IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING OR TILLING LAND
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fowler, junior, of Cornhill, in the City of
London, Engineer, and William Worby, of Ipswich, in the County
of Suffolk, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING
OR TILLING LAND."
Sealed the 23rd September 1857, and dated the 16th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fowler and William
Worby at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 16th June 1857.
We, JOHN FOWLER, junior, of Cornhill, in the City of London, Engineer,
and WILLIAM WORBY, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING
OR TILLING LAND," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ploughing or tilling by
steam or other power, and consists, first, in an improved method of construct-
ing the carriages for carrying the pulleys which traverse along the headlands.
as the ploughing or tilling progresses. These carriages, as heretofore used
by us, have been mounted on disc wheels, which cut into the ground so as to.
give the required holding power; but these carriages, unless heavily laden, are.
liable to turn over.

page_text: Now, the present improvement consists in attaching to one side of the
carriage horizontal shares, which pass through the land with comparative
facility, but which offer great resistance to being drawn vertically out of the
ground.
The Invention also consists in an improved method of drawing forward
these anchor carriages from time to time as the work progresses. For this
purpose there is mounted on the plough or tilling instrument which traverses
over the land, to and from the anchor carriages, a small drum, and to it the
traction ropes which lead in either direction are attached, and several turns of
one of the ropes are wound on the drum. When this rope commences to draw,
the first effect is to cause the drum to turn so as to wind off the coils of this
rope, and by it so doing, the same number of coils of the other rope are wound
on to the drum; while this is taking place the plough or tilling instrument is
stationary, although the winding apparatus is at work, and the power may be
applied to draw forward the anchor carriage; this is done by a rope attached
at one end to the carriage, and passing through a pulley or block fixed at a
distance ahead of it; and when the plough has arrived at the pulley carriage,
the free end of the rope attached to the carriage is hitched on to the return
traction rope, and while the unwinding is taking place from off the drum on
the plough or tilling instrument, the pulley carriage is drawn a step forward.
The Invention consists, thirdly, in an improved method of preventing the
plough or tilling instrument from rising out of the land (as it has a tendency
to do), in place of passing through it. Heretofore we have overcome this
tendency by weighting the plough to a sufficient extent, either by causing men
to ride on it, or otherwise.
Now, the present improvement consists in leading the traction rope over the
end of the plough, so that when the strain comes on the rope it draws the end
of the plough down, and tends to keep it in the land.
The Invention consists, fourthly, in an improvement in the arrangement of
the plough or tilling instrument. This instrument consists of two parallel
beams, firmly fixed together, and supported at their centres by an axle mounted
on wheels, and the two ends of these beams carry ploughs, tynes, or cutters, as
heretofore; but in place of bolting the ploughs, tynes, or cutters directly to
the sides of the beams, which arrangement allows of no adjustment in the
distances between the tools, the beams carry at their ends and on their under
surfaces, plates or bars having slotted holes in them, to allow of the ploughs,
tynes, or cutters being bolted to the plates or bars at any required distance, the
one from the other.

