IMPROVEMENTS IN SETTING WHEAT AND OTHER SEED
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HENRY SHAW, of Charlotte Street, Blackfriars Road, in the County of Surrey,
Jeweller, send greeting.
WHEREAS, Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Nineteenth day of June, in the fourth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said James
Henry Shaw, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said James Henry Shaw, my exors, admors,., and... assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Heury Shaw, my exors, admors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick upon Tweed, and in the Isles of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark,
and Man, and also in Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SETTING WHEAT AND OTHER SEED;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said James
Henry Shaw, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in
Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery, within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference, being thereunto had,, will more fully and at large
appear.

page_text: my Invention; Figure 2 is a plan thereof; Figure 3 shews a section; and
Figure 4 shews a front view of the machine. The other Figures of the
Drawing shew the apparatus which deposit the seed, and by which the quantity
is regulated.
a, a, are the wheels which carry the machinery; these wheels turn on the
axles b, which are affixed to the side framing at c, c, as is clearly shewn at
Figure 2. d, d, is the framing to which the handles e, e, are applied; f, f, are
two small wheels, applied to the front part of the framing d, d, by means of the
side frames g, g, which are capable of adjustment so as to cause the ploughs
h, h, to go more or less deep into the soil in order to produce the desired depth
of furrows for receiving the seed. The ploughs h are carried by the stems h',
which are fixed in the front rail of the framing d, d, by means of wedges h², as
is clearly shewn in the Drawings. On the boss or nave of one of the wheels a
is affixed the cog wheel i, which takes into and drives the cog wheel j, the cog
wheelj being made fast when the machine is at work on the axle k, which
turns in bearings affixed to the side framing d, d. By this arrangement, as
the wheels a, a, revolve, rotatory motion will be communicated to the axis k,
and with it the cylinder m, which is affixed thereto. This cylinder is divided
into as many compartments as it is intended the machine shall set rows of seed,
and around each compartment are applied the apparatus for depositing the
seed at the desired distance apart; and by the same apparatus the quantity
of seed deposited at one time is regulated, as will be hereafter fully described.
n, n, are a series of curved bars affixed to the front rail, the object of which is

page_text: to open the valves of the apparatus which deposit the seed; o, o, are the shafts
for a horse. It is necessary to state that the cog wheel j is only made fast to
the axle k when the machine is passing over the land to set seed, but when it
is desired that the apparatus for depositing the seed should be stopped, then
the wheel j can be caused to turn loosely on the axis k, and thus keep the
apparatus out of work till the cog wheel j is again affixed to the axis k'; and
in order to accomplish this, p is a clutch box which slides on the 'axis k, but
turns therewith. On the face of this clutch box there are projecting pins,
which enter holes formed in the cog wheel j. and thus fasten the cog wheel j
when required to the axis k, in such manner as to cause the axis k to turn
when the wheel j is turned, all which will readily be understood on examining
the Drawing. 9 is a lever, by which the clutch box can be slided to or from
the wheel j, and thus cause the wheel; to be made fast to the axis k, or allow
it to turn loosely thereon.
Figure 5 shews an upper and under side view of the apparatus for depositing
seed; Figure 6 shews a side and edge view thereof; and Figure 7 shews two
sections thereof. These parts are shewn full size, and they are affixed on the
cylinder m at such a distance apart as will cause seed to be deposited succes-
sively at the desired distance. r is a rectangular tube, having at the lower end
a valve s, which is constantly pressed on by the spring t with a tendency to
close it, and the spring will at all times keep the valve closed, excepting when
operated on by a curved bar n by the roller v, on the arm of the valve coming
against the lower end of the bars n, as is clearly shewn in Figures 1 and 3 of
the Drawing. w is a spring plate affixed within the tube r; and x is a screw,
by which the spring plate w may be caused to leave more or less opening for
the passage of seed during the time the valve s is open, and thus regulate the
quantity of seed deposited at one time; y, y, are openings and doors in the
cylinder, in order to introduce the seed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means
I am acquainted with for performing the same, I would remark that I do not
confine myself to the precise details shewn, provided the peculiar character
of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is, the mode of combining
mechanical apparatus into a machine, by applying depositing apparatus 1,
and suitable parts connected therewith, to a revolving cylinder, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Henry Shaw, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
JAMES H. (L.B.) SHAW.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of October, in
the
year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid James Henry Shaw came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein. contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-one.