel, both when
the levers are lifted out of work and when down in their work, is shewn
at p;k shews the neck of the delivery barrel which is attached to the
tubular barrel at the point S.
Having thus fully declared and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and there-
fore claim as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent are,—
First. The combination and arrangement of the dead centre and
sliding centre wheels, and also the plate on which the dead centre and
sliding centre wheels are fixed, together with the link piece by which
the said plate is connected with the crank or eccentric, substantially as
and for the purposes herein-before described and set forth, or any mere
modifications thereof.
Secondly. The arrangement of mechanism by means of which the
lever barrel is raised so as to be self-holding or locked, substantially as
and for the purposes herein-before mentioned and set forth.
And, Thirdly. The combination and use of parts and mechanism con-
stituting the lever joint, lever bars formed of steel, clip, and the
necessary parts connected therewith, and also the employment of weights
on steelyards, the separate barrel neck, the second or carrying [chain,
front service wheel, and semi-spherical trough, substantially as and for
the purposes herein-before set forth and described, or any mere modi-
fications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Kell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the
Land One thousand night bundnad and