Improvements in Sowing Machines for Seeds.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sowing Machines for Seeds.
A communication from CASIMIR LAPIERRE, of Rue du Faubourg Martainville, 39,
Rouen (Seine Inférieure), in the Republic of France, Machine Builder.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
These improvements which enable seed of any grade or description to be sown
broadcast consist in providing the machine with
1. A mechanism for converting the motion of the distributing or feeding cylinder
having double ladles attached to its discs, such ladles being large on one side and
small on the other so as to supply coarser and finer grain respectively. To enable
this to be done in ordinary sowing-machines it has hitherto been necessary to
remove the feeding cylinder and to interchange its ends so as to place the large or
the small side of the ladles in the required position for sowing according to the
grade of the seed. This detachment of the cylinder is rendered unnecessary by
the aforesaid mechanism which permits the cylinder to be turned instantaneously
backwards or forwards at will, and this movement converting mechanism further
allows of a more simple construction of the hoppers which need not as before be
shifted to facilitate the passage of the discs when it becomes necessary to remove
the feeding cylinder.
2. Means for throwing the operative parts in and out of gear without the
necessity of removing the body or receptacle of the machine.
3. Direct means of closing the traps between the two main compartments of the
receptacle. These traps may be closed independently of each other so as to keep
the seed out of such of the compartments as are to remain inoperative for the time
being.
4. An arrangement of hoppers which are to receive the seed from the ladles or
scoops secured to the cylinder discs and enable lids such as are used to cover
hoppers at present to be dispensed with.
5. An arrangement enabling the main receptacle or body to be tilted forwards
or backwards by means of a segment operated by an endless screw.
In the inclined
position the said receptacle may thus discharge its contents upon a cloth spread on
the ground underneath the socks.
6. An elliptic roller for raising the sock-levers provided at one end with a gear
wheel to which motion is imparted by an idle wheel in gear with another wheel
acting upon a lever. The same shaft which carries this latter gear wheel is also
provided with a ratchet wheel which a pawl retains in position. The said lever is
operated by hand and with one stroke will raise or drop the socks.
7. A supporting device for the pivots of the sock-levers adapted to guide these
levers by means of a bolt sliding within a circular groove of the support.
8. Three spare wheels for variations of speed to be used instead of the pinions
hitherto employed for this purpose.
9. The various parts for connecting the above mentioned main elements and
producing an operative whole.
To the driving wheel of the sowing machine is rigidly attached a toothed
wheel.
The body or case of the machine is pivotted so as to enable it to be tilted
forwards or backwards.
A movable triangle or frame formed by two cheeks is connected by the shaft of
the wheel which forms the third side.
The wheels are loosely arranged between the said cheeks. At the lower part

page_text: of the triangle or frame is provided a fork or yoke secured to one of the said
cheeks.
A jointed lever connected with a triangle at its end is adapted to work in a slide
provided in an arc-shaped bracket secured to the side of the case or receptacle.
This lever is held in position by means of a winged nut and a screw-bolt which
thus serves as a guide pin.
An idle wheel loose upon its shaft is in gear with one of the before-named wheels,
one of which is removable.
Motion is imparted to the feeding cylinder through a wheel mounted on its shaft,
and a lever pivotted to the end of the shaft supports an elliptic roller.
A rod adapted to slide longitudinally has two pins by which a hand-lever is
connected with the triangle or frame to which a reciprocating motion is imparted
whenever the hand-lever is operated so as to cause a wheel to gear with the wheel
attached to the driving wheel of the machine when the said hand-lever is pulled
backwards and with another wheel when such hand-lever is pushed forwards. The
effect of this arrangement is to change the direction of motion of the feeding
cylinder. The rod where it meets the lever is provided with three notches whereby
it is held in position through the medium of a bolt adapted to slide vertically.
This bolt is connected by a finger with a short lever-arm whereby the bolt may be
disengaged from the notch and the said rod released so as to enable the lever to
perform its action.
