CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLE FURROW PLOUGHS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Murray, of Grougar Bank, in the County
of Ayr, North Britain, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN DOUBLE FURROW PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 15th August 1871, and dated the 29th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Murray at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th April 1871.
I, JOHN MURRAY, of Grougar Bank, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLE FURROW PLOUGHS," to be as follows, that is to
say:
This Invention, which relates to certain improvements in double
furrow ploughs whereby such implements are rendered more efficien
than when arranged according to the systems hitherto used, consists,―

page_text: Firstly. In placing all the wheels on which the plough is supported
vertical with the body of the plough in lieu of having one or more of
them inclined or at an angle as hitherto.
The Invention consists in the second place in coupling the shaft upon
which the leading wheel of the plough is carried with that on which
the land wheel is carried by an adjustable connecting rod in com-
bination with which a hand lever is provided, so that the attendant by
moving the said lever can at any time produce a parallel motion
conjointly in the land wheel and leading wheel, and thereby alter or
vary the direction of the furrow as required, and by this arrangement
considerable facility is also afforded for turning round the plough when
the end or termination of the furrow has been reached.
The Invention consists in the third place in fixing the land wheel
of the plough at the extremity of a pair of combined levers, by means
of which considerable purchase for raising and lowering the plough
so as to adjust the depth of furrow is obtained, and one of these levers
is provided with an adjustable buckle by which the extent of move-
ment of the combined levers relatively to each other is regulated.
The Invention consists in the fourth place in providing the lever
upon which the leading wheel is carried with a guide adjusted by a
right and left hand screw, by which the direction and width of the outer
furrow are in part regulated.
In the fifth place the Invention consists in connecting the two
beams of the plough on which the coulters, shares, or socks, and mould
boards are carried with a combined right and left hand screw or
eccentric crank, the result of which is that the width or distance apart
of the furrows can be very rapidly adjusted.
In the sixth place the Invention consists in providing each of the
levers upon which the land wheel and leading wheel of the plough
respectively are carried with secondary or catch levers furnished at
their forward ends with studs which enter correspondingly shaped holes
in quadrantal racks fixed to the body of the plough, and whereby the
elevation or depression of the plough is regulated.
In the seventh place the Invention consists in the employment of
a horizontal wheel at the leading end of the plough which bears
against the vertical side of the outer furrow; this wheel is of special

page_text: advantage when ploughing where great nicety or prize ploughing is
required.
In the eighth place the Invention consists in attaching the mould
boards and studs (whereon the shares or socks are carried) to the
sheath by screw bolts and nuts, so that the direction or position of the
mould boards and shares or socks thereon may be at any time adjusted
by the insertion of a wedge and the tightening or loosening of the nut
as required.
In the ninth place the Invention consists in an improved buckle for
attaching the coulters to the plough beam. The said buckle is formed
in halves, each half having a screwed stud at one end which enters a
hole at the corresponding end of the opposite half of the buckle when
the buckle is in position upon the plough beam. Nuts are placed
on the screwed studs and on tightening or loosening them the position
of the coulters may be varied and fixed, or they may be removed when
required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Murray in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MURRAY, of Grougar Bank, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
35th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Murray, Her special license
that I, the said John Murray, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Murray, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein

page_text: 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
DOUBLE FURROW PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Murray, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 John Murray, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked, thereon, that is to
say :—
My said Invention, which relates to certain improvements in double
furrow ploughs whereby such implements are rendered more efficient
than when arranged according to the systems hitherto used, consists,
firstly, in placing all the wheels on which the plough is supported
vertical with the body of the plough in lieu of having one or more of
them inclined or at an angle as hitherto.
The Invention consists in the second place in coupling the shaft upon
which the leading wheel of the plough is carried with that on which
the land wheel is carried by an adjustable connecting rod, in com-
bination with which a hand lever is provided, so that the attendant
by moving the said lever can at any time produce a parallel motion
conjointly in the land wheel and loading wheel, and thereby alter or
vary the direction of the furrow as required, and by this arrangement
considerable facility is also afforded for turning round the plough when
the end or termination of the furrow has been reached.
The Invention consists in the third place in fixing the land wheel
of the plough at the extremity of a pair of combined levers, by means
of which considerable purchase for raising and lowering the plough so
as to adjust the depth of furrow is obtained, and one of thesc levers
is provided with an adjustable buckle, by which the extent of movement
of the combined levers relatively to each other is regulated.

