IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL APPARATUSES FOR PLOUGHING AND OTHERWISE OPERATING UPON LAND." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Wilson Chandler, of Bow, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, and Thomas Oliver, of Hatfield, in the County of
Hertford, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL
APPARATUSES FOR PLOUGHING AND OTHERWISE OPERATING UPON LAND."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Wilson Chandler
and Thomas Oliver, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 1st June 1858.
We, ROBERT WILSON CHANDLER, of Bow, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, and THOMAS OLIVER, of Hatfield, in the County of Hertford,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AGRICULTURAL APPARATUSES FOR PLOUGHING AND OTHERWISE OPERATING UPON
LAND," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in constructing agricultural apparatuses for ploughing.
and otherwise operating upon land as follows:-We mount a suitable frame
of iron or wood upon three, four, or more wheels, but, by preference, upon
three. One of the three is placed on one side of the frame, near the middle
of its length, and this wheel when the apparatus is used for ploughing, runs in
the furrow last made. The other two wheels are on the opposite side, and
near the extremities of the apparatus These two wheels work upon short
axles, each screwed or otherwise connected to a spindle, which is bent so that

page_text: its end rises perpendicularly, and at or near its upper part carries a crank or
arm by drawing or forcing which in one or other direction the position of the
wheel may be altered, and the apparatus thereby steered. We prefer making
these spindles hollow for the sake of lightness. They rise up through clasps
or shoulders, and may be pinned or otherwise fixed at different heights to
regulate the depth to which the ploughs or other instruments of culture work.
Motion is given to the crank or arm of the spindle by means of rods attached
thereto, and leading to a lever handle at the other end of the apparatus, or by
a wheel or wheels, or by chains, or in any other suitable manner. We prefer
so to place the steering handles, wheels, or other contrivances that the
ploughman who sits on one or other of two seats provided for him at the
ends of the apparatus, may conveniently operate them and steer the apparatus
effectually. That land wheel, which for the time being is the leading wheel,
is the only one that needs steering. The general frame of the apparatus
supports. two longitudinal, internal frames, the remote ends of which are
connected by rods or chains to an arm on a vibrating transverse axle, and
these two internal frames, each of which carries a set of ploughs or other
instruments, are thus effectually balanced, and may therefore be raised and
lowered with facility.. One of these frames is raised, so that the instruments
attached to it are out of the ground, while the instruments attached to the
other frame are in the ground. These frames are raised and lowered about
movable axles, which are themselves raised when the frames attached to them
are raised by means of racks and pinions, or of an endless chain, or by any
other suitable means. The handle or wheel used for this purpose may, if
desired, be also placed within reach of the ploughman' when he is seated on
his seat. By rendering the internal frames with their instruments, double
acting in the manner described, we are enabled to greatly reduce the size,
weight, and cost of ploughing and other like apparatuses. The internal
frames are partly composed of longitudinal bars of iron; to which the ploughs
or other instruments, such as scarifying and other tines, or any suitable cul-
tivating implements may be attached by nuts and screws or otherwise, so as
to be readily changed or renewed. The number of such bars may be: two..
three, or even more, according to the number of ploughs or other instruments
which it is preferred to work simulaneously. :
In order that the ploughs or other instruments may be kept well down in
the soil while they are in operation, the rope or chain by which motion is
given to the whole apparatus, is led at each end over' a pulley at or near the
extremity of the internal frame, and thence passes under the machine to the
front, whereby the said frame and therefore the, ploughs are held securely

page_text: down all the time the hauling rope is kept in tension. The hauling rope or
chain may be driven by any suitable prime mover, such as a steam engine,
but we prefer to employ for the purpose a portable engine, with two longi-
tudinal winding drums placed on horizontal axes beneath the engine. Or the
engine described in the Specification of a Patent granted to us on the 25th of
June 1856, may be employed with advantage for the purpose.
For anchoring the hauling ropes or chains we employ an anchor formed of
a bed, furnished with cutting and, holding blades below, and a winding pulley
or drum above, and also with a ratchet and paul arrangement, whereby the
pulley or drum may be turned round, and a rope (the other end of which is
fixed) be wound upon it so as to draw the anchor along the headland as
required, the blades cutting through the soil as the anchor advances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Wilson Chandler and Thomas Oliver in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 1st December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
WILSON CHANDLER, of Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and
THOMAS OLIVER, of Hatfield, in the County of Hertford, Farmer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Robert Wilson Chandler and Thomas Oliver, ler special licence that we, the
said Robert Wilson Chandler and Thomas Oliver, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Robert Wilson Chandler
and Thomas Oliver, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
AGRICULTURAL APPARATUSES FOR PLOUGHING AND OTHERWISE OPERATING UPON
LAND," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Robert Wilson
Chandler and Thomas Oliver, or one of us, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: 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 calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Wilson Chandler and Thomas
Oliver, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists in constructing agricultural apparatuses for ploughing
and otherwise operating upon land as follows:-We mount a suitable frame
of iron or wood upon three, four, or more wheels, but by preference. upon
three. One of the three is placed on one side of the frame near the middle of
its length, and this wheel, when the apparatus is used for ploughing, runs in
the furrow last made. The other two wheels are on the opposite side, and near
the extremities of the apparatus. These two wheels work upon short axles, cach
screwed or otherwise connected to a spindle which is bent so that its end rises
perpendicularly, and at or near its upper part carries a crank or arm by drawing
or forcing which in one or other direction, the position of the wheels may be
altered, and the apparatus thereby steered. We prefer making these spindles
hollow for the sake of lightness. They rise up through clasps or shoulders,
and may be pinned or otherwise fixed at different heights to regulate the
depths to which the ploughs or other instruments of culture work. Motion is
given to the crank or arm of the spindle by means of. rods attached thereto,
and leading to a lever handle at the other end of the apparatus, or by a wheel
or wheels, or by chains, or in any other suitable manner. We prefer so to
place the steering handles, wheels, or other contrivances, that the ploughman
who sits in one or other of two seats provided for him at the ends of the
apparatus may conveniently operate them, 'and steer the apparatus effectually.
That land wheel which for the time being is the leading wheel, is the only ono
that needs steering. The general frame of the apparatus supports two longi-
tudinal internal frames, the remote ends of which are connected by rods or
chains to an arm or a vibrating transverse axle, and these two internal frames,
each of which carries a set of ploughs or other instruments; are thus effectually
balanced, and may therefore be raised and lowered.. with facility. One of
these frames is raised so that the instruments attached to. it are out of the
ground, while the instruments attached to the other. frame are in the ground..
These frames are raised and lowered about moveable axles, which are themselves
raised when the frames attached to them are raised by. means of racks and
pinions, or of an endless chain, or by any other suitable means.. The handle or.

page_text: wheel used for this purpose, may, if desired, be also placed within reach of the
ploughman when he is seated on his seat. By rendering the internal frames
with their instruments double acting in the manner described, we are enabled
to greatly reduce the size, weight, and cost of ploughing and other like appa-
ratuses. The internal frames are partly composed of longitudinal bars of iron,
to which the ploughs or other instruments, such as scarifying and other tines,
or any suitable cultivating implements may be attached by nuts and screws or
otherwise so as to be readily changed or renewed. The number. of such bars
may be two, three, or even more, according to the number of ploughs or other
instruments which it is preferred to work simultaneously. In order that the
ploughs or other instruments may be kept well down in the soil while they are
in operation, the rope or chain by which motion is given to the whole apparatus
is led at each end over a pulley at or near the extremity of the internal frame,
and, thence passes under the machine to the front, whereby the said frame and
therefore the ploughs are held securely down all the time the hauling rope is
kept in tension. The hauling rope or chain may be driven by any suitable
prime mover, such as a steam engine, but we prefer to employ for the purpose
a portable engine with two longitudinal winding drums placed on horizontal
axles beneath the engine. Or the engine described in the Specification of a
Patent granted to us on the Twenty-fifth June One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six may be employed with advantage for the purpose.
For anchoring the hauling ropes or chains we employ an anchor formed of
a bed, furnished with cutting and holding blades below and a winding pulley
or drum above, and also with a ratchet and pawl arrangement, whereby the
pulley or drum may be turned round, and a rope (the other end of which is
fixed) be wound upon it, so as to draw the anchor along the headland as
required, the blades cutting through the soil as the anchor advances.
We will now proceed to describe more in detail our improvements in agri-
cultural apparatuses for ploughing and otherwise operating upon land with
reference to the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 of which is a side elevation,
and Figure 2a plan of a plough with our improvements applied thereto..
A, A, is the general frame of the machine, which is made of iron or wood,
and supported upon wheels B, C, D; but we do not limit ourselves to this
number, as four or more may, if considered useful, be employed. The wheel B.
is placed on one side of the frame, and is supported on and works in bearings
formed therein. When the plough is at work, the wheel B runs in the furrow
that has been last made. The other wheels C and D are placed on the
opposite side of the frame, and are arranged as shewn in the Figures near the
extremities of the apparatus. We prefer making these wheels of a peculiar

