IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY REED, of the Dunheved Iron Works, Launceston, in the
county of Cornwall, Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in ploughs the object of the invention
being to construct them in such a manner as to secure rigidity and compactness
with a minimum weight of metal.
For this purpose I form the beam of iron or steel either single or double and
continue it suitably bent to the extreme rear of that part of the plough known as
the frame and curve it downward to take the back end of the slade. At a suitable
distance from this curved end I attach by suitable means such as rivets, bolts or
set screws the body made of iron or steel and double and curved similar to the
back end of the beam but with a larger curve so that its downward ends shall
receive the share lever, the three parts are held together by a bolt, rivet or setscrew,
and such fastening forms the fulcrum of the share lever; the forward end of the
lever carries the share and the other end is continued back to the periphery of the
curved body for the purpose of attaching to it a cheeked bolt which assumes a
perpendicular position. Suitably fastened to the beam just behind the body is an
attachment which is brought a certain distance downwards and then turned at
right angles, it has a vertical hole which receives the said cheeked threaded bolt
upon which are placed two nuts one below and the other above this hole and by
moving the said nuts backwards or forwards the lever will be operated so as to give
the share more or less pitch as desired.
The invention is also applicable to turnwrest or upside down ploughs, the body
forming a semi-circle one half above the beam and the other half below the beam
the share levers and adjusting parts are attached as hereinbefore described and for
ploughing one or more furrows at a time but it is obvious that the vertical hole for
receiving the cheeked or hinged threaded bolt may be fastened to the body instead
of to the beam and the cheeked or hinged bolt instead of being fastened to the
end of the lever may be attached to the beam close behind the body or the back
curved end may be carried forward to receive it; in either of the two latter
cases a hole would be made in the end of the lever through which it would
pass.
For more effectually adjusting coulters to turnwrest ploughs with reversing
mould plates I form that portion of the beam which carries the coulter in two

page_text: parts placed at a suitable distance from each other; upon the top of the beam is
a plate provided with holes; on the underneath part of the beam is another plate
with a deep boss having one or more set screws on each side; the two plates are
made rigid by means of bolts, or the like, passing through them and between the
beain; the front bolt is so constructed that the top or head part forms a stud on
which is a nut, or through which is passed a pin; the said stud carries or holds
the forward end of a movable plate, which is also provided with a boss having one
or more set screws on each side; the coulter passes up through the two bosses and
is suspended by a pin passing through the coulter and the bean; close behind the
coulter boss of the movable plate is a slot or mouth piece which is continued back
for a suitable distance where a transverse semi-circular slot is made through which
the hinder bolt securing the two plates passes, the bolt head having an arrange-
ment for that purpose the ends of the transverse slot are provided with set screws
for the purpose of regulation; at the rear of this plate there is a vertical slot, a
lever is hinged to the forward slot or mouth piece and passing back through the
vertical slot meets the mould plates or the arms of the same and when the
attendant reverses the mould plates the lever attached to the movable part of the
coulter box will rise in the vertical part of the slot, and will retake its proper
position as the attendant locks the lever or handle with which he has reversed the
mould plates and by the same operation the movable coulter box will be turned to
the right or to the left and the coulter is turned from one side to the other as
desired; by means of the set screws and the adjustable boss or movable plate, the
coulter can be held much more firmly and be set with greater accuracy than by the
arrangements hitherto in use for this purpose.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM HENRY REED, of the Dunheved Iron Works, Launceston, in the
county of Cornwall, Implement maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS" and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in ploughs, the object of the invention
being mainly to construct them in such a manner as to secure rigidity and
compactness with a minimum weight of metal.
For this purpose I form the beam of iron or steel either single or double and
continue it suitably curved to the extreme rear of that part of the Plough known
as the frame, and curve it downwards to take the back end of the slade. At a
suitable distance from this curved end I attach by suitable means such as rivets,.
bolts, or set screws, the body made of iron or steel and double that is to say made
of two pieces of iron or steel with a space between them for receiving a share lever
as hereinafter described; the said body is curved similarly to the back end of the
beam, but with a larger curve, so that its downward ends shall receive the share
lever; the three parts are held together by a bolt, rivet, or set screw, and such
fastening forms the fulcrum of the share lever; the forward end of the lever carries
the share and the other end is continued back to the periphery of the curved body
for the purpose of attaching to it a cheeked bolt placed in a perpendicular position
or nearly so.-Suitably fastened to the beam just behind the body is a bracket or
attachment welded to the beam or by preference suitably attached, to the body
which is brought a certain distance downwards, and then turned at right angles;
it has a vertical hole which receives the said checked threaded bolt, upon which are
placed two nuts, one below and the other above this hole, and by moving the said
Duts backwards or forwards the lever will be operated so as to give the share more
or less pitch as desired.
The herein before described improvements are also applicable to turn-wrest or
upside down ploughs, the body forming a semi-circle or thereabouts one half above
the beam, and the other half below the beam; the share levers and adjusting parts
are attached as herein before described and for ploughing one or more furrows at a
time, but it is obvious that the attachments having the vertical holes for receiving
the cheeked or hinged threaded bolts may be fastened to the body instead of to the
beam, the cheeked or hinged bolt, instead of being hinged to the end of the lever,
can be hinged to the beam close behind the body, or to the back curved end of the
beam, which may be carried forward to receive it; in either of the two latter
cases a hole would be made in the end of the lever, through which the bolt would
pass.
For more effectually adjusting coulters to turn-wrest ploughs with reversible
mould plates, I form that portion of the beam which carries the coulter in two
parts placed at a suitable distance from each other; upon the top of the beam is a
plate provided with holes; on the underneath part of the beam is another plate,
also provided with holes and with a deep boss having one or more set screws. on

page_text: each side; the two plates are made rigid by means of bolts, or the like passing
through them and between the beam; the front bolt is so constructed that the top
or head part forms a stud on which is a nut, or through which is passed a pin; the
said stud carries or holds the forward end of a moveable plate, which is also
provided with a boss having one or more set screws on each side; the coulter
passes up through the two bosses and is suspended by a pin passing through the
coulter and the beam; Close behind the coulter boss of the moveable plate is a slot
or mouth piece which is continued back for a suitable distance, where a transverse
curved slot is made through which the hinder bolt, securing the two plates passes,
the bolt head having an arrangement for that purpose; the ends of the transverse
slot are provided with sot screws for the purpose of regulation; at the rear of this
plate there is a vertical slot; a lever is hinged to the forward slot or mouth piece
and passing back through the vertical slot meets the mould plates or the arms of
the same and is operated thereby.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1 is a side
elevevation of a single plough without slade or shoe and having a curved body and
beam and share lever constructed according to one part of my invention; figure 2
is a detached elevation of the share lever and share; figure 3, is a similar view to
figure 1, but shewing the said part of my invention applied to a turn-wrest or
upside down plough; figure 4 is a side elevation of a turn-wrest plough with
reversible mould plates shewing my improvements for more effectually adjusting
the coulter thereto; figure 5, is a plan of the plough; figures 6 and 7 shew in
section the positions occupied by the coulter and share with each mould board
respectively; figure 8, is a plan view on a larger scale shewing the mechanism for
adjusting the coulter.
Referring to figure 1, a, is the beam of the plough formed of iron or steel and
curved at the extreme rear of the frame as shewn; b, is the downwardly curved
part of the beam which receives the rear end of the slade (not shewn in the
drawing) bolted thereto at c; d, is the body of the plough made double and
attached to each side of the beam a, by rivets, bolts or set screws at e, e; the
body d, is curved downwards at its rear end similarly to the part b, of the beam
but with a larger curve as shewn; f, is the share lever pivotted between the ends of
the body d, upon a bolt, rivet or set screw g, which forms the fulcrum of the share
lever and serves to hold the three parts (videlicet, the share lever and the two
parts of the body) together; h, is the share carried by the forward end of the
lever f; i, is the cheeked bolt to which is attached pivotwise the other end of the
share lever f, which is extended backward to the periphery of the curved body d,
for this purpose; j, is the bracket fixed to the beam a, which bracket extends
downwards and is then turned at right angles where it is formed with an eye or
hole; the upper end of the bolt i, is screw threaded as shown, and passes loosely
through the said eye or hole; k, k, are the two nuts screwing over the threaded
part of the bolt i, one above and the other below the said eye or hole in the
bracket j; 1, is the usual mould plate; m, the coulter; n, the wheels and o, the
handles of the plough.
By this arrangement if the nuts k, be loosened the cheeked bolt i, can be raised
or lowered so as to raise or lower the share lever f, by turning the same on its
pivot g, and a greater or less pitch can be thereby given to the share h.
