Combined Harrow) and Roller.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1896
Combined Harrow) and Roller.
We MARTIN GOTTSCHALL, Carpenter, 1356, 17th Street Oakland, GEORGE
MEYER and ANDREW KRUECKEL, Merchants of 1154, Washington Street,
Oakland, all in Alameda County, California United States of America, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for cultivating the soil either
independently or in connection with a seeding apparatus.
It consists essentially of a central bar or frame having an attachment for the
team at the front end, a roller or rollers transversely journaled at the rear, and a
pair of harrows having their adjacent edges suspended from the intermediate portion
of the bar, with mechanism by which the harrows may be raised or tilted or dropped
at will.
On the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1, is a view of the improved apparatus and
Figure 2, is an end view of the same.
A is a bar or frame which may be made of wood, steel or any suitable material.
At the front it is provided with a swiveled bolt connection for the draft bar B
and to this are attached the single or double trees C by which the team is connected
so as to draw the machine.
The rearward portion of the bar has fixed upon it frames D in which are
journaled rollers E.
These rollers may be divided into suitable lengths so that while extending over
the full width of the ground to be cultivated, they may turn independently upon
their axles or shafts, and when the machine is to be turned about the rollers near
one end may revolve in one direction, while those at the opposite end will revolve
in the opposite direction as the machine pivots in turning.
The rear end of the frame is thus supported upon the rollers which may be of
any suitable diameter.
It is found that a diameter of 16 inches is very satisfactory in working, but other
sizes may be used.
The front portion of the bar is supported upon a castor wheel F, the shaft of
which extends vertically upward through a guiding sleeve G, in which it is freely
turnable so as to allow the wheel to adjust itself to any movements of the machine
when turning from side to side.
This vertical shaft is also adjustable in the socket, and may be raised or lowered
so as to allow the frame to stand further from or nearer to the ground, as may be
desired.
To the intermediate portion of the frame and at a sufficient distance in front of
the rollers are suspended the inner edges of the harrows H. These harrows
are hinged together along their meeting edges and just beneath the bar A.
The front and rear ends of the meeting edges of the harrows are suspended from
the bar by short flexible chains or links I which allow the teeth of the harrows
to rest upon the ground when the harrows are lowered, and the machine in working
condition.
The front end of the harrows may be raised or depressed as may be desired, by
raising or depressing the front end of the bar upon the shaft of the castor-wheel, as
previously described.

page_text: Upon the bar A and the rear portion of the frame which carries the rollers, are-
fixed standards J.
In these standards a horizontal shaft K is journaled to rotate and upon its rear
end, so as to be within reach of the driver, is a crank, hand-wheel, or other
convenient operating mechanism by which the shaft can be turned.
Upon the shaft, at a point approximately opposite the center of the harrows, are
fixed the drums L having secured to them chains M.
The opposite ends of these chains extend down to the harrows and are connected
with them at some suitable point so that when the shaft is rotated and the chains
wound upon the drums, the outer edges of the harrows will be lifted, tilting about
their central hinges.
When thus lifted, the teeth will be raised out of the ground and any trash which
may have accumulated so as to clog the harrow, can be dropped or cleared away
in this manner, after which the harrows can be again dropped into position for
work.
If it is desired to raise the harrows and keep them permanently, out of the ground
when turning, or while travelling from one place to another or over ground which
it is not desirable to have the harrow teeth touch; the winding shaft may be
prevented from rotating by means of a ratchet wheel O fixed upon it, and a pawl P
pivoted to the standard and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
This pawl is actuated by a spring as shown, and for convenience is extended
down to a point near the foot board P¹ upon which the standard is fixed.
The second foot-board P extends across the machine at the rear of the rollers
and upon one of these two foot-boards is the standard which supports the seat Q for
the driver.
This is within easy reach of the hand-wheel or crank upon the rear end of the
shaft, so that the driver can raise the harrows at will and if they are held up by the
pawl, it is only necessary for him to press upon the lower end with his foot
and disengage it so as to allow the barrows to again drop into position to enter the
ground.
The front ends of the harrows are connected with the draft bar by chains R.
The operation will be as follows:
The machine having reached the place where it is to work, the harrows are
dropped so as to rest upon the ground, and the front end of the machine is adjusted
up or down upon the vertical shaft of the castor-wheel to give the harrows the
proper angle of draft.
When the harrows are thus drawn over the ground, they will act in the usual
manner to pulverize and break up the soil and clods, and the rollers following
behind will crush any large unbroken clods and will roll the surface down smoothly
and even.
It will be manifest that the machine can be used either in conjunction with a
seeder or without.
When the end of the field is reached and it is necessary to turn round, the
harrows may be raised if the turning takes place outside of the ground to be
harrowed, but they may be left in the ground if the turning takes place on the
ground which is being barrowed.
As soon as the team is turned, tension is brought upon the outer of the chains
which connects the harrow with the draft bar and the castor-wheel turning to
conform to the new motion of the machine, the team will turn it around; the rollers
at the rear turning in opposite directions to suit the pivot point upon which the
harrow is turning. It can thus be turned in a very short space and without leaving
any uncultivated ground.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
A longitudinal bar having a frame fixed to its rear end, rollers journalled in said

page_text: frame transversely to the bar, a castor-wheel by which the front end of the bar is.
supported, the vertical stem or shaft of said castor-wheel passing through a sleeve
upon the bar or frame and being adjustable so that the frame may be raised or
lowered upon the wheel, a pair of harrows having their meeting edges hinged.
together, chains by which the front and rear ends of said meeting edges are
suspended from the bar intermediate between the castor-wheel and rollers at the
front and rear, a winding shaft with drums and chains extending therefrom to the
harrows whereby the latter may be lifted and tilted, a draw bar and attachments
for the team connected with the front of the longitudinal bar, and chains connecting
the draw bar with the front ends of each of the harrows.
Dated this Wifth dor of March 1806
e Applicants,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents..