IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS FOR TILLING LAND
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Lewis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
December 1868.
I, WILLIAM LEWIS, of Shrewsbury, in the County of Salop, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLOUGHS FOR TILLING LAND," to be as follows:-
These improvements in ploughs relate, first, to the method of forming
or constructing the plough beam by having the side of the beam to
which the land side or frame and coulters are attached made with an
angular or semicircular face for the purpose of giving additional strength
to the beam; and also for the purpose of adjusting the coulter and skim
coulter to any required angle. This arrangement does away with the
objectionable method of weakening the beam by rivetting a piece of iron
on the beam side for the purpose of adjusting the coulters and gives the
plough beam greater rigidity and strength.
The second improvement relates to the method of attaching the plough
wheels to the beam. In preference to the usual method I have on the
neck of the beam (forged solidly with the beam) a box or oblong slot on

page_text: the bottom edges of the box or slot projecting under the beam. I have
recesses in which the plough wheel shafts are fitted, having a bearing on
each edge of the box or slot; to each plough wheel shaft I have a loop
or socket bolt, through which the plough wheel shaft passes in the inside
of the box or slot. On the top of the box or slot I have a plate or washer
of the same form as the box or slot on the outer surface with holes for
the loop or socket bolts to pass through, thus by screwing down the
bolt nuts on the washer or plate I securely fix the plough wheel shafts
in a simple and effective way, and the plough wheels may be adjusted
to any gauge with ease and certainty.
The third part of my improvements in ploughs relates to the con-
struction of the land or plough wheels to insure lubrication of the axles.
For this purpose I form in the nave of the wheel a chamber for the
purpose of holding the lubricating material, a loose bush being arranged
with an angular projection fitting the nave of the wheel to prevent the
bush revolving; the hole through the centre of the bush fits the wheel
axle; the bush has a number of oblong holes at an angle to its axis and
forming a right and left hand spiral, through the surface corresponding
with the chamber in the nave of the wheel for the purpose of allowing
the lubricant to pass through to the axle, thus when the chamber in the
nave is filled with lubricating material the bush is pushed into the nave
and the wheel placed on the axle the wheel will have a reservoir of
lubricating material so as to considerably diminish the friction and
wearing away of parts so much complained of, and the bush when worn
can be easily and cheaply replaced.
The fourth part of my improvements in ploughs relates to the arrange-
ment of the coulter at such an angle to the perpendicular as will give an
undercut of five-eighths of an inch (more or less) in six inches, and in so
arranging the land side or frame at a corresponding angle with the
coulter that it will follow in the same track, thus producing a better
furrow, keeping the plough more steadily at its work and presenting a
better surface for the action of the harrows.
The fifth part of my improvements in ploughs relates to the arrange-
ment of the lever neck; the plug fitting into the share has a wrought-
iron lever continued along the land side or frame. At the neck end of
the land side or frame provision is made for attaching the lever to the
neck, so as to form a fulcrum on which the lever works; at the tail end
of the land side or frame two brackets are cast with holes in the end of

page_text: the lever passing between them; the lever has a lug at the part between
the brackets that is drilled and tapped. Through the holes in the brackets
and lever lug I pass a collar spindle screwed to fit the lug on the lever,
and with a washer and pin at the under side of the bottom bracket. The
collar of the spindle works on the top bracket; the spindle is carried
above the top of the plough beam and land side or frame, and is fitted
with a hand wheel. Thus the ploughman by turning the hand wheel can
instantly depress the point of the ploughshare when wearing out of the
ground without altering the position of the plough or stopping its
progress.
The arrangement of this improved lever neck is simple in construction,
is protected by the land side or frame and the shell board, and not liable
to get out of order.
Another part of my improvements in ploughs for tilling land relates
to an arrangement whereby the furrow slices on heavy, stiff, or clay
land can be opened or separated for the fertilizing action of the
atmosphere and also for the purpose of facilitating the breaking up
and pulverizing action of the harrows. This arrangement consists in
fixing at the tail end of the "shell board" or "breast" cutter knives
or revolving disce cutting knives or spike rollers projecting beyond the
face of the "shell board" or breast, so as to penetrate the furrow
slice as it is turned by the shell board or breast. I make these cutting
knives or revolving disc cutting knives or spike rollers adjustable ou
the "shell board" or "breast," so that they may be made to penetrate
the furrow slice to any required depth; and I do not confine myself to
the number of cutting knives or revolving disc cutting knives or spike
rollers, or the distance they may be apart, but I make the distances
apart and the numbers of cutting knives or revolving disc cutting
knives or spike rollers so as to suit any kind of land to be ploughed;
thus by this arrangement any ploughman can easily alter the plough to
suit light, heavy, stiff, or clay lands, as the brackets carrying the cutting
knives or revolving disc cutting knives or spike rollers can be attached
or detached with little trouble.