IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRILLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Randall, of Fenny Stratford, in the
County of Bucks, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF DRILLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES."
Scaled the 1st August 1871, and dated the 2nd February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Randall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd February 1871.
I, WILLIAM RANDALL, of Fenny Stratford, in the County of Bucks,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRILLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My improvements in the construction of drills for agricultural purposes
are as follows :-
I make the frame in two parts, one working within the other. To the
outer frame I attach a vertical column forming part of the fore carriage,
in which a cross head spindle is inserted carrying the front travelling
wheels. To the top a long handle is attached, which can be set at any

page_text: 66
"
convenient angle for guiding and turning the machine instead of the two
long wood handles now used. Within the outer frame there is another
frame, from which the boxes are suspended singly or otherwise, as
desired. To the outer frame I fix a cross axle, by preference made in
one piece, and on which the main travelling wheels work, carrying an
eccentric on each side, and, acting on the sides of the inner frame when
required, whereby the same may be lifted with great facility, thus doing
away with manual labour, which has now to be applied to a long cross
bar. There is a handle at the rear end of the same frame carrying a
segmental plate with teeth gearing into corresponding teeth on the inner
frame, whereby the position of the coulters is adjusted.
'a
By constructing agricultural drills in the manner before described
I am able to make the machines almost wholly of iron. The machines
are self-lifting; they are capable of being guided while at work instead
of being carried round. The machines are always ready for use instead
of having to change the wheels; they can be made much larger, and less
labour is necessary to work them. The depth at which the seed is
deposited can be regulated at pleasure by means of the adjustment of the
coulters as above described, and being made of iron they are not so
liable to decay as machines of the ordinary construction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Randall in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RANDALL, of Fenny Stratford, in the County of Bucks, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Randall, Her special licence
that I, the said William Randall, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Randall, 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

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DRILLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Randall, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain thọ
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 Scal 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 Randall, do hereby declare
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
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to say :-
My improvements in the construction of drills for agricultural purposes
are as follows:-
"
I make the frame in two parts, one working within the other. To the
outer frame I attach a vertical column forming part of the fore carriage,
in which a cross head spindle is inserted carrying the front travelling
wheels. To the top a long handle is attached, which can be set at any
convenient angle for guiding and turning the machine instead of the two
long wood handles now used. Within the outer frame there is another
frame from which the "boxes are suspended singly or otherwise as
desired. To the outer frame I fix a cross axle, by preference made in
one piece, and on which the main travelling wheels work, carrying an
eccentric on each side and acting on the sides of the inner frame when
required, whereby the same may be lifted with great facility, thus doing
away with manual labour which has now to be applied to a long cross
bar. There is a handle at the rear end of the same frame carrying a
segmental plate with teeth gearing into corresponding teeth on the
inner frame, whereby the position of the coulters is adjusted.
By constructing agricultural drills in the manner before described I
am able to make the machines almost wholly of iron. The machines are
self-lifting, they are capable of being guided while at work instead of
being carried round; the machines are always ready for use instead of

page_text: having to change the wheels, they can be made much larger, and less
labour is necessary to work them, the depth at which the seed is
deposited can be regulated at pleasure by means of the adjustment of
the coulters as above described, and being made of iron they are not so
liable to decay as machines of the ordinary construction.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a part plan of an agricultural
drill constructed according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation,
and Fig. 3 an end view of the same.
The framing is made of iron and in two parts a and b, one working
within the other. To the outer frame b is attached a vertical column c
which forms part of the fore carriage, and through which an upright
pillar passes in one with the forc axle d or so connected with the latter
that the carriage can be steered by means of a lever e, by preference of
iron attached to the said upright pillar and passing off to the back of
the drill instead of the two wooden handles now gencrally used. The :
top of the pillar is here shown with a quadrant boss to which the lever e
is attached. The corn, seed, or manure box or boxes is or are suspended
from or otherwise attached to the inner frame a.. A corn box f is here.
shown with the usual levers or coulters. -To the outer frame the hind
axle g is attached, which is made in one or two parts, and on which the
hind or main travelling wheels work. h is a ratchet or clutch wheel
cast or fixed on each of the naves, and there is a pawl p or a corre-
sponding clutch wheel held in gear with the ratchet teeth by means of
a spring so long as the wheels travel the right way. The pawl or the
corresponding clutch wheel on one side is fixed on the axle, while that
on the other side is fixed on a spur wheel n which is loose on the axle g.
The gear of the machine is worked from the spur wheel » 'cither by
spur gear as shown or by other well-known gearing, for instance chain
gearing. The axle lias also on one side a clutch o' which works on a
feather on the axle, and which can be made 'to gear with corresponding
clutch teeth on one of the eccentrics or cams j, which on being turned
presses against and raises the inner frame' and 'thereby the coulters
attached thereto, thus doing away with manual labour as is now required.
The two eccentrics j, j, are in one with a sleeve or tube on the axle as
shewn. For the purpose of adjusting the position of the coulters the two
sides of the inner frame are formed with rack teeth or have a rack fixed
thereto, into which gears a tooth segment k on a spindle working in

page_text: or on the outer frame. One end of the spindle has a spring handle 1,
which can be made to fall into various notches in the quadrant m and so
be held therein. The coulters can be raised by the lever i instead of
the self-acting means before described with reference to the clutch and
eccentrics whenever there is not room for the drill to advance any further.
And having now particularly described this Invention and the mode
of carrying the same into effect, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in the construction of drills for agricultural purposes,-
Firstly. The general combination of parts as shown and described.
Secondly. Making the framing of two parts, one within the other,
substantially as shown and described.
Thirdly. The steering gear, substantially as shown and described.
Fourthly. The driving gear by means of ratchet gear or clutch gear
acting in a way similar to ratchet gear.
Fifthly. The lifting gear for the coulters by means of clutch and
eccentric or cam.
Sixthly. The arrangement for regulating the position of the coulters,
substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Randall, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.