IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING OR TILLING LAND BY STEAM POWER
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Allin Williams, of Baydon; in the County of
Wilts, Farmer, for the 'Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING OR TILLING LAND BY STEAM POWER."
Sealed the 10th July 1857, and dated the 30th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Allin Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th January 1857.
I, JOHN ALLIN WILLIAMS, of Baydon, in the County of Wilts, Farmer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING OR TILLING LAND BY STEAM POWER,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction or arrangement of
machinery or apparatus for effecting the ploughing or tilling of land by steam
power, and consists in the use of two engines, one at each end of the field,
which engines are made locomotive or self-moving, for the purpose of trans-
port, or of travelling from one locality to another, by the aid of an endless
chain, fitted with cross pins or spindles, worked from a suitable notched pulley
or pinion on the crank shaft, and gearing into a larger notched wheel or pulley
on one of the bind wheels of the engine, the cross pins of the chain working

page_text: into the notches of the wheels or pulleys. Motion may be also given to the
hind wheels through a second motion shaft, and so further reduce the speed,
in place of driving direct from the crank shaft, the second motion shaft work-
ing in bearings on longitudinal beams, extending from the hind axle to the
front part of the engine. A drum or roller, having its bearings on the said
longitudinal beams, and having a rope or chain wound round it, such rope or
chain being fixed to an anchor in advance of or behind the engine, gives a
hauling traverse motion thereto; the object of this hauling traversing motion
being to enable the engine to take up a fresh position for the work to be next
accomplished. The drum or roller may be driven by an endless chain and
notched wheels or pullies, as before described, such motion being derived either
directly or indirectly from the crank shaft.
In order to prevent any violent shaking of the engine in travelling on a
road, and to prevent it from sinking into the ground when at work, I propose
making or covering the wheels with broad projecting peripheries, formed of
wood, placed over a layer of felt, india-rubber, or other suitable elastic mate-
rial, and over the wood felloes I place one or more iron tyres or hoops, to bind
the whole together, being fastened to the inner tyre by suitable pins. At the
front or back of each engine, when working, I place a framing, running on
three or four wheels, and when travelling fitted with two hind wheels and a
swivel or guide wheel in front. This framing is rigidly fixed when working
to the longitudinal beams in the locomotive engine, and it carries a winding
drum, which is driven by suitable gearing carried on the framing, and actuated
directly or indirectly from the crank shaft of the engine by an endless chain
and notched wheels or pullies of the description herein-before referred to.
This winding drum is furnished with a rope, for the purpose of hauling the
plough or other cultivating implement across the field. Arrangement is made
for throwing the winding drum in or out of gear by means of any of the
arrangements of mechanism well known to engineers for that purpose. This
frame, if found desirable, may also carry the traversing drum or roller herein-
before referred to as being fixed to the engine, the drum or roller in that case
being driven by a pinion from the shaft which works the winding drum.
For the purpose of keeping the hauling machine or framework more rigidly
fixed to the engine, I propose to place a piece of timber or other material at right
angles to the longitudinal beams on the engine, and fixed thereto, projecting
beyond the wheels, to obtain a purchase or fulcrum for an iron rod, to con-
nect the front or back wheels of the engine to the back wheel of the machine.
The machine or framing might be (if found more convenient) by the side
of the engine and connected thereto, so that the engine might more directly

page_text: receive the strain of the winding drum when at work; in that case the power
could be conveyed from the second motion shaft fixed on the engine, as before
described, by means of a union joint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Allin Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ALLIN WILLIAMS, of Baydon, in the County of Wilts, Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Allin Williams, Her special license that I, the said John
Allin Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others' as
I, the said John Allin Williams, my executors, administrators, or 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 MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING OR TILLING LAND
BY STEAM POWER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Allin Williams, by an instrument 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 John Allin Williams, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to an improved construction or arrangement of
machinery or apparatus for effecting the ploughing or tilling of land by steam
power, and consists in the use of two steam engines, one at each end of the
field, which engines are made locomotive or self-moving, for the purpose of

