Improvements in Apparatus or Machinery Applicable for Distributing Fertilizers.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus or Machinery Applicable for
Distributing Fertilizers.
A communication from abroad by GEORGE W. KIRKPATRICK, of Macedon, New York,
United States of America, Inventor.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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 to that class of feeders or distributers in which a hopper
bottom provided with a central delivery-opening is combined with an overlying rotary
plate, having a peripheral lip, which acts to draw the material inward beneath the
plate and deliver it in a downward direction through the opening. These feeders as
heretofore constructed are open to the objection that they require to be driven at a high
rate of speed in order to deliver the requisite quantity of material, and that the delivery
is sometimes irregular.
It is the object of this invention to overcome these objections, and at the same time
to lessen the cost of construction.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the improved feeder.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same on the line a. x.
Figure 3 is a bottom plan view.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the feeder proper in an inverted position.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the driving-wheel.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the bracket by which the wheel is supported in
position.
c
Referring to the drawings, A represents a metallic plate designed to serve as a
portion of the bottom of a hopper containing the material to be distributed. The
plate is preferably made, as shown, of rectangular form, with a flat margin and a
Umin 8/1

page_text: central circular depression a, sloping downwarth from all directions toward a central
delivery-throat b. This throat is surrounded by a depending neck or flange
with
an inwardly-projecting lip d, at the top, and an upwardly-projecting flange, a', which
may be formed in part by the said lip d.
B represents a wheel provided on its under face with marginal driving-teeth e, and
formed at its middle with a central opening, and with an arched or elevated bar f,
which spans the opening and terminates at the top in a vertical neck coincident
with the axis of the wheel. This neck is provided with laterally-projecting studs h,
or equivalent devices, for securing thereto the distributing device hereinafter described.
The wheel is formed with a hubi, adapted to revolve closely within the neck c of the
plate A, as shown in Figure 2, and is retained in connection, with the plate by means
of an underlying arm or bracket C, of the form shown in Figure 6. This bracket is
provided with a central opening to receive the hub on the under side of the wheel,
and is turned over at its ends, and secured by bolts k or equivalent fastenings to the
under side of the plate A. This arrangement holds the wheel securely in place
beneath the plate, but permits it to rotate freely, at the same time affording a free
unobstructed passage through the centre of the plate and wheel for the dis-
charge of the material. When the wheel is in position, its bar or post projects
upward through the plate A in position to receive the plate D, forming the distributer
proper. This plate is made concave on its under side, rising from its edges toward
its middle, where it is supported and carried on the upper end of the post in order
to revolve therewith within the recess a of the plate A. The plate D is further
supported by the flange a¹, which forms a bearing on which the said plate revolves.
In the plan view the plate is on an elongated or oval form. It is constructed on
opposite sides with two lips or flanges 1, which extend from the outer ends inward
eccentrically to the edge of the central throat or delivery opening. The edge of the
plate is cut away vertically between the inner end of one lip and the outer end of
the other lip in such manner as to leave at each end of the plate an opening m,
through which the material may pass thereunder within the lips into the opening,
A delivery plate having a single inlet-opening and a single lip resembling somewhat
those herein shown is now known in the art, but the essence of the present invention
in this regard consists in constructing the plate with two or more Hanges and inlet
openings at different points in its circumference, so that the material may pass there-
under at two or more points simultaneously, in order to secure greater certainty and
uniformity of action, as will hereinafter more fully appear.
The plate D is provided with shouldered notches adapted to interlock with the studs h
of the post f, whereby the plato is held down in place and compelled to revolve with
the post.
In order to insure the delivery of the material inward to the distributer-plate D,
it is preferable to attach to said plate a cross-arm, E, secured thereto and terminating
at its outer ends in two curved fingers or wipers o, adapted to travel closely over
the upper
face of the plato A, and deliver the material to the central recess a, and the
plate D therein.
For the purpose of imparting a continuous rotary motion to the wheel, the plate D,
and the wiper E, the pinion F is provided, mounted on a shaft G, and arranged to
engage the wheel B, as shown. The teeth of this wheel are arranged in vertical lines
oblique to the axis of the shaft after the fashion of what is commonly known as
skew-gear" and the teeth of the wheel B correspondingly formed. This adınits of
the shaft and pinion being set, as shown, to one side of the delivery-opening, out of the
path of the descending material. The shaft is supported in an arm p cast on the
under side of the plate A.
The plates may be supported and the shaft driven in any ordinary or suitable
manner. In practice, a number of plates are arranged side by side with their edges
in contact, so as to form jointly the bottom of a hopper or feed-box, and the one shaft
will be extended lengthwise of the machine to drive the device in series. In order to
form a close joint at the junction of the plates A, each plate is provided at the end
with a laterally-projecting lip q, intended to underlie the edge of the adjacent plate.

page_text: The operation of this device is as follows:
The continuous rotary motion being imparted to the shaft G, its pinion F revolves
the wheel B, which in turn imparts a rotary motion to the distributer D and wiper E.
The ends of the wiper, acting beneath the mass of material, draw the same inward,
causing it to feed by gravity into the depression a. As the distributer D revolves,
its lips l act to deliver the material inward to the central opening b, through which
it is delivered in a downward direction. The material passes beneath the plate D
from opposite sides. At the same time the two inflowing streams impinge against
each other at the centre in such manner as to insure a delivery at the middle and
prevent the material from clogging or choking within the orifice. When two flanges
and inlet-openings are employed, it is found that a continuous delivery of the material
is secured under all circumstances, and that the delivery is rendered practically
uniform.
One of the chief advantages of the present construction lies in the fact that the
inachine may be used on a hillside or on rolling ground without affecting the rate of
speed. It also avoids the necessity which exists in various other machines, of specially
adjusting the distributer when the machine is used on the hillside.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In combination with a bed-plate or bottom A, having a central delivery-opening, a
horizontally rotating distributer-plate overlying the same and provided with two
eccentric lips, adapted to deliver the material thereunder through the central opening
from opposite sides.
2. The plate having the central depression and delivery-opening, in combination with
the rotary plate D, overlying said opening, and provided with the two flanges 1, and
the wiper E, having its two ends extended beyond the path of plate D to deliver the
material inward in advance of the respective lips.
3. The rotary feed-plate D, adapted to deliver the material beneath itself, in com-
bination with plate A, having the central opening and the elevated flange around the
same to sustain the feed-plate.
4. The plate A, with a central discharge-opening, in combination with an overlying
rotary plate, D, the underlying wheel with the central opening, and the arched post
to carry the plate D, and the bracket C to sustain the wheel.
5. The horizontal wheel having a tubular hub, forming a delivery-opening for the
material, in combination with a rotary feed-plate adapted to deliver the material
laterally into the upper end of said opening in opposing streams, whereby the
tendency of the material to lodge within the opening is prevented.
6. The plate A, provided with the delivery-opening, in combination with the feed-
plate or distributer D, the underlying toothed wheel having a central opening, and
the driving-pinion meshing directly with the wheel, the said pinion and its shaft being
arranged out of line with the opening, whereby an unobstructed delivery of the
material is permitted.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.