IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CULTIVATING LAND
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Dunnell Garrett, of Buckau, near Magdeburg,
Prussia, but at present residing at the Charing Cross Hotel, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CULTIVATING
LAND."
Sealed the 13th May 1879, and dated the 14th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Dunnell Garrett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1878.
JOHN DUNNELL GARRETT, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, Prussia, but at present
residing at the Charing Cross Hotel, in the County of Middlesex.
MACHINERY FOR CULTIVATING LAND."
" IMPROVED
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of mechanism, in which spades are
used for turning up the earth, the spades being inserted at an inclination, and when
inserted receiving a turn like the turn produced by the wrist of the labourer to
throw the loosened earth on one side.
The apparatus I propose to connect to the rear end of traction engine, which
will travel across the ground guided by a rope, which is passed round a drum fitted
to the engine, and is connected at its ends to shifting anchors at the opposite
headlands.
I propose to employ any number of spades, arranged side by side, so as to cover
any desired width of ground, at least equal to, but preferably exceeding the width
of the engine. These spades I fit to hollow stems, and the stems I connect with
excentric straps in such manner that they will be free to receive a straight axial
motion. The excentrics which carry these straps are mounted on a transverse shaft,
which receives rotary motion from the crank shaft of the engine. The excentrics
will be so disposed on their shaft as to propel the several spades in a certain order
that will best distribute the power exerted by the engine at each rotation of the
crank shaft.

page_text: For each spade stem a pendant swinging guide frame is provided, which carries a
pin that passes transversely through longitudinal slots cut through the sides of the
spade stem, for the purpose of controlling the motion of the spade. The upper ends
of these slots are curved slightly, so that when the pin enters this portion of the
slots (which will occur as the spade is completing its descent into the ground), the
stem will be turned axially, and give the spade the motion requisite for throwing
aside the loosened earth.
This swinging guide frame bears against the end of a rocking frame, which is
pivotted to some fixed portion of the engine, and is supported at its outer end by a
wheel running upon the ground.
This frame therefore will rise and fall with the inequalities of the ground, and
will serve as a front support to the swinging guide frame. When by the rotation
of its excentric the spade is brought into contact with the ground, and thrust
therein, this back rocking frame will, by forming a stop to the pendent swinging
frame, provide a purchase (in the transverse pins) for the spade, and ensure its
penetrating the ground at the proper inclination. Should however the spade strike
some hard substance which it could not penetrate, it will be free to slide forward
over the same under the action of the excentric, the pendent guide frame leaving it
free to make the requisite advance over the obstruction.
In like manner the several spades of the series will come into action in their
proper order, and the engine by continuing its slow traverse will bring the spades
continually into new ground until one bout is completed. The engine should then
be disengaged from the traction ropes, and turned round with its digging apparatus
to take up a position for the next bout, the anchors being at the same time corre-
spondingly shifted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Dunnell Garrett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
June 1879.
JOHN DUNNELL GARRETT, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, Prussia, but at present
residing at the Charing Cross Hotel, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR CULTIVATING LAND."
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of mechanism, in which spades are
used for turning up the earth, the spades being inserted at an inclination, and when
inserted being lifted to throw the loosened earth on one side. The apparatus I
propose to connect to the rear end of a traction engine, which will travel across the
ground, guided by a rope passed round a drum fitted to the engine, and connected
at its ends to shifting anchors at the opposite headlands.
I propose to employ any number of spades, arranged side by side, so as to cover
any desired width of ground, at least equal to but preferably exceeding the width
of the engine.
In the accompanying Drawings my improved digging apparatus is shewn in
several views. Fig. 1 represents in side elevation a traction engine fitted with
this apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the boiler of the engine
being removed, the better to exhibit the parts situate below the same. In this
Figure the apparatus is shewn as provided with two sets of spades. Five spades
being in each set, Fig. 3 shews in side elevation, partly in section on enlarged scale
a spade, with the parts in connection therewith for imparting to it the requisite
digging movements; and Fig. 4 is an elevation of two such spades, with their
working parts in connection, the same being taken at right angles to Fig. 3.
Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, A is the framing of a traction engine, carrying a
horizontal boiler and fire box B with the steam cylinders C of the engine; situate
above the fire box D is the crank shaft, from which the motions of the digging
apparatus are derived, and D¹ is the fly wheel; on the crank shaft E is a counter
shaft, having its bearings on the top of the boiler, and geared with the crank shaft
by means of spur pinions 1, 2. On the countershaft E two chain wheels e, e¹, are
mounted loosely, and each is furnished with a ring of clutch teeth at its boss.
Situate between these chain wheels, and capable of sliding over a feather on the
shaft E, is a double clutch e2, which by means of a hand lever and connecting
rode may be thrown into gear with either of the clutches on the chain wheels.
The chain from the wheel e leads down to a chain wheel g on a second countershaft
G, situate below the boiler. Fitted to the opposite ends of this shaft are pinions g¹,
carried by sleeves which are loose on the shaft, and are locked thereto when desired
by means of clutches g³, g². These pinions gl gear into a ring of spur teeth carried
by the traction wheels H, and serve to drive those wheels directly from the crank
shaft when the digging apparatus is out of action. When however the digging
apparatus is in action, the progress of the engine is effected by other means, in order
to make its forward movement relative to the action of the spades. From the
chain wheel el passes a chain to a chain wheel i on a cross shaft I, which shaft is
fitted with two series of excentrics I, I, I, I, I. On this shaft is also keyed a
chain wheel i', which is connected by an endless chain with a chain wheel g³ on the
shaft G, and capable of being locked thereto by means of a clutch. By this arrange-
ment it will be understood that when the digging apparatus is in action, rotary
motion will be communicated through the shaft I to the traction wheels H, for the
purpose of imparting the requisite progressive motion to the digging apparatus to
bring it up to new work. K, K, are the spades fitted to hollow stems K', which
are connected by socket pieces to excentric straps of the excentrics I', etc.,
in such manner that they will be free to receive a slight axial motion while moving
under the action of their respective excentrics. These excentrics are so disposed on
their shaft as to propel the several spades in a certain order that will best distribute

