IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING LAND
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Churchman Darby, of Pleshey Lodge, near
Chelmsford, in the County of Essex, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING LAND."
Sealed the 21st December 1877, and dated the 3rd July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Churchman Darby
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1877.
THOMAS CHURCHMAN DARBY, of Pleshey Lodge, near Chelmsford, in the County
of Essex. " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING LAND."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for cultivating land.
For this purpose I construct a steam or power engine (or an implement carrying
such an engine) of a width capable of passing through gateways and of travelling
conveniently on public roads, and I so arrange it that when acting on the land for
cultivation, it may be caused to move sideways over the land, and cultivate a broad
space of land at each traverse.
I arrange the implement to perform the operation of digging by mounting upon
it a series of spade or fork-like tools forming a long row lengthwise of the implement,
and when an engine of ordinary type is employed I prolong the frame of the imple-
ment in rear of the fire-box, and have a number of digging tools not only in front
but also in rear of the fire-box.
1
When the implement is required to move sideways, the wheels upon which it was
mounted for road travelling are removed, and the implement is then left supported
upon rollers or feet or suitable supports arranged longitudinally of the implement;
by preference I employ three rollers, one on one side, the other two on the other
side or underneath the implement.
To cause the implement to travel over the land, I give a slow revolving motion to
two of these rollers transmitted preferably from the axis which transmits motion to
the forks. The third roller has steering gear connected with it. Upon these rollers
cutters may be placed to cut the land into strips corresponding in width to the
digging tools, and each of such strips is immediately, acted upon by one of the

page_text: digging tools, which are ranged in a long row along the side which now forms the
rear of the implement. Each spade or fork is carried at the lower end of a stem
which also passes through a socket which is capable of oscillating. The stem just
above each spade or fork is attached to the lower end of a rod, and the rod at its
upper end is coupled by links to the framing of the machine. The connecting rods
are worked by excentrics or cranks, the crank shaft passing from end to end of the
machine, By preference I make one connecting rod drive two forks.
Upon the upper end of each stem are projections, which as the stems are moved
towards a horizontal position strike against stops, and the stems are thereby caused
to make a 1/, turn and deposit their load bottoin upwards.
The stops and projections may be reversed so as to turn over the spade in either
direction at will.
Instead of cutting the land into strips by discs, I may fix a cutter or coulter on
every rod or eccentric strap which acts upon the land before the forks.
The improvements above described in digging apparatus may be used not only
with implements propelled sideways over the land, but also with implements
travelling end foremost.
Ploughing, reaping, mowing, drilling, or dibbling seeds, harrowing and scarifying
may be performed by the same implement by taking away the digging tools and
substituting tools or instruments adapted for the various purposes enumerated.
Sometimes in place of carrying the implement when at work upon rollers I support
it upon legs which are lifted and brought down on to the land and are moved
forwards and backwards by eccentrics. The legs form the eccentric straps, and they
are also controlled by a fulcrum rod above the eccentric which passes through a
slot in the leg.
The mode of walking both ways and the way to turn at the ends is by tilting the
fulcrum rod which runs the whole length of the implement to make the legs move
more or less forward.
Sometimes I furnish the legs with feet which are curved on the under side, and
the forward or backward movement is caused by making the feet to rock on the pins
by which they are jointed to the legs after they have been brought down on to the
land. These methods of walking are applicable to implements moving end
foremost.
.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Churchman Darby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd January 1878.
THOMAS CHURCHMAN DARBY, of Pleshey Lodge, near Chelmsford, in the County
of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CULTIVATING LAND."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for cultivating land.
For this purpose I construct a steam or power engine (or an implement carrying
such an engine) of a width capable of passing through gateways and of travelling
conveniently on public roads, and I so arrange it that when acting on the land for
cultivation, it may be caused to move sideways over the land, and cultivate a broad
space of land at each traverse.
I arrange the implement to perform the operation of digging by mounting upon
it a row of spades or fork-like tools ranged along one side of the implement, and I
support this side of the implement on legs which are lifted and brought down on to
the land and are moved backwards and forwards by eccentrics, whilst the opposite side
of the implement is supported on wheels or rollers which can turn independently one
of the other. The amount of forward and backward movement given to the legs is
controlled by a rod which passes from one end of the implement to the other, and
raises or lowers fulcrums upon which the legs can be rocked by the eccentrics. By
raising or lowering the rod at both ends, the fulcrums of the legs are all raised or
lowered, and more or less backward and forward movement is given to all the legs,
whilst by raising one end of the rod and lowering the other, the backward and
forward movement given to the legs at one end of the implement will be increased,
whilst that given to the legs at the other end will be decreased, and the implement
be so caused to move round in a circle. The eccentrics which give motion to the
legs are carried by a shaft which runs from end to end of the implement, and which
has a revolving motion transmitted to it from the crank shaft of the engine. The
spades or forks have the requisite movements given to them by the movements of
the legs.
In place of the implement being supported on one side and propelled by legs, it
might be supported on rollers caused to revolve slowly to move the machine
forward.
The Drawings hereunto annexed shew a digging implement constructed according
to my Invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation of that side of the implement along which the forks or
spades are carried.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the fire-box end of the implement with the platforin
(upon which the driver or attendant is to stand) removed.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite end of the implement.
In these Figures A is a horizontal steam boiler of the ordinary type, having
mounted on it a steam engine not shewn in the Drawing. The steam engine
drives the crank shaft B from which motion is transmitted to the legs and digging
forks as herein-after described. A¹ is the fire-box end of the boiler, and A2 the
platform upon which the driver is to stand. To the side of the shell of the boiler
are secured strong brackets C which carry bearings for the eccentric shaft D to turn
in; the shaft D runs from end to end of the implement, and has a revolving motion
given to it from the crank shaft B by an intermediate shaft and bevil wheels as
shewn.
The opposite side of the implement to that shewn at Figure 1 is supported
upon wheels E which all turn freely upon a fixed shaft F, which runs from one end
of the implement to the other. The other side of the implement is supported on
legs G which are provided with feet at their lower ends, and at their upper ends°
embrace the eccentrics on the shaft D.
In the Drawings, six legs G and wheels E are shewn to be used, and the
eccentrics are so fixed upon the shaft D as to work the legs in pairs, and to

