IMPROVEMENTS IN "SEED DRILLS AND CULTIVATORS
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
I JOSEPH GRANDISON SMITH of Kinderhook, in the County of Pike and State
of Illinois, in the United States of America, mechanic, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN "SEED DRILLS AND CULTIVATORS" and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has relation to gardening machines for marking, drilling, and
cultivating a garden or field, and it consists in the construction and novel arrange-
ment of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in
the claims.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the machine and the supporting
rail of the track.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the rail, H.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the rail, G.
Fig. 5 shows a plan of the track rail, and
Fig. 6 a side elevation of the machine arranged to receive the supporting rail.
Referring by letter to the accompanying drawing, the posts, o o, on which the
track rails are laid are short posts, and are arranged as shown in Fig. 3.
They should be set permanently in the ground at equal distances apart in rows,
the distance between the track row being equal from the vertical centre of one
post, to the length of the track rails, G¹ and H.
The distances between the middle lines of the track rails when in place being
equal to the distance between the circumferential middle lines of the supporting
and guiding wheels, A A' and B, B1, of the machine. The posts o o, may be set out
at the beginning of the season and may remain permanently in place until the crop
is made; or in the case of perennial crops the posts may remain from year to year,
serving as guides for all subsequent operations.
The machine may be used first as a marker, then a drill, and afterwards as
a cultivator, by some slight changes in the gangs of hoes, teeth and shoes, as will
be hereinafter explained, the posts serving as guides on which to lay the tracks and
cause the machine to travel in precisely the same track as when the crop was
drilled of the ground marked and the seed sowed in by hand, as may be done if
desired.
M

page_text: If the machine and rails are so constructed that the distance between the rails is
equal to the width of the machine, the posts may be placed at equal distances apart
and thereby form intersecting rows, so that the rails may be laid to mark the
ground by furrows intersecting at right angles and the seed may be dropped or
growing plants transplanted at the intersecting points and the plants be cultivated
both ways.
The track may be laid entirely across the garden or field which will expedite the
working of the machine; or only a limited number, say four or six rails may be
employed and taken up behind the machine as it leaves them and placed down
before, to track the machine across the garden or field.
The track-rails are made light and yet are constructed to have the requisite
strength and durability, in the following manner.
I place two strips of metal in the form of light bars, b, b¹, together to form a T,
in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, and in the inside angles of said, T, I place two
wooden rails, D, D, and secure the whole together as shown.
The end castings, 8, 8, are provided in their ends with rectangular recesses, 8¹ 8¹,
each of which when the rails are in place receive one half of the upper end of one
of the posts, o 0.
The rail, G, is the guide rail, and is constructed in the same manner as the
rail, H, except that the end castings and the rail itself are inverted, so that the
projecting edge of the stem of the, T, will be uppermost and will form the track for
the grooved wheels, B, B, the plain wheels, A. A traveling in the plain rail H.
The object of the rails is not only to guide the machine always in the same track,
but is also to lessen the friction by removing the wheels entirely from the ground,
and thereby rendering the working of the machine far more easy than it would
otherwise be.
The machine proper is mounted on four wheels, A, A, and B, B, upon the ends of
the hollow axles, CC, the journals being formed by inserting into the ends of the
axles, the inner ends of the skeins, a, a, a, a. having their outer ends threaded for
the reception of the nuts, a¹, for securing the whole in place.
The forward axle, C, is provided with the handle or tongue, I, having the hand
rods, J, J, for the purpose of turning the machine around when the end of the row
is reached.
This handle is secured upon a pin or stud, a², in the centre piece, F2, of the frame
of the machine, and is keyed fast at its front end to the king bolt, w, serving to
attach the front axle, C, to the frame piece E.
Through the end pieces, F, F, and the intermediate piece, F³, pass the hollow
rods, K K¹, carrying the gangs of shovels, shoes etc. as the case may be. The
rods, K, K', are adjustable lengthwise, by means of the lever, T, the pins, t, t, of
which engage the grooves, t2, t2, in the semi-circular blocks, Y Y, secured to the tops
of the hollow shafts, K, K¹, near the centre piece, F2.
Each of these blocks has two or more grooves, in order that the pins may be
shifted from one to another to increase or diminish the length of the longitudinal
adjustment of the rods, K K¹. By this arrangement the gangs of shovels may be
shifted in the direction of the length of the rods, K, K', thus enabling the operator
to perform very close adjustments to the rows of plants under cultivation. The
gangs of shovels are adjustable vertically through the lever, X, and its rack bar.
This lever, X, is a double or sectional lever, and it enables the operator to accurately
adjust the depth to which the cultivators are to operate or to lift them entirely
from the ground, when turning the machine or moving from one field to another.
The lever, X, consists of a long arm to which is connected a short armi, 2¹, and the
stirrups, ², of arms, X, X¹, are pivoted to the shafts, K, K', to permit their
longitudinal adjustment by the lever, T', independently of each other. To the rear of
the machine is attached a seed box, L', having tubes connected with the drill shoes,
and is operated to drop the seed by its lever striking pins on the inside of the rail.
When the machine is to be used as a drill, one set of gangs of shovels should be
removed entirely, and the other one removed and replaced by the gang of dritt

