IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Dixon at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th March 1861.
-A communication from abroad by Mr. Hautavoine, of Biermes, in the
Empire of France.
I, GEORGE DIXON, of 26, Cecil Street, Strand, in the County of Middle-
sex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PLOUGHS," (& that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
Mr. Hautavoine, of Biermes, in the Empire of France,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in ploughs, by means of
which they are considerably simplified and rendered more efficient.
The first improvement consists in making the pitch of the plough in two
pieces bolted together at the top, which allows the beam to be raised four
inches higher than is usual without lengthening the plough, and does away
with the necessity of having an assistant to displace the manure and other sub-
stances, as there is no danger of the plough becoming choked. By means of
this improvement the plough may also if required be worked to a depth of
four inches more than under ordinary circumstances. If thought proper the
plough may have a pitch no higher than usual, in which case it would be
lighter, stronger, and more convenient than those in actual use, but would no
longer be free from becoming choked. The handles are more horizontally placed
than in ordinary ploughs, by means of which the plough may be raised with
greater facility so as to ease the horses, and as the handles only touch the
earth at their extremities, they last longer than if exposed to the action of the

page_text: soil. A small iron plate is placed under the beam, and extends as far as the
pitch, where it divides into two parts, which pass behind the pitch on each
side of it, pressing it at a distance of four inches below the beam. A small
piece of iron connects the two branches, at the end of which nut screws are
adapted to the small piece and to the pitch, thereby giving great strength to
the latter, and to the beam.
T
Method of Regulating the Coulter.-The coulter is arrested when required
by means of a rack placed flat on the beam in front of the coulter. To pre-
vent the ploughshare from wearing out on the roads a shoe of cast iron is
employed, which, from its form and the strength of the material, lasts four
times as long as the iron plates hitherto used for the purpose, which are also
more expensive and more liable to breakage.
;
Improved Axle. The axle is divided in the middle so as to form two pieces,
connected by means of another piece forming a screw bolt at its upper end. On
turning this screw bolt it raises or lowers the axle by its middle, thus extend-
ing or diminishing the track of the wheels. When the ploughing is per-
formed by means of a single horse, or with three harnessed abreast, the, fore
part must be turned in order to pass over the furrow desired,, which is
effected by means of a piece of iron or wood adapted at the head of the
plough, and held by means of a bolt, at the end of which there is a hole for
receiving a peg which retains the piece. The latter has one or two large holes
pierced in each end, and several smaller ones throughout its length. The
larger holes open alternately to allow the chain or cord by which the plough
is drawn to pass, which chain is placed beneath the head of the plough near
the axle, and the smaller holes serve to attach the additional piece above
mentioned to the head of the plough, and to regulate the turn desired to be
given.
These various improvements may be applied to any plough either together
or separately. They save considerable exertion both to man and horse, and
render the plough no longer liable to become choked, and capable of being
more easily guided and turned.
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