The application of the said arrangement to a turn-wrest or upside down plough
will be readily understood by reference to figure 3, in which the parts herein-
before described with reference to figures 1 and 2 are required by the construction'
of the plough to be duplicated as shewn, the body d, thus forming a semi-circle or
nearly so, one half being above the beam a, and the other half below the beam; in
this plough the brackets j, are attached to the body d, instead of being fixed to
the beam a, but it is obvious that they can if desired be attached to the beam.
In figures 4 and 5, which shew my improved arrangement for adjusting coulters
to turn-wrest ploughs with reversible mould plates, p·represents a slot formed by

page_text: dividing that portion of the beam a, which carries the coulter m, into two parts at
a distance from each other as shewn; q, is the plate on the top, and r, is the plate
on the under side of the beam a, the said plates being provided with holes at each
end; 8, is the boss on the plate r, and t, is one of the set screws for holding the
coulter, one of which set screws is provided in each side of the boss; u, u¹, are
the bolts passing through the plates 9, and r, and up between the beam a, and
v, v, are nuts on the said bolts whereby the plates are fixed rigidly together;
y, is a nut for holding the plate x, on the bolt u¹; 2, is the boss on the moveable
plate, and a, represents one of the set screws, of which there is one on each
side of the boss ; the coulter m, passes up through the bosses 8 and 2, as shewn į
b, is the pin on which the coulter is suspended the said pin passing through a
slot c¹, in the beam and through the coulter m; the slot c¹, allows the pin a slight
lateral movement, whereby the coulter m, can be turned in its bosses, so as to alter
its angle according to the direction in which the share h, is turned, that is to say,
the edge of the coulter is always turned outwards; the slot c¹, also allows the
pin b, a slight vertical movement to allow the coulter m, to be moved by the
plate a, from one side to the other when the share is turned; d, is the slot or
imouth piece behind the boss z, which slot is continued back for a suitable distance ;
el, is the transverse curved slot through which the bolt u, passes; f¹, f, are the
set screws at the ends of the transverse slot e¹, for regulating the extent of lateral
movement of the plate x, over the bolt u; gl, is an upright extension on the rear
of the plate a, in which extension is a vertical slot; h, is the lever, hinged at i¹,
between the cheeks of the slot or mouthpiece d', and extending backwards through
the vertical slot in the part g', of the plate x, which slot serves as a guide to the
lever; the rear end of the lever h¹, meets and is operated by the ordinary mould
plates L.
, is the usual lever for reversing the position of the share by means of the
hand lever k, and for reversing the mould plates 7, by means of the usual stud
and loop; ', is the lever for steering the wheels n, of the plough in the ordinary
manner.
The operation of the plough is as follows:-the parts of the plough being in the
position shewn in figure 4, with, the share h, and coulter m, turned in the direction
shewn in figuro 6 a furrow is ploughed; the operator then moves the lever handle k,
to reverse the position of the share and to reverse the mould boards as usual. Tho
lower mould board in rising will come in contact with the lever h¹, and will force
it over towards the left hand side of the plough, the lever h¹, at the same time
rising in the vertical slot in the part g', of the plate ; the lever h¹, being attached
to the plate, in the cheeks of the slot or mouth piece d', will turn the plate on
its pivot or bolt u¹, to the extent allowed by the set screws, and bolt u; the
plate in moving will carry with it the upper end of the coulter m, so as to bring
the point thereof over to the opposite side and at the same time to slightly turn
the coulter in its boss 8, into the position shewn in figure 7; the attendant then
locks the lever handle k', and the lever h', will again descend into its lowered
position, when the plough will be ready to plough the next furrow; the said
furrow having been ploughed, the lever handle k, is moved towards the right hand
side, and the parts will be moved back into the position shewn in figure 4 ready
to plough the following furrow and so on. By means of the set screws and the
adjustable boss or movable plate, tho coulter can be held much more firmly and be
set with greater accuracy than by the arrangement hitherto in use for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a single plough forming the body double or made of two pieces of iron
or steel with a space between them substantially as herein before described.
2. The modification of the arrangement claimed in claim 1 to adapt the improve-
ments for use with a double or turn-wrest plough for ploughing one or more

page_text: furrows substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figure 3 of the
accompanying drawing.
3. In a turn-wrest plough having reversible mould plates and a suitably
suspended coulter, a moveable plate arranged as shewn to operate the said coulter
so as to adjust the same to suit the varying positions of the share, by means of
a lever operated by the mould plates when the latter are reversed, substantially as
herein before described and represented in figures 4 to 8 of the accompanying
drawing.
5. The improved ploughs herein before described and represented in the various
figures of the accompanying drawing.