CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Celestin Armelin, junior, Merchant, at
Draguignan, Town in the French Empire, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 16th November 1855, and dated the 2nd June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Celestin Armelin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd June 1855.
I, FRANÇOIS CELESTIN ARMELIN, jun, Merchant, at Draguignan, Town in
the French Empire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS" to be as follows:-
My improvements are as follow:-
First, instead of attaching the draft chain to the centre of the beam, whereby
the beam is frequently broken, I connect the chain to a hook just in front of
the sheaths or supports for the ploughshare. I find it preferable to make the
beam of fir instead of hard wood.
• Second, instead of forming the share of one piece, which is always forged with
great difficulty, particularly when to be used upon stony lands where a long
point is required, I make the point of the share moveable and separate froin its
side piece. It consists of a simple iron-bar about three feet long, which slides
in a V groove, made in a front sheath, which is fastened at top to the beam,

page_text: and in a slot in a back sheath; also fixed at top to the beam. It is held in
position by wooden or iron wedges, whereby the ploughman is enabled without
the assistance of a smith to make the bar advance or recede, according to its
wear and the nature of the soil. To steel the end of the bar, I place upon it
a small quantity of prussiate of potash, put it in the fire, and when at a red
heat I plunge it in water; the iron will thus be converted into steel and
rendered very hard.
Third, I cast the front sheath and mould board in one piece'; the side of the
share is fixed to it by a cast-iron tenon and key.
Fourth, the back sheath is fixed at bottom by a tooth, which holds it in a
mortise made in the front sheath, and the front sheath by the groove which
traverses the bar of the share.
All the parts of the share are held together and in place by wedges, in
such manner that when the iron bar is taken out, all comes to pieces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Celestin Armelin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
CELESTIN ARMELIN, jun", Merchant, at Draguignan, Town in the French
Empire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant, unto me, the said
François Celestin Armelin, Her special licence that I, the said François
Celestin Armelin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said François Celestin Armelin, 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said François Celestin Armelin, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause...
4

page_text: 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 I, the said François Celestin Armelin, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, 'that is to say
“My improvements in ploughs are as follow
}
First, instead of attaching the draught chain to the centre of the beam, as
is done in common ploughs, and whence it frequently happens that the beam
is broken, I connect the draught chain 'to a hook fixed in front of the front
sheath
or support for the ploughshare. I find it preferable to make the beam
of fir instead of hard wood.
3
at
"Second; instead of forming the ploughshare of one piece, which is always
forged with much difficulty (particularly when to be used on stony lands
where a long point is required), I make the point of the sharë moveable
and separate from the side piece or feather. It consists of an iron bar which
slides in a V'groove on the front sheath (which is fastened t top to the beam,
and in a slot in the back sheath, which is also fastened at top, to the beam);
it also passes through a groove in a snug cast on the top of the sole plate.
The bar is held in position by wooden or iron wedges, by means of which a
ploughman
man without the assistance of a smith can move it backward or forward,
according as it becomes worn, and as the nature of the soil may require. The
groove in the shug on the sole fits close to and coincides with that on the back
of the front sheath, so that on passing the bar through the grooves the front
sheath sole plate and point of the share are held together by one and the same
wedge or key. To steel (or harden) the end of the bar, I place upon it a
small quantity of prussiate of potash, put it in the fire, and when red hot plunge
it in cold water; the iron is thus converted into steel and rendered very hard.
Third," I cast the front sheath and mould board in one piece; the side piece
or feather of the share is fixed to it by a cast-iron tenon (made in a piece with
it) and a key (or cotter). This piece seldom requires to be changed; it is
subject to little wear, as the point of the share works before it.
201
"Fourth, the back sheath is held by a stop or tooth in a mortise or slot made
in the soles of the plough, and the front sheath is held in the groove in which
the bar of the ploughshare travels.
"All these par
parts are held or fitted together and kept in their proper place
by means of wedges, in such manner
manner that when the iron bar is taken out, the
whole will come to pieces.

page_text: I employ pins or cotters to fasten the beam to the body of the plough ;
but all the other parts are fitted in by wedges, so that the ploughman may
take out the parts that may be worn or broken, and replace them by new
pieces without the assistance of a smith. In other respects the plough is
similar to one of the ordinary description.
Figure 1 is a side view of a plough constructed according to my Invention;
Figure 2, a plan of the same. a is a beam; b, the handles; c, the regulating
draught bar, shewn detached in Fig. 3; d, the coulter, held in the block. e,
mounted on the beam; f is the draught chain or (rod), which is fastened to
a hook i, fixed in the beam a; h is the front sheath or support for the plough-
share, shewn detached with the mould. board in Fig. 4; j, the bar of the
share, fitted at one end into the front sheath h, and supported by the back
sheath. A front view of this sheath 1 is shewn at. Fig. 5, and an edge view
at Fig. 6. Fig. 7 is a side view of the sole m, and Fig.. 8 a plan; Fig. 9. is
a side view, and, Fig. 10 a top view or plan, of the bar j... Fig. 11 is a
detached view of the feather p of the share; Fig. 11, a, a side of the same..
with its tenon;. Fig. 12 is.a view of an improved form of ploughshare; Fig. 13
represents the sole of the plough adapted for this modification;. Fig. 14, a
view of the mould board. is the share; it consists of a square iron. bar,
perforated with holes on the same side as its point, so that the pin or tighten-
ing screw which fastens it may be near the mould board. As the bar'is moved
forward, as soon as it begins to get tight the pin or screw. is shifted back a
hole. At the other end of the bar a stud. is inserted; this stud is removed in
a guide slot y' (Fig. 13) in the sole, and is fastened by a key or nut a¹ at
top, so as to hold the bar securely. The other pin, which fastens the share
.near the mould board, also travels in a slot y" (Fig. 13). The sole of the
plough is fixed to the mould board by a tenon passing through
the oval aper-
ture A in the mould board. Figure 15 is a detached view of a shoe 9,
which is fitted under the share in such manner as to cause it to give the
necessary cut or furrow. It prevents the sole of the share from being subjected
to wear, and is fastened by a tenon passing into the groove in the share and
held by a nut. Figures 16 and 17 shew the plan which I adopt for con-
necting the coulter to the beam. V is a tie piece, the ends of which are
joined by a plate W and wedge u, by which means the coulter is held firmly
against the beam.. Figure 18 is a view of the sole of a plough, provided
with a heel piece t, which can be easily fitted in or taken off by a wedge z.
I reserve to myself the right of employing a square or rectilinear mould board.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim the em-

page_text: ployment of a moveable ploughshare; but I claim, as constituting my said
Invention,-
First, the fitting or fastening of the pieces composing the plough by means
of wedges and keys, so that they may easily be separated and refitted, as
herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings annexed.
Second, the addition of a heel piece to the sole which may be easily removed
and replaced when worn out, as herein-before described, and represented in
Figure 18 of the Drawings annexed.
Third, the particular construction and arrangement of ploughshare (fitted
in or fastened by means of wedges), and the employment of a moveable plough-
share point, separate from the feather and fastened by keys, as herein-before
described, and represented in the Drawings annexed:
Fourth, the arrangements for fastening the draught chain or rod, which
serves as a draught chain, as herein-before described, and represented in the
Drawings annexed.
Fifth, the arrangement for connecting the coulter to the beam by means of
a tie piece and wedge or key, as herein-before described, and represented in the
Drawings annexed.
Sixth, the general arrangement and combination of parts as herein-before
described, and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Celestin Armelin, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD,
No. 6, Rue Filles du Calvaire.
F. C. ARMELIN, (L.S.)
CADET.