Year: 1886

page_text: I FRANCIS HENRY RYLAND of Cambrian Cottage, Kerry Road, Newtown in the
County of Montgomeryshire, Gardener in the employ of Mr. John Arthur Talbot do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce a compact and simple seed drill which
will be more especially applicable for use in gardens.
The machine which forms the subject of this invention consists of a suitable frame,
preferably of cast iron, supported in front by a small wheel, and provided with a main
wheel, with which is combined a seed box.
Between the front and main wheels is placed an adjustable plough share, which, as
the drill is drawn forward, forms a furrow in the soil. In rear of the main wheel
is a device which I term a "coverer," and which drags along the ground, and serves
to turn back into the furrow, to cover the seeds, the soil which has been turned up by
the plough share.
Pivotted to the frame, in rear of the main wheel, is a marker, which, as the
drill is drawn forward, serves to mark the position of the next furrow. This marker
consists of a graduated bar, which extends laterally from the frame, and carries an
adjustable pointed bar. This pointed bar is pendent from the graduated bar, and rests
on the ground.
The main wheel and seed box consists of a dished wheel mounted on one end of an
axle carried in bearings in the frame, and having on its inner side an annular flange.
Upon the other end of the axle is mounted a disc or plate, formed with an inwardly
projecting flange corresponding to that on the wheel. The flanges are intended to.

page_text: carry a pair of perforated bands, one of which is fixed to the flanges, and the other is
movable, so that by moving this band in one direction or the other, the size of the
perforations may be decreased or enlarged as required. A portion of the disc or
plate is cut away, and in place thereof is a hinged lid, which is secured by a spring
bolt, or in any other convenient manner.
The seed is placed in the box thus formed, and as the wheel rotates, one, two,
or more grains, according to the size of the opening, will fall therefrom into
the furrow, the soil, as before explained, being turned back on to the seed by the
" coverer."
Daid this 23rd day of September 1886.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
I FRANCIS HENRY RYLAND of Cambrian Cottage, Kerry Road, Newtown, in the
County of Montgomery, Gardener, in the employ of Mr. Jolin Arthur Talbot,
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:
The object of this invention is to provide a compact and simple hand seed drill
specially for use in kitchen or market gardens, and the machine consists of a suitable
frame carrying a share or device for making a furrow, and supported in front by a
small wheel, and in rear by a larger wheel, with which is combined a seed box,
a trailing device intended to throw back into the furrow, to cover the seed, the earth
turned up by the share, and a marking device to mark the line of the next furrow or
row of seeds, being also provided.
In the accompanying drawing, I have shown at Fig. 1 a plan view of my improved
seed drill. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the
line of the axle of the main wheel and seed box.

