Improved Machine for Draining Land by Horse or Steam Power.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Draining Land by Horse or Steam Power.
We, JOHN HAINES RIMELL of Norton Grounds Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire,
Farmer, and THOMAS CLEMENTS of White's House in the parish of Weston Subedge,
Gloucestershire, Farm Shepherd, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to
be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object an improved machine for draining land by horse
or steam power, that is to say, our machine may be used either by animal, steam or
other power for making the necessary channels below the surface of land by which
the water is carried away to the various dykes or other main channels. The formation
of the machine is as follows:-
The upper part may be formed with suitable shafts and guiding handles similar
to an ordinary plough and with frame-work of sufficient stiffness to carry the
necessary tools for the purpose. These tools consist of, firstly, a sharp cutting blade
which penetrates sufficiently deep into the ground to make a vertical or other
opening or slit therein, as the machine moves along. Some little distance behind
this is another blade or rod having at the foot thereof an iron enlargement, say,
round, oval, or other shaped in cross section and with the nose pointed in such a
manner as to form a tool or mould which forces its way at the bottom of the slit
made by the first cutting tool and leaving a circular, oval, or other suitable opening
at the bottom of the niche into which the water percolates through the soil. Some-
what behind this moulding tool is fixed another rod, also from the main frame-work
which carries a smoothing, finishing or sleeking tool or roller which cleans the
groove or channel produced by the moulding tool so as to remove any small obstacles
therefrom and to somewhat harden and smooth the said channel. This sleeking tool
may be a little larger than the mould itself.
I do not of course confine myself to the use of three tools as two would in some
cases answer the purpose, and I may in other cases find it necessary to use more
than three. The depth of the channel is determined by adjustable friction wheels or
depth indicators which slide or roll upon the surface of the land and the tools
themselves are made fast in the frame-work and secured from any springing by
suitable diagonal rods or struts both back and front.
By this means I am able to accomplish the drainage of tracts of land very
rapidly indeed which is a very great advantage as compared with the old hand
process.
Dated this 11th day of December 1888.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Draining Land by Horse or Steam Power.
We JOHN HAINES RDIELL of Norton Grounds Chipping Camden Gloucestershire
Farmer, and THOMAS CLEMENTS of White's House in the parish of Weston Subed ge
Gloucestershire, Farm Shepherd do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
Our invention has for its object an improved machine for draining land by horse
or steam power, that is to say our machine may be used either by animal steam or

page_text: other power for making the necessary channels below the surface of land by which
the water is carried away to the various dykes or other main channels. The formation
of the machine is as follows.
The upper part may be formed with suitable shafts and guiding handles similar to
an ordinary plough and with frame work of sufficient stiffness to carry the necessary
tools for the purpose. These tools consist of firstly a blade for cutting & turning
away the grass followed by a sharp cutting blade which penetrates sufficiently deep
into the ground to make a vertical or other opening or slit therein, as the machine
moves along. Some little distance behind, there is another blade or rod having at
the foot thereof an iron enlargement say round oval or other shaped incross section
and with the nose pointed in such a manner as to form a tool or mould which forces
its way at the bottom of the slit made by the first cutting tool, leaving a circular oval
or other suitable opening at the bottom of the niche into which the water percolates
through the soil. Somewhat behind this moulded tool is fixed another rod also from
the main frame work which carries a smoothing finishing or sleeking tool or roller which
cleans the groove or channel produced by the moulding tool so as to remove any
small obstacles therefrom, and to somewhat harden and smooth the said channel. This
sleeking tool may be a little larger than the mould itself.
We do not of course confine ourselves to the use of three tools as two would in
some cases answer the purpose and I may in other cases find it necessary to use more
than three.
The depth of the channel is determined by adjustable friction wheels or depth
indicators which slide or roll upon the surface of the land and the tools themselves
and made fast in the frame work and secured from any springing by suitable diagonal
rods or struts both back and front.
By this means we are able to accomplish the drainage of tracts of land very
rapidly indeed which is a very great advantage as compared with the old hand
process.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried into
practice we have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which we have fully
illustrated our machine.
Figure 1 is a side elevation shewing the machine at work.
Figure 2 is a. plan.
We provide the frame E of sufficient strength and stiffness to carry the tools and
at the rear end of which are the guiding handles A and at the front the shaft B
attached to the wheels D which are in turn attached to the frame E of the machine
by the chains e. Upon the frame of the machine we fix three tools which however
may be more or less as may be required by reason of the class of soil and other
obstacles to be dealt with the front tool of which consists of the sharp cutting blade
or skim F which penetrates sufficiently deep to cut and turn the grass on one side so as
to prevent any reeving or clogging. Behind this we mount a second cutter or coulter G
which cuts through the turf and other obstacles preparatory to the tool H forming
a circular oval or other opening at the bottom of the slit formed by the top part h¹
of the tool H which is assisted by the coulter G thus cutting and forming the
channel Z into which the water percolates through the soil Y. Behind this we may
provide a sleeking tool for clearing away any slight obstacle which may remain in the
channel Z but this we do not generally find necessary. The depth of the channel Z
below the ground is determined by one or more adjustable friction wheels K and K¹
or by means of various tools H of different lengths. For taking the machine by
road the friction wheel K¹ would be made to take the position shewn at M in which
case the machine would run upon the wheels K and K the position which would be
taken by the road with regard to the machine being shown by dotted line N. The
tool H is secured to the frame E by the bolts h³ and h, and is additionally secured
from losing its vertical position by the diagonal rod . The skim F and coulter G
are secured to the frame E by means of the straps f' and g¹ the coulter G being
additionally secured by the diagonal bar ƒ³.
'

page_text: The friction wheels K and K' are made adjustable and the bar is provided to
allow of three horses abreast being used but both this and the shafts B would not be
required in case of being drawn by steam power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
An improved machine for draining land by horse or steam power substantially as
and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn upon the drawings.
Dated this 11th day of September 1889.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.