IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM PLOUGHS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Cousins, of Park Lane, Leeds, in the
County of York, Woollen Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Cousins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
5th November 1857.
the
I, JOHN JAMES COUSINS, of Park Lane, Leeds, in the County of York,
Woollen Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM PLOUGHS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of steam plough for ploughing
the ground at any required depth. In carrying out my Invention I I use any
suitable kind of engine or engines, which I mount together with the boiler
on a horizontal frame supported by running wheels capable of adjustment
vertically like the wheels of ordinary ploughs. This horizontal frame carries
a series of ploughshares and mouldboards (of any required number to suit
the stetch), which are mounted parallel to each other, but extend in a diagonal
line across the frame, so as to ensure their entering the ground in succession.
Supposing the lead to be to the right, the last plough to the left is arranged
so as to turn over the earth in the reverse direction to the others. In
advance of each share an archimedean screw is set for the purpose of
loosening the earth before the share enters it, and to assist in propelling the
plough frame. The power of the steam engines is communicated to the

page_text: running wheels of the plough frame, and also to the archimedean screws,
through bands, chains, or other driving gear. When the plough is desired
to be set in motion the forward end of the frame is lowered down the stalks
of the plough wheels, that the leading screws may dip and burrow into the
earth, and when the desired depth is reached, the frame is adjusted to that
level. The ploughing then proceeds steadily until the end of the field is
reached, at which time the plough is turned round by means of a suitable
steering apparatus, and the ploughing is resumed as before. By this improved
construction of 'steam plough the operation of ploughing may be expeditiously
and economically performed, and at any depth required. When ploughing
certain kinds of land it may not be necessary to apply driving power to the
running wheels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John James Cousins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th May 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JAMES COUSINS, of Park Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, Woollen
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John James Cousins, Her special license that I, the said John James
Cousins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John James Cousins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John James Cousins, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John James Cousins, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
==
This Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Steam Ploughs"
relates to a novel arrangement of steam plough for ploughing the ground at
any required depth. In carrying out my Invention I use any suitable kind
of engine or engines, which I mount together with the boiler on a horizontal
frame supported by running wheels capable of adjustment vertically like the
wheels of ordinary ploughs. This horizontal frame carries a series of plough-
shares and mould boards (of any required number to suit the stetch), which
are mounted parallel to each other, but are arranged in two diagonal lines
extending from the front corners of the frame and meeting in or near the
centre, so as to ensure their entering the ground in succession and operating
upon the whole breadth of the stetch. Supposing the lead of one set to be
to the right, the last plough to the left is arranged so as to turn over the
earth in the reverse direction to the others, and vice versa with the other set,
as will more clearly appear on referring to the Drawing. In advance of each
share an archimedean screw is set for the purpose of loosening the earth
before the share "enters it, and also to assist in propelling the plough frame.
The power of the steam engines is communicated to the running wheels of
the plough frame, and also to the archimedean screws, through bands, chains,
or other driving gear. When the plough is desired to be set in motion, the
forward end of the frame is lowered down the stalks of the plough wheels, so
that the leading screws when set in motion may dip and burrow into the
earth, and when the desired depth is reached, the frame is to be adjusted to
that level. The ploughing then proceeds steadily until the end of the field is
reached, when the plough is to be turned round by means of a suitable.
steering apparatus, and the ploughing may then be resumed as before. By
this improved construction of steam plough the operation of ploughing may
be expeditiously and economically performed, and at any depth required.
When ploughing certain kinds of land it may not be necessary to apply
driving power to the running wheels, as the rotation of the archimedean
screws will be found sufficient to draw or propel the whole apparatus forward..
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn a mode of constructing,
arranging, and operating the various parts which I believe will be found
convenient and effective. I do not, however, mean or intend to confine
myself thereto, as the construction and arrangement of the parts may
4