page_text: shape similar to the wheel illustrated in side elevation at Figure 3, and in
section at Figure 4. The wheels C, D, work upon short axles a, a, which are
screwed or otherwise connected to spindles b, b, which are bent in such manner
that their ends rise perpendicularly, and carry at their upper parts arms E, E,
to which cranks, spindles, or rods F, F, are attached, which are worked by
means of the lever handles G, G, placed at or near the extremities of the
apparatus. Thus, by moving these levers in one or other direction, the appa-
ratus can be steered, that is, the leading wheel can be directed outwards or
iuwards as required, either for preserving the regularity of tho furrows or
guiding the plough into fresh land. The hinder wheel revolves in one position
and is so preserved by placing the pin c in the hole. d until the plough reaches
"land's-end," when the pin is withdrawn and placed in the hole in the spindle
of the other wheel, which now becomes the hinder wheel. H, II, are scrapers
which are attached to the arms E, E, and move with them to scrape the mud
and stones from the wheels as the plough advances. There is a pin e in the
spindle b, b, to regulate the depth to which the ploughs or other instruments
of culture work. I, I, are scats (supported by rods 1', 1', which are attached
to the internal frames and ploughshare) on which the ploughman sits, and from
which he can regulate the progress of the plough. J, J, are two longitudinal
internal frames, the remote ends of which are connected by rods or chains
K, K, to an arm L on a vibrating transverse axle M, which is centred at f
on a rod that works in bearings in the bracket or support N. The other ends
of the frames J, J, are connected to rods N¹, N', which are in communication
with the racks O, O, into the teeth of which a pinion P gears on the shaft Q,
which is worked by the handle R, on turning which the racks are raised or
lowered, carrying with them the longitudinal internal frames J, J; S; S, are
rollers in the brackets N, N, against which the racks work in their ascent and
descent. Thus on turning the handle R the frames J, J, can be raised or
lowered with perfect facility.. A sectional view of the bracket N is given at
Figure 5. There are internal frames T, T, which are on the same shaft as the
frames J, J, so that they are raised or lowered; as the case may be, at one and
the same time. To these frames J, J, and T, T, the ploughs V, V, VI, V¹, or
other cultivating instruments are attached, and are raised or lowered with the
frames to which they are fastened by turning the handle R as before described.
W, W, are rods or levers attached to shafts W fixed in the lower part of the
brackets N. To these rods links X, X, are attached, which are fastened to the
framing. Chains Y, Y, pass from the rods W, W, underneath the apparatus
in contrary directions, and to which the rope which passes round the drums of
tlic engine is attached. Or the rope or chain by which motion is given to the

page_text: apparatus may be passed over a pulley at the extremities of the internal frame
as has been herein-before described.
The apparatus which we employ for anchoring the hauling ropes or chains
and which we term an "anchor," is illustrated in side elevation at Figure 6,
in plan at Figure 7, and in cross section at Figure 8; A is the bed of the
apparatus, which supports at two ends the cutting and holding blades B, B;
these blades work in sockets C, C, and can be adjusted to any required height
by means of pins in the holes a, a; D is a drum or pulley which works on an
axle in the bed A and upper part E, round which drum the rope E' from tho
engine and plough passes. F is a box to contain carth, stones, &c., which act
as ballast, and prevent the anchor from upsetting by the strain exerted upon it
by the hauling ropes. G is a drum round which a rope H passes, the end of.
which is attached to a stake driven into the earth at any required distance
from the apparatus; I is a ratchet, and J a pawl operated by the lever K,
which causes the drum G to revolve, and thus moves the anchor along the.
headland.
In Figure 9 we shew a view of an engine with two longitudinal winding
drums placed on horizontal axes; A, A, are the two drums round which the
ropes B, B' are wound in contrary directions, so that when one rope is running
off one drum the other rope is running on the other drum; C, C, are mitre
wheels on the same shaft as the drums in gear with the wheel D, common to
both the wheels C, C. On the same shaft as the wheel D there is a band
wheel F, round which a strap passes to the fly-wheel G of the engine, and thus.
the drums are driven. There are clutches similar to those described in the
Specification of our Patent of the 25th June 1856, provided for putting the
wheel D in gear with either of the mitre wheels C, C.
At Figure 10 we give a diagram of a field with our ploughing apparatus,
supposed to be at work; A is the plough, B, B, are the anchors, C, the rope,
and D the engine.
At Figure 11 we shew a modification of the arrangement just described,
with the engine supposed to be stationary; the same letters referring to like
parts in both Figures.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,-
First, the general arrangement of agricultural apparatuses for ploughing or
otherwise operating upon land as herein-before described and illustrated in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
Second, the employment of movable frames to which ploughs or other
instruments of culture are attached, and which are balanced at their outer ends

page_text: and capable of being raised and lowered at their inner ends in the manner
herein-before described.
Third, the employment of wheels working upon short bent axles, furnished
at their upper ends with cranks or arms, and rods, wheels, chains, or other
appliances as herein-before described for steering the apparatus.
Fourth, the method of keeping the ploughs or other instruments in the
ground by attaching the hauling rope or chain to the end of the internal frame
and leading it round a pulley and under the machine, as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the employment of a portable engine with two longitudinal winding
drums placed on horizontal axes beneath the engine, for drawing the plough
across the field, as herein-before described.
And lastly, the employment of an anchor or anchors furnished with a drum
round which the hauling rope passes, and with cutting and holding blades,
and a ratchet and pawl arrangement for giving motion to the same, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Wilson Chandler and Thomas
Oliver, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth
day of November, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
ROBERT WILSON CHANDLER. (L.S.)
THOMAS OLIVER.
(L.S.)