A PECULIAR METHOD WHEREBY TO BREAK UP, RAISE, LOAD, REMOVE, CARRY, CAST, SHOOT, AND OTHERWISE WORK THE MOULD, GRAVEL, STONES, CHALK, AND OTHER MATERIALS AND SUBSTANCES OF THE EARTH WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF MAN AT LABOR
Year: 1783

page_text: TO ALL PEOPLE TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME
WILLIAM DRIVER, of Kent Road, in the Parish of Saint George the Martyr,
in the County of Surry, Nurseryman, Ground Workman, and Land Surveyor,
sendeth greeting.
WHEREAS in and by certain Letters Patent of our Sovereign Lord
George the Third, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Third of May, in the twenty-third year of His reign,
reciting that, whereas the said William Driver had, by his Petition, humbly
represented to His said Majesty that he, the said William Driver, the Petitioner,
by his study, labor, and expence, and trying of experiments, had discovered
and began to put in practice "A PECULIAR METHOD WHEREBY TO BREAK UP,
RAISE, LOAD, REMOVE, CARRY, CAST, SHOOT, AND OTHERWISE WORK THE MOULD,
GRAVEL, STONES, CHALK, AND OTHER MATERIALS AND SUBSTANCES OF THE EARTH
WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF MAN AT LABOR," effected by means of an engine and
wheel carriage construct with suitable machinery and apparatus upon a new
principle, adapted and applied by him, the said William Driver; that the said
Invention was of great utility in the laying out and improving of lands and
pleasure grounds, raising, sucking, levelling, and otherwise transposing the soil,
earth, and stuff' thereof, cutting canals, throwing up banks, lowering hills on
turnpike and other roads, making trenches, and modifying the ground in
the different sorts of husbandry and agriculture, and applicable to every kind
of work where the loading and carrying of earth and materials is requisite ;
that the same was a new Invention, never before publickly used, and the said
William Driver was willing to impart it to the publick upon having the usual
benefit reserved according to law; the said William Driver therefore most
humbly prayed His said Majesty to grant unto him, his executors adminis-

page_text: trators, and assigns, His Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, under the Seal of
Great Britain, for the sole making, using, exercising, and vending his said
Invention, and for having the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage
thereof within that part of Great Britain called England, the Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, during the term of fourteen years;
His said Majesty. being willing to give encouragement.to all arts and inven-
tions which might be for the publick good, was graciously pleased to condescend
to the said William Driver's request; our said Lord the King therefore, of
His especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, by the said Letters
Patent, for Himself, His heirs and successors, did give and grant unto the said
William Driver, his executors, adñors, and assigns, His said Majesty's especial
licence, full power, sole privilede and authority, that he, the said William
Driver, his executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by
himself and themselves, and by his and their deputy or deputies, servants or
agents, or such other as he, the said William Driver, his executors, administra-
tors, or 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, usc, exercise, and vend the said Invention within
that part of His said Majesty Kingdom of Great Britain called England, His
Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to
him, the said William Driver, his exccutors, adiñiors, and assigns, or any other
of them, should in his or their directions scem meet, and that he, the said
William Driver, his exors, adññors, and assigns, should and lawfully might
have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage from time
growing, accruing, and arising by reason of the said Invention, for and during
the term of years therein mentioned; to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the
said licence, powers, priviledges, and advantages therein-before granted, or
mentioned to be granted, unto the said William Driver, his exors, adñiors,
and assigns, for and during and unto the full end and term of fourteen years
from the date of the said Letters Patent next and immediately ensuing, and
fully to be compleat and ended, according to the Statute in such case made,
and so as that the said Invention, according to His said Majesty's gracious
intention therein-before declared by such His said Majesty's authority and
command as therein expressed, and under such grant, liberties, priviledges,
advantages, declarations, restrictions, provisoes, conditions, and requirements,
as in the said Letters Patent contained, as in and by the same Letters
Patent, relation being thereunto had, doth more fully and at large appear.
NOW THESE PRESENTS WITNESS, that in regard of a proviso in the, said
Letters Patent contained, touching the describing and ascertaining the nature

