IMPROVEMENTS IN TILLING AND CULTIVATING LAND BY STEAM POWER AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Phillips-Smith, of Hereford, in the County
of Hereford, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TILLING
AND CULTIVATING LAND BY STEAM POWER AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
"
Sealed the 13th August 1867, and dated the 23rd February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Phillips-Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd February 1867.
I, JOHN PHILLIPS-SMITH, of Hereford, in the County of Hereford, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TILLING AND CULTIVATING LAND BY STEAM POWER. AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR SUCH PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, firstly, to improvements in traction engines for
agricultural purposes, as described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to me, bearing date the 28th July 1866, No. 1957, and is designed
to adapt such engines for paying off and hauling in the traction ropes at right
angles to the longitudinal centre line of the said engine.
This part of my Invention consists in mounting or attaching thereto a
longitudinal shaft running either above or below the crank shaft of the
engine and at right angles thereto, such longitudinal shaft being driven directly
from the crank shaft of the engine by skew bevil wheels or other equivalent
gearing, and having at or near each end a spur pinion in gear with a spur

page_text: wheel attached or connected to one of the hauling drums. If the longitudinal
shaft is mounted near to the side framing of the engine the spur wheel last
named may be an external wheel; but if the shaft, be placed nearer to the
longitudinal centre line of the engine then the spur wheel will have its teeth
placed internally. Instead of the longitudinal shaft passing over or under
the crank shaft it may cross on the same plane, in which case the longitudinal
shaft will have to pass outside the end of the crank shaft, or the longitudinal
shaft may be divided at the point where the crank shaft crosses, and the con-
nection be made by three bevil wheels. Engines so arranged are suitable to
work either on the round-about system, or the two ropes might be connected
and passed round one or more pulleys on a travelling anchor placed on the
opposite headland, or they may be worked on the double-engine system, here-
after referred to.
As a modification I propose to drive the road traction axle by means of
bevil wheels or other equivalent gear off the same longitudinal shaft upon
which I place the pinion for driving one or more rope coiling drums. This
part of my Invention is also applicable to other traction engines wherein a
longitudinal shaft is employed for driving the road-traction axle by means of
bevil or other equivalent gear.
The second part of my Invention relates to tilling or cultivating land on
what is known the double engine system, described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to John Tulloh Osborn, dated the 23rd day of
January 1846, No. 11,304; the object of this part of my Invention being
to complete the tilling or cultivation of a piece of land at one operation.
This part of my Invention consists principally in attaching or connecting
two different kinds of implements to the two traction ropes, or. working two
implements of the same kind at different depths, for instance, the first rope
might have attached to it a plough or cultivator, and the second a harrow.or
drill, or combined press and drill, or press drill and harrow, which latter com-
bination of apparatus when applied to the cultivation of land by steam forms
one of the features of my Invention. Supposing it were required to
plough or cultivate (say) fifteen inches deep, then the first set of ploughs or
cultivators would be set at (say) ten inches deep, and the second set at five
inches deeper, and thus the whole operation would be completed in once
passing over the field instead of at two operations.
In working according to this part of my Invention with two different kinds
of implements I commence from the hedge or headland to work with one
rope, firstly, the first implement, and work therewith for a width of land equal
to the distance between the two hauling drums; I then back the engine to

page_text: the hedge or headland and attach the second implement to the rear rope, and
the first implement to the first or front rope, and proceed to work the two.
implements simultaneously to the other end of the field or tract of land to be,
cultivated. As soon as the first implement has reached the end of the field
or tract of land the first implement is to be removed from its rope, and the
second implement to be worked alone till the whole has been completed, or
in case of working two ploughs or cultivators of the same kind at different
depths it is not necessary to remove the first plough or cultivator, but in
commencing I first work the first plough or cultivator (say) at ten inches
deep for the first breadth, and then back the engine and depress the said
plough or cultivator about five inches, and then attach the other plough or
implement and work the two simultaneously until the first plough or cul;
tivator reaches the other end of the track; I then remove the first plough.or
cultivator and work as before described with referenco to implements of
different kinds. In this arrangement the implements are so constructed as to
work in both directions, and the engines advance the width of one of the imple,
ments each time that the latter is drawn across the land.
"
.
In working according to the old arrangement, that is to say, where both
the implements are similar and work at the same. depth, as soon as each
breadth has been completed, when moving the engines ahead so as to take up
a position for cultivating a fresh breadth of land I steer the implements so
that they are drawn over to the fresh breadth of land in a diagonal direction,
and are thus moved sideways without being raised out of the ground.
The third part of my Invention relates to the coiling of the ropes on to the
drums; whereas the practise has hitherto been when using what is known as
the Arkwright or reversible screw to traverse the drum to and fro on its shaft
as the rope coils and uncoils. I propose to confine the drum between two
fixed points, and to traverse the guide pulleys to and fro the width of the
coiling drums by such or similar means, for instance, for each revolution of
the rope-coiling drums I cause the guide pulleys to move a distance equal to
the thickness of the rope.
It is found in practise that in case of sudden
jerks of the cultivators or engine gearing, or when an engine is suddenly
stopped the jerk throws the rope off the drums, which is a cause of frequent
breakage of rope and gearing, and also of much delay. To prevent this I
propose to cause a considerable portion of the drums to work against cross
bars fixed so as to touch their edges whether traversing the drums or not, or the
same effect may be produced by enclosing a considerable portion of the drum
in a casing fitting closely to the flanges, and leaving an opening across the
front through which the rope passes.

