IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS CALLED CHAIN HARROWS, FOR MORE EFFECTUALLY DRESSING AND CLEANING LAND
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cartwright, of Shrewsbury, in the County
of Salop, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS CALLED CHAIN HARROWS, FOR
MORE EFFECTUALLY DRESSING AND CLEANING LAND."
Sealed the 24th December 1856, and dated the 17th July 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cartwright at the
- Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
July 1856.
I, JOHN CARTWRIGHT, of Shrewsbury, in the County of Salop, Agricultural
Implement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS CALLED CHAIN HARROWS, FOR
MORE EFFECTUALLY DRESSING AND CLEANING LAND," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of agricultural implements called chain
harrows, and is intended to render the same self-clearing, and consequently
much more efficient than those hitherto employed. In chain barrows, as here-
tofore constructed, the links have been invariably formed all of one size or
strength throughout, and the consequence has been, that if the chain was beavy
enough to break up the clods, it was too heavy to clear itself, but dragged the
soil and "couch," &c. along with it, and became clogged.
Tiis Invention consists in making such chain harrows with the links

page_text: gradually decreasing in weight, that is to say;. with heavy links in the first
section, and with the succeeding section or sections formed of links of a lighter
construction. By this improved arrangement of chain harrow, the clods are
broken up by the first or heavy section, and the succeeding or lighter sections
pulverize the soil still finer, beating the "couch," &c. perfectly clean, which,
instead of clogging or choking the harrow, becomes rolled together in a mass
and left behind on the surface of the land.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cartwright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CARTWRIGHT, of Shrewsbury, in the County of Salop, Agricultural Implement
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign; did,
for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Cartwright, Her special licence that I, the said John Cartwright, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Cartwright, 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, excrcise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS CALLED
CHAIN HARROWS, FOR MORE EFFECTUALLY DRESSING AND CLEANING LAND," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Cartwright; my executor's 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 montlis
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
...
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Cartwright, 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 following statement
in writing, and on reference to the Drawings hereunto attached, that is to
say:

page_text: My said Invention of improvements in agricultural implements called "chain:
harrows," for more effectually dressing and cleaning land, is designed for the:
purpose of rendering such. implements self-clearing, and consequently. much:
more efficient than those hitherto employed. In chain harrows, as heretofore:
constructed, the links have been invariably formed all of one size, strength, or
weight throughout, and the consequence has been, that if the chain was heavy
enough to break up the clods, it was too heavy to clear itself, but dragged the
soil and "couch," &c. along with it, and became clogged.
My said Invention consists in making such chain harrows with the links
gradually decreasing in weight, that is to say, with heavy links, in the first
section, and with each succeeding section or sections formed of links of a
lighter construction. By this improved arrangement of chain harrow a great
improvement in the dressing and cleaning of the land is effected, and a great
deal of time and labor saved; the clods are broken up by the first or heavy
section of the chain harrow, and the succeeding or lighter sections pulverize
the soil still finer, beating 'the "couch," &c. perfectly clean, which (instead of
clogging or choking the harrow) becomes rolled together in a mass or wisp,
and left behind upon the surface of the land, the harrow itself never requiring
to be cleaned.
The manner of carrying my Invention into practical effect will be clearly
understood upon referring to the annexed Drawing of my improved chain
harrow, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon. The
Drawing is made to a scale of about one inch to a foot.
Figure 1 represents a plan view of the barrow, and Figure 2 a side view of
the same.
a, a, is a bar to which the horse or horses is or are to be attached
by chains hooked on to the rings b, b; c, c, c, c, are links connecting the chain
harrow d, d, e, e, f, f, g, g, to the bar a, a; h, h, are bars to keep the harrow
distended. It will be observed that the foremost links d, d, of the harrow are
the heaviest, and that they gradually decrease in weight, the links g, g, being
lightest. By this method of constructing chain harrows, the clods are
first broken the first or heavy links d, d, the soil is pulverized still finer,
and the "couch," &c. beaten perfectly clean by the intermediate links e, e,
and f, f, whilst the last or lightest links g, g, serve merely to roll the "couch,"
&c. into a whisp, and leave it on the surface of the land.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in Agricultural Implements called Chain Harrows,' for more
effectually Dressing and Cleaning Land," together with the manner of carrying
the same into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as
my Invention, making agricultural implements called "chain harrows" with

page_text: the links gradually decreasing in weight, in the manner and for the purposes
above particularly set forth, without confining myself to any particular form of
the links themselves, or to any particular sectional form of the rod from which
the links may be made.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cartwright, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JOHN CARTWRIGHT. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed in the presence of
GEORGE DAVIES,
Civil Engineer and Patent Agent,
1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn.