IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF STEAM POWER TO THE CULTIVATION OF LAND
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Aristide Paul Blanchet at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th December
1864.
I, ARISTIDE PAUL BLANCHET, of No. 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Notary, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF STEAM POWER TO THE
CULTIVATION OF LAND," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a steam locomotive, which will actuate all
agricultural implements whatsoever, but constructed specially for working,
ploughing, or other analogous tilling machines.
This locomotive is composed, firstly, of a strong iron framing, which supports
the entire arrangement.
Secondly, of a self-moving steam motor of about 10-horse power, comprising
a boiler with two inclined cylinders placed on each side of the fire-box.
Thirdly, of a crank shaft, which is the main driving axie, and which receives
the movement of the pistons of the cylinders. On this axle are three toothed
pinions, one in the centre, and one near each extremity and below the framing.
These pinions by means of clutches are fast or loose at will.
Fourthly, of 4 iron wheels, two small ones forward, and two large ones in
Their fellys are very broad in order that they may sink into the
soil as little as possible. The two large ones by the aid of an axle under
springs, and the two small ones by means of an axle pivoting in the centre
support the framing, and consequently the entire arrangement. On the axle
of the large wheels and in its middle is mounted and fixed a toothed pinion,

page_text: on which winds an endless chain, also passing on the pinion in the middle of
the driving shaft. The two large wheels, which are fast or loose at pleasure,
acting together or independent of each other on their axle, receive the starting
movement from the driving shaft by means of the endless chain, which unites
the two toothed pinions. As regards the small wheels they are carried along,
and as they only-support the framing of the machine- at one point in the
middle, they may pivot to the right or left, and by this means take the desired
direction. To give this direction the two extremities of the axle of the small
wheels have attached to them the two arms of a steering apparatus, which is
manoeuvred by the aid of a winch within reach of the engineer, and which
permits him to direct the small fore wheels right or left at will, and by this means
to turn and go wherever he likes. . This winch consists of a crank, which gives
a vertical motion to a pinion which transforms this vertical movement into a
borizontal one by the aid of a bevil wheel which turns a.rod, at the extremity
of which is fastened a toothed wheel, on which winds an endless chain, one of
the extremities of which is attached to a pulley, rolling in the end of the
steering apparatus or guide; the other extremity of this chain, after having
passed on a return pulley, being attached to another small pulley also rolling
on the end of the steerer or guide.
•
Fifthly, of a drum placed at the back of the framing, and fixed on a shaft
turning in the said framing, at each extremity of which shaft are fixed two
toothed wheels, each of which is united by an endless chain to one of the
toothed wheels of the driving shaft, and by means of this chain they receive
from these latter the movement which they are to transmit to the drum. On
this drum winds a wire cable, the end of which is attached to the cultivating
instrument which is to execute the work in view.
Sixthly, of a sort of rest or prop serving, by means of three large rounded
ends entering the soil; to prevent recoil of the machine when the cable is in a
state of tension, and which draws out of itself when the locomotive moves
forward. The framing further carries beneath and forward a large chest
serving as water tank to feed the boilor, and also containing, in its upper
part a small supply of coal, which it is easy to withdraw by means of a trap
under the feet of the engineer. 'A pipe serves for communication between
the water tank and the feed pumps. The boiler is provided with two water
guages, valves, and a steam whistle.
The working of the machine is as follows:-The locomotive being on the
land, the plough or other cultivator is behind and near it, and it is then
necessary that the machine inoves forward, for which purpose the engineer by
means of a guide rod releases the steam which is in the box of the regulator,

page_text: and this steam precipitates itself into the cylinders by a double vertical pipe
starting from each side of the box. The piston rods, by means of forked con-
necting rods, work the crank shaft, which as already stated is the main driving
shaft. The two toothed wheels are thrown out of gear, and are consequently
loose on the driving shaft; that in the middle is, on the contrary, in gear, and
consequently fast on the same shaft of which it receives the motion, trans-
mitting it by means of the endless chain to the large toothed wheel, which
itself transmits it to the two large driving wheels. These, by the movement thus
received, carry the entire machine forward to the point desired by the engi-
neer, who, when he desires to stop it, has only by means of a lever placed
within his reach, to throw the toothed wheel out of gear.
I will now describe what happens to the drum during the journey forward.
The small toothed wheels, which, by the aid of the endless chains, govern the
large toothed wheels being then out of gear, and consequently moveable on the
driving shaft, the result is, that when the locomotive advances, the slightest
tension of the wire cable held by the instrument of culture causes the drum
and also the toothed wheels to turn in a direction opposed to this journey, and
the cable to unwind from off the drum a length equal to the forward journey
of the locomotive. But when the cable at the will of the engineer has
unwound to a sufficient length, by throwing the toothed wheel out of gear he
gives the motion to the drum on which by the aid of this movement (the
reverse of the first when the machine was moving forward), the wire cable
winds on again, and by this means draws the cultivating instrument along and
effects the ploughing or other tillage. Previous to this action, which tends to
cause the inachine to move backwards, the back rest or prop lowers to the
ground into which it enters by its three ends, and thus offers a resistance
sufficient to prevent the recoil.
To the locomotive above describe must necessarily be added an apparatus
arranged so as to receive the ploughs or other engines intended to plough or
till the land. This consists of a strong framing made of four pieces strongly
united by a cross piece at each end, and further towards the fore part at the
place where there is to be a windlass by a double cross piece passing above
and below. The four pieces of the frame are placed at the side of each other
at an equal distance and on a horizontal plane, each carries a plough fastened
on its left side, and so placed apart that there is 16 inches between each
plough, that is to say, so that each plough can make a strip or ridge of earth
of 16 inches. The ploughs are placed one following the other, so that coming
successively the hinder one turns its strip of ploughed earth into the furrow
made by the preceding one. The front end of the frame terminates in two

page_text: shafts forming an extension of the two side pieces bent, and with their ends
rising upwards. The two ends of these shafts are united by a strong cross
piece. The framing carries a seat for the ploughman before each plough, and
on the piece which supports it is a coulter attached by an iron collar; this
framing is supported behind by two large wheels, and in front by two smaller
ones. By means of jacks, the framing, and with it the ploughs or other
agricultural implements, lifts and lowers at the will of the ploughman on
turning the cranks.