IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Collinson Hall and Collinson Hall the younger, of
Navestock, in the County of Essex, Agriculturalists, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY."
Sealed the 19th August 1859, and dated the 28th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Collinson Hall and
Collinson Hall, the younger, at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 28th February 1859.
We, COLLINSON HALL and COLLINSON HALL the younger, of Navestock, in
the County of Essex, Agriculturalists, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention consists, first, in the employment of a single winding drum,'
with a continuous spiral on its periphery, on which the rope for drawing the
implement is wound. The pitch of spiral is determined by the thickness of
the rope, and the diameter and length of drum by the length of land required
to be cultivated: By coiling the rope once round the drum sufficient tractive
force is obtained for four ploughs; more coils may be taken to meet the
resistance of various larger implements. We do not confine ourselves to

page_text: any particular position for this drum, but prefer to place it around the
boiler of the engine, from which the motive power is derived. For ordinary
engines now in use, we place it in front on a spindle secured to the smoke
box. We do not require a spare drum on the tender to wind the rope on,
when being conveyed about, as the rope will be coiled and carried on our
spiral grooved drum.
The second part of our Invention consists of an anchor to be used in steam
agriculture, constructed in manner following:-Two circular inclined grooves
are fixed on the spindle on which the wlieel or pulley round which the traction
rope passes is keyed. Into these grooves studs or pins on the ends of two levers
enter; the inclined grooves are so formed that upon the rotation of the spindle
the levers are caused to move up and down. From the levers depend other
vertical levers carrying spring pauls or ratchets, which drive rachet wheels
keyed upon a shaft, on which a screw is fixed. This screw, on being moved,
enters the soil and drags the anchor after it. Or instead of a screw, a drum
may be fixed on the shaft, and then the anchor is propelled by winding up a
rope upon the drum, one end of the rope being attached to some fixed point.
The third part of our Invention consists in means of taking up the slack
rope in implements used in steam agriculture, by the employment of two
drums loose on the axle of each implement. We fit the drums with cones or
conical surfaces, similar cones or conical surfaces being fitted on the boss of
each wheel of the implement; by a lever the attendant is enabled to put the
drums in or out of gear with the wheels as required, to take up or give
out slack without stopping the implement; or we place two drums hori-
zontally directly under the centre of the axle of the implement. The drums
are fitted with worm wheels, acted on by a worm fixed on a shaft, continued
to either end of the implement. By giving motion to either drum, the
attendant is enabled to take up or pay out slack as required.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Collinson Hall and Collinson Hall the younger, Her special licence
that we, the said Collinson Hall and Collinson Hall the younger, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Collinson Hall and
Collinson Hall the younger, our 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 "Iж-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Collinson Hall and Collinson Hall the younger,
or one of us, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, 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 we, the said Collinson Hall and Collinson Hall
the younger, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Our Invention consists, first, in the employment of a single winding drum,
with a continuous spiral on its periphery, on which the rope for drawing the
implement is wound. The pitch of spiral is determined by the thickness of
the rope, and the diameter and length of drum by the length of land required
to be cultivated. By coiling the rope once round the drum, sufficient tractive
force is obtained for four ploughs; more coils may be taken to meet the
resistance of various larger implements. We do not confine ourselves to any
particular position for this drum, but prefer to place it around the boiler of
the engine, from which the motive power is derived. For ordinary engines
now in use, we place it in front on a spindle secured to the smoke box. We
do not require a spare drum on the tender to wind the rope on when being
conveyed about, as the rope will be coiled and carried on our spiral grooved
drum.

page_text: The second part of our Invention consists of an anchor to be used in steam
agriculture, constructed in manner following:-Two circular inclined grooves
are fixed on the spiralle on which the wheel or pulley round which the traction
rope passes is keyed. Into these grooves studs or pins on the ends of two
levers enter; the inclined grooves are so formed that upon the rotation of the
spindle the levers are caused to move up and down. From the levers depend
other vertical levers, carrying spring pauls or ratchets,, which drive ratchet
wheels keyed upon a shaft on which a screw is fixed. This screw on being
moved enters the soil, and drags the anchor after it. instead of a screw,
a drum may be fixed on the shaft, and then the anchor is propelled by winding
up a rope upon the drum, one end of the rope being attached to some fixed
point.
Or
The third part of our Invention consists in means of taking up the slack
rope in implements used in steam agriculture, by the employment of two
drums loose on the axle of each implement. We fit the drums with cones or
conical surfaces, similar coues or conical surfaces being fitted on the boss of
each wheel of the implement. By a lever the attendant is enabled to put
the drums in or out of gear with the wheels, as required, to take up or give
out slack without stopping the implement; or we place two drums horizon-
tally, directly under the centre of the axle. of the implement. The drums are
fitted with worm wheels acted on by a worm fixed on a shaft, continued to
either end of the implement. By giving motion to either drum the attendant
is enabled to take up or pay out slack as required.
Figure 1, of the accompanying Drawings shows in side elevation as much of
an engine fitted with our single winding drum as will be necessary to explain
our Invention; and Figure 2 is a vertical section of the drum with the engine
partly in section. A is the drum which is placed round part of the circumference
of the boiler. a, a, are the spiral grooves, through and round which the rope is
wound. b, b, are straps or bands fixed to the circumference of the boiler; c, c,
are grooved friction rollers, held by brackets c¹, c, eight of these are shewn in
the Drawing, but more or less may be employed as found convenient; b¹, b¹,
are straps or bands fixed on the inner side of the drum.
The rope for drawing the implement is wound round a part or the whole of
the grooved periphery of the drum, the number of turns taken being deter-
mined by the length of land to be operated on; we find, however, that by
coiling the rope once round the drum, sufficient tractive force is obtained.
Both ends of the rope are attached to the plough or other implement, and the
rope passes round an anchor placed at one of the headlands. The anchor

page_text: which we prefer to employ will be hereafter fully described, but any other
anchor may be used. As the plough advances, so the rope in its course passes
round the grooves in the drum until it arrives at the headland, when the
engine is reversed, and the rope travels in the opposite direction, and so on
until the work is finished. When the work is completed we detach the rope
from the plough and wind it on the spiral grooved drum.
In some cases we fit the spiral grooved drum in a frame attached to the
smoke box or any other convenient part of the engine; but we do not think it
necessary to illustrate this part of our Invention, as its position must be
determined by the description of engine to which it is applied.
At Figure 3 we shew in plan, and at Figure 4 in side elevation, partly in
section, our spiral grooved drum, fitted in a frame detached from the engine.
A is the drum, which is formed of wood, iron, or other suitable material;
B, B¹, are discs, formed round and attached to the inner circumference of the
top and bottom ends of the drums, which are connected by arms d, d, to
central flanges or bosses C, C¹, through which a shaft D passes, and round
which the drum A revolves; this shaft D, which is made by preference hollow,
is held in the top and bottom frames of the apparatus by nuts, as shewn. The.
disc B is cast in a piece with a bevil wheel E, into which pinions F, F, on a
shaft G take. This shaft carries a driving wheel H, round which a strap
passes to the fly wheel of the engine; I, I, are clutches, for throwing the
pinions F, F, in and out of gear, according to the direction in which the drum
is required to revolve; K, K, are uprights or girders, formed by preference of
gas tube, for strengthening the frame; L, L, are wheels, which when the
apparatus is at work have discs or holders c, c, screwed or bolted to them, as
shewn; L' is the rope, which passes on to and off the drum, as indicated by
the arrows; L, l, are pulleys to support the rope in its course.
The rope is
wound round the drum in the same manner as that described with reference
to the drum round the engine, but the drum instead of being shewn in a
horizontal position is in this case shewn vertical.
We prefer to place the apparatus just described bebind the engine, but if
found more convenient it can be placed in front or on one side.
Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 is a side elevation of an anchor constructed
according to our Invention. e is a boss, which is cast with two inclined planes
forming together two circular inclined grooves; this boss is carried by a shaft f,
to which a wheel g is keyed, round which the rope from the engine passes.
h, h, arc levers, carrying at one end studs i, i, which travel in the inclined
grooves. The levers are hinged or jointed at the other end to the frame of

