IMPROVEMENTS IN 'GRUBBERS' FOR CULTIVATING LAND, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE STRENGTHENING OF CAST-IRON WHEELS FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES."
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Craig, of Oldmeldrum, in the County of
Aberdeen, North Britain, Agricultural Implement Maker, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN 'GRUBBERS' FOR CULTIVATING LAND,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE STRENGTHENING OF
CAST-IRON WHEELS FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Craig at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th June 1875.
'
I, WILLIAM CRAIG, of Oldmeldrum, in the County of Aberdeen,
North Britain, Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ⚫ GRUBBERS FOR
CULTIVATING LAND, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO. THE
STRENGTHENING OF CAST-IRON WHEELS FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-

page_text: "
more particularly applicable to what are known as Craig's Circular
Frame Grubber," whereby such or any other grubber to which the said
improvements may be applied is caused to keep a clear furrow, and to
more thoroughly turn up the weeds, whilst it is also prevented by a
special contrivance herein-after described from running at a wrong angle
when crossing a hill side or sloping ground.
Secondly. To a mode of strengthening the cast-iron travelling wheels
of "grubbers" and other implements, applicable also to cast-iron wheels
for other purposes.
According to one part of my Invention I bolt or otherwise secure
bars to the steel plates or tines of the grubber, or make them in one
piece with the said plates or tines set at an angle so as to keep a clear
furrow, and at the same time to thoroughly turn up the weeds.
To enable me to use my said improved implement for ploughing as
well as grubbing purposes I make the fore wheel to run on the one
side in the former track of the last tine; or I make a two-wheeled
fore carriage and allow one wheel to run in the track or furrow of
the last tine, thus securing a regular and steady course of progress,
and entirely obviating the possibility of missing or leaving any ground
not turned up.
I also propose to make the frames of grubbers of a straight bar of
iron with lugs projecting right and left to receive the fore and hind
tines, which can be adjusted in this manner to any required width.
I also propose to so arrange the carriage and wheels of grubbers
as that when the lever is let up to allow the wheels to come in contact
with the ground the implement will lift itself out by the pull of the
horses.
E
I further propose, according to another part of my said Invention,
to provide a socket or solid end on one or both sides of the lever of the
said grubber, such socket having a hole made in one side thereof for
the reception of the lever end. This socket has also made therein
a round hole in an upright position for the reception of a crank, the
top of which projects above the socket, and is connected to the hand
lever or otherwise, as may be found convenient, so as to enable it to
twist or swivel the wheel from the square' in" both directions, thereby

page_text: preventing the machine from running at a wrong angle when crossing
sidelong or sloping ground.
In order to strengthen and increase the durability of cast-iron
travelling wheels used on grubbers and other implements I propose
to ring or hoop the same with a wrought-iron band. This mode
of strengthening is equally applicable to cast-iron wheels for other
purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Craig in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CRAIG, of Oldmeldrum, in the County of Aberdeen, North Britain,
Agricultural Implement Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
cighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Craig, Her special license, that I,
the said William Craig, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Craig, 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 ⚫ GRUBBERS'
FOR
CULTIVATING LAND, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE
STRENGTHENING OF CAST-IRON WHEELS FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Craig, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their 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 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.
زار

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Craig, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
My said Invention relates more particularly but not exclusively to
what are known as 66
Craig's Circular Frame Grubbers," and consists
of a mode or modes of adjusting or swivelling more or less to an angle
with the line of draught one of the main running wheels of the grubber,
whereby the machine is prevented from running at a wrong angle when
crossing sidelong or sloping ground.
Also, in bolting or otherwise securing one or more bars or prongs
to the steel plates or tines of the grubber set at an angle thereto for
the purpose of keeping a clear furrow, and at the same time thoroughly
turning up or lifting the weeds. Or the said bars or prongs may be
made in one piece with the plates or tines of the grubber.
I also make the frames of grubbers of a straight bar of iron having
ärms or projecting lugs on each side to receive the fore and hind tincs
which can be adjusted or set by this arrangement to any required width
or distance apart laterally.
In order to ensure a regular and steady course of progress, and to
entirely obviate the possibility of missing or leaving any unbroken
ground, I make the fore wheel run on the one side in the former
track or furrow of the last tine'; or I make a two-wheeled carriage,
allowing one wheel to run in the track or furrow of the last tine. Or
I employ a forked or other lever and wheel placed in the centre of the
grubber, and at the end of the beam in a line with the middle tine, and
worked by a lever rack, or screw, as most convenient, a socket being
there provided for the reception of the stem of the said swivelling fore
wheel immediately in front of the beam; these arrangements are well
adapted for ploughing purposes.
With a view to strengthen and increase the durability of cast-iron
travelling wheels for grubbers and other implements, I ring or hoop
the same by shrinking thereon a wrought-iron band; this mode of
strengthening is equally applicable to cast-iron wheels for other
purposes.

page_text: for fixing the stem of each tine in its proper position on its carrying
arm M.
The before-mentioned lever G is used for the purpose of letting
the grubber into the ground, the grubber being kept at any desired
depth by a chain and hook attached to the circular frame L, and
engaging with the lever G or other suitable contrivance not shown in
my Drawings.
When the machine is in work the wheels would be about 6 inches
above the tines, and when out of work about 2 or 3 inches below them.
The catch N (Figure 1) is for keeping the grubber out of the ground
when travelling between fields; O is a long lever for regulating or
guiding the grubber in front when turning at the ends; the said lever
may either be connected to the stem of the wheel P of the two front
wheels P, P', the said wheel P being made with a bevel edge, as shown
clearly in Figure 2, and caused to run in the track of the last tine;
or the lever O may be so arranged as to swivel both the front wheels
when turning at the ends.
If desired a single fore wheel may be employed, the stem of which
works in a socket i immediately before or in front of the main beam B
(see Figure 1), in which arrangement I use the bridle shown in dotted
lines at k, and I connect the stem / (Figure 1) of the said central forc
wheel to the lever G by the connecting rod Q which is screwed at the
rear end, as shown, for the purpose of regulating the length of the same.
The bridle m is only used when I place one wheel in front; n, n,
(Figures 1 and 4) represent the bars, teeth, plates, or prongs, which I
attach in any required number to any or all of the tines I, I', I', for
the purpose of lifting the weeds; o, o, (Figures 1 and 2) are the
strengthening hoops of wrought iron which I shrink on to the rims of
cast-iron wheels for agricultural implements and other purposes in order
to increase their durability.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that 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 peculiar arrangement for maintaining a grubber in a

page_text: straight course when traversing sidelong or sloping ground, as herein-
before described.
Secondly. The peculiar arrangements for ensuring a regular and
steady course of progress in grubbers and similar implements, and
obviating the possibility of missing or leaving any unbroken ground,
as hercin-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Thirdly. The peculiar arrangement of beam provided with lateral
projecting arms for carrying the tines of grubbers and similar imple-
ments, whereby a ready means is afforded for varying the widths or
lateral distances between the said tines, as herein-before described and
illustrated by my Drawings..
Fourthly. The peculiar combination of one or more bars, teeth,
plates, or prongs with the tines of grubbers for the purpose of lifting
the weeds and keeping a clear furrow, as herein-before described and
illustrated by my Drawings.
Fifthly. The mode or method of strengthening the cast-iron wheels
employed in agricultural implements and for other purposes by
shrinking on to the rims thereof hoops of wrought iron, substantially
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Craig, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.