IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES FOR STEAM CULTIVATION AND MACHINERY CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Robert Hay Fisken, of Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WINDLASSES FOR STEAM CULTIVATION AND MACHINERY CONNECTED
THEREWITH.
Sealed the 15th August 1871, and dated the 2nd March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Robert Hay
Fisken at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd March 1871.
I, THOMAS ROBERT HAY FISKEN, of Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES FOR STEAM CULTIVATION AND MACHINERY CONNECTED
THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
.
In the cultivation of land by steam power windlasses or self-moving
anchors are sometimes employed. These windlasses or self-moving
anchors are actuated by an endless rope or band held in position round
the field by corner pulleys and rope porters, which rope (or band)

page_text: conveys the power from the prime mover to the windlasses, and the
plough or implement is hauled by means of a rope which is wound up
by the windlasses or self-moving anchor.
Now my Invention partly consists in the employment of a double-
friction clutch mounted upon a shaft, and the clutch lever is so arranged
that when it is in one position the drum which takes up tho rope which
hauls the plough is put in motion, and when the lever is moved into
position in an opposite direction the drum which winds up the rope
which hauls the windlasses forward is put in motion, or the road wheels
of the windlasses can be put in motion if required.
In order to prevent the windlasses from pulling sideways I fix a
movable disc or coulter upon a centre, so that it will enter the ground
when the windlass is moved forward, and come out of the ground when
the windlass is moved backward. I also employ a coulter or disc placed
on the front part of the windlass, and so fixed that it can be made to
guide the same; and for steering the windlasses I fix to the front wheel
shaft a chain which takes into a chain pinion. Upon the shaft on which
the said chain pinion is fixed I mount a wheel, having cast or fixed upon
it internal teeth. Within this wheel is placed a wheel having external
teeth, but having a less number of teeth than the aforesaid wheel with
internal teeth. Upon the wheel having the external teeth is cast or
fixed an arm, which arm is held in a slot. I cast or fix upon a hand
wheel an eccentric, which hand wheel and eccentric I mount loosely
upon the chain pinion shaft within the wheel having the external teeth,
so that when the hand wheel is moved round it moves the wheel with
external teeth, and the arm of this wheel being held in the slot the
wheel with external teeth gives motion to the wheel with internal teeth),
and it (the said wheel with internal teeth) gives motion to the chain
pinion shaft. This motion can also be used for steering traction engines
or any agricultural implements. In order to give two motions to the
winding drum of the windlass or engine I cast or fix upon the drum two
wheels, one having external teeth and the other internal teeth. The
wheel with external teeth is of less diameter than the one with internal
teeth. Between these wheels is placed the drum pinion, and the drum
is mounted upon a stud fixed in an eccentric, so that when the drum
lever is moved in one direction the pinion gears into the external wheel,
and when it moves in the opposite direction the pinion gears into the

page_text: wheel having internal teeth. The wheels can be cast in different planes,
so that they can gear into different pinions.
For the purpose of giving the plough or other implement a greater
preponderance at one end than the other when in work I mount the
plough frame upon the plough middle upon two points, so that when
the plough or implement is pulled in one direction the plough rests upon
one of these points, and when pulled in the other direction it rests upon
the other point. Or I fix upon the plough frame a rack (or racks) into
which takes a pinion (or pinions) mounted fast upon a shaft, upon this
shaft I mount a pulley around which the rope or chain which hauls the
plough is attached in such a manner that when the plough or implement
is hauled in one direction the pinion (or pinions) move to one end of the
rack (or racks), and when hauled in the opposite direction the pinion (or
pinions) move to the other end of rack. To bear up the rope round
the field I mount a pulley upon a movable shaft or stud, so that when
the stake is being driven into the ground the pulley can be removed and
again replaced with case, and to bear up the steel rope I mount upon a
frame (mounted upon wheels) a shaft, having on cach end a pulley; this
shaft is mounted upon another shaft at right angles to it, and held in
position by a catch, so that when the catch is let loose the one pulley
lets go the rope and the other pulley comes into position, or one pulley
can be used and a balance weight placed at the opposite end.
For turning the implements I mount a frame upon wheels and place
within this frame another frame fitted with a double set of tines or shares,
so that when the implement arrives at the end of the field by the action
of the rope, the frame having the double set of tines or shares is turned
over, so that the set of lines or shares which were out of work come
into work for the return journey. And in order to reverse the frame
with the tines or shares I employ a segmental or circular rack worked by
a wheel and pinion or any other suitable known means, or by chains
connected to the ropes by means of which the implement is drawn from
end to end of the field.
To enable harrow or roller frames that travel upon wheels to be steered
with greater case I attach the rope or bar which hauls the implement to
the centre of the frame, and pass the chain or bar through a slot formed
in the front bracket of the implement. I also attach the wheels together
by levers so that they can be turned in one direction. When two or

