IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS AND OTHER IMPLEMENTS OR MACHINES USED IN THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I JAMES
HOWARD, of the Britannia Iron Works, Bedford, Agricultural Implement
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Third day of July, in the fifteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said James
Howard, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said James Howard, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such others as
I, the said James Howard, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS AND OTHER IMPLEMENTS OR MACHINES
USED IN THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso, obliging me, the said James Howard, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will norǝ fully and at large appeur.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Howard, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention consists, firstly, in improvements in the means employed for
connecting the share to the plough, and adjusting it to the required position
for entering the soil.
Secondly, in an improved construction of coulter for ploughs.
Thirdly, in improvements in the construction of subsoil ploughs.
Fourthly, in an improved manufacture of wheels for ploughs and other
agricultural implements.
And, fifthly, in an improvement applicable to jointed barrows.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents, in side elevation, an
iron plough with the mould board removed, to shew the construction of the
parts employed for connecting the share to the plough frame; Fig. 2 is an
elevation of the hind end thereof; and Fig. 3. is a sectional plan view,
taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1. In these Figures, it will be seen that
the lever neck enters a socket formed in the share, and that a screw hook
or share rod is employed for holding the share upon the lever; but the
construction of the lever itself is somewhat peculiar. This lever is shewn
at a, a, Figures 1 and 2; it is represented detached from the frame of
the plough at Fig. 4,. but with the share secured thereto, and in cross
section at Figures 5 and 6: Instead of connecting the lever to the plough
frame b, b, by passing a loose pin through corresponding holes in the
lever and the frame, a fulcrum pin c is permanently fixed in the lever
neck a, and this pin is made to rest in bearings at the forward end of
the frame. At its hind end the lever carries a clamp piece d with a ribbed
face, which is made to bear against corresponding ribs on the hind end of
the frame by means of a binding nut e, working on the hind extremity of the
lever a, which is tapped with a screw thread for that purpose.
It will now be understood that in order to adjust the position of the share it
is merely necessary to loosen the binding nute and shift the clamp d higher
up or lower down, as required. By this means the angle of inclination of the
lever neck, and consequently that of the share with the ground, will be changed,
and by tightening the nut these parts will be made to retain their position.
It will also be understood that by the fulcrum of the lever neck being advanced
to the extremity of the plough frame, the movement of the lever, whether into

page_text: a higher or lower position, does not alter the relative height of the top of the
share and the breast or furrow turner, as when the fnlerum (according to the
ordinary construction) is set further back in the frame. The mode of fixing
the lever neck to the plough frame by means of a binding screw or other
mechanical equivalent which puts a strain upon the lever in the direction of
its length, besides effecting the object in a more simple manner than here-
tofore, has also these advantages, (viz',) that when the plough has been at work
on clay or other soil, and the earth has accumulated between the lever and
frame so as to prevent the former from being raised or lowered, the lever neck
may be removed to clear the plough of such accumulation by merely taking
off the tightening nut. And further, that in the event of the lever becoming
loose, the ploughman is enabled to tighten it up with a spanner or a hammer
(as the case may be), and thus render it unnecessary to return the plough to
the maker for readjustment. Instead of making the shares and levers separate,
I sometimes weld them together, or form them in one piece, as shewn at
Figures 6, 7, and 8, and thereby increase the strength, and obviate the neces-
sity for the share rod, as well as save the expence of forming a socket to the
share. In other respects the lever is similar to that before described.
The second part of the Invention consists in making plough coulters out of
oval or oblong instead of round bars, by which means greater strength with
less weight of metal is obtained. It is well known that the principal strain on
the coulter is not lateral, but in a line with the plough's progress. I therefore
form the coulter stern with an increased thickness of metal to meet this strain
by making the coulter of oval or oblong bar iron, and provide suitably shaped
lugs for holding the coulter to the plough beam.
The third part of the Invention refers, as before stated, to improvements in
subsoil ploughs. Fig. 9 represents, in side elevation, a plough constructed
according to this part of the Invention; and Fig. 10 is a plan view of the
same. The improvements in this implement consist, firstly, in employing
in its construction two beams a, a, which are connected together by bolts or
rods b, b, b, and thereby form one rigid frame. The plough is provided with
coulters c, c, c, set parallel to each other, at equal distances apart, but at
different distances from the plough head. The central coulter is provided
with side pieces, which admit of its being bolted to both beams, and the
other coulters have also a solid bearing by being bolted to the side of
the beams. I sometimes employ other means of fastening the coulters,
such as mortices with wedges and clips or clamps. The advantage of the
double beam is, that it offers great facility for fixing the coulters and
wheels, which is a point of considerable importance, ns great steadiness in

page_text: the working of the implement is thereby ensured. The second improvement
in the subsoil plough consists in providing two wheels d, d, for running in the
same track on the land or unploughed ground, while one wheel e runs in the
furrow. By this means the wheels take a wider bearing, and consequently
enable the plough to work more steadily than when all the wheels run in the
furrow. When steadiness of movement is obtained, greater uniformity of depth
is ensured, and the power required to work the implement is consequently
lessened.
The fourth part of the Invention consists in a new construction of cast-iron
wheel for ploughs and other agricultural implements. This improvement is
shewn at Figures 11 and 12, which represent the improved wheel in side
elevation and cross section. The novelty consists in casting the wheel with a
hollow conical boss, having a stopped forward end, and a flango or lip at its
hinder end to receive a cap, in the manner of what are known as "patent axle
boxes." On the axle a, which is inserted in the box b, is a shoulder, which fits
a recess cast in the boss or box; and abutting upon the other side of this
shoulder is the cap c, which is fastened to the flange of the box by screws. In
the stopped end of the box a hole is made for the insertion of oil, and this hole
is tapped to receive a screw d, which forms a plug for retaining the oil in the
box. When a fresh supply of oil is required, the screw is taken out and the
axle is readily supplied with oil.
The last part of the Invention refers to means of temporalily converting
jointed barrows into rigid or fixed harrows, for the purpose of rendering then
more effective in situations where the fixed harrow is preferred to be used.
This object may be attained in various ways, but at Figures 13 and 14 I have
shewn the arrangement which I prefer to employ. It consists simply of a
chain a, and a tightening screw b attached thereto. From the jointed bar c of
the harrow two pins d, d, project, and to one of these the chain is attached,
while the tightening screw passes through an eye in the other, and is held
in connection therewith by binding or locking nuts. When, therefore, the
implement is intended to be used as a jointed harrow the chain is left slack,
but when it is required to be made rigid the chain is tightened up, and the
shoulders of the hinge are brought into contact. The same object might be
attained by driving a bolt or pin through two staples formed on the shoulder
of the hinge or other parts of the jointed bar c, or a hooked rod might be used
in lieu of the chain and tightening screw. I do not, therefore, confine myself
to the mode shewn, as many other plans more or less efficient might be adopted
for obtaining the same end.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of

page_text: carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim,―
First, the means herein-before described for connecting the share to the
plough, whereby I am enabled to adjust the share to its required position; and
particularly I claim the use of a screw and nut, or other mechanical equivalent
for tightening the lever neck lengthwise, and also providing the lover neck
with a fixed fulcrum pin, and causing the fulcrum to rest in a socket or
bearings formed in the forward end of the frame.
Secondly, I claim the improved construction of coulter, as above described.
Thirdly, I claim the improved arrangement of subsoil plough, as above
described.
Fourthly, I claim the improved manufacture of cast-iron wheels, as above
described.
And, lastly, I claim the application to jointed harrows of the means above
set forth, or any analogous means, for giving a temporary rigidity to the jointed
or hinged bars of such implements.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord One
⚫thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.