Improved Apparatus for Steam Cultivation.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left. 14th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Steam Cultivation.
We, ROBERT HENRY FOWLER, Engineer, THOMAS BENSTEAD, Engineer,
JOHN OGLEBY, Engineer, all of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County
of Yorkshire, England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus suitable for being drawn to and fro by traction
ropes for effecting ploughing or other like operations on the soil, the chief object
being such a construction of the apparatus that the pull of the traction rope auto-
matically determines the attitude of the shares or other cultivating tools.
At each end of a central longitudinal frame is mounted a travelling wheel which
can turn on a perch pin, and to the middle of this frame is pivotted on a vertical
axis in line with the two perch pins a horizontal lever which carries at its end or is
supported by a third travelling wheel that can also turn on a perch pin.
At an equal distance on each side of the pivot of the horizontal lever there is
jointed to it the middle of a horizontal bar and the two ends of those bars are con-
nected by cross bars which carry the axles of the two end travelling wheels. These
two bars with their end connections and the middle lever connecting them form a
parallel motion governing the position of the travelling wheels and also of the
shares or cultivating tools a number of which are mounted one behind the other on
one of the parallel motion bars. By arms projecting from the other parallel motion
bar is guided the traction rope which is attached with certain freedom of movement
to a crank or lever on the perch pin for the axle of the third travelling wheel,
When the traction rope is pulled in the one direction it turns this wheel on its
perch pin and moves the parallel motion bars so as to turn the other travelling
wheels on their perch pins and to direct in one way the fronts of the shares or other
cultivating tools. When the traction rope is pulled in the other direction the
parallel motion bars are so moved that the fronts of the cultivating tools are
directed in the opposite way and the travelling wheels are turned on their perch
pins to suit the reverse motion. The cultivating tools are of such shape and so
mounted on the frames that carry them that when they are directed in the one way,
each has a horizontal share moving under the surface of the soil and a vertical side
presenting a cutting edge as a coulter when they are directed in the opposite way
they are canted so that the side which was horizontal becomes vertical and the side
which was vertical becomes horizontal. They have also arms with rollers running
on the surface of the soil so as to determine the depth of the cut and accommodate
the shares to the undulations of the ground. These arms are connected with
freedom of movement to the opposite parallel bar and when the apparatus is under-
going reversal they are moved so that the cultivating tools are raised clear off the
ground when they are in the act of turning and canting. On an arm projecting.
laterally from the middle frame is a seat for the operator who has within reach a
steering wheel. This steering wheel is connected by suitable levers and rods with
crank arms on the perch pins of the travelling wheels so that these wheels can be
turned on the perch pins and thereby the line of travel can be determined.
By providing suitable stops for the movement of the middle lever and parallel
motion bars the inclination of these bars to the line of travel can be determined so
as to give various spacing between the cultivating shares or tools. The two end
travelling wheels have on them ratchets engaged by pawls which prevent them from
turning except in the one direction.

page_text: Consequently, when the pull of the traction rope is reversed, one of these wheels
remains stationary forming a centre round which the framing and the other wheels
turn, giving the apparatus its reverse attitude.
Dated this 16th day of June 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Steam Cultivation.
We, ROBERT HENRY FOWLER, Engineer, THOMAS BENSTEAD, Engineer,
JOHN OGLEBY, Engineer, all of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County
of Yorkshire, England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus suitable for being drawn to and fro by traction
ropes, for effecting ploughing or other like operations on the soil, the chief object
being such a construction of the apparatus that the pull of the traction rope auto-
matically determines the attitude of the shares or other cultivating tools.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan of apparatus according to this
invention in the position in which it operates when it is being pulled in the direction
of the arrow.
Fig. 2 is a plan showing the apparatus in the act of turning towards the position
shewn in Figure 1.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the apparatus.
A is a central longitudinal frame, at each end of which there is a travelling
wheel mounted on a perch pin. On each perch pin there is fixed a crank W
and the two cranks are connected by rods V jointed together at the middle. At
the middle of the frame A is pivotted on a vertical axis or perch pin D a horizontal
lever E which has mounted on a perch pin at its outer end a travelling wheel F.
Ate e equally distant on each side of the perch pin D there is pivotted a hori
zontal bar. and Hand the two ends of those bars are connected by cross levers II-
which are pivotted at their middles on the perch pins at each end of the middle
frame A.
