IMPROVEMENTS IN CULTIVATORS FOR THE PURPOSE OF TILLING THE LAND, BY MEANS OF HORSE OR OTHER ANIMAL POWER
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Simpson at the Office of.
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1882.
ALEXANDER SIMPSON of Lhanbryd, Elgin, North Britain, Agricultural Implement
maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CULTIVATORS FOR THE PURPOSE OF TILLING THE
LAND, BY MEANS OF HORSE OR OTHER ANIMAL POWER."
This invention consists in certain improvements in the construction and design
of implements used for tilling the land, and which are generally known by the
name of "Cultivators, as distinguished from the ordinary plough.
The objects aimed at in this improved Cultivator are to apply to the important
work of tilling the land, an implement calculated to grapple much more
successfully with such work than the common horse plough, especially to several
branches of agriculture, amongst others, viz, to the breaking up of stubble
preparing land for turnips, also for cultivating the land for barley after turnips, and
for which work the ordinary plough as used up to this present time is only
imperfectly adapted, when looked at from a mechanical point of view.
With the implement now invented by me, it is possible to do a greater amount
of work with a less expenditure of power than heretofore, as with my new
cultivator, three horses will accomplish the same amount of work per day, or
in any given time, as five horses can perform with the plough of ordinary
construction.
My improved cultivator consists of a strongly built wrought iron frame, mounted
on wheels, and one of which being actuated by a screw and lever attachment, is
the means by which the depth of the land to be cultivated is regulated, this depth
can by these means be readily adjusted from three inches up to eleven inches or
even deeper if required; a pair of horses will suffice to draw it easily when working
to any depth not exceeding six inches, but for deeper work three horses would be
required.
The sheaths, breasts, tines or prongs, connected with my cultivator now
described are also of an improved pattern, the form given to the same, and their
mode of of attachment being points to which I attach considerable importance,
inasmuch as the efficiency of the invention and my cultivator as a whole is mainly
dependent thereon.

page_text: The breasts, sheaths, and prongs connected with my cultivator, are also of an
improved pattern, thus, the upper prong is moveable and can be adjusted according
to depth in a slide placed at the back of the sheaths; -The mode of attachment
also in fixing of the upper prong is an improvement to which I attach considerable
importance, as I now support the same by means of a stay, which stay moves in
the slide at the back of the sheath, and a pin corresponding to the slide is fixed on
the side of the sheath near the front; this pin passes through an eye formed on the
end of the bar to which is bolted the upper prong, this secures a parallel move-
ment and thus allows a more perfect adjustment according to depth required, and
by which means the land can be more thoroughly broken up, and the weeds kept
on the surface while ploughing at any depth.
The method of regulating the depth also is new and is an important part of the
invention, inasmuch as it can be adjusted to the required depth whilst the
implement is in motion, this is done by means of a screw mounted on the top of a
lever, and on raising the latter, the screw passes on to a projection placed for that
purpose, and thus allows the depth to be regulated while the implement is in
motion as stated above.