IMPROVEMENTS IN Double FURROW PLOUGHS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Randell and Horace Randell, both of
North Walsham, in the County of Norfolk, for the Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN Double FURROW PLOUGHS.”
"
IMPROVEMENTS IN Double FURROW PLOUGHS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Randell and
Horace Randell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 4th June 1873.
We, FREDERICK RANDELL and HORACE RANDELL, both of North
Walsham, in the County of Norfolk, do hereby declare the nature of
our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLE FURROW PLOUGHS," to be
as follows:-

page_text: in work, for lifting the front part of both ploughs out of work at the
headlands, and for taking up the front plough, also to slide plates for
altering the width of the beams.
In carrying out our Invention as regards steering we attach both the
furrow and land wheel to a cross axle at the front part of the plough, in a
the centre of which we have a round upright stem, and to which stem a
lever is affixed and extended to the rear of the plough, so that the
plough can be steered when in work with the greatest accuracy.
Our improved arrangements for lifting are as follows:-At the bottom
of the centre stem we provide a pivot boss which has a universal action
with a jaw end in front and in rear, at which end we attach a round rod
as a leader to a jaw on the back part of the plough, and to which is
affixed a lever or handle for raising the plough out of work at the
headlands. By simply pulling the handle down to a catch on the back
part, the front of the plough slides easily up the centre stem, and both
ploughs are instantly raised from their work.
The arrangement for taking up the front plough consists of a plate
rivetted to the furrow beam, the said plate having a slot in the form of
a quadrant, the back part of the front plough is bolted to the beam and
the front part of the said plough is provided with a projecting piece, so
as to take a bearing on the beam, through which we placo a bolt that
works in the slot of the quadrant plate, so that by simply loosening the
nutt of the bolt the plough can be raised in an upright position and
there held by the same bolt so as to be used as a single or double
plough for setting out and making up work.
Our method for altering the width of beams consists of two slide
plates, one of which has two slots and the other has a pin and bolt hole,
so that the pin working in one slot and the bolt in the other the beams
can be adjusted to any desired width and held firmly together.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said
Frederick Randell and Horace Randell in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERICK
RANDELL and HORACE RANDELL, both of North Walsham, in the
County of Norfolk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the 36th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Frederick Randell and Horace Randell,
Her special license that we, the said Frederick Randell and Horace
Randell, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Frederick Randell and Horace Randell, our executors,
administrators, or 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
DOUBLE FURROW PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Frederick Randell and Horace Randell, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals,
or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 on or before the Twenty-second day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Frederick Randell and Horace
Randell, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
Our said Invention has for its object improvements in double furrow

page_text: First. To means employed for facilitating the raising and lowering of
both the plough bodies separately in order to regulate the depth of
ploughing.
Secondly. To means employed in lifting the entire plough out of
work for turning at the headlands.
Thirdly. To means for steering the plough both in work and when
turning at the headlands when out of work.
.
It is a well-known fact that the great difficulty with most double
furrow ploughs is the loss of time incurred in altering set screws on the
wheel stems in order to get both ploughs to perform their work exactly
corresponding with each other; now we entirely remove this difficulty
by the peculiar construction and arrangement of the plough bodies,
which consists according to one arrangement of two plates severally
bolted to the beams and having each a square projecting block, the back
of which plate is provided with a recess to receive a square headed bolt
for the purpose of locking the bodies in their required position; the head
of the said bolt has a screwed holo made therein through which works a
vertical regulating screw. The upper part of each plough body is also
recessed and slotted vertically to work over the square block on the
fixed plate, and within the said recess or slot there is disposed the
vertical regulating screw which is formed with a square head at its
upper end, and turns freely in a projecting lug cast on the upper end of
the body. By this means we are enabled with the use of a suitable
spanner which is made with a square hole in the centre to fit the head
of the regulating screw, or by the aid of a crank key to raise or lower
the bodies separately so that both ploughs can be made to perform their
work with the greatest accuracy, the back plough being so arranged
that it can be lowered as much as three inches if desired below the level
of the front plough for the purpose of moulding out the furrow in
completing the work, whilst the same advantages are afforded in the
front plough by raising it for the purpose of drawing a fleet furrow in
commencing work. With these appliances the use of the single furrow
plough which hitherto has been found objectionable may be entirely
dispensed with. Moreover the facility afforded for commencing and
finishing the work with both bodies at one time adds still further to the
utility of our Invention.

