IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATING HARROWS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTATING HARROWS."-A communication from abroad by Sidney S. Hogle,.
of Cleveland, in the County of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United
States.
Sealed the 8th May 1860, and dated the 8th December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
December 1859.
I, WILLIAM SPENCE, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTATING HARROWS," being a communication from abroad
by Sidney S. Hogle, of Cleveland, in the County of Cuyahoga and State of
Ohio, United States, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, in the first place, in the construction of harrows in
such a manner that their rotation may be caused by the dragging force applied
to them without the aid of auxiliary gearing wheels. For this purpose the teeth
on one side of the line of draught are made to descend to a greater depth into
the ground than those on the opposite side of the same, the former becoming
thereby retarded, while the latter being comparatively free to yield to the

page_text: dragging force are correspondingly advanced until they cross the line of
draught, when they are in turn retarded by being forced to a greater depth
into the ground; in this manner the continued dragging force applied to the
harrow will be made to impart a regular rotary motion to the harrow concur-
rently with its forward motion. The depression of the teeth as required is
caused by a weight, but this may be varied and also the construction of the
harrow in other respects besides those above stated.
And the Invention consists, in the second place, in the several modifications
herein-after described of the above stated principle of constructing harrows.
The harrow in its simplest form would consist of a ring with teeth round it,
but it is intended also to make it with a series of rotating toothed frames com-
bined with the rim or the arms of a rotating central frame, the depression of
the frame on one side of the line of draught causing the rotation of the same
on the application of the dragging force together with the rotation of the several
toothed frames on their respective axes.
Another modification of the said principle of construction consists in the
combination of two or more rotating toothed frames with a frame or frames to
which the dragging force is applied, such toothed frames being susceptible
of being inclined as required by means of their inclined pivot pins extending
from the draught frame, or by means of obliquely set boxes in the eyes of the
said toothed frames, or by means of a doubly inclined pivot pin, the form
of which is such as to adapt it for the reception of two rotating toothed
frames.
And another modification consists in adapting and applying a toothed or
pivoting arm to the lower end of the pivot pin of the harrow at right angles
to the line of draught. The tooth or projection at the end of the arm may
have a slight rearward inclination, and it must be of such a length and shape
as to be capable of supporting a sufficient portion of the weight of that side of
the harrow which is passing over the arm to give the requisite degree of incli
nation to the harrow.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SPENCE, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Spence, Her special license that I, the said William Spence,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Spence, 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
of years 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 ROTATING
HARROWS," being a communication from abroad by Sidney S. Hogle, of Cleveland,
in the County of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Spence 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 William Spence, 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, 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 Rotating Harrows," consists, in the first
place, in the construction of harrows in such a manner that their rotation may
be caused by the dragging force applied to them without the aid of auxiliary
gearing wheels. For this purpose the teeth on one side of the line of draught
are made to descend to a greater depth into the ground than those on the
opposite side of the same, the former becoming thereby retarded, while the
latter being comparatively free to yield to the dragging force, are correspond-
ingly advanced until they cross the line of draught, when they are in
turn retarded by being forced to a greater depth into the ground. In this
manner the continued dragging force applied to the harrow will be made to
impart a regular rotary motion thereto concurrently with its forward motion.
The depression of the teeth as required is caused by a weight, but this may be
varied, and also the construction of the barrow in other respects besides those
above stated.
And the Invention consists, in the second place, in the several modifications