page_text: more ploughs are fixed in one frame I construct the skife in such a form,
and attach it to the mould board in such a position, as to enable the
ploughs or shares to follow each other in the shortest space and allow the
furrow slices to turn freely over. The form of the skife is determined
by the arc which the corner of the furrow makes in the act of turning.
1 attach the skife to the mould board in a position between the perpen-
dicular of the mould board and the land side of the plough at a distance
from the land side to clear the are described by the corner of the furrow
which follows.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Robert Hay Fisken in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 2nd September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBERT HAY FISKEN, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Robert Hay Fisken, Her
special licence that I, the said Thomas Robert Hay Fisken, my exc-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Robert Hay Fisken, 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 WINDLASSES FOR STEAM CULTIVATION, AND MACHINERY
CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Robert Hay Fisken, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my 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

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Robert Hay Fisken, 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 being had to
the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, that is to say :—
In the cultivation of land by steam power windlasses or self-moving
anchors are sometimes employed, and are actuated by an endless rope or
band held in position round the field by corner pullies and rope porters,
which rope (or band) conveys the power from the engine or other prime
mover to the windlass, and the plough or other instrument is hauled by
means of a rope which is wound up by the windlass.
My Invention partly consists in the employment of a double-friction
clutch mounted fast upon the shaft of the windlass which first receives
the motion from the prime mover, the clutch lever of which is so
arranged that when it is in one position the drum which winds or takes
up the plough-hauling rope is put in motion, and when it is moved
into a position in an opposite direction the drum which winds up the
windlass hauling rope is put in motion, or by a suitable arrangement of
mechanism the road wheels of the windlass can be put in motion direct,
but this latter arrangement is not preferred. This part of the Invention
is illustrated on the accompanying Drawings in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1,
and Figure 3, Sheet 2.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a vertical central longitudinal section
through the line y, y, Figure 2, of a windlass constructed according to
and adapted with my improvements as herein-after described, the ends
thereof being in side elevation; Figure 2 is a plan view of the same;
and Figure 3, Sheet 2, a transverse vertical section looking towards the
rear through about the centre of the power shaft 1.
1 represents the windlass motive or power shaft which receives primary
motion from an ordinary traction or other steam-power engine placed in
any suitable position in the field, and which motion is communicated
therefrom to the shaft 1 by means of a rope or band (which is held in
position round the field by corner pullies and rope porters) which passes
round and actuates the double grooved pulley 2 fast on the motive shaft,
the rope being guided thereto by the guide pulley 1* and prevented from

page_text: flying off by the guide bar 19, Figure 3. 3 represents the double
friction clutch mounted upon this shaft by keys or feathers in such a
manner that it can be moved up and down the shaft, but is carried
round by it, and is regulated in its action by means of the clutch lever 4
pivotied at 5 to the raised bracket 13 (see Figure 3) Sheet 2. The clutch
lever 4 is actuated by a hand wheel and screwed rod 17 which is sup-
ported in position by the extensions 18 bolted to the bracket 13, as
shown in Figure 3. When the lever is thereby actuated and moved
into the position marked (a) it causes the pinion 6 (attached to the
clutch 7 and which is in gear with the toothed rim y of the drum 8) to
impart the notion to the drum which then takes or winds up the plough
hauling rope. When it is moved into the position marked (6) it does
not actuale either the clutch 7 or the clutch 10, but when it is moved
into the position shown in Figure 3 on the accompanying Drawings it
enuses the pinion 9 (attached to the clutch 10 and which is in gear
with the toothed rim of the smaller drum 11) to actuate or impart the
motion to this drum which then winds up the windlass hauling rope
and hauls the windlass forward on the headland. Both the clutches 7
and 10 with their pinions are mounted loosely upon the shaft 1, and
are actuated only by the double clutch 3. The motive shaft 1 revolves
in a footstep bracket 12 and at its upper part is held in position by the
bracket 13 raised from and bolted to the outside framing 14. The
bracket 13 has an extended framing 13*, 13″, which serves to hold and
keep in proper position (see Figures 1 and 2) the studs 15 and 16 of the
smaller drum 11 and guide pulley 1" upon which they are respectively
mounted loosely, the stud 15 is also fast at its lower part in the
bracket or framing 42*. is the brake rim of the drum 8, and around
which the brake strap works, and c is its cage.
In order to prevent the windlass from being pulled sideways when
hauling the plough or other implement I place a movable disc or coulter
at the rear upon a centre, and in such a position as will cause it to enter
the ground when the windlass is moved forward and come out of the
ground when the windlass is moved backward. I also placo a similar
disc or coulter at the front part of the windlass, and so attached as also
to be capable of being made to guide the same. These improvements
are likewise illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, and Figure 3,
Sheet 2. 20 represents the first movable disc or coulter which is

