AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR DISCING AND CHEMINATING LANn
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexis Dussuc, of.33, Grove Place, Brompton,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
DISCING AND CHEMINATING LANn
"
Sealed the 25th March 1854, and dated the. 19th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexis Dussuc at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th October 1853:
I, ALEXIS DUSSUC, of 33, Grove Place, Brompton, Gentleman, do
-hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR DIGGING AND CULTIVATING LAND" to be as follows::
The machine consists of a steam engine or locomotive having two
pairs of pistons transmitting power by cranks and connecting rods to
-two driving wheels, with broad tyres acting independent of each other,
by the axletree being made in two parts. On the driving wheels are
fixed cog wheels taking into other cog wheels keyed on to an iron
cylinder turning on itself, and arined with a series of shovels or spades
contrived so as to strike one after another, which coming into contact
with the ground as the cylinder turns, digs and breaks it up.
This

page_text: cylinder can be raised or lowered by a rack and pinion motion, or any
other known means, so that it may be raised completely off the ground,
or lowered if it be required to dig. a greater depth. Two or more
wheels are placed in front of the machine; they are moveable on an
axletree which is connected with mechanism enabling the engineer
to give any direction to the machine. Annexed and forming part of
the machine is a mould and an apparatus put in motion by the cog
wheels before described, which acts as a drill; it carries and sows the
seed, carries and distributes the "manure, fills up the furrows, and
smooths or rolls the surface of the ground. These parts of the apparatus
and the afore-mentioned mould are connected together by a framework
which can be raised completely off the ground, or lowered by a rack
and pinion motion, or any other known means, so that no part of the
machine, excepting the wheels, touch the ground, whereby the machine
be moved with facility."
may
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the. conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexis Dussuc in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ALEXIS Dussuc, of 33, Grove Place, Brompton, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign; did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexis Dussuc, Her special licence
that I, the said Alexis Dussuc, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Alexis Dussuc, my executors, adininis-
trators, 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
Jslands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE

page_text: FOR DIGGING.. AND CULTIVATING LAND," upon the condition (amongst.
others) that 1, the said Alexis Dussuc, by. an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 Alexis Dussuc, do hereby declare
the nature of iny said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be:
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement: ..
1. My Invention consists in a peculiar arrangement and combination of
apparatus in connection with an ordinary locomotive engine. for the
purpose of digging or breaking up .the soil, .depositing. the seed, and
afterwards smoothing the surface of the furrow, and spreading the
manure over the same.
.
The annexed Drawings are representations of a machine fitted with
this apparatus. Figure 1, is a side elevation; and Figure 2; à plan,
with the boiler removed. Supported on a suitable carriage is an.
ordinary locomotive engine and boiler, having two pairs of steam
cylinders connected by cranks and rods to the axles of the driving-
wheels, which are made to revolve independently of cach other, so as to
allow of the machine being turned in any direction, each wheel being.
in connection with one pair of steam cylinders. Concentric with each
driving wheel is a large spur or toothed wheel, gearing into an inter-
The
mediate spur wheel which actuates the ploughing apparatus.
plough consists of a number of shovel blades, attached by arms or
shanks to a suitable framework. Immediately behind the plough is a
follower or iron plate for levelling the surface of the earth preparatory
.to sowing the seed: The apparatus for sowing the seed consists of an
ordinary drill, carried upon a moveable frame,, capable of being raised
or lowered when required: At the end of the carriage frame of the
machine there is a box or chamber for containing manure, the clis-
tribution of which is regulated by a perforated cylinder attached to the
moveable framework carrying the drill. Following the manure dis-

page_text: tributor is an iron roller, which covers in the seed. and manure and
smooths the surface of the furrow.
A,,A, represents two pairs of ordinary steam "cylinders supported on
the framework of the machine, each pair connected by 'connecting rods
and cranks B, B, to one of the driving wheels B, B. C, is an iron
franíc carrying the clutch box C, in which. the inner end of each.half
of the axle of the driving wheel works. D, D, are toothed wheels fixed.
concentric with the wheels B', B', and gearing into intermediate spir
wheels E, E, which actuate the spir wheels E!,.E, keyed in the axle
of. the plough G. F, F, an ordinary contrivance of bevil'wlicels, corils,
and rollers, for the purpose of throwing the spur wheels E, E, into or
out of gear with the wheels D, D, when requisite. H, is a small pinion
fixed on a suitable frame and gearing into the rack H'; the lower end
of the rack is attached to the axle.of the plough, for the purpose of
regulating the depth to which it is.desired the cutters should take into.
the soil, or of raising the plough completely off the ground when the
machine is not in action. I, is an iron follower or blade, which prepares
the surface of the ground for the reception of the seed, and gives the
requisite inclination to the furrow. K, is the seed box; and L, a racket
wheel for shaking the box K. Motion is imparted to the racket.
wheel. I, by means of a band or cord passing over à rigger or pulley
keyed on the axis of the spur wheel L, which gears into the inter-
mediate spur wheel E. M, M, are the drills for depositing the seed..
N, is a box or chamber containing manure, which falls through the
Iropper N, and is uniformly distributed over the furrow by the per-
forated cylinder O, which is caused to rotate by a cord passing over a
pulley on the axis of a racket wheel L. P, is a series of tin tubes.
placed in a line with the drills M, for the purpose of covering up the
seed dropped by the same. Q, is a cast iron roller, which smooths the
surface of the furrow, and completes the operation of sowing the seed..
R, is a wooden framework which carries the seed box, drills, manure
distributor, and roller, &c. When not required to be in action, the
framework R, is raised by the rack and pinion S, to the position.
indicated by dotted lines, carrying with it the whole of the apparatus.
attached thereto. T, is a water tank. U, is a moveable guide wheel; to

page_text: •
which the fore-wheels of the machine are attached, to admit of their
being turned in any direction when the machine is required to be
removed or turned round, when arrived at the end of the furrow. This
moveable guide wheel U is acted upon by a band or cord passing
around it, and connected to a roller on the axis of the bevil wheel V.
According to the direction in which this bevil wheel is made to rotate,
the fore-wheels are caused to rotate either to the left or right, and
by this means the machine is capable of being guided with great
accuracy.
Claims. And having now described the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I
lay no claim to any of the parts of which the machine consists, "indi-
vidually considered; but that what I do claim is, the peculiar arrange-
ment and combination in one machine of the locomotive engine,
ploughing or digging apparatus and follower, drill, manure distributor,
and smoothing roller, together with the methods or contrivances for
actuating and raising and lowering the same, in the manner above
described; but at the same time do not confine myself to the precise
shape and construction of any or all of the parts of the machine,
provided the above arrangement of such parts be maintained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexis Dussuc, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
F. DOCAY.
ALEX. DUSSUC. (L.S.).