IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Lewin, of Poole, in the County of Dorset,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 13th May 1873, and dated the 6th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Lewin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th December 1872.
I, STEPHEN LEWIN, of Poole, in the County of Dorset, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS,"
to be as follows:―
In the Provisional Specification of a Patent granted to me, bearing
date the 18th June 1872, No. 1833; I described a construction of plough
supported on wheels, with means of adjusting the depth of furrows,
several of which could be ploughed simultaneously.
My present Invention relates to modifications in the construction and
arrangement of such ploughing apparatus, whereby I am enabled to
balance more effectually the strain on the axle of the travelling wheels,
to raise or lower the several combined ploughs readily, and to utilize the
movement of the wheels for the purpose of raising and lowering the

page_text: ploughs when passing off from the ploughed land and passing on to it.
For this purpose I mount the travelling wheels loosely on their axle, so
that generally they revolve without turning the axle, and I provide a
friction or other suitable clutch, so that the axle can when desired be
engaged with either or both of the wheels, and made to turn with them.
On the axle I fix one or more eccentrics, each of which is in a horizontal
slot of a frame fitted to slide vertically in another frame. To the under
side of the latter frame is attached a bar which extends forwards, and is
secured to a plate resting on the turning carriage of a front pair of
wheels. To this bar is attached onc or more ploughs projecting
downwards therefrom to equal depths. These ploughs are arranged
longitudinally on each bar in such positions before and behind the axle
that their strains thereon are nearly balanced, and they and the several
bars to which they are attached are arranged laterally, so as to space
equally the furrows made by the several ploughs, with stretching bolts
between them, by which the width of furrow can be adjusted. Each
frame carrying one of these bars is provided with a hand wheel and
screw which bears on the frame containing the eccentric, so that by
turning the screw in the one direction or the other, while the eccentric
remains in any given position, the frame with its bar and ploughs can
be raised or lowered.
For ploughing the axle is turned so as to bring the eccentrics to their
lowest position, and the axle is held by a catch which prevents it from
turning. When it is desired to raise the ploughs clear out of the land,
the catch which held the axle is withdrawn, and the clutch is thrown
into gear, so that the travelling wheel in its rotation is made to turn
the axle and the eccentrics, and thereby to raise all the bars and their
ploughs. When they are raised to the full height by the eccentries
being turned to their highest position the clutch is disengaged, and the
axle with its eccentrics is kept from turning by a catch till it is again
desired to lower the ploughs, when the catch is withdrawn, the clutch
engaged, and the axle and eccentrics are turned by the travelling wheels,
so as to make the ploughs descend into the soil.
It may be readily understood that by attaching coulters, skim coulters,
tines, and other necessary parts to the bars described above, the apparatus
can be adapted for various kinds of ploughing operations, also that it
may be driven by animal, or steam, or other suitable power.

page_text: My present Invention relates to modifications in the construction and
arrangement of such ploughing apparatus, whereby I am enabled to
balance more effectually the strain on the axle of the travelling wheels,
to raise or lower the several combined ploughs readily, and to utilize the
movement of the wheels for the purpose of raising and lowering the
ploughs when passing off from the ploughed land and passing on to it.
For this purpose I mount the travelling wheels loosely on their axle so
that generally they revolve without turning the axle, and I provide a
friction or other suitable clutch so that the axle can, when desired, be
engaged with either or both of the wheels, and made to turn with them.
On the axle I fix one or more eccentrics, each of which is in a horizontal
slot of a frame fitted to slide vertically in another frame. To the under
side of the latter frame is attached a bar which extends forwards, and is
secured to a plate resting on the turning carriage of a front pair of
wheels. To this bar is attached one or more ploughs projecting
downwards therefrom to equal depths. These ploughs are arranged
longitudinally on each bar, in such positions before and behind the axle
that their strains thereon are nearly balanced, and they and the several
bars to which they are attached are arranged laterally, so as to space
equally the furrows made by the several ploughs with stretching bolts
between them, by which the width of furrow can be adjusted. Each
frame carrying one of these bars is provided with a hand wheel and
screw which bears on the frame containing the eccentric, so that by
turning the screw in the one direction or the other, while the eccentric
remains in any given position, the frame with its bar and ploughs can
be raised or lowered.
For ploughing the axle is turned so as to bring the eccentrics to their
lowest position, and the axle is held by a catch which prevents it from
turning. When it is desired to raise the ploughs clear out of the land,
the catch which held the axle is withdrawn, and the clutch is thrown
into gear, so that the travelling wheel in its rotation is made to turn
the axle and the eccentrics, and thereby to raise all the bars and their
ploughs. When they are raised to the full height by the eccentrics
being turned to their highest position the clutch is disengaged, and the
axle with its eccentrics is kept from turning by a catch till it is again
desired to lower the ploughs, when the catch is withdrawn, the clutch
engaged, and the axle and eccentrics are turned by the travelling wheels,
so as to make the ploughs descend into the soil.