page_text: pivotted or centred at 21 to the outside framing 14. When the windlass
is travelling or it is not considered necessary to use the disc it is turned
up and fastened by a pin s to any of the holes in the quadrant 22, but
when the windlass is in use the coulter is dropped down and as the
windlass proceeds a few feet it enters the ground and so prevents
the same from being pulled sideways when hauling the plough. A
similar disc or coulter 23 is also placed at the front of the windlass for
the same purpose, this can however also be used for guiding the windlass;
its spindle 27 at the top is provided with a flat lever 24 which works
round a horizontal quadrant 25 suitably attached to the framing 14 and
can be fastened (to guide in any desired direction) and to any of the
holes in the quadrant by means of a pin t. 26 is the bearing of the
spindle 27 and is itself attached to the framing 14. When the windlass
is travelling the spindle 27 can be lifted up and fastened by a pin
through the hole 28 above the bearing 26; but when it is in use it is
let down and fastened by the same hole and pin beneath the bearing,
as shown in Figure 1.
For the purpose of steering the windlasses I fix at suitable points to
the front wheel shaft 29 of the same (which turns about the centre w,)
see Figures 1 and 2) a chain 30 which takes into a chain pinion 31 fast
on the shaft 32, on which shaft I also mount fast an internal toothed
wheel 33 within which I place an external toothed wheel 34 having a
less number of teeth than the wheel 33. Upon the wheel 34 is cast or
fixed an arm 35 which is held by a pin and slot x.
I cast or fix upon
a hand wheel 36 an eccentric 37, and these I mount loosely upon the
shaft 32 within the wheel 34, so that when the hand wheel 36 is moved
round it moves the wheel 34, but the arm 35 of this being held by the
pin and slot the wheel 34 gives motion to the wheel 33, and this being
mounted fast upon the shaft 32 imparts the motion thereto, which
motion by means of the pinion 31 and chain 30 is further transmitted
to the front wheel shaft 29 and so turns the latter about its centre w in
the direction required. This motion is also applicable and intended to
be used for steering, traction, or other engines, or any agricultural
implements.
When it is desired to give two motions (quick and slow) to the plough
hauling drum of the windlass, or the windlass drum of the engine I
cast or fix upon the drum two wheels, one having external teeth and

page_text: the other internal teeth. The wheel with external teeth is of loss
diameter than the one with internal teeth. Between these wheels I
place the drum pinion and mount the drum loosely upon a stud fixed
in an eccentric, so that when the eccentric lover is moved in one
direction the drum pinion gears into the external toothed wheel, and
when it is moved in the opposito direction the drum pinion gears into
the interual toothed wheel. These wheels can be cast in different
planes so that they can gear into different pinions if desired.
These improvements are illustrated in Figures 1.*, 2, and 3*, Sheet 1.
1 is the power shaft; 9 and 10 the small drum pinion and clutch, and 3
the double clutch as herein-before described. In this case the large
drum pinion 6 is overhung and detached from its clutch 7, but they are
both made fast to a bush 38, which is loose on the power shaft and also
revolves freely in the bush 39, which is held in the windlass frainc by
a bracket or other suitable means, so that as herein-before described
the motion can if desired bo immediately transferred by the double
clutch from one drum to the other. The plough hauling or winding
drum is mounted upon a stud 40 (see also Figure 1) fixed in an
eccentric 41, which turns in the framing 42, and is actuated by the
eccentric lever 43; 44 is the wheel cast upon the drum having
external teeth, and 15 the one with internal teeth, and 46 is the brake
rim round which the brake strap passes. The use of the eccentric 41 is
either to change the drum from one motion to the other when required,
or when the implement comes to the end to throw the drum S out of gear
at once (for which latter purpose it is also used when the drum is driven
with only one motion as illustrated in Figure 1) so that the implement
can be stopped either by moving the double friction clutch out of
contact with the plough hauling clutch or by turning the eccentric.
Figure 2 shows the position of the stud 40 of the drum, when the
drum pinion 6 is engaged with the external toothed wheel 4 of tho
drum, and is thereby imparting the quick motion to it, and Figure 3*
the position of the same when the pinion is engaged with the internal
toothed wheel 45, and is thereby imparting the slow motion to it. The
eccentric lever 13 is held in position by a pin to holes or slots v, v, in
the windlass frame 14.
When the windlass is constructed to live twee motions imparted to it

