IMPROVEMENTS IN. IMDI MUNTS AD ADDADAMIC BAD DronGHING THING OR CHEMINATING LAND
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Chamberlin, junior, of Narborough, in the
County of Norfolk, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN.
IMDI MUNTS AD ADDADAMIC BAD DronGHING THING OR CHEMINATING LAND"
Sealed the 3rd April 1857, and dated the 21st January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Chamberlin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st January 1857.
I, HENRY CHAMBERLIN, junior, of Narborough, in the County of Norfolk,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN IMPLEMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING, TILLING, OR CULTIVATING
LAND," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to implements or apparatus for tilling the soil as a
substitute for the ordinary plough, which apparatus is not alone calculated to
turn over the soil but also to break and pulverize it at the same time, so as
to dispense with the operation of harrowing for the purpose of breaking the
clods.
This apparatus may be drawn by horses, steam, or any suitable power. It
consists of a screw or screws of a diameter large enough to cultivate the
earth to a sufficient depth. This screw consists of one or more leaves or
blades wound round an axis on which it rotates; it is supported at each end
by bearings from suitable framework travelling on wheels over the ground, the

page_text: direction of motion being in the direction of the length of the axis of the screw
The screw may either consist of one or more threads involving a
whole turn of the screw, or of sections or portions of more or less than a
whole turn of the thread, and may be of the same or of different rake or
pitch. This screw being drawn through the earth in the direction of the
length of its axis, it is caused to rotate, and at the same time to cut, turn over,
break up, and pulverize the soil at one and the same time.
In commencing to operate with this machine, I dig a trench of sufficient depth
to receive the screw, in which it is lowered by a suitable rising and lowering
notion; after lowering, it is in readiness for action to be drawn through the
ground. Instead of threads of screws to act on the soil for the purpose of invert-
ing and breaking it up, the parts so acting may consist of tines or prongs set
in a spiral direction or otherwise round the screw axis or shaft; the leading
part of the screw being smooth cuts into the ground as it is drawn through,
causing the whole length of shaft to rotate, whereby the prongs or parts of
screws or blades on the same axis are caused to act on the soil as required.
One or more of such screw shafts may be disposed on the same travelling
frame, so as to act simultaneously, and arranged either to be inserted to the
full depth of their diameter or only to partially enter the ground. In order
to cut and open the ground for the front bearing of the screw shaft, I place
a coulter in advance, which cuts and opens the ground to the depth that the
screw enters, which coulter rises and falls with the rising and lowering motion
of the screw & its shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Chamberlin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, HENRY
CHAMBERLIN, junior, of Narborough, in the County of Norfolk, Gentleman,
send greeting.
5
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters a
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Chamberlin, Her special license that I, the said Henry Chamberlin,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Chamberlin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN IMPLEMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR PLOUGHING, TILLING, OR CULTIVATING
LAND," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Chamberlin,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Henry Chamberlin, 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, (reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to implements or apparatus for tilling the soil as a
substitute for the ordinary plough, which apparatus is not alone calculated to
turn over the soil but also to break and pulverize it at the same time, so as
to dispense with the operation of harrowing for the purpose of breaking the
clods. This apparatus may be drawn by horses, steam, or any suitable power.
It consists of a screw or screws of a diameter large enough to cultivate the
earth to a sufficient depth. This screw consists of one or more leaves or
blades wound round an axis on which it rotates; it is supported at each end
by bearings from suitable framework travelling on wheels over the ground in
The screw
the direction of the length of the axis of the screw or screws.
may either consist of one or more threads involving a whole turn of the screw,
or of sections or portions of more or less than a whole turn of the thread, and
may be of the same or of different rake or pitch. This screw being drawn
through the earth in the direction of the length of its axis, it is caused to
rotate and at the same time to cut, turn over, break up, and pulverize the
soil at one and the same time.
In commencing to operate with this machine, I dig a trench of sufficient
depth to receive the screw, in which it is lowered by a suitable rising and
lowering motion; after lowering, it is in readiness for action to be drawn
through the ground. Instead of threads of screws to act on the soil for the
purpose of inverting and breaking it up, the parts so acting may consist of
tines or prongs set in a spiral direction or otherwise round the screw axis

page_text: moving in advance of the implement, or it may drawn be by means of a
stationary steam engine, or by other stationary power communicated by
traction ropes or chains, as now well understood in agricultural operations.
The hand lever i in the rear of the machine or implement may be used for
steering or guiding it in its course, so as to run parallel to the last furrow or
line of soil previously operated upon. It will be observed, that the screw a, a',
consists of a single thread or leaf throughout its length, but that it is not of
the same pitch, throughout; the part a in advance, or that which takes the lead
when it is drawn through the soil by the traction chain p, is of considerable less
rake or pitch than the after part a'. Now, in pulling this implement through
the ground the coulter e first cuts and opens the ground into which the screw
enters, and by the force of the traction worms or screws itself through the soil.
A considerable length of the screw at the first end a is of the same pitch, so
that having entered the ground this part takes a firm hold of the soil in which
it is embedded, and in which it forms a matrix. By thus taking hold of tho
soil at the fore part a, it holds a command over the after part of the screw,
which becomes imbedded in less solid ground by reason of its being broken up
by the part in advance; the effect of which is this: the after part a¹ of the screw
being of much greater pitch or rake than the fore part, it will not merely be
wormed or screwed through the ground, but will turn and break it up, and
further, will invert and move it sideways to a greater or less extent, according
to the depth of its immersion in the soil, and will form a furrow somewhat in
the manner of an ordinary plough, but with this difference in effect, that the
ground, instead of being inverted in a solid mass, will be pulverized and broken
up to the extent desired.
It will be observed that the axis d, d, coulter e, and bearings bare thinned
and pointed to ensure their easy passage through the soil. Instead of placing
the screw a on a shaft, the boss may be cast solid, and furnished with the
necessary pivots or journals at each end; or instead of the screw being in one
piece from end to end, it may be formed in pieces and fitted on the central
shaft to form a whole screw, or the leaf or thread may be in detached portions
and fixed separately or in one piece on the shaft, as herein-after described.
Fig. 4 represents, in side elevation, a modification of the tilling screw or
implement according to my Invention; Fig. 5 is an end view of the same.
The frame c, c, bearings b, b, &c. are the same as before described. a, a, is
the entering and controlling part of the screw, which takes hold of and simply
screws through the soil, as before explained; a', a', a', are detached portions of
the thread of a screw of a different pitch, which breaks up, inverts, and pulverizes
the soil as required by reason of the control exercised over them by the part a.

page_text: Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of a further modification of the implement
according to my Invention; and Fig. 7, an end view of the same. The leading
and controlling part of the screw a is the same as before. In this the working
part of the screw is composed of a series of tines or radial projections t, t,
arranged in the form of portions of screws, but of different pitch or rake to that
of screw a, whereby these tines are caused to operate on the soil as before.
Fig. 8 represents a side, and Fig. 9 an end view of a further modification in
which the controlling screw is the same as in all the preceding arrangements,
but the radial tines t¹ are placed in straight rows, and which produce the
desired result in tilling, but I think with less advantage than is attained by
the arrangement before described.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the method of performing
the same, I would have it understood that what I desire to be protected under
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the adaptation and appli-
cation of screw leaves, threads, or blades in combination with other screw
leaves, threads, or blades of a different rake or pitch, or with other parts, for
tilling or operating on the soil, as herein-before represented and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Chamberlin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
HENRY CHAMBERLIN, JN". (L.S.)