IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING OR CULTIVATING LAND
Year: 1857

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Austin at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th July
.1857..
I, JAMES AUSTIN, of Millisle Mills, Donaghadee, in the County of Down,
Ircland, Bookkeeper, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING OR CULTIVATING
LAND," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to certain mechanical arrangements for ploughing or
working land by the agency of steam or other mechanical power. Under one
modification, the machinery consists of a triangular open frame supported upon
suitable running and driving wheels, and having at the forward end an upright
steam engine and boiler. The overhead crank shaft of this engine is connected
by an arrangement of toothed and belt or chain gearing with the main forward
ground wheel; which is ribbed or furnished with projections to enable it to
take a firm hold of the soil. The belt connection between the engine and this
wheel is contrived so that the movements shall always work in proper gear
independantly of the working of the frame upon its supporting springs. This
wheel is also the steerer, its vertical spindle having at its upper end a hori-
zontal worm wheel, in which is geared a worm worked by a train of gearing
from a hand or steering wheel disposed in the back portion of the frame. Tho
extreme back of the framing consists of a pair of ploughing guides, extending
out transversely as regards the path of the machine to a distance sufficient to
cover the extent of ground to be ploughed at once in the lengths of the

page_text: furrows which run across the field's breadth. This portion of the framing
carries a set of four large wheels or chain pulleys, over which are passed two
distinct endless chains or ploughing belts. The two contiguous chain pulleys
near the centre of the machine are actuated in reverse directions from the
same engine which drives the front ground or travelling wheel, so that the
forward traverse of the machine at right angles to the lines of furrows bears a
determined relation to the rate of the ploughing chains at right angles with
this forward traverse. Each chain or ploughing belt is fitted with suitable
ploughs or cultivators, which, as the machine works continually, enter the
ground to plough it up in their bottom traverse, and emerge from the ground
to return free in their upper back traverse. Each plough is kept steady in its
action by a suitable wing piece, fitting guides in the framing. The cross
ploughing frames are not set in an accurate right angle with the forward
framing, but slightly off that line, to such an extent as will just allow for the
forward traverse of the whole machine, and result in the formation of accurate
tranverse furrows across the field.
This plough always works with its ground wheel or wheels upon the un-
ploughed ground as it moves constantly forward, leaving the ploughed ground
behind it. When it is to be conveyed from field to field, the two ploughing
frames are folded back, so as to form in the whole one long running frame
casily portable.