Im-. PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Woofe, of Derby Street, in the Town
of Bedford, Agricultural Engineer, for the Invention of "Im-.
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 14th December 1869, and dated the 16th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Woofe at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th June 1869.
I, WILLIAM WOOFE, of Derby Street, in the Town of Bedford,
Agricultural Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS," to be as follows:-
The objects of my Invention are, firstly, slicing or cutting the earth
raised by the plough by means of revolving discs fitted in the mould
board; secondly, in cutting off and pressing the corner or edge of the
earth lifted by the plough by means of a rotating wheel secured to the
rear of the plough; and, thirdly, in turning over the top of the earth
more effectually than heretofore.

page_text: The first part of my Invention consists in fitting to the frame or
other part of the plough and at the back of the mould board, one or
more discs which project through the same and act upon, cut, or divide
the earth as the plough progresses.
The second part consists in fitting by an adjustable bracket or
hanger a wheel having its face of a chamfered or conical form. This
wheel is attached behind the mould board, and works in a portion
of the earth lifted by the mould board. As it passes through this
portion of the earth, it cuts it away from the mass and the conical
face presses it sideways and fills up the cavity which would otherwise
be left under the mass.
The third part of the Invention consists in forming the fore part of
the breast or mould board much higher than usual, and curving the
higher part outwards so as to form a concave, in order that when the
mould or earth is lifted by the point of the plough running under it,
it rises up the breast and comes in contact with the concave portion,
and is thereby turned over.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Woofe in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WOOFE, of Derby Street, in the Town of Bedford, Agricultural Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Woofe, Her special licence that
I, the said William Woofe, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Woofe, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Woofe, my executors or administrators by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 I, the said William Woofe, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
The objects of my Invention are, firstly, slicing or cutting the earth
raised by the means of revolving discs fitted in the mould board;
secondly, in cutting off and pressing the corner or edge of the earth
lifted by the plough by means of a rotating wheel secured to the rear
of the plough; and, thirdly, in turning over the top of the earth more
effectually than heretofore.
The first part of my Invention consists in fitting to the frame or other
part of the plough, and at the back of the mould board, one or more discs
which project through the same and act upon, cut, or divide the earth as
the plough progresses.
The second part consists in fitting by an adjustable bracket or hanger,
a wheel having its face of a chamfered or conical form. This wheel
is attached behind the mould board and works in a portion of the earth
lifted by the mould board. As it passes through this portion of the
earth it cuts its way from the mass and the conical face presses it
sideways and fills up the cavity which would otherwise be left under the
mass.
The third part of the Invention consists in forming the fore part of
the breast or mould board much higher than usual and curving the
higher part outwards so as to form a concave, in order that when the
mould or earth is lifted by the point of the plough running under it,
it rises up the breast and comes in contact with the concave portion and
is thereby turned over.

page_text: The manner I prefer to carry my Invention into effect is represented
in the accompanying Drawings, of which Figure 1 is an elevation of a
plough with my improvements applied thereto. In this Figure thè three
improvements referred to in my Provisional Specification are shewn.
The first that of a disc or discs a being fitted upon pins or bolts attached
to the frame of the plough and passing through a slot or slots formed
in the mould board 6 so as to act upon, cut, or divide the top portion of
the earth c from the mass which has been raised by the "share" or order
render it more friable under the action of the harrow or other implement
with which it is afterwards treated or worked. The employment of the
disc or discs in the mould board of ploughs of the ordinary construction
greatly facilitates the after crushing or pulverization of the earth, as
by the cut given to it the air is more accessible to its central part
and consequently it becomes dry quicker than is usual.
In the second improvement, which is also indicated upon the same
plough shewn in Figure 1, I attach a bracket and stem d to the main
frame in such a manner that it can be adjusted to any height to suit
the depth for which the plough is set. This stem d has a socket e at
its lower end, as seen in Figure 2, for the arm or extension f of the axle g
to pass into and be secured, so that the distance at which the wheel i
which the axle carries can be regulated to suit the land in which the
plough is working. This is effected by means of a pin or collar h; the
wheel i upon this axle is of a conical form on its periphery, and so placed
upon the axle that its smaller face shall look towards the tail k of the
mould board and its broad or larger face towards the central portion of
the frame and follow directly in the wake of the point so as to
crush down the bottom corner of the earth and fill up the longitudinal
cavity or space which would otherwise be left and as is generally left in
land which has been ploughed by the ordinary implement. The cavity
or space above referred to is represented in Figure 3. This cavity is very
detrimental to good farming, as it not only forms a shelter for the
wire worm,
but it serves as a receiver for water which percolates through
the soil from the surface after a fall of rain, besides the water which
lodges there becomes stagnant and destroys the good which would
otherwise ensue if the water was imbibed by the soil, in addition to that
it swamps the under crust of the soil and renders it unfit for the
germination of the seed which has to be sown in the ground in close
proximity thereto; the action of the wheel or rolleri is represented in

page_text: Figure 4. In this view it will be seen that the bottom of the sod as it
leaves the "share" is crushed inwards under its own mass so that the
cavity is entirely filled up.
The third part of my Invention is also shewn in Figure 1, that of
making the top m of the fore part of the breast much higher than usual,
and in bending that part outwards so that it shall, when the earth
reaches it, cause the earth to be turned over to bring its under side to the
surface. This turning over of the top crust is essential for raising good
crops, as it not only thoroughly ventilates the upper part of the earth,
but it takes that part which has been sucking so much oxygen and
nitrogen from the atmosphere and puts it in contact with phosphates and
other fertilizing properties which are always found below the surface, but
which are not useful unless mixed with the atmosphere. I fit the stock
of a scraper iron n on the stem, and cause the blade p to keep in contact
with the inclined surface q of the wheel to remove any soil that may
adhere to it in cakes or otherwise while it is at work. When I employ
double furrow ploughs I prefer to use two smooth bevil-faced wheels
for supporting the back or hinder ploughshare. These run in the
furrow and revolve by the friction put upon them by the weight of
the plough.
A detached view of two of these wheels is shewn in
Figure 5.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Ploughs,"
--
Firstly. Fitting one, two, or more circular knives or discs with cutting
edges upon the frames of ploughs so that a portion of them projects
through slots in the breast or mould board for the purpose of dividing the
earth in the manner herein-before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. In the employment of an adjustable banging bracket for
carrying a wheel with a chamfered or conical face to act upon the earth
and fill up the cavity under the sod, in the manner herein-before described
and shewn in the annexed Drawings.
Thirdly. The employment of a wheel with a chamfered or conical face
or edge working in the furrow behind the "share" and acting upon the
earth, in the manner herein-before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawings.

page_text: And, fourthly. I claim forming the fore part of the mould board of
ploughs higher than usual and curving it outwards for the purpose of
turning the upper part of the sod over, in the manner herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Woofe, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM WOOFE. (L.S.)
Bedford.
WILLIAM WOOFE. (L.S.)
Bedford.