page_text: The Invention consists, lastly, in an improved method of arranging the
portable engine and winding apparatus which is used for hauling the plough
or tilling instrument.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me there is shewn and
described an engine mounted on wheels, which can be driven by the engine,
and which has drums combined with it, on to and off which the traction rope
is wound.
Now, the present improvement consists in combining with such an engine
an additional winding drum, to assist in moving the engine in places where
the land is so uneven or bad that there is difficulty in moving the engine
forward by gearing the carrying wheels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Fowler and William Worby in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOIN
FOWLER, junior, of Cornhill, in the City of London, Engineer, and WILLIAM
WORBY, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, 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 fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Fowler and William Worby, Her special licence that we, the
said John Fowler and William Worby, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Fowler and William Worby,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHING
OR TILLING LAND," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John
Fowler and William Worby, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Fowler, on behalf of myself and
the said William Worby, do hereby declare the nature of the 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, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ploughing or tilling by
steam or other power, and consists, first, in an improved method of construct-
ing the carriages for carrying the pulleys which traverse along the headlands
as the ploughing or tilling progresses. These carriages, as heretofore used by
us, have been mounted on disc wheels, which cut into the ground, so as to
give the required holding power; but these carriages, unless heavily laden, are
liable to turn over.
The present improvement consists in attaching to the side of the carriage
horizontal shares, which pass through the land with comparative facility, but
which offer great resistance to being drawn vertically out of the ground.
The Invention also consists in an improved method of drawing forward
these anchor carriages from time to time as the work progresses. For this
purpose there is mounted on the plough or tilling instrument which traverses
over the land, to and from the anchor carriages, a small drum, and to it the
traction ropes which lead in either direction are attached, and several turns
of one of the ropes are wound on the drum. When this rope commences to
draw, the first effect is to cause the drum to turn so as to wind off the coils of
this rope, and by its so doing the same number of coils of the other rope are
wound on to the drum. While this is taking place the plough or tilling
instrument is stationary, although the winding apparatus is at work, and the
power may be applied to draw forward the anchor carriage; this is done by a
rope attached at one end to the carriage, and passing through a pulley or
block fixed at a distance ahead of it; and when the plough has arrived at the
pulley carriage, the free end of the rope attached to the carriage is hitched on to
the return traction rope, and while the unwinding is taking place from off the
drum on the plough or tilling instrument, the pulley carriage is drawn a step
forward.
The Invention consists, thirdly, in an improved method of preventing the
plough or tilling instrument from rising out of the land (as it has a tendency
to do), in place of passing through it. Heretofore we have overcome this
tendency by weighting the plough to a sufficient extent, either by causing men
to ride on it, or otherwise.

page_text: Now, the present improvement consists in leading the traction rope over the
end of the plough, so that when the strain comes on the rope it draws the end of
the plough down, and tends to keep it in the land.
The Invention consists, fourthly, in an improvement in the arrangement of
the plough or tilling instrument. This instrument consists of two parallel
beams firmly fixed together, and supported at their centres by an axle mounted
on wheels, and the two ends of these beams carry ploughs, tynes, or cutters as
heretofore; but in place of bolting the ploughs, tynes, or cutters directly to
the sides of the beams, which arrangement allows of no adjustment in the
distances between the tools, the beams carry at their ends plates or bars
having slotted holes in them, to allow of the ploughs, tines, or cutters being
bolted to the plates or bars at any required distance, the one from the other.
The Invention consists, lastly, in an improved method of arranging the
portable engine and winding apparatus which is used for hauling the plough
or tilling instrument.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to us, there is shown and
described an engine mounted on wheels, which can be driven by the engine,
and which has drums combined with it, on to and off which the traction rope is
wound."
Now, the present improvement consists in combining with such an engine
an additional winding drum, to assist in moving the engine in places where
the land is so uneven or bad that there is difficulty in moving the engine
forward by gearing the carrying wheels.
And in order that our said Invention may be most fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view, Figure 2 an end view, and Figure 3 a plan, of a
carriage for corrving the nulleys which traverse along the headlands of the
Figure 1 is a side view, Figure 2 an end view, and Figure 3 a plan, of a
carriage for carrying the pulleys which traverse along the headlands as the
ploughing or tilling progresses, and which is constructed according to the first
part of our Invention.
a is the body of the carriage, which is carried by the rollers b, b, resting on
the surface of the land; c is the pulley for the hauling rope; d, d, are rollers,
by which this rope is supported; e, e, are horizontal shares fixed to the
carriage by the vertical bars f. f, which are made sharp at their forward edges
to facilitate their passage through the laud; it is in the use of these shares
that our present Invention consists, in other respects the carriage is similar to
these heretofore used by us.