page_text: Another arrangement which may be adopted for taking up the front
plough body when required, consists of a plate rivetted to the plough
beam, the said plate having a slot in the form of a quadrant; the back
part of the front plough body is bolted to the beam, and the front part
of the said plough body is provided with a projecting piece or lug so as to
take a bearing on the top edge of the beam, and through this projecting
piece we pass a bolt that works in the curved slot of the quadrant plate
so that by simply slackening the nut of the bolt the plough body can be
raised by turning on the pivot bolt and there held by the bolt in the
quadrant slot so as to be used as a single or double plough for setting
out and making up work.
The means we employ for lifting the entire plough out of work at the
headlands consist as follows:-The head of the plough is constructed in
one piece, and has a straight mortice or slotted guide extending between
the cross draught bar and the front guide; behind this slotted guide there
is a boss bored to receive an upright centre stem, the lower end of which
stem is secured firmly to the centre of the cross axle. A bent lever
works on a pivot boss mounted on the lower part of the stem, the front
end of the said lever being curved upwards and provided with a jaw and
bolt or pin, which slides along the straight mortice or slotted guide
before referred to in the head when the lever is moved. The back end
of the said lever is carried up to a connecting rod, which is continued
backwards to an upright lever arm carried by a rocking spindle in a
bearing in the back bracket of the plough. To the said rocking spindle
we affix on the land side of the plough the raising hand lever, which on
being pulled down to a self-acting catch connected to the rear end of
the frame causes the head to slide up the centre stem and the entire
plough to be instantly raised out of its work.
The steerage is obtained from the cross axle, to which both furrow
and land wheels are attached by the usual stems. To the centre of this
axle we secure firmly the round upright centre stem above referred to,
on the top of which stem we affix a horizontal cross bar bent or turned
up at equal distances from the centre stem, and to these turned up parts
we attach a long horizontal lever, the front end being provided with two
jaws, which are jointed to the cross bar before mentioned. The said
horizontal steering lever extends to the back part of the plough, where
it rests upon a notched bar. By suitably adjusting this lever to the

page_text: ".
S
right or left the front axle will be caused to lock or swivel, and the
plough can be steered in work with the greatest accuracy. The same
means are employed in turning the plough at the headlands when out of
work.
In order to obtain in some cases still greater accommodation for the
deepening and fleetening of both ploughs bodily at one time, which in
frequent cases is absolutely necessary, for instance, in coming in contact
with any portion of the land or field where stock has been fed, and
which has become pressed or trodden down unusually hard, or where
much carting has been done so as to form a roadway across the course
of the plough, we propose to employ the following appliance which will
at once prevent the probability of the plough ultimately drawing itself
out of the ground, as is the case with nearly every double plough
hitherto made, except when the spanner is resorted to and the necessary
alteration made on the wheel stems; this latter however is objectionable
on account of the great loss of time incurred thereby.
This appliance consists of a distinct intermediate regulator, which is
capable of raising or lowering the entire plough at one time. In
effecting this object we employ a dip socket, which slides freely up and
down the centre stem between the head of the plough and the pivot boss
of the clevating lever before referred to. Into this dip socket on opposite
sides of the stem are rivetted two round pins with slotted heads to
receive the forked end of a lever, which works on a fixed centre in the
head, and is curved upwards and provided with a ring handle at its free
end. The said curved lever works in a guide, in which there are holes
at distances of half an inch apart to receive a stop pin which passes
through the lever, and by which means we can raise or lower the entire
plough in its work with the greatest ease and with the utmost dispatch
when required.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) is a side elevation of our improved plough in a
complete working position, and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of
the same.

