Pulverizers or Cultivators.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Pulverizers or Cultivators.
I, ROY STONE, Engineer, of 3 West 46th Street, New York City, New York,
United States of America, 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 my invention consists of the method of tillage and a machine for digging
and tilling the soil in which the digging implements in the act of digging aid in
propelling the machine and consist of a series of digging implements attached to a
drum which is made to revolve in the direction of travel, each digging implement
being free to move on the drum to avoid obstructions with which they may come in
contact, and are impelled to project from the centre of the drum by the centrifugal
force incident to the rapid revolutions, and are thus forced into the soil to dig it by
their own momentum.
To enable the diggers to more easily cut and pulverize the soil the implements
are made with knife edge hangers carrying peripheral knives, which slip through
and under the soil and lift it toward the centre of the drum, the rapid revolutions
of the drum and the diggers strike and pulverize the soil, and discharge itin a fine
pulverized condition, at the rear of the machine as it passes over the ground to be
tilled.
:-
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism I generally employ in carrying
out my invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of my cultivator showing the position of the parts when
in operation.
Figure 2 is a top view with the guard or hood over the drum broken away at one
end to show the drum.
Figure 3 is a detail side view of a digger.
Figure 4 is a detail bottom view of a digger.
Figure 5 is a detail view of the spring connection of a digger with the drum.
The main frame A of the machine is supported on three wheels, two large driving
wheels B B whose axles run in boxes in the frame, and the castor wheel C the
frame of which is pivoted at the end of the main frame A free to turn in any
direction.
Supported on the main frame A is the boiler and fire box D and attendants
platform E.
Forward on the frame A are arranged two engines F and G each supplied with
steam from the boiler D. The engine F is connected with the digger drum H by a
chain and wheels, so as to cause the drum to revolve; while the engine G is connected
with the driving wheels B and B in the manner hereafter described, so as to drive
the machine and direct its course.
The machine is arranged so that the engineer or driver standing between the
boiler and the engines will have ready access to the furnace doors and the valves
and handles of the engines.
To the main frame A is pivotally attached the drum frame I at or near the end
of which the drum H is journalled. The frame I being pivotted to the main frame A
the lower or drum end of it is free to rise and fall in conformity with the surface
over which the machine is passing, and as it may be adjusted.
Between the pivotted end of frame I and the drum are two guage wheels the
roller K K adjustably attached to the frame I.
These guage wheels K K' rest on the ground and regulate the depth of digging
done by the diggers of the drum.
The frame is also attached to frame A by the chain and windlass L so that
frame I may be raised and the digger drum lifted out of contact with the ground in
moving from one point to another and in turning around in the field.

page_text: Instead of the windlass it is manifest that a steam cylinder and piston may be
used.
There is also attached to frame I the hood or cover M which conforms with and
covers the drum H and prevents the soil in process of pulverization from being
thrown on the machine, and projects it to the rear of the machine.
A roller N is journalled on the frame in bearing adjustable by the set screws pp
so as to come in contact with and press down the soil after it has been subjected to
action of the diggers. This adjustable roller bears part of the weight of the drum
and frame I and acts as a guage in connection with the guage wheels K K. There
may be connected with the roller N or other wheel of the machine a seeder O
constructed in any well known manner and arranged to drop seed in the soil as the
machine passes over it, it is desirable that the seeder O should be between the
digger drum H and the roller N. The spouts of the seeder O are so arranged that
they may be turned so as to adjust the depth of planting by their position in the
pulverized soil thrown up by the diggers.
The engine G which propels the machine is connected with the wheels B B as
follows:-
The engine shaft 1 has on it above near one end the sprocket wheel 2 free to
revolve about it when the friction clutches 4 is not in contact, and on or near the
other end the sprocket wheel 3 free to revolve about it when the friction clutch 5 is
not in contact.
The friction clutches 4 and 5 are arranged with appropriate handles, so that they
may each be readily controlled by the engineer from his position on the platform.
Around the sprocket wheel 2 passes the chain belt 6 which also passes around the
sprocket wheel 7 attached to the shaft 8, journalled in the frame A on which the
small sprocket wheel 9 is attached.
On the driving wheel B is attached the sprocket wheel about which and the
sprocket wheel G a chain belt 10 passes, so that the wheel B is driven thereby,
when the friction clutch 4 is in contact.
The wheel B has on it the sprocket wheel 6 which is connected by similar
chains and sprocket wheels through the friction clutch 5 with the engine shaft 1.
The arrangement of chains and sprocket wheels gives great power from a small
engine at the expense of speed, and the two separate wheels B B₁ driven by one
engine having a separate friction connection with each enables the engineer to drive
the machine straight or to turn it at will.
The engine F drives the shaft 20 to the ends of which are firmly attached the
sprocket wheels 21, 211 about which the chain belts 22, 22 passes connecting them
with the sprocket wheels 23, 23 respectively on the ends of the shaft of the digger
drum H.
The engine shaft 20 is arranged so that it passes through the pivot on which the
frame is hung to the frame A thus avoiding any derangement of the chain belt 22
by the movement of the frame in raising and lowering the drum.
The drum consists of a shaft 30, journalled in the frame I at each side, on the
ends extending beyond the frame I are keyed the sprocket wheels 23 and 231 by
which it is driven. On the shaft 30 between the two sides of frame I are a series of
circular pieces, as drum heads 31 through which near their periphery are arranged
the rods 32, 33.
The diggers are hung on rods 32, so as to be free to revolve around until they
come in contact with rods 33 as shown in Figures 1 and 5.
The digger is kept in its central position between two drum heads 31 by the spiral
springs 34, 34' one end of each of which is attached to a drum head 31, and the other
end of each is attached to the diggers the springs being so adjusted as to tend to
keep the digger midway on the rod 32 between two drum heads and at the same
time press it against the rod 33 the top of the digger is made with a notch in the
end in which the rod 32 fits, and is fastened on by the bolt 43 so that the digger
may be swung sidewise about the bolt 43 as a centre-the springs 34, 34' tending to
hold it in position at right angles to the rod 32.

