Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1887
Complete Left, 7th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th Mar., 1888
I, DAVID GREIG, of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
These improvements relate more particularly to implements on the "balance
principle" used to cultivate the land by steam power.
The nature of the improvement is as follows:-As previously made the frames of
these implements which carry the cultivating parts are made rigid and balanced in
the centre. On rough and uneven ground the work done is not so regular as is
required.
My improvement consists in making the frame which carries the tilling implements
in two or more parts according to the breadth of land required to be worked; these
separate frames carry two or more implements as may be required; these frames are
centred in the middle of their length and are also fitted with anti-balance gear which
by the pull of the rope causes more weight to be brought on the frame carrying the
tilling implements then at work. Each of the separate frames are free to rise and
fall vertically to suit the inequalities of the land. Each separate frame is carried
independently on skid wheels or skids.
I also apply a stilt or strut at each outer end of the plough frame to assist in lifting the
plough out of work on reaching the headland and to prevent the plough running back
while the anti-balance gear is being pulled into the centre.
This stilt is centred on the end of the plough frame in such a way as to be under
the complete control of the ploughman it also forms a carrier for the rope. When the
ploughs are in work the stilt is lifted clear of the ground but when the plough has
arrived at the headland, the ploughman releases the stilt and it drops on the ground,

page_text: when the opposite engine to that which has been at work starts to pull for the
return journey, the plough is partly pulled back, when the stilt comes into contact
with the ground till it assumes a vertical position when the ploughs are lifted
clear out of work, the plough is then in a position to be set into work for the return
journey.
I also introduce springs, of any convenient form or material, but preferably coiled
steel springs, between the draught chains or rods and the plough frame so as to reduce
as much as possible the shocks brought on to the frame when starting suddenly or
when meeting any obstruction.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Implements for Cultivating Land.
1, DAVID GREIG of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
These improvements relate more particularly to implements on the "balance
principle" used to cultivate the land by steam power.
The nature of the improvement is as follows:-As previously made the frames of
these implements which carry the cultivating parts are made rigid and.balanced in the
centre. On rough and uneven ground the work done is not so regular as is
required.
My improvement consists in making the frame which carries the tilling implements
in two or more parts according to the breadth of land required to be worked; these
separate frames carry two or more implements as may be required; these frames are
centred in the middle of their length and are also fitted with anti-balance gear which
by the pull of the rope causes more weight to be brought on the frame carrying the
tilling implements then at work. Each of the separate frames are free to rise and fall
vertically to suit the inequalities of the land. Each separate frame is carried
independently on skid wheels or skids.
I also apply a stilt or strut at each outer end of the plough frame to assist in
lifting the plough out of work on reaching the headland and to prevent the
plough running back while the anti-balance gear is being pulled into the centre.
This stilt is centred on the end of the plough frame in such a way as to be under
the complete control of the ploughman it also forms a carrier for the rope. When
the ploughs are in work the stilt is lifted clear of the ground but when the plough has
arrived at the headland, the ploughman releases the stilt and it drops on the ground,
when the opposite engine to that which has been at work starts to pull for the return
journey, the plough is partly pulled back, when the stilt comes into contact with the
ground till it assumes a vertical position when the ploughs are lifted clear out of work,
the plough is then in a position to be set into work for the return journey.
I also introduce springs, of any convenient form or material, but preferably coiled
steel springs, between the draught chains or rods and the plough frame so as to
reduce as much as possible the shocks brought on to the frame when starting suddenly
or when meeting any obstruction.
The drawings annexed shew apparatus constructed as above described.
Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 a plan of one half of the implement. Figure 3
is a transverse vertical section.
In the implement shewn the frame is divided longitudinally into two parts A B.
One part A carrying four ploughs at each of its ends and the other part B three
ploughs.

page_text: Both parts are capable of being moved forwards or backwards a distance relatively
to the main supporting wheels in the manner described in the Specification of a
former Patent granted to myself and another No. 3861 in the year 1886—so that the
pull of the rope may cause more weight to be brought on to the tilling implements
then at work.
The frames like the single frame of the implement described in the Specification of
that Patent turn upon an axis C, on which is a loose sleeve D at each end of which is
fixed a toothed pinion E-the pinion E at one end gears with a toothed rack fixed on
the outer side plate of the frame A and the pinion at the other end with a toothed
rack fixed on the outer side plate of the frame B.
The hauling chains are wound around a barrel F at the centre of the sleeve in the
manner described in the above mentioned specification so that as each rope comes into
work one or more turns are given to the sleeve and the frames are both moved end-
wise relatively to the sleeve and supporting wheels and so more weight is put on the
ploughs then coming into work.
To keep the frames A and B in a horizontal position they have a bar G passed
through their side plates at the centre as shewn at Figure 3.
The steering of the main wheels is effected in the ordinary manner.
At the extremity of each framo B is a skid H and of each frame A a wheel I for
regulating the depth to which the end plough is allowed to enter the ground. J is a
stilt or strut (jointed to each end of the frame A) which can be either held up by a
lever catch J in the position shown by full lines in Figure 1 when it is out of use or
if the lever arm of the catch is raised can be allowed to drop onto the ground and
come into a vertical position as shewn by dotted lines so that on any backward move-
ment taking place it will cause the ploughs carried by that end of the frame A to be
lifted.
Each hauling rope after passing around the barrel F on the sleeve D is coupled to
the centre of a bar K which at its ends is coupled to draft rods L one passing through
a cross bar forming part of one frame and the other through a cross bar forming part
of the other frame.
M are springs interposed between these bars and nuts screwed on to the ends of the
rods L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In balance' cultivating implements forming the lever frame which carries the
two sets of implements in two or more longitudinal divisions each free to rise or fall
at their ends independently of the other or others.
2. In balance cultivating implements the combination of the balance lever in two
or more longitudinal divisions with anti-balance gear acting in the manner described
to weight the ploughs as they come into work.
3. In balance cultivating implements the application of a stilt or strut jointed to
cach end of the balance lever frame substantially as described.
4. In balance cultivating implements the employment of springs at the end of the
draught or pulling rods or chains to reduce the strain on the frame at commencing
work or when the cultivating-implements come in contact with any obstruction
substantially as described.
5. The construction of implements for cultivating land substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this Sixth day of February 1888.
DAVID GREIG.