IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, of Bedford; Agricultural Implement
Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 5th April 1855, and dated the 31st January 1855..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on, the
31st January 1855..
I, JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS" to
be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is, first, to construct the frame or main part of
ploughs with greater strength than heretofore, and at the same time to decrease
the weight of such part, and also its liability to fracture when the plough is in
These advantages I obtain by substituting for the ordinary cast-iron
frame a frame constructed of plates of iron or steel, and set at a suitable
distance apart, to admit of the insertion of the plough beam between them, and
also of the share lever. The forward edges of the plates I cover by a double
flanged piece, which is bolted thereto.

page_text: The Invention relates, secondly, to a mode whereby the attachment of the
lever neck to the frame is simplified. In place of a pivot pin for the lever to
rock on, I simply undercut the neck of the lever, and bevil or round the
extremity of the frame, so as to fit it to the neck.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Howard, Her special license that I, the said James Howard, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Howard, 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 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 PLOUGHS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Howard, by an in-
strument 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 James Howard, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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 relates, firstly, to a mode of constructing the frame or main
part of ploughs of greater strength than heretofore, and at the same time
of less weight, and with less liability to fracture when the plough is in use;

page_text: and, secondly, to a mode of simplifying the attachment of the lever neck to
the frame.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in longitudinal sectional eleva-
tion so much of a plough as will serve to explain the nature of: my Invention ;
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan, taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional
plan, taken in the line 3, 4, of the same Figure; and Fig. 4 is a vertical cross
section of the plough frame, taken in the line 5, 6. Instead of the ordinary
cast-iron frame, I construct a frame of two plates of iron or steel a, a, which
are set at such a distance apart as to admit of the insertion between them of
the plough beam b, b, and the share lever c.
These plates are secured together at their edges by being bolted to angle
iron d, d, which forms a covering to the forward edges, as shewn best at
Fig. 3, and to angle iron e, e, which covers the under edges of the frame. I
also propose to insert between the plates a, a, a piece of angle iron f, f, for the
purpose of giving increased stiffness to the frame. The sole g of the plough I
secure to the frame by passing screw bolts through the angle iron e and f, as
shewn at Fig. 1. The plough beam, it will be understood, is bolted to the
frame, and thereby gives stiffness to the upper part; I also pass the socket
ends of the mould board bracket piece through corresponding holes punched in
the two plates a, a, and place loose collars on the bracket ends between the
plates to form abutting shoulders thereto, and I then secure the bracket in its
place by forming rivet heads on its extremities. The rivets which I employ for
securing the angle iron to the plates are also similarly furnished with collars to
impart stiffness or rigidity to the frame.
On referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the forward extremity of the
hollow metal frame d is rounded, and that the shoulder of the share lever c is
shaped to correspond thereto. By the use of this arrangement it will be
understood that the ordinary pivot pin for the lever to rock on will be no
longer required, as the lever, no matter what the angle at which it may be
set, will take a firm bearing on the plough frame. The like effect will
be obtained by bevilling the end of the frame, and shaping the shoulder of the
lever to suit that form of bearing surface.
Having now set forth the nature of my improvements in ploughs, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First, constructing hollow plough frames by bolting together plates or sheets
of metal as herein described, or in any analogous manner which will permit of
the requisite amount of rigidity and lightness being obtained.

page_text: And, secondly, the mode above explained of simplifying the connection of
the share lever with the plough frame.
!..
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
£
JAMES HOWARD (LS)