AN IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT OR MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING GUANO AND OTHER MANURES UPON LAND
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Roscoe, of Croxteth Hall, West Derby, in
the County of Lancaster, Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT OR MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING GUANO AND OTHER
MANURES UPON LAND."
Sealed the 6th March 1860, and dated the 9th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Roscoe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th September 1859.
I, WILLIAM ROSCOE, of Croxteth Hall, West Derby, in the County of
Lancaster, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT OR MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING GUANO
AND OTHER MANURES UPON LAND," to be as follows:-
On a suitable frame supported by wheels and axle capable of being drawn
by horses or other power, is affixed a cylinder or chest, into which I place the
guano or other manure to be distributed. This cylinder or chest has a slit or
groove through which the manure falls regularly by a revolving agitator inside
the cylinder and a reciprocating one in the slit or groove; both motions are
communicated from the wheels or axle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Roscoe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROSCOE, of Croxteth Hall, West Derby, in the County of Lancaster, Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Roscoe, Her special license that I, the said William Roscoe,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Roscoe, my executors, administrators, and 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED AGRICUL
TURAL IMPLEMENT OR MACHINE FOR DISTRIBUTING GUANO AND OTHER MANURES
UPON LAND," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Roscoe, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Roscoe, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement (that is to say) :-
;-
My Invention consists of an implement or machine for distributing or
sowing guano, artificial and other manures, in a dry, plastic, or pulpy state
upon land. On a suitable frame, supported by wheels and axle, capable of
being drawn by horses or other power, is affixed a cylinder or chest, into which
I place the guano or other manure to be distributed; this cylinder or chest
has a slit or groove through which the manure falls regularly by a revolving
agitator inside the cylinder, and a reciprocating one in the slit or groove;
both motions are communicated from the wheels and axle. The objection to
the implements or machines hitherto used for this purpose has been, that they

page_text: get clogged, and cease to deliver an uniform quantity. By my arrangements,
combining two motions, and having a regulating apparatus with graduated
scale thereon, the required quantity can be distributed. A slight modification
of the reciprocating agitator or saw adapts it for delivering manures on the
tops of drills or in parallel rows. It can be put out of gear, and drawn from
one field to another.
The construction and arrangement of the parts of my said machine will be
more clearly understood, reference being had to the Drawings accompanying
this, and to the letters of reference thereon; in all the views the same letters
shew the same parts.
Fig. 1 represents a plan; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; Fig. 3, an end
elevation; Fig. 4, a front elevation; and Fig. 5, a transverse section. a, the
frame shewn suitable for horse power; b, the wheels, one of which may be
loose and the other fast on the axle c to facilitate turning; d, the cylinder,
chest, barrel, or box, of convenient shape, in which is placed the manure; e, a
series of spikes or blades fixed at a suitable angle on the periphery of the
axle c, and which act as disintegrating agitators when the machine is in
motion; f, the reciprocating agitator shewn with flat teeth on the top only, but
which may be made with teeth of any convenient shape on the top and sides,
on the top and one side only, or with alternately a series of teeth and plain
surface, the latter admitting of manures being sown in rows through the slit
or opening g; h, a cam keyed on the axle, and coupled to the agitator f, to
which it gives motion. To regulate the width of the slit or opening 9,
enabling a greater or lesser quantity to be distributed on a given surface, I
employ a valve or slide i to which are attached sectoral racks j, finely toothed
on the upper edge, and worked by the spur pinions k, shaft l, worm and worm
wheel m, and the shaft and hand wheel o. This wheel is provided with a
graduated index to shew the width to which the slit or opening 9 must be
regulated. When it is required to stop the action of the machine as in
passing from one field to another, it is only necessary to close the slide i, and
throw the gab end p of the reciprocating agitator or saw f out of gear by the
hand wheel and screw q.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the mode of operating the same, I would have it distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise forms shewn in the accompanying
Drawings, as such may be varied and further modified without departing from
the principle of the same; but what I claim as my Invention, and which, to
the best of my knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used within the
realm, is,-

page_text: Firstly, the revolving agitator e, reciprocating saw or agitator f, cam h,
slide or valve i, with regulating apparatus j, k, l, m, o, and the disengaging
gear q.
And, secondly, the combination and arrangement of the parts, as forming an
implement or machine for the purpose described and herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Roscoe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Before me,
JOHN T. KING, Patent Agent,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool.
WILLIAM ROSCOE. (L.s.)