page_text: herein-after described, of the above stated principle of constructing harrows.
The harrow in its simplest form would consist of a ring with teeth round it,
but it is intended also to make it with a series of rotating toothed frames,
combined with the rim or the arms of a rotating central frame, the depression
of the frame on one side of the line of draught causing the rotation of the
same on the application of the dragging force, together with the rotation of the
several toothed frames on their respective axes.
Another modification of the said principle of construction consists in the
combination of two or more rotating toothed frames, with a frame or frames
to which the dragging force is applied, such toothed frames being susceptible
of being inclined as required by means of their inclined pivot pins extending
from the draught frame, or by means of obliquely set boxes in the eyes of the
said toothed frames, or by means of a doubly-inclined pivot pin, the form of
which is such as to adapt it for the reception of two rotating toothed frames.
And another modification consists in adapting and applying a toothed or
pivoting arm to the lower end of the pivot pin of the harrow at right angles to
the line of draught. The tooth or projection at the end of the arm may have
a slight rearward inclination, and it must be of such a length and shape as to
be capable of supporting a sufficient portion of the weight of that side of the
harrow which is passing over the arm to give the requisite degree of inclination
to the harrow.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which are represented harrows
constructed on the principle and according to the several modifications thereof
above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan or horizontal view, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a
section (in the line m, n, of Fig. 1) of a rotating harrow constructed on
the principle above referred to. The harrow is shewn to be composed of a
single rim or frame, with a suitable number of spokes or arms, and a series of
teeth inserted in the frame. A is the rim or frame; B is the draught bar,
which is connected to the axis of the rim or frame in such a manner that the
rim or frame may rotate freely underneath the draught bar. When the
harrow is thus constructed, one side thereof may be depressed to the required
extent by a variety of means. The means usually employed has been a
weighted roller C combined with the draught bar B, by means of a hinged and
forked arm D, allowing the roller to rest either on the rim or frame A, or on

page_text: a ring secured to the spokes or arms thereof. The arm D is hinged to the
draught bar B, so that its position can be reversed in order to admit of the
weighted roller C being made to rest on either side of the rim or frame A, and
to be readily shifted from one side to the other whenever it may be desirable
to reverse the direction of rotation imparted to the harrow. But it is not
necessary that the weight employed for causing the required depression of one
side of the harrow should be in the form of a roller, as it may be suspended on
a rigid arm projecting either from the draught bar or from an elongation of the
pivot pin, or the said arm may be combined with both the draught bar and
the pivot pin of the said harrow. And the mode of causing the required
depression of the teeth on one side of the harrow may be otherwise varied;
the teeth may be caused to descend either vertically or at any angle that may
be preferred. The unequal descent of the teeth is not shewn in the Drawings,
as the harrow is shewn resting on a line of floor instead of on the ground, but
this will be readily understood. Fig. 4 is a plan or horizontal view, and Fig. 5 a
side elevation of a modification in the form of the harrow constructed on the
principle above referred to and described, consisting in the combination of a
series of rotating toothed frames A*, A*, with the rim or arms of a central frame
A, which is connected to the draught bar B, and is depressed on one side of its
axis of motion in such a manner that when the harrow is dragged forwards
the dragging force will cause the central frame A to turn steadily on its axis
without the aid of gearing wheels, and at the same time a movement of
rotation on their respective axes will be imparted to the several toothed frames
A*, A*, set round the central frame A, thereby producing a kind of sun and
planet motion of the central and surrounding frames. The rotating central
frame A must be pivoted to the draught bar B in such a manner as to allow
the same to rotate freely beneath the draught bar.
The series of toothed frames A*, A", may be constructed in the manner
represented in the Drawings or otherwise, so long as they are made capable of
turning freely on their respective axes, when combined with the central frame A.
These toothed frames may be furnished with harrow teeth or cultivator teeth
of any desired form. The box E over the centre of the draught bar is intended
to receive the driver or any amount of dead weight that it may be desirable
to place upon the harrow. The arm D, the inner end of which is hinged to
the box E, carries a weighted roller C on a journal at its outer end, such roller
being made to rest on the metallic ring or central frame A, and the box F
may receive the driver, or have any amount of dead weight placed in it that
may be found necessary to cause the required depression of the teeth on one
side of the harrow. Or the requisite degree of depression may be given to one

