Cotton-Chopper. Page: 3 of 4
[1], 3 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this patent.
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1,223,868
adjustable pin and slot connections 23 with
clamping elements 24 which are adapted to
engage the cultivator beams 4, thereby
mounting the cotton thinning device be-
tween the cultivator beams with the wheel
B arranged approximately between the for-
ward cultivator shovels 5. The pivot arms
21 of the cross bar 22 are shown as provided
with a looped stop 25 which is adapted to
So be engaged by a stop finger 26 upon the
pivot end of the frame 17 to limit the down-
ward swinging movement of the said frame.
Flexible link members such as the chains
27 may also connect the sides of the frame
15 17 to the cultivator beams 4 for the purpose
of insuring that the plant thinning attach-
ment will be swung upwardly into an in-
operative position when the cultivator
shovels are raised, and relieving the pivot
20 joint at the forward end of the frame of all
unnecessary strain.
If desired, mud hooks or lugs 28 may pro-
ject from the periphery of the frame A to
insure a continuous and uninterrupted rota-
25 tion thereof as the cultivator is advanced
across the field. As this drum rotates, those
young plants which are received within the
pockets 13 will be uninjured and remain
standing, while the intervening young
30 plants will be crushed by the solid portions
of the surface of the drum. Those of the
young cotton plants which are left standing
by the drum A will be successively received
within the cups 14 of the wheel B so that
35 they will not be covered by the dirt from the
cultivator shovels 5, although the crushed
plants will be covered with loose dirt and
all possibility of their subsequently spring-
ing up thereby avoided.
40 Both the drum A and wheel B are expan-
sible, thereby enabling the distance between
the stands of young plants to be increased
or decreased as desired. The drum A in-
cludes a hub member 29 which has a series
45 of radial arms 30 mounted therein, said
radial arms carrying the segmental blocks
31 which have the pockets 13 therein, and
being adapted to be clamped in any adjust-
ed position by means of bolts 32 which are
50 movable within radial slots 33 in the hub
member. When the radial arms 30 are
moved inwardly to the limit of their move-
ment the segmental blocks 31 fit against
each other and the plant receiving pockets
55 13 are brought as closely together as pos-
sible, thereby providing for a minimum dis-
tance between the stands of young plants.
By moving the radial arms 30 outwardly the
peripheral distance between the pockets 13
,; will be increased, thereby providing for an
increased distance between the stands of
young plants. . The outer face of each of the
segmental blocks 31 is provided at one side
thereof with a laterally projecting plate 34
05 which overlaps and slidably engages theouter face of the next adjacent segmental
block. These plates 34 serve to bridge the
spaces between the segmental blocks 31
when the latter are moved outwardly to in-
crease the effective size of the drum, and a 70
solid plant crushing surface is thus provided
at all times between the adjacent plant re-
ceiving pockets 13.
The cup carrying wheel B is expansible
in a somewhat similar manner, since the ef- 75
fective size thereof must correspond exactly
with the effective size of the drum A. This
wheel B includes a hub member 35 within
which a series of radial spokes 36 are slid-
ably mounted, said spokes carrying the cups 80
14 at the outer ends thereof, while the inner
ends thereof are adapted to be clamped in
different adjusted positions by means of the
clamping bolts 37 which are slidable within
radial slots 38 in the hub. The spokes 36 85
can thus be moved in and out and the ad-
justment of the drum A and wheel B made
to correspond with each other. The chain
and sprocket connection between the drum
and the wheel insures a synchronous move- 9o
ment of the two members, and it will be
understood that the drum A operates to
crush all of the young plants with the ex-
ception of those which are received within
the pockets 13, and that the crushed plants 95
are subsequently covered with loose earth
from the cnltivator shovels 5, while those
plants which were left standing by the drum
are received within the cups 14 of the wheel
B. and prevented from being covered with ioo
the loose earth. - In this manner the cotton
may be simultaneously thinned and culti-
vated without danger of choking or crush-
ing the stands of young plants with loose
soil. The cups 14 are shown as provided at 105
their bases with ears 38 which are pivotally
connected at 39 to the ends of the radial
spokes 36. The cups thus have a limited
swinging movement which enables them to
fit squarely upon the ground when in posi- 110
tion to fit over the young plants. The side
pieces of the frame 17 are also shown as
formed in sections which are hingedly con-
nected at 40, such a construction enabling
both the wheel and the drum to remain in 115
engagement with the ground at all times,
even if the surface of the ground may be
rough. Stops 41 at the hinged joints 40
prevent the side pieces from sagging at the
joints during the operation of the machine. 120
Having thus described the invention, what
I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-
ters Patent, is:-
1. In a machine for thinning young
plants, the combination with a cultivator, of 125
a plant crushing drum provided with pe-
ripheral plant receiving pockets for pre-
serving stands of young plants, and a wheel
trailing the drum and provided with cups
arranged to fit over the stands of young 13023
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Gunn, Jc. Christon. Cotton-Chopper., patent, April 24, 1917; [Washington D.C.]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth857867/m1/3/: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.