Improvements in Machines for Ploughing and Cultivating.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Ploughing and Cultivating.
I, BOGHOS PACHA NUBAR, Administrator of Egyptian Railways and Telegraphs
and of the Port of Alexandria, of Cairo, Egypt, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a rotary pulverizing plough such as that forming the
subject of a previous Application for Letters Patent dated October 13th 1897
No. 23606, in which a number of rotary ploughing tools mounted upon horizontal
or slightly inclined shafts are caused by their forward thrust to penetrate the
ground wholly or partially for the purpose of disentegrating and triturating the
soil. The present improvements have for their object different arrangements
of apparatus for the practical carrying out of this mode of ploughing.
The improved apparatus is essentially characterized by a horizontal or slightly
inclined shaft, mounted upon a carriage and extending in the direction of motion
of the plough and having mounted thereon (generally at its rear end, that is to
say at the rear of the carriage) a rotary tool of large diameter, the lower
part only of which enters the ground to the depth required for the ploughing.
This arrangement of the cutter shaft enables the toothed and other gear to be
situated above the ground, so as to prevent their becoming clogged. The frame
on which the cutters are supported also carries any suitable engine operated by
steam, oil, gazoline, electric or other power by which the cutter shafts are
rotated by means of suitable gearing.
This engine also drives the plough, either directly or by hauling upon a cable
or chain anchored at the end of the field. The tool properly so called thus
partakes in the forward movement of the carriage and at same time receives
rotary motion, the two movements being so combined as to cause the tool
to disentegrate and triturate and pulverize the soil, by its forward face cutting a
furrow, whose sectional form is a segment of a circle of a breadth proportionate
to the diameter of the tool. The depth of the ploughing may be varied at will
without changing the cutters, by providing the carriage with any suitable
arrangement for raising or lowering the level of the cutter shaft according to
requirements whereby the cutter may be caused to penetrate and plough the
soil to a greater or less depth at its circumference. As an example the variation
in level may be obtained by slightly oscillating the carriage framing upon an
axis parallel to the wheel axles. In this case the plane of the tool and the
face of the work against which it acts will be slightly inclined to the vertical,
which however, causes no inconvenience in working.
At first starting at the beginning of a furrow, rotary motion is imparted to the
tool, whilst the tool is wholly out of the ground, the tool being then gradually
lowered so as to make a cut perpendicular to the direction of the intended furrow;
the tool being then in position to act on the face of the work, the advancing
mechanism is set in action in order that it may cut its furrow.
The machine would originally comprise several cutters carried on parallel shafts

page_text: placed at less distances apart than the diameter of the cutters, so that the cutters
overlap and operate over the whole breadth of ground between the outside
cutters. The tools being rotary, necessarily leave between the furrows, triangular
ridges which owing to the overlapping of the cutters do not extend up to the
ground surface and may generally be left. If however, it is required to break a
them down, this may be done by means of a small sub-soil plough, which will
break them down easily, as they offer little resistance, being isolated and without
lateral support.
The distance between each pair of wheels, that is to say, the gauge of the
carriage should be less than the total breadth ploughed at one passage by the 1
gang of tools, so that the wheels being in front of the tools will run on unploughed
ground, so that the power required to propel the machine will be less than if the
wheels were to travel on the ploughed land.
The cutters may either rotate in the same or in opposite directions, preferably
the latter, so that the opposing lateral thrusts will be as nearly as possible
balanced. In order to reduce the work of penetration of the cutters into the face
of the work, and increase the breadth of surface ploughed at one time, it is
generally of advantage to reduce the rate of advance and to increase the number
of cutters. The form of the cutters would vary according to the nature and
condition of the soil, the depth of cut and the degree of trituration desired
and iney would have cutting edges having convex, concave or other surfaces.
It is preferred to bolt upon the rear end of the cutter shaft a face plate like that
of a lathe having bolts by which arms of various forms are secured to the
plate so as to project beyond the circumference, the tools being thus readily
replaccable by others of different form.
For one type of cutter the arms would have a cutting edge and form a kind of
coulter, and instead of fixing the coulters radially of the disc, they would be
inclined relatively to these radii, so that the cutting edge of the coulter forms
an acute angle with the tangent of the circle described by the point of attachment,
this inclination having for object to lift out of the ground any stones which may
be met with, instead of forcing them down more deeply.
Independently of this inclination in the plane of the circle itself, the surface
of the coulters is inclined relatively to said plane at an angle which varies
with the rate of advancement of the plough.
The rotary motion of the cutter being combined with the advancing movement
of the carriage, the coulters cut helical slices in the soil, the thickness of which
may be varied and be so small that the soil is pulverized.
In another type of tool, the arms bolted to the face plate are mere flat bars
without any cutting edge placed radially and carrying perpendicularly to their
plane small cutters which cut into the vertical working face of the ground in
front of them by describing cylindrical surfaces about the axis of the tool. These
cutters which work in the manner of a harrow placed in a vertical plane, are fixed
in quincunx order upon the arms in order that all points of the slice of soil to be
ploughed may be successively acted on during one complete revolution of the
ploughing tool. These small cutters have their cutting edges inclined to the
arms which carry them, instead of being perpendicular thereto so as to throw
out the stones instead of forcing them into the ground. The cutters may be
replaced by teeth similar to those of harrows or scarifiers &c., according to the
nature of the work.
I will now describe various arrangements for the traction or pupulsion of the
plough. According to one arrangement the plough is hauled by an agricultural
traction engine (driven by steam, oil, electric or other power) in which case
the plough has no engine upon it but only carries the tools and their driving gear
the motive power being supplied by the traction engine, which at the same time
hauls the plough. The plough would in this case consist of a frame supported upon
a cranked axle carrying a pair of wheels, the axle being fixed and the wheels
swivelling for steering purposes. The frame is supported upon the axle by means

page_text: of a system of screws or cams so as to permit of raising or lowering the level of
the framing and tools according to the depth of ploughing required.
Upon this frame are fixed the bearings for the cutter shafts which are
longitudinal, or in the direction of motion of the plough and are driven through
a cross-shaft also mounted in bearings upon the framing, and driven from the
traction engine through an intermediate inclined shaft geared at its upper end
by means of bevel wheels with the fly wheel shaft of the engine.
As the traction engine should not cease to operate the tools of the plough, which
is hauled thereby, whatever position the plough may assume in hauling, the
connection must be such as to allow for the inevitable jolting of the plough and to
admit of raising or lowering the cutters without ceasing to drive them. For this
purpose the distance between the fly wheel shaft of the traction engine and the
intermediate cross-shaft of the plough must be invariable, so that the intermediate
shaft will not cease to gear with the cross-shaft, whatever may be the position
of the tools. Therefore instead of connecting the plough frame to the engine by
a rigid coupling, the engine is connected to the cross-shaft of the plough by
means of straps terminating in bearing like collars embracing the cross-shaft of
the plough which can rotate therein so that the plough will follow the motion
of the traction engine, whilst its frame is free to pivot about the cross-shaft as an
axis, the distance between the fly wheel shaft and the cross-shaft remaining
invariable.
In order that this distance may not be varied by the raising or lowering of
the tools, the entire plough frame which carries the tools is made to pivot about
the axis of the cross-shaft and the bevel wheels between the intermediate and
cross-shafts will always remain in gear and the tools will continue to rotate
whatever may be their height.
In another arrangement the plough is self propelling, the motor being mounted
on the carriage as well as the ploughing tools, so as to drive both the running
wheels and the tools. The motor is specially arranged to suit the plough and
being mounted alongside the tool shafts economy is obtained by simplifying the
gearing. This type of machine also possesses the advantage of lightness when oil
or electric motors are employed, thereby reducing expenditure of driving power
and realizing an economy in working.
In another arrangement the plough is hauled, the engine instead of driving
the plough wheels, driving a drum mounted on the plough and winding a cable
anchored at the end of the intended furrow. The cable hauling may be effected
in any suitable way, the cable laying along the field and being anchored at its
two ends at the ends of the furrow to be formed, its total length being a few
yards greater than that of said furrow. Supposing the plough to be about to
commence a furrow, the cable makes two or three turns around the drum of the
winch so as to give sufficient adhesion and when the engine is set in motion,
the winch pulls on the cable and advances the plough, the cable winding off
behind the plough and laying on the ground. A set of guide pulleys is provided
whereby the rearward member of the cable as it winds off is deposited on the
ground in a line parallel to the furrow in course of being formed, and in the exact
position of the next furrow to be formed, when the plough after having arrived
at the end of the field, returns in the opposite direction. At the end of each
passage the anchor is shifted a sufficient distance laterally by hand or
mechanically.
The plough is provided with special means for enabling it to work in both
directions without the necessity of employing a double set of cutters, of which
half only would work in the one and the other half in the other direction. This
arrangement consists in providing the plough with two frames superposed, of
which the lower one is permanently fixed upon the carriage axle or axles, while
the upper frame which carries the motor and cutters disposed at its rear end, as
in the preceding arrangements, is capable of turning on a vertical pivot fixed at
the centre of the lower frame.

page_text: When the plough has reached the end of the field and the furrow is to be
cut in the opposite direction, the upper frame is rotated 180° and as the frame
carries with it in its rotation all the mechanism mounted thereon, the ploughing
tools will be placed in position at the rear of the plough in readiness for
another operation, when it is again started in the reverse direction to its
original one.
The pivoting motion of the frame may be produced by the hauling cable itself
by means of a suitable arrangement of pulleys.
1-11 .
1000
Improvements in Machines for Ploughing and Cultivating.
I, BOGHOS PACHA NUBAR, Administrator of Egyptian Railways and Telegraphs
and of the Port of Alexandria, of Cairo, Egypt, do hereby declare the nature of
this 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 to a rotary plough in which the ploughing tool is
mounted upon a horizontal or slightly inclined shaft and has a diameter greater
than the depth of ploughing so as only to partially enter the ground and operate
by its front face against a vertical working face of earth and not as in other types
of rotary ploughs upon the horizontal surface of the ground. The improved
ploughing tool essentially comprises a disc mounted upon a horizontal shaft and
carrying forwardly working cutters which act on the soil in a horizontal direction
in the manner of a boring machine, whereas other types of rotary ploughs
penetrate the soil in a downward direction in the manner of a digging tool.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 shows
face and edge views of a rotary tool provided with coulters or scrapers. Figure 2
shews similar views of a tool having concentric forwardly projecting cutters.
Figures 3 to 9 shew various arrangements of apparatus for operating the rotary
ploughing tools; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a machine provided with a
rotary cutter adapted for being hauled by a traction engine. Figure 4 is a half
rear elevation, half transverse section, of the same on line 1-2 Figure 5.
Figure 5 is a plan of the machine. Figures 6 and 7 shew in an elementary
manner an elevation and plan of a ploughing machine in which the motor also is
mounted upon the frame which carries the ploughing tools. Figures 8 and 9
shew an elevation and plan of a ploughing machine which is hauled by means
of a cable. The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
Before commencing the operation a trench is cut in the ground perpendicular
to the direction of, and of a depth equal to, that of the furrow to be formed, into
which the tool is lowered so that the cutters will be in position in front of the
approximately vertical face of the ground in order to cut the furrow. Before the
machine is advanced the tool should be set in motion so that it shall be already
rotating when it comes into contact with the ground, this condition being
essential to the proper working of the machine. The tool in thus revolving
against the face of the work produces a planing, scraping or scratching action
whereby the earth is pulverized. The tool in thus acting has the advantage of
acting on freshly-opened ground which offers less resistance than the superficial
crust and also of attacking the subsoil without having to break the more resistant
superficial crust.

page_text: My improved system of ploughing tool consists essentially of a cutter carrying
disc similar to the face plate of a lathe bolted upon the rear end of a cutter shaft
and provided with holes by which to bolt thereto arms 6 of various forms equally
spaced around and projecting beyond the circumference of the disc, the arms
being readily replaceable by others of different form.
In the example shewn in Figure 1 the arms 6 have cutting edges and form
coulters or scrapers and instead of being fixed radially they are inclined re-
latively to these radii so that each cutting edge forms an acute angle with the
tangent to the point of attachment of its arm, this inclination having for object to
lift out of the ground any stones which may be met with, instead of forcing them
down more deeply. Independently of this inclination in the plane of the circle
itself the surface of the coulters is inclined relatively to said plane at an angle
which is proportioned to the rate of advancement of the plough.
In Figure 2 the arms b bolted to the disc a are mere Hat bars without any
cutting edge placed radially and carrying perpendicularly to their plane small
cutting blades c which cut into the vertical working face of the ground in front
of them in moving concentrically about the axis of the tool. These cutters
which work in the manner of a harrow placed in a vertical plane are fixed in
quincunx order upon the arms in order that all points of the working face to be
ploughed may be successively acted on during one complete revolution of the
ploughing tool. These small cutters e may have their cutting edges inclined
to the arms which carry them instead of being perpendicular thereto, so as to
throw out the stones. The cutters may be replaced by teeth similar to those of
harrows or scarifiers, etc., according to the nature of the operation.
The rotary motion of the tool being combined with a forward movement of the
carriage the cutting edges will always be in contact with the face of the work and
exert a cutting or scraping action for a breadth and depth of cut proportionate to
the diameter of the tool. The tools are keyed upon horizontal shafts mounted upon
a carriage and are made of larger diameter than the depth required for the
ploughing so that they only partially enter the ground. This arrangement
permits of the cutter shaft being free from the liability of becoming clogged by
the ploughed ground thrown up and also of simplifying the transmission of
motion from the engine to the tools and of enabling the latter to be driven
directly. The tools are fixed at the rear ends of the cutter shafts and carriage, so
as to enable the travelling wheels to run on the unploughed ground as herein-
after explained. The depth of the ploughing may be varied at will without
changing the tools by providing the carriage frame with any suitable arrangement
for raising or lowering the level of the cutter shafts according to requirements,
whereby the tools may be caused to penetrate and plough the soil to a greater
or less depth. The variation in depth of cut may be obtained by slightly
oscillating the carriage framing upon an axis parallel to the wheel axles. In
this case the plane of the tools, and the face of the work against which they
act, will be slightly inclined to the vertical, which however causes no incon-
venience in working.
The machine would ordinarily comprise several cutters carried on parallel
shafts placed at less distances apart than the diameter of the cutters, so that
the cutters overlap and operate over the whole breadth of ground between the
outside cutters. The tools of whatever kind being rotary necessarily cut in the
soil furrows in the form of segments of a circle separated by small triangular
ridges which owing to the overlapping of the cutters do not extend up to the
ground surface and may generally be left. It may however be of advantage
in some cases to break them down and this may be done by means of a small
subsoil plough attached to the rear of the carriage behind the cutters which will
break them down easily as they offer little resistance being isolated and without
lateral support. The distance between each pair of wheels, that is to say the
gauge of the carriage, should be less than the breadth ploughed by the gang

page_text: of tools so that the wheels being in front of the tools will run on unploughed
ground; the power required to propel the machine will thus be less than if the
wheels were to travel on the ploughed land. The cutters may either rotate all
in the same or in opposite directions it being preferable to make one half the
number work in one direction and the other half in the opposite direction so as 5
to balance strains as much as possible. In order to reduce the rate of forward
travel and to work over a greater breadth of ground at one time, the number of
tools may be increased so as to reduce the penetration of the tools in the face of
the work and increase the amount of ploughing work done. The rate of advance
of the machine, and the speed of rotation of the tools should be so proportioned
as to reduce the loss due to the friction of the cutters, the rate of advance depending
upon the angle of inclination of the cutting edges of the tools. The advance
of the machine is produced either by operating the driving wheels directly by the
engine; or when the weight of the plough is insufficient to obtain enough
adhesion, by hauling it by means of a rope, cable, or other means of traction
anchored at one end of the field and winding upon a drum mounted upon the
frame of the machine; or for machines of small dimensions, simply by animal
traction.
I will now describe three modes of driving the tools.
According to one arrangement, which is illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 5,
the plough is hauled by an ordinary traction engine in which case the plough
frame has no engine upon it, the motive power for driving the tools being
supplied by the traction engine which at same time hauls the plough. The
cutter-carrying discs a are keyed on the ends of horizontal shafts which are
driven by means of bevel gear through a cross-shaft driven from the traction
engine through an intermediate shaft. The several shafts are mounted in
bearings upon the plough frame which may be inclined more or less by means
of lifting screws so as to regulate the depth of penetration of the tools in the
soil.
י
In another arrangement, shewn in Figures 6 and 7, the plough is self-pro-
pelling, the engine (which may be operated by steam, oil, electric, or other power)
being mounted on the carriage and driving the running wheels as well as the
tools
In another arrangement shewn in Figures 8 and 9, the plough is hauled, the
engine which is mounted on the plough frame instead of driving the plough
wheels driving a winding drum mounted on the plough frame and hauling
on a cable anchored at the opposite end of the intended furrow. The winch hauls
on the forward member of the cable and advances the plough, the cable winding
off behind the plough and being laid on the ground, by means of a set of guide
pulleys in a line parallel to the furrow in course of being formed, and in the
exact position of the next furrow to be formed, when the plough after having
arrived at the end of the field returns in the opposite direction. At the end of
each passage the anchor is shifted laterally a distance equal to the width of
ploughing, by hand or mechanically.
The plough is provided with special means for enabling it to work in both
directions without the necessity of employing a double set of cutters, of which
half only would work in the one and the other half in the other direction. This
arrangement consists in providing the plough with two frames superposed, of
which the lower one is permanently fixed upon the carriage axles, while the
upper frame which carries the motor and cutters disposed at its rear end, as in
the preceding arrangements, is capable of turning on a vertical pivot fixed at the
centre of the lower frame so that its direction of working may be changed at
each end of the field.
It is to be understood that the driving mechanisms are described merely as
examples and that they may be modified according to circumstances, as well as
the form and dimensions of the cutters,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
The herein described rotary ploughing tool mounted on a horizontal or slightly
inclined axis, and operating by its front face against a vertical working face of
earth, so as to produce a planing, scraping, or scratching action thereon, the
tool only partially entering the ground and its radius being always greater than
the depth of ploughing desired, and the cutter shafts being mounted in bearings
upon the carriage above the ground level so as to prevent their becoming clogged
by the ground thrown up as well as to simplify the transmission of motion
to the tools, all substantially as herein before described with reference to the
accompanying drawings for the purpose specified.
14th of Jun 1900
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.