A STEAM LAND LOCOMOTIVE TRACTION ENGINE AND ITS ATTACHMENTS, WHICH MAKE IT A UNIVERSAL MACHINE FOR AGRICULTURE AND OTHER PURPOSES, WHICH ATTACH- MENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO HORSE OR OX POWER AS WELL AS STEAM, AND MAY BE CALLED A STEAM PLOUGH AND MACHINE OF ALL WORK
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Cowing at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th:
September 1868.
I, HENRY COWING, of New Orleans, United States of America, now
residing at No. 8, Euston Grove, Euston Square, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
STEAM LAND LOCOMOTIVE TRACTION ENGINE AND ITS ATTACHMENTS, WHICH MAKE
IT A UNIVERSAL MACHINE FOR AGRICULTURE AND OTHER PURPOSES, WHICH ATTACH-
MENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO HORSE OR OX POWER AS WELL AS STEAM, AND MAY
BE CALLED A STEAM PLOUGH AND MACHINE OF ALL WORK," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to construct an engine that may be
employed as a traction engine for agricultural purposes, such as- for
ploughing, harrowing, and cultivating land, making furrows or ditches',
and may also be employed as a fire-engine, or for pumping water, or
for any other purposes for which a locomotive or portable engine may
be applicable.
In constructing the engine I form a stout platform or framework
which is mounted on two or more broad driving wheels of from twelve to
fourteen feet in diameter; there are also one or more guide wheels which

page_text: are pivotted to separate frames so as to turn in any direction for steering
the apparatus. Upon the platform is placed a high-pressure locomotive
engine with suitable boiler and furnace provided with revolving bara
for feeding the furnace with fuel, and which by their motion clean
themselves from clinkers, and by keeping the fuel in slight agitation or
motion prevent the coal from coking. The fire is introduced at the
upper part, and the boiler being short any unevenness in the road or
soil will not cause the tubes to be uncovered. The water is taken in
at bottom, and as it follows a serpentine course the heat from the fire
will be thoroughly taken up and the fuel economized.. If preferred,
a double furnace provided with hollow fire-bars to contain water may
be employed; in this case the course of the fire will be reversed, and
the smoke and heated gases will pass through the fire and between
the bars or tubes, which may be placed sufficiently wide apart to allow
some of the fuel from the upper chambers to fall into the lower ones.
By causing the smoke and gases to pass through the hottest part of
the furnace they will be consumed. The furnace may be lined with
fire-brick, and one or more furnaces may be employed. The connecting
rods of the engine are coupled to a shaft on which are mounted three
spur wheels of different diameters and gearing into similar wheels on
the main driving shaft. The centre wheel acts as a coupling and the
two other wheels run loose on the shaft; by this arrangement I can
have three different speeds, or I can have power or speed as may.bo
required. The main driving wheel is provided on the inside of its
rim with cogs into which gear two pinions on the end of the main
shaft; these pinions slide on a square or feather on the shaft, so that
they may be thrown in or out of gear at pleasure. Supposing a set
of ploughs to be attached to this engine, it will be necessary (in
order to turn the apparatus at the end of the field or when required)
to lift up the ploughs from the soil; this is done by throwing the
power on to a windlass, which will raise up the ploughs so that they
may be swung over the surface and maintained in an elevated position
by means of a clutch when the power is transferred from the windlass
to the driving wheels. By turning the steering wheels across the
platform the machine may be turned round as on a pivot within its own
length. If desired the platform may be constructed of two parts jointed
together and mounted on large running wheels (the front and hinder
ones being all of the same diameter.) A double cylinder may be applied
to each of the driving wheels so that power may be applied for turning

page_text: the machine without the necessity of uncoupling. The set or gang
of ploughs are attached by rods or chains to the hinder axletree; on
the platform in front are two tenders for carrying water for the engine;
to these tenders are adapted two double-acting force pumps with air
vessels and supply pipes for filling the tenders from any pond, river, or
other reservoir. By adapting suitable hose to the pumps the machine
may be used as a steam fire-engine, and to the underneath part may
be adapted any suitable street or road sweeping apparatus for scraping
or cleaning roads or streets, but this must be easily detachable so that
it may be removed when not required. When not required for traction
or locomotive purposes the engine may be used as a stationary engine
for driving any machinery by means of belts passed round any of the
driving wheels. The ploughs to be used with this machine may consist
of a set of subsoil or draining ploughs capable of ploughing two feet
deep, and turning up the subsoil as in spade culture, or they may be
arranged in sets which will pulverize the soil by each successive plough
going deeper into the soil than the one immediately preceding. Or,
if desired, in combination with a set or gang of ploughs there may be
a harrowing and levelling apparatus and a sowing or drilling apparatus,
so that all these operations may be carried on simultaneously. The
centre plough may have a double mould board so as to throw the soil
over on each side, and on the seed being dropped from a tube on to
the inclined surface it will be scattered as if sown broadcast and will
be covered over by the following ploughs. After the ploughs follows a
harrow which would rake and level the soil after the sowing. After
the harrow comes a leveller, and then a presser or rolling apparatus.
A ditching machine may be adapted to the engine for forming deep
furrows or ditches, for which purpose two inclined coulters are. adapted
to the front part. Behind the coulters is a scoop which is capable of
being raised and lowered and will throw the soil out on to the sides
of the ditch. The machine may have four wheels which run on the
sides of the ditch, and to complete the ditch may be passed two or
three times over the work. Another kind of ditching machine more
calculated for forming deep ditches is provided with an endless belt
with buckets which receive the earth from the diggers or shovels and
conduct it to any distance. This belt is driven by the hinder wheels,
and in front of the shovels or diggers are pick wheels for loosening
the earth; if desired, an elevating bucket wheel may be employed for
lifting the soil on to the endless belt. Instead of the ploughs, a rotary

page_text: digger may be employed for breaking up the soil; the cylinder may
be twelve feet in diameter, and the teeth or diggers of any convenient
length according to the nature of the soil to be operated upon. A
clearing or cleaning instrument must be adapted to the cylinder in order
'to detach any soil that may adhere to the teeth or tines. These
ploughing, digging, ditching, harrowing, and sowing or planting
machines may if desired be worked by horse power instead of the enginė
as above stated. As my ploughs are constructed with double mould
boards the pressure on one side is equalized by that on the other.
There are no soles to the ploughs, and therefore the bottom of the
furrow is not made or pressed into a hard cake. When adapting these
implements to be worked by animal power the draught gear and
whippletrees must be arranged accordingly; single whippletrees are
adapted to a double tree on each side of the pole, and the two double
trees are connected to a quadruple tree or main whippletree. Each
horse is harnessed to a single tree by means of traces and tied to a
cross bar in front by an elastic rope, strap, or spring fastened to the
under jaw or bit of the horse. The whippletrees slide longitudinally
with the draught pole, a pin or bolt from it projecting through a slot
in the pole; a cord or chain passes from the whippletrees back over
a fixed pulley, and then over a moveable pulley, from whence it is
carried back and fastened to the frame of the machine. From the
moveable pulley a cord or chain runs forward beyond the crosstree,
where it is connected with the forward team, and thus the power of
the horses before and behind the cross bar is equalized. If the two
forward teams draw more and move faster than the rear horses they
will cause the elastic cords to pull the bits and under jaws of those
horses who are not doing their work, and will make them move
forward to relieve themselves from the unpleasant pull upon their
mouths. A corresponding effect will be produced if the fore horses
are not doing their share of the work. The sowing apparatus consists
of a box provided with an agitator and distributor which consists of
a double grooved cylinder rotating under the seed box by means of a
belt and pulley actuated by a pulley on the axle inside the draught
wheel or on the rotary digger shaft. The rotary grooved cylinder is
provided with four or more cavities to receive the seed and convey
it to the conductor; these cavities are provided with nests of cups
which fit into each other, so that the size of cavity to receive the
seed, may be increased or diminished to suit the kind of seed that is

page_text: to be sown. A slide valve is placed inside the box to regulate the
quantity of seed delivered from the seed box to the cylinder. Grooves
may be made in the cylinder to receive the seed from the hopper,
which is conveyed from thence to tubes that conduct it behind each
plough to a convex plate on which it is dropped, and is thereby
scattered on the ground the width of the furrow. The steering appa-
ratus consists of two flanged steering wheels and the necessary gearing
for turning or working them. Vertical screw standards support the
steering wheels and are screwed through trucks or sheaves fixed to
other sheaves above, so that by turning the lower sheaves the standards
may be adjusted vertically; a rope or chain and stirrups may be used
to guide the steering wheels by means of levers. The apparatus for
adjusting the height of the hinder or hinged portions of the platform
or frame consists of a hinged piece affixed to the standards and pro-
jecting upwards and forwards as a base from which to operate with
a screw rod extending downwards through it and serving to raise and
lower a cross bar which has a lúg at each end to which an arm is
hinged, and extends down to a cross piece, so that by turning the scrow
the forward end of the main frame of the machine may be raised or
lowered so as to lift up the ploughs, harrows, or other instruments
from the ground.
Another arrangement for adjusting the height suddenly consists in
adapting to the axletree a pair of cranks, by turning which by means
of levers the whole framing which carries the implements may be lifted
up and held up by means of a spring catch taking into gear with 'a
sector rack. Other equivalent mechanical devices may be employed
for raising the implements from the ground and lowering them when
required. The vertical position of the several ploughs so as to regulate
the depth of cut in the soil is adjusted by means of sectors provided with
O poles and cross pins to maintain them in position. The ploughs may
also be adjusted laterally by means of a screw shaft which may form
an axletree, and the hinder end may be supported by a running wheel.
The digging machine consists of a series of wheels with curved
or sharp edged teeth or arms; these are mounted loosely on a shaft
5 extending across the machine behind and below the axletree; if the
digging wheels are fixed on their shaft, the latter must be rotated by
means of toothed gear or a belt or band. A harrow with arms of
different lengths may be mounted on the shaft instead of digging wheels.

page_text: For deep ploughing I place three or more ploughs in a line behind each
other; the first will cut up the soil to a depth of, say, four inches, the
second four inches deeper, and the next four inches deeper still, and
so on in succession. The last plough has a long inclined mould board
up which the earth passes and tumbles over. The ploughs are
strengthened by vertical supports which also act as coulters. If desired,
the mould boards may be removeable, so that the shares and coulters
will only cut and stir up the soil without turning it. over.
A canopy
or cover may be placed over the driver's seat to protect him from sun
and rain, and it will also serve as a sail to assist the. horses in drawing
the implement. Springs may be employed to keep the ploughs down
properly, but still to allow them to yield to obstacles and yet throw
them in place again when the obstacles are passed. The cross bar
attached to, the draught pole passes under the rear horses, which are
attached thereto by straps or chains passing over their backs, upon which
is borne any weight which may be thrown on the pole, and also prevents
it from being thrown up or the machine from being capsized. In com-
bination with the ploughs I sometimes use horizontal scrapers or cutting
blades for cutting the turf or top soil and weeds or stubble.
such crops as require earthing up I employ a series of scoops or shovels
which will lift up the soil (previously loosened for the purpose) and
gently deposit it in or against the growing crop.
For
For harvesting purposes I adapt to my engine a machine that will
mow, reap, and load at the same time, and dry the grain or grass before
it is put in the cart. The cutting knife is an endless belt of thin steel
which cuts the grain and allows it to fall on to a travelling belt or
apron, which carries it into a drying chamber, where it is dried by air
heated by the waste heat from the fire.
In order to pull up crops (such as flax) by the roots, I employ
a grooved cylinder which is carried just above the surface of the ground
and revolves in a reverse way to the running wheels. Above this
cylinder is a large wheel four or five feet in diameter, and somewhat
like the gathering arm of a reaping machine. By the combined rotation
of this wheel and cylinder the stalks of the plants which will enter the
grooves of the cylinder will be pulled and the plant drawn up by the roots.
For cutting sugar canes I also employ an endless band of thin steel
like a clock spring. The upper part of the band will cut the tops of
the canes and the lower part the butts of the canes, and as the canes

page_text: are sometimes laid the cutting band must be preceded by an apparatus
for lifting up the canes into a proper position to be cut. The endless
knife is made adjustable so that it may be made to cut higher or lower
as may be required.
My improved engine may be used to propel a vessel on the water.
To this end I adapt it to a jointed boat, the front part of which is secured
to the front axletree and platform, and the rear part to the rear axletree
and platform. The driving wheels have folding paddles adapted to
them inside their peripheries; the wheels are placed outside the boat and
in shallow water would run on the bottom as on dry land. The boat
may be made in the form of a pleasure carriage, so that it may be used
on land, and when it may be necessary to cross the water the carriage
may be run into the water, and when afloat the paddles will act and
propel the vessel, but when the wheels touch the ground the engine
will propel the wheels, and so under any circumstances the vessel will
advance. The vessel may be used for fishing purposes by adapting to
the fore and hind wheels a long endless line to which any number of
lines of different lengths and provided with hooks and bait of various
kinds may be attached. On setting the wheels in motion the long
endless line will be let out at one end of the vessel and pulled in at
the other, and with it the short lines, and all kinds of fishes may be
caught thereby and pulled into the boat by the engine.
My engine may also be used to compress air for the use of breech-
loading cannons from which the projectiles will be propelled by the force
of the air, so that there will be no noise and no powder will be used.
As great heat is generated by compressing air, my air pumps are con-
nected to the boiler which keeps them comparatively cool; the com-
pressed air passes through the boiler in pipes so that it assists to
generate steam. Elbow levers are used for working the pumps of which
there are two, one much larger than the other, so that one compresses
the air partly and forces it into the other or smallest pump where the
compression is completed. From the small pump the air passes into
the boiler in a series of tubes and from thence to the receiver.