IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING AND PLOUGH MOULDS OR BREASTS THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

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LETTERS PATENT to Robert Sellar, of Huntly, in the County of Aberdeen,
Agricultural Implement Maker, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLOUGHING AND PLOUGH MOULDS OR BREASTS THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Sellar at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th July 1880.
ROBERT SELLAR, of Huntly, in the County of Aberdeen, Agricultural Implement
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING AND PLOUGH MOULDS OR BREASTS
THEREFOR."
In land ploughed in the usual way and by the ploughs heretofore in uso spaces
usually triangular in transverse section are left between the furrow slices. These
spaces are undesirable for many reasons.
Now the object of my Invention is to completely fill the spaces under and
between the furrow slices, and to do so as far as possible with soil in a loose
condition.
For that purpose I, under the first part of my Invention, cut off the face of the
furrow slice during the time it is being turned over, and allow the cut off and then
loose soil to fall into the furrow, whence it is pushed and lifted into position so as
entirely to fill the space under the furrow slice.
Another method of accomplishing the same result, and desirable in some soils,
consists in cutting off a corner of the unploughed land at the side of the furrow,
and pushing the said cut off piece into position under the lower edge of the furrow
alice.
My mould boards or breasts for carrying the above first part of my Invention
into practice are provided with a series of cutting blades set at different angles on
the exterior or acting side. These cut or pare off the soil from the face of the
furrow slice as mentioned. The said mould boards or breasts are so shaped that

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the loose soil is properly pushed laterally and lifted so as to fill the space between
the furrow slices. Instead of a series of angular cutters on the exterior of the
mould board or breast one continuous cutter with varying angles may be used, but
that combination I have not found to act with equally good effect.
When the method above mentioned of cutting off a portion of the unploughed
land is adopted two mould boards or breasts are employed, one being used to cut
off the corner piece and the other to cut the furrow slice. When the cutter of the
corner piece is in front it pushes the piece under the lower edge of the previously
laid furrow, and when at the back it lays the piece under the furrow slice then
being cut.

page_text: said mould board or breast. On reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the action
of the cutters is to cut off and break up a slice from the face of the furrow slice,
and that the mould board or breast lays the said broken up portion under the
furrow slico at d.
Instead of attaching the cutters to the mould board or breast, as shown in Figs. 3
and 4, by bolts and nuts, the said cutters may form part of the said mould board
or breast, or a continuous curved cutter formed with or secured or attached thereto
may be employed.
Figs. 7 and 8 are side elevations; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a swing plough having
two mould boards or breasts and cutters or blades adapted thereto so as to cut off
the corner, and lay such corner under the furrow slice, as set forth under the above
first part of my Invention; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the cutter of the following
mould board or breast, and Fig. 11-shows the way in which the cutters act on the
land. The first mould board or breast b is of ordinary construction, and is provided
with an adjustable blade g, which latter acting conjointly with the adjustable
cutter h and mould board or breast i fixed to the frame of the plough behind b cuts
off the corner of the furrow slice, and turns and pushes the piece cut off into the
space d below the furrow being cut. Solo plates or a wheel or wheels are used
behind the board or breast i to assist in supporting the plough and resisting lateral
pressure. The cutter fis attached to the land side or frame of the plough by a
bolt so that it can be raised or lowered as required. The cutter is made of thin
sheet steel, and is fitted to a head or point ; which can be raised or lowered by
means of the nuts k.
.
Fig. 12 is a plan view, and Fig. 13 a side elevation of a plough with two wheels
fitted with an additional cutter -and-mould board in front of an ordinary mould
board or breast b, and operating substantially as set forth in connection with
Figs. 7 to 11, except that the corner cut from the furrow slice is laid under the
lower edge of the furrow slico previously cut instead of being laid under the [furrow
slice being cut. In those views the cutter h and mould board i are attached to the
bracket / secured to the front portion of the plough.
The method of ploughing land hereinbefore set forth has special reference to
grass lands or lea, and is not of the same advantage with land where the soil is in a
semi-loose condition, such as stubble or land after green crops. The combined
plough and digger covered to Mr. Barclay and myself by Patent No. 2987 of the
year 1876 being more suitable for the latter.
Amongst the advantages derived from my Invention are, (1), a flat bottom
combined with great surface exposed to the atmosphero and for harrowing; (2), less
loss of seeds, as there is no open space beneath the furrow slices for them to fall
into; (3), no space for sheltering wire worms or grubs; (4), water cannot lodge
below the furrow slices during winter.
Having now described and illustrated my said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim,―
First. Ploughing land in the improved manner herein set forth.
Second. Plough moulds or breasts constructed and arranged to operate substan-
tially as herein set forth and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Third. Plough mould boards or breasts arranged and operating substantially as
herein set forth and illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Sellar, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.