page_text: windlass frame, and also in the relative positions or arrangement of the
various parts, as the centre of the large drum is brought much nearer
the power shaft than is illustrated in Figure 1,) but these alterations
consist merely in the arrangement, and are otherwise immaterial, so
that it is not considered necessary to illustrate them further than is done
in Figures 1*, 2*, and 3*.
For the purpose of giving the plough or other implement a greater
preponderance at one end than at the other when in work I mount the
plough frame upon the plough middle at two points in such a manner
that when the plough or implement is pulled in one direction, the
plough rests upon one of these points, and when pulled in the other
direction it rests upon the other point.
Figure 4, Sheet 2, is a sectional elevation through the line x, y,
Figuro 5, of a plough frame with these implements applied thereto;
46 is the plough frame to which the tines or shares 47 are fixed;
48, 49, are brackets fixed to the frame 46, having slots c, d, in them, in
which slots the transverse rods x and y work, these rods hold the swing
frames 50 together; 50, 51, represent the plough or implement middle
into which are fixed the studs 52 and 53, upon which the road or
travelling wheels 54 revolve; 55 is a transverse rod or bar to which is
attached the double shackle 56 to which latter the ropes 57 and 58
(which haul the implement) are attached.
Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section through about the centre (the
tines 47 not being shown) and the upper half of Figure 6, Sheet 3, is a
half plan view of the same.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the rope 57 is the
hauling or power rope the end of the implement & comes into action, and
the frame 46 rests upon the centre or rod x, and the bracket 48 being so
placed out of the centre of the frame 46, gives to the end of the
implement s a greater preponderance than to the end t, but when the
rope 58 becomes the power rope, the end of the implement t comes
into action and the frame 46 rests upon the centre or rod y, and the
bracket 49 being placed out of the centre of the frame 40 gives to the
end of the implement a greater preponderance than to the ends. Or
instead of this by another mode I fix to the plough frame a rack (or
racks) into which takes a pinion (or pinions) mounted fast upon a shaft
upon which I also mount fast a pulley, around which pass the ropes or

page_text: chains which haul the plough, so that when the plough or implement
is hauled in one direction the piniou (or pinions) moves to one end
of the rack (or racks), and when hauled in the return direction this
motion is reversed. This is illustrated in Figure 7, Sheet 2, and
Figures 8 and 6, Sheet 3.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a plough frame constructed according
to these improvements; Figure 8 a transverse vertical section through
about the centre not showing the tines, and the lower half of Figure 6
a half plan view of the same, 59 is the frame of the plough or other
implement to which is bolted or otherwise fixed the racks 60; 61 are
pinions which gear into the racks 60, and are mounted fast upon the
transverse shaft 62, upon which is also mounted fast the pulley 08,
around which the ropes 64, 65, which haul the implement, are turned
once or twice; 66 is the plough or implement middle to which are fixed
the studs 67 and 6S upon which the road wheels 69 revolve; 70, 70, arc
the tines or shares of the implement.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When the rope 65 is
the power rope its being coiled once or twice around the pulley 63
causes the same to turn when the power is put on, and so causes the
pinions G1, also fast on the shaft 62 to travel towards c*, the shaft 02
being bushed in the plough middle 60 at x and y carries the same, and
the road wheels upon which the plough frame rests to the point c*,
and this point being out of the centre of the implement, thereby gives a
greater preponderance to the end of the implement a. When the
rope 64 becomes the power rope, its being coiled around the pulley 63
causes the same with the shaft 62, and pinions 61, and also the plough
middlo and road wheels to travel towards e*, which point being also out
of the centre of the implement gives a greater preponderance to the
end c of the same.
To bear up the light rope round the field, that is, the rope communi-
cating the motion from the prime mover to the windlass, I mount a
pulley upon a movable spindle or stud, so that when the stake (to
which it is attached) is being driven into the ground, the pulley
can be readily removed and replaced with casc. This is illustrated in
Figures 9 and 10, Sheet 2.
Figure 9 is a side clevation, and Figure 10 a front elevation of the
·light rone norter, a is the pulley revolving upon the movable snindle

