IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE SETTING OF POTATOES & CERTAIN SEEDS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1886.
Specification Accepted, 15th Mar., 1887.
20333
Certain Seeds.
EDMUND BUCKLE 15 Hodge Lane Prestwich near Manchester, Commercial
Traveller do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THE SETTING OF POTATOES & CERTAIN SEEDS, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
That it is a modification in application of my invention specified in English completo
patent specification No. 10421 A.D. 1886 for improvements in machinery for the
setting of potatoes and certain seeds; so I use here under an oscillatory tray
(preferably one long straight one for one machine) short tubes fixed to tray, or
cylindrical holes pierced through a beam or piece moving as one with the tray of
suitable material as wood: each short tube or hole being of suitable capacity for dealing
with one full deposit charge of potato or seeds to be planted. The tubes or holes are in
diameter and length about equal. These holes or tubes correspond in their functions to
the part of the tubes referred to in English complete patent specification No. 10421
A.D. 1886, between the two valves or discs working with each tube. There are orifices
in the tray corresponding to the short tubes or holes, being as one with them. Under
the said holes or tubes I can use a slab of suitable material pierced with holes corre-
sponding with the said holes or tubes identified with the tray, such slab being capable
of adjustment up and down but not being connected so as to partake of the oscillatory
motion of the tray, i.e. it does not move with the tray. These holes and the slab they
are in can fullfil the purpose of the lower valves or discs mentioned in aforesaid
specification. Very short telescopic tubes may be used with tubes or holes that are
just under the tray to vary the length of those tubes or holes. The function of the
upper valves (on elastic supports) mentioned in aforesaid specification, may be
performed by discs (on suitable elastic horizontal or vertical supports) working in slits
near the top of the tubes or holes just under the tray. The upper side of the beam
mentioned may be made the lower portion of the tray, and an upright piece of suitable
material affixed to one of the upper side edges of the beam, and an inclined piece of

page_text: suitable material affixed to the other upper side edge; or the whole tray and holes below
it moving with it may be formed out of one piece of suitable material (by preference for
this purpose of wood). The hoppers and valve action concerned may be by this
arrangement herein described brought much nearer to the ground during the action of
depositing potatoes or seeds. As a typical construction of this kind herein treated of
in this specification but of course liable to any suitable modification and so defined as
not to need a drawing to illustrate it, I mention a piece of hard wood to be taken
suitable for a four drill planting-potato machine, length 90 inches, width 3 inches,
depth 2 inches, this being bored through, commencing at 6 inches from each end,
with vertical holes, 2 inches diameter and 26 inches apart reckoning to and from
centres of holes, also as part of the tray an upright strip of hard wood projecting up
2 inches above the top plane surface of the beam but rigidly fastened to the beam at
an edge of its upper surface and an inclined piece of hard wood board about 4 inches
broad rigidly fixed to the other edge of its upper surface. Slits can be sawn out
of the beam horizontally about inch thick near to the upper surface, in the neigh-
bourhood and just through each said vertical hole, allowing four discs or slide valves
in the slits on elastic supports to be stationary while the tray, beam, and holes oscillate
to a certain moderate distance (say 7 inches) rather less than the difference between
the length of the slits longitudinally and the length or dimension of the discs or valves
in the same direction, the slits being about 9 inches long and 7 inches on same sides
of holes. Both the upright strip and inclined board would be the same length as the
beam. The upper surface of beam makes lower part of tray. Such a construction,
with the upper disc valves, and lower slab pierced with holes, could be placed at the
bottom of an hopper or hoppers, and it being oscillated straight to and fro it could
take the place of the duplicate trays and tubes (two such of each in four drill machine)
mentioned in aforesaid specification numbered 10421, A.D. 1886. If the short tubes
were used, the upper valve slits could be made in them to about half way through, just
underneath the tray of suitable material.
Referring to drawings Fig. I-A represents the board pierced with holes C for
lodgment of potatoes or seeds, such board's upper surface answering as bottom
portion of oscillating tray; and B represents the slab pierced with holes D. In
Figs. III & IV-A & B & C & D represent same parts as in Figs. I & II. In Fig. II.
C represents the hole bored in board in cross section, and T represents a telescopic tube
to lengthen the hole for longer potatoes. In Fig. V. S. represents a short tube fixed
to tray corresponding to part of oscillating tube of completo specification No. 10421
A.D. 1886 between and just above the valves therein mentioned; and T is a telescopic
tube for same purpose as mentioned above; and V and V₁ represent valves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be realised I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The wooden construction and pierced slab herein described and short tubes
herein mentioned, and all mechanical equivalents to them in carrying out the principle
or principles of my invention described in English complete patent specification
number 10421, A.D. 1886, except such mechanical equivalents as are already claimed
in complote specification so numbered 10421.