IMPROVED. MACHINERY APPLICABLE TO STEAM CULTIVATION
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Romaine, of Devizes, in the County of
Wilts, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED. MACHINERY APPLICABLE
TO STEAM CULTIVATION."
Sealed the 12th February 1861, and dated the, 18th August 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Romaine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th August 1860.
I, ROBERT ROMAINE, of Devizes, in the County of Wilts, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
APPLICABLE TO STEAM CULTIVATION," to be as follows:-
The main object of this Invention is to simplify the construction and
increase the efficiency of machinery employed in steam cultivation. To this end
I propose, first, to improve the winding apparatus by which the draught is
applied to the traction ropes. This winding apparatus I either construct as a
distinct instrument, connecting it with the portable agricultural engine, or I
mount it upon and make it form part of the engine. The winding apparatus
consists mainly of three grooved pullies provided each with a ring of bevil or
skew teeth, which rings gear together, so that the centre pulley which receives
rotary motion from the engine will drive the other two pullies. Around or
over and under these pullies, which are mounted at right angles to each other,

page_text: the draught or traction rope is wound; it will, therefore, be effectually pre-
vented from, slipping, as the whole guiding surface which it touches will be
also the driving surface. These pullies I mount in a rectangular frame set
upon travelling wheels, and I place a barrel or drum between the pullies to
receive the traction rope when not in use. This apparatus I temporarily
attach to the engine in any convenient way.
When permanently adapting the winding apparatus to an engine, I propose
to use two annular pullies and one disc pulley, mounting the annular pullies on
the shell of the boiler, and causing them to rotate around it on antifriction
rollers. The central pulley will be carried by a bracket bearing, and the three
pullies will be driven as above explained; the traction rope being received and
delivered out alternately by the side pullies in the line of the draught.
Another mode of attaching the winding apparatus to the engine is, by pro-
viding longitudinal and transverse shafts below the boiler to form axles for
the pullies.
LIFE
My second improvement relates to the mode of mounting the double-action
ploughseniployed in steam cultivation. To remedy the inconveniences
attendant on the employment of balance ploughs wherein one set of shares,
coulters, and mould boards is used to cut and turn the ground in one
direction, and the other set in the opposite direction, (thus avoiding the
necessity for turning at the end of the furrow,) I propose instead of having
double beams, with a plough on each, to have single beams fitted on both
sides with a plough, so that when one set of ploughs is to be thrown out of and
the other brought into action, the beams are to be turned over on their
fulcrum instead of being merely rocked as at present; or, I mount the set of
beams on two central pivots in a line with the course of the plough, and give
them an axial motion on these pivots to reverse the position of the ploughs.
The frame carrying the beams of the ploughs is mounted on two carrying
wheels, which are made adjustable for raising and lowering the frame and
ploughs. Four other wheels, also adjustable, are employed for steering the
implement (as hereafter described) and regulating the depth of the cut, and
the frame is likewise provided with drums for receiving the ends of the rope
by which the ploughs are brought into action.
In applying ploughs to traction engines, so that they may be operated by
the traverse of the engine, I connect the plough beams to a rock lever or
frame mounted in bearings below the boiler. The beams, with their respective
sets of ploughs, stand out, the one set in front of and the other at the back
of the engine, and by the rocking of the frame are alternately brought into
action. When the engine has arrived at a given point near to the headland

page_text: the operating ploughs are thrown out of action, and the engine is moved
forward diagonally by means of the steering wheels, so as to bring it into a
proper position to pass down the next stetch. The other set
ploughs is then
brought to the ground, and the return motion of the engine will bring them
into action.
For the purpose of steering one or more pairs of wheels applied to agricul-
tural or traction engines and cultivating implements, I mount the wheels in
pairs upon stud axles, which project from bosses secured by vertical centre
pins in opposite ends of a horizontal transverse frame suitably attached to the
engine. In the centre of this frame a spur. pinion is mounted, and to it is
attached a worm wheel, into which works a worm keyed to a horizontal shaft,
which carries a steering wheel at its outer end, and into this spur pinion gears
a pair of segmental racks, which are carried by arms projecting from the
bosses that carry the stud axles. As, therefore, the pinion is rotated, the
segment racks will be rocked, and the stud axles brought to any desired angle
to the frame of the engine. The axles for each pair of wheels being by the
like arrangement brought under the guidance of the steering wheel, the
steering and turning of the engine may be readily effected; or, the pairs of
wheels may, by simple modifications, be acted upon in opposite directions, so as
still further to facilitate turning. This may be effected by making the
horizontal shaft above mentioned hollow, and passing a second shaft through it
for carrying a worm in gear with the segments for operating the axles of a
second pair of wheels.
By the above arrangement of steering apparatus and axles, I am enabled to
drive the whole four or more carrying wheels of a traction engine simul-
taneously, and avoid the necessity for throwing any one of the wheels out of
gear with the engine when turning round or steering to the right or left.
This I accomplish by means of hollow spindles working loosely on the vertical
stud pins before mentioned, which are prolonged upwards for that purpose.
The upper ends of these hollow spindles are furnished with the requisite
clutches and pinions that gear into and drive the large carrying wheels, and the
lower portions of the hollow spindles carry the requisite wheels or gearing that
connect them to the engine.

page_text: the operating ploughs are thrown out of action, and the engine is moved
forward diagonally by means of the steering wheels, so as to bring it into a
proper position to pass down the next stetch. The other set of ploughs is then
brought to the ground, and the return motion of the engine will bring them
into action.
For the purpose of steering one or more pairs of wheels applied to agricul-
tural or traction engines and cultivating implements, I mount the wheels in
pairs upon stud axles, which project from bosses secured by vertical centre
pins in opposite ends of a horizontal transverse frame suitably attached to the
engine. In the centre of this frame a spur pinion is mounted, and to it is
attached a worm wheel, into which works a worm keyed to a horizontal shaft,
which carries a steering wheel at its outer end, and into this spur pinion gears
a pair of segmental racks, which are carried by arms projecting from the
bosses that carry the stud axles. As, therefore, the pinion is rotated, the
segment racks will be rocked, and the stud axles brought to any desired angle
to the frame of the engine. The axles for each pair of wheels being by the
like arrangement brought under the guidance of the steering wheel, the
steering and turning of the engine may be readily effected; or, the pairs of
wheels may, by simple modifications, be acted upon in opposite directions, so as
still further to facilitate turning. This may be effected by making the
horizontal shaft above mentioned hollow, and passing a second shaft through it
for carrying a worm in gear with the segments for operating the axles of a
second pair of wheels.
By the above arrangement of steering apparatus and axles, I am enabled to
drive the whole four or more carrying wheels of a traction engine simul-
taneously, and avoid the necessity for throwing any one of the wheels out of
gear with the engine when turning round or steering to the right or left.
This I accomplish by means of hollow spindles working loosely on the vertical
stud pins before mentioned, which are prolonged upwards for that purpose.
The upper ends of these hollow spindles are furnished with the requisite
clutches and pinions that gear into and drive the large carrying wheels, and the
lower portions of the hollow spindles carry the requisite wheels or gearing that
connect them to the engine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
_ by the said Robert Romaine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
ROMAINE, of Devizes, in the County of Wilts, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Romaine, Her special license that I, the said 'Robert
Romaine, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert. Romaine, 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 IMPROVED
MACHINERY APPLICABLE TO STEAM CULTIVATION," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Robert Romaine, 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 Romaine, 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 Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked 'thereon (that is to say):-
:-
The main object of this Invention is to simplify the construction and increase
the efficiency of machinery employed in steam cultivation.
The first improvement which I will describe relates to the winding apparatus
by which the draught is applied to the traction ropes. This winding apparatus
I either construct as a distinct instrument connecting it with the portable
agricultural engine; or I mount it upon and make it form part of the engine.