page_text: or stud b, which is held when desired by the pins or cotters c, so that
when the stake is being driven into the ground the cotters c are
removed and the stud b withdrawn, when the pulley a can be readily
removed and the stake can be driven into the ground without risk of
injury to the pulley which can as easily be replaced, and the pin e
placed and secured over the pulley to keep the rope in its proper position
as shown.
To support or bear up the steel or plough or other implement hauling
rope I mount upon a frame (mounted upon wheels) a shaft having on
each end a pulley. This shaft is mounted upon another shaft at right
angles to it and which is held in position by a catch, so that when the
catch is let loose the one pulley lets go the rope, and the other pulley
comes into position, or one pulley can be used and a balance weight
placed at the opposite end of its shaft.
Figures 11, 12, and 13, Sheet 3, represent respectively a side elevation,
plan, and end view of this steel rope porter; f is the frame mounted
upon the road wheels g, g, and e, e, are curved brackets bolted thereto;
b is a shaft held or bushed in the brackets e, e, and a is the shaft
mounted thereon at right angles thereto, and having on its ends the
pullics c and d; k is a two-catch wheel mounted fast upon the shaft b,
and.i is a spring lever mounted in one of the brackets e, e, and having
fixed in it a pin ; which takes into the catch wheel ; a*, a*, are the
shafts of the road wheels and around which they loosely revolve, and h
is the steel rope to be held up.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The spring lever i by
means of its pin j, taking into the catch wheel holds the shafts
and a in the desired position, but as soon as the lever is moved so as
to relieve the catch wheel from the piu j, the weight of the steel
rope bearing upon the pulley c moves it round the shaft b, and it so
lets go the rope, and this brings the pulley d into position in which
position it is held by the catch; and catch wheel & till it is required
to be moved.
For the purpose of turning the implements I mount a frame upon
wheels, and place within this frame another frame fitted with a double
set of tines or shares, so that when the implement arrives at the end of
the field by the action of the tail rope, but now the power rope, the
frame having the double set of tines or shares is turned over so that

page_text: the set of tines or shares which were out of work come into work for
the return journey, and in order to turn over or reverse the frame with
the double tines or shares, I employ by preference two semicircular
racks working with pinions as herein-after described, or I effect this by
other suitable means, such as chains connected to the ropes by which the
implement is drawn from end to end of the field.
Figures 14 and 15, Sheet 3, represent respectively a side clevation and
plan view of this part of the Invention; a, a, is the frame mounted
upon the wheels b, b, which wheels are so arranged and mounted upon
the studs r, r, that they can be steered by the levers x, x, x, x, x, x,
which are all connected together as shewn in Figure 17, Sheet 4, and
are or may be actuated by the same means as that described for the
windlass, or by a band lever placed in any suitable position, and so as
not to interfere with the working of the double tine frame. Within
the frame a, a, is placed the line frame c, c, having in it the double
tines d, d, (Figure 14.) The frame c, c, is mounted and turns upon the
In the frame c, c, is bushed the shaft h, having mounted
and o are
studs c, c.
fast upon it the pulley i around which the power ropes
wound once or twice. Upon each end of the shaft is mounted fast
a pinion g, which pinions gear into the semi circular racks, which
are bolted or otherwise fixed to the frame a, a, at y, and into the centre
of which are fixed the studs e, e, upon which the time frame turns,
and are catches fixed to the framing a, a, to support the tino
framing c, c, and to prevent the tines penetrating too far into the
ground.
The action is as follows:-Supposing o to be the power rope and n
the tail rope, and the ends dª, d', of the double tines d, d, to be in work
when the implement arrives at the end of the field and the rope n
becomes the power rope, the said ropo having a turn or two round the
pulley i mounted fast on the shaft when the power is put on causes
the shaft with the pinions g, g, to travel towards x, the pinions gearing
into the semicircular racks f. f, and travelling over the same, and
thereby carrying over the movable frame c, c, to the other end of the
frame, so that the other ends at d³, d³, of the tines d, d, now come into
action. To enable harrow or roller frames travelling upon wheels to be 3
steered with greater ease I attach the ropes or bars which haul the
implement to the centre of the frame and pass the said ropes or chains

