Improvements in Seed Planting Implements.
Year: 1898

page_text: I, GEORGE R. DYKES, of Hawkinsville, County of Pulaski, State of Georgia,
U.S.A., Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide improvements in certain seed planting
implements whereby they are rendered more effective.
The invention comprises a suitable rectangular frame upon which a receptacle
to contain seed is mounted. Bearings depend from the frame and carry a shaft
for the wheel or wheels supporting the frame. A suitable gearing or sprocket
wheel on the shaft communicates rotary motion, by means of a chain, to a similar
wheel on a shaft mounted in the sides of the seed receptacle. This shaft has a
series of removable radial arms carrying detachable cups at their ends. The cups
are preferably hinged and balanced so that they will remain vertical when filled
with seed as they travel through it by rotation of the shaft, and will be truly
vertical when inverted to discharge their contents into a suitable chute opening
below the frame near the earth. The chute is slotted to permit the arms and cups
to pass through it; the seed being prevented from escaping through the slot by
means of a ridge around the edges thereof.
The cups being detachable enable others of different sizes to be used when the
seed is to be sown thickly or thinly as required.
The chute is preferably fitted with a door or slide to regulate the flow of small
seed therefrom.
A depending tine or the like in front of the chute makes a furrow for the recep-
tion of the seed which is covered up by a suitably shaped depending implement
at the rear of the chute.
The frame has a suitable handle or handles whereby it can be guided.
1000
Improvements in Seed Planting Implements.
I, GEORGE R. DYKES, of Hawkinsville, County of Pulaski, State of Georgia,
U.S.A., 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:-
1
↑ this invention is to provide a satisfactory planter for corn. nea-

page_text: nuts, field peas, and other seeds, the same being adapted to drop any number of
such seed, the number varying, according to adjustment of the machine, at
intervals, variable at will, and operating by means of a rotary shaft carrying arms
and cups that dip the seed out of the seed box and deposit it in the seed tube,
as they revolve, a cut-off being provided to insure, the delivery of the full charge
of seed into the said seed tube and prevent any of it from following the cup into
the seed box.
To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts
hereinafter set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical central longi-
tudinal section of a seed dropping machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2
represents a plan view of the same, on a larger scale, omitting handles and forward
part. Fig. 3 represents a detail perspective view of the cut-off tube, a part of
the spout or chute, and one of the cups and arms, the shaft being indicated in
dotted lines. Fig. 4 represents a detail view of the shaft and one of the cup rods
with its cup, the shaft and cup being shewn in section; and Fig. 5 represents
a detail perspective view of one of the cups and arms, a part of the spout or chute,
and the cut-off disc R and spring Q which may be used in place of the cut-off
tube T. Fig. 6 is a side elevation shewing an alternative form of chute and a
slightly modified construction; and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 illustrate details of the
construction.
A designates the draft-hook; B, the frame; B', the furrow opening plough-
share, and C the handles of the machine, which is operated after the fashion of a
plough. These handles are connected by a cross-bar C, and supported by upright
bars or posts D, their lower forward ends being fastened to the said frame.
To the side bars of the frame the standards of a furrow coverer or coverers E
are bolted, these being also provided with rear braces E. The lower ends of the
bars or posts D are fastened to the frame by a transverse bracing bolt M, which
(as shewn in Fig. 1) also supports the rear end of the seed box K. This box is
set and held by screws in the depressed middle parts of cross-bars L', which
are detachably fastened on the said frame oy bolts and nuts or equivalent means.
A slightly different construction in shewn in Fig. 6 where the box rests and is
secured upon the frame B in any suitable manner such as by angle brackets.
A feed cup shaft J turns in bearings in the sides of the said seed box, being
arranged across the line of travel of the machine and is held in place by cap-
plates 3, fastened removably to the box by screws St. The said shaft has a
sprocket wheel I fastened on it outside of the seed box, this wheel being driven
by an endless chain H from another sprocket wheel G, which is fast upon the
rotary shaft F¹ of the driving wheel F, turning by contact with the soil imme-
diately behind the furrow-opening plough point B. The shaft J may be fitted
with a clutch as shewn in Fig. 6, and more clearly in Fig. 7, in which case the
sprocket wheel I is loosely mounted on the shaft J. The form of clutch shewn
consists of a collar j secured to the shaft J and having slots i extending radially
from its central opening to receive the flat portion V extending centrally from and
at right-angles to a collar e; the shaft J being bifurcated as shewn at to enable
the collar to slide over it with its part V projecting into the collar j. The
sprocket wheel I has radial slots I which, when the collar is projected forwardly,
are engaged by the part V thereof. The collar is operated by means of the
rod W fitted with the collars W which are secured to the rod W on each side of
the collar by bolts w passed through lugs and the flattened end of the rod W.
The rod is pivoted in a bracket X so that it is capable of being rocked to recip-
rocate the collar by manipulation of the handle X'; the rod W being adjustable
in notches æ¹ of a bracket a secured on the cross tie C¹. It will be understood
that inasmuch as the sprocket-wheel I runs loosely upon the shaft J, the rotation of
said shaft, the arms O, and cups P can be arrested without stopping the forward
motion of the implement, so that seeds can be dropped in any desired place as
the planter proceeds. The shaft F¹ is journalled in bearings 6, attached to the

page_text: underside of frame B. The seed-tube U is attached to the forward end of the
seed box and communicates at the top with the interior thereof a little below
the level of the said shaft. A spout or chute N, arranged in an inclined position
within the forward part of the said box, directs the seed into the said tube. This
spout has a central longitudinal slot n, extending from the top down to an open-
ing O', which allows the seed cups P to pass through the spout in their revolution
after they have discharged successively their charges of seed.
These cups are
screw-tapped and turned like nuts on the screw-threaded ends p of one or more
supporting rods 0, the inner ends p¹ of the said rods being also screw-threaded to
turn into the recesses or sockets j¹, which are screw-tapped at regular radial
intervals in the shaft J.
A cut-off is provided for insuring the delivery of the entire charge into the seed
tube U. This cut-off may be a slotted ridge or tube T, having a curvature of the
same radius as the cirèle described by the cups in their revolution and fastened
at its, middle in the opening 01, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, this tube being of
sufficient internal diameter to allow the passage of the cups through it without
friction, the longitudinal slot T₁ in the inner side of the said tube, and the corres-
ponding slot n in the spout N permitting the rods O to turn with the shaft J, or
the cut-off may be a disc R, normally held over the opening O', by a spring Q,,
Fig. 5, to which it is attached. This spring is secured to the spout N and bent'
at q, said spring being normally inclined across the slot n, so that each arm
will successively come in contact with it immediately after the seed cup has
delivered its charge and will then force said spring and disc to one side, uncovering
the opening O¹ for the cup to pass through into the seed box again, after which
the said spring moves the said disc into position over the opening again. In the
modification shewn in Fig. 6 the tube T or the cut-off device may be dispensed
with inasmuch as the chute N is curved as shewn so that the seeds, as they leave
the cups P fall in front of the opening O and are not liable to pass back into the
box.
As the machine is drawn forward the rotation of its driving wheel F, being
transmitted to its seed cup shaft J, causes the cups P to successively dip the seed
from the seed box K and discharge it into the seed tube through the lower end of
the spout. Any seed which may fall from the cup at any point of its revolution
after it has come above the top of the spout will pass down the latter to the seed
tube. When the tube T is used, it occupies only the middle part of the width of the
spout, and the seed passes down the spout at the sides of the said tube all being
discharged before the cup enters the latter. Of course the seed cannot follow the
cup into the tube, as the upper end of the latter rises above the spout and the
slot T is too narrow to admit any of it. The slot n is also too narrow to let any
of the seed pass down into the seed box through the spout or chute.
The detachability of the seed cups allows a larger or smaller cup to be sub-
stituted at any time for that before used, to vary the charge or adapt the machine
to be used with a different kind of seed. The detachability of the arms from the
shaft allows the number of cups in use to be varied, thereby increasing or decreas-
ing the intervals between the discharges.
This machine will accurately drop one grain of corn in succession. It will
drop peanuts without breaking the skin. It will drop seeds of any kind. It
requires no forcing devices and has practically no friction of parts within the
seed box or spout. In the construction shewn in Fig. 1 the detachability of the
cup shaft from the seed box, of the latter from its supporting bars, and of the said
bárs from the machine frame greatly facilitates the work of cleaning and repairing.
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 combination with the frame of a seed dropper, a driving wheel journalled
in the front part thereof, a seed box carried by the said frame, a seed tube con-