page_text: the power exerted by the engine at each rotation of the crank shaft. For cach
spade stem a swinging guide frame L pendent from the shaft I is provided. This
frame carries a pin e that passes transversely through longitudinal slots cut through
the sides of the spade stem, for the purpose of controlling the motion of the spade.
The upper ends of these slots are curved slightly, so that when the pin enters this 5
portion of the slots (which will occur as the spade is completing its descent into
the ground), the stem will be turned axially, and give the spade the motion requisite
for throwing aside the loosened earth. The movement which the spade takes in
its passage through the ground is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, which
shews also four spades in four different positions, one as entering the ground, 1
another as having reached the full length of cut and received a slight axial
motion, the third as having just left the ground, and the fourth at its highest
position.
The swinging guide frame L bears against a pin m carried by a rocking frame M,
which is pivotted to a transverse shaft M', adjustable horizontally in bearings carried
by the main framing, and is further supported by the rims of a pair of cutting disc
wheels M running upon the ground, the cutting edges serving to divide up the earth
longitudinally and prepare it for the action of the spade.
This frame therefore will rise and fall with the inequalities of the ground, and
will serve as a front support to the swinging guide frame L. When by the rotation
of its excentric the spade is brought into contact with the ground, and thrust
therein, the rocking frame M will by forming a stop to the pendent swinging frame
L provide a purchase in its transverse pin m for the spade, and ensure its pene-
trating the ground at the proper inclination. The inclination of the spade may be
varied by adjusting the position of the axle M¹ in its slotted bearings. Should
however the spade strike some hard substance which it could not penetrate, it will
slide over the same under the action of its excentric, the pendent guide frame L
leaving it free to make that movement. In like manner the several spades of the series
will come into action in their proper order, owing to the setting of their respective
excentrics relatively to each other on the shaft I, and the engine by continuing its
slow traverse will bring the spades continually into new ground until a "bout is
completed.
"
The engine should then be disengaged from the traction ropes, and turned round
with its digging apparatus to take up a position for the next "bout," the anchors
being at the same time correspondingly shifted in the manner well understood by
persons conversant with steam cultivation. To facilitate the turning of the digging
engine I provide, in addition to the ordinary steering apparatus, which is shewn at
N, N', N, Figures 1 and 2, a means of lifting the spades (one or both sets) inde-
pendently of their excentrics. Keyed to the shaft M' of the rocking frames M is a
pair of pendant arms M³, which are coupled by a cross rod, and connected by a link
rod M, with a hand lever M³ extending upwards within easy reach of the attendant.
By pulling upon this lever the rocking frame M, one of the series will be lifted, and
these will in turn lift the pendent frames L, and with them the spades K. If each
group of spades is thus brought under the control of the attendant, one may be left
in contact with the ground while the other series is raised, and the acting spades
will then supplement the steering gear in bringing round the digging engine to take
up new ground.
From the foregoing description of the general construction of the parts it will be
understood that the digging apparatus may be readily detached from the engine
when it is desired to use the engine for driving thrashing machinery or for other
purposes. O is the guiding rope connected at its opposite ends to the anchors
which are situate at the opposite headlands. Two or three turns of this rope are
laid around a narrow conical drum mounted on the axle of the travelling
wheels H.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a slight modification of the means employed for regulating
the motion of the spade through the ground. The axial motion before explained
for throwing the loosened earth on one side to form a furrow I dispense with, and

page_text: by fitting the stem of the spade, and with studs k, which enter curved grooves
formed in the sides of the hanging frame L, I cause the spade, as it is actuated by
its excentric I', to describe the dotted figure of Fig. 5. The result of this action of
the spades will be even digging, or digging without the formation of furrows.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved Machinery
for Cultivating Land," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
claim,―
First. Adapting to a traction engine digging apparatus so arranged that the
motion for travelling the engine may be transmitted from the crank shaft through
the gearing for working the digging apparatus to the travelling wheels, as
described.
Secondly, Fitting the spades to the straps of excentrics, which give motion
thereto, and mounting the spades within frames which swing from the axle of the
excentrics, and serve through a cross pin or studs to control the movements of the
spades, as and for the purpose above described.
Thirdly. In combination with the spades mounted in swinging frames, and
actuated by excentrics adjustable rock frames, fitted with cutting discs and forming
stops or abutments for the swinging frames to regulate the inclination of the spades
while at work.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dunnell Garrett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
25 In witness thereof this
4th day of June
1879,
G. GARRETT SMITH,
JOHN DUNNELL GARRETT. (L.S.)