Improvements in Seed-drills.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
ק עגענגVUI
Improvements in Seed-drills.
I, WILHELM MEINSHAUSEN, of Lüderitz, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German
Empire, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to a drill-plough for making furrows and sowing the grain
into the same, and the object of my improvements is to reduce the traction-power
required for operating the usual machines, and to secure an exact working of the
plough.
The drill-ploughs in use heretofore were all provided with shares rigidly con-
nected to the machine; these shares acted as brakes and made an exact working
impossible when the soil was of unequal hardness.
My invention consists therefore in the use of special circular sharpened discs
which cut the furrows into the soil, instead of throwing the earth up, as was the
case hitherto.
I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings, on which :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the drill-plough, part of it being in section, in order
to show the seed-distributors e.
Fig. 2 is an upper view of the same.
Fig. 3 shows a portion of Fig. 1 of an enlarged scale.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of the plough, on the line - of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional plan through the line y-y of Fig. 1, showing one
of the cutting-discs a.
Similar letters denote similar parts throughout the several views.
The machine is supported on two pairs of wheels and w¹. From the axle t of
the former motion is transmitted by means of the toothed wheels g g' to the axle t¹
carrying the discs e from which the grain distributed through rectangular
openings. This part of the machine is not novel, however, and I do describe the
same only for sake of completeness. From the frame of the machine depend two
strong vertical bars d rigidly fixed to the same, the lower ends whereof are con-
nected by a horizontal cross-bar c. To this cross-bar c are fixed the ends of a series
of strong spiral springs b', the other ends whereof are secured to fork-shaped arms
or levers b. The free ends of these levers are suspended from the frame ƒ by means
of chains h, in order that they may be raised and lowered in the usual way by
turning the handle i. In the forks of the levers b there are secured several funnels
or chutes j, the upper half of which consists of two telescoping parts, in order that
may be expanded or contracted freely as required, when the levers b are lowered
or raised. The chutes j are of course provided exactly below the grain-
distributors e.
it
.
In the levers b there are also provided the bearings for the pivots of the cutting
discs a (Fig. 5). These discs are located somewhat in front of the chutes j, and the
edges of the same are sharpened, so that they may easily divide the soil. It is
also advisable to secure brushes or scrapers to the levers 6 in order to keep the
cutting-discs a clean. Each disc rotates separately.
The operation of the machine is very easy and simple. The springs 6' depress
the levers 6 and thereby force the cutting-discs a into the soil; the depth of the
furrows is adjustable by turning the handle i. If the cutting-discs a meet with
some obstacle, it is driven into the soil by the pressure of the springs b', or if this
is not possible on account of the hardness of the soil, or the size of the obstacle,
the cutting-discs a and the chutes ; are raised above the latter, and thus the parts

page_text: of the machine are effectively protected from injury. The drills produced by the
improved plough, in consequence of the elastic connection of the cutting-discs a-
which replace the shares of the usual drill-ploughs-ae of a very superior
regularity, and the growth of the seed is improved in proportion. When the above
mentioned scrapers are made use of, it is without influence on the working of the
machine, in what condition the soil is, whether it is dry or vet, as in the latter case
the earth adhering to the cutting-discs is constantly removed. The peculiar
shape of the cutting-discs a considerably reduces the power of traction necessary
for working the drill-plough, and this is not the least of the advantages of the
invention.
-
If desired small shares may be placed behind the chutes ; in order to cover the
furrows with earth again, but this does not form part of my invention.
The cutting-discs a may also be displaced by other means than those herein before
described, for instance weights may be substituted for the spiral springs 6¹, or a
device may be provided for directly raising and lowering the levers b.
These means and devices are however of no importance and my invention only
consists in the revolving cutting-discs a and in the means for pressing them down
into the soil; the same may easily be adapted to and provided on any of the drill-
ploughs now in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a drill-plough, the cutting-discs a, having sharpened edges, each of said discs
being separately pivotted to levers held down by means of springs b', and each
cutting a separate furrow into the soil substantially and for the purpose as
described.
Dated this 1st day of February 1892.
WILHELM, MEINSHAUSEN.
By Geo. Thos. Hyde,
4, Moorfields, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.