page_text: The fourth part of my Invention relates to subsoiling or cultivating hop
yards by means of steam power. Hitherto this has been deemed impossible,
owing to the obstacle presented by the rows of poles standing in the way of
the ropes. In order to obviate this difficulty I propose to work as follows:-
I place the engine in the centre or other convenient part of the headland, or
in the adjoining field, and carry the rope round pulleys and snatch blocks
fixed by means of anchors, or instead of pulleys and snatch blocks with fixed
anchors I use a travelling anchor, which I pull forward on the headland as
required by means of a rope direct from the engine, which may be either the
spare cultivator rope (when only one implement is used) or the rope known
as the headland rope passing from a drum on the traction axle. The imple-
ment is started at the end of the first row furthest from the engine, and when
it has been drawn close up to the headland a horse is attached to it and takes
it up to the furthest end of the next row, the enginė meanwhile paying out
the rope; the engine then commences to baul in, and the work proceeds as
before. If preferred two implements may be worked at once, one com-
mencing at each end of the field and working alternately. In order to raise the
implement out of the ground at the land's end I pass the traction rope round
carrier pulleys, and connect it to the leg of the implement in such a way that
upon withdrawing a pin or bolt the direction of the strain on the rope is
brought to bear upon the leg so as to tilt the share point upwards, and thus
cause the cultivator to rise up out of the ground. I may here observe that
the method of moving a travelling anchor along the headland, 'as above
described, and the mode of raising the implement from the ground, are also
applicable to the cultivation of other ground besides hop yards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Phillips-Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PHILLIPS-SMITH, of Hereford, in the County of Hereford, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Phillips-Smith, Her special licence that I, the said John Phillips-

page_text: Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Phillips-Smith, 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 TILLING AND CULTIVATING LAND BY STEAM POWER AND
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SUCH PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Phillips-Smith, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 Phillips-Smith, 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that is
to say
My Invention relates, firstly, to improvements in traction engines for agri-
cultural purposes, as described in the Specification of. Letters Patent granted
to me, bearing date the 28th July 1866, No. 1967, and is designed to adapt
such engines for paying off and hauling in the traction ropes at right angles
to the longitudinal centre line of the said engine. This part of my Invention
consists in mounting or attaching thereto a longitudinal shaft running either
above or below the crank shaft of the engine, and at right angles thereto,
such longitudinal shaft being driven directly from the crank shaft of the
engine by skew bevil wheels or other equivalent gearing, and having at or
near each end a spur pinion in gear with a spur wheel attached or connected
to one of the hauling drums. If the longitudinal shaft is mounted near to the
side framing of the engine the spur wheel last named may be an external
wheel, but if the shaft be placed nearer to the longitudinal centre line of the
engine then the spur wheel will have its teeth placed internally. Instead of
the longitudinal shaft passing over or under the crank shaft it may cross on
the same plane, in which case the longitudinal shaft will have to pass outside
the end of the crank shaft, or the longitudinal shaft may be divided at the
point where the crank, shaft crosses, and the connection be made by three
bevil wheels. Engines. so arranged are suitable to work either on the round.
about system or the two ropes might be connected and passed. round one or

page_text: more pulleys on a travelling anchor placed on the opposite headland, or they
may be worked on the double-engine system hereafter referred to.
:
.
As a modification I propose to drive the road traction axle by means of
bevil wheels off the same longitudinal shaft upon which I place the pinion for
driving one or more rope-coiling drums. This part of my Invention is also
applicable to other traction engines wherein a longitudinal shaft is employed.
for driving the road traction axle by means of bevil gear..
The second part of my Invention relates to tilling or cultivating land on
what is known as the double-engine system, as described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to John Tulloh Osborn, dated 23rd January 1846,
No. 11,304, the object of this part of my Invention being to complete the
tilling or cultivation of a piece of land at one operation. This part of my
Invention consists principally in attaching or connecting two different kinds
of implements to the two traction ropes, or working two implements of the
same kind at different depths; for instance, the first rope might have attached
to it a plough or cultivator, and the second a harrow or drill, or combined
press and drill, or press, drill, and barrow, which latter combination of appa-
ratus, when applied to the cultivation of land by steam power, forms one of
the features of my Invention. Supposing it were required to plough or cul-
tivate (say) fifteen inches deep, then the first set of ploughs or cultivators
would be set at (say) ten inches deep, and the second set at five inches deeper;
and thus the whole operation would be completed in once passing over the
field instead of at two operations. In working according to this part of my
Invention with two different kinds of implements I commence from the hedge
or headland to work with one rope, firstly the first implement, and work
therewith for a width of land equal to the distance between the two hauling
drums; I then back the engine to the hedge or headland and attach the second
implement to the rear rope, and the first implement to the first or front rope,
and proceed to work the two implements simultaneously to the other end of
the field or tract of laud to be cultivated. As soon as the first implement has
reached the end of the field or tract of land the first implement is to be
removed from its rope and the second implement to be worked alone till the
whole has been completed; or in case of working two ploughs or cultivators
of the same kind at different depths it is not necessary to remove the first
plough or cultivator, but in commencing I first work the first plough or cul-
tivator (say) at ten inches deep for the first breadth, and then back the engine
and depress the said plough or cultivator about five inches, and then attach the
other plough or implement, and work the two simultaneously until the first
plough or cultivator reaches the other end of the track; I then remove the

page_text: first plough or cultivator and work as before. described with reference to
implements of different kinds. In this arrangement the implements are.so.
constructed as to work in both directions, and the engines advance the width
of one of the implements each time that the latter is drawn across the land.
In working according to the old arrangement, that is to say, where both the
implements are similar and work at the same depth, as soon as each breadth
has been completed, when moving the engines a-head so as to take up a
position for cultivating a fresh breadth of land, I steer the implements so that
they are drawn over to the fresh breadth of land in a diagonal direction, and
are thus moved sideways without being raised out of the ground.
The third part of my Invention relates to the coiling of the ropes on to the
drums. Whereas the practice has hitherto been when using what is known
as the Arkwright or reversible screw to traverse the drum to and fro on its
shaft, as the rope coils and uncoils I
propose to confine the drum between two
fixed. points and to traverse the guide pulleys to and fro the width of the
coiling drums by such or similar means, for instance, once for each revolution
of the rope-coiling drums I cause the guide pulleys to move a distance equal
to the thickness of the rope. It is found in practice that in case of sudden
jerks of the cultivators or engine gearing, or when an engine is suddenly
stopped, the jerk throws the rope off the drums, which is a cause of frequent
breakage of rope and gearing, and also of much delay;, to prevent this I
propose to cause a considerable portion of the drums to work against cross
bars fixed so as to touch their edges whether traversing the drums or not, or
the same effect may be produced by enclosing a considerable portion of the
drum in a casing fitting closely to the flanges and having an opening across
the front through which the rope passes.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to subsoiling or cultivating hop
yards by means, of steam power. Hitherto this has been deemed impossible,
owing to the obstacle presented by the rows of poles standing in the way of
the ropes. In order to obviate this difficulty I propose to work as follows:-
I place the engine in the centre or other convenient part of the headland or
in the adjoining field, and carry the rope round pulleys and snatch blocks
fixed by means of anchors, or instead of pulleys and snatch blocks with fixed
anchors I use a travelling anchor which I pull forward on the headland as
required by means of a rope direct from the engine, which may be either, the
spare cultivator rope (when only one implement is used) or the rope known as
the headland rope passing from a drum on the traction axle. The implement
is started at the end of the first row furthest from the engine, and when it
has been drawn close up to the headland a horse is attached to it and takes

