IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Spooner, of Eling House,
near Southampton, in the County of Hants, Manufacturer of
Chymical Manures, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLS
Sealed the 28th December 1858, and dated the 30th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles
Spooner at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 30th June 1858.
T, WILLIAM CHARLES SPOONER, of Ealing House, near Southampton,
in the County of Hants, Manufacturer of Chymnical Manures, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLS
FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to the distribution of liquid into the soil
in drills or rows at the period of sowing by means of the gravity of the
liquid, and through pipes, and to the combination therewith of a seed box
and manure drill, so that sced, manure, and water may enter the soil in
close proximity to each other. The complete machine consists of a
seed box from which seeds are taken up by means of cups in the
ordinary way, and delivered. into pipes which pass into the soil; a

page_text: manure box divided into as many divisions as there are of coulters.
the manure being discharged from the lower part of each compart-
ment by fluted rollers or other suitable means. The manure is
thus delivered into pipes which previous to their terminating in
the soil receive not only the seed from the seed pipes, but also the
water or other liquid from the water chamber and the water vessel,
which is divided into compartments corresponding to the number of
conlters in the drill, which compartments may or may not be formed
so as to communicate with each other. From these compartments the
water passes into pipes of gutta percha or other suitable material,
the supply being regulated or shut off by cocks or valves, all of which
may be turned by the drillman at once. These pipes terminate in the
manure pipes, so that the seed, manure, and water pass into the soil in
close proximity to each other. By this Invention no power is employed
in raising or discharging the liquid, and the expense and the labor
attending the use of buckets and chains for that purpose is altogether
avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Charles Spooner in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 30th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I.
WILLIAM CHARLES SPOONER, of Eling Ilouse, near Southampton, in the
County of Hants, Manufacturer of Chymical Manures, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in seventeenth
year of er reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Charles Spooner, Her special license
that. I, the said William Charles Spooner, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Charles Spooner, my
executors, administrators, or 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRILLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Charles Spooner, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 William Charles Spooner, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the distribution of liquid into the soil
in drills or rows at the period of sowing by means of the gravity of the
liquid, and through pipes or cans, and to the combination therewith of
a seed box and manure drill, so that sced, manure, and water may
enter the soil in close proximity to each other. The complete machine
consists of a seed box, from which seeds are taken up by means of
cups in the ordinary way, and delivered into pipes or cans which pass
into the soil; a manure box divided into as many divisions as there are
coulters, the manure being discharged from the lower part of each com-
partment by fluted rollers or other suitable means. The manure is thus
delivered into pipes or cans, which previous to their terminating in the
soil receive not only the seed from the seed pipes, but also the water or
other liquid from the water chaniber or tank, which is divided into com-
partments corresponding to the number of coulters in the drill, which
compartments may or may not be formed so as to communicate with
each other. From these compartments the water passes through a series
of cocks into the delivering cans, which cocks may all be turned by the
drillman at once. By this arrangement the seed, manure, and water
pass into the soil in close proximity to cach other; and no power being
employed in raising or discharging the liquid, the expense and labor

page_text: attending the usor of buckets and chains for that purpose is altogether
avoided.
Figure 1, on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, represents a
longitudinal vertical section of my improved combined. water, manure,
and seed drill; fitted with four "coulters; and Figure 2, is a correspónd-
ing plan of the same; with the cover of the water tank removed to shew
the different compartments into which it is divided. A, is the water
tank, composed partly of wood and partly of iron; it is supported on
the stud centres B, which rest in suitable forked bearings C. bolted to
the shafts D, of the drill. E. E, are à series of valves which are fitted
inside the tank, serving to shut off the communications between the
several compartments,, such communication being opened, however,
during the filling of the tank, in order that ench of the compartments
may be filled simultaneously. The whole of the valves are opened by
the transverse rod E', which is formed with a handle E", at the outsidė
of the cart. A blade spring is fitted to each valve to keep it shut when
the whole of the compartments are full. A series of cocks F, F, are
fitted to the bottom of the tank, cach cock opening into a set of
ordinary pipes or cans G, which receive also the manure from the
manure box E, and the seeds from the seed box 1, such seeds being
conducted therefrom by the inclined conduciors J, J, which open at
their lower extremities into the pipes or cans G. A perforated plate G
prevents the entrance of dirt into the cocks, which might otherwise
become clogged up. The cocks F, F, are opened or shut by means of
the small spur pinions K, K. fitted to a transversa shaft L. These
pinions gear with similar pinions attached to the plugs of the cocks:
The whole of the cocks may be opened or shut by sliding the rod M, in
communication with the lever N, which is attached to the shaft L; and
serves to open or shut the cocks, the movement being transmitted by a
pair of bevel-pinions O, to the spindle P, which is fitted with an index
to show the state of the cocks to the drillman in attendance, or the
cocks may be opened or shut by the lever Q, also attached to the end
of the shaft L, and connected to the rod R, formed with a handle S,
for the facility of working the lever. The body of the drill is adjusted
or turned on-its centres B, by the handle T, and rack and pinion, Uin

page_text: the ordinary manner. The arrangement herein-before described is
obviously applicable to drills with any number of coulters, and the
water tank may be used either in conjunction with a sced drill alone, or
with a manure distributor, or simply as a water cart.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and there-
fore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of water drill as
herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of the separate water tank in com-
bination with a seed drill or manure distributor for the purpose herein-
before described.
Third, the system or mode of regulating the cocks of the water tank
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Spooner, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WC SPOONER
W. C. SPOONER. (..)