Improvements in Hoeing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hoeing Machines.
I, JAMES PICKEN, of South Barsalloch Farm, Port William, Wigtownshire,
North Britain, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention which relates to improvements in hoeing machines has for its
object to construct a machine which can have its hoes set so as to act on the same
part of the drill as the coulter of the sowing barrow which preceded it did. Also
owing to the arrangement of said machine the weeds are not only taken off the sides of
the ridges but the central space between the ridges is covered by the earth so as to
cover up or smother the weeds. Also the said machine can be worked when the
plants are very small in size and so facilitate their growth. And lastly it may be
used for the purpose of breaking up caked land through which the young plants
are unable to force themselves, that is to say, for relieving weather beaten seed.
The said machine is applicable to all kinds of ridge lands whether they be stoney,
sandy or otherwise; and may also be used for all kinds of drill seeds or plants in
ridges, as well as potatoes and such like.
In carrying out my said invention I construct of wood, iron or other material a
suitably shaped main frame which is provided near its front end with a spindle or
shaft on which I mount two rollers, each of which are preferably composed of two
sections or halves of an ordinary turnip burrow roller, and connected to each other
by a hollow tube each end of which is provided. with wearing bushes; the said
rollers are mounted on the main spindle in such a manner as to permit of the
rollers finding their own ways according to the bends of the ridges. The said
frame may be provided with the ordinary rigid driving shafts, or they may be
hinged shafts in which case the rear end of the frame would be provided with a
back wheel.
Underneath the main frame I mount, preferably to the roller tubes, though it
may be to the main spindle, an auxiliary frame for each drill or ridge that is to be
operated on, said frames may be made of wood, iron or other material. Each of
these frames have provision for carrying one set of hoes and provided with means
whereby it may be adjusted longitudinally so as to enable the distance between
the spindle and the main pair of holes being varied, also the frame is provided
with means whereby it may be adjusted laterally for working on side or inclined
land, there being a suitable operating handle for such adjustment.
Each set of hoes is composed of a pair of light circular revolving hoes mounted
at angles so as to act on each side of the ridge, and they may be driven by gearing
from the rollers, though I prefer to drive them by the friction of the soil; the said
hoes may be provided with plain, serrated or other cutting edges so as to fit the
particular kind of land upon which the machine is to be worked though in most
cases I would prefer to use the serrated edge. Behind the main pair of revolving hoes
I may mount two or more suitably shaped moveable or hinged hoes, which are mounted
to the auxiliarly frame in such a manner as to level the surface between the rows of
plants, and so leave them ready for singling at the one operation. Or in lieu of said
hoes I may provide another pair of revolving hoes somewhat similar to the main
hoes though preferably mounted wider apart and slightly lower than the main hoes.
The machine is also provided with the necessary operating handles or levers for
raising and lowering the hoes so as to fit any depth of drill, and for keeping the
hoes out of position when the machine is turning at the ends of the ridges or
otherwise I provide each handle or lever with an automatic engaging catch,
preferably composed of a suitably shaped slot formed in an upright standard

page_text: mounted on main frame, there being a hinged hook shaped catch provided for
passing underneath the handle or lever so as to maintain it in its raised position;
the said catch is also provided with suitable means for disengaging same so as to
lower the handle or lever.
Deted this 1st day of Tal 1002
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hoeing Machines.
I, JAMES PICKEN of South Barsalloch Farm, Port William, in the County of
Wigtown, North Britain, 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 :-
This invention which relates to improvements in hoeing machines has for its
object to construct a machine which can have its hoes set so as to act on the same
part of the drill as the coulter of the sowing barrow which preceeded it did. Also
owing to the arrangement of said machine the weeds are not only taken off the
sides of the ridges but the central space between the ridges is covered by the earth
so as to cover up or smother the weeds. Also the said machine can be worked
when the plants are very small in size and so facilitate their growth. And lastly it
may be used for the purpose of breaking up caked land through which the young
plants are unable to force themselves, that is to say, for relieving weather beaten
seed. The said machine is applicable to all kinds of ridge lands, whether they be
stoney, sandy or otherwise, and may also be used for all kinds of drill seeds or
plants in ridges, as well as for potatoes and such like.
In carrying out my said invention as illustrated in perspective back view, side
view and front view respectively Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings,
and in detail Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, I construct of wood, iron or other material a
suitably shaped main frame A, which is provided near its front end with a spindle
or shaft B; the said spindle or shaft B being mounted in the lower ends of two
depending side brackets or arms a and one central bracket or arm a' of the main
frame A. The said shaft B has two rollers C mounted loosely on it as shown,
both of said rollers being preferably composed of two sections or halves of an
ordinary turnip barrow roller, and connected to each other by a hollow spindle or
tube c¹ the ends of which may be provided with wearing bushes; the said rollers C
are mounted loosely on the shaft B in such a manner as to enable the rollers C to
find their own way or follow the bends or curves of the ridges, as the machine is
being drawn along by the horse or horses, there being two or more driving shafts D,
provided for same; the said shafts D may be rigidly fixed to the main frame A,
as shown, or they may be hinged shafts in which case the main frame A, would be
provided with a back wheel. Underneath the main frame AI mount two auxiliary
frames one for each drill or ridge that is to be operated on, said frames E being
made of wood, iron or other material and provided at their front ends with means e
whereby they may be attached to the roller tubes e in such a manner as to leave
the rollers C free to revolve, though if desired the said frames E may be attached
to the main spindle B by any suitable means. Each of the said frames E are
provided at their rear ends with means for carrying one set of circular revolving
hoes F and if desired they may be provided with means for longitudinal adjustment
so as to enable the distance between the spindle B and the front edge of the
hoes F being varied, so as to correspond to the distance between the rollers and
coulter of the sowing barrow used. Each of the said frames E may also be
adjusted laterally, so as to suit side or inclined land, by means of a spindle or
shaft G, which is mounted on each frame E and provided at its front end with a

page_text: crank or bent arm g, the point or tail piece of which works in a groove or
channel 2 formed in the roller tube c' or it may be formed in a ring c³, as shown,
which is attached to the tube c by any suitable means, so as to enable the frame E
being moved to either side, by means of the operating handle H, the lower end h
of which is attached to the spindle or shaft G the said handle H is formed with
an engaging sneck or projection which engages with a notch or groove j, a
number of which are formed on the top of the bracket J, in such a manner, as to
enable the frame and hoes being kept in the desired position, the handle is also
provided with a coiled or spiral spring arrangement K, so as to retain the sueck h¹
in the desired groove or recess j.
Each set of hoes is composed of a pair of light circular revolving hoes F
mounted at angles to each other, so as to act on each side of the ridge, and in cases
where the ridges are of various breadths I prefer to mount the hoes adjustably to
the frame E, by means of an adjustable bearing or bracket L. (shown in section
and plan Figures 4 and 5) which is secured to the underside of the frame E by
means of one or more bolts, and slots 1, and also if desired the rear end of the
frame E may be made in two pieces which would be hinged to the central strut
as at e, Figure 6, and provided with two segmental brackets e³ having slots e* and
binding serewe, so as to enable the hoes to be set to any desired angle or position.
The said hoes F may be driven by gearing from the rollers C though I prefer to
drive them by the friction of the soil, as shown; the said hoes F may be provided
with serrated, plain or other cutting edges so as to fit the particular kind of land
upon which the machine is to be worked, though, in most cases I prefer to employ
hoes having serrated edges somewhat after the style of those shown at f, Figure 2.
The hoes F may be secured to their spindles or they may revolve on their
spindles.
The machine is also provided with the necessary operating handles or levers M,
for raising and lowering the hoes F, so as to fit into any depth of drill; the said
handles M being hinged or pivoted at their front ends m to the main frame A, and
connected behind the main frame to the auxiliary frames E, by means of tie rods N
having adjusted arrangements n provided at their top ends, as shown more
particularly in Figure 2. In order to keep the hoes Fout of position when the
machine is turning at the ends of the ridge or otherwise, I provide cach handle or
lever M with an automatic engaging catch P, preferably composed of an upright
standard or bracket p mounted on top of the main frame A; the said bracket p being
provided with a slot or opening and a hinged hook shaped catch p² the sneck p³
of which passes underneath the handle or lever M on it being raised up, and so
retains the said handle M in its raised position; the catch p² is provided with
means, such as a bent arm or handle portion p', so as to disengage the sneck p³ and
so free the handle or lever M.
Behind each set of main pair of hoes, I may mount one, two or more suitably
shaped moveable or hinged hoes which would be suitably mounted to the auxiliary
frames E, in such a manner as to level the surface between the rows of plants, and
so leave them ready for singling at the one operation. Or in lieu of said moveable
or hinged hoes, I may employ another pair of revolving hocs, somewhat similar to
the main hoes, though preferably mounted wider apart and slightly lower than the
main hoes.
As a modification of the operating handle H, for giving the necessary lateral
movement to the frame E, I may employ a handle as shown in Figures 7 and 8,
that is, I form the handle piece with two arms or projections q, into which the
ends g of a small double armed bracket is fitted; the said bracket q² being
secured to the rear end of the shaft G so that, on the handle being pulled back so
as to release the sneck q³ from the notches or grooves, which in this instance are
formed in the side of bracket J, so as to enable the spiral spring K' to keep the
sneck in gear when required. When it is hilly ground that is being operated
upon, may provide a lifting handle which would act on the auxiliary frames so
as to slightly raise them up, by means of an arrangement of levers and cranks.

page_text: The whole arrangement thus forms an efficient and easy working machine, for
hocing land, and it is to be understood that I may construct my machine in order to
operate on one, two or more drills as desired, and it may be drawn by one, two or
more horses as required.
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) The general arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts
constituting my improvements in hoeing machines, all substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
(2) In hoeing machines the employment of one, two or more sets or pairs of
circular revolving hoes, having serrated, plain or other cutting edges, substantially
as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
(3) In hoeing machines the means whereby, a lateral movement may be given to
the hoes and their frames, or the modification of same, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described and shown in the drawings.
(4) In hocing machines the automatic catches P, substantially as, and for the
purposes, herein before described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 31st day of March 1893.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.