IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING LAND
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Greig of the Steam Plough Works Leeds in the
County of York and George Greig of Edinburgh for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING LAND
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Greig and George
Greig at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December
1882.
DAVID GREIG of the Steam Plough Works Leeds in the County of York and
GEORGE GREIG of Edinburgh "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING
LAND'
"
The object of this Invention is to enable two or more implements to be pulled
by one rope so that any length may be ploughed or cultivated without the rope
having to travel the full distance, the implements being caused to travel over
sections only of the field-each implement over its own section.
The difficulty in working in this way is that the strain for pulling the second
or third implement has to pass through the first implement and the rope bas to
pass back from one side of the first implement to the second implement as this
portion of the rope must be out of the way of the ploughs and not dragged over
the newly ploughed land-The first implement is in consequence dragged sidewise
and is pulled over the land in that position.
To obviate this we connect by a pin joint to each implement at its centre a two
armed crank, the two arms of which are at an obtuse angle to one another-one
arm passing towards one end of the implement the other towards the other. A like
result may be obtained by other arrangements of leverage.
•
The pulling ropes we connect to the ends of these crank arms-the consequence
is that the rope leading to the second implement passes back from the side of the
first implement without any sideway strain coming on the implement and the
implement is therefore not drawn into a sideway position but is free to travel
forwards in a line parallel with the draft.
One of the implements carries a drum and by winding a portion of the inter-
mediate rope upon this drum the distance between the implements is adjusted to
suit the work in hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Lotters Patent filed
by the said David Greig and George Greig in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st June 1883.
DAVID GREIG of the Steam Plough Works Leeds in the County of York and
GEORGE GREIG of Edinburgh "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING
LAND
"
The main object of this invention is to enable two or more implements to be
pulled by one rope so that any length may be ploughed or cultivated without the
rope having to travel the full distanco, the implements being caused to travel over
sections only of the field each implement over its own section the ploughs acting
consecutively in position and simultaneously in ploughing furrows.
In practically carrying out our invention we prefer to place at each side of the
field to be cultivated an engine and hauling drum of the usual kind.
We connect these by one line of hauling rope to which at intervals of its length,
we attach two or more ploughing or cultivating implements of any known kind
capable of acting in both directions of movement in such a manner that the line
of ploughs together operate to make a given furrow or given furrows across the
land as hereinafter is more fully described. In attaching these ploughs to the
rope, we preferably employ the known arrangement of a bent lever or its equivalent
so as to prevent the rope from prejudicially interfering with the action of the
ploughs. In order to provide for variation in the width of the field, and yet to
maintain the required proportions of its divisions, we arrange for the attachment
of the rope to the implement, mechanism whereby the length of rope intervening
between each implement and the next can be readily varied, as wo will hereafter
more particularly describe by referring to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shows a diagram plan view of apparatus adapted as above described
to plough over the distance between two winding engines without the rope having
to travel the full distance.
AA are two winding engines one on each headland and each furnished with
a winding drum on to which the rope used for hauling the ploughs can be wound-
BB are two implements those shown are double balance ploughs but they might
be cultivating implements of other form-C is the hauling rope attached to two
armed crank levers D D which are jointed to the ploughs-E E are two ropo
porters which are clipped to the portion of the rope C which couples the two
implements together these rope porters travel with the rope and keep the rope
always clear of the ground. The distance between the two implements B B is
somewhat less than one half the distance between the two winding engines or if
three implements B were used the distance between them would be somewhat less
than one third the distance between the winding engines.
When working with apparatus combined in the above way it is important that
the distance between the ploughs or implements should be capable of being readily
varied from time to time so that if the distance between the two winding engines A
increases or decreases, the distances between the implements B may also be altered
so that the proper relation between the distance apart of the ploughs or other
implements B and the distance apart of the two winding engines may at all times
be maintained.
To allow of this being done we preferably construct one of the ploughs in the

