IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN PLOUGHS AND APPARATUS FOR MOVING THE SAME OVER THE LAND, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A TRACTION ENGINE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt of Sutton in the County of Surrey for an
"
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN PLOUGHS AND APPARATUS
FOR
MOVING THE SAME OVER THE LAND, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A TRACTION
ENGINE communicated to me from abroad by J. Claude White of Swatara
Pennsylvania United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1882.
SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN
PLOUGHS AND APPARATUS FOR MOVING THE SAME OVER THE LAND, APPLICABLE
"
ALSO AS A TRACTION ENGINE [communicated to me from abroad by J. Claude
White of Swatara Pennsylvania United States of America.]
The drain plough is composed of a beam having through it a vertical
longitudinal slot-two side plates or cheeks extend downwards from the two
sides of this slot and extend down to the bottom of the ditch cut by the
apparatus.
The forward end of the beam carries a right and left hand plough to throw the
earth to both sides. The rear end of the beam is suspended from a pair of wheels.
The ploughs at the forward end of the beam form a channel of sufficient depth for
the beam to run in. The beam or the two side plates descending from it carry
other ploughs one behind the other cutting to different depths. The plough
immediately behind the leading ploughs at the end of the beam cuts say to a depth
of 10 inches and throws the earth removed by it to one side into the furrow
formed by the leading plough-the next plough cuts to a further depth say of
10 inches and deposits the earth it removes into the other side of the furrow
formed by the leading plough. The lowest plough cuts to a still further depth and
is a right and left hand plough and is of less width than the plough above it so
that one half of the earth it removes may be conducted on one side of the pair of

page_text: descending plates above mentioned and the other half on the opposite side into the
furrow or channel formed by the preceding ploughs.
An endless chain passes over a pulley at the bottom of the descending pair of
plates near their hinder end and also over a pulley at the top of these plates near
their forward end. Part of the chain so forms an inclined plane down which drain
tiles may be conveyed and laid along the bottom of the ditch. The upper pulley
is driven at the speed required for laying the tiles end to end and close to one
another at the bottom of the ditch. In place of the tiles being conveyed down
between two side plates a single plate only might be made to extend to the bottom
of the ditch.
To move this machine over the land I employ a steam boiler and engine
supported on a pair of endless chains of blocks which I call creeping cloths.
These are at a distance apart and parallel with one another and each passes
around horizontal rollers mounted in bearings upon the frame which carries the
boiler and engines. The end rollers around which each endless chain passes are at
a distance apart from one another so that the portion of the chain passing from the
underside of one to the underside of the other may form an extended surface to
rest upon the ground and afford a firm-extended support provision being made for
keeping the chain always taut. One end roller around which each endless chain
of blocks passes may be lifted so that that end of the chain may be lifted off the
ground.
A broad central wheel is provided at this end of the frame so that when one or
rother or both of the chains-are-lifted-at-this-end-the-machine-will-as it were be
supported on three wheels and then can readily be turned in any direction.
The blocks are made triangular in section with the apex outwards from the chain
so that they may the better lay hold of the ground on which they rest.
The boiler or boilers and engine are carried between the two endless chains and
motion is transmitted from the engine to one or other of the rollers over which tho
chains pass to cause them to travel at the speed required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sydney Pitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd May
1883.
SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN
PLOUGHS AND APPARATUS FOR MOVING THE SAME OVER THE LAND, APPLICABLE
ALSO AS A TRACTION ENGINE (A communication to me from abroad by
J. Claude White of Swatara, Pennsylvania United States of America)
The drain plough is composed of a beam having through it a vertical
longitudinal slot-two side plates or cheeks extend downwards from the two
sides of this slot and extend down to the bottom of the ditch cut by the
apparatus.
The forward end of the beam carries a right and left hand plough to throw the
earth to both sides. The rear end of the beam is suspended from a pair of wheels.
The ploughs at the forward end of the beam form a channel of sufficient depth for
the beam to run in. The beam or the two side plates descending from it carry
other ploughs one behind the other cutting to different depths.
The plough
immediately behind the leading ploughs at the end of the beam cuts say to a
depth of 10 inches and throws the earth removed by it to one side into the
furrow formed by the leading plough-the next plough cuts to a further depth
say of 10 inches and deposits the earth it removes onto the other side of the
furrow formed by the leading plough. The lowest plough cuts to a still further
depth and is a right and left hand plough and is of less width than the plough
above it so that one half of the earth it removes may be conducted on one side of the
pair of descending plates above mentioned and the other half on the opposite side
into the furrow or channel formed by the preceding ploughs.
An endless chain passes over a pulley at the bottom of the descending pair of
plates near the hinder end and also over a pulley at the top of these plates near
their forward end. Part of the chain so forms an inclined plane down which drain
tiles may be conveyed and laid along the bottom of the ditch. The upper pulley
is driven at the speed required for laying the tiles end to end and close to one
another at the bottom of the ditch. In place of the tiles being conveyed down
between two side plates a single plate only might be made to extend to the bottom
of the ditch.
To move this machine over the land I employ a steam boiler and engine supported
on a pair of endless chains of blocks which I call creeping cloths. These are at a
distance apart and parallel with one another and each passes around horizontal
rollers mounted in bearings upon the frame which carries the boiler and engines.
The end rollers around which each endless chain passes are at a distance apart
from one another so that the portion of the chain passing from the underside of
one to the underside of the other may form an extended surface to rest upon the
ground and afford a firm extended support provision being made for keeping the
chain always taut.
One end roller around which each endless chain of blocks passes may be lifted
so that that end of the chain may be lifted off the ground.
A broad central wheel is provided at this end of the frame so that when one or
other or both of the chains are lifted at this end the machine will as it were be
supported on three wheels and then can readily be turned in any direction. .
The blocks are made triangular in section with the apex outwards from the chain
so that they may the better lay hold of the ground on which they rest.
The boiler or boilers and engine are carried between the two endless chains and

page_text: beam and one for each wheel of the drainer. Anchors in front and moveable
props at rear will hold the motor in place while drawing the machine up to O.
The two wheels L being revolved give motion to the pipe laying chain CC. The
cylinders of the engine and gearing it is not necessary to explain.
The depth requisite for the furrows I, J, K. is reduced by the use of the
intermediate ploughs Z the desired depth being obtained by burying the beam A
by making a furrow therefor by the central plough at Z. The implement can be
drawn forward by direct traction.
The amount of force estimated 100 to 120 H, P can easily be obtained from two
fifteen to twenty H, P cylinders geared on to O.
What I claim is :-
First. The improved drain plough substantially as described.
Second. The improvement in drain ploughs consisting in providing the same
with a sories of mould boards or plough tools to open a trench to the depth
required, and which operate in succession one clearing a space to receive the soil
raised by another substantially as described.
Third. The improved traction engine substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Sydney Pitt have hereunto set my hand and
seal this eighteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
SYDNEY PITT (L.S.)