IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA- RATUS EMPLOYED IN CULTIVATING LAND, AND IN THE METHOD OF WORKING THE SAME, AND OF COMMUNICATING MOTION TO AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Samson, of New Kent Road, in the County
of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED IN CULTIVATING LAND, AND IN THE METHOD OF WORKING
THE SAME, AND OF COMMUNICATING MOTION TO AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER
MACHINERY."
Sealed the 21st October 1876, and dated the 18th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Samson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th August 1876.
WILLIAM HENRY SAMSON, of New Kent Road, in the County of Surrey. "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CULTIVATING LAND, AND
IN THE METHOD OF WORKING THE SAME, AND OF COMMUNICATING MOTION TO
AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER MACHINERY."
In carrying my Invention into effect I employ any convenient form of cultivating
machinery, and I attach thereto any suitable steerage apparatus to enable it to be
used in combination with any steam tackle now in use. I also mount on the frame
thereof, as has heretofore been proposed, an engine and boiler, but according to my
Invention I add thereto a windlass, which I employ to wind one rope and give out
another, so as to communicate motion to the implement.
The plan of working with implements provided with an engine and windlass as
above described is to fix the end of one rope at the end of the field and the end of
the other rope on the headland opposite, and when the engine starts it will haul the
implement along and put it to work, the other rope being payed out on the side of
the undug ground. When at the end of the field the payed out rope will be put
over a pulley a little up the headland, which will turn the cultivator and cause it to
traverse a short distance in readiness to start back, and by taking the rope off the
pulley the engine will pull from the opposite headland, and cause the digger to turn
and proceed back by the side of the work done. By this means a whole field can
be finished, after which the implement may be caused to haul itself to the gate,
where it can be attached to horses or to a traction engine, or it may haul itself from
field to field on the farm, or be driven by chain or other means.
This engine and windlass may however be fixed upon a separate frame provided
with wheels, and may be attached to the implement.

page_text: Behind the hind wheels a spindle may be carried in brackets, with facility for
raising and lowering the same, and on this spindle discs are fixed, in which sockets
will be made to fix adzes, mattocks, picks, or any suitable tool. On the end of the
shaft a pulley is fixed, and driven by chain or otherwise by the engine. The digger
may be attached behind, and both be in operation at once.
Should an implement require more power to operate it it can be assisted by a
stationary engine and windlass in the usual way. This engine and windlass can
also if required be used as a stationary set of tackle.
My improvements also relate to uniting the power of steam or other engines,
cither when working close together or at a distance apart, and consist in providing
each engine with two winding drums gearing into cach other and driven by the
engine, but capable of being put in or out of gear as desired. I use two ropes to
each engine, and supposing each engine is of the strength of ten horse power, the
one rope is arranged to bear ten horse-power strain, the other rope to bear twenty
horse-power strain, as that will be the hauling rope to the implement. Each drum
has its equal quantity of rope, so that in starting to work it will only be necessary
to carry the end of the front rope across the field and hook it on to the front rope
on the opposite engine; the same with the hind rope to attach each to the imple-
ment, and all will be self acting for paying out or taking up the ropes, and so
hauling the implement about any shaped field.
My improvements also relate to a novel construction of the main or driving shaft
of windlasses for agricultural purposes, so that any number of engines may be
caused when required to unite their power to form one great driving force. To
effect this at each end of the shaft I fix a universal joint, and I also mount fast
and loose pulleys thereon. This kind of driving shaft may be employed for
coupling together engines for any purpose in or out of doors. By this means
assistance can be given where more power is required, instead of replacing one enging
by a more powerful one.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Henry Samson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
February 1877.
WILLIAM HENRY SAMSON, of New Kent Road, in the County of Surrey. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CULTIVATING LAND, AND
IN THE METHOD OF WORKING THE SAME, AND OF COMMUNICATING MOTION TO
AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER MACHINERY.”