The winding apparatus consists mainly of three grooved pullies mounted at
right angles to each other and driven by bevil or other gearing. Around or
over and under these pullies the draught or traction rope is wound; it will
therefore be effectually prevented from slipping, as the whole or greater

page_text: portion of the guiding surface which it touches will be also the driving
surface.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating
the arrangement of the grooved pullies and the course of the draught or
traction rope over and around them. a, b, and c, are the three grooved pullies
of equal diameters, the axis of the pulley 6 being at right angles and at some
distance above the axes of the other two pullies a, c. It will be seen by tracing
the course of the arrows that the rope & encircles about three quarters of the
circumference of the first pulley a; it then passes to the pulley b, encircling about
half its circumference, and is then guided down to the under side of the third
pulley c; after encircling about three quarters of its circumference the rope
finally passes off in a line parallel to the leading-in portion of the rope. From
this explanation it will be understood that the pullies c and a receive and give
out the rope alternately as their actions are reversed, and that from the time
the rope enters either of the two last-named pullies until it is finally driven or
hauled out by them it is kept taut and prevented from slipping by the combined
action of the three pullies, as the whole of the grooved surface the rope touches
is both guiding and driving surface. The rope may enter at the bottom of either
of the pullies a or c, and produce the same action by placing the axle of the
pulley 6 below instead of above the axles of the pullies a and c. On Sheet I.,
I have also shewn three different modes of gearing together and driving the
three grooved pullies a, b, and c. The letters of reference in this and the next
Sheet describing the winding apparatus refer to the like parts.
Fig. 2, Sheet I., is an elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan, of the three pullies a, b,
and c, geared together and driven by means of bevilled wheels e, e, e, secured
respectively to their several pullies and having teeth of the form shewn. The
pinions and shaft for driving the wheels e are shewn in Fig. 7, Sheet II. One
of the pullies a or c is loose on its axle, the other may or may not be loose, as
found most convenient.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation, and Fig. 5 is a plan, of another arrangement of
the three grooved pullies. In this case they are geared together and driven
by means of mitre and straight spur gearings. f. f, are two mitre wheels
attached respectively to the pullies a and c, and gearing into another mitre
wheel f', which is attached to the straight spur wheel g. The wheel g is
driven by the spur pinion h on the shaft h. This shaft also carries another
spur pinion of the same size as the pinion h, for driving the internal toothed
wheel attached to the pulley b. The shaft h' is furnished with an outrigger, as
shewn, to connect it to the engine when the winding apparatus is made
separate therefrom; but when combined with the engine this shaft h' would

page_text: represent the crank shaft. In these Figures the four axles of the pullies and
spur wheel Ig are shewn attached together; they are therefore made fast to the
framework, the wheel and pullies revolving loosely upon them.
· Fig. 6 is a plan shewing the pullies a and c fast on two short axles, on which
are also fast two large bevil wheels k, k, which are driven by two bevil pinions
1,1. These pinions are loose on the shaft m, and thrown into and out of gear
by means of clutches n, n. In this Figure the grooved pulley 6 is shewn of
less diameter than the other two, and not geared or acting as a driving surface,
but merely as an intermediate and guiding wheel or pulley between the other
two pullies a and c. I adopt this plan when the distance between the incoming
and outgoing ends of the rope will not coincide with the size of the pullies
necessary to give out the amount of frictional power required; and when the
distance between the ends of the rope is greater than the diameters of the
pullies a, b, and c, then a large or two smaller intermediate pullies 6 may act
as guiding surfaces.
'
b
In Sheet II., I have shewn three modes of applying my improved arrange-
ment of traction pullies to agricultural engines. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a
detachable arrangement applied to the engine, and seen from the fire-box-end-
of the engine; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same shewing the winding
-apparatus complete. This apparatus, it will be seen, is mounted in its own
frame, and placed on four carrying wheels r. It is attached to a common
portable or agricultural engine by means of metal bracings p, p, one of which
embraces the fire-box, while the other encircles the shell of the boiler. To
bring the windlass close up to the side of the engine, one of the large carrying
wheels of the engine is taken off, and the end of its axle is let into and secured
to a socket ó, carried by a pendent bracket fast on the under side of the rect-
angular framing 9 of the windlass; r, r, r, r, are the four carrying wheels of
the windlass, the two front ones being made to lock in the usual manner. In
Fig. 7, the axle of the hind wheels is broken off, to show clearly the position of
the pulley a. The small rollers s, s, shewn in red on the top of the pullies
a and c, are for keeping the rope in its place in the grooves; h¹ is a horizontal
shaft furnished with two pinions h, h, having by preference double skewed
teeth, similar to those shewn on the wheels e, Fig. 2, Sheet I., and is driven
by a pitch chain and wheels t from the crank shaft of the engine; m is a
clutch on the shaft h, worked by a hand lever (not shewn) for reversing the
action of the pullies a, b, and c; u, u, are two drums occupying the space
between the grooved pullies, and running loosely on the axle of the pullies
a and c.
