IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL BY POWER ENGINES
Year: 1871

page_text: 5
the
LETTERS PATENT to John Greenslade, of Southminster, in the County
of Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE
USED IN
THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL BY POWER ENGINES"
21
Sealed the 20th February 1872, and dated the 20th December 1871.
W
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Greenslade at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th December 1871.
timed
I
ord
I, JOHN GREENSLADE, of Southminster, in the County of Essex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL BY POWER ENGINES," to be as
follows
*།
L
4.
4
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus commonly
known as self-acting anchors that travel the headlands as used when
tilling or cultivating the land by steam or other motive power engines
on the roundabout system, part of which is applicable to Fowler's disc
anchor for the more direct system of steam cultivation.
For the roundabout system on the forward part of the framework of
the apparatus or anchor (such framework being provided with travelling
disc wheels fixed and steering, and a box to be weighted as usual) I
place a bar, to which is suitably secured tine, tines, or substitutes of any
suitable shape, but prefer them to resemble a man's leg and foot, being.
1<
3

page_text: more easy to raise when coming into contact with roots of trees or other
such obstructions for the purpose of staying the forward motion of the
apparatus when it is desired to do so; the tines do not revolve, but simply
oscillate to and fro; behind this bar and tines I place another bar across
the framework provided with arms or levers, and I suitably connect
these arms or levers to the tines before mentioned to raise them out of
the soil, and also to prevent the tines from traversing beyond a certain
distance; the connection between the tines and arms can be lengthened
or shortened to give the points of the tines more or less pitch.
On the rear of the framing of the apparatus, and not on the forward
end as heretofore, I place the pulley (round which the rope passes) for the
purpose of further preventing the liability to drag on should the land
give way to the disc wheels, the strain of the implement in operation
being thus thrown on the hind part of the apparatus, the whole appa-
ratus will be brought more at right angles to the strain of the rope,
therefore the power of resistance will be increased, and the strain being
thus taken from the steerage wheels and thrown upon the fixed wheels
it will be more easy to manage, and when a balance plough is used it
enables the return ploughs to be drawn more over the headland, and I
can thus plough closer to the headlands.
The tines or their substitutes when it is required they should be.
drawn or raised from the soil are acted upon by the slack rope when
running out through gearing from the pulley, round which the rope.
passes (or other equivalent means); to the pulley before mentioned I
attach a small spur wheel which gears into another of larger diameter;
to this wheel I attach a small bevelled wheel which gears into another
bevelled wheel running loose on a spindle, and having ratchet teeth to
receive a corresponding ratchet tooth clutch on the same spindle, having
a spiral spring behind it to press the clutch into gear with the loose
bevelled wheel; this clutch is keyed but free to slide on the spindle, and
acts only in the direction for raising the tines when into gear, and slack
rope running out the spindle and clutch will be made to revolve and
carry with it a small spur wheel secured to the opposite end of the
spindle to which the clutch and loose bevelled wheel is placed; into this
small spur wheel I gear another spur wheel of larger diameter, to which
I attach one end of a chain, the other end I attach to an arm of the bar
that is attached to the tines before mentioned; when this wheel is caused

page_text: to revolve it will take with it the chain and draw or raise the tines until
an arm of the bar before mentioned comes into play with a catch lever
which will hold them in a raised position as soon as convenient after the
tines are raised and made secure by the catch lever which is about the
place the chain stud on the wheel as reached its farthest point, a pro-
jection of suitable shape provided on the edge of the wheel to come
into contact with a lever connected with the clutch before mentioned to
draw it out of gear, on its being done the clutch and last mentioned
wheels will stop moving. When it is desired the tines or their sub-
stitutes should penetrate the soil and stay the forward motion of the
apparatus they are liberated from the raised position by one of the disc
travelling wheels when in motion; to this disc wheel I attach a small
spur wheel which gears into another of larger diameter, having in its
flat surface, and at a suitable distance from the centre, holes to receive a
pin; when the disc wheel revolves it will cause the pin wheel to revolve
also, and upon the pin being placed into one of the holes it will be
carried round with it, and come into contact with a lever attached to the
catch lever that keeps the tines suspended before mentioned, and raises
the catch lever to a sufficient extent to liberate the tines; upon this
being done the tines or their substitutes will be immediately drawn
forward by a spring, springs, or weighted lever which I attach to tho
framework for the purpose and force their points into the soil, when
they are further driven into the soil by the forward moving of the
apparatus until sufficient to stop it, the spring or weighted lever can be
made to act upon the tines the whole distance they are intended to
penetrate by shortening the connection between the spring wheel or
weighted lever and tines.
.

page_text: to keep the rope free from the tines and levers when the apparatus does
not stand in a line with the headland rope.
The framework I wholly construct with T or angle iron, the latter
most suitable. To apply my Invention to the apparatus known as
Fowler's disc anchor the tines are acted upon as before mentioned, but
the pin after liberating the tines also comes into play with another lever
which draws a clutch connected with the headland rope windlass; this
clutch acts only in the direction for winding up the headland rope, and
is also supplied with a spiral spring; the tines being thus liberated before
the clutch is drawn will be driven into the soil by the headland rope
windlass until the clutch is drawn; it will be only necessary to work the
tines when the apparatus stands or is working at an inclination towards
the engine to enable the apparatus or anchor to be more secured; should
it be desirable not to apply the bar with arms for raising the tines to
either apparatus the chain from the wheel is connected to one of the tines,
or an arm secured to the bar that carries the tines, instead of to the bar for
raising the tines before mentioned, and one of the tines or an arm on
the tine bar comes into play with the catch lever, instead of an arm of
the bar for, raising the tines before mentioned to keep the tires in a
raised position from the framing; I suitably attach a chain or substitute
to the tines to prevent them from traversing beyond a certain distance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Greenslade in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th June 1872.
•
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GREENSLADE, of Southminster, in the County of Essex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Greenslade, Her special licence that
I, the said John Greenslade, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Greenslade, my executors, adminis-

page_text: trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE
USED IN THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL BY POWER ENGINES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Greenslade, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Greenslade, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
:-
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus commonly known
as self-acting anchors that traverse the headlands as used when tilling or
cultivating the land by steam or other motive power engines, part of
which is applicable to Fowler's disc anchor for the more direct system of
steam cultivation.
For the roundabout system on the forward part of the framework of
the apparatus or anchor (such framework being provided with disc
wheels, fixed steering, and a box to be weighted as usual, which fixed
disc wheels I prefer should in some cases be so arranged as to effect a
slanting or an inclined cut instead of a vertical cut, which arrangement
will admit of the discs cutting their way more easily into the soil when
the strain comes on them, and will also prevent their giving way to side
strain. This I can accomplish by bending the axle and fixing the disc
wheels to conical naves. I place a bar to which is suitably secured tine,
tines, or substitutes of any suitable shape, but prefer them to resemble a
man's leg and foot, being more easy to raise when coming into contact.
with roots of trees or other such like obstructions for the purpose of.
staying the forward motion of the apparatus when it is desired to do so..
The tines do not revolve, but simply oscillate to and fro. Behind this
bar and tines I place another bar across the framing provided with arms

page_text: or levers, and I suitably connect these arms or levers to the tines before
mentioned to raise them out of the soil, and also to prevent them
from travelling beyond a certain distance; the connections between the
arms and tines can be lengthened or shortened to give the points of the
tines more or less pitch.
On the rear of the framework of the apparatus (and not on the
forward end as heretofore) I place the pulley round which the rope
passes for the purpose of further preventing the liability to drag on.
Should the land give way to the disc wheels the strain of the implement
in operation being thus thrown on the hind part of the apparatus, the
whole apparatus will be brought more at right angles to the strain of the
rope; therefore the power of resistance will be increased, and the strain
being thus taken from the steerage wheels and thrown upon the fixed
wheels, it will be more easy to manage, and when a balance plough is
used it enables the return ploughs to be drawn more over the headlands,
and I can thus plough closer to the headlands.
The tines or their substitutes when it is desired they should be drawn
or raised from the soil are acted upon by the slack rope when running
out through gearing from the pulley round which the rope passes (or
other equivalent means). To this pulley I attach a small spur wheel
which gears into another of larger diameter; to this wheel is attached a
small bevilled wheel which gears into another bevolled wheel running
loose on a spindle, and having ratchet teeth to receive a corresponding
ratchet clutch on the same spindle, having a spiral spring behind it to
press the clutch into gear with the loose bevelled wheel. This clutch is
keyed but free to slide on the spindle, and acts only in the direction for
raising the tines. When in gear and slack rope running out the spindle
and clutch will be made to revolve and carry with it a small spur wheel
secured to the opposite end of the spindle, to which the clutch and loose
bevelled wheel is placed; into this small spur wheel I gear another spur
wheel of larger diameter, to which I attach one end of a chain, the
other end I attach to the arm of the bar that is attached to the tines
before mentioned; when this wheel is caused to revolve it will take with
it the chain, and draw or raise the tines until an arm of the bar before
mentioned comes into play with a catch lever which will hold them in a
raised position. As soon as convenient after the tines are raised and
made secure by the catch lever (which is about the time the chain stud

