IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS, PART OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE ΤΟ OTHER AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Sleep at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1881.
WILLIAM HENRY SLEEP, of Crofthole, in the Parish of Sheviock, in the County
of Cornwall, Agricultural Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS, PART OF
SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE ΤΟ OTHER AGRICULTURAL
IMPLEMENTS."
My Invention relates, firstly, to further improvements in the construction of the
turn wrest or right and left ploughs, for which Letters Patent were granted to me,
bearing date the twelfth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and seventy six,
and numbered 2429.
In carrying out my present improvements in constructing such ploughs, whether
to take one or more furrows, it is optional whether I attach a pair of stilts to cach
set of ploughing tools, or whether by other suitable mechanical arrangement I
construct one pair for the manipulation of both sets, as hereinafter described.
In the centre of the plough and suitably fastened thereto is a circle-trussed or
double comb piece, one half or part of which is under the beam and is used for the
guidance and regulation of the draught taw which is used for both ways of
ploughing, while the upper half or part may be used for carrying the forward ends
of the one pair of stilts used for both sets of ploughing tools. Instead of the two
circles forming this comb piece being of an uniform distance apart, the half or parts
of the comb which come above the beam are set off a suitable distance the one
from the other, and a bolt the required length passes through holes and carries the
forward ends of the stilts, and also forms the axis on which the stilts turn when
passed from one set of ploughing tools to the other, the stilts being held by a spring
catch.
Another means I prefer to employ of attaching the stilts is as follows:-I may
remove the upper part of the comb piece and substitute two flanged collars of
suitable shape, having through the centre a square hole, through which the main
axle passes which carries the two propelling wheels; there is an arrangement in
the centre of the plough with a square hole to receive this axle, but by the
employment of the arrangement now being described this hole instead of being
made square is made round, and sufficiently large to receive these flanged collars
which are passed in, one on each side of the beam; so as to meet, or instead of the

page_text: two collars one only may be employed of any suitable shape, but in either case the
round hole allows the collar or collars to turn freely, while the large main axle
passes through them and by a suitable arrangement is firmly held, so that when the
forward ends of the stilts are suitably attached to the flanges, the attendant, each
time he carries the stilts from one set of ploughing tools to the other, will at the
same time change the position of the two main wheels, placing them in advance of
the plough either way of working.
The herein before described flanged collars may also be placed on the square axle
without passing or fitting into the round hole in the centre, but the hole being
square to take the square axle, the ends of the collars may meet against each side
of the beam, while to the flange of each collar is attached an upright, these two
uprights being of a suitable height and a sufficient distance apart to form a wide
bearing for the forward ends of the stilts, which are connected by a bolt which
also forms the axis for the stilts, as herein before described, and without having any
effect upon the two propelling wheels. The draught taw is hung upon the collars
and turns on them as required for use in either way of ploughing, while the
forward end to which the chain is fastened passes so far in advance of the centre
as to remove a great portion of the weight of the elevated plough either way of
working and to bring it to bear on the plough in work, the taw being kept at the
desired angle by adjustable pins passing through the under part of the hereinbefore
described comb piece, giving stability to the implement and preventing it from
rising out of the ground while at work; by the employment of this arrangement
the plough can be made much shorter, the elevated part being brought much
nearer the ground.
By the attachment of a suitably formed breast, this construction of plough may
be made to serve as a very effective implement for potato planting. The breast is
attached to the plough toe in the usual manner, but instead of being of the
ordinary curved shape, it is made to rise near the front end and turn off abruptly
for the purpose of turning the furrow over quickly. For levelling the newly
turned soil another breast or turn furrow is so fixed as to work near the other, but
in a more transverse position stretching across the turned furrows, the bottom
edge of which may be even or so cut as to form teeth, or separate teeth may be
employed attached by rivets or bolts. This breast is attached to an upright or
stein which is fastened to the beam by an adjustable clamp, by which means the
breast may be moved forward or backward and up or down.
Having described the different methods of attaching the forward ends of the
stilts to the central part of the plough, I will now describe the means for locking
the same.
