IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PLOUGHING, HARROWING, AND RAKING LAND, AND CUTTING FOOD FOR ANIMALS
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN_
SANDERS, WILLIAM WILLIAMS, SAMUEL LAWRENCE TAYLOR, WILLIAM ARM-
STRONG, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Makers, and EVAN WILLIAM
DAVID, of Cardiff, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-second day of September, in the sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Sanders, William Williams, Samuel Lawrence Taylor, William Arm-
strong, and Evan William David, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that we, the said John Sanders, William Williams, Samuel
Lawrence Taylor, William Armstrong, and Evan William David, our exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Sanders, William
Williams, Samuel Lawrence Taylor, William Armstrong, and Evan William
David, our exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PLOUGHING, HARROWING, AND RAKING LAND,
AND CUTTING FOOD FOR ANIMALS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso, that we, the said John Sanders, William Williams, Samuel

page_text: Lawrence Taylor, William Armstrong, and Evan William David, or some
or one of us, shall cause a particular description of the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in
Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months nex
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
John Sanders, William Williams, Samuel Lawrence Taylor, William Arm-
strong, and Evan William David, do hereby declare that the nature of our
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
Our Invention relates,-
:-
First, to improvements in the construction of ploughs in order to regulate the
positions of the shares, and also improvements for applying the draft to ploughs.
Secondly, our Invention relates to an improvement in casting plough shares,
in örder to cause the lower edge of the land side of each share to be chilled in
casting to be more lasting at that edge.
Thirdly, our Invention relates to a mode of making harrows with irregular
sides, so that the tines of each harrow can be arranged more favorably for
working. Such improvements consist partly in using straight bars of iron or
wood, crossing in diagonal directions. And also improvements in harrows,
whereby the distance at which the teeth or tines work from each other may be
expanded or contracted at pleasure; and also improvements in wheel harrows
by placing the teeth or tines on axes, whereby the depth or position at which
they work may be varied from time to time, and when, with proper teeth,
these harrows may be used for working of the land before, and also in substi-
tution for ploughing.
Fourthly, our Invention relates to a mode of constructing horse rakes, and
consists in causing the axis of the tines or teeth to be depressed, carrying with
it one end of each tine or tooth; the tines or teeth being supported by a bar
intermediate of their length, causes the working points of the tines or teeth to
rise off the ground, and thus to deliver the bay or other matters raked up.
And, fifthly, our Invention relates to improvements in machinery for cutting
chaff, and also to improvements in machinery for cutting turnips and other
roots. And in order that our Invention may be fully described and readily
understood, I will proceed to explain the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Figure 1 represents a side view of a plough, constructed according to our
improvements. Figure 2 shows a plan of part of the fore end of the beam,
and Figure 3 is part of a plan of the handles.
a is a share, which is placed
which is similar to what has
on the lever b, which moves on an axis at 6',
before been done, but in such cases the shares have been fixed by fastening
the lever b securely, and it requires much time and trouble to vary the position
of the shares; and the object of this part of the Invention is to apply suitable
apparatus to enable the ploughman at any moment to vary the position of the
point of the plough share. c is a connecting rod or link attached at one end to
the lever b, and at the other to the lever d, the back end of which works oppo-
site a rack e, there being a spring f to force the lever towards the rack e, and
thus retain the lever in any of the teeth of the rack; by this arrangement the
ploughman, when he desires to vary the position of the point of the share, will
force the back end of the lever d towards the right hand, and then raise or
lower the lever according as the point of the share is desired to be raised or
lowered. g
is what I call the draught bar, which is connected with the beam
of a plough near the middle by the pin g' passing through one or other of the
holes in the bar g. The draught chain or rod h is attached at the lower end
of the bar g, as is shown, and works through the guide plate i, which is affixed
to the plate j, which moves on an axis at the fore end of the beam, and the
position of the plate j can be varied by being fixed to different parts of the
curved end of the beam of the plough, as is shown. k is a stay or link
attached at one end of the beam by a pin joint, and to the bar g at the other
end by a pin joint.
The second part of our Invention relates, as above stated, to the mode of
constructing the lower edge of the land side of a plough share, so as to obtain a
more lasting edge. Figure 4 shows a cast plough share and a section thereof
taken at the dotted line. In this share it will be seen that is the land side of the
share, and m the upper surface of the share, and it will be seen that there is a
groove n formed near the lower edge of the land side of the share, the sides of
which groove in casting are to be chilled; such chilling parts of surfaces of
castings is well understood. By this means it will be evident that the narrow
part of iron between the groove and the bottom edge of the share will be more
hardened than when the land side of the share rises perpendicular, or nearly so.
The mode of obtaining this additional hardening to the lower edge of a plough
share may be varied by varying the figure or section of the fore part of the
plough share. Figure 5 shows another cast plough share and a section theres
1.

