IMPROVEMENTS IN MULTIPLE FURROW PLOUGHS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sidney Sorby, of the Priory, Denham, nº.
Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex, and James Colquhoun
Richardson, of 6, Ray Park, Maidenhead, in the County of Berks,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULTIPLE FURROW PLOUGHS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sidney Sorby and James
Colquhoun Richardson at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 17th April 1872.
We, SIDNEY SORBY, of the Priory, Denham, nr. Uxbridge, in the
5 County of Middlesex, and JAMES COLQUHOUN RICHARDSON, of 6, Ray
Park, Maidenhead, in the County of Berks, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULTIPLE FURROW PLOUGHS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in multiple furrow
ploughs. For this purpose we employ a frame supported by a pair of
side wheels together with a leading wheel by which the implement is

page_text: steered. This frame carries a wing frame of a triangular form, which is
jointed on one side to the main frame. There are plough bodies fixed
upon both sides of the wing frame.
When the implement turns at a headland the wing frame is turned
over from one side to the other, so as to take one set of ploughs out of 5
work and bring the other set in, so that the furrows are turned the same
way in whichever direction the implement is travelling. There are
wheels upon both sides of the wing frame to regulate the depth of
plouging, and the joints of the wing frame can be raised or lowered in
respect to the main frame with the same object. The draft ropes are 1
attached to the wing frame in front, and midway of the width of this
frame in such a position that the draft has little or no tendency to turn
the implement, thus the steersman has no difficulty in controlling the
line of work. To the front of the main frame a T shaped lever is jointed
by its stem to a vertical axis, and the extremities of the head of the 1
lever are also connected by links with the draft ropes.
When the implement arrives at the headland, the engine after being
stopped commences to haul by the rope which previously was the slack
rope, and in so doing it draws the T formed lever to one side, and a stop
on its axis acts upon a bevelled toothed wheel which is mounted loosely 2
on the same axis and turns it partly round. This wheel gears with another
similar wheel fixed to the wing frame, and so this frame is caused to turn
upon the joints which connect it with the main frame. The plough
bodies which were previously at work, are in this way raised out of the
ground. The continued strain, upon the return rope then causes the 2
implement to turn, the steering wheel being properly controlled during
the operation of turning.
As the implement approaches the new line of work the T formed lever
swings back towards its original position, but the wing frame with the
plough bodies upon it is still held up by a brake strap or otherwise until
the proper working position is attained, and then the wing frame is
allowed to descend by its own weight on the other side of the main
frame to that from which it has just been raised, and the second set of
plough bodies enters upon their work.
In a similar manner implements may be constructed with two wing
frames, one on either side, each carrying one set of plough bodies, and
then when the plough bodies on one frame are in their work, those on

page_text: the other frame are raised. In this arrangement the frame which is out
of work will aid by its weight in keeping down the frame which is in
action, and the wings may be capable of adjustment, so that by inclining
them more or less the one to the other more or less of the weight may be
applied to keep the impliment in its work, as may be found necessary.
Or in the same way the second wing frame will when necessary serve to
relieve the plough bodies which are in work from a portion of the weight
which otherwise would come upon them.
This construction also admits of both wings being simultaneously in
work in light land and for shallow work. Although the implement when
at work covers a great width of land, it is nevertheless when the wings
are raised able to pass readily along roads and through gateways, a matter
of great practical convenience.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Sidney Sorby and James Colquhoun Richardson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, We, SIDNEY
SORBY, of the Priory, Denham, near Uxbridge, in the County of
Middlesex, and JAMES COLQUHOUN RICHARDSON, of 6, Ray Park,
Maidenhead, in the County of Berks, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Sidney Sorby and James Colquhoun
Richardson, Her special license that we, the said Sidney Sorby and James
Colquhoun Richardson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Sidney Sorby and James Colquhoun Richardson,
our 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
Obannel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVÉMESTS IN
MULTIPLE FURROW PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that

page_text: we, the said Sidney Sorby and James Colquhoun Richardson, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our
or their hands and seals, or under the hand and scal of one of us or them,
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 We, the said Sidney Sorby and James Colquhoun
Richardson, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described: 1
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
'say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in multiple furrow
ploughs. For this purpose we employ a frame supported by a pair of
side wheels, together with a leading wheel, by which the implement is 1
steered. This frame carries a wing frame of a triangular form, which is
jointed on one side to the main frame. There are plough bodies fixed
upon both sides of the wing frame.
•
When the implement turns at a headland the wing frame is turned
over from one side to the other, so as to take one set of ploughs out of a
work and bring the other set in, so that the furrows are turned the same
way in whichever direction the implement is travelling. There are
wheels upon both sides of the wing frame to control the depth of
ploughing. The draft ropes are attached to the wing frame in front
and midway of the width of this frame, in such a position that the draft 2
has little or no tendency to turn the implement; thus the steersman has
no difficulty in controlling the line of work. To the front of the main
frame a T shaped lever is jointed by its stem to a vertical axis, and the
extremities of the head of the lever are also connected by links with the
draft ropes.
When the implement arrives at the headland the engine, after being
stopt, commences to haul by the rope which previously was the slack
rope, and in so doing it draws the T formed lever to one side. A
bevelled toothed wheel, which is mounted on the axis of this lever gears
with another similar wheel, which in turning moves the wing frame, 3
and so this frame is caused to turn upon the joints which connect it with
the main frame. The plough bodies which were previously at work are