page_text: We would remark, that the shares may either be used on both sides of the
carriage, as is shown by the Drawing, or they may only be used on the further
side of the carriage, which has a tendency to rise when the strain comes on
the tackle.
We will now proceed to describe the second part of this Invention, which
has for its object an improved method of drawing forward the anchor carriages
(such, for example, as that just described) from time to time as the work
progresses.
Figure 4 is a side view of a plough or tilling instrument, such as has been
before used by us, and the construction of which is now well understood. This
plough or tilling instrument has hitherto been hauled in either direction by
ropes attached to the frame directly under the axle; but according to the
present Invention, a small drum is mounted on the frame at the point where
heretofore the ropes have been attached; this drum is shown in red lines in
the Drawing, and to its periphery the hauling ropes leading in either direction
are attached, one rope being fixed to it at a point under the centre flange, and
the other rope at a point over the centre flange. The ropes are so arranged
that at all times there are several coils of one or other of the ropes round this
drum. Thus it will be seen that when the plough or tilling instrument arrives
at one of the headlands, and what has been the return rope begins to be wound
up, the first effect of the strain upon it is to unwind its end from the drum,
and to wind up a similar quantity of what before was the hauling rope; and
while this is going on, a rope attached to the pulley carriage may be hitched
on to this rope, so as to move the pulley carriage forward, and the plough or
tilling instrument will not begin to move until all the convolutions of what
now becomes the hauling rope are drawn off the drum.
We will now proceed to describe the third part of this Invention, which
has for its object an improved method of preventing the plough or tilling
instrument from rising out of the land. Heretofore, as before mentioned, we
have arranged the hauling ropes in such a way that the strain comes on the
frame of the plough at a point directly under the axle, and so the strain has
but a slight tendency to prevent the end of the plough or tilling instrument
rising out of the hand.
According to our present Invention the hauling ropes are, as is shown at
Figure 7, hooked on to a ring A, suspended under the axle, and from this ring
chains B, B, are led to the frame at points over the ploughs or tilling tools,
and near the ends of the frame. These chains B, B, become in effect part of
the hauling ropes, and transfer the strain to points where it has a considerable
tendency to keep the ploughs or tilling tools in the land.

page_text: We will now proceed to describe the fourth part of the Invention, which has
for its object the so arranging the ploughs and tilling instruments that the
ploughing tools, tines, or cutters which it carries may be adjusted from time
to time to any required distance apart.
Figure 5 is a plan of one end of a plough or tilling instrument constructed
according to this part of the Invention. a, a, a, are the beams of the plough
or tilling instrument, which are carried by the axle, and in side view would
appear like the corresponding beams of the plough shown at Figure 7,
hereafter explained; these beams carry the plate or bar b, in which a series
of slotted holes are formed; c, c, are slides, which fit on to the plate or bar b,
and which each carry a ploughshare, coulter, and mould board, and these
with their slides can be slid along the bar b, and secured to it by bolts at any
required points. The other parts of the plough or tilling instrument are
similar to those of ploughs or tilling instruments before used and patented, it
is not therefore necessary that we should now describe them in detail.
Figure 6 is a plan, and Figure 7 is a side view, of another form of plough
or tilling instrument constructed according to this part of the Invention, and
so arranged that the tilling tools may be changed with facility. a, a, are the
beams carried by the axle; b, b, are plates or bars bolted to the upper side of
these beams; c, c, are other plates or bars bolted to the under side of these
beams. Between the bars b and c the stems d, d, of the tilling tools are
placed, and they are clamped to the bars at the desired position by the clamps
e, e; the other parts of the plough or tilling instrument are, as in the former
case, similar to those of ploughs or tilling instruments before used and
patented.
In the
We will now proceed to describe the last part of this Invention.
Specification of a Patent granted to us, and dated 10th day of July, 1856, an
engine is shown and described which has drums for winding the traction ropes,
and which is arranged to travel along the headland as the ploughing or tilling
progresses; this engine is shown with a vertical shaft, from which the drums
and the wheels of the engine are driven.
Now, according to this Invention, in order to drive an additional winding
drum to assist in moving the engine, we mount on this vertical shaft a bevilled
wheel, which drives a similar bevilled wheel mounted on a horizontal shaft,
running along the side of the engine to the end of the driving platform. On
the end of this shaft a screw is cut, which works into the teeth of a screw
wheel formed on the under side of a vertical drum, about 18 inches in diameter,
placed at the left-hand corner of the driving platform. These parts are so
arranged that the engine shall make about 60 revolutions for one revolution of

page_text: the drum. In order to throw the drum out of action a lever is employed,
which, by an ordinary arrangement of levers, acts on a clutch, by which the
bevilled wheel on the vertical shaft is either made fast or allowed to turn
loosely on this shaft.
In witness whereof,, I, the said John Fowler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
JOHN FOWLER, JUNE. (L.S.)