At each end of the implement is a standard of a suitable height, and
spreading at the top any suitable distance, and kept apart by a cross stay or bar,
the ends of which pass through the standard and are held by rivets in the same;
this cross stay then forms the rest or stop for the stilts. A suitable distance up in
the front or back edges of the standard are notches to receive the herein before
described spring catch, the tops of the standard being bevelled to allow the catch to
pass down freely, the catch being fastened to the stilts in the following manner :-
The forward ends of the stilts being hung as before described are continued back a
suitable distance parallel, then set off to meet the requirements of the attendant;
near the ends or handles of the stilts and stretching from one to the other is a
stay, the ends of which pass through the stilts and are fastened by means of nuts;
a suitable distance forward is another cross stay fastened to the stilts; in the centre
of each stay a hole is provided to carry a rod, the forward end of which terminates
in a moveable cross piece which forms the before mentioned catch which extends to
and through slotted holes formed in the stilts, allowing the catch to slide forward
and backward freely in or out of the notches in the standard, and held in position
by a spiral spring placed between the front stay and the moveable cross piece.
But as these slotted holes may weaken the handles, I sometimes prefer to form the
moveable cross piece with grooved ends to slide over the stilts; and to hold them
perfectly firm to the standards instead of the movable cross piece catching into the

page_text: notches I may attach cleats or catches so as to pass in under the cross stay of the
standard, and in over the upper cross stay of the roll over ploughs, hereinafter
described, the same method of locking being applicable to both.
As an easier and more effective method for regulating the depth of the balance
plough, instead of the method described in the Specification of ny said former
Letters Patent, I sometimes prefer to employ the following arrangement :-A bar
having at one end a boss standing perpendicular while the other end is free to pass
through the centre of the beain or beams to receive another adjustable boss held to
the same by set screw, and connected to this boss is another, but standing
perpendicular to receive the stem or upright of the large land wheel, which stem is
held as required by set screw passing through the boss. The first mentioned
perpendicular boss on the furrow side of the plough also receives a stem or upright, at
the bottom end of which is an axle to carry the small guide wheel, and at a suitable
distance up and in the opposite direction is another and larger axle which carries
the large furrow wheel and lever, described in my before mentioned Letters Patent.
In providing for the better regulation of the share points, I provide in the part of
the body which is attached to the beams two vertical slotted holes, and at a
suitable distance above the ends are turned at right angles to pass in over the beam
to receive two vertical set screws, the points of which meet the top edge of the
beam. At a suitable distance below these slotted holes I attach by rivets across
the body a flat piece of iron, having at or about the middle of the upper edge a
point made out of the same and rising to meet the under edge of the beam to act as
a pivot; two set screws pass through the slotted holes in the body and terminato
in the beam, firmly attaching the body to it. To raise or lower the share point
these two set screws must be loosened, the beam resting on the pivot; the two
vertical set screws on the top turned forward or backward as required the exact
pitch is obtained, and the two main set screws are again turned up, making the
whole perfectly rigid.
In roll over ploughs having one or more furrows I make the stilts distinct from
the plough and form a frame, to the forward end of which is hung the hind furrow
wheel being placed between the stilts, a bolt passing through forming the axle of
the wheel and holding the whole together. The back ends of the plough frame or
beam are kept apart by two cross stays placed a suitable distance one above the
other; the ends passing through are held by rivets in the same.
These cross stays
hold the hind part of the plough firmly together, at the same time forming the
stops for the reversible stilts as they turn upon their axis for either way of
ploughing, being attached to the plough in the following manner :-The front part
of the stilts is so made as to fit between and close to the insides of the back part of
the plough frame or beams, and are hung to the same by means of two cup flanged
bearings and two bolts. A hole is made in each side of the stilts a suitable distance
from the front or wheel end sufficiently large to take the neck part of the flanged
bearings, the ends of which meet against the insides of the plough frame or beams;
a bolt then passes through each bearing (the head fitting against the flange) and
through each side of the plough frame or beams, and is held by a nut on the outside,
keeping the whole in position and allowing the stilts to turn freely on the neck
part of the flange bearings for use either way of ploughing.