page_text: taken at the dotted line; in this case the lower edge n is made prominent, the
upper part of the groove n being omitted, so that the land side of the plough
share will incline, as is shown. Figure 6 shows another plough share and a
section thereof, taken at the dotted line; in this case the lower edge of the land
side of the share is bevilled, so that the upper surface of the edge may be chill
cast. Figure 7 shows another share, and a section thereof, taken at the dotted
line; in this case the groove n is on the under surface of the share near to the
lower edge of the land side of the share. It may here be stated that the
object is to obtain a greater mass of chilled iron at the lower edge of the
land side of the share, which will retain the point more lasting and sharp.
We will now describe the third part of our Invention, which relates
to improvements in the construction of harrows:-Figure 8 shows a plan of
three harrows constructed according to this part of our Invention, and Figure 9
is an end view of one of the harrows. A, B, C, are the three harrows, which
are each composed of straight bars crossing each other and secured to the
front and back bars or rails, but so arranged that the sides of each harrow are
irregular, in order more advantageously to arrange the tines or teeth, each to
take their own separate line, as is shown. Each harrow is composed of
straight bars, which are either affixed together where they cross, or the upper
ends of the teeth or tines pass through the bars, so as to allow of expanding
and contracting the distance at which the tines work, in which latter case the
bars or rails at the two ends are made in several parts sliding on each other,
and affixed by pins passing through them, as are shown, the inner bars having
sockets at their ends to slide on the end bars. These harrows may be also
made to expand or contract, by causing the diagonal bars to slide upon the
front and back bars or rails, or the bars where they cross may be made fast,
and where such harrows are not required to expand and contract, the bars
which combine the diagonal bars together may run across at right angles to
the line of the movement of the harrows. We would remark that we are
aware that harrows have been before made with irregular sides, by having the
bars made zig-zag, and a Patent was granted to the within-named William
Armstrong for such purposes; and this part of our Invention has for its object
the making of harrows of similar shapes by the use of straight bars, retaining
the advantages of construction consequent on the straight bars being placed in
a diagonal direction, by which a similar arrangement of the tines is arrived at
as when using zig-zag bars in making harrows. Figure 11 shows a wheel
harrow constructed according to another of our improvements, where the teeth
or tines are affixed to axes which are capable of movement. q, q, are the
axes which carry the teeth or tines, on each of which there is a projecting
'