page_text: transport or of travelling from one locality to another, by the aid of an endless
chain fitted with cross pins or spindles, worked from a suitable notched pulley
or pinion on the crank shaft, and gearing into a larger notched wheel or pulley
on one of the hind wheels of the engine, the cross pins of the chain working
into the notches of the wheels or pulleys. Motion may also be given to the
hind wheels through a second. motion shaft, and so further reduce the speed,
in place of driving direct from the crank shaft, the second motion shaft
working in bearings on longitudinal beams, extending from the hind axle to
the front part of the engine. A drum or roller, having its bearings on the
said longitudinal beams, and having a rope or chain wound round it, such
rope or chain being fixed to an anchor in advance of or behind the engine,
gives a hauling traverse motion thereto; the object of this hauling traversing
motion being to enable the engine to take up a fresh position for the work to
be accomplished. The drum or roller may be driven by an endless chain and
notched wheels or pulleys, as before described, such motion being derived
either directly or indirectly from the crank shaft.
In order to prevent any violent shaking of the engine in traversing a road,
and to prevent it sinking into the ground when at work, I propose making
or covering the wheels with broad or projecting peripheries, formed of wood,
placed over a layer of 'felt, india-rubber, or other suitable elastic material,
and over the wood felloes I place one or more iron tyres or hoops to bind
the whole together, being fastened to the inner tyre by suitable pins. At
the front or back part of each engine, when working, I place a framing
running on three or four wheels, which framing, when the machine is travelling,
is fitted with two hind wheels and a swivel or guide wheel or wheels in front.
This framing is rigidily fixed, when working, to the longitudinal beams in the
locomotive engine, and it carries a winding drum, which is driven by suitable
gearing carried on the framing, and actuated directly or indirectly from the
crank shaft of the engine by an endless chain and notched wheels or pullies of
the description herein-before referred to. This winding drum is furnished with
a rope, for the purpose of hauling the plough or other cultivating implement
across the field. Arrangement is made for throwing the winding drum in or
out of gear by means of any of the arrangements of mechanism well known to
engineers for that purpose. This frame, if found desirable, may also carry
the traversing drum or roller herein-before referred to as being fixed to the
engine, the drum or roller in that case being driven by a pinion from the
shaft which works the winding drum.
For the purpose of keeping the hauling machine or framework more

page_text: rigidly fixed to the engine, I place a piece of timber or other material
at right angles to the longitudinal beams on the engine, and fixed thereto,.
projecting beyond the wheels, to obtain a purchase or fulcrum for an
iron rod to connect the front or back wheels of the engine with the back
wheel of the machine. The machine or framing might be placed (if found
more convenient) by the side of the engine, and connected thereto, so that.
the engine, might more directly receive the strain. of the winding drum
when at work. In that case the power could be conveyed from the second
motion shaft, fixed on the engine as before described, by means of a union
joint.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shali
refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed;.
the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, represents an elevation of the
driving side of my steam ploughing machine complete; Figure 2, on
Sheet 2,
is a similar elevation of the opposite or hauling side of the entire machine;.
and Figure 3, on Sheet 3, is a general plan of the same.
The entire machine consists of an ordinary agricultural engine A, fitted:
with suitable driving gear for working the hauling mechanism, and for impart-
ing locomotion to the whole machine, the said engine being combined with
a hauling machine B, which consists of a rectangular or other shaped frame,
supported on four running wheels C, C, and fitted when at work in the field
with two long rigid beams or shafts D, D, which extend along each side of
the engine, and are securely bolted or otherwise attached to the axles thereof,
the ends of the beams being united by the transverse bar E. F is a bar,
projecting considerably over one side of the machine, and to the projecting
end of this bar are secured the extremities of the two tie rods or braces G, G¹.
The rod G being attached to the front axle of the engine extends therefrom
to the end of the bar F, whilst the second rod G¹ serves to connect the bar,
F with the back axle of the hauling machine. The front axle of this hauling
machine is made to swivel on a centre pin H when travelling along roads,
but when in action in the field this axle is tied to the hind fixed axles of
the machine by the lateral tie rods I, I, and is further secured on the hauling.
side of the machine by being connected with the hind axle of the engine by
means of the tie rod I¹ (Figures 2 and 3). It will thus be obvious that when
used for hauling ploughs or other cultivating implements across a field, the,

page_text: hauling machine will be rigidly secured and braced to the engine, so as te
form in fact one compound machine.
K is the main hauling drum, fast on the short shaft L, working in the
bearings M, which are bolted to the platform of the machine. This drum
is made with deep flanges, and is rotated slowly by means of the large bevil
wheel N, which is cast or fitted on to one of the sides or flanges of the drum.
A small bevil pinion O gears into the wheel N on the side of the drum, and
is fitted loosely on to the shaft P, which works in bearings Q, Q, bolted to
the platform of the hauling machine.. A sliding clutch R, working on a
feather and actuated by the lever S, serves to communicate motion to or to
stop the pinion O as required, the face of the clutch being made to engage
with the side of the pinion O. T is a bridge piece, having two holes made
in it, into either one of which a stop pin is inserted, so that the clutch lever
S may be retained in either position, according as the clutch is required to
be in gear or not with the pinion O. Near the outer end of the shaft P is
keyed a notched pulley or wheel U, into the notches of which gear the cross
pins V of the endless driving chain W, a portion of which is shewn half the real
size, in detail, side elevation, and plan, at Figures 4 and 5, Sheet 1. This chain
gears also with a smaller notched pulley X, keyed on to the outer overhang-
ing end of the ordinary crank shaft Y of the engine. It will thus be obvious
that on starting the engine a steady and powerful rotatory motion will be
imparted to the hauling drum K, to the rope Z of which are attached the
ploughs or other cultivating implements to be drawn across the field. a is a
table, which is hooked on to the tie rod I, and is supported by the chains b, b,
which are hooked on to the hauling machine at c, c. This table carries a
pair of horizontal guiding pullies d, d, for guiding the hauling rope Z to the
drum K.
These guiding pullies are adjustable nearer to or farther from each other,
in order that when the rope during hauling is at an angle with the longitudinal
axis of the engine, they may be brought together, as shewn in Figure 2, so
that the
rope will be guided round them in either direction on its way to the
drum.
.
When hauling at right angles to the machine the guide pullies are kept
farther apart, the object then being to prevent the rope passing over the
flange of the winding drum K. The hauling rope (which I prefer to be
constructed of wire) is coiled in an even and regular manner on to the drum
by means of the guiding levere working on a centre at f, and fitted with
a pair of rollers 7, 9, between which the rope passes on its way to the drum.

page_text: An attendant slowly traverses this lever to and fro during the winding on
of the rope, and thereby guides it into successive coils, so as to cause such
coils to lay evenly on the drum. h is a hauling or traversing drum or roller,
carried in bearings i, i, beneath the machine, and having a hauling chain k
attached to it; if the other end of this chain be secured to: any fixed point,
and the drum h set in motion, as herein-after described, so as to wind up
the chain, it follows that the entire machine will haul itself along at the head-
lands to the new position required for the making of another furrow or set
of furrows, as will be more clearly described herein-after when I explain
the operation of the machine. Motion is imparted to the drum h when
required by means of the endless chain 7, which is passed over the notched
pulley m on the shaft P, and over the notched pulley n on the shaft of the
drum. A clutch O serves to throw the pulley m in or out of gear as required,
such clutch being worked by hand without the use of a lever. The platform
of the hauling machine is fitted with all the requisite appliances, such as
coal boxes p, p, water tank q, and tool boxes r, r. A second water tank
q' is carried beneath the barrel of the boiler, and communicates :by means
of a hose (not shewn in the Drawings) with the tank q on the hauling
machine. When the apparatus is travelling along a road the machine B is
attached to the engine A by the curved hauling bars S, S¹, the long beams
or shafts D, D, being removed. The bar S is curved round the front of the
fire box, and is attached to the hind axle of the engine, whilst the bar S¹
is hinged to the front of the hauling machine B. These two curved bars
are connected centrally by a pin t, so that a free play is allowed for in the
hauling machine when turning round curves.
The axle of the front running wheel or pair of running wheels in the hauling
machine is also left free to pivot on its centre by removing the tie rods I, I.
The travelling motion is imparted to the engine from the crank shaft by means
of the smaller notched pinion u, which gives motion to the chain v, such chain
passing round the notched segments w, which are secured to the inner face of
the internal rima in one of the large running wheels of the engine. When
more power is required, both the larger wheels of the engine may be actuated
by using two driving chains and pinions, and fitting each wheel with a set of
segments similar to that shewn in Figure 1. I may here observe that
although (for the facility of describing the action of the apparatus). I have
shewn in my Drawings both the chain for driving the hauling mechanism and
the chain for moving or imparting locomotion to the entire machine, there will
only be one of these chains on the engine at one time when travelling; for