A rod is provided with metal sheets of sufficient size to close trap or door-like
openings which connect the front portion of the receptacle containing the seed with
the rear part where the discs of the feeding cylinder are arranged. The end of
this rod is formed by a sleeve internally screw-threaded and arranged to receive a
screw-shaft by turning which the rod is caused to slide so as to open or close the
said doors or traps according to the direction in which the handle is turned. These
traps may be raised or lowered independently of each other to any desired extent
according as the connecting apertures are to be wholly or partly closed. This is
obtained by means of a lever working in a guide and pivotted to a small lever
secured to each of the plates.
Compartments are provided to contain the seed, placed within reach of the scoops
of the cylinder. These compartments are provided with a central tube arranged to
conduct the seed supplied to the hopper by the scoops or ladles to telescopic tubes
corresponding to the socks which are to furrow the soil.
Hoppers receive the seed from the scoops or ladles attached to the discs of the
feeding cylinder. They are either in a straight or in an inclined position according
to the position of a guide which conducts the seed into the telescopic tubes and
which is adapted to enter a square opening or a notch provided in the hopper. The
hopper is maintained in position by a spiral spring arranged upon a headed screw.
A segment secured to the body of the machine under the action of a screw
describes the arc of a circle.
The end of the shaft last mentioned carries a crank handle or a hand wheel so
that it may be turned by hand when it is desired to incline the main body or
receptacle of the machine.
The guide for the lever-pivot of the sock has a circular slot in which slides a bolt
whereby the position of the lever is adjusted.
The conversion of the motion of the distributing or feeding cylinder and also the
instantaneous stopping of the same are effected by raising one of the before
mentioned levers which causes the bolt to leave the notch. By pulling or pushing
another of the levers a rod is thrown forwards or backwards, which rod by sliding
in its guides or bearings tilts the triangle or frame and brings either end of two
wheels into gear with the wheel attached to the driving wheel whereby the feeding
cylinder receives motion either in the forward or in the backward direction. Some
of the wheels being removable and adjustable, allow of the speed of the feeding
cylinder being varied according to the nature of the seed. This arrangement
therefore enables by means of only three movable and exchangeable wheels of

page_text: different diameter to obtain any desired speed. When it is desired to raise the sock
the lever is made to describe an arc of a circle and in so doing it turns the wheel to
which it is secured and thus through the medium of another wheel imparts a
circular movement to the wheel integral with the elliptic roller held in position by
the pawl engaged with the ratchet-wheel. When it is required to lower the sock-
levers it is only necessary to cause the lever to describe an arc of a circle in the
opposite direction after having released the pawl from the ratchet-wheel.
The mechanism is thrown in and out of gear without its being necessary to
remove the body or receptacle of the machine. This receptacle is entirely
independent of the gear wheels. Its shaft enables it to be inclined forwards and
backwards. The receptacle therefore always remains parallel to the ground. The
machine is thrown into and out of gear by means of the two wheels arranged between
the cheeks of the frame or triangle movably mounted upon the shaft.
Dated this 19th day of March 1891.
ALFRED J. BOULT,
Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sowing Machines for Seeds.
A communication from CASIMIR LAPIERRE, of Rue du Faubourg Martainville, 39,
Rouen (Seine Inferieure), in the Republic of France, Machine Builder.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 seed-sowing machines and consists of the following
improvements.
(1). Mechanism for reversing the, motion of the distributing apparatus to the
discs of which are secured a double series of preferably double ladles, each large
on one side and small on the other, to suit various grades of grain. In passing
from one sort of grain to another, it has hitherto been necessary to take the
distributing cylinder or apparatus out of the machine and to replace it so that the
ladles of the required size may be presented in the direction in which the seed is to
be sown. According to this invention the removal of the cylinder or equivalent
device in order to reverse its position is dispensed with and the reversal takes
place simply and instantaneously by reversing the movement of the distributing
ladles..