page_text: nected to said box and arranged to drop the seed behind the said wheel, a spout
or chute within the said box discharging into the upper end of the said tube, and
provided with a slot extending downward from the top and ending in an opening,
a shaft journalled in said feed-box, a cup-rod and cup carried by said shaft and
adapted to pass through the said slot and opening, gearing which connects the
said shaft with the rotary shaft of the driving wheel and a cut-off which prevents
the seed from falling through the said opening from the cup, substantially as set
forth.
(2) In combination with the seed-box of a seed-dropping machine, a rotary
shaft mounted in the said box, a cup or cups carried thereby and arranged to dip
up the seed and discharge the same, a spout and seed-tube through which the
seed from the said cup is dropped by the machine the said spout being slotted
and having an opening for the passage of the said cup, and a slotted cut-off tube
arranged in the opening to extend above the same, this tube being adapted to
allow the passage of the cup through it as the latter is carried around by the shaft
substantially as set forth.
1
(3) In combination with the seed box of a seed dropping machine having
seed tube connected thereto, a rotary shaft and cup rods and cup carried thereby
the said cup being arranged to dip up seed from the interior of the said box and
discharge it into the said tube, and being removable at will from the said rods
for the purpose of allowing for the substitution of cups of different size substan-
tially as set forth.
(4) In combination with the seed box of a seed dropping machine having a seed
tube connected thereto a rotary shaft and cup rods and cups carried thereby, the
cups being arranged and adapted to successively pick up the seed and discharge it
into the seed-tube and the said rods being detachable from the said shaft, which
is provided at regular intervals with means for permitting the attachment of a
greater or less number at will substantially as set forth.
(5) In a seed dropping machine, a cup-rod which is screw-threaded on its ends,
in combination with a shaft and seed cup which are screw-tapped to receive the
said ends, a seed box in which the said shaft rotates to cause the said cup to pick
up and discharge the seed, and means for allowing the seed thus discharged to
pass from the machine substantially as set forth.
(6) In combination with a seed box and a spout leading to the outlet, a rotary
shaft screw-tapped at regular radial intervals, a series of rods adapted to screw
into the said shaft in greater or less number and a series of screw-tapped cups
adapted to turn in the screw-threaded, outer ends of the said rods, in order that
larger or smaller cups may be substituted, the said cups and rods being carried
through a slot and opening in the said spout as the said shaft rotates, for the pur-
pose set forth.
(7) In combination with the frame of a seed dropper, a pair of bars or plates
detachably secured thereto, and depressed between the side bars of the said frame,
a seed box fastened rigidly but detachably to the said bars and resting in the
depressed part thereof, a shaft journalled in the said seed box and provided with
cups which pick up the seed therefrom, a spout or chute and seed tube, whereby
the seed is received from the said cups and dropped, and a driving wheel and gearing
whereby the said shaft is rotated, substantially as set forth...
(8) In a seed dropping machine, a spout which is longitudinally slotted, longi-
tudinally convex, and provided with an opening in its lower part, in combination
with a revolving series of feed cups and their supporting arms, which are allowed
passage by the said slot and opening; means for driving and supplying the said
series of cups, and a seed dropping tube, arranged to receive the entire charge
of each cup from the said spout at a point above the said opening or before it in
order of rotation, substantially as set forth.
(9) In combination with a series of feed cups and devices for supplying them
with seed and receiving their discharge, the shaft on which they are mounted
and which has a clutch, such as that described, mounted thereon, a sprocket-wheel

page_text: loosely mounted on said shaft, and means for readily operating the clutch to con-
nect said sprocket-wheel with, or disconnect the same from the said shaft, another
sprocket-wheel and endless chain whereby the sprocket-wheel first mentioned is
geared to the shaft of the driving wheel, all substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of April 1899.