IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS AND CULTIVATORS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Corbett, of Wellington, in the County
of Salop, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS AND CULTIVATORS."
Sealed the 8th December 1871, and dated the 29th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Corbett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th June 1871.
I, SAMUEL CORBETT, of Wellington, in the County of Salop, Agri-
cultural Implement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS AND CULTIVATORS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists principally of the improvements in ploughs
herein-after described the objects of the said improvements being chiefly
to facilitate the operations of digging, subsoiling, ridging, pulverizing,
and forking land. Part of my said improvements are also applicable to
cultivators.

page_text: According to my Invention I cast or otherwise fix prongs or cutters
on the top of the plough share, the said prongs or cutters digging up
and loosening the maiden soil before it comes in contact with the breast
or mould board of the plough, and thereby lessen its friction on the
surface of the breast or mould board.
This part of my Invention also consists in applying the prongs or
cutters herein-before referred to, to the points or shares of cultivators
by the use of which prongs or cutters the land is much better pulverized
than by the use of cultivators having the ordinary points or shares.
In order to reduce the wear and friction on the surface of the mould
board, or breast of ploughs and for lightening up, lifting and pulverizing
the soil, I make the bottom edge of the said mould board or breast
project about three fourths of its length further from the upright line
of the frame than the top edge of the mould board or breast, and on
the top or hinder end of the mould board I place a skim provided
with a number of holes to rise higher or lower to suit the depth of
ploughing. The said skim is for the purpose of lifting and spreading
the maiden soil on the surface of the ploughed ground, by which
means the land can be worked to a much finer "tilth" than when
allowed to stand and get hard and dry; and where a regular depth 1
is ploughed I cast or otherwise fix the skin on the hind end of the
mould board to perform the operation described just as the mould board
is leaving the furrow.
When the land is not to be lightened or pulverized but only ploughed
I fix a skim or prong on the top edge of the general purpose mould
board, for the purpose of working loose the top or glazed edge of the
furrow whilst in a damp state, by which means a seed bed is made
at one operation without harrowing or other working. In the general
purpose plough in order to make the bottom of the furrows all solid I
fix one cutter on the share near the edge of the furrow. By that means
the bottom edge is cut off and pressed solid in its place by the mould
board.
I also construct ridge ploughs with the bottom edge of the mould
board or breast to project about three fourths of its length further from
the upright line of the frame than the top edge of the mould board or
breast for the purpose of lifting and loosening the bottom of the ridge,
instead of compressing it as the old ridge plough now in use does. The
R

page_text: foregoing improvements are applicable to single and double furrow
ploughs and ridge or pulverizing ploughs. In double ploughs for sub-
soiling I remove one of the plough bodies and substitute therefor a
subsoil foot provided with a share of the kind before described, by this
means the bottom of the furrow is loosened and the soil from the
other furrow is thrown on the said loosened soil and the soil thereby
loosened up to a great depth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Corbett in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
CORBETT, of Wellington, in the County of Salop, Agricultural Im-
plement Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Corbett, Her special licence
that I, the said Samuel Corbett, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Corbett, 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
PLOUGHS AND CULTIVATORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Samuel Corbett, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Samuel Corbett, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists principally of the improvements in ploughs
hercin-after described, the objects of the said improvements being chiefly
to facilitate the operations of digging, subsoiling, ridging, pulverizing,
and forking land. Part of my said improvements is also applicable to
cultivators.
According to my Invention I cast or otherwise flx prongs or cutters
on the top of the ploughshare, the said prongs or cutters digging up and
loosening the maiden soil before it comes in contact with the breast or
mould board of the plough, and thereby lessen its friction on the surface
of the breast or mould board. This part of my Invention also consists in
applying one or more of the prongs or cutters herein-before 'referred to
to the points or shares of cultivators, by the use of which prongs or
cutters the land is much better pulverized than by the use of cultivators
having the ordinary points or shares. In the general purpose plough, in
order to make the bottom of the furrows all solid, I fix one cutter on.
the share near the edge of the furrow. By that means the bottom
edge is cut off and pressed solid in its place by the mould board. This
part of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 represents in plan and side clevation a plough share provided
with prongs or cutters according to my Invention. In the said Figure 1
a represents the plough share, and b, b, the prongs or cutters cast with or
fixed to the top of the share a. The position of the prongs or cutters b, b,
on the top of the share a is seen in the plan, and their height above the
top of the share is seen in the side elevation. In do not limit myself to
the number represented of the prongs or cutters b, b. A share provided
with the prongs or cutters b, b, is represented applied to a plough in
Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 2 represents in side elevation, end elevation, and plan of upper
side a share of a cultivator or subsoil foot or share of a plough con-
structed according to my Invention; and Figure 3 represents in plan
and side elevation a share or foot of a ridge plough constructed according
to my Invention. In the said Figures 2 and 3 a represents the share or
foot, b the vertical central prong or cutter on the top thereof, and c, c,
the ordinary horizontal wings or cutters of the share or foot. The share

page_text: or subsoil foot, Figure 2, is represented applied to a double and single
plough in Figures 6, 7, and 8, and detached in Figures 8 and 10. The
share or foot, Figure 3, is represented applied to a ridge plough in
Figures 12 and 13. When the share or foot, Figure 2, is applied to a
cultivator the said share or foot may be provided with two side cutters
instead of the single central cutter represented.
Figure 4 represents a plan and side elevation of a plough share a
provided with an inclined cutter at that edge of the share which is
situated near the edge of the furrow. The said cutter is inclined
towards the edge of the furrow in the manner represented in the
Drawing. By the operation of the said cutter the bottom edge of
the furrow is cut off, and by the subsequent operation of the mould
board is pressed solid in its place.
Instead of using a single inclined cutter on the share, as represented
in Figure 4, two (or more) inclined cutters may be employed, as illus-
trated in Figure 5, and marked b, b, for the purpose of more effectually
cutting up stiff or strong land. A share provided with these inclined
cutters is shown in Figure 9.
:-
My Invention consists further of the following improvements in
ploughs In order to reduce the wear and friction on the surface of
the mould board or breast of ploughs, and for lightening up, lifting, and
pulverizing the soil, I make the bottom edge of the said mould board or
breast project about. three fourths of its length further from the upright
line of the frame than the top edge of the mould board or breast; and
on the top or hinder end of the mould board I place a skim provided
with a number of holes to rise higher or lower to suit the depth of
ploughing. The said skim is for the purpose of lifting and spreading
the maiden soil on the surface of the ploughed land, by which means
the land can be worked to a much finer "tilth" than when allowed to
stand and get hard and dry; and where a regular depth is ploughed I
cast or otherwise fix the skim on the hind end of the mould board to
perform the operation described just as the mould board is leaving the
furrow. When the land is not to be lightened or pulverized but only
ploughed I fix a skim or prong on the top edge of the general purpose
mould board, for the purpose of working loose the top or glazed edge of
the furrow whilst in a damp state, by which means a seed bed is made

page_text: at one operation without harrowing or other working. This part of my
Invention is illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 9, and 11 of the Drawing.
Figure 6 represents in side elevation and Figure 7 in plan a single
plough and subsoil foot; and Figure 8 in plan a double plough provided
with mould boards or breasts according to my Invention.
In the said Figures 6, 7, and 8 that part of the mould board or breast,
the bottom of which projects from the upright line of the frame, is
marked d and the bottom edge of the said part is marked d²; e is the
adjustable skim fixed on the top of the hinder end of the mould board.
By means of a series of holes in the edge of the hinder end of the
mould board, and in the skim e, and a pin and screw nut the said skim
can be adjusted higher or lower on the mould board to suit the required
depth of ploughing. The bottom edge of the said skim, and the bottom
of the hinder end of the mould board are serrated or made into teeth
for the purpose of breaking up and harrowing or loosening the soil.
The bottom edge of the skim may be plain instead of serrated. By
the action of the projecting part d of the mould board the soil is lifted,
and by the operation of the skim e on the hind end of the mould board
the maiden soil is lifted, loosened, and spread on the surface of the
ploughed ground as the mould board leaves the furrow. The skim e
may be cast in one piece with the breast or mould board instead of
being made separable therefrom and adjustable thereon, and may be
applied to ordinary mould boards as well as to those made according
to my Invention.
Figure 11 represents an ordinary mould board for a general purpose
plough provided with a skim e, according to my Invention, the said
skim e being separable from and adjustable on the mould board. When
the mould board, Figure 11, is used the skim e works loose the top or
glazed edge of the furrow while in a damp state, and a seed bed is made
at one operation without harrowing or other working.
I also construct ridge ploughs with the bottom edge of each of the
mould boards or breasts to project about three-fourths of its length
further from the upright line of the frame than the top edge of the
mould board or breast for the purpose of lifting and loosening the
bottom of the ridge instead of compressing it as the old ridge plough
now in use does..

page_text: A ridge plough, constructed according to my Invention, is represented
in plan in Figure 12, and side elevation in Figure 13, the beam and
other parts being omitted. The foot of the ridge plough is furnished
with a central cutter, according to my Invention. q, q, are the mould
boards of the plough, the bottom edges of the front parts q, q², of which
mould boards. project further from the upright line of the frame than
the top edges of the said front parts q³, q³, of the mould boards, as will
be understood by an examination of the plan, Figure 12. When this.
plough is in operation the said projecting bottom edges.q, q, of the
fore parts of the mould boards lift and loosen the soil at the bottom
of the ridge instead of compressing it as the ordinary ridge plough does..
I serrate the bottom edges of the hinder ends q, q, of the mould boards
in the manner represented for the purpose of breaking up and harrowing
the soil.
In double ploughs for subsoiling I remove one of the plough bodies.
and substitute therefor a subsoil foot provided with a share of the kind
before described, by this means the bottom of the furrow is loosened
and the soil from the other furrow is thrown on the said loosened soil
and the soil thereby loosened up to a great depth.
Figure 9 represents in plan a double plough, and Figure 10 a
detachable subsoil foot made according to my Invention. When it is
wished to use the plough for subsoiling the plough body marked A
is removed and the subsoil foot g, Figure 10, substituted therefor.
To effect this the plate of the plough body A is removed from the
beam i, and the plate g³ of the subsoil foot connected to the said beam,
the same pin holes being employed.
In adapting the subsoil foot to single ploughs I arrange or combine
the parts in the manner illustrated in Figures 6, 7, and 8. The subsoil
foot g, Figure 8, is carried by a separate and detachable beam / which
is connected at the parts ³, k³, with the beam 7 of the single plough.
The stem g of the subsoil foot passes through a loop in the detachable.
beam k, and is adjusted to the required depth by means of holes and a
cross pin at m, the said pin passing through an eye in the beam k. In
the Drawing the subsoil foot is represented raised out of action. By
means of the lever n and connecting rod p the subsoil foot can be lifted
from the furrow, the stem of the subsoil foot turning on the pin mas
a centre. When the subsoil foot is not required to be used in com-

page_text: bination with the single plough the said subsoil foot is readily removed
from the plough by unscrewing the separable beam & and disconnecting
the lever and connecting rod n, p.
The arrangement described and represented for connecting my im-
proved subsoil foot to the beam of a single plough may also be used
for connecting subsoil feet of the ordinary kind to single ploughs.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I
do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in ploughs
and cultivators, -
Firstly. Casting or otherwise forming on the top of the plough share
prongs or cutters, for the purpose and substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Casting or otherwise forming on the top of the shares or
feet of ploughs and cultivators a vertical central prong or cutter, for
the purpose and substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
Also forming two side cutters on the top of the shares or feet of
cultivators as herein-before described.
Thirdly. Casting or otherwise forming on the top of the shares of
ploughs and near the furrow edge thereof an inclined cutter, or casting
or otherwise forming on the top of the shares two or more similar
cutters, for the purpose and substantially as herein-before described and 2
illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. Constructing the front ends of the mould boards or shares
of ploughs or those parts immediately behind the share, in the manner
and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 6,
7, 9, 12, and 13 of the accompanying Drawings.
3
Fifthly. Providing the hind end of the mould board or breast of
ploughs with a fixed or adjustable skim, for the purpose and sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 9,
and 11 of the accompanying Drawings, whether. the bottom edge of
the said skim be plain or serrated.

page_text: Sixthly. Serrating the bottom edge of the hind end of the mould
boards or breasts of ploughs, for the purpose and substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 9, 12, and 13 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Lastly. The combination of a subsoil foot with a single plough, in
the manner herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 6, 7, and 8
of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, securing the subsoil
foot to an independent beam capable of ready attachment to and detach-
ment from the beam of the single plough, substantially as described
and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Corbett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
SAMUEL CORBETT. (L.S.)