An Improved Method of and Means for Cultivating Land by the Employment of an Electric Current.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1832
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Cultivating Land by the
Employment of an Electric Current.
We, RICHARD RICHARDSON HUTCHINSON of Pear Tree House Kensington in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, WILLIAM BENJAMIN HUTCHINSON, of the
Observatory, Liversedge, in the County of Yorks Engineer, and JESSIE HUTCHINSON
of Pear Tree House, Kensington in the County of Middlesex Spinster do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved method of and means for cultivating land in
which a current of electricity is employed as the motive power or force.
In carrying our invention into effect we provide a central station situated near to
the land which is to be cultivated. A dynamo electric generator or generators is
or are driven by wind water or steam power, and the current thus produced is used
to charge accumulators or is conveyed to the point of operation by means of a
conductor or conductors.
We also construct portable trollys or trucks provided with disc wheels for effecting
a secure anchorage which may be raised or lowered by means of a screw or lever,
or an equivalent device. Three, four or more wheels with broad tyres support the
weight of the trolly or truck, and these may be operated by the electro motor here-
inafter described, or may be mounted upon axletrees in the same manner as the
wheels of a waggon.
A drum is mounted upon a suitable axis, and connected by
suitable gearing to the spindle of an electro motor attached to the frame of the
trolly or truck. Said drum or drums may be horizontally or vertically suspended,
and means provided for reversing the direction of rotation, checking and regulating
Two or more of
the speed, and disconnecting entirely from the electro motor.
these trollys or trucks are placed at each side of a field to be cultivated, and a
wire rope or other flexible driving device is stretched across between the drums
of the two trollys, in such a manner that it may be wound upon one drum by the
operation of the motor, and unwound at the same time from the other drum, either
by reversing the direction of rotation of the latter, or allowing it to run loose under
the control of a brake or the like.
A plough or cultivator with one or more cutters or shares, which are arranged
to plough a furrow or furrows in both directions, is attached to the rope or the like,
and the mode of operating may be described as follows;―
One of the motors being started, the plough commences to travel across the
field towards it, being drawn by the rope, and a furrow or furrows is or are cut.
Upon reaching the end of the furrows, the cutters or shares are lifted, and both
trolleys or trucks are caused to move at right angles to said furrows, to a distance
equal to the width cut at one traverse, and then the opposite electromotor being
started, the plough returns, cutting another furrow or set of furrows. We may
arrange the electrical connections in such a manner that both electro motors may
be operated from one side of the field, or one motive trolly or truck only may be
used, a double drum being provided in this case, each part of which is driven by
the same motor through separate gearing, or two motors may be provided for this
purpose, fixed to the frame of the trolly. In order to carry the loop or bight we
may employ moveable anchors, snatch blocks, or similar appliances. This
arrangement is particularly applicable to fields or tracts of land of irregular
shape.
We provide proper speed regulating gear so that the normal speed of the
electro-motor may be reduced to suit the requirements of ploughing, harrowing,

page_text: drilling and the like, and also for the locomotion of the trolley or truck. Instead
of employing a system of direct transmission by means of a conductor from the
generating station to the trolly or truck, we may provide a set of accumulators,
or storage cells upon the latter, of suitable dimensions and calibre, these
being charged at intervals by the current derived from the generator at the
central station.
For drilling and sowing purposes we provide a light carriage, attached to the
rope in the same manner as the plough herein before described, with a hopper
containing the seeds, and a number of drills mounted upon the frame, the latter
either being operated by mechanism attached to the wheels, or by means of a
small motor or motors, the current required being taken as a slunt from the
main circuit of the trolleys or trucks, and conveyed to the plough or drilling
apparatus by the metallic rope that works it, a suitable earth or other return
being also provided and the whole controlled by suitable switches or regulators.
In order to apply our system of land cultivation to cases in which two or more
ploughs or the like are required to be operated at the same time, or when the
field is of irregular shape, we employ anchored capstans, consisting in a drum or
drums fitted within a suitable frame, and operated by an electric motor or motors.
The portable trolleys or trucks carrying the mechanism for operating the ploughs
and the like, are not in these cases provided with an electric traction device or if
this forms part of the equipment, it is rendered inoperative during the process of
cultivation. Wire ropes, chains or other flexible connections are placed upon the
anchored capstans and coupled to the trolleys or trucks, so that these may be
moved in unison with each other at the termination of each furrow, by the
synchronous action of the electric motors upon said anchored capstans, controlled
by a switch or regulator. Four such anchored capstans may be placed at each
corner of a square or other rectangularly shaped field, or three may be arranged
for triangular or other angular shapes, and any required number may be
used when the direction or other exigences of working render the employinent
of them necessary.
The advantages to be derived from the adoption of our invention are that
ploughing, harrowing, drilling sowing and rolling may be performed by mechanical
means without the necessity for employing steam or animal power upon the spot,
and several operations may be carried out in different places at the same time, and
with the employment of a single prime motor to generate the motive power, which
may be at a considerable distance away. In certain cases the work may proceed
continuously by the use of the electric light derived from the main circuit.
Further, in the method of using an earth return when employing light mechanism
for drilling or sowing, and land cultivating generally, the current of electricity
passing through the drills, feeders or other part in contact with the earth and thence
into the earth, destroys all the smaller insects, parasites and germs, and probably
increases the arability of the soil.
Dabis 1
1001
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Cultivating Land by the
Employment of an Electric Current.
We, RICHARD RICHARDSON HUTCHINSON of Pear Tree House Kensington in
the County of Middlesex Engineer WILLIAM BENJAMIN HUTCHINSON of the
Observatory Liversedge in the County of York, Engineer and JESSIE
HUTCHINSON of Pear Tree House Kensington in the County of Middlesex
Spinster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
Our invention relates to an improved method of and means for cultivating land,
in which a current of electricity is employed as the motive power of force.
In order that our said invention may be more clearly understood, we have
appended the accompanying sheet of drawings which is divided into three sections
Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3.
In carrying our invention into effect we provide a central station, such as that
shown at A Figure 3, situated near to the land which is to be cultivated. A
dynamo electric generator or generators of ordinary construction is or are driven
by wind, water, or steam. In Figure 1, B is a steam engine for driving said electric
generator or generators, and C in Figure 3 shows a water wheel for the same
purpose. Any suitable motor or motors of ordinary types may be employed, and
the current thus produced is used to charge accumulators or is conveyed to the
point of operation by means of a conductor or conductors.
We also construct portable trolleys or trucks, D, D¹ Figure 1, provided with
disc wheels, for effecting a secure anchorage, which may be raised or lowered by
means of a screw or lever, or an equivalent device. Three, four, or more wheels
with broad tyres support the weight of the trolly or truck, and these may be
operated by the electro-motor hereinafter described, or may be mounted upon
axletrees in the same manner as the wheels of a waggon. A drum is mounted upon
a suitable axis and connected by suitable gearing to the spindle of an electro motor
attached to the frame of the trolly or truck. Said drum may be horizontally or
vertically suspended, and means provided for reversing the direction of rotation,
checking and regulating the speed, and disconnecting entirely from the electro
motor. Two of these trolleys or trucks are placed at each side of a field to be
cultivated, as shown Figure 1, and wire rope or other flexible driving device
is stretched across between the drums of the two trolleys in such a manner that it
may be wound upon one drum by the operation of the motor, and unwound at the
same time from the other drum, either by reversing the direction of rotation of the
latter, or allowing it to run loose under the control of a brake or the like.
A plough or cultivator of the ordinary type E Figure 1 with one or more cutters
or shares, which are arranged to plough a furrow or furrows in both directions, is
attached to the rope or the like, and the mode of operating may be described as
follows:
One of the motors being started the plough commences to travel across the field
towards it, being drawn by the rope, and a furrow or furrows is or are cut. Upon
reaching the end of the furrows, the cutters or shares are lifted, and both trolleys
or trucks are caused to move at right angles to said furrows, to a distance equal
to the width cut at one traverse, and then the plough returns, cutting another
furrow or set of furrows. We may arrange the electrical connections in such a
manner that both electro motors may be operated from one side of the field, or one
motive trolley or truck only may be used, a double drum being provided in this
case, each part of which is driven by the same motor through separate gearing, or
two motors may be provided for this purpose, fixed to the frame of the trolley.
In order to carry the loop or bight, we may employ movable anchors, snatch
blocks, or similar appliances. This arrangement is particularly applicable to fields
or tracts of land of irregular shape, and is shown at F in Figures 1 and 3.
We provide proper speed regulating gear so that the normal speed of the electro
motor may be reduced to suit the requirements of ploughing, harrowing, drilling
and the like, and also for the locomotion of the trolley or truck.
Instead of employing a system of direct transmission by means of a conductor
from the generating station to the trolley or truck, we may provide a set of accumu-
lators or storage cells upon the latter, of suitable dimensions and calibre, these
being charged at intervals by the current derived from the generator at the central
station.

page_text: For drilling and sowing purposes we provide a light carriage, attached to the
rope in the same manner as the plough herein before described, with a hopper
containing the seeds, and a number of drills mounted upon the frame, the latter
either being operated by mechanism attached to the wheels, or by means of a
small motor or motors, the current required being taken as a shunt from the main
circuit of the trolleys or trucks, and conveyed to the plough or drilling apparatus
by the metallic rope that works it, a suitable earth or other return being also
provided, and the whole controlled by suitable switches or regulators.
In order to apply our system of land cultivation to cases in which two or more
ploughs reaping machines or the like of ordinary make are required to be operated
at the same time, or when the field is of irregular shape, we employ anchored
capstans consisting of a drum or drums fitted within a suitable frame and operated
by an electric motor or motors, as shewn by D D' Figure 1. The portable
trolleys or trucks carrying the mechanism for operating the ploughs and the like
are not in these cases provided with an electric traction device, or if this forms
part of the equipment, it is rendered inoperative during the process of cultivation.
Wire ropes, chains, or other flexible connections are placed upon the anchored
capstans and coupled to the trolleys or trucks, so that these may be moved in
unison with each other at the termination of each furrow by the synchronous action
of the electric motors upon said anchored capstans, controlled by a switch or
regulator. Four such anchored capstans may be placed at each corner of a
square or other rectangularly shaped field, or three may be arranged for triangular
or other angular shapes, and any required number may be used when the direction
or other exigencies of working render the employment of them necessary.
The advantages to be derived from the adoption of our invention are that
ploughing, harrowing, drilling, sowing, and operations of a like nature may be
performed by mechanical means, without the necessity for employing steam or
animal power upon the spot, and several operations may be carried out in different
places at the same time, and with the employment of a single prime motor to
generate the motive power, which may be at a considerable distance away.
For reaping and like purposes, it will be seen that our invention is especially
applicable. This is shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.
In certain cases the work may proceed continuously by the use of the electric
light derived from the main circuit. Further, in the method of using an earth
return when employing light mechanism for drilling or sowing and land cultivating
generally the current of electricity passing through the drills feeders or other
part in contact with the earth, and thence into the earth, destroys all the smaller
insects, parasites, and germs, and probably increases the arability of the soil.
When so desired the strength of the current may be greatly enhanced by the
use of transformers or like means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
The method of cultivating land by the use of an electrical current, substantially
as herein described, and shown by the appended drawings.
Dated this 6th day of February 1892.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.