page_text: It may be readily understood that by attaching coulters, skim coulters,
tines, and other necessary parts to the bars described above, the apparatus
can be adapted for various kinds of ploughing operations, also that it
may be driven by animal, or steam, or other suitable power.
Fig. 1 represents a side view, Fig. 2 an end view, and Fig. 3 a plan of
ploughing apparatus constructed according to this Invention.
A is a framing consisting of several bars attached in front to a
plate A', on which is mounted the turning carriage of a pair of front
wheels C, C, provided with a steering lever C¹. To the bars A are
attached ploughs F with suitable coulters F', and other parts which may
be arranged for ploughing operations of various kinds. These ploughs
are arranged on the bars A before and behind the axle E, so as to
equalise the strain thereon, and plough furrows some in advance of the
others. The bars A are attached to frames I, within which are fitted
vertically sliding frames J resting on eccentrics K, which are fixed on
the axle E of the hind wheels B, B. Through the tops of the frames I
pass screws provided with hand wheels, by which they can be turned.
The ends of those screws rest on the frames J, and by turning them the
one way or the other the frames I with the bars A and ploughs attached
to them can be raised or lowered for the purpose of adjusting the depth
of furrow. The two frames J are connected by a board j, which forms
a seat for the driver. The hind wheels B, B, revolve. loosely on the
axle E, but there is a clutch L with a lever 1, by which the driver can
engage the axle E with one of the wheels B, so that the axle can be
caused to revolve by the rotation of the wheel B.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the axle is represented as having been turned, so
that the eccentrics K are in their highest position, the ploughs F being
thereby raised above the surface of the ground, so that the apparatus
can be drawn along a road or field without ploughing.
When it is desired to make the ploughs descend into the soil the
driver moves the clutch L so as to engage the axle E with the wheel B,
until the axle is turned half a revolution or thereabouts. The
eccentrics K being thus turned downwards, the frames I and bars A
with the ploughs descend, so that the latter are immersed into the soil,
the depth of their immersion being regulated by the hand screws i.

page_text: At the end of a furrow, or when the apparatus has to be moved from
place to place, the ploughs are raised out of the soil by again engaging
the clutch L, so as to cause the axle E and eccentrics K to be turned by
the movement of the wheel B. The sliding frames J can be secured to
the frames I by tightening nuts m on bolts fixed to the frame J, and
passing through slotted holes in the frames I. When the clutch L is
disengaged the axle E and eccentrics K. may be prevented from turning
by passing a pin through one of the eccentrics into the frame J, or by
dropping a pawl hung on the frame J into a notch on the circumference
of the eccentric.
It is obvious that instead of fixing eccentrics on the axle E that axle
might be made cranked, the action of the cranks being the same as that
described in reference to the eccentrics.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim, the use of ploughing
apparatus constructed and operating substantially as herein described,
wherein several ploughs arranged so as to balance the strain, and sus-
pended with adjusting screws from eccentrics or cranks on the axle of
travelling wheels are raised or lowered by causing the axle to revolve
with the wheels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Lewin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.