page_text: cause the pairs of legs to come in succession to their lowest position, so that at
one time this side of the implement will be supported on the two central legs,
afterwards on the legs next to them, and afterwards on the two outer legs, and so on
in succession. In each of the legs there is a slot G', in which is received a roller I¹
carried by links I which are free to turn on the fixed shaft F, upon which the bearing
wheels E are mounted. Extending from one end of the implement to the other is a
rod H which passes through all of the links I, so that by raising or lowering either
end of this rod the rollers I which form fulcrums for the legs to rock upon are cor-
respondingly raised or lowered, and the amount of backward and forward movement
given to the legs can thus be raised as above explained. One end of the rod H is
connected by a link to a nut J which can be raised or lowered by turning the
screw K by the hand wheel on its upper end. The opposite end of the rod H
is supported by a hanging link which is free to turn on a fixed pin L'; the
link is coupled by another link to a bar M which is led back to the fire-box
end of the boiler, and has a screw thread formed upon it, which screws into a nut N
which can be revolved but cannot move endwise.
Free to turn around the nut is a lever handle carrying a pawl to enter notches
formed around the exterior of the nut, and by this pawl the nut can be turned in
either direction, and so move the bar M endwise. This movement raises or lowers
the link L, and so raises or lowers that end of the rod H. The link L has a small
block jointed to it through which the rod H passes, and is free to slide so that the
link can be raised or lowered without giving any endway movement to the
rod H.
By the above arrangement either end of the rod H can be raised or lowered by
the driver standing on the platform at the end of the implement; other arrangements
for raising or lowering either end of the rod may however be adopted.
The movement given to the legs G also gives the requisite movement to the
digging forks.
In the arrangement shewn in the Drawing, there are two forks working with each
leg. The stems O, O, of the forks are pivotted at 01, to levers P, which turn on
fulcrums at the lower part of the legs. The opposite ends of the levers P are con-
nected by links to pins Q carried by lever arms on an axis R which passes from
end to end of the machine. On the end of the axis is a lever arm which can be
clamped in any desired position to a quadrant R1; by this means the pins Q which
are coupled by links to the levers P can be set higher or lower, and the depth to
which the forks are caused to dig can then readily be varied. The ends of the
levers P are also connected by links S to two other links T, T, one of which is
coupled to the upper ends of the fork stems, and the other to the upper end of the
legs G. Or the upper ends of the stems of the forks might be coupled directly by
links to the legs or to the framing of the machine.
By the means above described, the legs Gas they descend cause the forks to
penetrate the ground nearly in a vertical position so soon as the legs take a firm
bearing on the ground, and are rocked on their fulcrums as above described, to move
the machine forward; the stems of the forks are by the links connected to their
upper ends caused to turn on their fulcrums O' and brought into an inclined position,
thereby moving the forks backwards away from the machine and causing them to
turn over the spit of ground which is behind them.
In place of the forks being carried by stems as shewn, the fork teeth might all be
secured to a rocking axis carried by each lever P, and each axis have an arm standing
from it by which it can be rocked.
up
When the machine is required to be moved along common roads, ordinary
road wheels are placed on either side of the machine on an axle indicated at a,
Figure 1, and other wheels at the fore part of the implement on an axle secured
to a locking carriage carried by a plate or frame extending from the front end
of the boiler. The wheels may readily be placed on to these axles by causing the
implement first to travel up on to boards placed upon the ground so as to elevate it
to allow of the wheels being placed on to the axles.

page_text: The implement when travelling may either be drawn by horses or the hind
wheels might be driven from the engine, the digging mechanism being then thrown
out of gear.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that other agricultural operations, such as
reaping, mowing, draining, ridge ploughing, drilling or dibbling seeds, harrowing,
and scarifying may be effected by the aid of locomotive apparatus arranged as herein-
before described, to travel sidewise when at work, and endwise when travelling over
roads. I would also have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
mechanism herein-before described for operating the digging forks or spades of the
digging apparatus, as a row of forks or spades ranged along one side of the horizontal
steam boiler of a locomotive apparatus inay have motion given to them in other
ways; and likewise I would have it understood that the combined arrangement of
moving legs operating digging tools may be employed with implements moving
end wise over the ground when at work, and that the system of moveable legs and
wheels by which the implement is supported and caused to travel over the ground
can also be used for supporting and propelling other agricultural implements either
sidewise or endwise, but what I claim is,-
First. The combined arrangement of digging machine, substantially as herein
described.
Second. The construction of steam digging machines with a row of digging spades
or forks ranged along one of the longer sides of the implement, substantially as
described, so that the machine when at work travels sidewise over the land whilst
it can be moved end wise when travelling over roads.
Third. The combined arrangement of supporting and propelling legs for sup-
porting and propelling agricultural implements, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combined arrangement of supporting and propelling legs and digging
spades or forks working therewith, substantially as described.
Fifth. The construction of agricultural implements to be worked by steam power,
substantially as above described, with a horizontal boiler and engine similar to an
ordinary portable agricultural engine, and arranged to be moved sidewise over the
land when at work, and endwise when travelling over roads.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Churchman Darby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
T. C. DARBY. (L.S.)