IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund George Lakeman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May 1880.
EDMUND GEORGE LAKEMAN, of Modbury. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
This Invention relates to the construction of steam and other ploughs in such
manner as greatly to reduce the draught power now usually required and facilitate.
working.
For this purpose I construct a horizontal T shaped frame, on each side of which
is suspended a rectangular or other suitably shaped frame to which are fixed the
shares, and which I will term the share frames. These share frames are suspended
from the main T frame by means, of chains, drums and pullies, in such manner as
to allow of the shares in either of the share frames being adjusted by a hand
wheel or lever so as to rest on the ground, be raised above it, or both share frames
may be equally balanced so that they are both held clear of the surface of the
ground.
For the purpose of steering I fix to the upper part of each of the vertical
spindles of the two front supporting and guide wheels a horizontal pulley, which
is placed in communication with a similar pulley at the back end of the plough
by means of an endless band, the last mentioned pullies being caused to turn on
their centres in either direction by suitable levers or handles, thus causing the
front horizontal pullies, and with them the front supporting and guide wheels, to
travel in any desired direction.
The share frames are caused to rise and descend vertically by vertical guide
rods fixed or connected to the main T frame.
I reduce the draught power now generally required by constructing all but the
front cutting point of the shares in the forin of a many pronged fork, by which
friction is greatly reduced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edmund George Lakeman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1880.
EDMUND GEORGE LAKEMAN, of Modbury.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
This Invention relates to the construction of steam and other ploughs in such
manner as greatly to reduce the draught power now usually required and to
facilitate working.
For this purpose I construct a horizontal T shaped frame, on each side of which.
is suspended a rectangular or other suitably shaped frame to which are fixed the
shares, and which I will term the share frames. These share frames are suspended
from the main T frame by means of chains, drums, and pullies, in such manner as
to allow of either of the share frames being adjusted by a hand wheel or lever so that
the shares shall rest on the ground, be raised above it, or both share frames may
be equally balanced so that the shares of both frames are held clear of the surface
of the ground, such method of suspension allowing of the draught when the plough
is at work being direct from the horses' collars to the frames. .
For the purpose of steering I fix as usual to the upper part of the vertical
spindle. of the front supporting and guide wheel a horizontal pulley, which is placed
in communication with a similar pulley at the back end of the plough by means
of an endless band, the last mentioned pulley being caused to turn on its centre in
either direction by a suitable lever or hand wheel, thus causing the front horizontal
pulley, and with it the front supporting and guide wheel, to travel in any desired
direction. A caster wheel is also adapted to each side of the plough.
The share frames may be guided when they rise and descend by vertical guide
rods fixed or connected to the main T frame.
I further reduce the draught power now generally required by constructing all
but the front cutting point of the shares in the form of a many pronged fork, by
which friction is greatly reduced.
But to make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation
of a three furrow plough constructed according to my Invention, and Figure 2
is a plan of the same.
"
A, A, and B.shew the horizontal T-shaped-frame, the front or transverse part B
being preferably formed of T shaped iron, as seen in Figure 1, and the longitudinal
parts A, A, of the frame being preferably formed of anglo iron; C, C, C, are the
rectangular shaped frames, which I call the share frames, one being suspended on
cach side of the said T shaped frame.
The share frames each consist of a number of longitudinal beams C, C, C, three
of such beams being shewn in the Drawing for each share frame, but the number,
varies according to the number of furrows. The said bars are connected together
by cross bars D, D, D. The share frames are suspended from the main T frame
by means of the chains E, E, at front and back, such chains E, E, working over the.
pulleys or drums F, F, fixed in the brackets or bearings G, G, on the cross bars
H, H, so that one share frame balances the other. The coulters I and shares J are
fixed to the longitudinal beams C, C, C, of the share frames in any suitable
manner, as shewn. The said share frames are raised and lowered by means of the
two spike wheels K, K, one near each end of the shaft L working in bearings on
the cross bars H, H, and provided with a hand wheel M, so that if the shaft L be
turned by its hand wheel M the wheels K, K, will also be turned, and the
projections of these wheels taking into the links of the chains E, E, will move the
chains so as to raise one share frame and lower the other, according to the
direction in which the hand wheel M is turned, so that by this means one plough
or set of shares can be adjusted to the proper depth, or both sets of shares may be
brought parallel so as to be clear of the ground. In addition to the up and down

page_text: motions hereinbefore described, the share frames have also a slight backward and
forward motion, but side motion is prevented by means of the vertical guides or
davits N, N. These guides also serve as stops to limit the downward movement
of the share frames, so as to prevent the shares passing beyond a certain fixed
depth. It will be understood that each share frame may be suspended separately
and be operated by separate hand wheels.
The horses draw from the whiffletree O by means of the crook P, which crook
slides sideways on the whiffletree O so as to automatically change the draught as
the plough turns, so that the pull shall be on the share frame which is at work.
To the whiffletree which slides in the slots a, a, in the arms or carriers Q are
attached the share frames by means of the chains R, R, which pass, as shewn, from
the whiffletree to the cross bars of the share frames. By this means when the
plough is at work the draught is direct from the horses' collars to the share frames,
but when the shares are raised and the plough is being simply moved over the
ground there is no pull on the share frames, but the pull is on the main frame of
the plough.
In carrying out my improvements in plough shares the front cutting points
S, S, S, of the shares are of the usual construction, but I construct the remaining
portion of the shares or mould boards of a number of rods or bars of iron or steel
so as to form a many pronged fork, by which construction I not only decrease the
draught but turn a better furrow and produce a better tilth for general purposes.
The mould boards may however be of the ordinary construction.
The steering of the plough may be effected in the ordinary manner by means of
an endless chain T passing over the horizontal pulleys U, V, one fixed to the shaft"
of the front wheel W and the other to the shaft of the hand whee! X; Y is the
ordinary back wheel of the plough; Z, Z, the gauge wheels; and a, a, caster
wheels.
For steam ploughs I employ two levers in place of the hereinbefore described
whiffletree, one for each engine, also a seat in front for the steersman; the
steering and hand wheels would also require slight modification, as will be well
understood.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the best means with
which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down, as the same.
may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, but
what I do claim is,―
Firstly. Suspending two sets of ploughs from a main frame in the manner
described so that one set may balance the other, and when one set is raised the
other is lowered, and whereby the draught of the plough is diminished, substantially
in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying Drawings or any mere modification thereof.
Secondly. The sliding whiffletree arrangement and method of connecting the
share frames thereto for the purpose of diminishing the draught of the plough,
substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
Drawing.
Thirdly. Constructing the mould boards of plough shares of a number of rods or
bars so as to form a many pronged fork, as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund George Lakeman, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
EDMUND GEORGE LAKEMAN. (L.S.)