IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAINING LAND
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lamb Hancock, of Milford Haven, Pem-
brokeshire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAINING
LAND."
Scaled the 23rd February 1855, and dated the 29th August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lamb Hancock at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th August 1854.
I, JAMES LAMB HANCOCK, of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
DRAINING LAND" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of dividing the operation of making drains and
laying down tiles, which has heretofore been dono at one operation, namely, at
the same time that the plough is travelling or in action, into a series or number
of operations. First, I lay down a wire rope which is attached to the bottom of
a coulter, the said coulter being mounted upon a suitable carriage, after the
manner of a common mole plough, in the line or course of the intended drain.
The said wire rope is furnished with a hook at one end and an eye at the
other end, so that it may be readily attached to and disconnected from the
coulter. When the plough is drawn along the course of the drain, by horse
or steam or other power, the said wire rope will thereby be laid in the line of

page_text: "
the intended drain at its required depth from the surface. It must be observed
that the said coulter is to be so arranged as to admit of its being adjusted to
the required depth of the drain. When this operation is done, the plough may
be removed from the wire rope, and a "mole" or "cone" of the diameter of
the required drain is now hooked to either end of the said wire rope, and to
the other end of the said "mole" or "conle a rope is attached, by a hook or
other means, on which the tiles are threaded; power is then applied to the
loose end of the wire rope, and the "mole" and rope on which the tiles arc
threaded are drawn into the drain together. The rope may now be withdrawn
from the drain after the stop, which is placed at the end of the tiles to prevent
them from slipping, is removed, when the drain is completed or finished; but
instead of making the drain and laying down the tiles at two operations, I
prefer the following method, viz-To use a number or series of "moles" or
"cones" which gradually increase in size, one after the other; but I prefer using
cach separately, until the size of the required drain is obtained, by which a
larger and better drain is made, as well as enabling the operation of drawing
in the tiles to be done by hand labour, such as by a winch, by which any
obstruction in the drain may be ascertained, and such obstruction removed
by passing a "mole" or "cone" through the drain again, which will clear the
drain of such obstruction, and make it fit for the reception of the tiles. And
further, in some cases I cut a trench wedge-shaped by two coulters, one being
placed before the other on the same frame or stock or beam, and fixed in an
angle to effect the cut of a wedge-shaped furrow, which said furrow may be
removed by hand labour; or a concave plough, gouge-shaped, will answer best.
The said wedge-shaped furrow may vary from nine inches to eighteen inches or
more in depth, which will greatly facilitate the operation of making deep drains.
I prefer the two coulters to be fixed upon a separate plough, in order to relieve
the operation of laying down the wire rope as much as possible. In those
cases where the land to be drained is somewhat stony I use a long cylindrical
"cone," viz., from two feet to three feet in length, in order to prevent sudden
deviations in the line or course of the drain. The wire ropes may be of the
length of the intended drain, and may be linked together and laid down con-
tinuously at one operation. I dig holes over the links, in order to get at them
to fasten the "moles" or "cones" to the wire ropes. I prefer the wire ropes to
be not more than from thirty to forty yards in length each. It must be borne
in mind that when the drain is to be made by a number of "moles" or
"concs
being passed through the drain in succession, that a wire rope is always
attached to the latter end of each cone, which is drawn into the drain along
its whole length, until the last "cone" or "mole" is drawn through the drain.
"

page_text: Unless this be observed, the plough would be required every time that a "mole"
or "cone" is passed through the drain. And it must also be observed that a
conical "cap" should be placed on or over the first tile, to prevent it from
injury and to remove slight obstructions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Lamb Hancock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LAMB HANCOCK, of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Lamb Hancock, Her special licence that I, the said James Lamb
Hancock, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Lamb Hancock, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAINING LAND," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Lamb Hancock, 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 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 James Lamb Hancock, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of dividing the operation of making drains and
laying down tiles, which has heretofore been done at one operation, namely,
at the same time that the plough is travelling or in action, into a series or
number of operations. First, I lay down a wire rope which is attached to the
bottom of a coulter, the said coulter being mounted upon a suitable carriage,

page_text: after the manner of a common mole plough, in the line or course of the
intended drain. The said wire rope is furnished with a hook at one end and
an eye at the other end, so that it may be readily attached to and disconnected
from the coulter. When the plough is drawn along the course of the drain,
by horse or steam or other power, the said wire rope will thereby be laid in
the line of the intended drain at its required depth from the surface. It must
be observed that the said coulter is to be arranged so as to admit of its being
adjusted to the required depth of the drain. When this drain is done, the
plough may be removed from the wire rope, and a "mole" or "cone" of the
diameter of the required drain is now hooked at either end of the said wire
rope, and to the other end of the said "mole" or cone a rope is attached, by
a hook or other means, on which the tiles are threaded. Power is then applied
to the loose end of the wire rope, and the "mole" and rope on which the tiles
are threaded are drawn into the drain together. The rope may now be with-
drawn from the drain after the "stop," which is placed at the end of the tiles,
is removed, to prevent them from slipping, when the drain is completed or
finished. But instead of making the drain, and laying down the tiles at two
operations, I prefer the following method, viz-To use a number or series of
"moles" or "cones" which gradually increase in size, one after the other; but
I prefer using each separately, until the size of the required drain is obtained,
by which a larger and better drain is made, as well as enabling the operation
of drawing in the tiles to be done by hand labour, such as by a winch, by
which any obstruction in the drain may be ascertained, and such obstruction
removed by passing a "mole" or "cone" through the drain again, which will
clear the drain of such obstruction, and make it fit for the reception of the
tiles; and further, in some cases I cut a trench wedge-shaped by two coulters,
one being placed before the other on the same frame or stock or beam, and
fixed in an angle to effect the cut of a wedge-shaped furrow, which said furrow
may be removed by hand labour, or by a concave plough, gouge-shaped, will
answer best. The said wedge-shaped furrow may vary from nine inches to
eighteen inches or more in depth, which will greatly facilitate the operation of
making deep drains. I prefer the two coulters to be fixed upon a separate
plough, in order to relieve the operation of laying down the wire rope as much
as possible. In those cases where the land to be drained is somewhat stony
I use a long cylindrical “cone," viz, from two feet to three feet in length, in
order to prevent sudden deviations in the line or course of the drain. The wire
ropes may be of the length of the intended drain, and may be linked together
and laid down continuously at one operation. I dig holes over the links, in
order to get at them to fasten the "moles" or "cones" to the wire ropes. I prefer

page_text: performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to
any of the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details shown and
described; but what I claim is, the combined apparatus and means herein
described for enlarging the hole or bore made by a plough, in order more
conveniently to introduce drain tiles into the land for draining the same, as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lamb Hancock, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JAMES LAMB HANCOCK. (L.S.)