Improvements in Implements for the Cultivation of Land.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Implements for the Cultivation of Land.
WILLIAM EDWARD MARTIN, Mechanical Engineer, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to cultivators and the like, for horse or mechanical power
having spring tines, and consists of certain improvements connected therewith, as
follows:-
First, to connect the tines in a suitable manner to springs, so that they will
vibrate in work, but not pull back too far, or rise out of the ground.
Secondly, to construct the tines so that the blades thereof will more readily enter
& lift the soil, & bring weeds and rubbish to the surface.
Thirdly, means whereby all the tines can be easily, quickly, and evenly adjusted
to the desired working depth.
The well-known types of these implements have tines which present the share at
too great an angle for effective work, or pull back and come on to, or near, the
surface.
T'his difficulty I have entirely overcome by my invention, which consists of tines
made of rectangular or other suitable section metal bent to an improved sickle
shape, and having either forged or renewable shares, the front end of these tines
pass through, and are free to move in slots in guide blocks secured to frame of
machine, and terminate in forks or other suitable device by which they are jointed
securely to U-shaped springs, the other ends of said springs being rigidly fixed to
guide blocks or frame so that when the machine is at work, these springs will keep
the tines in a continual state of vibration; and if they should encounter a very hard
piece of ground or obstruction, the springs can only be compressed to the guide
blocks, in which case the tines would then be practically solid and so keep to the
work.
In order that my invention may be better understood and further described, I
annex drawings hereto, in which like letters represent like parts.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of cultivator.
Fig. 2 part plan of same.
Fig. 3 end elevation, side elevation, and plan of tine, guide block, spring and
connections, which clearly shows the improvements in tines or the working parts
thereof.
Fig. 4 enlarged section of guide block. A are the tines (shown with reversible
steel shares), which pass through the guide blocks B and are free to move therein,
and terminate in forks D. The springs C are secured to guide blocks B by means

page_text: of nuts, washers, and screwed studs, the other end of these springs are formed into
loopes or eyes and are connected to the forks D with a bolt or pin so that they form
joints. It will be seen by these means that when the tines are in work they will be
kept in a continual state of vibration and should they meet with a hard piece of
land or other obstruction the springs C can only be compressed up to the forks D
touching guide blocks B when the machine will have practically non-yielding tines
until the obstruction is passed, they will then spring back to their normal
position.
Cranks N
The guide blocks B are secured in any required position on a bar E of round or
other suitable section, this bar passes through and is free to rotate in journals G
which are connected to and form part of frame F, a lever I is also secured to the
bar E and by its spring and pawl engaging in quadrant H on frame the tines can
be set in the required position or lifted clear of the ground for the better con-
venience of turning or clearing of rubbish. The travelling wheels L revolve on arms M,
which form parts of cranks N, at a suitable radius from centre of bar E.
can be rotated on bar E and secured in any required position thereon by means of
set screws or other suitable device so that the arms M may be above or below the
centre of bar E and by this means regulate the tines A to an equal working depth
whereas in other systems with a fixed wheel centre, and adjustment obtained by
a lever and quadrant the back row of tines must be either deeper or more shallow
in the work except at one fixed depth.
In order that my machine may be better under the control of one man and more
easy to work I have fitted a seat J which is connected to frame F by means of a
bow K but this is not an essential feature as the machine may be worked with or
without a seat.
I may substitute a pole or shaftes in place of swivel wheel O.
I prefer to bevel the front edge of tines to a certain height from top of shares so
that they will offer as little resistance as possible in work. I may also make the
tines of any suitable shape or section and may substitute coil or other springs in
place of the flat section ones described and illustrated to obtain the same results.
may alter the pattern of guide blocks B to suit any section of bars and secure same
to frame by other means than that illustrated.
I may also connect the springs, to the frame, or to the tines, and guide blocks, in
any suitable manner other than that described and illustrated.
