Improvements in Seed Drills.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Seed Drills.
I, VICTOR BEDORET, Engineer, of Havay, Belgium, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a construction of seed-drill, which differs from all
similar implements by having only a single wheel acting as a seed-distributor while
rolling at the bottom of the furrow, while other similar implements are provided
with two wheels and a separate seed-distributor. The result of this improvement
is, that the implement is much lighter and therefore cheaper, and that the seed-
grains are deposited accurately at the proper spots without being interfered with
by clods or other inequalities of the soil.
On the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view, Figure 2 a longitudinal
section, and Figure 3 a cross-section through the axle of the wheel which, as has
been stated above, acts also as seed-distributor.
The implement may be attached to any sort of vehicle by means of its shaft A
which is fixed to the casing B. This casing, as will be seen on referring to
Figure 3, is composed longitudinally of two symmetrical shells; it covers only
about one-third of the wheel C, and may be provided with side openings as will
be seen on referring to Figure 1, in order to lighten the implement of useless metal.
But the peripheral parts b, which form the contact surfaces of the two halves of
the casing, reach down to the bottom so that these parts cover the whole front
half of the wheel.
A plough-share D which can be raised or lowered according to circumstances
is attached to the front of the casing B; this plough-share opens the furrow in
which the wheel C advances. On the top of the casing B is a hopper E which
contains the seeds.
The wheel C is made longitudinally of two discs one of which is formed with
a recess c in its central part. The wheel which is thus obtained and which is
solid in the part nearest to the circumference is drilled in several places so as to
have radially disposed channels widened out at the circumference so as to form
cells f. In each channel is introduced a pin F the piston-like head of which is
located in the recess f and which is provided at its inner end with two studs f¹.
The number of the channels and pins F depends upon the distance at which the
ittle heaps of seed-grains are to be deposited.
In the central recess c of the wheel there is an eccentric ring G, which fits
between the studs f¹ of all the pins F. At the back of the casing B are fitted
scraper H and a rake I which latter is intended to cover up with earth the seeds
after they have been deposited.
Having thus described the most essential parts of the new seed-drill, I will
explain how these different parts act together:
As the wheel C rolls at the bottom of the furrow opened by the plough-share D,
he cells f, one after the other, come under the seed-hopper E: at that instant
he corresponding pin F is drawn inwards through the action of the eccentric G

page_text: and a space is thus created in the recess f into which falls a certain number of
seed-grains.
These grains are now confined in the cell on account of the edge 6 of the casing
forming a cover, until the cell has arrived near the bottom of the furrow, when
the seeds fall out.
While the empty cell now moves upwards through the rotation of the wheel,
the eccentric G drives the corresponding pin F to the outer rim of the wheel, this
pin thus clearing out of the cell any earth which may have entered it, and being
itself freed from such matter by the scraper H gliding over its head. The pin F
now goes back in order to leave the necessary space for refilling the cell.
Dated this 13th day of August 1897.
I, VICTOR BEDORET, Engineer, of Havay, Belgium, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a construction of seed-drill, which differs from all
similar implements by having only a single wheel acting as a seed-distributor
while rolling at the bottom of the furrow, while other similar implements are
provided with two wheels and a separate seed-distributor.
The result of this improvement is, that the implement is much lighter and
therefore cheaper, and that the seed-grains are deposited accurately at the proper
spots without being interfered with by clods or other inequalities of the soil.
On the drawing accompanying my Provisional Specification, Fig. 1 is a side view,
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a cross section through the axle of
the wheel which, as has been stated above, acts also as seed-distributor.
The implement may be attached to any sort of vehicle by means of its shaft A
which is fixed to the casing B. This casing, as will be seen on referring to Fig. 3,
18 composed longitudinally of two symmetrical shells; it covers only about one
third of the wheel C, and may be provided with side openings as will be seen on
referring to Fig. 1, in order to lighten the implement of useless metal.
the peripheral parts b, which form the contact surfaces of the two halves of the
casing, reach down to the bottom so that these parts cover the whole front half
of the wheel.
But
A plough-share D which can be raised or lowered according to circumstances
is attached to the front of the casing B; this plough-share opens the furrow in
which the wheel C advances. On the top of the casing B is a hopper E which con-
tains the seeds.
.
The wheel C is made longitudinally of two discs one of which is formed with
a recess c in its central part. The wheel which is thus obtained and which is
solid in the part nearest to the circumference is drilled in several places so as
to have radially disposed channels widened out at the circumference so as to form
cells f.
In each channel is introduced a pin F the piston-like head of which is located
in the recess f and which is provided at its inner end with two studs f¹. The
number of the channels and pins F depends upon the distance at which the little
heaps of seed-grains are to be deposited.

page_text: In the central recess c of the wheel there is an eccentric ring G, which fits
between the studs f of all the pins F. At the back of the casing B are fitted a
scraper H and a rake I which latter is intended to cover up with earth the seeds
after they have been deposited.
Having thus described the most essential parts of the new ridge-drill, I will
explain how these different parts act together:
-
As the wheel C rolls at the bottom of the furrow opened by the plough-share D), the
cells f, one after the other, come under the seed hopper E; at that instant the
corresponding pin F is drawn inwards through the action of the eccentric G, and
a space is thus created in the recess f into which falls a certain number of seed-
grains.
These grains are now confined in the cell on account of the edge 6 of the casing
forming a cover, until the cell has arrived near the bottom of the furrow, when,
the seeds fall out.
While the empty cell now moves upwards through the rotation of the wheel,
the eccentric G drives the corresponding pin F to the outer rim of the wheel, this
pin thus clearing out of the cell any earth which may have entered it, and being
itself freed from such matter by the scraper H giding over its head. The pin F
now goes back in order to leave the necessary space for refilling the cell.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
In ridge-drills the combination of a plough-share D, a scraper H and a hop-
per E, with a single wheel C, provided in its rim with cells f, pins F placed
radially in the thickness of the wheel, and an eccentric G near the centre of the
wheel, arranged and operating as and for the purpose herein described.
Dated this 1st day of March 1898