The two bars H H with their end connecting levers 11 and their middle lever E.
form a parallel motion, and, as the pin connecting the two rods VV is engaged in
a slot of the lever E, this parallel motion governs the position of the wheels B and
also of the shares or cultivating tools S a number of which are carried, as will
hereafter be described, one behind another by the bars H H. Arms J J projecting
from the bar H carry guide pullies between which passes the traction rope Y which
is attached with certain freedom of movement to a crank on the perch pin of the
wheel F.
When the traction rope Y is pulled in the one direction it turns the wheel Fon
its perch pin and moves the lever E so as to turn also the wheels B upon their
perch pins, and, moving at the same time the bars H H', it directs the fronts of the
cultivating tools S in one way. When the rope is pulled in the other direction, the
parts arrange themselves so as to present the fronts of the cultivating tools S in the
opposite direction. The wheels B B have on their naves ratchets engaged by pawls
pivotted on their perch pin cranks, so that the wheels can turn only in the forward
direction. Consequently, when the direction of the pull of the rope Y is changed,
as shewn in Fig. 2, the left hand wheel B, as it cannot turn backwards, forms a
pivot on which the whole apparatus sweeps round to its reverse attitude. A
bracket R projecting from the middle frame A carries a steering wheel and seat.
The axis of the steering wheel is connected by chain gear to a wheel U, a pin on
which is connected by a rod T to a crank on the perch pin of the wheel F, so that
the operator can within certain limits alter and direct the course of the apparatus.
อ

page_text: It is of advantage to provide on the middle frame A stops to prevent the lever E
from oscillating beyond a certain distance each way, and to make such stops
adjustable so as to determine as required the angle which the lever E and the
parallel motion bars I I make with the centre line, thus determining the spacing of
the furrows formed by the cultivating tools S.
These tools are made symmetrical and are pivotted on horizontal axes at s on
bent frames O, so that they can turn over through a quarter of a revolution. When
they are moving in the one direction, one side stands vertically as a coulter, while
the other acts horizontally as a share. When the direction of movement is reversed
the coulter becomes the share and the share becomes the coulter. Also the frames O
which carry the tools are so mounted that they raise the tools off the ground while
the apparatus is in the act of turning, as shewn in Fig. 2, and that, when the
apparatus is turned, they cause the tools S to descend into the soil as deep as is
permitted by wheels which are mounted on the frames O. These frames are
jointed by radius levers N and P to brackets projecting down from the bars H H'.
The radius levers N are each connected by a few chain links to a horizontal
bar M which slides in guide brackets projecting from the bar H. By a pin at m
the bar M is connected to a chain which passes round two guide pulleys on H
and is pinned to a lever L, one end of which has a slotted hole working on a pin
on H and the other end is jointed to the rope link at the crank f. When, in the
act of turning the apparatus, the lever L has to move partly round, it moves the
chain and so moves the bar M, thereby raising the radius levers N to the position
shewn in Fig. 3, the cultivating tools S being thus raised above the ground. When
the apparatus is fully turned, the bar M is so far moved as to slacken the chains
that carry the levers N thus allowing the frames O and the cultivating tools S to
descend. In order to turn the tools on their pivots s over from the one attitude to
the other, each of them has a yoke attached at each side to the tool and linked at
its middle to a horizontal bar Z, which is linked at each end to the bar H' and
moves with it. As the apparatus turns this bar Z moving lengthwise cants each of
the yokes, thus canting the tools S over on their pivots s.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. Apparatus for steam cultivation, with travelling wheels so arranged in relation
to the traction rope that on changing the direction of traction, the whole apparatus
is turned around one of the end wheels as a pivot, the cultivating tools which the
apparatus carries being thus automatically put into position for reverse action in
fresh soil, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus such as is above referred to, the combination of the central frame,
the two side bars carrying cultivating tools, the middle lever, and the end levers
connecting them so as to form a parallel motion, with the two end travelling wheels
and the wheel on the middle lever mounted on perch pins, substantially as
described.
3. In apparatus such as is above referred to, pivotting the cultivating tools on
frames mounted on the side bars and connecting these frames and the tools by self
acting mechanism so that by the act of turning, when the apparatus is turned, the
tools are raised above the soil and lowered and canted over, substantially as
described.
Dated this 10th day of March 1801
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.