IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PLOUGHING
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Parmiter, of Horwood Anstey, Wilts, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM PLOUGHING."
Sealed the 001 Other 1070 and dated the 20th Annil 1976.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Parmiter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th April 1876.
i
JOSEPH PARMITER, of Horwood Anstey, Wilts.
PLOUGHING."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
This Invention relates to improvements in machines used for ploughing, tilling,
or otherwise cultivating land by the aid of steam power.
The mechanical arrangement consists of a locomotive engine similar to those
ordinarily employed for agricultural purposes. The ploughshares or other tilling
implements are fitted in a suitable manner to the framing of the machine, so that
as the engine draws itself across the field the ploughshares or other implements cut
n corresponding number of furrows in the land. The engine is caused to draw
itself to and fro across the field by means of a rope which is secured to two anchors,
one placed at the head of the field in front of the engine, and the other in the
rear on the opposite side of the field. To give these anchors the necessary weight
and stability so as to resist the drag of the engine, one of them is fitted with a
drum and suitable gearing so as to carry the reserved store of rope, whilst the other
is made to form a water tank for the supply of the engine when required.; With
the view of reducing the weight of the engine as far as practicable its water tank is
made comparatively small, the requisite supply being obtained from time to time
from the tank of the water anchor. Within the framing of the machine or engine
is fitted a clip drum, round which the rope is passed once and is attached to the
anchors; as the engine draws itself towards the anchor ahead the slack of the ropo
passes off in the rear. In practice, about ten yards more rope is let out from the
anchor than would be required by the length of the work. Upon reversing the motion
of the clip drum the engine draws itself in the opposite direction, and in this
manner it traverses to and fro over the land. A weight on the anchor is arranged
so as to draw in about four yards of the slack, which the engine in returning
again draws out; the rotation of the drum acting upon suitable gearing and,
upon a fixed anchor further on the headland draws the anchor forward as the
work is done. The movement of both anchors is effected in like manner. Tho

page_text: clip drum is driven direct from the crank shaft, and is arranged with differential
surfaces so as to obtain different speeds. The machino or engine is fitted with
ordinary bearing wheels and shafts so that it may readily be moved from place to
place by horse power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Parmiter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th October
1876.
J
PLOUGHING."
PARMITER, of Horwood Anstey, Wilts.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
This Invention relates to improvements in machines used for ploughing, tilling,
or otherwise cultivating land by the aid of steam power.
The mechanical arrangement consists of a locomotive engine similar to those
ordinarily employed for agricultural purposes. The ploughshares or other tilling
implements are fitted in a suitable manner to the framing of the machine, so that
as the engine draws itself across the field the ploughshares or other implements
cut a corresponding number of furrows in the land. The engine is caused to draw
itself to and fro across the field by means of a rope which is secured to two anchors,
one placed at the head of the field in front of the engine, and the other in the rear
on the opposite side of the field. To give these anchors the necessary weight and
stability so as to resist the drag of the engine one of them is fitted with a drum
and suitable gearing so as to carry the reserve store of rope, whilst the other is
made to form a water tank for the supply of the engine when required. With the
view of reducing the weight of the engine as far as practicable its water tank is
made comparatively small, the requisite supply being obtained from time to time
from the tank of the water anchor. Within the framing of the machine or engine
is fitted a clip drum round which the rope is passed once, and is attached to the
anchors as the engine draws itself towards the anchor ahead, the slack of the rope
passes off in the rear. In practice about ten yards more rope is let out from the
anchor than would be required by the length of the work. Upon reversing the
motion of the clip drum the engine draws itself in the opposite direction, and in
this manner it traverses to and fro over the land. A weight on the nuchor is
arranged so as to draw in about four yards of the slack, which the engine in returning
again draws out, the rotation of the drum acting upon suitable gearing and upon
a fixed anchor further on the headland draws the anchor forward as the work is
done. The movement of both anchors is effected in like manner. The clip drum
is driven direct from the crank shaft, and is arranged with differential surfaces so
as to obtain different speeds. The machine or engine is fitted with ordinary
bearing wheels and shafts so that it may be readily moved from place to place by
horse power.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in steam ploughing may
be properly understood, I will now proceed to describe the several Figures on the
explanatory Sheet of Drawings which is hereunto appended for the purpose of
showing more particularly the manner in which the same is or may be used and
carried into practical effect, that is to say:-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is an elevation of a locomotive
ploughing machine arranged according to one modification of my improvements,
and Figure 2 is a plan of the saine.
The engine shewn is of the upright boiler class, but the horizontal form would
be generally used. The ordinary and well known parts need be only briefly
indicated. The boiler A rests on the base plate B, beneath which is the water
tank B. The rear end of the engine is supported on the carrying wheels C. The
forward end of the framing is carried on the guiding wheel D, the supporting
brackets of which project laterally on either side to admit of being connected to