page_text: side of the harrow by means of a weighted lever projecting laterally from a
rigid connection either with the draught bar or with an elongation of the main
pivot pin which passes up through the draught bar, or the said tilting lever
may be combined with both the draught bar and the elongation of the central
pivot pin. Rotary movements of increased force may be given to the toothed
frames A, A, by causing them to turn on pivots obliquely set under the rim
or central rotating frame A. Draught hooks G, G, are fixed at each end of
the draught bar B, in order to admit of the reversing of the rotary motion of
the harrow by merely shifting the drawing power from one end of the bar to
the other.
Figs. 6 to 11 represent a mode of constructing harrows by combining two
or more harrow toothed wheels or rotary toothed frames, with a draught frame
or draught bar, so as to admit of the desired degree of inclination being given
to the said harrow toothed. wheels or frames by means of inclined pivot pins
extending obliquely from the said draught bar, or by means of obliquely set
boxes in the eyes of the said toothed wheels or frames, or by means of a doubly
inclined pivot pin of a form adapted to receive the two toothed wheels or
frames.
Figs. 6 and 7 represent in plan and elevation a series of toothed frames
A*, A*, combined with a triangular frame composed of two parts A' and A
jointed together, so that they may be readily detached when the forward por-
tion A' is required to be used for cultivating purposes. The toothed frames
A*, A*, revolve on inclined pivot pins which extend downwards from the
draught frame, such pins giving the proper degree of inclination to the toothed
frames. Horizontal holes may be formed in each arm of each toothed frame
A*, A, for the purpose of receiving the shank of a cultivator tooth H and
carrying the same, as shewn in Figs. 6 and 7. These teeth may at any time
be substituted for the pointed barrow teeth, shewn in Fig. 7.
Figs. 8, 9, and 10 represent in plan, front and side elevation, two toothed
frames A3 and A* of different sizes, and placed one below the other upon a bent
pivot pin I, which has two journals separated by a flange K at the angle formed
by the two journals; this pin is shewn detached at Fig. 11. The angle formed
by the journals of the pin I is sufficient to incline the two frames A3 and A' in
opposite directions to such a degree as to cause the forward movement of the
draught bar B to impart to the said toothed frames positive and continuous
rotary motions and in opposite directions, thereby causing the laterally drawing
tendency of one of the said toothed frames to neutralize that of the other, and
thus allowing a harrow of this construction to be safely used as a cultivator
between rows of corn or other crops. The pivot pin I may be connected to

page_text: 5
the draught bar B by means of a nut and screw, or otherwise. The radial
arms of the toothed frames A³ and A' may be armed either with pointed
harrow teeth or with cultivator teeth, as required. The handles L, L, com-
bined with the draught bar B gives facilities for guiding the implement when
used as a cultivator, also those which are combined with the portions A' and A²
of the triangular frame (Figs. 6 and 7) auswer the same purpose. The box
F on the draught bar B is intended to receive any amount of weight that may
be required to weight the implement.
Figs. 12, 13, and 14 represent in elevation plan and section, another
modification of the Invention, consisting of a mode of causing the teeth
of a rotating horizontal harrow to descend to a greater depth into the
ground on one side of the implement than on the other, by the arm M being
secured to the lower end of the pin I in such a manner that this arm shall
stand at right angles to the line of draught. The tooth N extending from the
outer end of the arm M may have a slight rearward inclination, and it must
be of such length and shape as to be capable of supporting a sufficient portion
of the weight of the side of the harrow that may be passing over the arm M
to give the requisite degree of inclination to the harrow; or to express the
same otherwise, it may be said that the arm M with its tooth N will cause the
teeth of the harrow to descend to a greater depth into the ground on one side
of their axis of rotation than on the opposite side, so as to cause the dragging
force applied to the harrow to impart a positive rotary motion thereto without
the aid of gearing wheels. Instead of the tooth N any other form of tooth
or supporting pin that will answer the same purpose may be used. The harrow
may be constructed as represented in the Figures last referred to, or instead of
having the toothed frames A*, A*, pivoted to the arms A, these arms may be
multiplied, and a single harrow tooth or cultivator tooth connected with the
extremity of each arm, or the outer extremities of the arms may be combined
with a toothed rim. When this form of harrow is intended to be used as
a cultivator, guiding handles L, L, may be combined with the draught
bar B.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention communicated to
me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I do hereby
declare that what I claim as of the Invention is,-
First, the construction of rotating harrows in such a manner that the points
of the harrow teeth shall be caused to descend to a greater depth into the
ground on one side of the line of draught than on the other side, thereby
causing the dragging force applied to the harrow to impart a positive rotary
motion thereto without the aid of gearing wheels.

page_text: And, Secondly, the various modes described of constructing harrows so as to
produce the effects described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
THO W WALKER,
Clerk to Mr. Coulcher,
50, Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM SPENCE. (L.S.)