page_text: way shown at Figures 2, 3 and 4-Figure 2 is a part plan view of the plough-
Figure 3 a cross section of the same-Figure 4 is a side elevation of the two armed
crank lever-In these figures A is the plough frame, B the crank_lever-C a cross
bar forming part of the frame-E a pin by which the lever B is pivotted to
this cross bar and Da V shaped pulley or it might be a clip drum which also can
turn around the pin E or which can be locked to the lever B by a locking bolt H-
FF and G G are guide pullies at the ends of the lever arms.
The hauling rope
is passed between the guide pullies F round the pulley or clip drum D and
between the guide pullies G-L M are two guide pullies also carried by the
lever B the rope is passed over one of these and under the other so that the
portions of the rope which cross cannot chafe one against the other. I is a spring
by which the locking bolt H is continuously held down-J J are chains which pass
over guide pullies K K and which are led off to levers near the steering seats at
the two ends of the implement so that the ploughman may draw up and release
the bolt H whenever he desires.
It is not necessary that both of the implements used should be fitted with a
V pulley or clip drum as above described it is sufficient for one of them to be so
fitted whilst the other may as shewn at Figure 5 be provided with a clip by which
the rope may be nipped and held to the lever whenever desired or may be released
and allowed to slip past the lever. In Figure 5 A is the plough frame B the
lever C the cross bar F and G are guides at the ends of the lever for the rope to
pass through and N is a clamping plate which by screws O can be forced against
the rope and made to grip and hold it. On commencing to work the two winding
engines are placed at the two opposite headlands the end of the rope from the
winding drum of one winding engine is led through the guides F. G &° of the
lever B of one of the implements and the end of the rope from the other winding
engine is similarly led through the guides F. G. & of the other implement. The
ends of the ropes from the two winding engines are then connected together at a
point intermediate of the two ploughs or implements. The ploughs are set
approximately at the distance apart which they ought to be when commencing to
work. The ropes are then locked to the levers of the two implements. With an
implement such as shown at Figure 5 this is effected by screwing up the clamp N
and with an implement such as shown at Figure 2 it is effected by allowing the
spring locking bolt H to drop into one or other of a number of holes P formed through
the V pulley or clip drum D. One or other of the winding engines is then set to
work to haul the implements in the direction required. Whenever it is found that
the distance between the two implements requires to be lengthened or shortened
the attendant will pull up the bolt H and will allow the V pulley or clip drum of
the implement shown at Figures 2. 3 and 4 to turn freely-this implement will
then not be carried onwards by the hauling rope but will remain at rest whilst the
other remains locked to the hauling rope and moves with it and is consequently
drawn either nearer to or further from the other implement according to. whichever
winding engine it is that is winding up the rope. When the distance between the
ploughs has thus been adjusted the attendant lets down the bolt H both implements
then move with the rope and the operation of ploughing is carried on until the
distance between the ploughs again requires to be adjusted.
As will be seen by Figures 2 and 5 we prefer to make the arm of the lever
which carries the rope that passes to the winding engine, longer than the arm
which carries the rope that passes to the other plough or implement so that the
first lever arm may by reason of its length have the more power to hold the shorter
arin to one side of the implement and so hold the rope which passes back to the
second implement well clear of the ploughs. If three implements are simultaneously
used the arms of the crank lever of the central implement would be of equal
length.
In place of the rope being clipped to the lever as shewn at Figure 5 the rope

page_text: from the winding engine might as shown at Figures 6. 7 and 8 be attached to the
extremity of the longer lever arm whilst the rope passing from the second plough
might be led through a guide at the end of the other lever arm and any desired
length of the rope be wound on to a drum D or this portion of rope between the
implements might be a separate piece of rope. The drum can be locked and held
from turning by a bolt H. When the bolt is withdrawn the drum can be revolved
by the handle P either to wind up rope onto the drum or unwind rope from it.
This arrangement admits of the length of rope between the two implements being
readily increased.
In this case the hauling ropes would not be joined together at a point inter-
mediate of the two ploughs or implements but the ends of the ropes would bo
attached to the implement shown at Figures 6. 7 and 8.
At Figures 9 and 10 I have shown an elevation and plan of a turning cultivator
arranged to work on the plan above described.
A is the turning lever B a winding drum divided into two divisions by a centre
flange K. One part takes the rope from the engine the other part takes the rope
from the second implement-C and J are guide pullies for the two ropes-D. D. aro
stays between the ends of the lever, E E are bolts between the two stays D. D.
which serve to keep the ropes from slipping off the pullies. F is a sliding bolt for
fixing the drum, it is kept in its place by means of the spring G. H is a handle
for the man to release the sliding bolt when required, and I is the coupling rod for
same. The plan on which this arrangement works is as follows, viz. The rope
from the engine is passed round the pulley C of the lever, and is then wound onto
the top division of the drum B on the left hand side, the rope from the other
implement is passed through the pulley J and is attached to the bottom division of
the drum B on the right hand side. The engine nearest this implement is then
started and part of the rope from the top division of the drum is allowed to run
off, thus winding on the rope from the other implement and therefore shortening
the distance between the two implements. The sliding bolt is then let go into one
of the slots in the drum B and the implement starts forward. If the distance
between the implements is required to be lengthened the sliding bolt is drawn
back and the engine on the opposite headland starts to pull, then the rope between
the two implements is wound off the bottom division of the drum, whilst the rope
from the engine is wound onto the top division of the drum, thus lengthening the
distance between the implements.
It will be evident that a V pulley or clip drum may be used on this implement
as in Figures 2. 3 and 4 instead of the divided drum B and that the divided drum
may be used instead of the V pulley or clip drum on the balance plough.
Both of the two implements used need not be so fitted one might as shown at
Figures 11 and 12 be fitted with a drum to carry a short length of rope as described
with reference to Figure 8 or the end of the ropes might be fastened directly to the
lever arms.
Having thus described the nature of our invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, we hereby declare that we make no general claim to attaching
to one hauling rope, two alternately or successively working implements, as this
arrangement has been previously proposed and does not attain a main object of
our invention which is to diminish the travel of the rope, But we claim in respect
of apparatus for cultivating land.―
First. The use in combination with a single line of hauling rope of two or more
simultaneously acting ploughing or cultivating implements attached to the rope at
certain intervals, so that according as two three or more implements are employed,
each travels over certain portions as for instance, one half, one third or other
fraction of the total.width of field cultivated by them, substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
☐ Second. The use in a ploughing or cultivating implement adapted and arranged

page_text: so as to be worked in the manner referred to in the preceding claim of a lever for
attaching or guiding the hauling rope combined with a drum pulley or curved
guide and stops whereby the length of rope can be adjusted substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof I the said George Greig have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Fourteenth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.