(2). For raising the socks a cam-shaped roller or equivalent is employed, which
is operated by means of a hand-lever acting upon a ratchet wheel by means of a
pawl the hand lever being rocked more or less according to the height to which it
may be desired to raise the socks. Upon this cam-shaped roller are wound the
chains carrying the socks. One stroke of the hand lever is sufficient to remove
the socks from the soil and two or three strokes will completely raise them above
the ground. To lower the socks the retaining pawl is disengaged from the ratchet-
wheel so that the cam-shaped roller being released, instantaneously turns so as
to unwind the chains supporting the socks. If necessary additional weights may
be employed in the case of a hard soil or where tapering furrows are required to be
made in sowing.
(3). An arrangement is provided for keeping the ladle carrying discs, along with
the channels through which the grain runs down to the socks, out of operation
when required, so that if desired, rows of seed may be alternately or periodically
left out.
(4). An arrangement for tilting the box or hopper, forming the main body of the
machine, either backwards or forwards by means of a sector operated by a worm;

page_text: whereby the sowing operation may be adjusted to suit variations of level, and so
that the hopper may also be emptied without removal if required.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the improved seed sowing machine on line a b
of Figure 2;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the rear of the machine shown partly in section, and
Figures 3 and 4 represent on an enlarged scale one of the ladles secured to the
discs of the feeding apparatus.
A is the hopper-shaped body of the machine, which, a longitudinal partition D
divides into two compartments, viz. the front compartment B in which the seed to
be sown is placed and the rear compartment C which communicates with the
front B by openings provided in the partition D all or part of which may be closed
as required.
E is the feeding device arranged in the rear of the hopper A and consisting
of a shaft upon which are mounted discs F carrying on each of their surfaces seed-
ladles G, one side H of which (Figures 3 and 4) is for large grain and the opposite
side I for small grain.
J are partly upwardly-flaring and partly cylindrical channels adapted to receive
the seed from the ladles and convey it to the socks W. At their lower part
these channels are supplemented each by a smaller channel K telescoping within J
when the socks are raised.
M is the cam-shaped roller or shaft upon which are wound or to which are
attached the chains for raising or lowering the socks W which cut the furrows in
which the seed is to be sown and which chains are attached to levers N connected
to the socks and pivotted at L.
O are additional weights which may be applied for assisting the socks in entering
the soil; these weights may or may not be used according to the hardness of the
soil and to the desired depth of furrow.
P is a toothed wheel integral with the roller M or secured on the shaft thereof
and receiving its rotary motion from another toothed wheel R to which is secured
the ratchet wheel S operated by the pawl T pivotted to the hand-lever U.
V are
supports carrying the roller M toothed wheel R and hand-lever U.
X is a toothed sector secured to the hopper or movable body and operated by a
worm Y which in its turn is operated by means of a crank handle Z whereby the
hopper may be turned and tilted on its pivot I.
A is a toothed wheel mounted upon the shaft of the distributing apparatus E
and transmitting rotary motion thereto from the wheel B' secured upon the axle of
the vehicle through the medium of wheels C₁ D' and E' or F¹.
The three wheels D' E' and F' turn between two bearing-plates G' H' forming
a triangle which itself may be partly rotated about the axis I so that either of the
wheels E or F1 may be thrown into gear with B' as required.
This rotary motion of the triangle is obtained by means of a hand-lever N'
pivotted upon the shaft of the roller M and having at its end a fork K' enabling a
bar L' to be shifted longitudinally. This bar is supported and adapted to slide in
two guides P¹ secured to the frame of the machine and engages with a fork M
extending downwards from the triangle G' H' as shown in Figure 1.
The flaring upper portion J₁ of each of the channels J is pivotted to the main
body of each channel at O¹ whereby it may be turned into the position indicated in
dotted lines at J" (Figure 2), when it is desired that the grain, as it falls from the
ladles should not pass to the socks, as for example when it may be required
to leave out some of the rows of seed in the field.
