IMPROVEMENTS IN SEED DRILLS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Guillaume Félix Aroux, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier,
Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEED DRILLS."
Scaled the 22nd January 1858, and dated the 1st August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Guillaume Félix Aroux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st August 1857.
I, GUILLAUME FELIX AROUX, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the
Empire of France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEED
DRILLS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in applying a seed box or chamber with adjustable
slides fixed to the frame of the drill, the seeds falling upon a number of
grooved rollers, and as each groove is filled with seed they are carried by its
rotation into a shoot or hopper, in order to enter a conducting tube fitted to
the seed-distributor, consisting of a tube fixed to an adjustable share. The
drill is fitted with a guide roller for regulating the depth of the share in the
earth for forming the furrow in which the seeds are sown; the share then

page_text: covers them with earth. Each row of seeds thus sown is passed over by a roller
which forms a furrow in the earth, in which furrow liquid or other manure is
conveyed from a reservoir on the frame by a tube or other suitable means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Guillaume Félix Aroux in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUILLAUME
FELIX AROUX, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, and
of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Guillaume Felix Aroux, Her special license that I, the said Guillaume
Felix Aroux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Guillaume Felix Aroux, 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, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEED DRILLS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Guillaume Felix Aroux, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my or their or one of their hands'
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 Guillaume Felix Aroux, do hereby
declare 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 Drawing hereto annexed, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, in the application to ordinary seed drills
of as many hind wheels or rollers as there are discharge pipes for depo-

page_text: siting the seed, so that each wheel may correspond exactly with each drill
sown.
Secondly, in the construction of an improved seed drill which consists, first,
in employing two small moveable steering wheels; second, in a mode of
gearing; third, in the employment of three or more hollow coulters; fourth, in
the employment of a seat for the driver; fifth, in the employment of shafts for
drawing the drills; sixth, in means for raising the wheels when not in use;
seventh, in the peculiar form of the felloe of the bind wheels. Before pro-
ceeding to the description of the mechanical part of my system, I will detail
the mode of culture which I pursue, and which is necessary to the advanta-
geous employment of the improved drill, herein-after described. The main
objects of this mode of culture, in conjunction with the improved drill, are
the multiplication and dévelopement of the roots of the plants, the ramification
and strengthening of their stalks, and to protect autumn wheat from the
rigours of winter. The following are the processes by which I attain these
objects, and which apply to all kinds of seed, but more especially to those of
gramineous plants and autumn cereals. I prepare the land so as to render it
as light as possible to cause the roots of the plants to absorb from it the more
nourishment, as they penetrate it less freely. When arable land is operated
upon, I drain it by subsoiling or by vertical drainage by means of stakes with
iron ends before each sowing or planting, or by a horizontal and permanent
drainage when the soil is very marshy. I do not manure the soil immediately
before the sowing of cereals, but spread from fifty to sixty tons of the best
stable manure per each two and a half acres of a previously hoed crop, which
will be prevented from being laid, so that when the corn is to be sown this
manure is more equally distributed by the previous ploughing, and it will have
lost the activity of its vegetating power, so hurtful in autumn to gramineous
plants, because the manure uselessly exhausts the earth. If, notwithstanding
these precautions, the plants are still found to exhaust the soil on account of a
mild temperature being prolonged in the autumn, or in the event of a prema-
ture winter in cold land, it would be necessary in these two cases at the end
of winter to lay on during dull weather from about two to eight hundred-
weight of powdered manure, and harrow immediately with harrows turned
upside down and mounted with thorns. The above quantities of manure must
be applied according to the degree of exhaustion or cooling of the soil, taking
care to choose the kind of manure most suitable for the soil. I renew the seed
at the proper time and riddle it carefully, so as to assure of its being the best
quality.

page_text: I sow all kinds of grain in drills from ten, twelve, fourteen, or sixteen inches
apart, according to the nature of the land and its state of preparation, the
drills being heaped so as to disperse the seed on either side, and form for it a
solid bed. The autumn corn should be sown a fortnight earlier than usual
during dry weather, the seed distributed being about thirteen to nineteen
gallons per each two and a half acres, according to the distance between the
drills; the earth which covers the seed is then heaped closely.
The result of this treatment is to preserve the grain from the birds, whilst
its germination is hastened and the roots multiplied in proportion to the diffi-
culty with which the plants penetrate upwards. Independently of this the
germs are protected from the attacks of worms from above, and the conical or
trapezoidal drills, by retaining the snow, shelter the plants from the winter,
The edges of these drills or furrows being pulverised by alternate frost and
rain will afterwards mould up the corn in the most advantageous way. After
a long winter I harrow the land with iron or wooden harrows, according to its
nature. When the soil is light or sandy I employ reversed harrows mounted
with thorns. This operation completes the filling in of the furrows, and
effectually moulds up the plants. If necessary, I afterwards roll the land with
a roller whose weight is proportioned to the nature of the soil. In spring
again I hoe the land between the drills to remove the weeds and facilitate the
absorption of the dews. I commence the reaping operations for cereals before
their complete maturity, and shelter them immediately from the sun, rain, and
dew by stacking. The quality of the grain is thus improved, whilst the straw
preserves its nutritive properties. These processes followed out in conjunction
with the seed drill, herein-after described, not only gives an increase in
quantity and quality of crop but prevents it from laying. The land cultivated
as described gives also peculiar facilities for the employment of reaping
machines.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a front view of the
improved drill; Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8
are details of the drill. a, a, hind wheels or rollers fixed to the axle a¹.
b, scrapers for cleaning the rollers; the distance of the scrapers from the
rollers is regulated by the set screws 6. c, shaft to which the scrapers are
fixed. d, toothed wheel mounted on the axle a', and giving motion to the
pinion d¹ by the chain c. On the axle of the pinion dis mounted a second
pinion e of the same diameter as d'. This pinion e transmits the movement
to the pinion f, mounted on the axis of the seed distributor. The pinion

