Improvements in Weeding Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Weeding Machines.
I, JOSEF BRADAC of Zbozi by Habern, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austro-
Hungary, Farm and Factory Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :—
The weeding-machines used hitherto have been arranged either for hand operation
or for being worked with one horse. In the former case great inconvenience was
experienced while the process was at best exceedingly slow, and machines of the
latter class have proved so heavy, complicated and expensive, and besides so liable
to damage the corn by their wheels and by the hoofs of the cattle, that their
employment is now considered very objectionable and is unwillingly resorted to
even in countries particularly inconvenienced by an abundant growth of weeds.
The drawbacks above pointed out are entirely removed by the improved weeding
machine which forms the subject of this invention.
It consists of a frame to which are secured in a row a series of teeth the whole
of which form a comb.
The various teeth slightly taper from the ends secured to the frame towards the
opposite or outer ends.
The handle by means of which the labourer moves the machine in front of him
as he advances in the field is also firmly secured to the said frame.
The weed accumulating between the teeth of the comb is removed by a narrow
plate or stripper adapted to be shifted above the comb by means of a bar.
To render the machine serviceable for corn of different heights of growth, its
two wheels which support it are made adjustable.
For this purpose angle-irons are secured to the ends of the frame each of which
angle-irons is provided with a slot in which may be secured the journals of the
wheels by means of thumb-nuts. When the corn is high the wheel-axle may thus
be slightly raised, in the reverse case it may be lowered.
Besides where the height of the corn does not vary very much, it may be
sufficient to simply lower the handle, for higher corn and to raise it where the
growth of the corn is lower.
This machine is very light and readily manageable. A man of but average
strength can move it along with the left hand his right hand being occupied in
handling the bar and stripper.
The corn passes unhurt through the spaces between the teeth of the comb and
the weeds whose leaves or ramifications are caught at the same time, are torn out,
when a certain quantity of weeds is thus gathered upon the comb the bar and
stripper are operated to remove them.
Dated this 16th day of February 1892.
Z.
W. P. THOMPSON & DOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
0
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Weeding Machines.
I, JOSEF BRADÁC, of Zbozi by Habern, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austro-
Hungary, Farm and Factory Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
5 described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The weeding machines used hitherto have been arranged either for hand

page_text: operation or for being worked with one horse. In the former case great incon-
venience was experienced while the process was at best exceedingly slow; and
machines of the latter class have proved so heavy, complicated and expensive, and
besides so liable to damage the corn by their wheels and by the hoofs of the cattle,
that their employment is now considered very objectionable and is unwillingly
resorted to even in countries particularly inconvenienced by an abundant growth
of weeds.
The drawbacks above pointed out are entirely removed by the improved weeding
machine which forms the subject of this invention.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 2 is a plan, and
Figure 1 a section on line Figure 2 of the improved machine.
It consists of a frame R to which are secured in a row a series of teeth the
whole of which form a comb A.
The various teeth slightly taper from the ends secured to the frame R towards
the opposite or outer ends.
The handled by means of which the labourer moves the machine in front of him
as he advances in the field, is also firmly secured to the said frame R.
The weed accumulating between the teeth of the comb A is removed by a
narrow plate or stripper a adapted to be shifted above the comb by means of a bar b.
To render the machine serviceable for corn of different heights of growth, its
two wheels r which support it are made adjustable.
For this purpose brackets e are secured to the ends of the frame R, each of
which brackets is provided with a slot n in which may be secured the journals of
the wheels r by means of thumb-nuts s. When the corn is high the frame may
thus be slightly raised on the wheel-axles (in the direction of arrow I); in the
reverse case it may be lowered (see arrow II).
Besides, where the height of the corn does not vary very much, it may be
sufficient to simply lower the handle in the direction of the arrow II for higher
corn, and to raise it in the direction of arrow I where the growth of the corn
is lower.
This machine is very light and readily manageable. A man of but average
strength can move it along with the left hand, his right hand being occupied in
handling the bar b and stripper a.
The corn passes unhurt through the spaces between the teeth of the comb, and
the weeds, whose leaves or ramifications are caught at the same time are torn out;
when a certain quantity of weed is thus gathered upon the comb, the bar band
stripper a are operated to remove them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,―
A weeding-machine in which for the purpose of weeding corn-fields of different
heights of growth the axles of the wheels are adjustable in the slots n of
brackets e secured to the frame R substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Ontahan 1000.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.