page_text: shoes. In using the machine as a marker the gang of marking hoes are only in
place; and when used as a cultivator the two gangs of cultivators hoes should be
in place.
The under portions of the frame pieces, F F, and F2, are bolted onto the upper
portions.
This is for convenience in manufacturing, and renders it easier to change the
gangs of cultivators, etc.
As many rows of plants may be cultivated at one time as there are shovels on
the two gangs; but ordinarily it is intended to plow only one half as many rows, as
there are shovels, thus allowing two shovels between each two rows.
In operation the machine is pushed by hand, or drawn by horses, or a rope and
windlass may be employed to move the machine on the track.
If only four rails are used as the machine advances those in the rear must
be taken up, and placed down in front.
The operator may walk behind the machine, controlling the plows by the
levers, T, and X.
When the end of a row has been reached, the operator releases the handle from
its pin, and cramping the wheels permits the machine to turn around like a
carriage.
The means for operating the seeder in this machine are complete. I make a row
of holes in the inner face of the track rail in which I place removable pins, x³,
against which a lever, X* connected to the seed slide strikes as the machine moves
along and causes the seed to be dropped at regular intervals apart.
It is unnecessary to mark off the ground when these pins are used as they
operate as a check rower, and the distances between them may be varied for
different kinds of seed.
It will be observed, that the rods, K K are journaled in the end pieces, F F, so as
to be capable of turning or rotating under the action of the lever, X, the latter
being connected to and operating both rods simultaneously and by the same
movement to cause the drills or shoes to be raised from off the ground. It will also
be seen, that by fitting the rods K, K, loosely in said pieces, F, they may be shifted
in a longitudinal line by the lever, T, one rod being thrown in one direction, and
the other in the reverse direction, and thus cause the plows, drills or shovels of the
forward rod to occupy the space between the plows or shovels of the rear rod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature. of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a gardening machine, the combination with the rods carrying the gangs of
shovels or plows, and provided with the grooved blocks, of the handle lever
carrying pins to engage any one of the grooves in the blocks so as to increase
the longitudinal adjustment of the rods as set forth.
2. In a gardening machine the combination with the end bars of the frame and
the central cross piece of the rods having shovels or plows attached thereto at
suitable points of their length and arranged transversely of the machine and
journaled in the end bars and centre piece blocks provided on the face of the rods
and formed with two or more continuous grooves and a handle lever pivoted, as
shown, and provided with pins to engage the grooves so as to increase or dimish
the longitudinal adjustment of the rods, as set forth.
3. In a gardening machine, the combination with the frame, of the two rods fitted
in openings of the latter and carrying shovels or plows and a handle lever arranged
to engage with the rods so as to shift one rod in one direction and the other in the
opposite direction and thus cause the plows or shovels of the forward rod to occupy
the space between the plows or shovels of the rear rod, as set forth.
4. In a gardening machine, the combination with the frame, of the journaled rods
carrying the shovels or plows and a double lever having stirrups connecting with
the rods and arranged to rotate them simultaneously to elevate the plows, as set forth.

page_text: 5. In a gardening machine the combination with the frame of the journaled rods
carrying the plows or shovels and levers attached to the rods the forward lever
having an operating handle and the near lever clasping the handle of the forward
lever and sliding vertically thereon so that both rods are operated simultaneously
and by the same movement, as set forth.
6. The combination with a guide or carrying rail having a row of removable pins
projecting laterally from said rail of a gardening machine carrying a seed box and
a lever, X, connected with the seed slide and adapted to be struck by the pins
substantially as specified.
7. The combination in a gardening machine having a seed box secured to the rear
end thereof, of a guide and carrying rail and a lever adapted to strike in succession
the row of pins placed in the side of the said carrying rail, substantially as
specified.
8. The combination with a guide or carrying rail having projections fitted to or
formed thereon of a gardening machine having its seeding devices arranged to be
operated by the said projections to drop the seed at regular intervals as and for the
purpose set forth.
9. The combination with the posts set in the ground, and guide and carrying
rails supported on said posts, of a gardening machine having its wheels running on
the rails and provided with implements or devices to act upon the crop or soil
between the rails as set forth.
10. The combination with the guide or track rails supported above the ground in
parallel rows or lines one set having plain faces, and the alternate set having
Banged faces, of a gardening machine having plain wheels at one side and grooved
wheels at the other side to correspond with the rails, said machine carrying
implements or devices for acting upon the crop or soil between the rails as set
forth.
11. The combination with the guide or carrying rails arranged across the garden
or field so as to subdivide the latter into parallel rows, of the gardening machine
mounted on wheels at each side which run on the rails, and implements carried by
the machine between the wheels to act upon the soil or crop between the rails, as
and for the purpose set forth.
12. The combination with the guide or track rails arranged across the field in
parallel rows, of a gardening machine mounted on two sets of wheels which run on
said rails, the axle of the forward set of wheels being pivoted and an attachment
for the said pivoted or movable axle, so as to allow the turning of the machine on
the rails when the end of the row is reached as set forth.
13. The combination with the guide or track rails, arranged across the field in
parallel rows, of a gardening machine mounted on wheels running on said rails, one
set having a rigid axle and the other set having a pivoted axle, and a handle
connecting with the latter and extending back toward the rear of the machine, so
as to operate the axle and turn the machine on the rails as set forth.
14. The combination with the guide or track rails arranged in a series of sets or
rows extending across the field, and each set comprising a plain rail and a flanged
rail, of a gardening machine having a double set of wheels correspondingly plain
and grooved to run on the rails, said machine carrying implements or devices to act
upon the soil or crop between the rails as set forth.