page_text: The Figures on Sheet 2 of our Drawings are details which we shall
hereafter refer to.
A, A¹, are the beams made adjustable to different widths by the
slotted slide plates B, B, the beam A¹ being also adjustable by slots at
cach end. C and D are the two plough bodies, which are recessed or
slotted vertically as shown to receive the vertical regulating screws E, E;
H is the lock bolt, which is passed through the slot in each body in
order to hold it firmly in its position against the block plates G, G. The
heads of the regulating screws E, E, fit the square hole in the spanner F
(Figure 1). The block plates G, over which the bodies C and D are
adjustable vertically by the screws E, are firmly bolted to the beams A
and A¹ respectively. The heads of the lock bolts H are contained each
within a recess in the plate G, and through these heads work the
regulating screws E, E, to which they act as fixed nuts.
It will be seen in Figure 1 that the back plough body D is some
distance (say three inches) higher than the front plough body C, which
affords the advantage of enabling the back plough body D to be lowered
for moulding out the last furrow in completing the work, whilst similar
means are provided in the front plough body C for raising it for the
purpose of drawing a fleet furrow in commencing work. With these
appliances the plough is thoroughly combined, and gives every facility
to the unskilled ploughman without the inconvenience of taking off the
front plough body and altering the wheel stems, as is usually the case
with other double ploughs now in use.
We are aware that double ploughs of the most modern description
can be used so as to commence and finish their work, but this can only
be effected by skilled ploughmen.
I and J are the side caps which are bolted to the bodies C and D;
K, K, are the coulter clips and loops fitted with wedge plates in the
usual manner for the purpose of adjusting them to their work, and
also with a set screw in front for raising or lowering their points or
varying the angle of the coulter, the said set screws taking their
bearing on the upper edge of the beams A and A¹; L is the elevating
lever working on the pivot boss on the centre stem M, the front end
of which lever works in the straight slotted guide in the head N.
The rear end of this lever is carried up to a connecting rod O which

page_text: CACHE
P
in a long bearing on the back bracket Q, as shewn in Figure 2; to
this spindle is secured the lever handle R. When, on arriving at the
headlands this lever handle is pulled down so as to lock into the self-
acting catch S the head N will slide up the centre stem M, by which
means the entire plough is instantly raised from its work.
We will now proceed to describe our arrangements for steering the
plough, both in work and whilst turning at the headlands when out
of work.
On the centre stem M we affix a cross bar T swelled in the centre
and bent up at equal distances from the centre stem M; the ends of
this cross bar are bent round in the form of an eye for the reins
from the horses to pass through. Attached by means of round bolts
and cottar pins to the cross bar T is the horizontal steerage lever U
which extends to the rear end of the plough, and rests on a rack
or notched bracket V bolted to the handles, as shewn in Figure 1.
By this means the plough is steered with the greatest accuracy when
in work, and with the same arrangements it is locked round at the
headlands on the front wheels only, the stems of which are attached
by sockets to the square cross axle on the centre stem M. The back
furrow wheel, which is perpendicular and provided with a square stem,
is adjusted in the back bracket Q by a set screw, as shown in Figure 2,
so that the plough is adapted to be used either for straight work or for
ploughing round a field.
The advantages derived from the steerage lever arc obvious, as it
at once reduces the laborious work of the ploughman in turning at
the headlands, and also materially assists him in keeping his work
correct.
The regulator arrangement for deepening and fleetening the entire
plough at one time, and which we call the intermediate regulator
consists of a dip socket W sliding freely up and down on the centre
stem M between the head of the plough N and the pivot boss of the
elevating lever L. Into this socket are rivetted two round pins X
having slotted heads to receive the forked lever Y which work on a
fixed centre or pin in a bracket or jaw fixed on the head N. The
lever Y is slightly curved, is formed with a ring handle at the end,

