IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DISTRIBUTING MANURE OR OTHER MATTERS"
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ruddiman and James Johnstone, both of the
County of Aberdeen, Agricultural Implement Makers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DISTRIBUTING MANURE OR OTHER
MATTERS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ruddiman and
James Jolinstone at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd
May 1878.
WILLIAM RUDDIMAN and JAMES JOHNSTONE, both of the County of Aberdeen,
Agricultural Implement Makers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DISTRI-
BUTING MANURE OR OTHER MATTERS."
This Invention consists in placing the machinery on the end of the cart, with its
gearing under the bottom, and in transmitting the motion to it from the wheels of
the cart; also in the arrangement and construction of a system of knives made to
shake and break the manure, and equally and regularly distribute and deposit it in
the drill below; further, in the lightness of the machine, the simplicity of its con-
struction, the facility by which it can be put in or out of gear, attached to, or
removed from the cart, or transferred at pleasure from one cart to another; and,
lastly, in its entailing no additional horse power on the cart.
The improvements can be performed by making a pitch pulley fastened on to the
inner end of the nave, over which runs a pitch chain communicating the motion to
another pitch pulley supported on a metal frame. This frame with its gearing is
firmly fixed to the end of the bar or shaft of the cart by bolts.
The gearing which is below the bottom of the cart, consists of a system of two
spur wheels, two pinions, and three shafts, in addition to the pitch pulley already
mentioned. One shaft carries the motion from the pulley to the wheels and
pinions, while another shaft receives it from the clutch pinion and drives a crank

page_text: which in its turn seizes hold of another crank with its hooked point, and so trans-
mits motion by means of the crank shaft to various knives.
When the cart is emptied, or when the machine is wanted to be stopped, there is
a contrivance consisting of a handle and a clutch for operating on the pinion next
to it, to put the machine in or out of gear. The knives are made of steel, the blades
being curved or hook-shaped. Three or more can be fitted in according to the
number of bends in the crank shaft, although three seem to answer the purpose
best. The ends of the knives are bushed on to the bends of the shaft, and at about
a third their length the knives are suspended by three swinging levers from the
suspending frame. They move with great rapidity up and down and backwards 1
and forwards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Ruddiman and James Johnstone in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th November 1878.
WILLIAM RUDDIMAN and JAMES JOHNSTONE, both of the County of Aberdeen, 1
Agricultural Implement Makers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DISTRI-
BUTING MANURE OR OTHER MATTERS."
This Invention consists in placing the improved manure distributing machinery
on the end of a cart, with specially constructed gearing under the bottom, and in
transmitting motion to said gearing from the wheel of the cart as it travels; also in
the arrangements and construction of a system of knives mounted on cranks, and
made to shake and break, and regulate the manure in conjunction with other
breakers, and equally and regularly distribute and deposit said manure in a drill
below; further, in the lightness of the machine, and the facility by which it can be
put in or out of gear, attached to, or removed from the cart, or transferred at i
pleasure from one cart to another; and, lastly, in its entailing no additional horse
power on the cart.
The improvements can be practically performed as illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, Fig. 1 being side elevation; Fig. 2, front view; Fig. 3, plan; and on an
enlarged scale, Figs. 4, 5, & 6, are details.
a is a pitch pulley fastened on to the inner end of a cart nave, over which runs a
pitch chain b communicating motion to another pitch pulley c, supported on a metal
frame d. This frame with its gearing is firmly fixed to the end of the lying bar or
shaft of the cart by bolts.
The gearing, which is also below the bottom of the cart, consists of a system of :
two spur wheels f, two pinions g, and three shafts 1, 2, 3, in addition to the pitch
pulleys already mentioned.
Shaft 1 carries the motion from the pulley o to the wheels and pinions, while
another shaft 3 receives it from the clutch pinion g, and drives a crank h, which in
its turn soizes hold of another crank i, with its hooked point, and so transmits
motion by means of the crank shaft ; to the knives k.

page_text: When the cart is emptied, or when the machine is wanted to be stopped, there is
a contrivance consisting of a handle 5, and a two-teethed clutch 12 for operating on
the pinion g next to it, to put the machine in or out of gear, as may be required.
7 is an iron bar bolted on to the hind cross bar of the cart, with one end projecting
behind the wheel, and on this end rests the machine, so as to deposit the broken
manure into the drill immediately below, that is, the drill in which the cart wheel
runs. L, L, is an upright projection of the iron bar l, and is secured at the end by
the stay m, which is bolted on to the top rail of the cart, n is a part of the front
framework of the machine supported by the stays 8, and rests on the hooks of the
bar 1, when the machine is at work, and is attached at the top to 7, 1, and m, by a
fastener 13.
The knives which form an important part of the Invention are made of steel,
the blades being curved or hook-shaped; three or more can be fitted in, according
to the number of bends in the crank shaft j, although threo answer the purpose.
The ends of the knives are bushed on to the bends of the shaft, and at about a
third of their length the knives are suspended by three swinging levers q from the
suspending frame r. They move with great rapidity up and down and backwards
and forwards. Their motion is an irregular reciprocating, rectilinear, and elliptic
motion, the middle knife performing the down stroke with great force, while the
other two are rising. In virtue of this peculiar motion they effectually smash, cut,
and tear the manure as it comes from the hopper. To assist them in breaking the
larger and harder lumps, a rod with two projecting hooks or spikes t, plays on the
manure at the further ond of the hopper. This rod is driven by a winch u from a
crank v on the end of the shaft to which the knives are attached, and its action is
such that when the two knives rise, the spikes move towards them to squeeze any
lump that may be between. In order to regulate the distribution of the manure,
the knife suspending fram is made to turn in two eyes in the parallel bars o by a
handle, with a catch acting on a semicircular toothed rack y. This contrivanco
enables the attendant to elevate or depress the knives at pleasure, according as the
manure is short or rank, or as the ground rises or falls. p is the bib or fore flap of
the hopper, and serves to keep the dropped manure from falling on the machinery
below, and to conduct it into the hopper, it is made of sheet iron. z is the hopper
into which the manure is thrown by an attendant, it is also made of sheet iron, and
is placed immediately above the knives, and is of course open at bottom and further
end. 6 and 7 are handles at front and end of machine for lifting it off or on to the
cart. 8 are sheet iron sides for keeping the manure on the knives, and for con-
ducting it when broken down into the drill below. 9 is a stay proceeding from
one of the bars o, from the side of the hopper, and hooks on to an eye or catch 14
on the gearing frame to steady the machine while at work.
We would remark that other mechanical means and devices may be used for
actuating the knives, also that in matters of detail we do not confine ourselves to
the precise mode and shapes shown, as they can be varied without departing from
the nature of our Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Ruddiman and James Johnstone,
have hereunto set our hands and seals this 18th day of November An
WILLIAM RUDDIMAN. (L.S.)
JAMES JOHNSTONE.
(LS)