page_text: example, the endless chain for driving the hauling mechanism will be taken off,
and. when ploughing, the driving or travelling chain will be removed. This
latter chain serves (when not required for. driving the engine) for driving the
back.hauling or traversing drumh, the length of the chain being increased or
diminished by adding or taking off a few of the links. To facilitate this, and to
enable me to remove the chains from their pullies, I make the cross pins of one
or more of the links removable, and fix them by means of keys, cottars,
or.nuts, as shewn in. Figures 4 and 5, so that the chain can be readily opened
or separated by removing one or more of the cross pins and links. When
travelling along roads, I propose to guide the whole 'apparatus by placing
a horse. in a pair of ordinary shafts y, partly shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the
Drawings; such shafts being attached to the front swivelling axle of the engine,
whereby I am enabled to dispense with steering mechanism. The engine
is also thereby assisted over the dead centre and in travelling over hilly ground.
A pair of shafts may also be fitted to the hauling machine at the points of
junction therewith of the curved traction bar S¹, when it is required to trans-
port the hauling machine detached from the engine.
$
In order to deaden the shocks and vibrations of the engine' wheels I cover
their peripheries with a wooden felloe, and between this felloe and the iron
rim of the wheel I interpose a layer of felt, india-rubber, or other elastics
material.
In ploughing or cultivating I ehiploy two entire machines (each composed
of an engine and a hauling machine), 'one machine being situated on one
side or end of a field, and the other at the opposite side or end of the field,
as shewn in the general plan on Sheet 4 of my Drawings. These two engines
and hauling machines are precisely similar in detail, but the one is made right-
handed and the other left-handed. 1 and 2 (Sheet 4) represent "respectively
the two machines, placed on opposite sides or ends of a field, and 3 is the
cultivating implement; which is hauled by them successively across the field.
I propose to guide this implement (which may consist of one or several simple
implements) by means of a horse placed in shafts in front of the implement;
as shewn on Slicet 4 of the Drawings, the end of the hauling rope 'being
attached to the frame of the implement in any convenient manner, so as not to
interfere with the horse. In the case of a'"one-way" plough or cultivator,
however, a horse will not be required for the purpose of guiding it. If the
implement consists of one or more "one-way" ploughs, the respective hauling
drums Kare kept opposite each other, the rope of one being drawn out
by being hooked to the tail of the implement, so as to be 'ready for hauling it'