page_text: the apparatus. k, k, are pauls attached to the levers, which take into ratchet
wheels 1, 1; these wheels are keyed to a shaft m, which also carries a drum n,
round which a rope passes, one end of which is attached to a hedge or stake
in the ground. The whole apparatus is mounted on wheels o, o, keyed to
shafts p, p, which also carry cranks g, g, to which discs r,, are attached, as
shewn at Figure 7; these discs are intended to enter the ground when the
apparatus is at work, and assist in holding the apparatus in position. When
the apparatus is to be removed, the discs are raised out of the ground, and
the apparatus runs on the wheels o, o. 8, Figure 7, is a plate attached to the
frame of the anchor between the running wheel and the crank carrying the
disc; t is a slot, into which a pin in the frame of the anchor takes. By this
arrangement, the anchor can be easily turned; although it is only described
as applied to one wheel, all tho wheels in the anchor may be fitted with it.
v, v, are tubes (shewn in the Drawings telescopic, but other tubes or rods can
be employed) formed of gas or other pipe, which project from the anchor,
and are shewn in the Drawing projecting from back of the anchor; cords are
attached to the ends of these tubes, which carry weights. We find that this
arrangement greatly assists in steadying the anchor, and prevents it tilting, and
at the same time renders it unnecessary to place any other dead weight in or
on the anchor, as has been always required in anchors hitherto constructed;
these levers may be attached to the drum in the same manner as they are
described with reference to the anchor. As the rope from the engine moves
round the pulley g, it will communicate a rotary motion to the boss e, which as
it revolves causes the studs i, i, attached to the levers h, h, to follow the course
of the inclined grooves formed in the boss, whereby an up-and-down motion is
imparted to the levers h, h, which work the pauls k, k, and consequently turn
the ratchet wheels 1, 1, and with them the drum n, which causes the rope, one
end of which is fixed, as before described, to wind round the drum, and thus
the apparatus is drawn forward. It is unimportant which way the rope from
the engine travels, or in which direction the wheel g, round which it passes,
moves, the drum will always revolve in the direction indicated by the arrows
in Figure 6. In some cases we fix a screw or pointed instrument to the
shaft m, instead of the drum n, and then the screw partially enters the soil,
and causes the anchor to advance; when this is the case, we place the levers
marked h, h, above the ratchet wheels 1, 1, and link other levers to the
levers h, h, which carry pauls that drive the ratchet wheels as before.
Figure 8 is a view in plan, and Figure 9 is a side elevation of a modification
of the anchor just described. 9 is the wheel, round which the rope from the

page_text: engine passes; this wheel is keyed to a vertical shaft g¹, which carries an
eccentric a at its upper part, and works in a strap of the shape shewn in the
plan, Figure 10; n is a drum, attached to a ratchet wheel Z loose on the
shaft g; these are placed between the eccentric a and the wheel g. k, k, are
pauls, attached to the sides of the strap, which take into the teeth of the
ratchet wheel; P, , are guide pins, fixed to the strap working through suitable
guides attached to the frame of the apparatus, and which keep the strap always
parallel. A rope passes round the drum n. The rope is fixed at one end to
a stake in the ground, as before. As the wheel 9 revolves, the eccentric
will, through the strap pauls k, k, and ratchet wheel Z, impart a rotary motion
to the drum n, which draws the round it, and consequently moves the anchor
forward.
g
Figure 11 shews, in vertical section, the apparatus we employ for taking up
the slack of rope in implements used for steam agriculture. a is one of the
running wheels, which is loose on the shaft 6; c is a drum, also loose on the
same shaft; d is a conical surface formed on the wheel a; and e is a corre-
sponding conical surface on the drum c; f is a lever fitted to the frame of the
apparatus, one end of which takes into a clutch formed on the drum c. To
take up the slack rope, pull the lever f from right to left, which throws the
conical surface e on to that on the wheel c, which causes the drum to revolve
with the wheel; as soon as the slack is taken up, let go the lever, and the
conical surfaces are released. We sometimes fit springs in connection with
the lever f, which tend to press the conical surface on the drum to that on the
wheel, so that when there is any slack to be taken up it is done without the
aid of an attendant.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,―
First, the employment of a single winding drum, with a continuous spiral
on its periphery, on which the rope for drawing the implement is wound,
which drum we place round the boiler of the engine, or connect it to any
other convenient part, or fit it in a frame detached from the engine, all as
herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, constructing anchors to be used in steam agriculture, substantially
in manner herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, together with the method of action thereof.
And, third, the employment of a drum or drums loose on the axle of the
implement, fitted with cones or conical surfaces, which take into similar
surfaces on the bosses of the carrying wheels, for the purpose of taking up the

page_text: slack rope, as herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Collinson Hall, jun., have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, One thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
COLLINSON HALL, JUN³. (L.S.)