Improvements in or Connected with Machines for Sowing Seed.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Connected with Machines for Sowing Seed.
I, JOHN GREEN, a Citizen of the United States of America, at present residing
at No. 6, Hammerton Street, Leeds Road, Bradford, England, Watchmaker &
Jeweller, 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:.
My invention relates to improvements in or connected with machines for sowing
seed; and has reference to those machines in which a revolving cylinder having
depressions in its periphery is employed at the bottom of an hopper, from which
the said depressions receive in rotation a certain quantity of the seeds contained
in the hopper; and discharges them on the land.
The objects of my improvements are to provide more simpler means of regu-
lating and distributing the seeds, at any desired distance, without destroying
or in any way injuring the seed. I attain these objects by the mechanism
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Figure (1) is a plan of the entire machine.
Figure (2) is a front elevation.
Figure (3) is a side elevation.
Figure (4) is a part of side elevation in section showing recesses & adjustable
sliding regulating plate by means of which the regulation and the distribution
of the seed is accomplished.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
According to my invention I employ a carriage in which the wheels are
fastened to the axle so that when the wheels rotate the axle rotates with them.
On or about the said axle I mount one or more drills in suitable number to
sow the seed each drill consisting of a cylinder having one or more sets of recesses
in its surface.
Around the cylinder an hopper is provided from the back of which the recesses
in the cylinder takes the seed.
The base of the hopper is connected to the upper part of a spout and as the
cylinder revolves in the hopper the seeds fall into the recesses and are carried
over and dropped intermittantly onto the land.
The distance between the seed is controled and regulated by a close fitting
sliding regulating plate which may be set so as to cut off one or more sets of
recesses from access to the seed in the hopper.
A share is attatched to the carriage in front of the spout of the hopper in such
a manner that a furrow is cut into the ground for the seed to fall into and behind
the spout two shares are attatched for the purpose of closing in the furrow after
the seed is received.
To cover in and securely plant the seed a suitable roller is placed behind
the shares.
Any number of drills may be constructed on one machine and the adjustable
sliding regulating plates so connected that they may be actuated through the
medium of one or more levers.
The recesses in the cylinder may be made of different dimensions to suit the

page_text: size of the seed to be sown and the distance between them made to correspond
to the size of the wheels allowing the seed to be sown in a regular manner and
at suitable distance apart.
The upper part of the framework (a) and the draught poles (6) are connected
to the upright portion of the framework (c) at the back by hinges (d) (see Sketch 3)
and to front by means of a sliding joint (e) in conjunction with a spiral spring (f)
(see Sketch 3).
The above may be said to constitute the whole of the framework and is carried
by the wheels (g) and the ridge rollers (h) (see Sketches 2 & 3).
The framework is fastened to the axle of the wheels by two strong semi-circular
straps on the underside of the draught poles.
The wheels and the seed cylinder are fastened to the axle in the following
'manner, the former by lock nuts (i) and the latter by keys (1) (see Sketch 4).
The seed cylinder (k) and the sliding regulating plate (m) fit close up to the
back of the hopper (n) so close that the smallest seed cannot work through into
the spout of the hopper only through its proper medium the recesses in the
cylinder the peculiar arrangement of which will be noticed. These recesses are
placed on lines parallel with one another but they themselves are not parallel
with, nor opposite each other...
The first set marked as (No. 1) (see Sketch No. 2) are placed at equal distances
apart and represents the maximum distance at which the seed is to be sown.
The second set marked as (No. 2) is of the same pitch as No. 1 set but is so
placed that they fall half way between any two consecutive recesses on line (1).
The third set is half the pitch of (Nos. 1 & 2) sets and the recesses are placed
so that they fall halfway between the recesses on lines 1 & 2.
When the machine is not in use the regulating plate (m) covers the whole of
the recesses when it is desired to sow the seed the regulating plate (m) is drawn
backwards or forwards as the case may be by the regulating lever (o) so that
the recesses can have access to the seed in the hopper (n) the distance between
the seeds sown being dependant upon the number of sets of recesses exposed
to the seed in the hopper.
If
For example if No. 1 set is exposed the maximum distance will be sown.
numbers 1 & 2 then one half the maximum distance will be sown. If numbers
1, 2, & 3 then of the maximum distance will be sown. It will be seen that by
placing more sets of recesses on the cylinder (k) and arranging them in a similar
manner a much less distance can be sown.
The hopper (n) is divided into two portions by means of a vertical plate (1)
fastened onto the regulating plate (m) (sec Sketch No. 2).
The back of the hopper rests on the back part of the framework is supported
by the axle in the centre and prevented from tilting over by the inclined bar (r)
(see Sketch No. 3).
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I claim is:-'
(1) The peculiar mathematical arrangement of seed recesses as set forth in
annexed specification.
(2) The close fitting sliding regulation plate as set forth and described annexed
specification.
(3) The combination of the above, two named factors the recesses and the
regulating plate for the purpose of sowing and distributing the seed, the manner
of which is fully described in annexed specification. -
Dated this 13th day of July: 1800