IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS OPERATED BY STEAM, HYDRAULIC, OR OTHER MECHANICAL MOTOR, AND IN APPARATUS USED THEREWITH, BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER CULTIVATING OPERATIONS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brown, of Townhead, and John
Johnstone, of Auchcairnic, both in the County of Kincardine,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
OPERATED BY STEAM, HYDRAULIC, OR OTHER MECHANICAL MOTOR, AND IN
APPARATUS USED THEREWITH, BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER CULTIVATING
OPERATIONS."
Sealed the 25th April 1873, and dated the 12th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brown and
John Johnstone at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 12th February 1873.
We, WILLIAM BROWN, of Townhead, and JOHN JOHNSTONE, of
Auchcairnie, both in the County of Kincardine, North Britain, de
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLOUGHS OPERATED BY STEAM, HYDRAULIC, OR OTHER MECHANICAL MOTOR, AND IN
APPARATUS USED THEREWITH, BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER CULTIVATING
OPERATIONS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement or con-
struction of ploughs operated by steam, hydraulic, or motive power,

page_text: other than animal power, and in anchors over which the rope or ropes
for actuating such ploughs are carried.
The plough consists of a framing mounted at each end on carrying
wheels. At the central part of the framing a raised framework is
situated, on the upper part of which is carried the shaft on which the
wheel round which the driving rope passes is also carried. This shaft is
provided with spur pinions which gear with a spur wheel upon an inter-
mediate shaft, this again by means of further spur gearing operating the
land wheel or wheels at the centre of the plough frame. The ploughs
and coulters of which there may be any desired number are carried
under each half of the frame, these being set in reverse positions, so that
one set of ploughs and coulters corresponds with the direction in which
the mechanism is travelling. Whilst one set of ploughs and coulters is
in operation the other set is upraised out of contact with the ground.
The gearing for raising and lowering the alternate sets of ploughs and
coulters consists of a semicircular toothed rack placed at the central part
of the mechanism; one end of each of the beams carrying the ploughs
and coulters is coupled to the semicircular rack, so that as it is turned
round on its axis, one set of the ploughs is lowered whilst the other is
upraised. A parallel motion of the plough beams being obtained by
coupling the other end to a rope or chain passing over guide pulleys and
coupled to the circumference of a semicircular curved surface on or
fixed to the aforesaid semicircular rack. The semicircular rack is
provided with a stop to hold it in the required position, and the driving
gear is provided with a clutch or box carrying reversing pinions for
altering the direction of travel of the plough, as required.
Under a modification of the arrangement herein-before described, the
driving rope is caused to pass round a pulley, and thereby rotate the
driving shaft, this again actuating the shaft or shafts carrying the
rollers on which the hauling ropes are wound, and the ploughs and
coulters are carried in frames moving in parallel grooves fixed at either
side of the centre of the main framing.
The improvements in the anchors round which the rope for drawing
the plough passes, consists in providing it with a toothed stop wheel
gearing into a pinion or wheel on the shaft of the drum on which the
anchor hauling rope is wound. By means of the stop in the toothed
wheel the travel of the anchor may be stopped, and it becomes stationary

page_text: at any required moment so as to correspond with the line of travel of the
plough. Or when the line of travel has to be shifted the stop is with-
drawn, and the action of the driving rope round the anchor pulley causes
the toothed stop wheel to be rotated, so that it actuates the anchor
hauling pulley, and the anchor is thereby moved to any other position
required, at which it is again held by the contact of the stop.
It is obvious that by substituting tines, harrows, or other cultivating
instruments for the ploughs and coulters herein-before described,
cultivating operations other than ploughing may be carried on with the
said mechanism.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Brown and John Johnstone in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 11th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
BROWN, of Townhead, and JOHN JOHNSTONE, of Auchcairnie, both in the
County of Kincardine, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-three, in the 36th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said William Brown and John Johnstone, Her
special license that we, the said Willam Brown and John Johnstone,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said William Brown and John Johnstone, our executors, admini-
strators, 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 PLOUGHS
OPERATED BY STEAM, HYDRAULIC, OR OTHER MECHANICAL MOTOR, AND IN APPARATUS
USED THEREWITH, BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER CULTIVATING OPERATIONS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Brown
and John Johnstone, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: lever d¹ which is centred on a stud e', carried by the framework C. The
outward end of the lever is provided with a handle f¹, by means of
which the attendant actuates the lever d', and thereby causes the
clutches & to be put into or out of gear with the pinions I and J. The
pinion I gears with a spur wheel K, which is attached to one side of one
of the drums L, round which the hauling ropes are wound, and the
pinion J gears with a second pinion M situated on a shaft e, the
pinion M gearing with a spur wheel K' attached to one side of the other
drum L. The drums L are carried on a shaft fwhich is supported in
bearings formed in or attached to the framing A. The ploughs and
coulters A¹ of which there may be any desired number are carried under
´each half of the framing A, these being set in reverse positions, as shewn
in dotted lines at Figure 1, so that one set of ploughs and coulters A¹
corresponds with the direction in which the mechanism is travelling.
Attached to the under part of the framing A at each side thercof is a
bracket N which supports studs h. The studs / carry semicircular
racks O which gear with pinions P carried on the shaft f. The pinions P
are loose upon the shaft, and are provided with clutches i, which when
in gear therewith fixes and causes them to revolve with the shaft f.
The clutches are actuated by means of arms k, one end of each of
which is attached in the usual manner to a clutch i, whilst the other
ends are formed with slecves 1, at the interior of each of which a screw
thread is formed. The arms k are supported on a shaft m which is
formed with a right and left screw thread, as shewn more particularly at
Figure 3 of the Drawings. The shaft m is carried in bearings formed in
or attached to the framework C, and is provided at one extremity with a
hand wheel n, which on being rotated by the attendant causes the
clutches to be simultaneously put into or out of gear with the pinions P.
One end of each of the beams or frames B¹ for carrying the ploughs and
coulters A¹ are coupled to the semicircular racks O, which on being
partly rotated causes one set of the ploughs to be lowered whilst the
other is upraised, a parallel motion of the plough beams or frames being
obtained by coupling the opposite ends to ropes or chains o, passing over
guide pullies p, and coupled to the circumference of a semicircular curved
surface q, on or fixed to each of the aforesaid semicircular racks o: In
order to allow of the apparatus being properly steered whilst in operation,
the axles of the carrying wheels B are situated vertically, and are
formed at their lower ends with bends or elbows on which the carrying
wheels B revolve, as shewn more particularly at Figure 3. A segmental

