IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ball, of Rothwell, near Kettering, in the
County of Northampton, Iron and Brass Founder, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 2nd August 1858, and dated the 6th February 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ball at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
February 1858.
I; WILLIAM BALL, of Rothwell, near Kettering, in the County of North-
ampton, Iron and Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS," to be as
follows:
The object of this Invention is to improve the construction of that kind of
plough which has the nose (that carries the share) cast in one with the
plough frame, and thereby to facilitate its progress through the ground, and also
to prevent the choking at the throat. In order to attain these advantages I
lengthen the neck of the plough, elongating at the same time the breast or
mould-board; which in consequence receives a more gentle inclination; and is
therefore capable of passing more easily through the soil, and to prevent.
the choking of the plough at the throat I throw back the throat and increase
the depth of the plough frame.
Instead of tapering off the plough frame in a continuous line to the point

page_text: of the nose as usual, I throw out a shoulder at the part where the nose
commences, and thus get an increased breadth of nose, which gives it greater
strength and enables it to hold the share firmly when the plough is working
upon hard ground. For the purpose of fitting on to the nose, the share is
cast with a broader socket than usual, which increases the strength of the
share. The sole plate (which takes somewhat the form of angle iron) I
propose to make longer than heretofore, to adapt it to the increased length of
neck, and also to make it higher than usual in this class of ploughs in order
more effectually to protect the land side of the plough from wear.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Ball in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BALL, of Rothwell, near Kettering, in the County of Northampton, Iron and
Brass Founder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand.eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first-year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Ball, Her special license, that I, the said William Ball,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Ball, 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
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS;" upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Ball 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 William Ball, 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

page_text: statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
The object of this Invention is to improve the construction of that kind of
plough which has the nose (that carries the share) cast in one with the
plough frame, and thereby to facilitate its progress through the ground, and
also to prevent the choking at the throat.
In order to attain these advantages, I modify the form of the operating
parts of the plough giving them the relative proportions shewn in the accom
panying Drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of the frame or body. of the
plough looking at it from the land side with the sole plate or rest, and the
share applied thereto, Fig. 2.is a view of the frame or body detached; Fig. 3
a view of the sole plate or land rest detached; and Fig. 4 a plan view of the
share as applied to the nose of the plough. By referring to these views and
comparing the same with this class of plough as ordinarily constructed it will
be seen that I lengthen the neck a, a, of the plough, and at the same time I
elongate of necessity the breast or mould board (not shown in the Drawing),
which in consequence receives a more gentle inclination, and is therefore capable
of passing more easily through the soil. And to prevent the choking of the
plough at the throat, which frequently occurs in ploughs as at present con-
structed, I throw back the throat as at b, and increase the depth of the plough
frame. Instead of tapering off the plough frame in a continuous line to the
point of the nose c as usual, I cast the frame with a shoulder at the part
where the nose commences as shewn by
increased breadth of nose which gives it greater strength, and enables it to
hold the share firmly when the plough is working upon hard ground. For
the purpose of fitting on to this increased breadth of nose the share d is cast
with a broader socket than usual, which increases, the strength of the share.
The sole plate or land rest e (which is attached to the frame by screws as
usual, and which takes somewhat the form of angle iron) I make longer than
heretofore to adapt it to the increased length of the neck a, and I also make
it reach bigher than usual in this class of ploughs, giving it a depth about
equal to the ordinary depth of a furrow in order the more effectually to protect
the land side of the plough frame from wear. By the introduction of these
several changes in the plough I am enabled to increase its efficiency without,
to any material extent, increasing the cost of manufacture.
dots in Fig. 4, and I thus get an
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Ploughs," and explained, the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited

page_text: Letters Patent, I claim modifying the construction of that class of ploughs in
which the frame and nose are cast in one piece in the manner and for the
purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ball, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFfatt,
66, Chancery Lane..
WILLIAM BALL. (L.S.)