Can someone help me with patent dates and reissue dates - 140 year old planter

[wrenchguy]

I've purchased this corn planter from n. central ill.  I believe its a "The Challenge Corn Planter"  made in grand haven michigan.  This is a 2 person planter made before "wire knot check row planting method" came about.  I'm trying to nail down its manufacturer by using these dates and the cast seat identification.  There aren't any logos but every iron part has a part number.  If its not a Challenge my second guess would be the company that built the early keystone planters.  I can't find there name now… wouldn't u know it.  I have alotta trouble navigating search engines. maybe some one knows cast seats too.  thanking you in advance.

[Plyerman]

Wow, what a beauty! Pretty fine shape for being nearly 150 years old. Maybe because it never traveled too far from home..?

The Feb 1, 1870 patent appears to be #99,286 by G.W. Brown of Galesburg, Illinois:

[wrenchguy]

i never imagined it would be a brown!!!! he i believe is considered the inventor of the horse drawn corn planter.  any more help please?  thank u.  its got a neat story behind it i'll share in the future post.

[Plyerman]

Neat stuff!

Here is a link to the Feb 28, 1865 patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US46615

Link to the Feb 1, 1870 patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US99286


Then click the "View PDF" button to see the original document and drawings. Or click the "Download PDF" button if you wish to save it to your computer.

[wrenchguy]

It was a horse drawn curiosity shown at county and state fairs in the mid 50's into the 60's by the regional sales guy/manager for tomahawk seed corn. tomahawk according to his daughter started out in belmond iowa and moved her dad and family to lexington ill. 1952 to start regional stake there.  heres a old photo of it at 1 of the fairs.  the photo shows it with a row marker on the back of it, which wasn't original to it.  the seat still is crooked like shown in the pic as it sits in my barn.

[skipskip]

That's the coolest find I have seen/heard all year!!


Love the story.

Skip

[Lewill2]

Can you show a detailed picture of the seat? There is a seat collectors group out there and I can see if they have that seat identified.

[wrenchguy]

thank u skip,  do u what do these reissue patent dates mean? sorry to ask so many questions but trying to learn much as i can.  maybe seat collectors here maybe help with i.d. , i forgot to mention that the seat part number is 239 and located on top towards front.  i'm 99% confident its not a marriage of different manufacturer components as everything is part number marked.  i think even the wood parts too.  1 piece for sure is numerically stamped.  it might be a serial number of the machine though.

the cut i've added below shows a later brown planter,  this is browns version of a check row method of dropping seed.  no kid was needed as the spaced knots in the wire tripped a mechinacizm on the planter that dropped the seed.  i believe "check rowers" became the craze in the early 1880's, with many older 2 person machines being converted to a "check rower".  thanks 4 any help.

[wrenchguy]

Can you show a detailed picture of the seat? There is a seat collectors group out there and I can see if they have that seat identified.

will do later today.  i believe the wood dropper seat is original to the machine and never been off.  this gotta confirm this machine being shedded most its life.  there is a lot of original paint w/stripping.  gotta be careful dusting and cleaning it.

[wrenchguy]

we get more pics today, with more story.  sorry to ramble, i gotta take a break now, takes like half hour to post as all my keys don't work on laptop. control copying letters pia!  thanks 4 any help.

[turnnut]

 hello Wrenchguy,  this is a very interesting story, thanks for sharing.

 ? what does the double pedal on the left do ????  the pedal is on the left, and the seat tilts to the left
 like the operator/farmer might have had to use his left foot many times, and his body was leaning to the left ???

 yes, I will stay tuned to this episode.

 now you need to know what wrenches may have come with this planter.

 I hope that you will be able to keep it stored inside.

[turnnut]

  just checked P. T. Rathbone's 3rd edition of the history of old time FARM IMPLEMENTS AND THE WRENCHES THEY USED.

   George W. Brown,  born 1815 in Clifford Park, Saratoga, N.Y.   DIED June 2, 1895

  (2) wrenches are listed; 
  1562 which is a doubletree pin wrench.  ( it has one open end wrench on one end, the other end is just a round pin.

   244  one end has a boxed square wrench, the other end has 3 open wrenches plus a boxed hex between the 3 openings.

[wrenchguy]

double pedal ( actually 1 pedal) engages the lift mechaniczm to lift the iron runners/furrow makers that provide a furrow the seeds get drpped in.  i'm not sure exactly how well it works but its for traveling and turning.  it has to put more down pressure on the hitch pole.  the pedals are centered  to the driver as he uses both feet and stands on them to lift.  as for the crooked seat, the whole frame is wood, wood moves twist with the weather, especially maybe the main curved member that must been steam bent. it could be the row marker with its iron fixture and the end of it could play a role in its lean.  its possible that it was stored with the marker there for a 100 years.  it was used when this machine was converted to a check rower probably in the 1880's. i believe photographed in the 50's it has the check rower conversion parts on it.  don't know 4 sure can't see the front of the machine. it has some neat weird looking nuts on it along with what i guess are sae square nuts.  the weird ones must've had a special wrench made for them, i'm sure u guys will know more when u see them.  thank u.

[wrenchguy]

  just checked P. T. Rathbone's 3rd edition of the history of old time FARM IMPLEMENTS AND THE WRENCHES THEY USED.

   George W. Brown,  born 1815 in Clifford Park, Saratoga, N.Y.   DIED June 2, 1895

  (2) wrenches are listed; 
  1562 which is a doubletree pin wrench.  ( it has one open end wrench on one end, the other end is just a round pin.

   244  one end has a boxed square wrench, the other end has 3 open wrenches plus a boxed hex between the 3 openings.

i hadn't thought checking  petes books, this is a early machine, not shure there was a parts book for it.  u need early  literature to know what came with it.  maybe so though, everything has a part number.

[wrenchguy]

i believe the hitch tongue  is original and ain't been off.  not cut for use as a tractor hitch like a lot were.  old old double trees came with it, i can't believe there original to it….. maybe.  tongue pole was cut, but is complete.  more later when i get photos up.