These drums u, u, are intended to carry the hauling rope' when not
in use; this they are caused to wind up by being thrown into contact with

page_text: the wheels e, which by friction of contact will impart rotary motion thereto.
The engine and windlass are moved along the headland opposite the work to
be performed by means of the small drum von the windlass, which receives
motion through a worm and wheel driven by the axle of the pulley c, which
axle has a clutch to disconnect it from the drum when necessary.
The rope
from this drum passes a small guiding sheave v¹, thence round a sheave y
anchored ahead in the usual way; it then returns to a sheave a, which is
hooked to the fore carriage of the engine, and after passing over this sheave
it returns, and is secured to the anchored sheave frame. Fitted to the fore
carriage of the windlass is a pair of shafts (not shewn) to allow of its being
transported by horse-power from place to place; and the front part of the
windlass alongside the small drum v may be conveniently made to carry a tank
for supplying the feed water to the engine.
Fig. 9 is a plan of the winding apparatus as I arrange it permanently
around the shell of the boiler when making it a permanent portion of the
agricultural engine. In this view so much of the boiler crank shaft and the
two steam cylinders are shewn-as will fully-explain the arrangement. The
grooved pullies a and c are in this instance made annular so as to embrace
the shell of the boiler, and the crank shaft is placed between them. This
shaft is fitted with a bevil pinion h, which gears into a bevil wheel attached
to the grooved disc pulley b, which is carried by and revolves loosely on a stud
axle fast on one of the brackets that carry the crank shaft. The two ends
of the rope d are shewn broken off; their courses are reversed by the usual
link motion, and the engine is supposed to be opposite its work, and moved
along the headland by similar means to that shewn at Fig. 8, except that
the small drum v is placed under the shell of the boiler, driven by a longitudinal
shaft (similar to that shewn in Fig. 12), which carries a wheel gearing into
either of the pullies a or c.
Fig. 10 is a view of the arrangement shewn at Fig. 9, taken behind the
pulley a, and shewing the boiler in cross section and the antifriction rollers
which carry the annular pulley a, dotted through their bearing ring a³, and
Fig. 11 is a cross section of a portion of one of the annular pullies on an
enlarged scale, shewing the manner of constructing and supporting the same.
A is the shell of the boiler coated with lagging b¹; c', are brackets eight in
number rivetted to the boiler, and to these brackets two circular roadways
d', d', are bolted. In each of these ways d', two grooves are turned to receive
a pair of rings a', a', which form the bearings for a series of small antifriction
rollers z, interposed between the annular pullies and their respective ways.dł.
These antifriction rollers travel round and bear against the roadway, d', and

page_text: permit of the pullies running round over them to deliver. out and take up the
draught rope; e¹ are eight rollers supported on vertical studs carried by suitable
brackets, their object being to present a rolling pressure to the backs of the
pullies a and c (as best shewn at Fig. 9), and thus to relieve the rings a¹, a¹;
and the rollers, from any undue friction caused by the tendency of the grooved
pullies a and c to move away from each other. The annular pullies, rings,
and roadway may each, for the convenience of fitting them into their places, be
made in two halves and bolted together afterwards.
The third mode of fitting the windlass to the engine is shewn at Fig. 12,
which represents a portion of the boiler in side élevation.
The grooved
pullies a, b, and c, are mounted on longitudinal and transverse shafts under
the shell of the boiler, and are connected and driven by straight spur gearing.
The connection between the side pulley 6 and the pinion on the crank shaft
on top of the boiler is made by means of an intermediate spur wheel loose
on a stud pin on the side of the boiler (not shewn). The longitudinal shaft
gis prolonged forward, and drives through a worm and wheel the small
drum for hauling the engine on the headland (similar to that shewn in
Fig. 8).
The second part of my Invention relates to certain improvements in the
construction of double-action ploughs, the object being to facilitate the
turning over of the plough beams when the ploughs arrived at the end of the
furrow.
