IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR EXCAVATING BY STEAM POWER DITCHES, CHANNELS, OR TRENCHES IN LAND, FOR THE PURPOSE OF DRAINING IT, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS AN IMPROVED MEANS OF REGULATING THE COILING OR WINDING OF WIRE ROPES UPON DRUMS.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Green, of Heath Grange, in the Parish of
St. John, in the County of Worcester, Farmer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR EXCAVATING
BY STEAM POWER DITCHES, CHANNELS, OR TRENCHES IN LAND, FOR THE
PURPOSE OF DRAINING IT, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS AN IMPROVED
MEANS OF REGULATING THE COILING OR WINDING OF WIRE ROPES UPON
DRUMS.
"
Sealed the 6th October 1875, and dated the 17th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Green at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th April 1875.
I, JOHN GREEN, of Heath Grange, in the Parish of St. John, in the
County of Worcester, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR
EXCAVATING BY STEAM POWER DITCHES, CHANNELS, OR TRENCHES IN LAND, FOR
THE PURPOSE OF DRAINING IT, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE AS AN IMPROVED

page_text: MEANS OF REGULATING THE COILING OR WINDING OF WIRE ROPES UPON DRUMS,"
to be as follows, that is to say :—
My Invention consists of an iron frame in a similar shape to that of
the carriage of a three-wheeled child's perambulator, and having three
wheels attached in a like position, but when in motion the pair of wheels
travel first, the machine being guided thereby, and instead of the other
or single wheel bearing the weight of the frame it is of large
diameter, and its periphery is furnished with a number of spuds or
scoops or shares, and points which act upon the soil when the wheel
revolves in a similar way to how the teeth of a circular saw do upon the
material being sawn, but with an upward instead of a downward stroke,
bringing the soil to the surface and depositing it on one or both sides of
the trench. The wheel is caused to rotate by its being connected or
geared with a large pulley placed upon the frame to which motion
is communicated by a wire or other rope, actuated by a double drum
windlass driven by steam or other power.
The same object can be effected by a pair of endless or pitch chains
actuated by a spiked or toothed wheel and travelling over a pair of
small pullics or rollers, the before described cutters being attached to
some of the links, motion being communicated to it by the spiked
wheel being geared with the large pulley before described. I also
effect the same object by means of a quadrant-shaped frame, the
cutters or excavators being suitably attached to the periphery or
curved side. Instead of this apparatus rotating it is caused to move
upward and downward by a crank movement on its axis, motion to which
is communicated by the before described pulley.
The coiling apparatus whereby the coiling of the ropes upon two
drums mounted horizontally upon one or the same stud or axis, consists
of a small pinion fixed to the upper side of the top drum, consequently
it revolves at the same speed, and in doing so actuates a spur wheel:
carried by a bar, through one end of which the drum stud or axis goes,
the other being supported by the drum "cages," it consequently moves
or swivels with them. To the axis of the spur wheel, but on the other
side of the bar another pinion is fixed which is geared with a spur
wheel actuating another of the same kind attached to a cam wheel.
The intermediate motion causes the cam wheel to revolve very slowly
compared with the speed of the drum. Suspended in the centre over

page_text: the cam wheel is a lever so placed that when the cam rotates the two
ends of the lever rise and fall alternately, and to each end is attached on
a joint or hinge a bar carrying a guide pulley. An upward and down-
ward motion being thus imparted to the pullies they regulate the coiling
of the rope.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Green in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GREEN, of Heath Grange, in the Parish of St. John, in the County of
Worcester, Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-ninth
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Green, Her special licence that I,
the said John Green, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Green, 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 MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR EXCAVATING BY STEAM POWER DITCHES, CHANNELS
OR TRENCHES IN LAND, FOR THE PURPOSE OF DRAINING IT, PARTS OF WHICH ARE
APPLICABLE AS AN IMPROVED MEANS OF REGULATING THE COILING OR WINDING OF
WIRE ROPES UPON DRUMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Green, 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 John Green, do hereby declarc
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of an iron frame in a similar shape to that of
the carriage of a three-wheel child's perambulator, and having three
wheels attached in ȧ like position, but when in motion the pair of wheels
travel first, the machine being steered thereby, and instead of the other
(or single) wheel bearing the weight of the frame it is of large
diameter, and its periphery is furnished with a number of spuds or
scoops or shares and points, which act upon the soil when the wheel
revolves in a similar way to how the teeth of a circular saw do upon the
material being sawn, but with an upward instead of a downward stroke,
bringing the soil to the surface and depositing it on one or both sides of
the trench. The wheel is caused to rotate by its being connected or
geared with a large pulley placed upon the frame, to which motion is
communicated by a wire or other rope actuated by a double drum
windlass driven by steam or other power.
The same object can be effected by a pair of endless or pitch chains
actuated by a spiked or toothed wheel, and travelling at the other end
over a pair of small pullies or rollers, the before described cutters being
attached to some of the links, motion being communicated to it by the
spiked wheel being geared with the large pulley before alluded to; and
likewise by a quadrant-shaped frame, the cutters or excavators being
suitably attached to the periphery or curved side. Instead of this appa-
ratus rotating it is worked oscillatory or upward and downward by its
axis being a crank to which a rotating motion is communicated by the
before-named large pulley. The depth of tho channel cut can be varied
by means of a pair of slides or small wheels placed under the narrow
end of the frame. If the strain of the rope is not sufficient to cause
the machine to travel towards the winding drums it can be caused
to do so by a contrivance similar to that used to propel a "travelling"
anchor.
The coiling apparatus whereby the coiling of the ropes upon two
drums, mounted horizontally upon one or the same stud or axis under-
neath the boiler of an engine can be regulated, consists of a small pinion
fixed centrically to the upper side of the top drum, consequently it
revolves at the same speed, and in doing so it actuates a spur wheel
carried by a bar, one end of which the drum, stud, or axis goes through,

page_text: the other end being supported by the drum cages, therefore it moves or
swivels with them. To the axis of the spur wheel, but on the other
side of the bar another pinion is fixed which is geared with a spur wheel
which actuates another of the same kind attached to a cam "wheel.
This intermediate motion causes the "cam wheel" to revolve very slowly
as compared with the speed of the drum, say, 1 to 8. Hung in the
centre over the "cam wheel" is a lever so placed that when the "
rotates the two ends of the lever rise and fall alternately; each end of the
lever being suitably connected with a lever attached to the cage frame by
a joint or hinge and carrying a pair of guide pulleys, which have thereby
an upward and downward motion imparted to them, consequently they
regulate the coiling of the ropes.
cam
"
Having now described my Invention and how the same is constructed
and acts, what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of revolving or rotating
cutters or excavators driven by steam or other power, substantially as
herewithin described to be used for forming ditches, channels, or trenches
in land for the purpose of draining it, and as incidental to and con-
nected with the same, but generally applicable, an improved contrivance
or plan for regulating the coiling of ropes upon winding drums.
In witness whereof the aforesaid John Green, has hereunto set his
hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of October, One thousand