page_text: doubtless be varied without departing from the nature and object of my
Invention.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus complete; Fig. 2 is a partial
plan view, some of the parts being shewn in section; Fig. 3 is an end
elevation. a, a, a, a, is the framework, upon which the boiler and engine and
some of the other parts are mounted; b, b, are the running wheels, which are
made with a broad bearing surface, so as to prevent them from sinking into
soft ground. These running wheels are connected with the framework a by
means of the crane arms c, c, which turn on the crank shaft d, which is also
the main driving shaft of the machine. The crane arms c, c, at the other
ends receive the axles e of the running wheels, which are placed inside the
framing. These axles carry on their outer ends a large toothed wheel f, into
which gears a pinion g on the axle of another toothed wheel h that is actuated
by a similar wheel i on the crank or main driving shaft d, which is driven by
the connecting rod k of the engine. The axle e of the running wheels passes.
through a curved slot in the slotted stalk 1, which is provided on its back with
a toothed rack m. A pinion n is made to take into this rack, and is driven
by means of the bevil gearing o, o, (Fig. 2) on the short shaft p. This shaft is
actuated by similar bevil toothed gearing on the short vertical end shaft q, and
the motion is transmitted to the other side of the machine by means of the
transverse shaft r (Fig. 2), so that both the slotted stalks may be acted on
simultaneously where it is desired to raise or lower the framework for the
purpose of lifting up or lowering the cultivators, or removing them from out
of the earth. The ploughshares and mouldboards are seen at s, s, s, and the
archimedean screw at t, t, t. These archimedean screws are mounted on hori-
zontal shafts which pass through the inclined faces of the mouldboards 8, 8,
and carry on their inner ends inside the mouldboard a bevil toothed wheel u,.
which is driven by a similar bevil wheel v on the lower end of the upright
shaft v¹, which passes up through the platform of the framing, and carries at
its upper end another bevil wheel v² that gears into and is driven by a similar
wheel w on the diagonal shaft x. It will be seen that this shaft is driven by
a bevil wheel (Fig. 2) on the crank shaft d, being made to gear into and
drive a similar bevil toothed wheel a on the end of the diagonal shaft, and by
means of the bevil gear u, v, v³, w, all the archimedean screws t, t, are set in
motion, and when allowed to penetrate the ground by lowering the frame,
these screws will take such a hold on the land as will on some soils be
sufficient to draw the whole apparatus forward. The apparatus is supported
behind by a steering wheel y, the stalk y' of which passes through a screw
bearing y*, whereby it may be adjusted to any height. The stalk of the

page_text: steering wheel y is mounted in a swivel frame, which is provided with a sector
rack or screw wheel, and endless screw to work the same, so as to admit of the
steering wheel being turned round in either direction and to any desired
extent. When it is required to turn the machine round, as at the headlands,
it will be necessary to raise up the archimedean screws t, t, and the plough-
shares and mouldboards s, and to ungear the front running wheels b, b, so as
to admit of them turning freely in either direction. This ungearing of the
wheels is effected by means of a clutch z (Fig. 2), which is worked by means
of a screw and handles, as shewn in the Drawing. The hinder end of the
frame may be dragged round, so as to make the screws t, t, point in the
opposite direction, when the ploughing operation may be resumed as before.
If desired, a guide rope 1 may be adapted to the machine, and passed over or
around pullies provided for the purpose, as shewn in Fig. 1.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Construction
of Steam Ploughs," and having explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I would observe that I am aware that an implement made in the
form of a screw has been heretofore proposed for tilling or stirring the soil
for cultivating land by drawing the same through the ground; I do not
therefore mean or intend to claim the exclusive use of screw cultivators
taken separately, except when employed in the manner herein shewn and
described; that which I consider to be new in the above-described improve-
ments, and therefore desire to claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, is the employment of rotating screw cultivators
actuated in any convenient manner by means of suitable gearing connected
with the engine, so that the screw cultivator may not only be caused to
rotate in and pulverize the soil, but will also be caused to act as a motive
agent for propelling the machine; I also claim the combination of rotating
screws with ploughshares and mouldboards for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Cousins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JOHN JAMES COUSINS. (L.S.)