I do not bind myself to always use the shape frame described and illustrated it
is only shown as a type to which my invention refers but I may make modifications
and use my tines, guide blocks, springs, and connections, on one, two, or more bars
of any suitable section or adapt my invention to any pattern cultivator, scarafier,
drag harrow, or the like.
Dated this Twenty sixth day of November 1898.
Improvements in Implements for the Cultivation of Land.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD MARTIN, Mechanical Engineer, of Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon,
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 relates mainly to land cultivating implements for horse or
mechanical power having tines capable of movement and controlled by springs and
consists of certain improvements connected therewith, as follows:-

page_text: n work but not pull back too far or rise out of the ground.
Secondly I construct the tines so that the blades thereof will more readily enter
and lift the soil and bring weeds and rubbish to the surface.
:
Thirdly I provide means whereby all the tines can be readily, quickly and
evenly adjusted to the desired working depth.
The well known types of these implements have tines which present the share at
too great an angle for effective work or pull back and come on to or near the
surface.
This difficulty I have entirely overcome by my invention which consists of tines
made of metal of rectangular or other suitable section bent to an improved sickle
shape and having either forged or renewable shares; the front or upper ends of
these tines pass through and are free to move in slots in guide blocks carried by the
machine and terminate in forks or other suitable device by which they are jointed
securely to one end of U shaped springs, the other ends of said springs being rigidly
fixed to the guide blocks or to the frame so that when the machine is at work these
springs will keep the tines in a continual state of vibration and if they should
encounter a very hard piece of ground or obstruction the springs can only be com-
pressed to the guide blocks, in which case the tines would then be practically solid
and so keep to the work.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will proeeed aided by the accompanying drawings fully to describe the same.
Figures 1 and 2 are two opposite side elevations of one form of my improved
cultivator,
Fig 1 merely shows an elevation of half the machine and
Fig 2 shows an elevation of the other half of the machine to the central line.
These figures have been shown in this way for the sake of clearness.
Fig 3 is a rear elevation of the same.
:
Fig 4 is a sectional side elevation and
:
Fig 5 is a front view showing one of the tines, with its guide block and spring
connection,
Fig 6 is a longitudinal section through the guide block shown at Figures 4
and 5.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are corresponding views to Figures 4, 5 and 6 showing a slight
modification in the construction of the guide block.
Fig: 10 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of my improved cultivator
in which three sets of tines are arranged to work in different cross planes.
Fig 11 is a sectional elevation showing one of the tines, with its guide block and
spring connection.
Fig 12 is a longitudinal section of the guiding block showing the tine in position
therein and
Fig 13 is a longitudinal section through a guide block showing a tine in position
therein fitted with a different form of spring.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
I will first describe the form of machine shown at Figures 1 to 6. « are the tines,
which in the various views are shown fitted with reversible steel shares a¹, the
upper ends of these tines pass through guide blocks b and are free to move therein
and they terminate in forks a²; care U shaped springs which at one end are
secured rigidly to the guide blocks b in any convenient manner, the following
arrangement being shown in the drawings. Lugs 61 are formed on opposite sides of
each block b, bolts d are passed through these lugs and through a plate e; this
plate e has a pin el fitting a hole in one end of the U shaped spring c and the latter
is bolted securely to the guide block b and both it and the guide block are secured
to the cross barf by nuts d' screwed on to the bolts d. The other ends of these U
shaped springs care connected to the forked ends a² of the tines a by means of a
bolt a³ so as to form a joint. Each of the blocks b is formed with a slotted opening b²

page_text: in its lower part within which the tine shank is located and the latter is retained
within said slot by means of cross bolts b³.
The slot in the block b is preferably made deeper at the front than the depth of the
tine as shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Thus when the tines a are
in work they will be kept in a continual state of vibration and should they meet
with a hard piece of land or other obstruction the springs c can only be compressed
until the forks a² come into contact with the guide blocks 6 when the tines will act
as non yielding tines until the obstruction is passed, they will then spring back to
their normal position. It will be understood that the tines act independently of
each other so that some might act as unyielding tines whilst others are free to
yield.
