Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-08-19
The Steam Plough.

From the reported proceedings of the Philadelphia
Agricultural Society, in the Philadelphia Inquirer we
extract the following notice of successful steam plough
ing machine to which the Socety's gold medal was
awarded:
A committee appointed to inspect the operations of
Fawkes' Steam Ploughing Machine" made the fol-
lowing report:
The Committee on Implements and Inventions respect
fully report that, by invitation of Mr.. j. W. Fawkes
inventor of the Steam Plough they have made and ex-
animation of the machine, and tested its powers and
capacity by repeated trials the grounds of the Oxford
Park Association.
DEscRIPToN.-The body of the engine consists of a
horizontal, quadr angular frame of iron, about twelve
feet long by eight wide which rests upon the axs OF
roller. This roller, six feet in damter and six feet long
is the driving wheel of the engine In front of the ro
ler and bOltcd within the Frame is the boiler which is
upright, surmountcd by dome and pipe, and so con
structcd that steam may be got up in fifteen minutes
'hrty minutes, however, usually required Over and
belnd the driving roller is the water tank which is OF
entire width of the entire Frame contains twelve barrels
sufficient to supply the boiler for five hours and is SO
situated that when it and the boiler full they coun
terbalance each other upon the roller Attached to the
frame in front of the boiler and taperng forward and
slightly upward like the bow of boat is sheet iron
receptacle for fuel Here is also seat for the fireman.
the whole bow resting on two guide wheels Of fifteen
inches tread and four feet diameter.
BOlted to the underside of the frame as frequently
seen in locomotives and each side of the upright
boiler arc the cylinders each 9nch diameter and l5-
inch stroke the piston rods Of which are so geared to
the crank Of the roller that it revoves once for every six
strokes of the piston. Great regularity of notion in
crease of motive power, and control over the movement
OF the engine backward and forward are secured by this
arrangement, while the guide wheels, which may be
turned at pleasure by steering wheel in charge of the
engineer, almost at right angles under the bow of the
machine, permit it to turn in circle, the radius of
which is equal to the length of the engnc-18 feet
BY u small independent donkey engine,' which is
nd thp no Loft
be filled from the former the tank itself be- through
hose, supplied from we'll or brook Into two beams
projecting from the rear of the engine pueys are let
over which chains pass Wherebya gang of eight 14nc
prairie ploug is suspended wheel on the beam oil
each plough regulates, usual the depth of the urrow
and the whole gang may be raised lowered by lever
within reach of the fireman, who, with the engineer
constitute the entire force needed to work the engine and
| poughs
The TRIA1~-The machine was tested on timothy sod
which had not been powed for seven years At giver
signal from the whistle, the fireman lowered the plough
to the ground, which they entered and drawn for
ward up an incline of about degrees. They were
lifted promptly at the margin of the land appropriated
to the trial. the machine turning easily again they were
lowered, and the poughing resumed in as short time
could have been done with single plough and pal
OF horses The mean rate of speed four miles al
hour and the united burrows nine feet four nche
wide. strip four miles long by nine feet four nche
wide is equal to l91l2O square feet which divided b.
ne huiiber vi iCeL III aIl acre give almost exactly 3l
acres per hour.
Allowing for the time lost in turning and all othe
necessary delays the engine proved itself fully capable
ploughing thirty acres day-the amount OF luel re
quired being, according to the engineer one half ton
coal, Or its equivalent in wood The plough was rul
gules and abrupt elevations and stood every ties
indicated by your committee, in the most satisfactory
manner Its performance proved its perfect adaptedncs
to prairie cultivation, and to the tiIIage of large fields
By very simple arrangement the roller, which is com
posed Of wooden slaves boed to open iron heads ma,
be lifted from the ground and geared directly to the pis
ton rod. 1t thus becomes rapidly revolving drum
over which band is passed, and the whole converte,
into farm engine for driving saws threshng machines
sugar and grain Mills sc. This ready conversion of
ploughing locomotive into farm engine, multipc
vastly the uses Of the machine.
Viewed only as steam plough your committee re
gard it as the greatest achievement yet made in aeri
cultural engineering, and recommend that th Society
highest testimonial of merit be awarded the inventor