IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Spencer, of Doncaster, in the County of York,
Agricultural Implement Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS,"
Sealed the 19th September 1861, and dated the 23rd March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Spencer at the
Office of the. Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd March 1861.
I, JOHN SPENCER, of Doncaster, in the County of York, Agricultural
Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the construction of harrows relates to
that description of harrows known as chain harrows, and consists in connecting
the rows of links together by means of jointed bars through holes, in which
the links of the harrow are made to pass, and are by this means kept in a
vertical position, which is a very important desideratum. The transverse
jointed bars are arranged in such a manner that the joints of one bar are
placed opposite to the central part of the bar immediately in front or rear of
it. All the jointed bars throughout the harrow are arranged in this manner.
By this means a more flexible harrow is produced than those now in use, and
it will be found that, however uneven the ground may be, the links will sink
down to and operate upon the surface even of the most depressed parts. The
links throughout the harrow are made of the same size and weight, but the
jointed bars whereby the rows of links are connected together are of different
weight, the heaviest bars being those in front, the others gradually decreasing

page_text: in weight towards the rear. The vertical links which act on the ground are
so arranged that each row will act on that part of the surface which is between
the lines or points acted on by the row of links immediately preceding. The
whole surface of the ground will be thereby thoroughly acted upon, and the
formation of deep ruts, trenches, or lines in the ground will be avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Spencer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SPENCER, of Doncaster, in the County of York, Agricultural Implement
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Spencer, Her special license that I, the said John Spencer, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Spencer, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF HARROWS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Spencer, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 John Spencer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :—
My Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Harrows," relates
to that description of harrows known as chain harrows, and consists in con-
necting the rows of links together by means of jointed bars through holes, in

page_text: which the links of the harrow are made to pass, and are by this means kept in
a vertical position, which is a very important desideratum. The transverse
jointed bars are arranged in such a manner that the joints of one bar are
placed opposite to the central part of the bar immediately in front or rear of
it. All the jointed bars throughout the harrow are arranged in this manner.
By this means a more flexible harrow is produced than those now in use, and
it will be found that, however uneven the ground may be, the links will sink
down to and operate upon the surface even of the most depressed parts. The
links throughout the harrow are made of the same size and weight, but the
jointed bars whereby the rows of links are connected together are of different
weight, the heaviest bars being those in front, the other gradually decreasing
in weight towards the rear. The vertical links which act on the ground are
so arranged that each row will act on that part of the surface which is between
the lines or points acted on by the row of links immediately preceding. The
whole surface of the ground will be thereby thoroughly acted upon, and the
formation of deep ruts, trenches, or lines in the ground will be avoided.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side
or sectional view, of a harrow constructed according to my improvements.
a, a, a, a, are the links of the harrow, which are kept in a vertical position
by being passed through holes in the transverse bars b, b, which are jointed
together longitudinally, as shewn in the Drawing. It will be seen that the
links a, a, are all of the same dimensions and weight throughout the harrow,
but those of the transverse bars b, b, which are nearest the head or front of
the harrow, are heavier than the hindermost. In practice I have found this
the most convenient way of weighting the harrow.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Construction
of Harrows," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
the mode herein set forth of constructing harrows; I claim particularly the
combination of the vertical links a, a, with the jointed transverse bars b, b, as
described, whereby the links a, a, are always kept in a vertical position.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Spencer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOHN SPENCER. (L.S.)