page_text: The Invention consists in the fourth place in providing the lever
upon which the leading wheel is carried with a guide adjusted by a
right and left hand screw, by which the direction and width of the
outer furrow are in part regulated.
In the fifth place the Invention consists in connecting the two
beams of the plough on which the coulters, shares, or socks, and mould
boards are carried with a combined right and left hand screw, eccentric,
or crank, the result of which is that the width or distance apart of the
furrows can be very rapidly adjusted.
In the sixth place the Invention consists in providing each of the
levers upon which the land wheel and leading wheel of the plough
respectively are carried, with secondary or catch levers, furnished at
their forward ends with studs which enter correspondingly shaped holes
in quadrantal racks fixed to the body of the plough and whereby the
elevation or depression of the plough is regulated.
In the seventh place the Invention consists in the employment of
a horizontal wheel at the leading end of the plough which bears against
the vertical side of the outer furrow, this wheel is of special advantage
when ploughing when great nicety is required.
In the eighth place the Invention consists in attaching the mould
boards and studs (whereon the shares or socks are carried) to the sheath
by screw bolts and nuts, so that the direction or position of the mould
boards and shares or socks thereon may be at any time adjusted by the
insertion of a wedge and the tightening or loosening of the nut as
required.
In the ninth place the Invention consists in an improved buckle
for attaching the coulters to the plough beam. The said buckle is
formed in halves, each half having a screwed stud at one end which
enters a hole at the corresponding end of the opposite half of the buckle.
When the buckle is in position upon the plough beam nuts are placed
on the screwed studs, and on tightening or loosening them the position
of the coulters may be varied and fixed, or they may be removed when
required.
The ploughs constructed according to the improved manner herein-

page_text: "
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood
I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or carried out in practice;
and for the sake of more complete elucidation I have hereunto appended
two explanatory Sheets of Drawings, on Sheet 1 of which Figure 1,
is a side elevation of a double furrow plough shewing the improve.
ments which constitute this Invention applied thereto Figure 2 is a
plan of the plough, and Figure 3, another side clevation of the same
shewn in a position the reverse of that illustrated at Figure 1. On
these three Figures corresponding parts are illustrated by the same
letters of reference.
All the wheels on which the plough is carried are vertical with the
body thereof, as shewn on the annexed Drawings, in lieu of having
one or more of them inclined or at an angle as in certain double furrow
ploughs hitherto constructed, such, for example, as the plough known
as Pirie's plough. The shaft A. upon which the leading wheel B of the
plough is carried is coupled with the shaft C whercon the land wheel D
is situated by means of an adjustable connecting rod E, one end of
which is fixed to a crank F situated on the upper extremity of the
shaft A, as shewn. The opposite end of the connecting rod E is
attached to one extremity of a lever G, shewn in plan at Figure 2,
the other end of which is centred on a stud a fixed to a transverse
beam H extending between the two side frames I, I', of the plough, as
shewn at Figure 2. At the upper extremity of the shaft O whereon
the land wheel D is supported one end of another lever J is attached,
and in combination with the connecting rod E and levers G and J a
hand lever K is provided, the forward end of which is passed through
a loop or eye on the inner extremity of the lever J, as more particularly
seen at Figure 2, and fixed to the upper extremity of the stud a, as
shewn. By means of this arrangement of mechanism the attendant by
moving the lever K in a right or left hand direction can at any time
produce a parallel motion conjointly in the leading wheel B and land
wheel D, and thereby alter or vary the direction of the furrow as
required. The arrows on Figure 2 of the accompanying Drawings
indicate the motion of the levers G and J, connecting rod E, and
wheels B and D when the lever K is turned in a left-hand direction.
This arrangement of mechanism also affords considerable facility for

page_text: turning round the plough when the end or termination of a furrow has
been reached. The leading wheel B is adjusted to the proper position
relatively with the land wheel D by means of the connecting rod E,
which for this purpose is formed in two halves, on the end of one of
which a screwed socket is formed, into which the end of the other
part of the connecting rod E is screwed until the wheel B is brought
into a position parallel with the wheel D, as shewn in plan at Figure 2.
The land wheel D of the plough is fixed at the end of one of a pair of
combined levers L and M respectively, and which are more particularly
seen at Figures 1 and 3. By means of this arrangement considerable
purchase for raising and lowering the plough so as to adjust the depth
of furrow is obtained. The lever M at its forward end which bears on
the under side of the lever L is provided with a buckle c, as shewn, by
means of which the extent of movement of the combined levers Land M
relatively to each other is regulated. The lever N on the forward end
of which the leading wheel B is carried is provided with a guide d
situated at its rearward extremity, as shewn, and which is adjusted so
as in part to regulate the direction and width of the outer furrow by
means of a right and left hand screw e, shewn in plan at Figure 2. The
guide & is supported in a guide block or race i fixed on the upper side
of another lever O, the forward end of which is attached to the beam I
of the plough, as shewn at x, and by means of which in conjunction
with the lever M, herein-before referred to, the plough is raised or
lowered so as to regulate the depth of furrow as required. The two
beams I and R¹ of the plough on which the coulters P, shares or socks Q,
and mould boards R are carried are connected together with a combined
right and left hand screw S, as shewn in plan at Figure 2 of the
Drawings, and by turning which the width or distance apart of the
furrows is or can be very quickly adjusted, or an eccentric, crank, or
cam may be used in place of a right and left hand screw. Each of the
levers M and O herein-before referred to is provided with secondary
levers T and U respectively, and which are attached to the levers M
and O by means of pin joints v, as more particularly seen in plan at
Figure 2. The levers T and U are furnished at their forward ends
with studs g which enter correspondingly shaped holes or openings in
quadrantal racks V and W respectively fixed to the body of the plough,
as shewn at Figures 1 and 3. When the clevation or depression of
the plough has been adjusted by means of the levers M and O the