page_text: on the wheel has reached its furthest point) a cam or projection of
suitable shape is provided on the edge of the wheel to come into contact
with a lever connected to the clutch before mentioned to draw it out of
gear, on this being done the clutch and last two mentioned wheels will
stop moving. This lever when drawn is prevented from going back
after the cam has passed it by a rod acted upon by a spring going into a
slot cut into it, which prevents the clutch from wear when not required
to work. When it is desired that the tines or their substitutes should
penetrate the soil and stay the forward motion of the apparatus they are
liberated from the raised position through one of the disc travelling
wheels when in motion. To the disc wheel I attach a small spur wheel
which gears into another of larger diameter, having on its flat surface,
and at a suitable distance from the centre, holes to receive a pin. When
the disc wheel revolves it will cause the pin wheel to revolve also, and
upon the pin being placed into one of the holes it will be carried round
with it, and come into contact with a lever attached to the catch lever
that keeps the tines suspended before mentioned, and raise the catch
lever to a sufficient extent to liberate the tines. Upon this being done.
the tines or their substitutes will be immediately drawn forward by a
spring, springs, or weighted lever, which I attach to the framing for that
purpose, and force their points into the soil when they are further driven
into the soil by the forward motion of the apparatus until sufficient to
stop it. The spring or weighted lever can be made to act upon the
tines the whole distance they are intended to penetrate by shortening
the connection between the spring wheel or weighted lever and tines.
The arms of the steerage wheels I suitably secure to the framing on
each side of the apparatus instead of at the centre as heretofore; to
each arm is supplied an elbow piece extending forward to the ends of the
elbow pieces. I attach a connecting bar, to which is secured a toothed
segment or rack; into this segment or rack is geared a small pinion, and
upon being turned in either direction by a winch for that purpose acts
upon the disc wheels and locks them into the desired position. (I also
steer my rack and pinion when steerage wheels are constructed so as to
take their axis from the centre.) This can be done by the man in
charge of the implement in operation, who also places the pin into one
of the holes according to the distance it is intended the apparatus is to
travel, and through the clutch into gear for raising the tines.
forward end of the apparatus I place two wheels with grooves,
On the
between

page_text: which the headland rope passes to keep the rope free from the tines and
levers when the framing does not stand in a line with the headland
rope.
The framing I wholly construct with T or angle iron, the latter most
suitable. To apply my Invention to the apparatus known as Fowler's
disc anchor the tines are acted upon as before mentioned, but the pin
after liberating the tines also comes into play with another lever which
draws a clutch connected with the headland rope windlass; this clutch
acts only in the direction for winding up the headland rope, and is also
supplied with a spiral spring. The tines thus being liberated before the
clutch is drawn will be driven into the soil by the headland rope wind-
lass until the clutch is drawn. It will be only necessary to work the
tines when the apparatus stands or is working at an inclination towards
the engine to enable the apparatus or anchor to be more secured; should
it be desirable not to apply the bar with arms for raising the tines of
either apparatus, the chain from the wheel is connected to one of the tines,
or an arm secured to the bar that carries the tines instead of to the bar for
raising the tines before mentioned, and one of the tines or an arm on
the tine bar comes into play with the catch lever instead of an arm of
the bar for raising the tines before mentioned to keep the tines in a
raised position from the framing; I suitably attach a chain or substitute
to the tines to prevent them from traversing beyond a certain distance.

page_text: (1.) The use of self-acting tines to prevent drawing forward of the
apparatus or anchor when standing or working at an inclination towards
the engine.
(2.) Raising and lowering the tines, and liberating the tines and clutch
by the means before mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Greenslade, have hereunto set
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
my
JNO. GREENSLADE. (L.s.)
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street,
S.W.