CERTAIN IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DESTROYING WEEDS AND INSECTS ON LAND
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WINROW, of Gunthorp, in the County of Nottingham, Mechanic, 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 Eighth day of November, in the second year of Her reign,
and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Winrow, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority
that I, the said John Winrow, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and
such others as I, the said John Winrow, my executors, administrators, 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, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVED MEANS OF
AND APPARATUS FOR DESTROYING WEEDS AND INSECTS ON LAND;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John Winrow, 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 enrolled 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 more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Winrow, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
The object of my Invention of Certain Improved Means of and Apparatus
for Destroying Weeds and Insects on Land is, in the first place, to more
effectually or economically destroy or exterminate weeds, either in the state of
roots or plants growing in the ground, or as seeds remaining therein, as also
insects or their eggs, at the time the land is being tilled or prepared for sow-
ing or planting the crop; and, in the second place, to destroy certain flies or
insects which infect or damage the crop when it has sprung up or grown above
the ground; for instance, the turnip fly and other insects which prey upon the
young plants of the crop when they appear above the surface of the land, and
consists in the novel application of or means or method of applying heat or
hot air or a blast of heated air or steam, either separately or combined toge-
ther, or even commixed with any chemical gas or vapour, for effecting the
above objects and purpose; and also in certain novel or improved apparatus
or machinery whereby the said hot air, steam, or gas is generated and brought
into contact with the weeds and insects intended to be destroyed (that is to
say): the apparatus is portable or locomotive, and capable of being drawn over
the land intended to be cleaned either by manual labour or other power, and
the apparatus, in the first place, consists of a carriage or framework supporting
a fireplace wherein the heat is to be generated; also, if necessary, a blowing
apparatus (as rotatory fans or bellows) for producing an increased heat and
a blast of hot air, together with a boiler properly supplied with water for the
purpose of generating steam; and when weeds are to be removed from the
ground the apparatus may be furnished with rollers for breaking up the clodś
or lumps of earth, and also with harrows, pickers, or hoes for stirring up and
disturbing the same, and dragging the weeds out of the land and exposing
them, as well as the insects and their eggs, to the destructive action of the
hot air or steam which is directed upon them as the apparatus passes over
the land.
In the second place the apparatus is more particularly applicable to such
crops as are sown in rows or drilled, and is constructed without the rollers or
harrows, and is to be passed over the young plants of the crop without injury
to them, but having jets or streams of hot air or steam issuing from out of
the apparatus between the rows of plants, whereby the flies or other winged
insects which are preying upon or injuring the plant are disturbed by the
apparatus pasing over the ground, and brought into contact with the hot air

page_text: or steam, and thereby destroyed. This effect will be more particularly seen
by the turnip flies, which leave the young plants when disturbed and fly off to
the ground on either side of the rows, where they will be sure to fall under
the destructive power of the jets of hot air or steam issuing from the apparatus.
In order that my Invention may be better understood I have hereunto
annexed Drawings of three different arrangements or modifications of appa-
ratus, whereby my improvement may be advantageously carried into effect,
although I do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise arrange-
ments or constructions therein shewn, as the same may be varied either in
size or arrangement of the parts to suit the purposes for which the same is
designed. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one arrangement and construction of
apparatus for tilling or preparing land previous to sowing or planting the crop,
and is intended to be drawn by horse power. Fig. 2 is a plan or bird's-eye
view, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the same, to shew the
interior. a, a, is the framework of the carriage; b, b, the running wheels ;
c is a roller serving the twofold purpose of rolling over the ground and break-
ing up the clods or lumps of earth, and supporting the fore part of the appa-
ratus. This roller is mounted in the moveable framework d, which is con-
structed so as to allow the roller to "lock" or move out of the direct line as
the apparatus is turned round at each end of its passage across the land. e is
the fireplace or furnace, which in this instance is placed within the steam
boiler ff, it being supplied with water through the funnel valve g, from a
tank or reservoir placed on the top part thereof, or. by any other convenient
This valve also serves as a safety valve, and may be weighted to any
degree of pressure required. h is a rotary fan or blowing apparatus placed
within a casing i, and set in motion by a band or chain j, passed from a large
pulley k, on to smaller pulley l, mounted on the axis of the rotary fan. The
pulley k is set in motion by other bands or chains m, m, passed around small
pullies n, n, on the axis of the pulley k, and also over other pullies o, placed
on the side of the driving wheels, or on their axis. p, p, are the two or more
sets of rotary harrows or pickers which pass into and disturb the ground, and
draw out therefrom the roots of the weeds, and submit them, together with
insects or their eggs, to the action of the hot air. These harrows are mounted
in an adjustable frame or carriage 9, 9, which is so constructed as to be
capable of regulating the depth which the harrows or pickers shall pass into
the ground. These harrows or pickers may be set in motion in any con-
venient manner, either by a pulley and chain or bands, or by studs and anti-
friction rollers, as shewn in the Drawings, the rollers r, r, being placed upon
the inner side of one of the running wheels, and acting upon the studs s, s,
means,

