IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING BY STEAM
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING BY STEAM."-A commu-
nication from abroad by John Lochhead and Charles Arthur
Mathieu, both of San Francisco, California, in the United States
of America.
Sealed the 13th October 1871, and dated the 21st July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st July 1871.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Strect, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING BY STEAM,"
a communication to me from abroad by John Lochhead and Charles
Arthur Mathieu, both of San Francisco, California, in the United
States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates,―
Firstly. To a novel method of operating a gang or series of ploughs
by means of a steam traction engine, so as to accomplish the ploughing

page_text: of a field with but little trouble, and at a much less expense than is
required by other methods practised at the present time.
The second part of this Invention relates to a mechanical device for
staking the engine in order to accomplish the ploughing.
In order to plough a field according to this Invention any steam
traction engine of sufficient power is employed and a gang of suitably
mounted and arranged ploughs. At some proper and convenient point
upon each side of the engine, hinged or otherwise secured to it, is a
suitably shaped leg of sufficient length to trail upon the ground when
the engine is moving forward; but when the engine is halted and started
backward in the act of hauling the ploughs these legs will dig into the
ground and brace it against a strain from behind. The gang of ploughs
which is connected with the engine by a rope is then drawn through the
ground until it has been brought near to it, when the engine is again
moved a short distance forward, say, fifty or a hundred feet, and the
ploughs again drawn up to it over the same ground that the engine
has previously travelled. This alternate moving forward a short distance
and drawing the ploughs up to it is repeated by the engine until the
entire field has been ploughed. Many devices may be employed for
bracing or staking the engine, but the trailing legs are mentioned as
being the most simple, and probably the most effective device. By
this means of drawing the ploughs through the ground all of the
objections heretofore urged against steam ploughing are obviated.
The engine when moving by itself without the draught of the ploughs
behind it can, when properly constructed, move over any ordinary field
without trouble, and when properly staked or braced will draw the
ploughs equally as well as the stationary engines used in the English
system of ploughing by steam, with the advantage of being able to
regulate the distance the ploughs are to be drawn at pleasure. A simple
light engine can therefore, when employed in the above described
manner, accomplish more ploughing with less labour, and at less.
expense than where two engines with their necessary attendants,
together with extra ropes and pulleys are used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward Gedge,
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 PLOUGHING BY STEAM," a communication to me from
abroad by John Lochhead and Charles Arthur Mathieu, both of San
Francisco, California, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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:-
This Invention relates,-
Firstly. To a novel method of operating a gang or series of ploughs
by means of a steam traction engine, so as to accomplish the ploughing
of a field with but little trouble, and at a much less expense than is

page_text: The second part of this Invention relates to a mechanical device for
staking the engine in order to accomplish the ploughing.
In order to plough a field according to this Invention any steam
traction engine of sufficient power is employed and a gang of suitably
mounted and arranged ploughs. At some proper and convenient point
upon each side of the engine, hinged or otherwise secured to it, is a
suitably shaped leg of sufficient length to trail upon the ground when
the engine is moving forward; but when the engine is halted and
started backward in the act of hauling the ploughs, these legs will dig
into the ground and brace it against a strain from behind. The gang
of ploughs which is connected with the engine by a rope is then drawn
through the ground until it has been brought near to it, when the
engine is again moved a short distance forward, say, fifty or a hundred
feet, and the ploughs again drawn up to it over the same ground that
the engine has previously travelled. This alternate moving forward
a short distance and drawing the ploughs up to it is repeated by the
engine until the entire field has been ploughed. Many devices may
be employed for bracing or staking the engine, but the trailing legs
are mentioned as being the most simple and probably the most effective
device.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing Figure 1 is a plan view,
and Figure 2 a side elevation of an engine provided with trailing legs
for staking or bracing it against a strain from behind.
A indicates the trailing legs in the position which they assume when
the engine is going ahead; A', the legs propping the engine when hove
to and in the act of drawing the ploughs; B, traction or winding
drums; C, clutch for throwing drums or driving wheels in or out of
gear; D, wire ropes from winding drums to ploughs; E, fly wheel.
It need scarcely be observed that the accompanying Drawing is
merely illustrative of this Invention, and that other equivalent devices
may be used to effect the same objects.
By this means of drawing the ploughs through the ground all of the
objections heretofore urged against steam ploughing are obviated. The
engine when moving by itself without the draught of the ploughs
behind it, can, when properly constructed, move over any ordinary field
without trouble; and when properly staked or braced will draw the
ploughs equally as well as the stationary engines used in the English

page_text: system of ploughing by steam with the advantage of being able to
regulate the distance the ploughs are to be drawn at pleasure.
A simple light engine can therefore, when employed in the above-
described manner, accomplish more ploughing with less labor and at
less expense than where two engines with their necessary attendants,
together with extra ropes and pulleys are used.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention communicated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the
same is or may be performed, I would have it understood that what
I claim as secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First. The use of the method above described for ploughing with a
steam traction engine.
Second. The use of the trailing legs or equivalent device for staking
or bracing the engine or power against a strain from behind, substantially
as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.