IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS, CULTIVATORS, AND PLOUGHS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Green, of Newtown Farm, in the Parish of
St. Martin, in the County of Worcester, Agriculturist, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS, CULTIVATORS, AND
PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 14th June 1864, and dated the 21st December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Green at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st December
1868.
I, JOHN GREEN, of Newtown Farm, in the Parish of St. Martin, in the
County of Worcester, Agriculturist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS, CULTIVATOES,
AND PLOUGHS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in constructing harrows with the teeth or tines
attached to the frame in an oblique or slanting position at angles varying
from 10 to 60 degrees frome the plane of the frame, so that when at work they
slide along the ground instead of acting on it with the points only like the
teeth or tines now in use; the effect of this arrangement is that the teeth or
tines cut through the clods of earth instead of merely moving them, to facilitate
which the teeth are formed of a knife-like shape; I employ also thin edged.
disc wheels or round plates of iron, mounted and rotating on a bar or bars, and
thereby attached to the frame conjointly with the teeth or tines.
Secondly, in applying my Invention to cultivators, I arrange a number of

page_text: the before described teeth or tines and disc wheels behind or at the back of
the frame of the implement for the purpose of breaking the clods of earth
after they have been brought to the surface by the cultivator.
Thirdly, in the construction of ploughs, I fix a blade or knife of a suitable
length in or a short distance from the centre of the share in a vertical position, 5
and one or more similarly shaped knives to the mould board or turnfurrow,
for the purpose of cutting or dividing the furrow slice, thereby rendering it
more friable. Thin edged disc wheels or circular knives placed and revolving
in apertures formed in the mould board have the same effect.
Furthermore, I construct harrows by means of zig-zag bars, connected 1
together by plates of iron having three or four corners, so that when at work
the corners or edges of the plates act upon the soil similarly to the chain
harrow, the plates and bars being placed in alternate rows.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Green in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GREEN, of Newtown Farm, in the Parish of St. Martin, in the County of
Worcester, Agriculturist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give 'and
grant unto me, the said John Green, Her special licence that I, the said
John Green, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Green, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS, CULTIVATORS, AND PLOUGHS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Green, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Green, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
i
My Invention consists in constructing harrows with the teeth or tines.
attached to the frame in an oblique or slanting position at angles varying
from ten to sixty degrees from the plane of the frame, so that when at work
they slide along the ground instead of acting on it with the points only like
the teeth or tines now in use; the effect of this arrangement is that the teeth
or tines cut through the clods of earth instead of merely moving them, to
facilitate which the teeth are formed in a knife-like shape. I employ also
thin edged disc wheels or round plates of iron, mounted and rotating on a bar
or bars, and thereby attached to the frame conjointly with the teeth or tines.
Secondly, in applying my Invention to cultivators, I arrange a number of
the before-described teeth or tines and disc wheels behind or at the back of
the frame of the implement, for the purpose of cutting and dividing the furrow
slice, thereby rendering it more friable. Thin edged disc wheels or circular'
knives, placed revolving in apertures formed in the mould board, have the same
effect.
-
Furthermore, I construct harrows by means of zig-zag bars or straight bars
and tubes, connected together by peculiar-shaped teeth or plates of iron
having 3 or 4 corners, so that when at work the corners of edges of the
plates act upon the soil similarly to the chain harrow, the plates and bars being
placed in alternate rows.
. In order more clearly to illustrate the foregoing description, I have to this.
Specification appended the accompanying Drawings, which are intended to
show the main features and principles of my Invention, it being understood
that modifications of the same can be employed to suit particular circum-
stances: . :
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 1 a side view of a harrow, which for the
sake of distinction I shall term the rigid harrow. It will be seen on reference
to the Drawings, that the teeth or tines are mounted on a square bar, which
passes throngh square holes in the heads of the teeth or tines, and circular
holes in the supporting zig-zag bars which form the frame of the harrow; by
means of a lever fixed on to one of the square or cross bars, and connected-
with the others by bars or chains as shewn in Fig. 1, I regulate the angle
the teeth or tines take, or if preferred, I make use of stops fixed to the frame,"

page_text: which prevent the teeth from going too far either way. In that case when.
the harrow is drawn from the one end, the teeth will stand almost straight as
in the ordinary harrow, when the power is applied at the other end of
the harrow, the teeth will take the position shown in Figure 1, the round
cutting edges acting on the ground so as to cut & divide the clods of, earth,
and consequently to pulverize the soil much better than when in an upright
position..
Figures 2 and 2ª are respectively a plan and side view of an ordinary
harrow, but furnished with a series of teeth or tines on its upper surface; this
Figure sufficiently shows the mode of applying my improvements to harrows
now in use without further description.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are plans of my improved flexible harrow, showing
different modes of combination and attachment. The teeth in these harrows
are formed of plates shaped similarly to those shewn in Figure 3. In:
Figure 5 the teeth are slightly modified, and are kept in their right position
by means of tubes, a rod having joints passing through them both from side to
side of the harrow.
Figures 6 & 6 are respectively a plan and section of what I term a clod
crushing harrow, constructed of a number or series of three-cornered bars
about 4 inches wide, with one side about one inch thick, and gradually dimi-
nishing to a quarter of an inch or thereabouts, on one side of this bar I cast
or attach the teeth or tines b, b, b, which taper gradually to the thin side of
the bar. This form of harrow crushes the clods, and pulverises the soil much
better than anything of the kind yet in use.
Figures 7 and 8 are views of different forms of teeth, tines, or links, which
I make use of in the construction of flexible harrows. In cultivators I
arrange the teeth or tines and disc wheels behind or in the rear of the imple-
ment, & so that they shall be either firm or flexible as wished.. I also make
use of disc wheels or circular cutters of suitable diameter, which I place about
midway between the teeth or tines in harrows or cultivators.
In ploughs I make use of a short knife or cutting blade, which I place
about the centre of the share, & one or more similarly shaped knives or
blades to the mould board or turnfurrow. In some cases I make use of
circular cutters or thin edged disces similar to those before described for the
harrows and cultivators; these I place in apertures formed in the mould board
or turnfurrow of the plough, so that thay can rotate on or with their axles,
thus as the furrow slice slides along the mould board it is completely separated.
By these arrangements I am enabled to divide the furrow slice and to render it
more friable. In place of using the knife in the centre of the share, as above

page_text: described, I sometimes fix a second coulter to the beam a short distance in
advance of the ordinary one for the purpose of cutting the furrow slice into
two parts.
Furthermore, instead of the sheet or plate of iron now commonly in use,
I employ a mould board formed of bars, or partly of bars and partly of plate,
the bars extending from the share, and forming the hinder part of the mould
board. The bar having very thin or knife-like edges, the furrow slice slides
along them without much friction, and it is thereby cut or divided, and con-
sequently rendered more friable.
Having now described my Invention, and how the same is constructed,
formed, and acts, I wish it understood that what I claim, and desire secured
to me by the before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the use of construction of rigid harrows with zig-zag & straight
bars, teeth, tines, and links, substantially as herewithin described and set
forth, and more fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the construction and use of flexible barrows with zig-zag and
straight bars, teeth, tines, and links, substantially as herewithin described and
set forth, and more fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the use and construction of ploughs constructed with or having
affixed to them the detailed improvements herewithin described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Green, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.