page_text: and moves in a guide Z bolted into the beam A. This guide is
provided with holes at distances of, say, half an inch apart, to receive
a stop pin which passes through the lever Y, and by which means we
can raise or lower the entire plough in its work, and there fix it when
required.
We shall now proceed more particularly to describe and refer to the
several Figures on Sheet 2 of our Drawings, which represent enlarged
details of portions of our double-furrow plough.
Figure 1, Sheet 2, is a perspective view of the upper part of our
plough bolted to the beam A, showing the means of regulating the
ploughs in their work; G is the block plate; E, the regulating screw
passing through the plough body O, the block plate G, and the head
of the lock bolt H. The regulating screw E is provided with a fast
collar under the top part of the body C, by which means we obtain
the power of moving the bodies up or down, first, for the purpose of
regulating them in their work, and, secondly, for the advantage of com-
mencing and finishing the work without the aid of the single plough.
The regulating screw E and lock bolt H are more clearly seen in detail
detached at Figure 2.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, is a partial side elevation of the front of the plough,
the dotted lines show the plough in a working position, while the hard
lines in the same Figure represent the plough when raised out of work
for turning at the headlands; L is the clevating lever, the front of which
is shown working in the slotted part of the head N, and the back carried
up to the connecting rod O. It will be seen that both the head of the
plough N and the lever L are working on the centre stem M, as shown
in Figure 1, Sheet 1, and Figure 3, Sheet 2; the plan and section of the
lever L, Figure 4, Sheet 2, more fully illustrated the principles of lifting
the plough out of work at the headlands which is distinctly seen in
) Figure 3.
The steering of the plough in work and the turning of the plough at
the headlands is accomplished in the easiest manner possible by the use
of the lever U, Figure 2, Sheet 1, and Figure 5, Sheet 2. The con-
struction of the front part enables the plough to be turned or locked
5 round in a very small space, and without the slightest exertion to the
ploughman.

page_text: Figure 6, Sheet 2, represents an elevation of the intermediate regulator
shewing the head N raised to its highest point from the dip socket W,
from which are working the two round pins X sliding through two
guide bosses on the head N. Attached to these pins is the lever Y,
which moves in the guide Z, by which means the active plough can be
raised or lowered instantly.
A crank key or an ordinary spanner may be used for adjusting tho
ploughs, and is made to fit the heads of the regulating screws E.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 (Sheet 2) illustrate another arrangement for taking
up the front plough body when required. Figure 7 is a plan thereof,
Figure 8 a side elevation of the beam and upper part of the plough body
when lowered, and Figure 9 is a similar view shewing the body elevated.
A is the plough beam; (a) a plate rivetted thereto on one side, and (6) is
the quadrant slot in the said plate; (c) is a bolt which connects the back
part of the plough body to the beam, and serves as a pivot, upon which
the body turns when being raised to the position shown in Figure 9;
(d) is a lug formed on the front part of the plough body, which takes
a bearing on the top edge of the beam when the plough body is lowered,
as shown in Figure 8; (e) is a bolt passed through this lug and through
the quadrant slot (6), on slackening the nut of which bolt the plough 2
body can be raised or lowered, and there fixed by simply tightening the
said nut again.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our
said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we consider 2
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The modes of adjusting the bodies of double furrow ploughs for
the purpose of altering the depth of ploughing, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by our Drawings.
3
Second. The application and use to and in double furrow ploughs of a
cross axle and centre stem for supporting the fore part of the plough
when the plough is in work, in combination with the elevating lever L,
the lever handle R, and crank or lever arm P, for the purpose of raising
the plough out of work, substantially as herein-before described and 3
illustrated by our Drawings.

page_text: Third. The application and use to and in double furrow ploughs of the
ever U attached to a cross bar T fitted on the centre stem M, for the
urpose of both steering the plough when in work and facilitating the
urning or locking round at the headland when out of work, substantially
s herein-before described and illustrated by our Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Randell and Horace
Randell, have to this our Specification set our hands and seals, the
Sixteenth day of December, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-three.