Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Tilling of Land.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Tilling
of Land.
I, JOHN JOHNS, of 74, Wherstead Road, Ipswich, in the County, of Suffolk,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention, to be as follows:-
According to my invention I construct a digging machine which is worked by
steam or any other suitable motive power. The engine or motor and the boiler or
power generator are mounted on a suitable framework mounted on three or more
wheels or rollers of any suitable construction. I prefer, however, to make them wholly
of mild steel with the exception of the boss which is preferably made of cast steel and
has a flange going all round. The whole of the spokes and part of the rim are made
in halves which correspond so as to give the appearance of a solid wheel. The halves
of the wheel are pressed on to and rivetted through the flange on the boss and the
flanged rim parts are provided with an outer rim or tyre rivetted or bolted thereto.
I prefer to put the several parts of the wheel together by hydraulic or other pressure.
One or more of the wheels or rollers may be pivotted for steering purposes and
actuated by means of suitable gearing and handwheel in any convenient manner, and
where the wheels or rollers are made very broad I prefer to divide them in such
manner as to obviate the skidding of one part of said wheel or roller when going
round a sharp curve. The tilling apparatus proper is pivotted on to the framework
of the engine in such manner as to be capable of adjustment as regards height from
the ground, and I may communicate rising and falling motion thereto so as to be
able to utilize the power of the engine when required by means of clutches and
suitable gearing. All the several parts of the machine to be described are driven
from one shaft extending the whole length of the framework carrying the tilling
apparatus, and this main shaft is connected to the engine in any suitable manner.
All or any one of the implements in the machine may be put in or out of gear when
required, and, if desired, the whole framework may be detached from the engine,
which may then be used separately, if desired. The grass or other herbage on top
of the ground is first removed by means of a skimmer. This skimmer is made of
several sharp cutting discs mounted on a shaft extending the whole breadth of the
machine and the bearings are capable of adjustment as regards height. The skimmer
is provided with knives in between the discs said knives being mounted helically in
relation to the shaft.
"spit over. This action is attained,
The ground is then dug up by a series of forks with removable tines, said tines
being secured on to the fork frames in a convenient manner so as to allow of new or
differently shaped ones being put on when worn, or otherwise, when required. The
action of the forks is preferably perpendicular or nearly so while penetrating the
ground and they move forwards as well as upwards during their up stroke so as
to effectually throw the clod of earth or
according to one modification, by means of a crank which gives the rising and falling
motion whilst the turning over or kicking motion of the forks is obtained by
mounting a crosshead or trunnion on to each fork frame and making rollers on this
crosshead work in cam grooves. I prefer to communicate motion to the aforesaid
crank shaft by means of a countershaft which is actuated from the main shaft. The
frame carrying the whole series of forks may be elevated or lowered by any suitable
gearing, as previously described. I so arrange the different throws of the cranks on
the crank shaft as to allow only a small minority of the number of forks to penetrate
the ground at the same time. The clods of earth or "spits" are then broken up by
two or more series of revolving harrows or pulverizers which revolve in the same
direction as the machine travels and each series takes into the next one in such manner

page_text: as to efficiently clear each other from clogging. The pulverizer is also mounted in
vertical guides with suitable means for adjustment as to height. This remark also
applies to the seed drill which may be of the ordinary construction, but I prefer to
make it revolving, and each arm or scoop thereof takes up some earth with it and
throws it over down on to the seeds which are dropped just bebind the drill.
The ground is then lightly harrowed by means of a series of reciprocating harrows
across the breadth of the machine. The harrow-frames may be mounted on light
wheels or rollers moving backwards and forwards in suitable grooves or framing.
The whole harrowing apparatus is adjustable as to height and I prefer to work
the harrows by means of connecting rods and cranks actuated from the main
shaft.
A light roller at this end of the machine may also serve for rolling the earth over
the seed.
Dated th: 001 1
Π
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Tilling
of Land.
I, JOHN JOHNS of 74 Wherstead Road Ipswich in the County of Suffolk Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention comprises a machine the parts of which perform all the operations
for tilling land that is to say an apparatus for removing the grass or other herbage
and surface soil, an apparatus for breaking or digging up and throwing over the soil,
an apparatus for pulverizing the clods, a seed drill for putting in the seed and
covering same and finally a lightly harrowing apparatus or a roller for evening and
completely covering the seed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view of a machine constructed
according to my invention. Figure 2 a plan view and Figures 3 and 4 detail
views.
