Jones & Smith's Seed-Sowing and Plaster-Spreading Machine

From American Agriculturist, 1846

This machine is mounted on two wheels, the axle-tree of which carries two standards, supporting a long hopper, marked c, in the above figure. One wheel carries a gear-wheel, which works into another gear-wheel, inserted on a shaft set in the standards, and connected with a long cylinder, b directly below the hopper, c. This cylinder has a number of cups formed by holes bored about 1 1/2 inches deep, which depth is regulated by large-headed brass screws, with heads about the size of the calibre or bore of the cups. In the bottom of the hopper is a board made to fit close to the upper part of the cylinder, b, with holes in it, which are so arranged as to come directly over the cups. Each of these holes has a small sheet-iron slide to shut off the supply of seeds from the cylinder, b. The other carriage wheel carries another wheel geared into a small pinion fixed to the cylinder, a, which is also set on the standards on the axle-tree, and is armed with numerous pegs or pins. The size of these several gear-wheels is so adjusted that the lowermost cylinder moves six times faster than the upper.

The operation of the parts is as follows :—The machine is first drawn to the place where it is to be used, by horses, and the hopper filled with seeds. The small sheet-iron slides are then withdrawn, and the whole set in motion. The seeds, in descending through the holes in the board above described, fall into the cups or holes in the cylinder, b, and, after being carried partly round, drop on the cylinder, a, which moves at a greater velocity than the cylinder, b, and by means of the small pins become scattered after the manner of sowing broad-cast.

For spreading lime, plaster, guano, &c., the board in the bottom of the hopper is to be taken out, and the iron slide on the back of the hopper is to be so adjusted, vertically, by means of the screws, as to allow a sufficient quantity of plaster to escape from the hopper to the cylinders below, and be scattered after the manner of the seeds. The machine may be followed by a harrow, roller, or any other implement used for covering seeds with earth, or for raking in lime, plaster, or guano.

Price of six feet cylinders, $60 Ditto nine feet cylinders, $70.

Wm. J. JONES AND H. C. SMITH

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