page_text: it up to the furthest end of the next row, the engine meanwhile paying out
the
rope; the engine then commences to haul in and the work proceeds as
before. If preferred two sets of implements may be worked at once, one
commencing at each end of the field and working alternately. In order to
raise the implement out of the ground at the land's end, I pass the traction
ŕope round carrier pulleys and connected to the leg of the implement in such
a way that upon withdrawing a pin or bolt the direction of the strain on the
rope is brought to bear upon the leg so as to tilt the share point upwards, and
thus cause the cultivator to rise up out of the ground. I may here observe
that the method of moving a travelling anchor along the headland, as above
described, and the mode of raising the implement from the ground, are also
applicable to the cultivation of other ground besides hop yards.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Filling and Cultivating Land by Steam Power and in Machinery or
Apparatus for such Purposes,". I will now proceed to describe more in detail
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect; and in order that the same may be distinctly understood, I
have annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative. thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention is illustrated by Sheet 1 of the annexed
Drawings, in which Figure 1 is side elevation, Figure 2 a half plan and
horizontal section, and Figures 3 and 4 end views of my improved traction
engine for agricultural purposes.
a, a, is the longitudinal shaft which is shown in the Drawing as running on
the same plane as the crank shaft b, 6, and at right angles thereto, being
'divided at the point where the crank shaft crosses and the connection made
by the three bevil wheels c, d, e. Either of the wheels core may be thrown
into or out of gear with the wheel d on the end of the crank shaft by means
of their respective clutch boxes f, f. At or near each end of the longitudinal
shaft a, a, is a spur pinion g, 9, which pinions are in gear respectively with
the spur wheels h, h, attached to the two hauling drums i, i.
In Sheet 2 of the annexed Drawings, Figure 5 is a plan view, illustrating
the second part of my Invention. a, a, are two engines (made according to
the first part of my Invention, or of any other suitable construction, each
having two hauling drums b, b, working the two hauling ropes c, c, simul-
taneously. To these two ropes are attached two different implements d, d, or
two implements of the same kind working at different depths, as herein-before
more fully explained.

page_text: The third part of my Invention is represented at Figures 6, 7, and 8,
Figure 6 being a plan view, Figure 7 a side elevation, and Figure 8 a front
view of a hauling drum and its attachments made according to this part of my
Invention.
a, a, is the drum which (instead of traversing as heretofore) is confined
between fixed bearings b, b; c, c, are the grooved guide pulleys between which
the rope d, d, passes, and which are carried by the screwed boss e, e, travelling
on the screw ff, on the latter are mounted loosely two stud wheels g, 9*,
either of which may be connected with the screw by means of a clutch h, h,
which slides on a feather on the screw shaft. On the drum shaft i, i, are
keyed fast two similar stud wheels k, k*, which drive the stud wheels 9 and 9*
by means of endless chains 1, l*, the latter being crossed so that the two stud
wheels g and g✶ are constantly revolving in opposite directions. The lower
part of the screwed boss forms a catch e* which works in a slot in the
reversing bar m, m. As the screw f, f, revolves it causes the guide pulleys c, c,
to traverse until the rope in coiling has reached one of the flanges of the
drúm; the catch e* then comes against one end of the slot in the reversing
bar m, m, causing it to throw the clutch out of gear with the stud wheel with
which it was engaged, and into gear with the other; and hence the screw f, f,
immediately commences to revolve in the reverse direction, and to cause the
guide pulleys c, c, to traverse and guide the rope towards the other flange of
the drum, when the motion is again reversed by the catch e* coming into
contact with the reverse end of the slot, and so on alternately. In order to
relieve the strain on the coiling gear when the rope is being hauled in at an
angle, as frequently occurs, I apply a weight or a spring acting on the
screwed boss in the reverse direction so as to counterbalance the effect of the
train.
Instead of the arrangement of stud wheels and chains here described,
the screw may be driven and reversed by means of three bevil wheels, or by
ratchet wheels or other mechanical equivalents. To prevent the liability of
the rope being thrown off the drum by any sudden jerk, as sometimes occurs,
I surround a considerable portion of the drum with fixed cross bars n, n,
carried by cheeks o, o, so that the flange of the drum a, a, works against
them; or instead of this arrangement a close casing may be used if preferred
having an opening across the front through which the rope passes.
The fourth part of my Invention has been herein-before fully described,
and will be readily understood without the aid of Drawings or further
illustration.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for

page_text: "Improvements in Tilling and Cultivating Land by Steam Power, and in
Machinery or Apparatus for such Purposes," together with the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect,
I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly, the method herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 1. of
the Drawings, of paying out and hauling in the traction ropes at right angles
to the longitudinal centre line of the engine when such engine is constructed
according to the Specification of my Letters. Patent, No. 1967/68, that is
to say, with the working parts of the engine, and the gearing and winding
drums mounted on a framework perfectly independent of the boiler.
Secondly, attaching two different kinds of implements (or two implements
of the same kind working at different depths) to the traction ropes when
cultivating land on the double engine system, as above described.
Thirdly, traversing the guide pulleys to and fro across the face of the
coiling drum so that they move a distance equal to the thickness of the rope
during each revolution of the drum, substantially as above described, and
also enclosing a considerable portion of the drum by cross bars or a cașing so
as to prevent the ropes from being thrown off the drum by a sudden jerk.
And, fourthly, the cultivating or subsoiling of hop yards and other lands
by means of steam power, in the manner herein-before more particularly
described, and the method described of raising the implement out of the
ground by means of the traction rope.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Phillips-Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,'
Solicitor & Patent Agent,
1, Serle Street,
Lincoln's Inn.
J. PHILLIPS-SMITH. (L.s.)