page_text: racks is attached to the axle of the central carrying wheel B. The
segmental rack 8 gears with a worm pinion t which is situated on a
shaft u carried in bearings which are attached to the under side of a
platform Q on which the attendant stands whilst operating the
mechanism. A small pinion w is situated at one end of the shaft u
which gears with a second pinion a carried at the lower end of a vertical
shaft 3. The upper
end of the shaft y is provided with a hand wheel R,
which on being rotated causes the segmental racks to partly rotate,
thereby causing the carrying wheel B to turn at an angle either
outwards or inwards as the case may be, and thus guide the apparatus.
To ensure a more perfect guidance of the apparatus, the axle of one of
the end carrying wheels B is coupled by means of a rod S and cranks T
to the axle of the central carrying wheel B, by which arrangement it
receives a similar guiding motion from the central carrying wheel B.
The driving rope is passed between antifriction rollers U, and under
guide pullies V, as shewn, before passing round the wheel or pulley E in
order to obtain more tension or a better grip of the same while the
plough is in operation. When the plough arrives at the end of its travel
in one direction the mechanism is reversed by the attendant putting the
clutch & out of gear with the pinion J, and at the same time putting the
other clutch & into gear with the pinion I, thereby causing the hauling
drum L on that side of the apparatus to revolve in a contrary direction.
At Figure 4 of the Drawings is shewn in sectional elevation a modifi-
cation of a portion of the apparatus herein-before described and illustrated
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings. Under this arrangement the
wheel or pulley A round which the driving rope passes is situated
horizontally at the upper part of the framing B. The wheel or pulley A
is carried at the upper end of a vertical shaft c which is supported in
bearings formed in or attached to the framing B. A: pinion C is
situated at the lower end of the vertical shaft c, and gears with bevil
wheels D and E respectively which are situated on a horizontal shaft e.
A pinion F is placed on the shaft e which gears with a spur wheel G
carried on a horizontal shaft f. Attached to the side of the spur wheel G
is the wheel or pulley H, round which passes the hauling rope g. A
conical friction clutch I is situated on the vertical shaft c, by means of
which the pinion C can be put out of gear with the wheel or pulley A.
The bevil wheels D and E are constructed to slide on the shaft e so that
either may be put into or out gear with the pinion C, and the mechanism

page_text: wheel E into gear with the pinion C.
Under both arrangements of the mechanism herein-before described
and shewn on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, it may be made to
operate a land wheel or wheels in place of the winding drums or pulley.
Figure 5 of the Drawings hereunto appended is a vertical section on the
line x, x, Figure 6, of our improved anchors, as constructed in accordance
with this Invention, whilst Figure 6 is a plan of the same. As shewn
by these Figures a framing A is supported on carrying wheels B which
are provided with flanches a, by means of which the anchor obtains the
requisite grip or hold on the ground. A vertical shaft C is situated in
the framing A, the shaft C passing up through a sleeve D which
revolves in bearings b. The sleeve D is provided with a clutch E, which
on being in gear therewith causes it to rotate with the vertical shaft C.
The vertical shaft C is supported at the upper part by means of a spiral
spring c, which also serves to put the clutch E into gear with the
sleeve D. The clutch E is actuated by means of the forked end of a
lever d, which is supported on a fulcrum e attached to the framing A.
Situated at the other end of the lever d is a small spur wheel F supported
on a stud which is carried in a bracket f. A series of holes e¹ are
formed round the face of the spur wheel F, in one of which is placed a
pin, herein-after more particularly referred to. The spur wheel F
gears with a worm G formed on or attached to the upper part of a
vertical shaft H which rotates in bearings g formed in the framing A.
At the lower end of the vertical shaft C a pulley I is situated, round
which passes the rope for hauling the plough. The sleeve D is
furnished with a tooth i, shewn more particularly at the detailed view,
Figure 7, which is a section through the sleeve D and shaft C'on the
line z, z, Figure 5. The tooth i gears with a spur wheel J carried on
the lower part of the vertical shaft H. The spur wheel J gears with a
second spur wheel K which is carried on a vertical shaft L supported in
bearings formed in the framing A. At the lower part of the vertical
shaft L a winding drum M is situated, to which is attached one end
of a rope 7, the other end of the rope 7 being secured to the ground by
a stake or by any other suitable means. The rope previous to being
l
secured to the ground is passed through a guide N which is attached to
the axle n of the leading pair of carrying wheels B. The axle n is also
12

page_text: Second. The arrangement and construction of anchors, shewn at
Figures 5 and 6 of the Drawings, or any mere modification thereof,
whereby the anchor is rendered self-acting, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Johnstone, on behalf of myself
and the aforesaid William Brown, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of August One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-three.