IMPROVEMENTS IN BLACHINERY FOR DRAINING LAND.
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hodgson, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster Engineer and Tron Ship Builder, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN BLACHINERY FOR DRAINING LAND.
Sealed the 30th March 1858, and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hodgson at
the office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his petition, on
1st October 1852.
I, JAMES HODGSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer and Iron Ship Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAINING LAND"
to be as follows:
This Invention consists of applying to a carriage, which is progressively
moved over the land, a cutting tool, which is caused to descend and rise
vertically, or nearly so, like a slotting tool, to the depth of the desired
drain; the earth being removed by a second tool, which is caused to
descend with the cutter, to come forward under the cut earth, and to
rise with the cutter and discharge the earth. These tools are worked
by steam or other power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Hodgson, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 31st March 1853.
°
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES HODGSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
and Iron Ship Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year
of Eler reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Hodgson, Her special licence that I, the said
James Hodgson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Hodgson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAINING
LAND," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Hodgson, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hodgson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of applying to a carriage (which is progres-
sively moved over the land) a cutting tool, which is caused to descend
and rise vertically, or nearly so (like a slotting tool), to the depth of the
desired drain, the earth being removed by a second tool, which is caused
to descend with the cutter, and to come forward under the cut earth,
and to rise with the cutter and discharge the carth.

page_text: These tools are worked by steam or other power. And in order that
my Invention may be most fully understood, and readily carried into
effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
I construct a carriage to move on four wheels; on the axle of one
pair of the wheels I fix a ratchet wheel, and I give motion thereto at
intervals from the steam engine, in order to move the carriage forward
a distance equal to that which the cutter makes at each cut, the cutter
cuts the earth in like manner to what a slotting tool cuts metal, and
the cutter is of a similar form, and the movement of the carriage is to
take place when the cutter is above the earth. The cutter descends by
means of the steam engine or other power used, by which the earth is
cut to the width and depth of the desired drain. In order to remove
the earth which has been cut by the descent of the cutting tool, another
tool is employed, which is caused to descend at the same time as the
cutter; this tool, when down in the cutting, is caused to advance
towards the cutting tool a distance equal to that which the carriage
moves at each time it is put in motion, and as the tool is at its lower
part bent forward at right angles, it comes under the earth which has
been cut by the cutter, so that when the cutter and the lifting tool rise
up again out of the earth, the quantity cut will be between the two
tools, and between the two sides of the drain, and if it be earth which
will not hold together, it will fall over as it rises above the surface of
the land; but I prefer in all cases to use a ram or forcer, moved
horizontally across the drain, and directly over the raising tool on its
arriving to the surface, to remove the earth brought up, and thus to
cause all the earth to be deposited on one side of the drain.
On the carriage I prefer to apply a steam engine (rather than use
manual or other power), which may be a direct action engine, that is an
engine to the piston of which the cutting tool may be directly connected,
and this is the arrangement of engine I prefer to use, having the cylinder
fixed vertically over where the cutter is to act, the cylinder being of a
length suitable for the deepest drain which it is intended to cut.
The workman will (as is well understood in direct acting engines,
such as are used for steam hammers,) readily be able by the gearing to

page_text: regulate the extent of movement of the piston, and consequently of the
cut made by the cutting tool. The raising tool may also be attached to
the piston rod of such an engine, but provision is to be made for causing
it to move towards the cutter when down in the drain.
Motion is to be communicated to the driver of the ratchet wheel
immediately on the coming up of the cutter, so that the carriage may
be moved forward a distance suitable for the next cut, and the distance
through which the carriage moves may be regulated, as is well under-
stood, by causing the ratchet wheel to be moved round a greater or less
number of teeth, and the ram to remove the earth is put in motion at
the time the cutter and raising tool come above the surface of the earth.
I would remark, that although I prefer to use a direct acting engine,
I do not confine myself thereto, as an engineer will readily understand
how the required movements to the cutlery and raising tools may be
obtained by other arrangements of steam engines and mechanism, or
other power than steam may be employed.
I would remark, that I make no claim to the arrangement of the
steam engine or mechanism which may be used for giving motion to
the combination of tools for cutting drains according to my Invention.
And I do declare, that what I claim is the combining a cutting tool
(acting as a slotting tool) and a raising tool with a suitable carriage,
for cutting drains, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hodgson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of March in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES HODGSON. (L.S.)
Witness, W. CARPMAEL jun.