page_text: or bars, through longitudinal slots formed in the front or end brackets
of the implement, I also connect all the wheels together by levers, so
that they can be turned in one direction.
Figures 16, 17, and 18, Slicet 4, illustrate this part of the Invention;
Figure 16 is a side elevation; Figure 17 a plan, and Figure 18 an end
view of the same; a, a, is the frame mounted on the wheels 8; b, b, the
end or front brackets with slots g, h, therein (sec Figure 18) through
which the chains or bars d, e, pass, to which the power ropes ff, are
attached; is a centre bracket (bolted to the frame a,) in which the
pin c is fixed, and which holds the chains or rods d, e, to the frame;
x, x, x, x, x, x, are the levers which connect all the wheels together for
the purpose of steering them, and they are or may be steered by
employing the mode of steerage herein-before described in reference to
the windlass by attaching the chain 30 (Sheet 1, Figure 2) to the
axle or levers, or these levers may be worked by a hand lever. Harrows
or rollers can be placed below the frame between a³, a¹, and attached to
tlic frame at suitable points. The working of this apparatus is as
follows: The bars d and e, to which the hauling ropes are connected
being fixed to the frame a, a, at or about its centro c, and having
freedom to move from end to end of the slots g, h, thus allow the
wheels 8, 8, to steer or take the desired course with greater case than
if the rods were attached to the frame at the points c¹ and d¹.
When one or more ploughs are fixed in one frame I construct the
skife in such a form and attach it to the mould board in such a position,
as to enable the ploughs or shares to follow each other in the shortest
space, and allow the furrow slices to turn freely over. The form of the
skife is determined by the arc which the corner of the furrow makes in
the act of turning, and I attach the skife to the mould board in a
position between the perpendicular of the mould board and the land sido
of the plough at such a distance from the latter to clear the arc described
by the corner of the furrow which follows.
Figures 19, 20, and 21, Sheet 3, illustrate this part of the Invention ;
Figure 19 is a plan; Figure 20 a side clevation, and Figure 21 a trans-
verse section of the same; a, b, c, arc thc skifes, and a', b', c', are the
mould boards which are suitably fixed thereto; h is the plough frame;
i, the coulter; k, (Figure 21) the furrow slice, and the corner or land
side of the furrow. The form of the skife is determined by the arc which

page_text: the corner of the furrow slice & makes in turning, and the skife is cut
away from to g, (Figure 19,) so as to allow the furrow slice to freely
turn over, and when this is effected the skife is fixed to the mould
board between the centre or perpendicular of the mould board d and g',
which position also determines the distance x-y between the skife
and coulter; m, m, m, are the plough shares.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
Improvements in Windlasses for Steam Cultivation and Machinery
connected therewith," together with the manner in which the same is to
be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark
in conclusion that I claim as my Invention,—
First. The use and employment of a double friction clutch for the
purposes herein-beforo set forth.
Second. The use and employment of the discs or coulters for the
purposes specified.
Third. The improved mode of and apparatus for steering windlasses,
traction or other engines, and other agricultural implements.
Fourth. The use and employment of two sets of teeth cast or other-
wise fixed upon a hauling or winding drum used in windlasses or engines
used for steam cultivation for the purpose of giving two different speeds
to the same.
Fifth. The use and employment of a swing frame or frames having
two centres upon which the plough or implement frame rests alternately
when in work so as to give a greater preponderance to one end (when
desired) than to the other.
Şixth. The use and employment of racks and pinions actuated by the
hauling or power ropes for a similar purpose.
Seventh. The construction and use of the improved light rope porter.
Eighth. The construction and use of the improved steel rope porter.
Ninth. The improved mode of and apparatus for turning cultivators. :
Tenth. The improved mode of fixing the rods or bars, or chains used
in hauling harrow or roller frames employed in steam cultivation for
the purposes herein-before set forth.
And, cleventh. The improved form or construction of skifes, and also
the more advantageous position in which they are placed or attached to

page_text: the mould boards, all substantially as herein-before described and as
illustrated on the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Robert Hay Fisken, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.