IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford,
Agricultural Engineer, and Edward Tennoy Bousfield, of the same Place,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 24th July 1877, and dated the 17th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard and Edward
Tenney Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th
April 1877.
JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Agricultural Engineer,
and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same Place, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS."
The object of the present Invention is to improve the construction of ploughs and
to increase their efficiency.
In order to secure lightness with sufficient rigidity in the beam, and at the same
time to give facilities for fixing thereto the necessary parts to constitute a double
plough, we propose to construct the main beam of two bars of iron or steel (by
preference of steel), such bars being tapered from end to end both in thickness and
depth, and set with respect to each other so as to form a beam tapering outwards
towards the handles. Between these bars tapered blocks at the required distances
are interposed, each block having a special use as well as forming a distance piece, so
that when the parts are bolted or rivetted together a single rigid main beam is formed.
The distance block at the head of the beam serves for adjusting the draught brake,
and that at the other extremity forms a support to the handles as well as a box for
grease or small tools.
Two of the intermediate distance blocks serve also as a wedge box for a novel
wheel slide fastening, hereafter described, and two other of the intermediate distance
blocks are made with a socket to receive the screws which adjust and fix the frame
that carries the second plough, which frame is readily disconnected when it is
desired to use the implement as a single plough.
The slides for adjusting the width of the double plough are oval in form and
are fastened in position by a bolt with wedge-shaped edge head fitted into the

page_text: intermediate or distance piece, the wedge-shaped head impinging on the side of the
slide and against a shoulder of the distance piece.
To facilitate the adjustment of the wheels, in respect of depth as well as to.
remedy the defects of existing methods of adjustinent, we adopt an arrangement by
which the ploughmau has two means at his command for regulating the depth.
The wheels can be raised and lowered and secured in position by vertical screws
carried by and fitted parallel to the wheel standards. These screws pass through
tapped holes in the ordinary wheel slides, and they are actuated by lever handles at
their upper ends. The standards are further held firmly in position by the ordinary
loop screw, and binding nut provision is therefore made against the failure of the
vertical screws and for securing the necessary rigidity (independently of the
vertical screws) of the wheel standards during hard work or when the mortices
having become worn.
The conversion of the implement from a double, into a single plough is readily
effected by the screwing off of the clamping nuts from the frame screws, and
the slackening of the wedge-shaped bolts which leaves the side frame free to be
removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th October 1877.
JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Agricultural Engineer,
and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same Place, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS."
The object of the present Invention is to improve the construction of ploughs and
to increase their efficiency.
Our Invention relates,―
Firstly. To the novel construction of main beam, which with the use of a
minimum weight of metal will ensure great stiffness to the plough and furnish n
ready and efficient means for attaching a second plough body thereto, whereby
the single plough may readily be converted into a double plough when desired.
Secondly. To improved means for adjusting the wheel standards and ensuring
rigidity in the wheel fastenings when the plough is in work or when travelling on
the road.
In order to secure lightness with sufficient rigidity in the beam, and at the same
time to give facilities for fixing thereto the necessary parts to constitute, when
desired, a double plough, we propose to construct the main beam of two bars of iron
or steel (by preference of steel), such bars being tapered from end to end both in
thickness and in depth, and set with respect to each other, by the aid of distance
pieces, so as to form a beam tapering outwards towards the handles..
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. I is a plan of a single plough constructed
according to our Invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of this plough converted into a
double plough; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.
In these Figures A, A, are the taper bars of iron or steel, between which distance
pieces B, B1, B2, and B3 of cast iron are set. These distance pieces are slightly
tapered to provide for the tapering outwards of the beam; these distance pieces
have special uses as well as forming distance or stay pieces, so that when the parts
are bolted or rivetted together a single rigid main beam is formed. The distance
piece B at the head of the beam serves for adjusting the draught hake; this piece
is shown in side view on an enlarged scale at Fig. 4. It is cast with two bolt or
rivet holes for securing it to the beain, and a pendent segment-shaped projection
through which a series of holes is formed for receiving the pin employed to fix the
hake Cat its required elevation.

page_text: The lake swings from a bolt passed through the beam and through the distance
piece which carries the slide, to which the forward plough wheel standard is fitted.
At the hinder extremity of the beam is the distance piece B¹, which forms a stay or
support to the handles as well as a box for grease or small tools, tho construction
of this distance piece is clearly shown in plan and longitudinal section at Figures 5,
which represent it as consisting of a flanged flat sided box fitted with a hinged cover.
The two intermediate distance pieces B, B, serve also as wedge boxes for a novel
wheel slide fastening, hereafter described, and the two other intermediate distance
pieces B3, B³, form sockets to receive the screws d, d, which are rivetted to and
serve to adjust the beam D that carries the second plough, which beam is readily
disconnected when it is desired to use the implement as a single plough.
The construction of the distance picces BS, B³, and the mode of securing them in
place is clearly shown on an enlarged scale in the horizontal and vertical sections,
Figures 6; d, d, are the slides for adjusting the width of the double plough. The
slido is rivetted to the beam D, and the slide 2 passes freely through the beam D
and through the main beam (see Fig. 2). These slides are made by preference of an
oval section, as shown at Fig. 4, and they are fastened in position by bolts d³ with
wedge-shaped heads passing through or carried by the distance pieces B*. In
Fig. 4, one of these distance pieces B is shown in cross section. It is cast with
transverse bolt or rivet holes, and it is arched to provide for the slide d² of the
beam D passing through or under it. Through the upper face of the distance piece
a hole is mado for the insertion of the screwed end of the wedge, which wedge
by means of its nut is drawn up tightly between the slide and the distance piece to
fix the slide firmly in position. By simply slackening the nuts of the wedges ³,
the slides will be released from the bite of the wedges, and the beam D with its
plough may be readily removed by running off the binding nuts of the adjusting
screws d.
In converting the double plough, shown at Fig. 2, into a single plough, as shown
at Fig. 1, the slide d², is removed from its socket in the forward end of the beam
and set back in the position of the slide d, of Fig. 2, the slide being (like
the screws d, d, as before explained) rigidly attached to the beam D, and being
removed together with that beam. The slide d², carrying the furrow wheel
when inserted in the backward socket, receives the standard of the land wheel.
We will now explain the improved means for adjusting the wheels. To facilitate
the adjustment of the wheels, in respect of depth and insure rigidity of the wheel
fastenings, we adopt the arrangement shown in side clevation at Fig. 7, and in plan
view at Fig. 8, which arrangement gives the ploughman two incans for regulating
the depth of the ploughing.
In these Figures E is the wheel standard passing through the wheel slide F,
to which it may be secured, if desired, by the loop and binding nut f. When
however this nut is slack the standard will be free to move up or down in the
slide. This is, as is well known, the ordinary mode of adjusting the depth of the
wheel.
In providing an additional means of adjustment we form a tapped hole in the
slide to receive a screw G that is mounted in bearings carried by the wheel
standard, and is free to turn therein. The head of this screw is fitted with a
handle g, by turning which the screw is caused to raise or lower the standard in the
slide and adjust the wheel to the required depth.
From the foregoing it will be understood that provision is made against the
failure of the vertical screws, and for securing the necessary rigidity (independently
of the vertical screws) of the wheel standards during hard work, or when the
mortices have become worn.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Ploughs," and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, we wish it to be understood that under the abovo in part recited Letters
Patent, we claim,―

page_text: Firstly. The construction of main beam, as above described, and the means
adopted for attaching a second beam and body thereto.
Secondly. The combination of parts above described, whereby alternate means
for adjusting the wheels is provided for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES HOWARD. (L.S.)