In carrying my Invention into effect I employ any convenient form of cultivating
machinery, and I attach thereto any suitable steerage apparatus to enable it to be
used in combination with any steam tackle now in use. I also mount on the frame
thereof, as has heretofore been proposed, an engine and boiler, but according to the
first part of my Invention; which represented by diagram, Figure 1, I add thereto
a windlass, consisting of two drums a, b, having toothed wheels a, b, mounted
loosely on their axes and driven by the engine, which wheels are capable of being
thrown in and out of gear with their axis or axes by any suitable means, as may be
required. Those two drums I employ to wind one rope c, and give out another d,
so as to communicate motion to the implement. In the arrangement represented by
diagram, Figure 1, one end of the rope c is fixed to the claw anchor e, and the other
end to the drum b, whilst one end of the rope d is fixed to the claw anchor f, and
the other to the drum a, anchor sheaves g, g¹, being employed to guide the
ropes c, d.
The plan of working with implements provided with an engine and windlass a, b,
as above described, is to fix the end of one rope, say the rope c, at one end of the
field, and one end of the other ropo, the rope d, on the headland opposite, and when

page_text: the engine starts it will by one rope haul the implement along and put it to work,
whilst the other rope is being payed out on the side of the undug ground. When
at the end of the field the payed out rope will be put over a pulley g³, shown by
dotted lines, a little up the headland, and the drum b, which was previously the
hauling drum, will be thrown out of gear with its toothed wheel b' and become the
paying out drum, whilst the drum a, which was the paying out drum, will be put
into gear with its toothed wheel a¹ and become the hauling drum. The rope & will
also be removed from the drum gland put over a drum g³ a little higher up the
headland. By these means the cultivator will after having crossed the field be
turned and caused to traverse a short distance up the headland in readiness to start
back across the field, and the turning is completed and the cultivator hauled back.
across the field by the rope & to the opposito hoadland by the side of the work
done.
Another mode of working is when the cultivator has reached the pulley or
sheave g to throw the rope c off such pulley g, when the rope c continuing to haul
will turn the cultivator partly round, and make it traverse a short distance up the
headland, when by reversing the action of the drums a, b, the turning of the culti-
vator will be completed, and the latter caused to return across the field by the side
of the work done. By these means a whole field can be finished, after which the
implement may be caused to haul itself to the gate, where it can be attached to
horses or to a traction engine, or it may haul itself from field to field on the farm,
or it may be moved from place to place by chain or other means from the driving
shaft of the engine, giving motion to the supporting wheels.
This engine and windlass a, b, may however be fixed upon a separate frame
provided with wheels, and may be attached to any suitable implement to haul the
same about, and when employing a rotary cultivator the latter has fixed on the end
of the main or driving shaft a pulley, which is driven by a chain, rope, or band
from a pulley or fly wheel of the engine, in which case the digger may be attached
behind the engine, and both be in operation at once; or the engine may be stationary,
and employed to haul the implement without giving motion to digging tools.
Should an implement require more power to operate it it can be assisted by a
stationary engine and windlass in the usual manner. This engine with my improved
windlass a, b, can also if required be used as a stationary set of tackle.
My improvements also relate to uniting the power of steam or other engines,
either when working close together or at a distance apart, and this part of my
Invention, which is represented by diagrams, Figures 2, 3, 4, consists in providing
each engine with two winding drums a, b, the axes of which are provided with
toothed wheels a', b', gearing into each other and driven by the engine, but capable
of being put in or out of gear with either of the winding drums a, b, as desired.
I use two ropes c, d, to each engine, and supposing each engine is of the strength of
ten horse-power, the one rope c is arranged to bear ten horse-power strain, the other
rope & to bear twenty horse-power strain, as that will be the hauling rope to the
implement. Each drum a, b, has its equal quantity of rope, so that in starting to
work it will only be necessary to carry the end of the front rope c across the field
and hook it on to the front rope c on the opposite engine. The hind ropes d are
each attached to the implement, and all will then be ready for paying out or taking
up the ropes c, d, and so hauling the implement about any shaped field.
At diagram, Figure 2, I have represented the power of two traction engines at
provided with drums a, b, combined in the above manner to haul the implement
to and fro across a field and set it up to work without the use of anchors.