page_text: of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, he,
he said William Driver, doth describe and ascertain the same according by
he Figure and Drawing upon these Presents, and the descriptive account
hereof, and a table of references thereto, as affixed to and made part of these
Presents.
In witness whereof, the said William Driver hath hereunto set his hand
and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the twenty-third year of the
reign of our said Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of
God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the
Faith, &c., and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred

page_text: taking up and loading is effected by throwing open the flaps or cloors, which
form the bottom of the body of the carriage effected. And then as to un-
loading, that is performed by throwing open the flapps or doors which form the
bottom of the body of the carriage, eflected by means of the bolt, which bottom
and bolt, together with the form of the back, and a chain by which the said
bottom is lifted up again when the contents of the body of the machine are
discharged, are shewn in the plan of such bottom, disjoined from the perspective,
and which and back shews the shape of the body of the carriage as found the
most convenient mode of shaping it, which in the Figure is flatt at bottom, and
on each side, and is round like the bouge of a cast in the back and front,
though the shape of the body of the cart is not material. The machine may
also have two loading wheels and a double plowshare, so as to throw up and
load on both sides. When the cart or carriage is loaded, the plow is un-
hooked and disjoined, and the carriage of the contents perform as in a common
cart.
THE TABLE OF REFERENCES TO THE FIGURES AND DRAWINGS PREFIXED.
A, several eyes or staples denoted by this letter in a common cross bar fixed
upon the front of the carriage, whereby to fasten the traces or harness of the
horses or cattle used in drawing the machine. B, part of the engine, being a
species of plowshare, hallowed out of the side next the loading wheel, and before
the plowshare is a coulter (letter O), as in a common plow, and the share and
coulter, and are fixed in and used with a beam (P), and guided by handles (M),
as in a common plow. C, a regulator or supporter for the beam of the plow,
made fast to the frame (letter L) on the fore part of the carriage, to which
supporter the nose of the beam is hooked so as to be drawn along as the
carriage moves forward, and which supporter or regulator holds beam in a
proper direction, so as to point the shear of the plow downwards or upwards,
or on a level, or in whatever direction required, and the plow is hooked thereto
higher or lower as occasion may require. D, the receptacles in the loading
wheel, shewn in each plate by that letter, as well in the perspective view of
the whole Drawing, as also in a detached plan of the whole wheel, and also
in a detached perspective view of one of the receptacles or boxes singly.
E, the body of the machine open at the top, into which the loading wheel
casts and empties the contents out of the several cavities in the course
of the revolution of the loading wheel. F, the bottom of the carriage,
represented in the way of a plan thereof, consisting of two flatt doors closed
and secured by a bolt G underneath, and to open and fall down, sus-
pended upon hinges for the purpose of unloading, and to be recovered

page_text: and drawn up again by the chain I, hanging over at the back side of the
machine described in the plan (N) as coupled with the bottom. G, the
form of a bolt underneath the bottom of the cart. H, the fore wheel
of the cart braced on a swivel to the frame (L). I refers to the invented
wheel to load with, as well as to the opposite wheel may a like loading wheel,
or a common wheel, or a common wheel of equal circumference, as shewn
in the perspective. J, the said chain, as before mentioned, used to bring up
the bottom of the machine. K, a pole in front of the carriage, against
which the cattle are linked to draw the carriage, or the same may be done by
shafts. L, the frame at the front of the carriage for supporting the regulator of
the plow, and uniting the fore wheel of the carriage, as seen in the perspective
view. M, handles to the plow, as before mentioned. N, the back of the cart,
as before mentioned. O, the coulter to the plow before mentioned. P, the
beam of the plow. Q, a fence board at the orafice on the top of the body of
the cart to prevent the stuff from being scattered or thrown over, and to
guard the contents into the cart in the course of the revolution of the loading
wheel.
AND BE IT REMEMBRED, that on the First day of August, in the year
above written, the aforesaid William Driver came before our said Lord the
King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all
and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And
also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to the tenor of the
Statute in that case made and provided.