1884.] 
AMEEICAK AG-EIOULTUEIST. 
121 
OUR RECORD 
OF 
Eecent Agricultural Inventions. 
Plow. —Henry O. Hoop, C.-nTolton, Ga., Nov. 20;. 
288,666.—This invenlion consists essentially in a plow 
point carrying two independent wings, which may be 
fastened together and to the plow standard by a single 
form. The mechanism is operated by gearing connected 
with the traction wheels. The figure shows a front ele¬ 
vation of the operating portion of the potato planter. 
Dirt Scraper. —D. A. Faulkner, Sacramento, Cal. 
Dec. 18 ; No. 2110,410. The frame, mounted on wheels 
and runners, supports a peculiarly hung scraper, which, 
by means of the lever A, can be raised and turned to a 
vertical position for dumping. The engraving shows 
the scraper bowl raised, and the means by which it is 
thrown into and out of position for Working. When h 
is upright, the notch in the upper edge of the bowl rests 
between the curved prongs h ; the arms i, lie nearly par¬ 
allel with the bottom of the bowl, the rear links /. are 
nearly horizontal, and the front links e, are inclined 
rearwardly to their joints e. In this position the strain 
bolt. These wings form the mould-board of the plow, or 
when desired they may be adjusted to convert the plow 
into a scraper ; or the wings may be fixed so that one 
will act as a scraper and the other as a land turner. 
Automatic Cate. —William Thornton and Al¬ 
fred Ferris, Elkhart, Ind. Nov. 1.3; No. 288,601.—This 
gate is hung by tbe supporting rod, C, and the rope, 
running over the pulley, Z>, and carrying the weight, F. 
When it is desired to open the gate, the latch is raised, 
the falling weight causes the gate to slide l)ack. and by 
the action of the pivoted rod, 0, and the arrangement of 
the uprigiits, BB^ the gate is swung around at right an¬ 
gles to its first position, so as to le.aye the space it pre¬ 
viously closed free for the passage of any vehicle. The 
against the bit is in a line directly against the rear links 
/, and the bowl cannot be forced back. The amount of 
the load is regulated by means of the stops y, and the 
bolts g. The mechanism is simple, easily adjusted and 
operated, strong, and not liable to get out of order. 
Cultivator.— John M. Blade, Alpha, III. Nov. 20; 
No. 288,764.—This invention relates to the class of ma¬ 
chines known as parallel or tongueless cultivators, and 
advantages claimed for this gate are its simple construc¬ 
tion, its easy operation, and the absence of all compli¬ 
cated meebanism that would be liable to get out of order. 
Potato Planter.— H. D. Herrington, Iloosic, N. 
Y. Nov. 13; No. 288,2.37.—Mr. Herrington’s aim is to 
improve tbe class of potato planters employing a hopper 
from which potatoes are delivered to a platform and 
thence dropped into a spout, which delivers them into a 
farrow behind a furrow opener, there to be covered by a 
follower. The improvements claimed lie in the mechan¬ 
ism for operating the valves in the potato holder and the 
spout, and the combination of these parts with the plat¬ 
consists in the manner of connecting the plow beams to 
the beam-yoke, and the runners to the same yoke ; the 
aim being to form a cheap, strong and effective connec¬ 
tion between parts where there is great strain, while at 
the same time the coupling permits of all the movements 
common in this class of cultivators. The figure shows a 
side elevation of the cultivator. 
Combined Harrow and Cultivator.— 
L. A. John, Dunlap, Kansas. Dec. 4; No. 289,659. The 
construction of this machine is clearly shown in the en¬ 
graving. It is made of iron bars, bolted so as to be 
readily taken apart for transportation. The long 
teeth at the front may be set low down to the bottom 
of the furrow in cultivating listed com. The plow 
standards are hung so as to swing freely on pivots, 
and thus may be brought close together or held wide 
apart, as the nature of the crop may require. The claims 
cover the frame of angular bars connected by the arched 
bar in front, and a cross bar in the rear, both being de¬ 
tachable ; also the construction, connection and bracing 
of the draft-clevis and harrow-beams, and the mode of 
hanging the cultivators in the combination also. 
Plow.— Drank Chevalier, Lexington, Ky. Nov. 20; 
No. 288,776.- In this plow the mould-board is divided into 
prongs and fingers, to adapt it for use in sticky soil, and 
for digging potatoes. A special feature of the plow is 
the brace which supports the mould-board at its outer 
edge, and forms a means of attachment tor one of the 
handles. The advantages claimed for this plow are in 
its simple construction, lightness, cheapness and adapt¬ 
ability to the uses named. 
Check-Row Dl'opper.-J- H. Warren, Bur¬ 
lington Junction, Missouri. Dec. 25 ; No. 290,950. The 
principal claims of this patent lie in connection with the 
roller a, and the guide-bar d. The pivoted lever c, has 
at one end a pin ft, which projects in the cam-slot a, of 
the roller. The other end is connected with the drop¬ 
ping slide of the planter. The hearing of the pin in the 
cam-slot as the roller turns, gives to e the desired rock¬ 
ing motion. Tbe bar cf, carrying the guide-pulley e, is 
pivoted centrally, and by means of the spring-arm d, is 
made capable of the oscillating motion desirable in 
check-rowing machines, on account of the uneven feed¬ 
ing along the wire, due to the roughness of the ground. 
Butter Tub.— H. F. Coombs, Charlottetown, 
Prince Edward Island, Canada. Dec. 4; No. 289,390. 
By using staves thin at the top, and thick at the bottom, 
Mr. Coombs makes a butter tub of the conventional 
shape outside, yet widest at the top inside. The hoops 
cannot slip off in transportation, and when the tub is to 
be emptied, Ihe butter can be turned out in bulk ; also, 
the hoops can be loosened, and the cover or top removed 
without turning the tub over. It would seeem to be 
well suited for holding butter for distant shipment. 
Cultivator.— N. H. Williams. Joliet, Ill. Nov. IS; 
No. 288.289.—The special feature of this invention lies 
in the mechanism by which the plow of a cultivator may 
be turned so as to throw the furrow in either direction 
at Ihe will of the operator. The figure represents a lon¬ 
gitudinal section of a cultivator, showing a side e.eva- 
tion of the rocking head and its connections, by means 
of which the plow is deflected to either side. 