page_text: working freely on the axis f¹ is connected to the gearing pinion g. The rod h,
which sets this gearing pinion to work is provided at its extremity with a hook
which is placed in the staples i, i, according as it may be desired to put the
wheels in or out of gear. j, steering wheels of the machine. These wheels
can be raised or lowered at will, to give the required inclination to the coulters
y, by means of pins passed through holes made in the bars k. These wheels
turn freely at the joints ; m, lever for raising or lowering the hollow
coulters y; p, iron bar pierced with holes for the reception of a pin and serving
to fix the lever m when the coulters are placed at the required height.
Q, driver's seat; r, seed box; s, slides allowing the seed to pass from the boxr
into the space u, from which it is taken up and thrown by the cups B,
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, into the pipe t, whence it falls into the hollow
coulters y; u¹, screw for adjusting the slides s; v, slide for removing the grain
from the box r; a, tracers firmly fixed to the framing on each side, and at the
required distance from the drill. These tracers serve to mark out the exact
tract of the succeeding or return drill; y, hollow coulters, partly circular, and
formed with two jaws y, y', Figure 8, to produce in each drill two furrows
separated from each other by a ridge of earth. The seed falls equally on each
side of the ridge and is afterwards rolled or pressed by the rollers a; z, shafts
fixed to the drill by pins passing through the holes z¹, which allow the shafts
to be raised or lowered. These shafts can be held, if required, during their
vertical movement by a pin adapted to the support bar. A, Figures 3 and 4,
seed distributor, put in motion by the pinion f. B, Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6,
cups, the stems of which are divided into two parts forming springs, which
serve to fix the caps to the cylinder C, mounted on the axis D. The cylinder
c is formed with spaces in which the springs are placed when brought
together, and in two pieces united by screws; E, Figure 7, section of the tire
of the rollers a; F, Figure 8, front view of the hollow coulter for forming two
furrows.
The drill is drawn by means of two shafts fixed to the part X of the
framing, either by hinges or by an iron pin passing through the framing, and
holding at each end the two shafts, so as to permit that, on pressing to the
right or to the left, the drill may be turned round with facility. These shafts,
though moveable up and down, will not obstruct the movement of the horse
nor the working of the drill, which should always be kept in a square position
with reference to the coulters. Another pin serves to elevate above the ground
the small front wheels by placing it in a hole in the rack when the drill
is being taken into the fields. When there are three wheels they are

page_text: keyed to the same axle, but if there are more they are mounted on another
axle to facilitate their movement. They serve to form furrows of a conical
shape, so as to cause the earth to fall successively. If the horse is conducted
by hand the seed box and discharge pipes must be turned over and put further
back, so that the attendant may see the grain fall. The seat may also in this
case be replaced by a trough containing water, made to fall drop by drop for
the purpose of slightly washing the hind wheels or rollers, if the nature of the
soil requires it.
The small front steering wheels ; may be raised when the drill is on its
way from the farm to the fields by placing a small piece of wood on each side
of the back part of the shafts.
Having now described the Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine myself to the exact details
of construction herein described, reserving the right to modify the same; what
I claim is,-
First, the application to ordinary seed drills of as many hind wheels or
rollers as there are discharge pipes for depositing the seed, so that each wheel
or roller may correspond exactly with each drill sown, as herein-before
described and referred to in the Drawing.
Secondly, the employment of two small front steering wheels for placing the
coulters in a square position and cause them to work with regularity, and by
means of the perforated bar to allow of the front of the drill being raised or
lowered in order to give the necessary degree of inclination to the coulter, as
herein-before described and represented in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed
Drawing.
Thirdly, the mode of putting in gear the wheels for working the seed
distributors, as herein-before described, and referred to in Figures 1 and 2 of
the Drawing.
Fourthly, the construction and employment of the hollow coulters formed
with a double jaw, for sowing two rows or drills at the same time, as herein-
before described, and referred to in Figures 1 and 8 of the Drawing.
Fifthly, the employment of a conductor's seat, serving to contain weights
which may be adjusted at will, so as to press more or less on the hind wheels,
according to circumstances, as herein-before described, and referred to in
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing.
Sixthly, the construction and employment of tracers for forming furrows or
guides for the return of the drill, as herein-before described, and referred to in
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing.

page_text: Seventhly, the application to all kinds of drills of three or a larger number
of hind wheels or rollers and coulters, arranged as herein-before described,
and shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing.
Eighthly, the mode of fixing and arranging shafts to drills, as herein-before
described, and shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Guillaume Felix Aroux, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
FELIX AROUX. (L.S.)
Witness,
M. F. MENNONS.