IMPROVEMENTS IN HARROWS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Roberts, of Hull, in the County of York,
Smith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARROWS."
Sealed the 18th January 1861, and dated the 21st July 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st July 1860.
I, SAMUEL ROBERTS, of Hull, in the County of York, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARROWS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of the description of harrows
known as rotating harrows; the object being to make them rotate upon citber
an even or uneven surface of ground, which is effected in the following
manner: I propose forming the harrow frames, (which are two in number,) of
a circular or other suitable shape, into which are placed tines slightly curved
at their lower extremities, the outer curved part being formed "knife-edged,"
for the purpose hereafter mentioned. A vertical shaft is placed in the centre
of each harrow, upon which are placed draft bars, the ends of these bars being
attached to a horse-tree by universal joints, the horse-tree being about the
same length as the distance between the centres of the two harrows. Thus
when the barrows are drawn forward, the curved ends of the tines cause them
to rotate, while at the same time the "knife edges" of the tines cut through
the clods of earth. The barrows having no connecting or cross bar, and there-
fore no connexion with each other, each performs its own work; for instance,
one may be perfectly horizontal, while the other is revolving on the side of a

page_text: hillock or other unevenness of the ground, or they may both be horizontal or
both inclining in the same or opposite directions, being capable of so doing by
the action of the universal joints before-mentioned, the horse-tree solely pre-
venting the harrows coming into too close proximity one with the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st January 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
ROBERTS, of Hull, in the County of York, Smith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Samuel Roberts, Her special licence that I, the said Samuel Roberts,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Samuel Roberts, my executors, administrators, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HARROWS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Samuel Roberts, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Roberts, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of the description of harrows
known as rotating harrows; the object being to make them rotate upon either
an even or uneven surface of ground, which is effected in the following
manner:
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now pro-

page_text: ceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, as follows:-
I form the harrow frames (which are two in number) of a circular or other
suitable shape, into which are placed tines slightly curved towards their lower
extremities, the outer curved part being "knife-edged," for the purpose herein-
after mentioned. A vertical shaft is placed in the centre of each harrow, upon
which are placed draft bars, the ends of these bars being attached to a horse-
tree by universal joints, the horse-tree being about the same length as the
distance between the centres of the two harrows. Thus when the harrows are
drawn forward, the curved ends of the tines cause them to rotate, while at the
same time the "knife edges" of the tines cut through the clods of earth; tho
harrows having no connecting or cross bar (unless required to keep them
apart), and therefore no connexion with each other, each performs its own
work; for instance, one may be perfectly horizontal, while the other is revolving
on the side of a hillock or other unevenness of the ground, or they may both
be horizontal or both inclining in the same or opposite directions, being
capable of so doing by the action of the universal joints before mentioned, the
horse-tree partially preventing the harrows coming into too close proximity one
with the other.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of "Im-
provements in Harrows," and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
I would remark in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the
precise details berein described, as many various shapes of harrows will answer
the same purpose, having the tines in the form above described; but what I
claim as my Invention, intended to be secured to me by the herein in part
recited Letters Patent is, the manufacture of rotating harrows, in the manner
herein described for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Roberts, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JOHN SWIFT,
Hull.
SAMUEL ROBERTS. (L.S.)