IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF DROP DRILLS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Easton, of Taunton, in the County of
Somerset, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION OF DROP DRILLS."-A communication from abroad by
John Dunnell Garrett, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, in the Kingdom
of Prussia.
Sealed the 20th July 1869, and dated the 12th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Easton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th April 1869.
I, JOHN EASTON, of Taunton, in the County of Somerset, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DROP DRILLS," to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to improvements in drills whereby the supply
of seed to the furrows formed by the coulters will be uniform notwith-
standing the undulations of the ground, the seed being dropped at
spots at equal distances apart. The drop levers which carry the coulters
are mounted on the axle of the carrying wheels and they are prolonged

page_text: inwards to receive balance weights which are adjustable thereon to
regulate the pressure of the coulters on the ground. Mounted hori-
zontally in a circular chamber formed in the coulters is a cup barrel
which fits therein and serves to close a vertical tubular opening
connected with the circular chamber. Into this tubular opening fits
the conical tube that leads the seed down to the cup barrel. For the
purpose of driving the cup barrels and thus bringing their cups in
a uniform manner in relation to the traverse of the implement under
the seed delivering tubes to receive seed therefrom there is mounted
on each barrel axle a pulley round which an endless band or chain
passes from a pulley placed opposite thereto and keyed on the axle of
the carrying wheels; as therefore the implement is drawn over the
ground the coulters will rise and fall with the inequalities of the soil,
and the cups will be alternately filled with seed and caused to discharge
it into the furrows made by the coulters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Easton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th October 1869,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EASTON, of Taunton, in the County of Somerset, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Easton, Her special licence
that I, the said John Easton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Easton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DROP DRILLS," being a communication to me from
John Dunnell Garrett, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, in the Kingdom of

page_text: Prussia, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Easton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 John Easton, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
This Invention relates to improvements in drills whereby the supply
of seed to the furrows formed by the coulters will be uniform notwith-
standing the undulations of the ground, the seed being dropped at spots
at equal distances apart.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in partial sectional
elevation so much of a drop drill as will serve to explain the nature
of the improvements; and Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of one of the
levers which carry the coulters. The number of these drop levers
set abreast of each other will depend upon the width of drill required.
One of these is shewn at A, A, as mounted on the axle B of the
carrying wheels. It is by preference made in three parts, the middle
part being an oval casting forming a double bearing for the lever, and
terminating in two sockets (at opposite ends thereof) to receive the
prolongations A1, A2, which are held in place by keys. The prolongation
inwards or forwards marked A is intended to receive a balance weight
C which is adjustable thereon to regulate the pressure of the coulters
on the ground carried by the prolongation A'. When the weights
are adjusted to their required position they are made fast to their
The coulters D are
respective levers by means of clamping screws c.
Mounted
connected to their respective drop levers in the usual manner.
horizontally in a circular chamber formed in the coulters is a cup barrel
E, which fits therein and serves to close a vertical tubular opening d
connected with the circular chamber. Into the upper end of this
tubular opening fits the conical tube F which leads the seed down from
the drill box (not shewn in the Drawing) to the cup barrel E.
For

page_text: the purpose of driving the cup barrels and thus bringing their cups
in a uniform manner in relation to the traverse of the implement under
the seed delivery tubes F to receive seed therefrom there is mounted
on each barrel axle a pulley fround which an endless band or chain g
passes from a pulley G placed opposite thereto, and made fast to the
axle B of the carrying wheels. The pulleys G are carried by sleeve
or elongated collars which are strung on to the axle B with the drop
levers. When all are in place these collars are made fast to the axle
by clamping screws, but the levers are left free to rock on their fulcrum ;
as therefore the implement is drawn over the ground the coulters
will rise and fall with the inequalities of the soil and the cup rollers
receiving a slow axial motion through their respective chains and
pulleys from the traverse of the drill over the ground their cups will
be alternately filled with seed and caused to discharge it into the
furrows made by the coulters.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in the Construction of Drop Drills," as communicated to me from abroad,
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it
to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim, the arrangement above described whereby notwithstanding
irregularities in the ground drop drills may be made to deliver their
seed into the furrows formed by the coulters with greater regularity
and at a more uniform depth in the ground than heretofore.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Easton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the 1st day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.