IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR TILLING LAND
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
VAUX, of Frederick Street, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of November, in the ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Christopher Vaux, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Christopher
Vaux, my exors, adñiors, and
Christopher Vaux, my exors, adi pr assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time aid at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR TILLING LAND;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Christopher
Vaux, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
igns, or such others as I, the said
aunear

page_text: in respect to the land,-first, that resulting from being drawn along; and,
secondly, the rotatory motion communicated to it, by which the surface of the
land will be more fully worked than by simply drawing a harrow over the land,
as has heretofore been the practice; and the tines or teeth of the harrow can be
caused to work more or less deep according to the nature and state of the land;
and the tines or teeth may be cleansed from time to time by raising the tines
through the plate or frame, as before mentioned.
I would remark, in respect to this part of my Invention, that I am aware
that harrows have before been cleansed by being raised through a frame. I do
not, therefore, claim the same when uncombined with a revolving harrow.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention.
Figure 3 shows a side view, and Figure 4 a plan of a machine constructed
according to this part of my Invention. a, a, is the framing and shafts; b, b,
the wheels, which turn on the axletree c, and on one of the wheels is fixed
a cogged ring d, which takes into and drives the pinion e fixed on the axis or
shaft f. On the shaft fare fixed cams or lifters g, g, which working under the
side lever rails or rods h, which move on axes at i, i, and in the front, they are.
attached by pin joints and connecting rods to the sliding rail j, which slides
up and down. in and is governed by the grooves formed in the two side plates
k, k. By this arrangement it will be seen that as the machine is moved over
the land the slide rail will be constantly raised and lowered; hence the teeth
or instruments applied thereto will act according to their form on the surface
of the land. Thus, supposing there to be a series of tines or spikes, they will
in their descent penetrate and break up any clods; and, if the lower end of the
tines or spikes be clothed with surfaces having numerous teeth or projections,.
they will act on the surface of the earth very similarly to the treading of the
earth by a flock of sheep or cattle, which description of action will be found
particularly useful for young crops when the surface of the land is dry.
I would remark, that although I have only shewn spike teeth and instru-
ments to be fixed thereon when it is desired to press the land with numerous.
projecting teeth, as above described, yet other forms of instruments may be
used.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the details herein described, so long as the peculiar character of either part of
my Invention be retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the mode of constructing harrows, whereby they are caused to revolve
as they are drawn on the land; and,

page_text: Secondly, I claim the mode of combining machinery for breaking and
pulverizing and pressing land, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Vaux, have hereunto set my
hands and seals, the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
Enrolled the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-six.