page_text: A is a light open frame, preferably of wrought iron, and consisting of two side
bars, which are connected together in front by a bolt and nut A', and at rear are
rivetted or otherwise secured to a handle A2, a portion only of which is shown in the
drawing, and which may be of any form.
This frame is supported in front by a small wheel B, the axle of which works
in bearings in the frame, and in rear by a larger wheel C, which I will term
the furrow wheel, the particular construction of which will be hereafter
referred to.
At a point between the wheels B and C, and secured between the sides of the
frame A, is a divided block or socket D, to receive a stem or rod, to which a share
or similar device E is attached. The stem or rod may be raised or lowered according
to the depth of furrow it is required to cut with the share, and may be fixed in its
adjusted position by any suitable means, but in the drawings this is effected by the
bolt and nut A', which, on the nut being tightened up, draws the two sides of the
frame together, and causes the divided block or socket D to firmly grip the rod or
stem. In rear of the furrow wheel C, is a trailing device F, which I term a coverer,
and which is pivotted or otherwise secured to the frame A.
The wheel B, which runs on the solid ground, will ensure the uniform depth of
the furrow cut by the share, at whatever depth the share may be set for. The share
I make of a flat plate of triangular form, as shown in the drawing, and which may
be roughly described as that of a 60 degree set square. This share I set at an angle
greater or less to the frame, the shortest side of the triangle being to the front, and
the longest side underneath, the stem being attached to the third side, which is always
in a horizontal position.
As the drill is pushed or dragged along, the point of the share scrapes a triangular
shaped furrow, and by reason of the share being set at an angle, throws the soil!
scraped up to one side, the action being similar to that of an ordinary Dutch hoe, as
used by gardeners when sowing seeds by hand. By the use of this share, the ground
is left in a loose friable condition, ominently suited to receive the seed, and stones and
sticks and lumps of hard earth are turned up and forced out of the furrow, for the
share will not mount these obstacles as an ordinary plough share or coulter would be
likely to do. An ordinary plough share has also the serious defect of smearing
along the bottom of the furrow, and leaving the ground in a consolidated condition,
and most unsuitable for receiving seed.
In rear of the furrow wheel C, and pivotted to lugs a a formed with a block G,
secured in any convenient manner between the sides of the frame A, is a graduated
bar H, which extends laterally from the frame A, and carries a pointer or pointers G¹,
intended to rest on the ground to mark the line of the next furrow.
The outer end of this bar H is fitted with chains I I. The chain I serving as a
drag chain, is attached to the front of the frame, preferably to the ploughshare stem,
and the chain I, which is a steadying chain, to the rear of the frame, or to the
handle. The pointer G¹ will be moved along the bar H according to the distance
required between the rows of seeds, and will be fixed in position by a clamping screw,
or in any other convenient manner. The graduated bar is pivotted to the frame, so
that it may be thrown or swung over to either side of the drill, as may be required,
for which purpose I prefer to have a double pointer, as shown in the drawing,
which will obviate the necessity for taking the pointer off the bar and reversing it.
The furrow wheel C consists of a convex disc C (see Fig. 3), having on its concave
side a nave or boss (and two flanges bb. This disc forms one side of the seed box.
On the outer end of the boss C is mounted a disc C² having flanges, and which
forms the other side of the seed box. At one part of this disc C, an opening is
made to serve for the introduction of the seed into the box, and this opening will be
closed by a shutter or flap c, having a spring bolt or other suitable fastening.
Between the flanges bb, there is a space which is closed by a fixed perforated band
of metal d, and outside this band d is a second and movable perforated band e.
The band e is intended as a regulating band to regulate the size of the opening in

page_text: respect of the size of the seed being employed, and means will be provided to fix the
band e when adjusted.
The openings in the bands d and e will be so placed that the seed will drop just
clear of the wheel C, the edge of which will run in the furrow that has been formed
by the share E.
The seeds, as they drop, will become more or less separated, and each one thus
has a better chance of making a good plant than if they are laid in patches, as they
are likely to be when sown by hand.
The wheel C is mounted on a bolt C³, which is passed through both sides of the
frame, and is secured by a nut. This bolt and nut also serve to prevent the sides of
the frame bulging or springing.
The coverer F, as well as being pivotted to the frame A, may be suspended from
the frame by a chain, of such a length that it will not prevent the coverer from
properly acting when the machine is in use, but will support it when the machine is
being moved from place to place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would here remark that I am
aware seed drills having a front wheel or roller and a furrow wheel or wheels, with a
ploughshare or similar device between, and followed by a covering device, have
already been employed, and I therefore do not claim any such general arrangement
of parts, but, without confining myself to all the minor details, I declare that what I
claim is
1st. A seed drill constructed substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. The furrow wheel C, constructed substantially as herein shown and described.
3rd. In a seed drill, the use of a furrow wheel and a seed box in combination,
substantially in the manner set forth.
4th. In a seed drill, the use of a share of the shape and arranged in the manner as
shown and described, for the purpose set forth.
5th. The combination with a seed drill, of a graduated bar and pointer as and for
the purpose set forth.
TX
31
1
CA
11007
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.