At diagram, Figure 3, I have represented the power of two portable engines at h,
provided with drums a, b, combined with the use of anchors for the same purpose.
At Figure 4 I have represented the power of two ordinary traction engines at h
without the drums a, b, combined by means of their driving bands to give motion
to the cultivator in the following manner:-On the main shaft ¹ of the culti-
vator are mounted the druins a, b, arranged in the manner before described, and

page_text: on such shaft a¹ is fixed a driving wheel a², partly around which the driving straps k
from the engines at h are passed, guide pulleys a³, a, being employed to cause such
straps k to bear against a considerable portion of the circumference of the wheel c³.
The hauling and paying out ropes c, d, from the drums a, b, are fixed by hooks or
otherwise, one to each engine h. Thus by giving rotary motion to the shaft ¹ by
the driving straps & the cultivator a may be hauled to and fro across a field in the
manner before described, whilst the engines will set up for work by giving motion
to their own supporting wheels.
"
At Figure 5 I have represented a plan of working in which the cultivator x is
hauled to and fro by the power of a single engine at h. In this case the engine is
provided with drums a, b, arranged as before described, and a similar arrangement
of drums a, b, is mounted on a travelling anchor at h*. The ropes c from the
drums bare passed around anchor sheaves and connected together, and the hauling
ropes & from the drums a are connected to the cultivator a. Thus by alternately
reversing the motion of the drums a, b, the cultivator may be hauled to and fro,
and if such cultivator is of a rotary character motion may be communicated to the
diggers in the manner represented at diagram, Figure 4, whilst for "setting up
the following plan may be adopted :-I throw one of the drums a out of gear
with its toothed wheel a¹, and I apply a break or stop to the drum b on the
opposite headland; then by working the engine one of such pairs of drums a, b,
is set up, whilst by reversing the operation the other pair of drums a, b, is set up.
My improvements also relate to a novel construction of the main or driving shaft
of windlasses for agricultural purposes, so that any number of engines may be
caused when required to unite their power to form one great driving force. This
part of my Invention is represented at Figure 6. To effect this at each end of the
driving shaft of a windlass I fix a universal joint, and I also mount fast and
loose pulleys 12, 3, thereon. In the Drawing I have represented the power of four
engines as being united by connecting the crank shafts of two engines h by the
universal joints to the shaft L, and by straps or bands m¹ from the driving
drums m of two other engines h acting upon the drums 1, 3, of the shaft l. This
kind of driving shaft may be employed for coupling together engines for any purpose
in or out of doors. By this means assistance can be given where more power is
required, instead of replacing one engine by a more powerful one.
I would here remark that in the Drawings I have not thought it necessary to
give the details of any cultivator, engine, or anchors referred to, as such forin no
part of my present Invention and are well known, and I would further romark that
the drums a, b, may be mounted on vertical or horizontal axes, as may be con-
venient, and that any suitable arrangement of means for putting the drums a, b, in
and out of gear with their toothed wheels a¹, b¹, may be employed, so as to cause
the one or the other to bo the hauling drum as may be required. I have not
thought it necessary to show any arrangement for this purpose, as by the above
description, aided by the Drawings, a competent mechanic will readily put my
Invention into operation.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,―
Firstly. The combination with a steam or other cultivator of a windlass, con-
sisting of drums a, b, and parts connected therewith, arranged and operated in
manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.
Secondly. I claim the modes of uniting the powers of engines placed on opposite
headlands by the aid of drums a, b, and ropes c, d, arranged and operated in manner
substantially as herein shown and described.
Thirdly. I claim providing an engine with drums a, b, and ropes c, d, to enable it
by the aid of another engine similarly provided, or by the aid of a travelling anchor
similarly provided, to operate a cultivator in manner substantially as herein shown
and described.
And, Fourthly. I claim the mode of constructing driving shafts of windlasses

page_text: and other machinery, so that any number of engines may be caused when required
to unite their power, and thereby form one great driving force for agricultural and
other purposels, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Samson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
W. H. SAMSON. (LS.)