:
The machine is worked by steam or any other suitable motive power. The engine
or motor and the boiler or generator are mounted on a suitable framework supported
on three or more wheels or rollers of any suitable construction. I have shewn a
vertical steam boiler A with steam engine having two vertical cylinders B and main
driving shaft C with the cranks at right angles to each other. The whole machine is
supported on three wheels viz.: the two side or main wheels G and a front wheel D
which is held in a fork D' capable of being swivelled on its vertical axis in the usual
manner viz. by means of the worm wheel sector E, the worm E¹ and bevel wheel
gearing from the spindle F of the steering wheel F¹ the latter being arranged
accessible to the driver on his platform. The wheels G are by preference made wholly
of mild steel with the exception of the boss G' which is preferably made of cast steel
and has a flange all round. The whole of the spokes and part of the rim are made in
halves which correspond so as to give the appearance of a solid wheel. The halves of
the wheel are pressed on to and rivetted through the flange on the boss G¹ and the
flanged rim parts are provided with an outer rim or tyre G rivetted or bolted thereto.
I prefer to put the several parts of the wheel together by hydraulic or other heavy
pressure when the wheels G are made very broad I prefer to divide them in halves
in such manner as to obviate the skidding of one part of said wheel when going round
a sharp curve.
The tilling apparatus is pivoted onto two stout vertical bolts or pintles H¹ of the
framework H of the engine in such manner as to be capable of adjustment as regards
height from the ground, and so as to be detachable therefrom as desired for instance

page_text: when the engine is to be used for other purposes. To communicate the desired rising
and falling motion to the frame I which carries the whole tilling apparatus such frame
is on each side provided with a tooth rack I' which by means of the pinions 12 on the
shaft 13 and a worm-wheel thereon gearing with the worm on the horizontal shaft I*
can be actuated by means of bevel gear from the engine shaft C, a suitable clutch
being provided for throwing the shaft I* into gear. The frame I is provided
with friction wheels I which run on faces on the two side parts of the frame H.
The first part of the tilling apparatus is what I call the skimmer for removing the
grass or other herbage on the surface of the ground. It consists of several, in this
case nine, sharp cutting discs K mounted on a shaft K¹ extending the whole breadth
of the machine and working in bearings K². The skimmer is provided with helical
knives K³ arranged in eight sets in between the discs K. The discs K divide the
surface in strips and the helical knives K³ cut up the strips or intermediate parts.
The shaft K' is driven from the engine shaft C in the following manner.
The engine
shaft C by bevel gear drives the shaft L which again by spur wheels L' L2 L³ conveys
motion to the shaft IA. The latter by bevel gear transmits motion to the shaft M
which by three sets of bevel gear and a transverse shaft L' and a short horizontal
shaft conveys motion to a vertical shaft which again by bevel gear transmits the motion
to the end of the shaft K¹. A clutch is interposed at the bevel gear on the other end
of the engine shaft C. Similarly a clutch is interposed at the bevel gear at the
other end of the engine shaft for throwing in or out the gear the shaft 1* for raising
or for lowering the tilling apparatus. The bearings K2 are capable of adjustment in
the vertical direction working for this purpose in guides and being each suspended in a
spindle K upon the screw threaded part of which a worm wheel N forms the nut that
by means of worm and hand wheel N' can be turned one way or the other and so raise
or lower the bearings K2 and the shaft K' of the skimming blades K³ and discs K.
The ground having been skimmed is then dug up by a series of forks with removable
tines O shewn separately in figures 3 and 4 the tines being secured to the fork body
in a convenient manner such for instance as shewn so as to allow of new or differently
shaped ones being put in when worn or otherwise when required. The action of the
fork is preferably perpendicular or nearly so while penetrating the ground and they
move forwards as well as upwards during their upstroke so as to effectually throw
over the clod of earth or spit. This action is obtained for instance by the construction
here shewn viz. by means of a shaft O¹ having four cranks to which the upper ends
of the fork shanks are jointed thu: imparting the rising and falling motion to them
whilst the turning over or kicking motion of the forks is obtained by connecting a
crosshead 02 on to each fork shank or frame at the point 0³, and making rollers on
the cross head work in cam grooves 04 shewn in dotted lines in figure 1. I prefer to
communicate motion to the crank shaft O' by spur wheels 0 from each end of a
countershaft 06, which by bevel wheel gear is actuated from the shatt M. The angles
of the different cranks on the crank shaft O' are equally divided so as to allow only
a small minority of the forks to penetrate the ground at the same time.