page_text: the steering wheel E for turning the engine in either direction when required.
The main shaft F carries the usual fly wheel G, and at about the centre of the
shaft is a worm H which gives motion to the clip drum I, the teeth K of which
form a series of vertical studs which gear with the worm H. An inner ring of
teeth is formed on the face of the drum so that the speed may be varied when
required to suit the inequalities of the ground. The stud of the drum is made so
as to move to and fro in a slot formed in the bed plate for adjustment. The
worm H also gives motion to a second clip drum L, which is adjustable in a slot
like the first. The rope passes between the grooved peripheries of the two drums,
the surfaces of which are toothed so as to hold the bosses in the rope. The rope
passes partly round the first of the two guide pulleys M, thence round the clip
drum and out by the second pulley M. The slack of the rope is kept clear of
the engine by the laterally projecting guide pulley N, and when the engine is
turned (round the pulley N on the opposite side serves for the like purpose. The
scarifiers 0 or other cultivating implements are fixed to an open framework
attached in any convenient manner to the bed plate of the engine. The rope P is
attached to two anchors, which are arranged one at each end of the field. One of
these anchors carries the rope, and the other forms a tank for the supply of water
to the engine, the tank B¹ of which contains only a comparatively small supply of
water with the view of lessening weight.
Figure 3 shews an arrangement of the rope anchor; in practice, however, the
mechanical details would be greatly varied. The carriage R runs upon disc wheels
of the kind used for this purpose. Arranged between them is a vertical spindle, on
which is keyed the rope drum S, on which the main steel rope is wound. Upon
the same spindle, but running loosely thereon, is a second drum T, on which is
wound the rope attached to the outlying grapnel U, as shewn in Figure 5. The
rims of the drum T are toothed, and so form a pair of ratchet wheels. Above the
drum T is a second drum V, on which is wound a short length of rope W that is
carried over the pulley on the upright X and connected to a counterweight, as
shewn in Figure 4. The drum V has on its periphery a pawl or dog Y, which takes
into the teeth on the upper ratchet. When the engine recedes the drum T rotates
and winds on a portion of the rope attached to the grapnel, and so draws the anchor
forward; and this operation is repeated at each traverse of the engine in this self-
acting manner, the slack of the rope being drawn in by the descent of the counter-
weight.
The arrangement of the water anchor is similar to the foregoing. In place of
the ordinary laid steel rope I propose to use a ropo specially designed for the
purpose, that is to say, a rope having studs or pins or short lengths of iron inserted
in the lay of the rope at regular intervals, which on passing between the clip drums
would be held for the time being with great firmness and without the possibility of
any slipping. In this way it will be observed that engines of a very light draught
may be used with advantage in cultivating land, since they carry scarcely any
weight of rope and only a limited supply of water, the main supply being always
at hand in the water tank anchor, and thus a great saving of wear and tear of plant
is effected.
There are also many other advantages attending this system of cultivation which
it is unnecessary to dwell upon in this document.
Having now described and fully ascertained the nature of my said Invention and
n what manner the same is or may be used or carried into practical effect, I desire
t to be particularly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise arrange-
ment of the mechanical details herein-before described and shewn, as the same may
be greatly varied without departing from the essential and distinguishing features
of the said Invention; but what I do claim as my Invention in the herein-before
n part recited Letters Patent is-
First. The mode of arrangement and mechanism for cultivating land by means
fa locomotive engine of light draught, and which is unincumbered either by a
veight of rope or large supply of water, and is caused to draw itself to and fro by

page_text: .the mechanical means herein-before described and shewn or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The mode of obtaining the required resistance to the tractive force or
drag of the engine by means of self-acting anchors arranged at the extremities of
the engine's traverse, the one forming a reel or holder for the main portion of the
traction rope, and the other a reservoir for the principal supply of water to the
engine, as herein-before described and shewn, or any mere modification of the said
arrangement.
In witness whereof, I, the said J
Parmiter, have hereuntoset my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
23, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.
J. PARMITER. (L.S.)