Passing through holes 6+ in the guide blocks b is a shaft g on the ends of which
are fixed cranks g¹ provided with pins g' on which the ground or supporting wheels g³
are mounted.
This shaft g is mounted in journals formed in brackets fixed to and forming
part of the frame h. A lever i is also secured to the shaft g; this lever is fitted
with a spring pawl i¹ operated by a hand lever and said pawl is capable of being
engaged with any of the notches of the quadrant fi which latter is fixed rigidly tu
the bar. By these means the angle of the cranks g' and consequently the height
of the rear part of frame h can be varied, and by the alteration of the angle of the
cranks, together with the adjustment of the tilting lever j hereinafter described, the
tines can thereby-enabling-all-the-tines-to be regulated to an equal working depth
at any depth required in practice, whereas in other systems of cultivator with a fixed
wheel centre and adjustment obtained by a lever and quadrant the back row of tines
must be either deeper or more shallow in the work than the more forward row or
rows except at one fixed depth.
A lever provided with a spring pawl operated by a hand lever 72 is fixed on
one end of a shaft and said lever is capable of being moved so that its spring
pawl may engage with any of the notches in the quadrant a fixed to the
frame h.
This lever j has a short arm j* which by a link is connected to a bracket f
fixed to the bar f. On the opposite end of the shaft js is fixed an arm j** corre-
sponding with the arm j* and said arm j** is connected by a second link to a
second bracket fixed to the bar f. By these means the tines can be set in the
required position for work or lifted clear of the ground for the better convenience
of turning, travelling ou roads or clearing of rubbish.
If desired the machine may be provided with a seat supported in any convenient
manner on the frame thereby enabling the machine to be better under the control
of one man, I have not however shown a seat in the drawings in order to avoid
confusion, but such can be readily fitted by any competent mechanic.
The front of the frame h is shown provided with a swivel wheel h³ but this may
be dispensed with and a pole or shafts may be attached to the frame h.
The machine above described has two rows of tines a the carrying blocks 6 of
which are all secured to the same bar f whilst the distance between the front and
back rows is obtained by giving the back row a greater length of tine shank than
the front row.
In the modified form of block 6 shown at Figures 7, 8, 9 the bottom of the opening
for the tine shank in the guide block is closed by a closing plate 6* held in position
by a bolt b**.
I will now describe the modifications shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12. In this
form of my improved machine I employ three rows of tines a all of which
have their shanks of the same length, but each row of tines a and springs c
is attached to a separate angle-iron bar fo and the ends of these bars f*
are fixed to a pair of frames or brackets 2* mounted on the shaft g. A lever j,
spring pawl hand lever arms j*, **, links and quadrant h² are
employed to enable the frames or brackets fa* to be moved around the shaft g and
fixed to place the tines in position for work or to raise them free of the ground

page_text: and the depth of the tines in the ground may be regulated as fully described
with reference to the arrangement shown at Figures 1 to 6. In the arrangement
shown at Fig: 10, the blocks b are constructed as shown at Figures 11 and 12, that
is to say they have a recess bs to fit on to the bar f* and the springs c are secured
to the bar by bolts and nuts & d' and a plate e as herein before described. The
blocks b shown in Figures 10, 11, 12 may have their tine shank openings closed by
bolts 68 68 as shown, or by a closing plate 6* as shown in Figures 7, 8, 9.
tines may be bevelled to a certain height from the top of the shares so that they
will offer as little resistance as possible in work. I may also make the tines of any
suitable shape or section and as represented at Fig: 13, I may, in lieu of the flat
Ushaped springs c, substitute coiled springs c* placed around the tine shanks
between collars c³ thereon and the front of the blocks b.
The
I construct the tines a of such shape that the working points of the shares a¹
shall be perpendicularly below the centre a from which the curve of the tine or
working part thereof is struck or thereabouts whereby I obtain a cutting action in
contradistinction to the dragging action produced when the shares or points of the
tines are not continued so far forward.