The clods of earth or spits are next broken up by two or more series of rotating
harrows or pulverizers which rotate in the same direction as the machine travels and
each series taking into the next one in such manner that they efficiently clear each
other and prevent clogging. The two pulverizer shafts P are mounted in bearings in
a block P which can slide vertically in guides in the framing. The shafts P are not
indicated in the lower part of figure 2 except by a dotted centre line. They are
rotated from a shaft not shown between the two.
This shaft is by three sets of bevel wheel gear and a vertical shaft and a horizontal
shaft driven from the shaft P2 which by bevel wheel gear and shaft Y and clutch is
driven from the shaft M. The blocks P can be adjusted vertically being suspended
each from a spindle P³ upon the screw threaded part of which a worm wheel P₁ forms
the nut that by means of a hand wheel P³ can be turned one way or the other thus
raising or lowering the blocks P¹ and the pulverizer shafts P.
The seeds are next put in by a seed drill which may be of ordinary construction but
I prefer to make it rotating and consisting as shown in this example of a shaft Q

page_text: having mounted thereon a series of arms or scoops Q₁ each taking up some earth
with it and throwing it over on to the seeds which are dropped just behind the
drill. The seed drill is not indicated in the lower part of figure 2 except by a dotted
centre line. The shaft Q is rotated by four sets of bevel wheel gear and a vertical
and horizontal shaft from the shaft Q and shaft Y. The shaft Q is mounted in a
block Qat each end and these blocks are capable of being adjusted vertically each
being suspended from a spindle Q³ upon the screw-threaded part of which a worm
wheel Q forms the nut that by means of a handwheel Q can be turned one way or
the other to raise or lower the drill.
The ground is next lightly harrowed by means of a series of reciprocating harrows
across the breadth of the machine. The barrow frames R, may as shewn be four in
number, two in each row and be mounted on light wheels or rollers R', moving back-
wards and forwards in suitable grooves. This is in this example done by means of
four connecting rods R2, one from each frame taking onto two cranks on a shaft R³,
which is rotated by two sets of bevel gear and a vertical shaft from the shaft Y.
The whole harrowing apparatus is capable of vertical adjustment the cross girders or
framing S upon which the crank shaft bearings are mounted and in which the
frames R run being suspended at each end from a spindle T upon the screw threaded
part of which a worm wheel T¹ forms the nut, that by means of a hand wheel T² can
be turned one way or the other and thus raise or lower the frame S and the parts
mounted thereon. The cranks may be made adjustable as to length of throw if
desired. A light roller at this rear end of the machine might also serve for rolling
the earth over the seed, instead of the harrow part just described.
The handles UV and X serve to throw in or out the clutches for the raising and
lowering gear 12 the skimmer K and the digger O.
The combined tilling implement instead of being propelled by a travelling engine
on an attached drivers front platform as hereinbefore described and shewn may also if
desired by a slight modification of the driving gear on the drivers platform be propelled
by wire rope gear in the manner of the steam plough, the motion for working the
various parts of the implement may then be derived from the road wheels G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A combined tilling implement consisting of a rotating skimmer for taking a
surface cut, an apparatus for digging or breaking up and throwing over the soil, a
clod pulverizer, a seed drill and a light harrowing apparatus or roller for evening the
surface and completely covering the seeds all capable of vertical adjustment substan-
tially as described and shewn.
Second. A combined tilling implement and fore carriage with motor and driving
gear or with gear suitable for propulsion by wire rope gear from a distance, the
implement being arranged for vertical adjustment substantially as described and
shewn.
Third. The combination of parts forming the skimming apparatus substantially as
described and shewn.
Fourth. The combination of parts forming the digging apparatus substantially as
described and shewn.
Fifth. The combination of parts forming the clod pulverizing apparatus substantially
as described and shewn.
Sixth. The combination of parts forming the seed drill substantially as described
and shewn.
Seventh. The combination of parts forming the light final harrowing and seed
covering apparatus substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 20th day of February 1890.
JENSEN & SON
JENSEN & SON
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.