page_text: back again after it has arrived at one side of the field. At the completion of
each furrow or set of furrows, each compound machine is made to traverse
along the headlands a short distance, so as to bring its main hauling drum
opposite to the next succeeding furrow or set of furrows. I propose to effect this
traversing motion by means of the drums h and chains k, herein-before referred
to, in the following manner :-At each side or end of the field, along the head-
land, and in a line with the desired traverse of the combined machines, I lay a
rope, which I prefer to be composed of wire, such rope being divided into
several lengths joined together, and having one of its extremities secured to a
stake driven firmly into the ground at the boundary of of the field. The chain k
from the drum h in each hauling machine is drawn out to its full extent; and
is hooked on to the first length of wire rope. When the entire machine is to
be traversed along, so as to bring their main hauling drums k into a proper
position for the next furrow or set of furrows, supposing the operation to be
that of ploughing, I throw into gear the notched pulley m, whereupon the
drum his rotated and the chain k wound up the required distance for bringing
the main hauling drums K into the desired. position. This operation is
repeated after each traverse of the ploughs or other implements 'across the field,
whilst the whole of the chain k is: wound up, whereupon I remove a length of
the wire rope, draw out the chain k again and hook it on to the next length, and
so on until the entire side or end of the field has been traversed. The object
of the chain k is to avoid the necessity of winding the wire rope on to
the drum h, which is of too small a diameter to receive a rope of that descrip-
tion.
When a combination of right-handed, or ordinary ploughs is used,
I plough the field in "lands of about twenty strides in width, as shewn
in Sheet 4, the lines of furrows being indicated by the dotted lines. In this
case the ploughs contained in the frame 3 are drawn along one side of the
"land," and when they have arrived at either of the headlands they are lifted.
out of the ground, and the whole is conveyed by a horse to the opposite side.of:
the "land" in a position suitable for making the next traverse across. the field..
As the main hauling drums in this case are not in the same line of draught,
the
rope of that. drum which is not, hauling the ploughs is drawn out across the
field during the traverse of the ploughs by means of a horse, as shewn in.
Sheet 4, so as to be ready for hauling the ploughs back again. In order to,
prevent the rope thus drawn out from paying off or. uncoiling too. rapidly,
I propose to apply a weighted break, of any convenient.construction, to the
periphery or to any other convenient portion of the main hauling drum, whereby,
its speed may be checked. and regulated according to the traction of the horse.

page_text: After the completion of each furrow or set of furrows. on each side of the
"lands," the respective entire machines are traversed by means of the drum h,
as herein-before described, so as to bring the main hauling drum into a
suitable position for its next haul. It will thus be obvious that the two com-
bined machines will be traversed in opposite directions until the entire "land"
is ploughed. On the completion of a "land" the machines are traversed in
the direction of the arrow to the centre of the next "land," the machine 1
being thus moved forward half a land, whilst the machine 2 is moved forward
along the entire completed headland and half of the succeeding one, to be
again traversed back again step by step as the furrows are completed, until it
reaches the first furrow of the last plough "land." These combined machines
may obviously be employed for hauling all other kinds of cultivating imple-
ments used in agriculture, such as grubbers, scarifiers, horse rakes, and
harrows.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said 1
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what?
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of machinery
or apparatus for tilling land by steam power, as herein-before described, and
illustrated by my Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of rendering steam engines employed in agri-
culture self-locomotive, by driving one or more of the running wheels of such
engines direct from the crank shaft, by means of an endless chain or chains
and notched pullies, as herein-before described, and illustrated by my
Drawings.
Third, the system or mode of driving or actuating drums for hauling
ploughs, or other cultivating implements by means of an endless chain and
notched pullies, the power being applied direct from the crank shaft of the
engine, as herein-before described, and illustrated by my Drawings.
5
Fourth, the system or mode of tilling land by means of a hauling machine a
in combination with an ordinary or locomotive agricultural steam engine, and
used in conjunction with a similar hauling machine and engine on the opposite
side of the field, both engines and hauling machines being made to traverse the

page_text: headlands, so as to keep opposite the work to be executed, as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the peculiar construction and arrangement of hauling machine to be
employed in agricultural operations, as herein-before described.
Sixth, the application to the rims of the ordinary running wheels of agri-
cultural steam engines of a felloe of wood, with a layer of india-rubber, felt,
or other similar material between such wooden felloe and the ordinary metal
rim of the wheel, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Allin Williams, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JOHN ALLIN WILLIAMS. (L.S.)