page_text: The diggers each consist of the hanger 40, weight 41 and foot or cutter 42.
The hanger 40 and weight 41 may be made in one piece or in two or more pieces
fastened together. The weight 41 may be made hollow and filled with adjustable
weights if desired. The end of the hanger 40 is slotted to receive the rod 32 on
which it is secured by the bolt 43. On the face of the hanger 40 is the cushion R
at the place contact is made with rod 33 so as to avoid all shock or jars. The bolt
hole 44 receives the bolt 45, by which the springs 34, 34' are secured to it.
Through the digger at the coming together of the main arm 40 and weight 41 is
a bolt hole for the bolt 47 by which the foot or centre 42 is secured to the other
part of the digger. The arm 41 is made with a projecting lug 46, which fits in the
crotch of the cutter and keeps it from turning about the bolt.
A series of such diggers are attached in this manner to the drum, and are at the
same time free to be moved backward or sidewise and inward toward the centre of
the drum in avoiding obstructions.
The foot or centre 42 is made with a tapering cross-section so that the wear on
the bottom of it will keep the edge sharp.
The rods 33 are so arranged in relation to rods 32 that the centre of gravity of
the diggers do not attain a radial position from the centre of the drum but are held
in check by rods 33 so that they constantly press against it, when the drum is in
rapid revolution, owing to the centrifugal force which tends to throw the centre of
gravity of the diggers into a radial position.
The method of operation is as follows:-
Steam being generated in boiler D, the engines F and G, are started G, driving
the machine by the traction wheels and F, the drum H, the machine being on the
ground to be tilled the drum H, is lowered by windlass L, until guage wheels K,
are in contact with the ground the rapid revolution of the drum H throws the
diggers into the soil and causes them to cut under the soil and raise it with them,
the speed of the drum being very great the soil is cut in thin slivers and thrown by
the force of the motion out under the edge of the hood M at the rear of the
machine.
The roller N passes over the soil and compresses it sufficiently to prevent it from
being blown away under high winds.
To guide the machine it is only necessary to release the friction clutch 4 or 5,
and the machine will diverge from a straight line in a direction in accordance with
the friction clutch released.
To turn the machine the drum is raised from the ground by the windlass L, and
stopped, and the machine turned by the release of a friction clutch to any position
desired, when the drum is again put in operation and lowered to contact with the
ground. It is to be observed that the drum should always be in full revolution
before it is lowered to the ground.
It is manifest that if for any reason the machine is required to be lighter, or the
steam is insufficient to propel it, other power than steam, such as horses, or a
separate traction engine or a rope and windlass may be used in connection with the
steam driven drum without departing from my Invention.
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 method of tillage in which the soil is broken, pulverized and aerated by
diggers on a drum revolving in the direction of travel of the machine substantially
as specified.
2. The method of tillage consisting in cutting the soil in thin slices raising it and
projecting it from the machine substantially as specified.
3. The combination in a tillage machine of a wheeled machine and tillage drum
revolved in the direction of travel of the machine.
4. The combination in a tillage machine of a revolving drum and suspended
digger or diggers substantially as specified.

page_text: 5. The combination in a tillage machine of a revolving drum and suspended
diggers connected to the drum by spiral springs, substantially as specified.
6. The combination in a tillage machine of a revolving drum and suspended
diggers arranged with a cushioned stop substantially as specified.
7. The combination in a tillage machine of a revolving drum and suspended
diggers cach having a knife edge cutter and peripheral cutter foot substantially as
specified.
8. The method herein described of arranging cutters on a drum consisting of
hanging them at or near the periphery of the drum and revolving the drum rapidly
so as to throw the cutter radially from the drum substantially as specified.
9. The combination in a tillage machine of a main frame A and a frame I hinged
thereto carrying the cutter drum arranged to be raised or lowered substantially as
specified.
10. The combination in a tillage machine of two wheels driven by an engine the
shaft of each wheel having a friction clutch through which power is conveyed to it
and a free turning castor wheel substantially as specified.
11. The combination in a tillage machine of a power driven digger drum and a
seeder adjustably attached to the machine, so that the point of discharge may be
regulated substantially as specified.
12. The combination in a tillage machine of a power driven digger drum, and an
adjustable roller substantially as specified.
13. The combination in a tillage machine of a power driven digger drum an
adjustable roller and adjustable seeder substantially as specified.
Dated this 7th day of October 1890.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.