A further improvement in roll over ploughs consists in an arrangement
connected with the two wheels on the land side, which are fixed so far back from
the head that by means of an eccentric convex plate suitably made and attached to
the outside part of each wheel axle, a portion of which is made square to take it,
the wheel and plate being kept on by a nut outside; when the plough is rolled over
on its side at the headland the two land wheels will then act as a rest or support,
while the eccentric plate is so attached to each as to pass back beyond the
periphery of the wheel and carries a scraper or wheel cleaner, and the plates being
convex will prevent the weight of the plough depressing the wheels into the soil,
and will allow the attendant to turn the plough around freely on its own pivot.
The scraper or wheel cleaner is so attached that while one part will meet against
C

page_text: the side of the wheel tire to prevent the plate from bending, the other part will
extend over the periphery of the wheel and act as a scraper or cleaner.
An improved method of attaching skim plates consists in forming a piece of iron
wide in the middle and having at the front edge or back, or both edges, cleats to
pass in over and under the beam and two holes to receive a clamp from the
opposite side of the beam, being fitted with nuts to secure it. The ends or upper
and lower parts connected with this wide piece may be flat, square, round, or of
other suitable shape to take bosses with arms to which the skim plates are fastened,
the object being to regulate them as required, being held in position by set screws
passing through the bosses.
:-
For skim plates suitable for cultivators actuated by horse or steam power for
cultivating land, I make of sheet steel a concavo-convex plate of any suitable shape
for the purpose for which it is required. The neck or narrow part is curved to
meet the curve in the stem which carries it, being fastened in the following
manner In the middle or most suitable part of the plate and across the under or
concave part I fasten with rivets or other suitable means a piece of iron or steel, or
by preference, I may turn in a portion of the edges of the plate, in either case a
triangular socket is formed to receive the front or downward end of the stem.
Near the top end of the neck of the plate is a hole and another hole in the stem
to meet it to receive a bolt; this bolt with the before mentioned socket will hold
the plate perfectly firm to the stem, and when worn out may be easily replaced by
new ones.
As a further improvement for attaching wheel and other stems to the beams of
ploughs and other implements, which beams I prefer to make of angle iron or
steel, a hole is made in the horizontal part, whether it may come on the top or
bottom to receive the round or other suitable shape stem; a socket clamp is then
made to fit around a portion of the stem, while the other portion with the flanges
of the socket clamp fit against the perpendicular part and two set screws from the
outside passing through terminate in the flanges of the socket clamp, firmly
holding the one to the other. But instead of thus attaching the stem I may have
the bean so that the horizontal part shall be on the top and the top end of the
stem made flat, one part of which is continued beyond the upright rake of the stem
in bracket form, while at the opposite end (which I propose to call the front end)
is a stud formed out of the same of any suitable shape to fit the hole made in a
hole in the horizontal part of the beam. The bracket-formed part passes back
a suitable distance to form a good resisting shoulder meeting against the under
part of the horizontal part of the beam, while the flat part meets the inside of the
perpendicular part of the beam, and a set screw on the opposite side passes through
and terminates in any part of the flat portion of the stem suitable for the purpose
for holding the one to the other, this mode of attachment being equally applicable
to ploughs, cultivators, and harrows. As an improvement in whippletrees for
ploughs or any three horse implement, I make a combined circle and segment with
a brace to connect it to the implement which is hung to the centre of the circle
forming the axis; a hole is made through on the line dividing the circle from the
segment to take the pin which carries the chain, which works in a groove on the
periphery of the circle from which point two horses draw. At the termination of
the segment near the two horse hole, and as near as possible to the edge of the
segment and through it is another hole to take a second pin, which carries the
chain which works in a groove on the periphery of the segment, but in the opposito
direction to the other, from which point one horse draws, thus making a perfect
equaliser for any three horse whippletrees.