In Sheet III., Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, of a two-furrow
double-action plough to turn the furrow slices all in the same direction.
The letters of reference in this and the next following Sheet of Drawings refer to
like parts all the Figures. The plough shewn at Figures 1 and 2 is constructed
with two beams a, a, each of which carries two plough bodies b, b; arranged
one on either side of the beam and in a vertical plane. The mould boards
and shares of the whole four ploughs face the one way, so that whether they
are ploughing to or from the hauling engine they will turn the furrow slice
the one way; c, c, are large carrying wheels loose on their axle, and d is a
small wheel for supporting the end of the ploughs. It is carried by a stalk
which passes through an eye in a swivel socket e, and is adjustable therein.
The ploughs are raised and lowered by means of a hand lever f, which has
its fulcrum on the axle of the carrying wheels c, c, and is keyed thereto: The
forward end of this lever passes between two small rollers k¹, k¹, on the ends
of the adjacent beam, and an arm keyed to the axle of the wheels c, c, at the
other side of the plough enters between two similar rollers on the other beam.
These beams are formed with two vertical slots a', for receiving the axle

page_text: of the carrying wheels c, c, and these slots are made of sufficient length to
admit of the ploughs being raised from and lowered into the ground, the
depth of the ploughing being regulated by four adjustable screws 2², z¹, 2¹, z³,
bearing against four small blocks 1,,,. Two small drums 9, 9, are
placed loosely on the axle of the carrying wheels c, c, to wind up in opposite
directions both ends or the slack of the rope h, h. The beams are extended
beyond the vertical slots to near the full diameter of the carrying wheels c, c,
and-fitted at their extremities with balance weights i, i, which counterpoise
the weight of the ploughs and beams-on the other side of the fulcrum. In
Fig. 1 the dotted lines shew the ploughs in the ground, at which time the
hand lever fis in an elevated position. The action of this double-action plough
is as follows:-When the two plough bodies on the under side of the beams
have completed their two furrows and arrived at the headland, the ploughman
lifts thein out of work; he then tips over the beams on their fulcrum to the
other side of the wheels c, c, as indicated by the arrows and shown dotted
in the Diagram Fig. 3. Before the ploughs touch the ground he moves the
plough sideways to take up a fresh strip-parallel-with-that-just-operated-upon
The two ploughs which were on top before the tipping over are now dropped
into work; and the reverse traverse of the plough is commenced by the hauling
engine; this backward and forward traverse is continued, the tipping over of
the plough as it reaches the opposite headlands being repeated 'until the
whole field is ploughed; more plough bodies and beams may be added if
thought desirable, or the plough bodies may be removed, and tines, broad
shares, or other cultivating implements substituted therefore with the like
advantage.
Fig. 4 is a plan; Fig. 5, a side elevation; and Fig. 6, a cross section of
another arrangement of double-action plough for turning all the furrow slices
the same way. In this arrangement an axial motion or a half revolution
on a horizontal axis is given to the ploughs. a, a, a, are three beams con-
nected together by end pieces b, b, to which are respectively fixed' a pair of
trunnions m, m. These trunnions are supported by chains y, y, which are
wound upon small barrels z, z, and passing upwards over sheaves, are con-
nected at their pendent ends to loose collars on the trunnions. Attached to the
rectangular plough frame 9 are two guiding pieces n, n, which are furnished
with vertical slots p. The sides of these slots p, p, are parallel for a certain
distance to form guides, and they then recede to increase the width of the slots
at their upper part. Into these slots the trunnions m project, and by them
they are guided while the plough is being raised and lowered, but when the
plough is required to be turned, the trunnions being raised to a level with the

page_text: increased width of the slots, will be free to make an axial movement. The
pull or strain of the plough is thrown upon the projecting lugs o, 0, 0, 0, on
the beams a. These beams, it will be understood, are adjustable vertically;
but confined horizontally by the grooves p in the guide pieces n, n. The
frame q and the guide pieces n, n, are firmly bolted together, and carry the
two projecting brackets r, r, through which the pull of the rope is transmitted
to the frame; 9, 9. are the drums for taking up the slack of the rope; s, s, are
two small castor wheels free to turn round, and adjustable vertically, by means
of pins and loose collars on their spindles. They are used one at a time when
ploughing, and they act alternately as front and back wheels, and are lifted
out and dropped into the furrow by the levers u, u; t, t, are two pairs of
bearing wheels, which are steered in a similar manner to those of the traction
engine, hereafter described in Sheet V. Each set of plough bodies and
shares, face and point in opposite directions, and to bring the bottom set of
ploughs out of work or put the top set into work, it is only necessary to lift
them up and give them an axial motion, or turn them round a half-revolution.
