Improvements in Cultivators.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1892-4ccepted. 8th Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cultivators.
I, SANFORD GASSER, of Trout Creek, in the County of Ontonagan, and State
of Michigan, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
f this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
lescribed and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in cultivators, of that class known as.
rotary, and the objects in view are to provide a cultivator of great simplicity that
s adapted to thoroughly cultivate the ground, plant seed, and capable of being
adjusted so as to cultivate at different depths.
Other objects of my present invention are to so construct the cultivator frame
as to render it flexible, so that the side-bars will have independent movement up
and down, and thus the rotary cultivator be adapted to operate efficiently upon
the sides of hills or rolling or undulating ground, always conforming to the nature
of the same.
With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain features of construc-
tion hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawing:
:―
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cultivator constructed in accordance with my
invention.
Fig. 2 is an inner face view of one of the hubs.
Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the side-bars of the cultivator frame.
Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the cross-bars of the cultivator
frame.
Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of one of the castings hereinafter described.
Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the cultivator bar supporting-castings.
Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the
drawing.
Proceeding briefly to describe the unimportant parts of my present invention,
1 designates the axle, 2 the ground wheels loosely mounted thereon, and provided
at their inner faces with annular recesses in each of which is located the ratchet-
wheel 3 rigidly mounted upon the axle. A pawl 4 is pivoted to the inner face of
each hub and a light coiled spring 5 maintains the free end of the same normally
in engagement with the ratchet-wheel. By this means the axle is made to rotate
with the wheels when the machine is drawn forwardly and remain stationary when
the machine is backed. Secured to the front end of the rectangular frame 6 which
surmounts the axle between the wheels, is a seed-hopper 7, from one end of which
extends the agitator-shaft 8, upon which is located and adapted to rotate therewith
a small sprocket-wheel 9. A small sprocket 10 is mounted on the axle and a
sprocket chain 11 connects the wheels 9 and 10, whereby motion is conveyed from
the axle to the agitator-shaft. A draft-bar or tongue 12 is mounted upon the
frame 6, and rising from the same is a seat-supporting standard 13.
near the
Pairs of hangers 14 depend from the opposite side-bars of the frame
front ends of the latter, and pivoted to the same as at 15 is a pair of rearwardly-
disposed side-bars 16 located between the wheels and extending in rear of the
frame 6. To the inner side of each of the side-bars, cast metal plates 17 are
bolted, and these plates have their adjacent faces recessed to receive the ends of a
transverse connecting-bar 18. The bar 18 near its ends is perforated and pivot-
pins 19 pass loosely through the perforations and through perforated ears 20
formed on cach plate at the opposite sides of the recesses in the adjacent faces of
the plates. It will thus be seen that so far as the cross-bar 18 is concerned, the

page_text: bars 16 are capable of independent vertical movement though at the same time
they are connected by the said bar 18.
Bearings 21 mounted on the rear bar of the frame 6 have fulcrumed therein a
lever 22, the rear end of which is curved as shown, while the front end is extended
forwardly adjacent to the seat for the driver and within ready reach of him when
seated upon the machine. From the curved end of this lever a chain 24 depends
and is branched at its lower end as at 25 and connected to eyes or staples 26
located upon the upper side of the cross-bar 18 at each side of the centre of the
latter.
Keepers 27 are secured to each of the side-bars 16 near their rear ends and at
their outer sides. These keepers are perforated and receive removable pins 28
which extend therethrough and through the bars 16. In each keeper is mounted
a vertical standard 29 at the lower end of which is located a revoluble caster-
wheel 30, and each standard is provided with a series of perforations 31 through
any one of which the above mentioned pins may be passed. By this means the
bars 16 and transverse bar 18 constituting a cultivator frame-work, may be raised
and lowered, or in other words, adjusted with relation to the ground, for a purpose
hereinafter apparent.
32 designates the cultivator-bar and the same in cross section is rectangular or square
and is provided at its opposite ends with reduced bearings 33. Between its bearing
ends curved cultivator teeth 34 are secured to each of the surfaces of the cultivator
bar, in any desired manner, but in the present instance by means of metal strips 35
arranged over the shanks of the cultivator teeth, and bolted as at 36 to the bar, at
each side of each shank.
Immediately in rear of each of the easter-standards before mentioned as being
applied to each of the side-bars 16 there is located a pair of eye-bolts 37 arranged
a short distance apart. These eye-bolts accommodate a pair of trunnions 38
located at the front and rear sides of bearing blocks 39 whereby the said bearing
blocks are pivotally secured to the under sides of the bars 16 and are capable of
lateral movement, independent of the bars to which they are secured.
These bearing blocks are provided with transverse bearings 41 and in the same
take the reduced bearings before mentioned as being formed at the ends of the culti-
vator-shaft. One of the bearing-ends of the cultivator shaft is extended beyond its
bearing-blocks and is provided at said extended end with a small sprocket-wheel 42.
A large sprocket wheel 43 is secured to the spokes of one of the ground-wheels,
and a sprocket chain 44 passes over the same around the aforesaid small sprocket 42.
In order to maintain this chain taut an idle sprocket 45 is mounted upon a stub-
shaft 46 extending from one of the side-bars 16, said chain passing over the idle
sprocket.
Eyes 47 are located at the front ends of the bars 16 and immediately in front of
the cross-bar 18 and each diagonal pair of eyes is connected by a diagonally-
disposed wire 48.
This completes the construction of the machine and its operation will be at once
obvious when considered in connection with the drawing and the foregoing
description.
By means of the lever before mentioned the cultivator-frame as a whole may be
raised and lowered, so as to be thrown out of and into operative position, and when
thrown out may be thus held by engaging the free end of the lever under a hook 49
secured to an intermediate transverse bar of the frame 6.
As the machine is drawn along, motion is conveyed in the manner described to
the cultivator-shaft which is thus rapidly revolved, the cultivator-teeth operating
in the usual way. It will be seen that by reason of the loose connections between
the opposite side-bars 16 the same may assume different elevations and hence incline
the cultivator-shaft which latter will yield to the various undulations of the ground
operated upon and will operate as efficiently upon undulating ground or the sides of
hills as upon a flat piece of ground.
When going to the field for operation, the lever 22 is depressed and the