page_text: arm having a slot, through which a stud on the bar r passes, and according
to the position in which the bar r is fixed so will be this inclination of the teeth
or tines, as will readily be understood on examining the Drawing. In some
cases we construct this description of harrow strong enough to have teeth
suitable for working land.
We will now describe the fourth part of our Invention, which relates to
the construction of horse rakes. Figure 11* shows a plan of a horse rake
constructed according to this part of our Invention. Figure 12 also shows a
plan of the rake, but on the under side the tines or teeth being removed.
Figure 13 shows an end section when in action; and Figure 14 shows an end
section, the tines or teeth being lifted out of action. s, s, is the framing,
which may be of wood or iron. t, t, are the wheels, the bearings v of which
are capable of being raised or lowered by being fixed to the frame at a higher
or lower position, as is shown. u is the handle by which the tines or teeth
are raised and lowered, there being stops to retain the handle up or down, as
occasion may require. w is an axis moving in bearings at each end at w¹, w'.
To the axis w is affixed the axis of the tines or teeth, such axis a
being affixed to the axis w by the arms a¹, as is shown. y is a bar which
vents the teeth being raised up out of their working position, unless the axis a
be first lowered, as hereafter explained. The tines or teeth are curved, as is
shown, and are separate on the axis x, moving independently of each other.
When the rake is in use, as it is progressively moved forward, the handle will
be raised upward, causing the axis w to move round, which by the arms r¹ will
carry down the axis a, and the teeth or tines will rest on the axis w, and each
will move thereon as a fulcrum, thereby the teeth or tines will move out of the
hay or other matter which has been raked up.
pre-
We will now describe the fifth part of our Invention, which relates to the
cutting of food for animals. Figure 15 shows a front view of a chaff-cutting
machine, and Figure 16 shows part of a side view. y is the axis of the
rotatory knife. On this axis we apply arms z, z, each carrying a friction
wheel or roller. These arms are for working the levers which give motion to
the feed rollers and the presser. (1) is the lever which acts on the presser (2),
as is shown. (3) is the lever which gives motion to the feed rollers, such
lever having another lever (4) resting on it, the lever (4) carrying a hook
driver (5), which drives the ratchet wheel (6) on the axis of one of the feed
rollers. By this arrangement the arms z, z¹, will alternately raise the levers,
and it should be stated, that if two or three knives be used, then there is to be
an arm z and z¹ for each of the knives, as is shown in Figures 16 and 17.
The presser is acted on by a spring (7), which tends at all times to lift it

page_text: up. (8) is a lever for pressing on the axis of the presser lever before
described, such axis being allowed to rise and fall in order that the presser
may follow notwithstanding irregularities of feed.
Another of our improvements relates to cutting turnips and other roots.
Figures (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), and (23), show various views, the
nature of each being written thereon it will not be necessary to repeat them
here. The peculiar character of this machinery is that, whether they are
rotary or reciprocating, they have an angular moving trough, down the sides
of which are a series of knives A, A, placed in an inclined direction, and
blades B, B, which give the reverse cut. Figures 18 and 19 show a machine
with a horizontal axis C, having two plates D, D, affixed thereon so as to
produce an angular space all round the axis, there being openings through the
plates D, so that the pieces of turnip or other roots may fall through as the
knives cut them off. E, E, is a stop against which the roots are pressed when
the cuts are being made. Figures (20) and (21) show a similar machine, but
the axis is vertical, and there is a circular trough formed between the plates or
sides D, D. The parts of this machine are marked with the same letters of
reference, and their construction and mode of action will readily be understood
by examining the Drawings. Figures (22) and (25) show a machine where a
reciprocating angular trough is used in place of a rotary trough on an axis,
and the parts of this machine is also marked with the same letters of reference,
and its construction is clearly shown in the Drawing.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the best means we
are acquainted with for carrying out the various improvements, we wish it to
be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details shown and
described, provided the peculiar character of either part of our Invention be
retained. But what we claim is,―
First, the improvements on ploughs herein described, whereby the plough-
man may alter the position of the share from time to time, as desired:
And we also claim the applying a draught bar 9 intermediate of the distance
between the coulter and the end of the beam, as described.
Secondly, we claim the modes of constructing plough shares, so as to
obtain a greater mass or more extended surfaces of chill cast iron at the
lower edge of the land side of a cast plough share, as above described.
Thirdly, we claim the mode of constructing harrows with irregular sides, by
employing straight bars placed in diagonal directions.
And we claim the using of diagonal bars in constructing arrows, whether
they have irregular sides or not.
And we also claim the mode of making expanding harrows.

page_text: And we also claim the mode of constructing wheel harrows by affixing the
teeth or tines on axes, thereby being enabled readily to regulate the position in
which such teeth or tines shall work.
Fourthly, we claim the mode of acting on the teeth or tines of horse rakes,
by means of lowering their axs ix, as above described.
And, fifthly, we claim the mode of working the parts of a chaff-cutting
machine by means of the armis z, z¹.
And we also claim the mode of applying the presser levers to chaff-cutting
machines, as above described.
We also claim the mode of constructing machinery for cutting turnips and
other roots by a rototary angular trough, with knives A, A, and B, B, placed
at the sides of the trough.
And we likewise claim the mode of constructing the machine shown at
Figures 22 and 23, where a reciprocating angular trough with knives A, B,
are used, as above described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Lawrence Taylor and William
Armstrong, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second
day of March, One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.