CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON PLOUGHS
Year: 1817

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WEDLAKE, of Horne Church, in the County of Essex, Agricultural Implement
maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifth day of July, in
the fifty-seventh year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas
Wedlake, my exors, admors, and assigns, his especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas Wedlake, my exors, adiñors,
and assigns, should and lawfully might, during the term of years therein men-
tioned, make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON PLOUGHS;"
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if I, the said
Thomas Wedlake, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the
said Letters Patent and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby
granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the
same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Wedlake, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described

page_text: and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto annexed, and the following
description thereof (that is to say):-
The plough for which I have the Patent has many advantages over all that
have yet been produced for strength, simplicity, and durability, as by means of
a press lever, which lever forms the fore part of the breast, which prevents the
wearing of the breast, which has hitherto been so much complained of, and
which in other ploughs is called the cock iron, made of wrought iron. This
lever likewise forms a part of the share by means of a wedge forcing the lever
on the share, so that the share is firmly fixed on the spit. The share is so con-
structed that it is much stronger than any before made, and sold much cheaper.
'The ploughs and shares are so strong that they have ploughed up roads with
them, and are adapted to all sorts of land. The ploughs are composed of cast
and wrought iron, or other suitable metal, with the exception of the beam and
handles, being of wood. The part which is coloured in the Drawing I claim
under my Patent. S, in the Drawing hereunto annexed, is the share that
fixes on the spit; L is the lever that forms part of the share; B is the bolt
that goes through the lever and through the sheath; W is the wedge that goes
behind the lever and that passes the lever on the share, so that when the
wedge is taken out the lever has power to revolve on the bolt B, and by which
means the share is put on and off.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wedlake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventeen.
THOMAS (L.B.) WEDLAKE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of September, in the
year of our Lord 1817, the aforesaid Thomas Wedlake came before our said
.Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventeen.