IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRI- HERDAY THR on WORKING OR CHIMIVATING THE SOUL" CULTURAL IMPLEM IMPLEMENTS FOR WORKING OR CHIMIVATING THE SOIL
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Seaman, of Linslade, in the County of
Buckingham, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRI-
HERDAY THR on WORKING OR CHIMIVATING THE SOUL"
CULTURAL IMPLEM
IMPLEMENTS FOR WORKING OR CHIMIVATING THE SOIL
"
Sealed the 13th October 1859, and dated the 18th April 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Seaman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th April 1859.
I, JOSEPH SEAMAN, of Linslade, in the County of Buckingham, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS FOR WORKING OR CULTIVATING THE SOIL," to be as
follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists of improvements in ploughs, and is
in part applicable to scarrifiers, grubbers, or cultivators. According to this
part of the Invention the beam of the plough is formed of two flat bars, put
together with spreaders or struts, one of these struts taking the front part of
the plough frame, the bars being wide enough apart to admit of the front of
the frame being moved to the right or left in order to set the head of the plough
more or less to land. For this purpose the hind part of the frame is furnished
with an upright pivot or bolt, and the tail of the beam has a vertical slotted
mortice corresponding therewith. By this arrangement the head of the plough
may also be set at any required height. Where a draught chain is required,

page_text: instead of carrying it below the beam I intend bringing it between the two
bars that form the beam so as to be clear of the coulter and wheel standards.
I also propose to fit the breasts or turnfurrows to the share levers by a long
staple or slotted holdfast rivetted fast to the breasts or turnfurrows, the same
being griped with a coupling having a peculiar slotted mortice. The front
part of the breasts or turnfurrows will have a swivel holdfast rivetted or
otherwise firmly secured thereto, being secured to the lever with the same kind
of slotted mortice above referred to. This slotted mortice may be employed
instead of set screws and loop screws, for the adjustment of wheel slides and
standards, coulters, and couplings, and other similar uses in the manufacture
of the implements above referred to.
Under the second head of my Invention, instead of the ordinary method of
forming the teeth of harrows with screwed shanks and nuts, I intend to fit the
teeth on to the sides of the beams, and secure them by bolts passed through the
teeth and beams horizontally. Tubular stretchers are placed on the bolts
between the beams to form the proper width of the harrows; or the frames of
the harrows can be formed independant of the teeth, the teeth being screwed to
the frames in the manner above described, but with separate bolts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Seaman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th October 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
SEAMAN, of Linslade, in the County of Buckingham, Engineer, send
greeting...
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Joseph Seaman, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Seaman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Joseph Seaman, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS FOR WORKING OR CULTIVATING

page_text: THE SOIL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Seaman, 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 Joseph Seaman, 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 said Invention relates, firstly, to certain improvements in ploughs, partly
applicable also to scarifiers, grubbers, or cultivators. In carrying out this
part of my Invention, I construct the beam of my improved plough of two
flat bars put together with spreaders or struts, one of such struts being passed.
through the front part of the plough frame, and the bars left wide enough.
apart to admit of the front of the frame being moved or adjusted to the right
or to the left, in order to set the head of the plough more or less to land as
required. To facilitate this lateral adjustment, the hind part of the frame is
furnished with an upright pivot or bolt, and the tail of the beam has a vertical
slotted or split mortice made therein corresponding with the upright pivot in
the hind part of the frame, and through which the pivot passes. This arrange-
ment also admits of the head of the plough being set at any required height.
Where a draught chain is used, I propose to bring it between the two bars
that form the beam, so as to be clear of the coulter and wheel standards, in
place of carrying it below the beam as is usually the case. I also propose to
fit the breast or turnfurrow to the share lever by a long staple or slotted hold-
fast, rivetted fast to the inner side of the breast or turnfurrow, this staple
being gripped by a coupling rod also provided with a slotted mortice and
tightening screw: The front part or nose of the breast or turnfurrow has a
swivel holdfast rivetted or otherwise secured thereto, such swivel holdfast
being secured to the share lever by a modification of the slotted mortice
herein-before referred to, whereby it is gripped firmly in the lever, and is
capable of free adjustment therein to adapt the size and position of the breast
.to the plough. This peculiar mode of attaching or connecting the parts by a
slotted mortice is equally applicable in lieu of set screws and loop screws to
the adjustment of the wheel slides and standards, coulters, and couplings, and
to the fixing of the tines or teeth of scarifiers, grubbers, or cultivators.
In carrying out the second head of my Iuvention, which relates to an

page_text: improved construction of harrow, I propose to fit the teeth on to the sides of
the beams, and to secure them by bolts extending completely across the
harrow, and passing through the heads of the teeth and through the several
beams horizontally. Tubular stretchers are placed on the bolts between the
beams for the purpose of forming the proper width of the harrow, and of
enabling the whole to be screwed up firmly together by nuts at the outer ends
of the bolts. If desired, the frames of the harrows may be formed indepen-
dently of the teeth, which may afterwards be secured to the sides of the beams
by separate bolts passing horizontally through the beams and through the
heads of the teeth, which in both cases are recessed to fit the beams.
And that in order that my said Invention may be more fully and clearly
understood, I shall now proceed to describe and refer to the several explanatory
Figures on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a plough frame and portion of the
beam with the breast or turnfurrow removed to shew the parts of novelty;
Figure 2 is a plan of the beam shewing the connection therewith of the front
and hind part of the plough frame; and Figure 3 is a sectional plan of
Figure 1, shewing the share lever. A is the plough frame, the front end of
which is formed with a slotted mortice B; this slotted mortice, which may be
modified in its form, acts on the principle of the vice, that is to say, there are
two gripping surfaces which are made to approach each other, and to grip any
object placed between them by means of a bolt. In most cases these gripping
surfaces are made to open or expand by their own inherent elasticity or spring,
but in some cases I connect them by a hinged joint, as I shall herein-after
describe. The slotted mortice at B consists of a hole bored transversely
through the front end of the frame, a slit or slot being then cut through the
metal as shewn at a, thereby forming two separate jaws b and c, which will
always remain open when not acted upon by the tightening bolt d passed
through them, but may be made to grip firmly a strut C, passed through the
mortice by simply tightening up the nut on the bolt d, the inherent spring of
the metal itself admitting of the requisite compression for that purpose. The
strut C is rivetted or otherwise secured between the two bars D, D, which con-
stitute the beam of the plough, as will be clearly seen on referring to Fig. 3.
These bars are so bent as to leave a wider space between them at the part
where the strut is inserted, in order to afford room for the lateral adjustment of
the front of the frame to one side or the other as occasion may require. When
such adjustment is necessary it is simply requisite to slacken the nut of the
bolt d, when the slotted mortice will be free to slide along its holding strut. The
bars D, D, are welded together at the tail of the beam in such a manner as to

page_text: form another slotted mortice, through which the upright pivot E is passed.
This pivot may be formed with a double or forked eye at its lower end, and be
secured to the hind part of the frame by a bolt passed transversely through
the forked eye and through the plough frame as shewn in my Drawings. This
pivot E not only admits of the lateral adjustment of the front part of the
frame along the strut C by serving as a swivel or pivotting centre, but
it further enables the head of the plough beam to be set at any desired
elevation from the ground. For this purpose the pivot is curved slightly,
the curve being struck from the centre of the strut C, and when a vertical
adjustment of the head of the plough is required, all that is necessary is to
slacken the tightening bolt e, which will release the pivot from the grip of the
slotted mortice, and allow the tail of the beam to be raised or lowered on the
pivot to any required height, and be again fixed by tightening up the bolt e;
F represents the handles of the plough, which are partly broken away
in my
Drawing. The share lever G is jointed by a swivel bolt g in the ordinary
manner to the frame, but it is doubled in such a manner as to form a modifi-
cation of my slotted mortice or gripping joint, as I shall presently explain.
The front end of the breast or turnfurrow (a detail of which is shewn in plan
looking on the under side thereof in Fig. 4) is provided with a swivel hold-
fast, the object of which is to facilitate the lateral and angular adjustment of
the breast independently of the lever; this swivel holdfast consists of a
slotted bridge piece or staple H (shewn detached in side elevation at Fig. 5),
which is rivetted or otherwise firmly secured in a transverse position across
the front part of the breast I. Within the slot in the staple H is fitted a bolt
or pin h, secured therein in any desired position by a suitable set nut as
shewn. This bolt enters vertically in the slit i, formed by the bending or
doubling of the lever, as shewn in Fig. 3, and may be placed in any required
position therein to suit the length and proper adjustment of the breast. The
adjustment having been completed, the bolt h is firmly gripped and held in its
place by tightening up the bolt k, which connects the two portions of the lever.
This peculiar combination of the bolt h and sliti in the lever admits of the
free longitudinal adjustment of the breast or turnfurrow, whilst its lateral and
angular adjustment is provided for by the transverse slot in the bridge piece
.or staple H, and the vertical bolt or swivel pin h. The hinder portion of the
breast is connected with the lever by means of the coupling rod K (Fig. 3),
which is provided at each end with a slotted mortice and tightening bolt
similar to that at B in the frame of the plough. This rod grasps at one end
the shank of the lever G, whilst its opposite end grips the long staple L
rivetted or otherwise secured in a vertical position to the after end of the

page_text: breast, as shewn by the perspective detail of a portion of the breast at Fig. 6.
This arrangement clearly admits of the vertical adjustment of the after end of
the breast to the extent of the length of the staple independent of the lever
itself. In place of the after end of the lever being grasped by a slotted
mortice in the coupling rod, it may be made with a longitudinal slot, in which
the end of the coupling rod may be inserted and fixed at any desired position
by a tightening nut. And in lieu of the staple L shewn in Fig. 6, a slotted
staple similar to the staple H (Fig. 4) may be used, the end of the coupling
rod being held in the slot by a nut in place of using the slotted mortice, the
same result being obtained by both arrangements. The vertical angular
adjustment of the lever is effected by the curved slot in the plough frame
and set screw or bolt my passing through the lever in the ordinary manner;
M is the ordinary ploughshare fitted on to the end of the lever in the usual
manner. Fig. 7 represents a side elevation of a modified application of my
slotted mortice joint to the securing of the wheel slides of ploughs; Fig. 8 is
a compounding vertical transverse section of the same, and Fig. 9 is a
sectional plan of the arrangement.
In these Figures, A, A, represent the wheel slides, and D, D, the two bars
of my improved plough beam, the under sides of which are notched at d, d,
and fit on to the two angular struts C, C, contained within the cross piece B,
shewn more clearly in the sectional plan, Figure 9, and having their ends
rivetted into the two side plates E, E, so as to form one piece therewith;
these plates E are jointed at F, F, to the loop plates G, G, which pass upwards'
between the two bars D, D, and extend sufficiently above their upper surface
to admit of the passage therethrough of the horizontal screw or bolt H
(Figures 7 and 8). A tapped hole is made in the centre of this bolt, through
which is screwed the end of the vertical screw I; this screw passes through
the bridge piece J resting upon the bars D, and through the cross piece B, a
mut at K, shewn in dotted lines in Figure 7, serving to keep the angular struts
in firm contact with the corresponding notches in the bars D. Angular
notches or recesses are made in the side plates E, E, and in the lower ends of
the loop plates G, G, between and within which the wheel slides A, A, are
firmly gripped on screwing up the nuts N, N, of the bolt H, the two plates
acting as vice jaws against the opposite sides of the slides. The series of
.notches in the bars D admit of the wheels being set nearer to or farther from
the head of the plough, as occasion may require. Figures 10 and 11 represent
respectively an elevation and plan of the application of my slotted mortice to
the wheel slides of ploughs and other implements.
In these Figures, A represents a portion of a wheel slide, and B a portion

page_text: of the standard, the latter being secured at any desired elevation by means of
the slotted mortice C, herein-before referred to, as will be readily understood
on referring to the Drawing, the gripping action being obtained by the bolt D.
Figure 12 represents the same system of fastening applied to a grubber tine.
When a draught chain is used it is carried in an upward direction as shewn
at O (Figure 1), and passed between the bars D, D, of the beam. In this
case the vertical bolt or screw I (Figures 7, 8, and 9,) is made with a central
hole P, as shewn in the detail, Figure 13, through which hole the draught
chain passes.
Figure 14 represents a plan of one of a set of harrows constructed according
to my present Invention; and Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 are enlarged details
herein-after referred to. The teeth A of the harrow are each bolted against
the sides of the beams B, as shewn more clearly by the details, Figures 16,
17, and 18, the long bolts C which secure them being passed through the
beams and through the heads of the teeth, suitable tubular stretchers D, D,
(one of which is shewn in enlarged detail at Figure 15,) being passed on the
bolts, and interposed between the beams, for the purpose of forming the
proper width of the barrow, as will be clearly seen on referring to the general
plan view at Figure 14. The whole is then tightened up by means of nuts at
each end of the bolts outside the outer beams of the harrow, as shewn in the
detail Figure 17. Figure 18 shews one of the inner teeth of the harrow with
the abutting ends of the tubular stretchers, one on each side of the beam and
tooth. If found desirable the frame may be made in any suitable manner and
the teeth bolted to the sides of the beams by separate transverse bolts passing
through the beam and through the head of each tooth separately.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the mode of
carrying the same into effect, I may observe in conclusion that what I claim
as novel and original, is,-
First, the general arrangements and constructions of implements for
working or cultivating the soil, as herein-before described and illustrated by
my Drawings.
Second, the peculiar construction of plough beam in combination of the
mode of connecting the frame thereto, as herein-before described and illustrated
by Figures 1 and 2 of my Drawings.
Third, the peculiar mode of adjusting the front of the frame more or less
to land, by the aid of an upright pivot working in the after part of the beam,
and of a slotted mortice and strut at the front end of the frame, as herein-
before described.

page_text: Fourth, the peculiar mode of adjusting the height of the head of the plough
as herein-before described.
Fifth, the application of the peculiar slotted mortice or gripping slot to the
connection of certain of the various parts of ploughs, scarifiers, grubbers, or
cultivators, as herein-before described, and illustrated by my Drawings.
Sixth, the peculiar mode of attaching the breast or turnfurrow to the share
lever, as herein-before described.
Seventh, the bolting of the teeth of harrows to the sides of the beams by
long bolts passed transversely through the several beams and through the
heads of the teeth, in combination with the tubular stretchers, as herein-before
described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Eighth, the bolting of the teeth of harrows to the sides of the beams by a
separate and distinct bolt for each tooth, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Seaman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JOSEPH SEAMAN.
(L.S.)