page_text: placed around a boss on the end of the axle t of one of the rotatory harrows,
upon which a pulley is mounted having a band or chain passed over it to
another pulley on the axis of the other set of harrows, whereby they have also
a rotatory motion given to them, and are made to strike into the ground and
disturb the earth, and draw out and expose the weeds and other extraneous
matters to the action of the blast of hot air coming from the fireplace c, the
same being directed by the tuyere pipes or apertures ú, passing from the
easing of the rotatory fans into the fireplace, the hot being guided or con-
ducted down to the ground by the side casing and top door w. By these
means the heated air is partially enclosed, and kept or confined so as to act
direct upon the weeds, &c. while under the action of the harrows, whereby
they will be destroyed; and as a further means of ensuring. the destruction of
the insects and weeds, a steam pipe x is passed from the boiler into a hori-
zontal branch y, extending the width of the apparatus. This horizontal
branch is pierced with small holes for the purpose of allowing jets of steam
to rush out upon the ground and complete the destruction of the weeds
and insects. A is a hanging flap or. shutter capable of giving way to any
inequalities, as clods of earth, &c. This apparatus may be constructed without
the steam boiler, if desired, and only the hot air or blast applied -for the pur-
pose intended. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another arrangement and con-
struction of apparatus for effecting the same objects, and being made on a
smaller scale is intended to be drawn by hand. Fig. 5 is a vertical section
taken through the same. In this apparatus the steam boiler is made inde-
pendent of the carriage and fireplace, as shewn detached in Fig. 6, and,
when desired, the open fireplace may be used separate, as seen in Fig. 7, so
as to completely consume the weeds or other matters as it is passed over the
land, the weeds being raked together, after being drawn out of the ground by
the harrows or pickers, and have been submitted to the partial action of the
open fire below the bars. The pressing roller in this instance,is placed behind
the running wheels, which are mounted in. a locking carriage, to facilitate
the turning round of the apparatus, and also the steam pipe is furnished
with a hollow.joint to allow of the horizontal jet being placed nearer to or,
further from the ground, as desired, for the better. effecting the destruction of
the insects; and in order that the apparatus may be rendered, more generally
useful' as an 'agricultural instrument, it may be used without either boiler or
fire for harrowing and rolling the land after the crop of seed has been.
or even for rolling land only, which may be done by preventing the harrows
or pickers from revolving, by means of a catch and ratchet wheel, as at &, or
or in any other convenient manner. In other respects the same letters are
Sown,

page_text: marked upon similar or corresponding parts, as in the former Figures, and there-
fore it will not be necessary for me to recapitulate the description thereof, as any
competent person will understand the apparatus from inspecting the Drawings.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation, Fig. 9 a plan view, & Fig. 10 a vertical
section of another arrangement and construction of apparatus whereby the
second object of my Invention may be obtained, (viz.) the destruction of
certain flies or insects without injury to the young, plants of the crop, and is
intended to be drawn over the land by hand or horse power, and is to be
made of such capacity or dimensions as will best answer the purpose. a, a,
are the running wheels, which are intended to be placed at such distance apart
that they will travel in the space between any two rows of plants, and the
apparatus is intended to extend over as many rows as it may be found con-
venient to operate upon at one time to ensure the complete destruction of the
insects infecting. them. This apparatus consists of the fireplace or fuel
chamber b, mounted on wheels or a carriage in any convenient manner, and
is. furnished with the rotary fans or blowing apparatus c, for producing the
blast and exciting the combustion of fuel. These fans are set in motion by
pullies and bands or chains, as before described, and force the hot air through
the fireplace, down the movable channels or troughs d, on to the ground,
which, issuing out between the rows of plants of the crop, destroys the insects
which are there or come within its action as they are disturbed by the appa-
ratus passing over the land. The hot-air troughs d, d, are placed with their
mouths open to the fireplace to receive the hot air, and swing upon joints or
a rod at e, so as to allow of their exit ends moving up and down to accom-
modate themselves to the inequalities of the ground. f. is a door fitted with
hinge joints for the purpose of preventing the escape of hot air, and causing
it to pass down the pipes or channels d. And in order for better or more
effectually securing the destruction of the insects, a boiler g may be' applied
to this apparatus, wherein steam may be generated and passed by a pipe h to
the horizontal pipe k, from which any number of jets of steam may be allowed
to issue between the rows of plants, and which will effectually destroy the
insects that may have escaped the action of the hot air. i is a stopcock on
the steam pipe, and m the supply and safety valve for the boiler, and n is the
handle by which the apparatus is to be moved over the land.
:
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I have to state that it will be understood by all competent persons
that any apparatus or means for generating deleterious gasses may be applied
to these apparatus, and the same be allowed to issue in jets in place of the
steam, and that such gasses may be used in conjunction with the steam or
hot air, as before stated, the detail of which it is not necessary for me to

page_text: describe. And further, that hoods or bonnets or channels may be adapted
to the last-described apparatus, for the purpose of partially enclosing the rows
of plants as it is passed along; and into these hoods or channels the delete-
rious vapours or gasses (as, for instance, the fumes arising from burning
sulphur) may be thrown, which, being at a low degree of temperature, will
not injure or affect the vitality of the plants; but the obnoxious vapour will
destroy insects with which the. crops may be infected, and which would not
otherwise come under the destructive operation of the apparatus or the jets of
hot air or steam, which are applied between the rows or drills. And I wish
it to be understood that I do not intend to confine myself to the precise
arrangement and construction of apparatus shewn in the Drawings, and
described in referénce thereto, as the same may be varied to suit the different
operations or purposes for which the same be required or designed, and also
to suit its magnitude or capability for horse or manual power. And that what
I claim as my Invention, secured to me by the above in part recited Letters
Patent, is, the novel application or novel mode or method of applying heat
or hot air or blast of heated air, or steam, or noxious gasses for the purposes
herein set forth, together with the novel or improved locomotive apparatus or
machines by or in which the said hot air or steam or gas is generated and
carried over the land, as the apparatus is passed over the ground, for the
purpose of destroying the weeds and insects, and submitting them to the
destructive operation of the hot air blast, steam, or noxious gasses..
In witness whereof, I, the said John Winrow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, One thousand eight hundred