IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATING LAND
Year: 1857

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William. Massey and John
et 5
P
Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 12th May 1857..
We, WILLIAM. MASSEY and JOHN SMITH, of Newport, in the County of
5. Salop, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATING LAND," to be as
follows; that is to say-
Our Invention has reference, firstly, to the class of machines in which several
ploughs or other implements are used simultaneously, either drawn or propelled
by steam-or, any other power, and in the peculiar mode of raising the ploughs
-out of the ground and of fixing them; in the frame, and retaining them in any
position in which they, may be required. This we effect by making the frame-
work in such manner that each plough or other implement can work
Separately, each having by means of guides an independent vertical and
5-backward and forward movement; but they are not allowed to move sideways,
except in adjusting the guides to the proper width of the course, or furrow.
Price Sal

page_text: The ploughs are so arranged, that when at work they follow at certain
distances from each other, so as to work freely and clear from each other in
the soil; but when brought up to the headland, the frame in which the
ploughs or implements are contained is stopped, and as each plough or
implement is separate, the rope or chain which has been drawing the frame
with the implements in it is made to actuate a shaft, on which is fixed toothed
or other wheels to work a rack, chain, or screw for the purpose of bringing up
cach plough to a line. On the head of each plough is fixed an inclined plane,
so that when each plough is brought up by rack, screw, or chain to a stop on
the frame, the inclined plane comes against the stop, raises the point of the
plough or implement, and the onward motion of the rack, chain, or screw
causes the inclined plane to pass over the stop, lift the implement from the
ground, in which position it is retained by a catch till required for another
furrow, thus leaving the headland unbroken, and the ends of the furrows well
turned in ploughing turf or similar land.
Secondly, our improvements consist in making the wheels of the framework
which contains the ploughs or implements to serve as guides to regulate the
width and depth of the furrow.
Thirdly, in causing the wheels that support and guide the frame to be
inrned at right angles when the frame is stopped at the headland, so as to
prevent the frame from moving backwards or forwards, but in such a form
that it can move sideways to take fresh ground. The frame is carried upon
four wheels, one at each end and two in the middle, the middle wheels, which
are the regulating wheels. are fixed on a lever or beam which vibrates from
the centre of the frame, so that when the wheel that has been running in the
furrow comes upon the headland, the lever or beam causes the frame to
maintain its level, in consequence of the frame being balanced upon it; the
other wheels run upon the unploughed land.
The frame can be used for other purposes than ploughs, being available for
bringing out the implements, shifting them sideways, or for anchoring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Massey and John Smith in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 12th November 1857.,

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Massey and John Smith, Her special licence that we, the
said William Massey and John Smith, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Massey and John Smith,
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 Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVIMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATING LAND," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said William Massey and John Smith, by an instrument in writing under
our hands and seals, 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 William Massey and John Smith, do
hereby declare the nature of our 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 Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
Our Invention has reference, firstly, to the class of machines in which
several ploughs or other implements are used simultaneously, either drawn or
propelled by steam or any other power, and in the peculiar mode of raising
the ploughs out of the ground and of fixing them in the frame, and retaining
them in any position in which they may be required. This we effect by
making the framework in such a manner that each plough or other implement
can work separately, each having by ineans of guides an independent vertical
and backward and forward movement, but they are not allowed to move side-
ways, except in adjusting the guides to the proper width of the course or
furrow. The ploughs are so arranged, that when at work they follow at
certain distances from each other, so as to work freely and clear from each
other in the soil: but when brought up to, the headland, the frame in which
the ploughs or implements are contained is stopped, and as each plough or
implement is separate, the rope or chain which has been drawing the frame
with the implements in it is made to actuate a shait on which is fixed toothed
or other wheels, to work a rack, chain, or screw, for the purpose of bringing up
.

page_text: each plough to a line. On the head of each plongh is fixed an inclined plane,
so that when each plough is brought up by rack, screw, or chain to a stop on
the frame, the inclined plane comes against the stop, raises the point of the
plough or implement, and the onward motion of the rack, chain, or screw
causes the inclined plane to pass over the stop, lift the implement from the
ground, in which position it is retained by a catch till required for another
furrow, thus leaving the headland unbroken, and the ends of the furrows
well turned in ploughing turf or similar land.
Secondly, our improvements consist in making the wheels of the framework
which contains the ploughs or implements to serve as guides to regulate the
width and depth of the furrow.
Thirdly, in causing the wheels that support and guide the frame to be
turned at right angles when the frame is stopped at the headland, so as to
prevent the frame from moving backwards or forwards, but in such a form that
it can move sideways to take fresh ground. The frame is carried upon four
wheels, one at each end and two in the middle, the middle wheels, which are
the regulating wheels, are fixed on a lever or beam, which vibrates from the
centre of the frame, so that when the wheel that has been running in the
furrow comes upon the headland, the lever or beam causes the frame to
maintain its level in consequence of the frame being balanced upon it; the
other wheels run upon the unploughed land. The frame can be used for other
purposes than ploughs, being available for bringing out the implements,
shifting them sideways, or for anchoring.
L
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 a transverse
section on the line (A, B.) of a series of ploughs and frame constructed
according to our improvements.
We have already stated that this combination of mechanical appliances can
be employed for other implements than ploughs, but we deem its sufficient for
the present purpose to exhibit clearly its working with ploughshares, and to
state that other implements may, if expedient, be attached to the frame instead
of the shares. (a) is a strong frame or carriage, having the guides (b)
secured to it for the purpose of maintaining the ploughs at the proper distance
apart, whilst at the same time they are free to move up and down inde-
pendently of each other; (c) are the ploughs formed to work inside these
guides (b). These implements are made to work with one beam (d), which
carries the wheel (e), and this wheel regulates the depth that the plough takes

