AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF LEVER-NECK PLOUGH
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement
Maker, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF LEVER-NECK
PLOUGH."
Sealed the 21st June 1859, and dated the 5th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
January 1859.
I, JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
LEVER-NECK PLOUGH," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the improvement of ploughs which have a cast-
iron frame and an adjustable lever for carrying the ploughshare, the chief
object being to strengthen the socket end of the plough frame, and at the
same time protect the lever neck from wear by keeping it from contact with
the ground. This I effect by casting on the forward extremity of the frame a
socket which is closed on all sides but open at the ends to allow the lever-
neck to pass through it. Under the frame I apply a sole plate which
extends to the forward extremity of the frame, so that it may be flush with
the under side of the share, and the share I proportionately deepen to bring it
to the level of the sole plate. By cranking the frame at its rear end slightly,
I find I can employ a straight in lieu of a bent lever for carrying the share
which will in a measure facilitate the construction of the plough.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
.
by the said James Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Maker, send greeting. -
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Howard, Her special license that I, the said James
Howard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Howard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "AN
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF LEVER-NECK PLOUGH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Howard, 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 James Howard, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to the improvement of ploughs which have a cast-
iron frame and an adjustable lever for carrying the ploughshare, the chief
object being to strengthen the socket end of the plough frame, and at the
same time protect the lever-neck from wear by keeping it from contact with
the ground.
The kind of plough to which my Invention more particularly relates is that
which forms the subject of a Patent granted to me July Third One thousand
, eight hundred and fifty-one, by reference to the Specification of which it will
be seen that the nose or forward extremity of the plough frame through which
the lever-neck passes was eft open or unenclosed at bottom; experience has
however, shewn that when the plough is required to break up very hard land

page_text: or land abounding with roots and large stones, it is not always equal to the
work, as the fore part or nose of the plough frame is apt to give way under
the strain, and render the plough for the time being unserviceable. More-
over, when working in flinty ground the wear upon the lever-neck and frame
being then very severe, the lower side of the socket for the lever-neck pin will
quickly be cut away, when the lever-neck will fall out of position. To
remedy these inconveniences, I propose to cast on the forward end of the
plough frame a socket which is closed on all sides, but open at the ends to
allow of the lever-neck being passed through it.
This improvement I have shewn in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved plough frame fitted with an
adjustable lever and share, the nose or forward end of the frame, and also the
share being shown in partial section; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the
frame taken in the line 1, 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an end view of the
frame, shewing the manner of cranking the casting to enable the lever which
carries the share to be made straight instead of cranked as heretofore.
a, a, is the plough frame, the nose of which is converted into a closed socket
by the addition of the metal forming the part marked a*, which connects the
sides of the nose together, and serves to strengthen the frame materially at
the part which receives the greatest strain. To the under side of the frame I
attach a sole plate 6 as usual, applying it so that it will extend to the forward
extremity of the frame, and that it may be flush with the under side of the
share c, I proportionately deepen the share to bring it to the level of the
sole plate. By cranking the frame, as shewn at Figures 2 and 3, a space is
provided for receiving a straight instead of a bent lever d for carrying the
share, which form of lever is more simple to forge and suited to receive a
longitudinal strain than a cranked lever.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Con-
struction of Lever-neck Plough," and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that, under the above in part-
recited Letters Patent, I claim modifying the form of plough frames in the
manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One.
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JAMES HOWARD. (L.S.)