When the machine is moved along the wheel B' on the axle turns in the direction
of the arrow 1 Figure 1 and if the hand lever N' is drawn back so as to cause the
bar L' to slide in the direction of the arrow 1 (this arrow is marked on the bar),
the triangle G¹ H₁ will, through the medium of the fork M¹ turn upon the pivot fi
and, as the wheel E¹ will by this means be thrown into gear with the wheel B¹ this
wheel E will turn in the direction of the arrow 1. This movement will then be

page_text: transmitted to the feeding apparatus E through the medium of wheels F¹ D¹ C¹
and A and E will consequently turn in the direction of the arrow 1.
When, however, it is intended to turn the feeding apparatus E in the direction
of the arrow 2, it is only necessary to push the lever N' forward. The bar L' will
thereby be caused to slide in the direction of the arrow 2 (marked on the bar) and
the wheel F will be thrown into gear with B¹.
If it is desired to stop the machine altogether it is sufficient to move the lever N¹
to the vertical position, when neither of the wheels E and F will be in gear with B'
as shown in Figure 1.
The seed to be sown is first introduced into the hopper B; it then passes into
the compartment C through openings adapted to be partly or wholly closed
by means of doors or traps arranged in or on the lower part of the partition D.
The ladles G secured to the discs F receive the grain and pass it on to the flared
ends or channels J' from which it is conveyed through J and K to the socks W
which bury it in the soil.
For large graded seed the sides H of the ladles G will be those employed, the
discs F being turned in the direction, necessary for presenting those sides to the
seed first and for small graded seed the sides I will be those employed; the motion
of the discs F for this purpose reversed in the manner explained above.
When it is desired to leave out rows of sced at given intervals, all that is
necessary is to close the necessary doors or valves between the compartments B
and C or to so shift the flaring portions J' of the channels on the pivots O¹ as to
make them assume the position indicated at J" in dotted lines in Figure 2. The
ladles will in this manner still receive the grain which, however, will fall back into
the compartment C instead of being carried to the socks, the corresponding channels
being turned out of the way as shown at J
When the socks are to be raised out of the earth, it is sufficient to operate the
hand lever U, when the pawl T will turn the ratchet-wheel R in the direction
indicated by the arrow 3 in Figure 1, which movement will be transmitted to the
cam-shaped roller M through the medium of the toothed wheels R and P the latter
secured to that roller, which turns in the direction of the arrow 3 and raises the
lever N carrying the socks W. During this movement the levers N turn on the
axis L and the channels K telescope into the channels J.
To lower the socks, it is sufficient to raise the pawl T out of engagement with
the ratchet-wheel S when the released mechanism under the weight of the chains
and their attachments will at once turn in the direction opposite to that indicated
by the arrows 3.
To accommodate variations in the level of the soil, the hopper A may be inclined
more or less by turning it on its pivot or axis I' by means of the toothed sector X
operated by the screw Y and crank handle Z.
The hopper may be inverted so as to discharge the seed it contains without the
necessity of removing it from the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as cominunicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a seed sowing machine fitted with one or more discs carrying each a series of
ladles presenting different sized recesses in different directions and gearing for
rotating said discs from one of the road or travelling wheels the insertion into or
combination with said gearing of wheels such as E' F' and a swinging frame such
as G H carrying them so that either of the wheels E¹ F may be employed
for directly transmitting motion to the discs for rotating them in opposite directions
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a seed sowing machine the employment for raising the socks of a cam-
shaped roller or shaft such as M and ratchet and pawl device substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a seed sowing machine the arrangement enabling rows of seed to be left out

page_text: consisting of jointed and telescoping channels such as J¹ O¹ J and K receiving the
seed from ladles and conducting it to the socks when turned over towards the discs
but receiving no seed when turned away from the said discs substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a seed sowing machine the combination with the hopper or body A of
a toothed sector such as X and screw such as Y for the purpose of accommodating
variations in the level of the ground and also discharging the contents of the
hopper substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of December 1891.
ALFRED J. BOULT,
Chartered Patent Agent.