page_text: as an inclined plane (g) is a rack, though a chain may be found to answer
equally well in this duty; this rack is driven by the wheel (h) and pinion (h');
(i) is a small roller, against which the beam (f) is drawn when the rack (g)
is worked forward. by which movement, so soon as the beam (f) comes in
contact with the roller (), the forward motion of the rack continuing through
the action of the wheel (4) and pinion (4) being maintained while the frame
is at rest, each plough is caused to rise out of the ground, the point of the
share first, until it clears the earth entirely, and is in contact with the striking
board (); the rack motion still continuing, the heel of the share is gradually
raised to a level with the point, when its further progress is arrested by a loose
pall or catch on the rack, this pall, whilst it throws the rack out of action,
allows the axle upon which the pinion is hung to rotate, and thus bring up in
succession the rest of the ploughs, each of which is attached to a separate
rack, these racks being of varying lengths to admit of the ploughs being set
at a suitable distance apart, in order to prevent clogging, and to facilitate their
working clearly and freely in the soil. () is a continuation of the beam (f),
having à stud (1) fixed to it, to prevent the heel of the ploughshare from.
bearing too heavily upon the ground when the point of the share is first with-
drawn from the earth; (m) is a bell-crank lever falling upon the guides (b)
of the frame when the plough is drawn out of the ground. and retaining the
plough in a suspended position till again required to take another furrow.
We have exhibited a double set of ploughs set in one frame, one set being
right-handed and the other left-handed, which arrangement avoids the necessity
of turning the apparatus, the action of both sets being precisely the same.
In the working of these implements it is evident that immediately upon the
frame reaching the headland its motion is arrested, but the rope or chain
which works it being still drawn forward, a continued motion is given to the
wheel () and pinion (¹), thus actuating the rack of each independent plough,
and as the upper beam () touches the small roller (i), each plough is in
succession raised from the ground until they are all in a line, thus there are
no broken ends made. Until required to take a fresh furrow, the ploughs are
by the lever (m) retained in a suspended position.
We will now describe that portion of our improvements connected with the
shifting of the plough frame along the headland, for the purpose of taking
fresh ground, which will be better understood by reference to Figure 3, which
is a transverse section through the centre of the frame. (n, n) are wheels
supporting the central portion of the frame; (o) being a lever, connected
to slides (p, p'.) attached to which slides are the wheel arms' (4, 4) to which

page_text: the wheels (', n²) are hung. The slides (p, p',) have vertical motion only,
but the wheel arms (q. q.) which are cylindrical rods, and are connected to the
slides (p, p',) move vertically in conjunction with those slides. On the top of the
wheel arms are placed crank levers (r, r') coupled together by the rod (s);
one of these levers is connected to the shaft (f), at the foot of which is fixed
a forked lever, which is for the purpose of working the clutch (n) into and
out of gear as occasion may require. The levers (e, e) are fixed to the side
of the frame, for the purpose of regulating the frame: at the end of each
furrow they are connected to the slides (p) by the links ie, w: the stays.
maintain the ploughs in their position and free from lateral motion when at
work; (, y.) being carrier wheels, moving freely in any direction, and sup-
porting the frame.
The action of balancing and shifting the frame when at the headland is as
follows: As soon as the ploughs reach the headland, and that one of the
central wheels that has been travelling in the furrow begins, to run upon the
unploughed land, it would have a tendency to twist the beams of the ploughs,
and prevent the implements rising casily from the ground, but for the following
provisión as the frame reaches the headland, the attendant raises the arm (e)
actuating through the links (c) the slide (p), which being connected with the
lever (o) and the wheel (n) and slide (p'), causes the wheel (n) to rise and
the wheel (¹) to fall simultaneously. When the frame is fairly out of the
furrow and in line with the ploughed portion of the land, the lever (¹), which
is connected as shewn by the rod (s) to the two carrying wheels (n', n.)
comes into operation; these wheels are fixed to the wheel arms (q, q.) both of
which will turn freely round, but have no vertical motion independent of
that which they possess in conjunction with the slides (p, p').
turns the lever about ninety degrees, thus placing the wheels (n', n²) at
about right angles to their former position, and ready now to move side-
'ways and take fresh ground.. Simultaneously with the action of the lever (1)
turning the wheels (n', n²), it actuates the shaft (f), releasing the clutch (u),
the rope still being drawn forward causes the wheel (h), upon which a portion
of the rope is-wound, to revolve,, advancing the racks and bringing out the
ploughs, as before described..
'
i
An attendant
1. i
Having thus described, the nature of our said Invention, and, in what
manner the same is to be performed, we claim the peculiar mode of raising
the ploughs or other implements out of the ground point, first, by means of the
inclined plane, and the mechanism in conjunction therewith, and of maintaining
them in a suspended position when not in work, together with the guides f
"
for

page_text: keeping the ploughs in position when at work, and the peculiar construction
of the frame, by which we are enabled to balance the entire implement and
move it sideways, as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Massey and John Smith, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
EDWARD J. PAYNE.-
WILLIAM MASSEY. (L.S.)
JOHN SMITH.
(L.S.)