IMPROVEMENTS IN IMPLEMENTS FOR CULTIVATING LAND SUITABLE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER POWER
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Clay, of Walton, near Wakefield, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN IMPLEMENTS
FOR CULTIVATING LAND SUITABLE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER
POWER."
Sealed the 12th November 1861, and dated the 16th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Clay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th May 1861.
I, CHARLES CLAY, of Walton, near Wakefield, in the County of York, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN IMPLE-
MENTS FOR CULTIVATING LAND SUITABLE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER POWER,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in implements for cultivating
land suitable to be worked by steam or other power. In the Specification of a
former Patent granted to me, and dated 4th November 1857, No. 2803, a
cultivating implement is described, in which a series of tines or tilling tools are
employed. These tines or tilling tools are mounted on bars or axes, so
carried by the frame of the implement as to be capable of turning, and the
partial rotation of these bars or axes causes the tines or tilling tools to descend
into the land or to rise out of it as required.
Now, according to my present Invention, in order that such implements may
be capable of working in both directions, when traversed to and fro over the
land without turning at the headlands, I mount two sets of tines or tilling
tools on the revolving bars or axes in such a manner that when the imple-
ment arrives at a headland, by causing the bars or, axes to turn, the set of tines
or tilling tools which are at work may be raised out of the land, and another

page_text: set of tines or tilling tools brought down into it; the latter set of tines or tilling
tools being suitable to work when the implement is (without being turned
round) drawn in the contrary direction to that in which it has just previously
been travelling. The tines or tilling tools may be each separate from the
others, or each of the tines or tilling tools of one set may be formed in one
piece, with one of the tines or tilling tools of the other set. When the tines or
tilling tools are all separate the one from the other, they may be mounted on
two independent sets of revolving bars or axes; the one set carrying the tines or
tilling tools to work in one direction, and the other set the tines or tools to work
in the contrary direction. The rotating bars or axes (whether one or two sets
be employed) may be secured in position so as to keep the tines or tilling tools
at their work, in a similar manner to that described in the Specification of my
said former Patent, viz., by means of arms fixed on the revolving bars or axes,
and connected together by a rod in conjunction with a lever handle attached
thereto, and capable of being fixed in the required positions. Two lever
handles, one at each end of the implement, may, however, in this case be
employed; and if two sets of revolving bars or axes are made use of, each set
of bars will be furnished with its own arms, connecting rod, and lever handle
and stops or catches.
or
In place of working the rotating bars or axes in this manner, a toothed arc
may be mounted on each of them, or one are to one or each set of bars; the
other bars of that or of each set being connected to the bar which carries the
are by a connecting rod and arms, as in the lever handle arrangement; and
these toothed ares may be made to gear with worms formed on a horizontal axis,
r (if two sets of bars are employed) on horizontal axes, or gear of the same
pitch as the teeth of the arc or ares may be employed; and either the hori-
zontal worm or the said gear may be actuated as required by hand wheels,
one placed at each end of the implement. By fixing the arcs or the gear, the
revolving bars and tines may be held in any position required. This imple-
ment is capable of being steered by means of the wheels, as is usual in steam
implements.
I sometimes so arrange the levers and wheels and other parts requisite for
working the revolving bars or axes, and also for steering the implements by
the travelling wheels, that such levers, hand wheels, and parts may be operated
upon by the attendant from a platform or seat placed about the middle of the
machine, instead of from platforms or seats at each end.
Turnfurrow mould boards for ploughing may be fixed upon the tines of
such implements, as well as other cultivating shares.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Clay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
CLAY, of Walton, near Wakefield, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, 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 Charles. Clay, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Clay, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Clay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should' at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during tlie
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:
IMPLEMENTS POR CULTIVATING LAND SUITABLE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER.
POWER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Clay,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer--
tain 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 Scal Patent Office.
within six calendar months. next and immediately after the date of the said.
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Clay, do hereby declare the-
nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in implements for culti--
vating land suitable to be worked by steam or other power. In the Speci-
fication of a former Patent granted to me, and dated Fourth November,. One-
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, No. 2803,. a cultivating implement is.
described in which a series of tines or tilling tools are employed.. These tines.
or tilling tools are mounted on bars or axes so carried by the frame of the
implement as to be capable of turning, and the partial rotation of these bars
or axes causes the tines or tilling tools to descend into the land, or to rise out
of it as required.
Now, according to my present Invention, in order that such implements

page_text: may be capable of working in both directions when traversed to and fro over
the land without turning at the headlands, I mount two sets of tines or tilling
tools on the revolving bars or axes in such a manner that when the imple-
ment arrives at a headland, by causing the bars or axes to turn, the set of
tines or tilling tools which are at work may be raised out of the land, and
another set of tines or tilling tools brought down into it, the latter set of tines
or tilling tools being suitable to work when the implement is (without being
turned round) drawn in the contrary direction to that in which it has just
previously been travelling. The tines or tilling tools may be each separate
from the others, or each of the tines or tilling tools of one set may be formed
in one piece with one of the tines or tiling tools of the other set. When the
tines or tilling tools are all separate the one from the other, they may be
mounted on two independent sets of revolving bars or axes, the one set carry-
ing the tines or tilling tools to work in one direction, and the other set the
tines or tools to work in the contrary direction. The rotating bars or axes
(whether one or two sets be employed) may be secured in position so as to
keep the tines or tilling tools at their work in a similar manner to that
described in the Specification of my said former Patent, videlicit, by means of
arms fixed on the revolving bars or axes, and connected together by a rod in
conjunction with a lever handle attached thereto, and capable of being fixed
in the required positions; two lever handles, one at each end of the implement,
may, however, in this case be employed, and if two sets of revolving bars or
axes are made use of, each set of bars will be furnished with its own arms, con-
necting rod and lever handle, and stops or catches.
In place of working the rotating bars or axes in this manner, a toothed arc
may be mounted on each of them, or one are to one or each set of bars, the
other bars of that or of each set being connected to the bar which carries the
are by a connecting rod and arms, as in the lever handle arrangement, and
these toothed arcs may be made to gear with worms formed on a horizontal
axis or (if two sets of bars are employed) on horizontal axes or gear of the
same pitch as the teeth of the arc or arcs may be employed, and either the
horizontal worm, or the said gear may be actuated as required by hand wheels,
one placed at each end of the implement. By fixing the arcs or the gear, the
revolving bars and tines may be held in any position required. This imple-
ment is capable of being steered by means of the wheels, as is usual in steam
implements.
I sometimes so arrange the levers, hand wheels, and other parts requisite
for working the revolving bars or axes, and also for steering. the implements
by the travelling wheels, that such levers, hand, wheels, and parts may be

page_text: operated upon by the attendant from a platform or seat placed about the
middle of the machine instead of from platforms or seats at each end. Turn-
furrow mould boards for ploughing may be fixed upon the tines of such
implements, as well as other cultivating shares.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same. ;
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of machinery combined suitably for carrying
out my Invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof; and Figure 3
is a plan. In these Figures the same letters of reference are used to indicate
the same parts. a, a, is the framing of the machine, which it is preferred
should be carried by a pair of wheels b, b, so arranged that they may be used
to steer the machine by reason of the axles of the wheels. being arranged to
perform a locking motion. For this purpose the axles of the wheels are fixed
to blocks b', b', which are capable of being raised or lowered by screws 62, 6², on
the bars or uprights 6, 63, the plates to which such bars or uprights are fixed
being arranged to move up and down the two bars or axes c, c, one on each
side of the machine, and it is on these upright bars or axes c, 'c, that the
blocks carrying the axles of the wheels' move or perform their locking motion;
and they are caused to lock by means of the two connecting rods d, d, which
connect the two frames of bars up and down which the blocks b¹, b¹, are
capable of being raised and lowered. The two connecting rods d, d, are con
nected by the lever handles e, which turn on an axis e¹ on the transverse bar or
framing f, which is connected to the side framing a, a, by the uprights f¹, f';
hence it will be seen that, by pressing the lever handles in either direction, the
axes of the wheels will be caused to move so as to cause the wheels to lock to
a greater or less extent, or the steering may be by other convenient means.
A and B are two bars or axes to carry one of two sets of tines or cultivating
instruments to act when the machine is being moved in one direction, and
C, D, are two other bars or axes to carry another set of tines or cultivating
instruments to act when the machine is moved in the opposite direction. Each
of these bars or axes is provided with an arm or projection g, g, so that they
may be connected in pairs by a connecting rod h, h, and these connecting rods
may be so connected together as to cause one set of tines or cultivating
instruments to go out of the land when the other set is entering, and as the
two sets of tines or cultivating instruments are pointed in opposite directions,
the simple act of drawing the machine first in one direction and then in the
other, will alternately bring the two sets of instruments into and out of action

page_text: without having to turn the machine at the headlands. i, i, are transverse bars
which act as stops, against which the stems which carry the tines or cultivating
instruments rest when they are acting in the land, and these transverse bars
also give stiffness and strength to the framing. j,j, are feet, the stems of which
are adjustable, and are used to prevent the framing descending too far towards
the surface of the land; k, k, are two draught hooks, which are attached by
chains or rods k¹, k, to the central bar j. These draught hooks are respec-
tively attached to the two ends of the wire rope used to move the machine,
first in one direction and then in the other, by the use of suitable machinery,
as is well understood, and these draught hooks are also connected to each
other by means of the rod and chains or cords m, m, so that when one
draught hook is being acted on by one end of the wire rope, and power to
move the machine, this bar and chains or cords m will be drawn in that
direction, whilst the other draught hook will go out of action, though still
connected to the other end of the wire rope. In order that both sets of tines
or cultivating instruments may be off a road when being moved from place to
place, the connecting rods are arranged to be shortened.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the mechanical parts separately, and the details of the construction and
combination may be varied without departing from my Invention; but what I
claim is, the combination of two sets of tines or cultivating instruments
pointed in opposite directions, each set being on parallel axes in such manner
that one set of the tines or cultivating instruments may go out of action and
the other come into action without turning the machine at the headlands.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Clay, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Charles Clay, in the
presence of
HENRY BROWN, Sol.,
Wakefield.
CHARLES CLAY. (L.S.)