IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAND CULTIVATORS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
LAND CULTIVATORS."-A communication from abroad by David
Edwards, of Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, Australia,
Blacksmith.
Sealed the 7th January 1870, and dated the 11th October 1869.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 11th October 1869, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAND CULTIVATORS," and have petitioned Her Majesty

page_text: to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it
has been communicated to me from abroad by David Edwards, of
Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, Australia, Blacksmith.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, forming
part of this Specification.
The said Invention consists in certain improvements in the con-
struction of land cultivators whereby I am enabled to produce a machine
which will perform the work required to be done by it in a much more
effective manner, and which is less expensive of construction, and more
economical in working than other machines. It is so designed that it 1
may be used either for ploughing or scarifying, as may be desired.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the said machine fitted with teeth as
a scarifier; Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are
detailed views of some of the parts on a larger scale, including the
ploughshares which may be substituted for the scarifying teeth when
required.
A is the centre bar or beam, one extremity of which is connected to a
clutch or clasp B fitting loosely on the vertical shaft C, while the other
extremity is connected to a cross bar D which is attached to the crank 2
axle E of the back bearing wheels F. From this end of the centre
beam rise two parallel pieces of iron G which form the guide for the
handle of the lever H, which may be adjusted and secured by means of
a pin I passing through the perforations made in the guide G. This
lever is connected to the crank axle E. To this lever I attach a rod J, §
which is connected at its other extremity to another lever K turning
upon the fulcrum L and proceeding to the top of the shaft O, as shewn,
Iron bars M are bent in the shape shewn. To these bars I attach the
teeth N by means of a square clasp O and set screw P. Q, Q, are two
pieces of iron having perforations, as shewn, for the reception of the
straight portion of the draught link R. S is a key for scrowing or
unscrewing the set screws.

page_text: The Drawing represents a four-horse machine in which there are twenty
teeth, each placed about three inches outside the one immediately before
it, and each being at a point about ten inches behind another. Now
if a two-horse (or twelve-teeth) machine be made the teeth will require
to be a longer distance (say twelve inches) behind each other, although
only the same distance outside of each other. In order to accomplish this
object the angles in the zig-zag bar must be longer and more obtuse than
in the larger machine, so that the centre beam will be about six feet in
length, the larger one being about eight feet. It will be readily seen
that the length of the teeth below the zig-zag bar or centre beam (as the
case may be) as well as the degree of angularity to be given to them
can be regulated accurately by means of the set screws P and clasps O,
while by the same means some or all of them may be removed altogether,
and the ploughshares substituted for them. In this latter case there
would be five ploughshares only on one side and four on the other, and
these are to be so set that they will form the ridge inside the zig-zag bar,
each turning over the earth towards the opposite side of the machine. For
this purpose it will be necessary to have those on the right-hand side of
the machine made with a left-hand pitch, and those on the left-hand side
of the machine with a right-hand pitch.
If the machine should be used for working ground close to any
growing plants, such as vines, it will be advisable to substitute sledges, as
shewn in Figure 6, for the back bearing wheels, attaching them to the
short crank at each end of the axle and making the axle somewhat
shorter, as shewn in dotted lines, Figure 2.
By the aforesaid method of construction the whole body of the
machine may be lifted perpendicularly (and consequently without
altering the position in which the teeth or ploughshares may be set
relatively to their work) by means of the lever H, and may be kept in
any required position by means of the pin I, and the breakage to which
the teeth are liable by reason of that part of them which is held being
reduced in size and to which the bars are liable by reason of the per-
forations usually made in them is prevented.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention as com-
municated to me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not con-
fine myself to the precise details of any of the parts of the machine so
long as the principle thereof is retained; but I claim,-

page_text: First. The position of the teeth N or ploughshares, Figures 3 and 4
(or any substitute for them), relatively to each other, and the method of
adjusting them and keeping them in position by means of clasps O and
set screws P.
Second. The use of sledges, Figure 6, as a substitute for the back 5
bearing wheels.
Third. The peculiar construction of the zig-zag bars M, whereby .
bearings are produced parallel to each other and to the centre beam for
the purpose of attaching the teeth or ploughshares thereto.
Fourth. The method of lifting perpendicularly the whole of the 10
working parts of the machine by means of the parts marked H, J, K,
and L.
Fifth. The combination of mechanical parts around the front wheel,
as shewn in Figure 1.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have 1
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.