page_text: studs g of their respective secondary or catch levers T and U are entered
into one or other of the holes in the quadrantal racks V and W, as
shewn, by which means the plough is retained in the position to which
it has been regulated. A horizontal guide wheel X is situated at the
leading end of the plough, as shewn, which when the plough is in
operation bears against the vertical side of the outer furrow. The
whicel X is carried on the lower end of a bracket Y, the upper extremity
of which is fixed on the shaft A of the leading wheel B, and the said
wheel X is of especial advantage when ploughing light or friable soil.
The forward ends of the mould boards (whereon the shares or socks Q
are carried) are attached to the sheaths by means of screw bolts and
nuts, so that the position or direction of the mould boards R and shares
or socks Q thercon may be at any time adjusted by the insertion of a
wedge and by tightening or loosening the nuts as required.
formed at or
The improved buckle Z, shewn at Figures 1 and 3 of the Drawings,
and which is employed for attaching the coulter P to the beams I and
R' of the plough, is formed in two parts, cach part consisting of a flat
plate, and these are held together by means of studs
passed through each end of one of the plates, and having screw threads
formed on their outer extremities, which are passed through holes at
the corresponding ends of the other plate. When the buckles Z are
adjusted to the required positions on the plough beams I and R³ nuts
are placed on the screwed studs, by tightening or loosening which the
positions of the coulters P may be fixed or varied, or when the nuts
are loosened the coulters may be altogether removed when required.
The double furrow ploughs constructed according to the improved
manner herein-before described, that is, supported upon wheels vertical
with the body of the plough and having a horizontal guide wheel, may
be made with or without sole and side plates.
Another arrangement of my improved double furrow plough slightly a
modified in some of its parts is illustrated in plan at Sheet 2 of the
Drawings hereunto appended, and it differs from that herein-before
set forth with regard to the coupling of the leading wheel B and the
land wheel D, and also the arrangement of the body of the hind
plough in such a manner that the bind wheel D' is attached thereto
so as to work upon the land or left hand side thereof.

page_text: Under the arrangement now to be set forth the shaft A upon which
the leading wheel B is carried is coupled with the shaft C, whereon
the land wheel D is situated by means of a connecting rod E, one end
of which is attached to a crank F fixed upon the upper end of the
shaft A, whilst the opposite end of the said connecting rod E is attached
to another lever G centred upon a stud a fixed to the body R³ of the
plough, as shown. At the upper extremity of the shaft C whereon the
land wheel D is supported one end of a lever J is attached, the outer
extremity of which is passed between two studs and b¹ projecting
upwards from a transverse bar c passing through a hand lever K, and
secured thereto by means of nuts cat either side thereof. By means
of the forward end of the hand lever K being coupled to the upper
extremity of the stud a already referred to the attendant can at any
time by moving the lever K in a right or left hand direction produce a
parallel motion conjointly in the leading wheel B and land wheel D, and
thereby alter or vary the direction of the furrow as required. The hind
wheel D¹ of the plough is carried upon a stud rattached to, a saddle s
situated upon the after part of the body of the hind plough, and is
capable of being moved and fixed at any position thereon by means of
the bolts t, t, the said after part of the body R' being formed as shewn,
so as to admit of the hind wheel D¹ being placed upon the land or left
hand side thereof.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion
that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as thic
Invention secured to me by the hercin-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the improved double furrow plough herein-before described.
Second. The supporting of a double furrow plough wholly on wheels
situated vertically with the body of a double furrow plough, and in com-
bination with a horizontal guide wheel X, as hercin-before described and
shewn on the annexed Sheet of Drawings.
Third. Coupling the shaft upon which the leading wheel of the plough
is carried with that on which the land wheel is carried, so as to produce

page_text: a parallel movement between the two wheels when required, substantially
as herein-before described.
Fourth. Constructing the lever upon which the leading furrow wheel
is carried with a guide adjusted by a right and left hand screw, as herein-
before described, so as to adjust the direction and width of the outer
furrow.
Fifth. Connecting the beam on which the coulters and shares or
socks are carried by right and left hand screws, or by employing an
eccentric or crank in lieu thereof, as herein-before described.
Sixth. The improved buckle for attaching the coulters to the beam, ]
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Murray, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.