US424376A - Sulky-cultivator - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

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- sULKY GULTIVATOR. No. 424,376.

Patented Mar. 25, 18901.

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SULKY GULIIVATOR.

No. 424,376. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

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IVALTER E. TAFT, OF AKRON, OHIO.

SU LKYWCU LTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,376, dated March 25, 1890. Application tiled January 18, 1890. Serial No. 337,309. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, I/VALTER E. TAFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sulky-(hiltivators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, Which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in sulky-cultivators; an d the invention consists in mechanism whereby the Wheels may at the will of the operator be turned or adjusted to `travel at an angle, to either side of a direct line, or to traverse said line back and forth, according as the row or rows of plants cultivated require such movements, and in mechanism whereby the cultivator teeth or shovels may be simultaneously moved with said Wheels or separately moved with respect thereto and to each other, all as hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan vieW ot' a cultivator embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is afront elevation thereof with part of the frame-Work broken off in sections, so as to more clearly disclose the important features of the invention. Fig. 3 is avertical central cross-section of the machine. Fig. 4 is a cross-section, considerably enlarged, of the central portion of the machine on line a: Fig. 1.. Fig. 5 is a plan view, in Whole, of the mechanism shown in section, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the form of crosshead shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the top plate of which is removed. Fig. '7 is a perspective view, looking from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 6, of a modification of the cross-head.

Referring to the parts of the machine, lO represents the main supporting-frame, 11 the Wheels, and 12 the short independent axles.

As before stated, the construction is such as 'to enable the Wheels to be diverted at the Will of the driver to any desired angle, to a direct line, or to the line of travel, and to this end each Wheel has a separate short axle swiveled O11 a vertical pivot-post 13, (in this instance, integral with the axle, though this is not essentiaD-that is., the two parts may be of separate pieces suitably united.,

Each axle and post 12 13 is supported on a bracket or hanger 14, secured rigidly to the cross bar or rail l5 of the main frame. These brackets or hangers have their lower extremities formed With horizontal projections having eyes for the spindles of the posts 13, and at their upper ends perforated ears 16 for supporting the upper ends of said posts, so that the said posts With their axles are free to turn on these spindles as their pivot-points.

Each axle extends inwardly a sufficient distance from the post 13 to bring the extremity'within convenient reach of the feet of the driver, and a treadle 17 is formed thereon for the purpose of enabling the driver to turn the wheels by his feet in any desired direction, as the conditions of the Work may require. To do this so that the Wheels shall change direction together and simultaneously, the pivot-posts 13 are provided with short arms 17 near or at their upper ends, and linkrods 13 connect the said arms With a perforated flange 19 on the cross-head 20.

TWO forms of cross-head are shown in Figs. 6 and '7, both of Which have the flange 19 described. This cross-head is adapted to lie against the inner surface of the bar or rail 15 of the main frame and is provided With ahslot from end to end, or nearly so, through which end the bar 15 and angular bolt 21 pass and serve to support the said head on said bar in such manner that it will be held in proper relation to said bar and the attached parts and yet be free to slide on the bolt, as the service requires.

l Obviously the two Wheels, connect-ed as shown and described, through their axles 12, pivot-posts 13, connecting-links 13, and common cross-head 20, will, when moved through the treadles, change their directionor angle together, and, so far, this construction serves one purpose of the invention satisfactorily. New, in order that a corresponding and equivalent movement maybesimultaneously transmitted to the cultivator-shovels, I provide each shovel-bar or drag-bar 22 with a vertical guide bar or standard 23, pivoted at its upper end to the main frame and Working freely in a cleat or keeper 24'on the shovel-bar, so that IOO said bar, while held in the desired line laterally, may be free to rise and fall or to have free up and down movement, according to the condition of the ground or other conditions encountered in the usual work. To determine the positions of the shovel-bar in relation to one another or to the work, as well as to fix them inany desired position, rods 24: are fastened to the standards 23 and held adjustable at their opposite ends in ears 25 (on the cross-head in Fig. 7 or the rack-bars elsewhere) by set-screws or other suitablelocking mechanism. By either or both of these constructions the shovel-bars are fixed to reciprocate the movements of the wheels, and thus by operating the treadles, as before described, the driver has perfect control, through his feet, of the wheels and the shovels, and the cross-head is the central medium through which this joint operation is effected.

