Improvements in Weeding Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Weeding Machines.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Daniel Youngs Hallock, of Southold, County
of Suffolk, and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer), and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to that class of agricultural implements or machines
known as weeders.
'
Machines of this class have been in use for many years, and it has been demon-
strated that the teeth thereof are required to be small and round in section, and
long and flexible, so that when in use they will not dig deeply into the soil, nor
injure the young plants which are being cultivated. Further the lower parts of
the teeth are preferably substantially straight and arranged so that they incline
rearward somewhat, in order that they shall trail upon, rather than dig into, the
soil, as the implement is being used. No form of tooth which lacks these charac-.
teristics has been found to operate satisfactorily in a weeding machine. These
characteristics differentiate this class of machines from harrows and cultivators,
whose primary object is to break up and turn over the soil, and which when
employed to cultivate a growing crop, operate only between the rows. The teeth
of the weeder operate not only between the rows of plants, but also in the rows.
The frame of the weeder must be high enough above the ground to pass over.
the crop, and for that reason great difficulty has been experienced with the teeth
or weeding fingers, because if they are made small enough to work well as weeders,
they lack strength, and hence break or bend permanently; whereas if they are
made sufficiently strong to avoid these objections, they are too large and stiff
to operate well as weeders.
This invention consists in providing a novel form of tooth for weeding machines
which tooth possesses all the advantageous characteristics and requirements of
the weeder tooth or finger hereinbefore stated; and at the same time possesses
advantageous features not heretofore attained, and which will be hereinafter
pointed out.
It consists further in combining with a weeder tooth, especially such a one
constructed according to this invention, a re-inforcing member, whereby the
flexibility of the tooth may be varied, and adapted for use upon different kinds
of soil and under different circumstances.
The invention further consists of improvements in the frame of the machine
which will be hereinafter described.
The invention will be clearly understood by the following description with
reference to the accompanying drawings of which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a weeding machine constructed according to
this invention.
Figure 2 is a detail view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of one of the teeth or
fingers

page_text: Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2, shewing the re-inforcing piece to be
combined with the tooth.
In the drawings, A represents a weeder tooth or finger, as a whole. It consists
of two parts, the lower part a, of which, is small and round in cross section,
substantially straight and inclined to the rear, and is intended to operate upon
the soil and amongst the plants; and the upper part a¹, which is flat and thin,
to give flexibility, and at the same time the necessary strength. The tooth is
preferably formed from a piece of flat metal; one end of which is folded together
to form the round end portion a, while the other part is bent to give the proper
shape to the tooth. A tooth thus formed is found to work admirably as a weeder,
having the flexibility and elasticity required, and by reason of the shape of the
lower part, not tending to injure the plants when being worked; while it has
sufficient strength to support the frame of the machine, and is not liable to break
or become permanently bent while in use.
Another and important advantage which the improved form of tooth has, is
that it may be easily strengthened or re-inforced at will. This has not heretofore
been attainable where all round teeth were used; and is a desirable feature,
from the fact that the top of the soil often becomes so hard by reason of rains
and atmospheric conditions that the long, flexible, all round weeder .teeth hereto-
fore used, are not effective. Under such circumstances I combine with the tooth
a strengthening piece B which will make the tooth more rigid and cause it to
properly stand up to its work. This strengthening or re-inforcement of the tooth
is made possible by reason of its having a flat upper portion; and the re-inforcing
part or member consists of a thin plate or piece of metal adapted to lic close upon
the upper and rear side of the flat portion a of the tooth as represented in Figure 2.
This re-inforcing piece can be removed or applied quickly and witli but little
trouble.
The teeth are preferably connected to angle-iron frame pieces C. These frame
pieces are preferably so arranged that the horizontal webs c thereof are at the
top, and the vertical webs c join the horizontal webs at their front edges thus
causing the inner angles to be below and on the rear sides of the bars. Each
tooth has its upper end bent to approximately a right angle to the portion a²,
as represented at a² and this bent portion is arranged in the inner angle of the
bar C. to which the tooth is attached. Such attachment is made preferably by
means of a bolt 1 which passes through the part a³ of the tooth and the web c¹
of the bar.
7
The frame consists of a plurality-preferably three of the tooth carrying bars,
arranged in a substantially horizontal plane, and connected together by the, pre-
ferably, J-shaped horizontally arranged pieces E of flat metal. The curved ends, e¹,
of the connecting pieces are preferably towards the front of the machine, and each
connected at two places e, e, with the front bar C, so that the connecting pieces,
besides uniting the tooth bars, also serve to hold them rigidly the proper distance
apart, the curved portions e¹, serving as braces. They also serve as a convenient
means for attaching the draft devices, as indicated at F. G G indicate the thills
or shafts which are conneted with the frame by brackets H H, secured to the frame,
and each provided with upward extending arms h and h¹. One of these arms,
preferably the rear one, h, is united by a bolt with the thill or shaft near its
rear end, while the other arm is united with the thill or shaft by bolt ¹ which
passes through one of a series of holes 2 in the arm h¹. By changing the bolts ¿¹
from one of the set of holes 2, to another, the frame can be arranged so as to be
horizontal, whatever may be the height of the animal employed to draw the
machine.
The handles J are secured to the arms of the brackets H and are preferably
adjustable, as clearly indicated in Figure 1.
The teeth are preferably so arranged upon the frame that they are equal distances
apart, transversely of the machine.

page_text: It is apparent that that feature of the invention which consists in the reinforcing
piece for the tooth is applicable to other forms of agricultural implements, such
as harrows and cultivators,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A flexible tooth for a weeding machine having a substantially straight,
trailing lower end portion, substantially round in cross section, and small in size,
adapted to engage with the soil, and a flat spring yielding upper portion adapted
to be secured to the frame of the machine, substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described.
2. In a weeding machine the combination of the flexible teeth having trailing
lower ends, substantially round in cross section and small in size, arranged to
engage with the soil, and flat spring yielding upper portions by which the teeth
are secured to the frame of the machine, and re-inforcing members adapted to
bear upon the flat portions of the teeth, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
3. The combination with the frame of a weeding machine, of the teeth supported
thereby, each tooth being adapted to rest upon the ground and thereby support
the frame, and having a small round substantially straight and rearwardly inclined
lower portion a, and a flat spring yielding upper portion a¹, which is secured to
the frame, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of the frame, consisting of the supporting bars, and the
horizontally arranged J-shaped connecting pieces E, and the teeth carried by the
bars, substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. The combination of the frame, the thills or shafts, the brackets H, which
connect the frame and the thills having upward extending arms h h', and adjustable
connections between the bracket arms and thills, whereby the inclination of the
frame and thills relative to each other may be varied, substantially as herein-
before described.
6: The combination of the frame bars C, the teeth supported by the bars, each
formed with a small round lower portion a, and a flat upper portion a¹, the hori-
zontally arranged J-shaped connecting pieces E, uniting and bracing the frame
bars, the thills, the brackets H connecting the frame and the thills, and the
adjustable connections between the thills and the said brackets, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.