The pattern of the guide blocks b may be altered from those herein shown and
described and they may be secured to the frame by other means than those
illustrated.
I do not confine myself to the particular shape of the springs herein shown and
described and I may conuent the springs to the frame or to the tines and guide
blocks in any suitable manner other than those herein described and illustrated.
I do not limit myself to the use of the shapes of frame herein described and
illustrated such being only shown as a type to which my invention refers but I may
make modifications and adapt my invention to other pattern cultivator, scarifier,
drag harrow or the like.
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. In a cultivator the combination of non-yielding tines, guide blocks having slots
therein fitting the shanks of the tines and springs acting upon the tines in a hori-
zontal direction.
2. In a cultivator the combination of tines and guide blocks having slots therein
deeper at their front ends than at their rear ends where they fit the tine shanks, sub-
stantially as herein shown and described.
3. In a cultivator the combination of tines having the points of their shares per-
pendicularly below the centre from which the curve of the working part of the tine
is struck or thereabouts, guide blocks having slots therein deeper at their front ends
than at their rear ends where they fit the tine shanks and springs acting in a hori
zontal direction on the tine shanks, substantially as herein described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a cultivator, the combination of tines having the points of their shares per-
pendicularly below the centre from which the curve of the working part of the tire
is struck or thereabouts, guide blocks in which the tine shanks are capable of hori-
zontal and slightly angular motion, springs acting in a horizontal direction on the
tines, means for adjusting the working depth of the tines and keeping them at all
depths in a horizontal plane, and means for tilting the tines entirely out of the
ground when required, substantially as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. In a cultivator, the combination of tines, guide blocks having slots deeper at
their front end than at their rear end in which such tines are mounted, springs
acting upon said tines, a bar or bars carrying such guide blocks and springs, a shaft
carried by the machine frame and from which such bar or bars are supported, cranks
fixed on the ends of the said shaft, pins on said cranks on which the carrying wheels

page_text: are mounted, a hand lever fixed on said shaft to enable the angle of the cranks, and
consequently the working depth of the tines, to be adjusted, and a notched quadrant
to receive the spring pawl and thereby retain the parts in any required position, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
6. In a cultivator, the combination of tines acted upon by springs and capable of
short horizontal motion, a bar or frame carrying such tines, a shaft carried by the
machine frame from which such bar or frame is suspended, and means for enabling
the tine bar or frame to be tilted around said shaft to enable the tines to be raised
entirely out of the ground or lowered into working position, substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In-a-cultivator-the-combination-of--tines-having-the-points-perpendicularly
below-the-eentre-from-which-the-eurre-of-the-working-part-of-the-time-is--struck--or
thereabouts-a-bar-or-bars-carrying-such-tines,-a-shaft--eurved-by-the-machine-frame
and-from-which-such-bar-or-bars-is-or-are-supported, eranks-fixed-on-the-ends-of-the
said-shaft,-pins-on-said-eranks-on-which-the-eurrying--wheels-are--mounted,-a-hand
lever-fixed-on-said-shaft-to-enable- the--angle-of-the-eranks--and--consequently--the
working-depth-of-the-tines, to-be-adjusted-at-all-depths-in-a-horizontal-plane,-and-a
notched-quadrant--to--receive-the-spring-pawl-and-thereby-retain
required-position,-substantially-as-herein-set-forth.
the-parts-in-any
7 S. In a cultivator, the combination of tines having the points of their shares per-
pendicularly below the centre from which the curve of the working part of the tine
is struck or thereabouts, a bar or frame carrying such tines, a shaft carried by the
machine frame and from which such bar or frame is supported, and means for enabling
the tine bar or frame to be tilted around said shaft to enable the tines to be raised
entirely out of the ground or lowered into working position, and means for enabling
the angle of the cranks by which the said shaft is supported on the carrying wheels to
be varied, substantially as herein shown and described.
1050
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents: :-