page_text: in this way raised out of the ground. The continued strain upon the
return rope then causes the implement to turn, the steering wheel being
properly controlled during the operation of turning.
As the implement approaches the new line of work, the T formed
lever swings back towards its original position, but the wing. frame with
the plough bodies upon it is still held up by a brake strap or otherwise
until the proper working position is attained, and then the wing frame
is allowed to descend by its own weight on the other side of the main
frame to that from which it has just been raised, and the second set of
alough bodies entere unon their work
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 is a side view of a multiple furrow
plough constructed according to our Invention; Figure 3 is a front
view; and Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken respectively
on the lines 1, 1, and 2, 2, in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a back view shewing
all the ploughs raised out of the land for turning.
a, a, are the main carrying wheels; the distance between them is
equal to the width of the work the implement performs at each bout;
they are mounted upon the bent axle 6 to which the longitudinal
frame c is fixed. The fore end of the frame c is also supported by
the steering wheel d which is mounted turntable fashion in a well-
known manner. In bearings c², c', c', c³, upon the frame c, the
horizontal axis is carried; it has a bevelled pinion e³ at one end;
upon the axis e the wing frame is mounted so as to be free to
turn, and it is also supported by the land wheels 9, 9, 9', g'.. These
wheels are attached to the wing frame, two on each side of it, when
the wing frame is on the right-hand side of the implement the
wheels 9 rest on the land, and when the wing frame is turned over
to the other or left-hand side of the implement, then the wheels g', g',
support it, The wing frame also carries two complete sets of ploughing
implements h, h, h³, h³. The Drawings shew eight plough bodies in
oach set, but this may be varied.

page_text: The depth of ploughing may be varied by shifting the plough bodies
further from or nearer to the wing frame.
The hauling rope i is connected by a chain or rope k with the wing
frame, and also by another chain or rope with the lever m, and the
return rope is connected in a similar way by the chain or rope with
the wing frame, and by the chain or rope l with the lever m². The
levers m and m' are jointed to the lever n, the axis n' of which is
supported by the frame c, and it has fixed upon it a bevelled pinion n³
gearing with the pinion e' on the axis e. The levers m, m³, and n
thus form a compound T shaped lever; o, o, are stops fixed upon the
axis e, they are formed with collars o¹, o', which are keyed upon the
axis. The wing frame in the position in which the Drawing Figure 1
represents it is in contact with the left side of the stops o, o, and when
the wing frame is on the right-hand side of the implement, then the
right side of the stops lies against it and prevents the compound
lever m, n, turning with the strain of the return rope.
In turning at the headland the operation is as follows:-The engine
having been first stopped and then set to work in the contrary direction,
the strain comes upon which previously was the return rope. As the
lever m³ cannot fold inwards towards the lever n from the construction
of the joint connecting the two, the levers m³ and n at first move to-
gether as one. The lever n turns the pinions ³ and e', and the axis e
being moved the stop o presses against the wing frame f and so lifts.
the ploughs out of the ground. When the wing frame has been raised
over the centre, it is retained by mechanism herein-after described. :
The implement, in consequence of the continued strain on the rope ³,
commences to turn, the steering wheel having been put round both to
allow the implement to turn and also to prevent it running backwards
whilst the ploughs are being raised. Thus the turning of the implement
proceeds about the right-hand wheel a as a centre until it is brought into
the new line of work, then the wing frame is lowered upon the right-
hand side of the implement, and the rope i, which is now the return
rope, has by this time assumed a position corresponding to that in which
the rope is represented in Figure 1.
The driver upon his seat p, which is supported from the frame c by a 3
bridge p', has in front of him the steering wheel q; by a pitch chain it
rotates the vertical axis r, and this axis is by another chain and chain

page_text: pinions geared with the axis 8, from which a third chain passes to and
controls the steering wheel d, or any other well-known and convenient
gear may be provided for controlling the steering wheel.
As the wing frame fis lifted in turning the implement it lifts with it
the light-toothed quadrant t, which is able to turn freely upon the axis e;
and this quadrant gears with a pinion upon the drum %, which is thus
caused to wind up a chain f¹ connected with the frame f. When the
frame is in its highest position the spring stop on the frame t is drawn
back by coming against an incline, and the motion of the quadrant
ceases, and it remains resting against a stop provided for it upon the
bridge piece p¹ until the next turning operation. The wing frame moves
a short distance after the quadrant is released, and then the fixed stop f*
upon it lies against a catch q³ mounted upon the bridge piece p', and in
this position the driver secures the wing frame by screwing down the
› v
brake upon the drum u. When the operation of turning is complete
the driver by means of his treadle w lifts the catch out of the way,
and then by slacking the brake he gradually lowers the wing frame
until the ploughs enter the land.
0
In a similar manner implements may be constructed with two wing
) frames, one on either side, each carrying one set of plough bodies.
We claim, in the construction of multiple furrow ploughs, the com-
bination, substantially as described, of a frame carrying plough bodies
with a wheeled carriage, such frame being connected with the said
carriage by a central longitudinal axis or joint in such manner that the
5 plough bodies may be raised and lowered by turning about this axis
or joint, and brought into work alternately on either side of the
carriage.
We also claim, in the construction of multiple furrow ploughs, the
arrangement and combination, substantially as described, of a carriage
with plough bodies which can be set to work on either side of the
carriage, such carriage having two main wheels, which when the
implement is at work run on the unploughed land, and which wheels
have a space or interval between them corresponding to the width that
the implement ploughs, so that when the implement, reaches the head-
land, by turning the carriage round on one or other of these wheels as a
pivot, and by setting the plough bodies to work on the other side, the
°

page_text: implement will be brought in position, and made ready to perform the
new line of work.
We also claim the construction of multiple furrow ploughs, sub-
stantially as described and shewn in the annexed Drawings.
In witness wirereof, we, the said Sidney Sorby and James Col-
quhoun Richardson, have hereunto set our hands and seals; this
Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.