page_text: cultivator-carrying frame elevated out of contact with the ground. When the
field has been reached the lever is elevated, the cultivator-frame lowered and
the wheels 30 adjusted so as to give the desired depth of penetration. The
machine being started, rotary motion is imparted to the cultivator-shaft in the
manner heretofore described. The machine will be found extremely efficacious
in thoroughly pulverizing the soil and by reason of the alternating arrangement
of the teeth, every portion of the ground gone over is thoroughly cultivated.
Lightness of draft is secured and further increased by reason of the teeth rotating
and cutting in the direction of movement of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a cultivator, the combination with the oblong frame-work, the axle, the
ground-wheels, and the sprocket-wheel connected to one of the latter, of the pivoted
side bars 16 having bearings, the rotatable shaft mounted in the bearings, the
curved cultivator-teeth radiating from the shaft, a sprocket mounted on the shaft,
a chain connecting the same with that of the ground-wheel, and means for raising
and lowering said side-bars, substantially as specified.
2. In a cultivator, the combination with the frame-work, the axle, and the ground-
wheels, of the pivoted side-bars 16 having bearings, the rotatable shaft mounted in
the bearings, the curved cultivator teeth radiating from the shaft, driving mechanism
connecting one of the ground-wheels with the rotatable shaft, means for raising
and lowering said side-bars, and the adjustable standards carrying the wheels 30,
substantially as specified."
3. In a cultivator of the class described, the combination with the axle-wheels
and main frame, of the opposite side-bars loosely connected at their front ends to
the main frame, opposite boxes loosely connected to the side-bars and adapted to
oscillate and provided with bearings, a transverse cultivator-shaft cultivators
mounted thereon and means for operating said shaft, substantially as specified.
4. In a cultivator of the class described, the combination with the axle, ground-
wheels and main frame, of the opposite side-bars loosely connected at their front
ends to the main frame, the transversely opposite bearing boxes provided at their
opposite sides with trunnions, bearing-eyes depending from the side-bars and loosely
receiving the trunnions, a transverse cultivator-shaft terminating in bearing ends
mounted in the bearing of the boxes, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially
as specified.
5. In a cultivator of the class described, the combination with the wheels, axle
and main frame, of opposite side-bars pivotally connected at their front ends to
the frame, opposite bearing-boxes mounted for oscillation at the under sides of
the side-bars and provided with bearings, a transversely-disposed tooth-carrying
cultivator shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a hand-lever pivoted on the main
frame, a transverse connecting-bar between the two side-bars, pivotal connections
between the side-bars and the ends of the transverse bars, and a chain connected
to the lever and to the transverse bar, substantially as specified.
6. In a cultivator of the class described, the combination with the wheels, axle
and main frame supported on the latter, of the opposite side-bars loosely connected
at their front ends to the main frame, the opposite bearing-boxes loosely suspended
and adapted to oscillate uuder the side-bars, the transverse cultivator-shaft mounted
for rotation in said boxes, the opposite plates secured to the inner sides of the side-
bars and provided with central recesses and opposite bearing-eyes, the transverse
bar, terminating in the recesses, the pivoting pins passed through the eyes and bar,
the lever fulcrumed on the main frame and the chain connecting the lever and bar,
substantially as specified.
7. In a cultivator of the class described, the combination with the axle, wheels
and main frame, of the opposite cultivator-bars loosely connected at their front
ends to the main frame, the transverse bar loosely pivoted at its ends to said bars,

page_text: the loosely suspended oscillating bearing-boxes, the transverse cultivator-shaft
journaled therein, means for operating said shaft, the front and rear eyes secured
respectively near the front and rear ends of the side-bars, the diagonally-disposed
wires, the lever and the chain connecting the lever with the cross-bar, substantially
as specified.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.