If it be desired to have a still further control over the shovel-bars than is provided in the foregoing description, the construction shown in the main figures may be employed. Thus, supposing that the respective shovelbars are set in respect to one another by the adjustment provided by rods and ears 24 25, and it is found necessary to increase or diminish the space between the said bars, either effect or movement may be readily and instantly accomplished by the driver on his seat, without stopping, by simply turning` the crank 26. This crank is connected with the shovel-bars through apinion 27, set centrally in the recess 28 in the lateral flange or lip 19 on the cross-head and meshes with rack-bars 2S', having the ears 25 at their outer ends for connecting with the rods 24:. The crank 26 is supported on the spindle of the pinion 27, and a circular plate 29, bolted or screwed on the cross-head, has teeth around its edge engaged by a tooth on the under side of the crank, and the crank being made, preferably, of spring metal, when turned to any given place will engage and lock itself, and thus hold said tooth-bars wherever they are adjusted.

The cross-head and its securing-bolt are perforated for the passage of the pin 30, inserted when a continuous forward drive is to be made, as in moving the cultivator from place to place. e

I am aware that it is not broadly newy to provide a cultivator of this class with adjustable axles to change the direction of the wheels at the will of the driver, nor to adjust the tooth or shovel-bars laterally by fixed or lever adjust-ments; but I am not aware that the means for accomplishing these results, as herein shown and described, have ever before been known or used.

I have particularized the details of the construction shown, but do not thereby wish to have it understood that the invention is limited exactly to such details, as, obviously, equivalent mechanism is properly within the scope of the invention and the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a cultivator, the main frame, independent axles pivoted thereon, a sliding crosshead supported on said frame'and connected with the shovel, shovel-beams, and rods connecting the axles and said cross-head, substantially as described.

2. In a cultivator, a cross-head adjustable laterally on the main frame, in combination with separately-pivoted axles and rods connecting the axles and cross-head, the latter having connection with the shovel-beams, substantially as described.

3. In a cultivator, the main frame provided with hangers, and axles pivoted in said hangers and having treadles on their inner extremities, in combination with a laterallysliding cross-head to which said axles are connected, substantially as described.

4. In a cultivator, a cross-head secured to the main frame and adapted to slide laterally thereon, in combination with fixed hangers on said frame, pivoted posts in said hangers carrying independent axles and treadles, and means for operating said cross-head by the treadles, substantially as described.

5. In a cultivator, a cross-head having a slot, and a bolt or stud in said slot securing the cross-head loosely to the frame and allowing it to slide thereon, in combination with separate axles connected with said cross-head by rods and pivoted to turn horizontally, and links connecting the cross-head with the shovel-beams, substantially as described.

6. In a cultivator, the main frame, hangers fixed on said frame, and posts provided with axles'and treadles pivoted in said hangers, in combination with a cross-head supported on the main frame and arranged to slide laterally, and connections between the said posts and the cross-head, substantially as described.

7. In a cultivator, separate pivoted axles and a cross-head, and rods with which said axles and cross-head are connected, in combination with shovel-bars and links or rods connecting said bars with the cross-head, substantially as described.

8. In a cultivator, a pair of separately-pivoted axles and treadles to turn the axles horizontally, in combination with a sliding cross-head to which said axles are linked, and shovel-bars adjustably connected with the said cross-head, whereby the wheels and the shovel-bars may be simultaneously turned in their direction, substantially as described.

9. In a cultivator, a cross-head 20 on the main frame and shovel-bars connected therewith through guide-bars 23 and links 24:, in combination with independent horizontallypivoted axles 12 and 18, having treadles 17 and connections 18 between the axles and the cross-head, substantially as described.

10. In a cultivator, a main frame, a crosshead arranged to slide laterally upon the IOO IIO

IIS

frame, a pinion journaied in the cross-head, an upper toothed plate, and a crank upon the stein of the pinion held in adjustment by said p1ate,in Combination with the rack-bars, the rods secured to said rack-bars or to the orosshead and VConnected to the shovel-bars, substantially as shown and described.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification this 30th day of December, 1889.

WALTER E. TAFT.

Witnesses:

T. W. WAKEMAN, J. W. HUTTON.

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