IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SUPPLYING FOOD FOR CATTLE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Willacy, of Penwortham Priory, in the
County of Lancaster, Land Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SUPPLYING FOOD FOR
CATTLE."
Sealed the 27th March 1866, and dated the 30th September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Willacy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
80th September 1865..
I, ROBERT WILLACY, of Penwortham Priory, in the County of Lancaster,
Land Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SUPPLYING FOOD FOR.
CATTLE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar combination of machinery or apparatus-
for preparing and supplying food for cattle, whereby a large number of cattle-
may be fed with any particular quantity of food in a short space of time.
According to this Invention it is proposed to combine a turnip cutter, or an
oil cake or corn crusher or bruiser, or other like food preparer, with a
waggon running along trams laid down inside the cattle shed. The main
shaft of the food preparing mechanism communicates by gearing with one of
the axles of the waggon, so that on driving this' shaft in order to cut the roots
or otherwise prepare the food, the waggon will be simultaneously caused to
travel along the trams. Along the side of the tramway there is placed a
i

page_text: feeding trough of a peculiar construction extending along the entire length of
the cattle shed or house; the back of this trough is made considerably higher
than the front so as to form a species of continuous shoot for directing the
prepared food (which falls from the machine as it travels along) into the
bottom of the trough. The trough (which is of an angular section, and may
be usefully employed irrespective of the machine in some cases) is thus
supplied with a regulated quantity of food distributed evenly from end to end.
A rail is fixed in front of the cattle and along the side of the tramway a little
above the floor to prevent the cattle from bringing, their heads within the
range of the machine's course, but at the same time allowing sufficient space
underneath for the cattle to feed out of the trough conveniently.
The same arrangement of self-travelling machine may be employed for
cutting and distributing turnips in the field, or for crushing or bruising
cake or corn, and placing them in a long trough for the purpose of feeding
sheep. A footboard may be attached to the machine for the attendant to
stand upon, and so travel with the machine."
If desired the machine might be drawn by a borse or worked by some
engine, in which case the gearing, in connection with the running wheels,
would transmit motion to the main shaft of the cutting or bruising
Auechanism.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Willacy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WILLACY, of Penwortham Priory, in the County of Lancaster, Land Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and. successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Robert Willacy, Her special license that, I, the; said.
Robert Willacy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Robert Willacy, my executors, administrators, or 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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SUPPLYING FOOD
FOR CATTLE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Willacy, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Willacy, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar combination of machinery or
apparatus for preparing and supplying food for cattle, whereby. a largo
number of cattle may be fed with any particular quantity of food in a short
space of time.
According to this Invention it is proposed to combine a turnip cutter or an
oil cake or corn crusher or bruiser, or other like food preparer with a waggou
running along trams laid down inside the cattle shed. The main shaft of the
food-preparing mechanism communicates by gearing with one of the axles of
the waggon, so than on driving this shaft in order to cut the roots or otherwise
prepare the food, the waggon will be simultaneously caused to travel along
the trams. Along the side of the tramway there is placed a feeding trough of
a peculiar construction extending along the entire length of the cattle shed or
.house; the back of this trough is made considerably higher than the front, so
as to form a species of continuous shoot for directing the prepared food (which
falls from the machine as it travels along) into the bottom of the trough.
The trough (which is of an angular section, and may be usefully employed
irrespective of the machine in some cases) is thus supplied with a regular
quantity of food distributed evenly from end to end. A rail is fixed in front
of the cattle and along the side of the tramway a little above the floor to
prevent the cattle from bringing their heads within the range of the machine's
course, but at the same time allowing sufficient space underneath for the
cattle to feed out of the trough conveniently.
The same arrangement of self-travelling machine may be employed for
cutting and distributing turnips in the field or for crushing or bruising cake
and corn, and placing them in a long trough for the purpose of feeding sheep.

page_text: '
A footboard may be attached to the machine for the attendant to stand
upon and so travel with the machine.
If desired, the machine might be drawn by a horse or propelled by
some other power, in which case the gearing in connection with the running
wheels would transmit motion to the main shaft of the cutting or bruising
mechanism.
: ;
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the sectional elevation of my arrangement shown on the accompanying
Drawing.
A, A, are two trams or rails, upon which run the wheels, B, B, of the
carriage or main travelling frame C, which supports the food-preparing
machinery and the gearing and shafts for actuating the same. On one of the
axles of the carriage or waggon there is fitted loosely a spur wheel D, which
is connected to the axle by an ordinary clutch worked by a clutch lever, as
shewn, so as to be coupled or uncoupled with or from the axle, as required;
this wheel D gears into the spur wheel E fast on an intermediate shaft F, and
receives motion from a pinion G keyed on the cutting shaft H, H', of the
root cutter or disc I. This shaft carries also a fly wheel K, and is divided or
'made in two parts, the division being near the pinion G; on the portion H¹
which carries the fly wheel, there is fixed the pinion G, whilst on the other
portion H there is fitted the sliding clutch box a, which on being coupled
with the pinion G transmits motion to the food-preparing mechanism, but
when uncoupled from G that mechanism will be out of action whilst the fly
wheel is still allowed to rotate. The part H of the cutter shaft receives
motion from a shaft at right angles thereto by means of a pair of bevel
'or mitre wheels L, a winch handle M being secured to the said shaft for the
'purpose of working the apparatus by hand, the rotation of the winch bandle
not only actuating the food-preparing or reducing mechanism, but also
imparting where required a travelling motion to the entire machine along its
rails or trams.
'one.
If desired, the machine can be used for all the purposes of a stationary
N is the box or hopper for the reception of the turnips or other roots
or food to be cut or supplied by the ordinary or any other suitable arrange-
ment, such part of the apparatus forming no portion of my Invention,
excepting when used in combination with the gearing connected with the
running axle of the machine. O is an ordinary oil cake mill or corn crusher,
also carried on the same waggon or framing, the rollers of such mill receiving
motion when requisite through an ordinary sliding pinion from the shaft H by

page_text: the aid of bevel gearing P. The cut or bruised food drops into the shoot or
spout Q, and is thence discharged whilst the machine is travelling along into
the long feeding trough R, which extends alongside the tramway and parallel
thereto. This trough is of an angular section, being formed of two stone slabs,
wooden boards, or metal plates S, T, the slab S being fixed in the ground, as
shewn, whilst the slab T meets it at an angle on a level about with the
surface on the floor. U represents one of a series of transverse partitions
composed of stone or other suitable material, and placed at intervals in the
long trough so as to subdivide it into compartments, whereby the food is more
immediately placed before each cow. V is a fence or guard extending along
the entire length of the cow-house, and serving to protect the heads of the
cattle from contact with the machine as it passes along.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st, the peculiar combination and arrangement of machinery or appa-
ratus for preparing and supplying food for cattle wherein the machine is
caused to cut or reduce the food, and at the same time to travel along a
feeding trough into which the prepared food is discharged during the
travelling of the machine, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein-before described.
2nd, the so constructing travelling root cutters, oil cake mills, corn
crushers, and similar cattle food preparing machines, that the putting in action
of the food-preparing mechanism shall simultaneously impart a travelling
motion to the entire machine, or that the hauling or propelling of the machine
by horse or other power shall simultaneously put in action the food-preparing
mechanism, substantially as herein-before described.
3rd, the peculiar construction of feeding trough for cattle, as herein-before
described and illustrated by my Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Willacy, have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day
of March, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ROBERT WILLACY. (LS.)