When the beams are lying abreast of each other in a horizontal plane the
plough will be in a proper position to work. The frame q is furnished with a
pair of large carrying wheels c, c, and a pair of shafts (not shewn) for faci-
litating its transport from place to place. The carrying wheels c, c, aro made
adjustable by means of two vertical racks m', m³, and pinions n', n¹, in con-
nection with the two stud axles of the wheels c, c, which slide up and down in
slots in the ends of the framing. The pinions and racks are connected
from side to side of the frame q by the shaft p¹ and tie rod q¹. The castor
wheels are free to turn (when disengaged) in any position; the ploughs can
therefore readily be drawn sideways on the headland for the lateral adjustment
by the return. end of the rope. The beams a, a, a, may have affixed to them
any other sort of cultivating implements, such as tines, broad shares, &c., and
the same axial motion given them as the plough bodies, the intention being
that the frame q, with its appendages, may answer for more purposes than one
on the farm.
.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation, and Fig. 8 a plan, partly broken off, of a double-
action plough adapted to a traction engine for traversing over the land; the
steering and driving of the wheels being described in the next Sheet of
Drawings. In Fig. 7 the plough bodies are shown with one set in the ground
and the other set hoisted up. They are attached to the rocking beams a, a, a,
which are mounted loosely, and turn on the short transverse shaft ¹ under the
frames of the engine; t, t, are two sheaves, over which the chain y passes
and lays hold of the beams a, a, a, at opposite ends of the engine, and balances

page_text: them, so that they may be dropped into and taken out of work with ease.
When the engine arrives near the headland the back set of ploughs is lifted
out of work, and the carrying wheels c, c, are steered in a diagonal line on the
headland, as shewn by dotted lines in plan in Fig. 8, to take up and return
with a fresh set of furrows formed by what was before the front set of ploughi
bodies. The dotted lines shew the positions of the beams in and out of work
u', u', are pendent brackets for carrying the transverse shaft v', and u, u³, are
stays securing the ends of the brackets from any strain by the draught of
the ploughs.
;
The last part of this Invention relates to certain means for facilitating the
steering of agricultural or traction engines and cultivating implements. In
Sheet V., the mode in which I effect the simultaneous driving and steering of
more than one pair of travelling wheels is shewn in several views.
Fig. 1 is an edge view of the steering apparatus suitable for one pair of
wheels; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the top plates of the frame
removed.
a is a spur pinion gearing into two segmental racks b, b, attached respectively
to the stud axles e, e, which work loosely around vertical stud pins f, f, and
carry the carrying wheels m, shewn by. the red lines of Fig. 1; 9; 9, are two
plates, which are confined together at each end by the stud or centre pins f,
and form a frame, as shown in Fig. 3; c is a worm wheel fast on the centre
pin of the pinion a, and geared into a worm d¨keyed on the shaft k. On-
motion being given to the spur pinion a through the worm and shaft k, the
segmental racks will rock in opposite directions, and turn the carrying wheels
m, m, round in lines parallel to each other, as seen best in Fig. 3. This
Figure is a plan of a traction engine frame fitted with the improved steering
apparatus, as arranged for three pairs of wheels; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal
sectional elevation, shewing the outline of the boiler in red. K is- a central
compound shaft, composed of three parts, which are coupled together by
universal joints j,j, j, and sockets j', j, j', which latter permit of a slight
elongation of the compound shaft, such elongation being necessary to allow of
the front and back pairs of wheels m adjusting themselves, both vertically and
transversely, to the inequalities of the ground. This adjustment is aided by the
action of a pair of long springs o, o, which are fixed at their centre by pivot
pins to the main framing, and bear at their extremities on the independent
frames g, g, near the middle of the same, so as to equalize the load on the
front and back frames g, g. The construction of the sockets j' will be readily
understood by reference to Fig. 3, which represents one of the sockets"in
section. Fig. 6 shews one of the springs o, o, detached, and the mode of

page_text: fitting them to the framing is best shewn at Fig. 5, which is an end view
(partly in section) of the engine. The vertical spindles of the spur wheels a
carried by the frames 9, 9, 9, receive each a bevil wheel h, which gear respec-
tively into a pair of pinions i, i, mounted loosely on the compound shaft k.
These pinions are thrown into and out of action by the clutches 1, 1, 1. The
steering shaft k is carried in the bearings n, n, n, n, a portion of each end of
which is made round on the outside to receive the vertical slotted guides a³,
best seen in the detached views, Figures 7 and 8; Fig. 7 being a front, and
Fig. 8 a side view, shewing the mode of obtaining an adjustable connection
between the boiler and the frames g of the front and back wheels m. Any
transverse adjustment of the front and back frames g, with their steering
apparatus and carrying wheels m, will thus take
shaft as the centre of motion. The shaft
ends by means of a worm wheel 6' and worm and
framings g, 9, 9, are connected together by short
vertically in slots, as seen in the Diagram Fig. 9. The different positions the
six-carrying wheels-assume are shewn-in-plan in Fig. 3,-where-the-dotted lines
represent the position for steering sideways. In turning the engine short
round the middle wheels are thrown out of gear, and remain in a line with the
engine; the back wheels remain as they are shewn in dotted lines, and the
front wheels assume the position shewn in red; the nigh wheels of the front
and back pair being also thrown out of gear and the off two wheels driven,
the engine will turn on nearly its own centre.
place around the steering
is operated upon at both
hand wheel c¹. The three
bolts d', d', which move
By referring to Fig. 5, the manner in which the improvements in driving
four or more wheels of a traction engine are carried out, will be readily under-
stood. p is a rectangular framing formed of [-iron, attached rigidly to the
middle framing g by the six brackets e¹, e'. This frame carries the bracket
bearing ff, for the crank shaft q, and it is also firmly attached to and
carries the boiler; f, f, are the two centre stud pins or spindles on which the.
stud axles of the carrying wheels turn while the steering is proceeding. These
spindles are in this arrangement prolonged upwards, and lay hold of the crank
shaft by means of eyes or open bearings h¹, h', confined between two collars,
one on each side, pinned to the crank shaft; u, v, are hollow spindles revolving.
loosely on the spindles f, f. These hollow spindles carry loosely at their upper
ends the bevil wheels s, s, which are driven by bevil pinions t, t, on the crank
shaft. The wheels s are thrown into and out of gear by the clutches u, u;
w, w, w, w, are four pitch-chain wheels fast on the hollow spindles, driving
similar wheels on the hollow spindles on the front and back pair of wheels m,
as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Mounted loosely on the hollow spindles, and

page_text: thrown into and out of gear by clutches v¹, are six bevil pinions x, x.
These
clutches and those at the upper ends of the hollow spindles are only shewn in
Fig. 5. The pinions are geared respectively into bevil wheels y affixed to
the carrying wheels m; as therefore rotary motion is communicated from the
crank shaft to the spindles v, v, a driving motion will be given simultaneously
to all the carrying wheels of the engine.
It will now be seen that by my improved arrangement, the driving and
steering of four or more wheels simultaneously is obtained in combination with
the equalizing of the load on the three pairs of wheels; the latter result being
secured by means of the long springs o, o, giving the front and back pair of
wheels a vertical as well as a transverse adjustment on the ground, and by the
peculiar system of shafting and gearing employed in steering the three pairs
of wheels.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved Machinery
applicable to Steam Cultivation," and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim,-
First, the arrangements of winding or hauling apparatus applied and operated
as above described, with reference to Sheets I. and II. of the Drawings.
Secondly, the arrangements above described, with reference to Sheet III.,
for facilitating the turning of ploughs at the headland.
Thirdly, applying rocking plough beams to the frames of traction engines,
as described, with reference to Sheet IV.
And lastly, the arrangements for steering and for driving and steering
agricultural or traction engines and cultivating implements, as described, with
reference to Sheet V.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Romaine, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one..
ROBT. ROMAINE. (L.S.)