IMPROVEMENTS IN DIGGING AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR CULTIVATING LAND
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Churchman Darby, of Pleshey Lodge, near
Chelmsford, in the County of Essex, for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Churchman Darby
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1881.
THOMAS CHURCHMAN DARBY, of Pleshey Lodge, near Chelmsford, in the County
of Essex. " IMPROVEMENTS IN DIGGING AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR CULTIVATING
LAND."
This Invention has for its object improvements in digging and other machinery
for cultivating land.
In order that when rotary diggers are used the digging tools may be made to
act upon the land as near as may be to the supporting wheels of the digging
machine, I form each supporting wheel of a series of narrow wheels set
axle at equal distances apart one from the other. The axis which carries the
their
upon
digging tines or tools I mount immediately behind the wheels and parallel with
their axle. The tines are fixed to the axis at distances apart from one another
corresponding to the distances between the narrow wheels, and as they revolve
they enter into these spaces. The tines are secured to discs fixed to the axis,
preferably three tines are secured to each disc, and the several discs are so set
upon the axis that the tines shall enter the land in succession one after the other.
As the axis rotates this causes the spits of earth to be turned over diagonally to the
line of advance of the machine.
In broadside digging machines in which the digging tools are divided into three
sets or sections, as described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me
in the year 1879, No. 1773, in place of arranging such sections so that they are all
in a line with one another when at work digging, I now place the middle section in
advance of the other two, each section as heretofore having its own supporting
wheels and digging tools.

page_text: The vertical pivots upon which the two end sections swivel I place near to the
inner ends of each section, that is, the ends which are towards one another, so that
when the machine is to travel along roads and the end sections are turned into
a position crosswise of the machine (so that the machine may travel endwise) the
longer ends of the two sections extend across to the side of the machine which
carries the middle section and support it; the pivots upon which the sections
swivel are set somewhat at an angle so that when the end sections are turned
crosswise of the machine the middle section is lifted off the ground; or the middle
section might be lifted off the ground by gearing when the machine is required to
be moved along roads.
The axle of each section I drive by bevil wheels from a shaft concentric with
the axis upon which the section swivels. These shafts I drive from the driving
shaft of the engine, preferably I drive a vertical intermediate shaft from the crank
shaft of the engine, and by a bevil wheel on this intermediate shaft I drive
bevil wheels on shafts radiating from the intermediate shaft to the axes of the
different sections.
The axis of the digging tools I drive by a chain and wheels or otherwise from
the axles of the wheels.
The central section need not swivel, and the tilling tools of this section may
be driven direct by shafts and bevil wheels from the crank shaft of the engine.
Other machinery for cultivating land may be arranged in the manner above
described, with the cultivating tools divided into three sections set in a triangle,
one section along one side of the machine and the other two along the other side
-of-the-machine,-and-with-the-end-sections-capable-of-swivelling-to-allow-of-the
machine being moved endwise along roads.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Churchman Darby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th May 1882.
THOMAS CHURCHMAN DARBY, of Pleshey Lodge, near Chelmsford, in the County
of Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIGGING AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR CULTIVATING
LAND."
This Invention has for its object improvements in digging and other machinery
for cultivating land.
In order that when rotary diggers are used the digging tools may be made to
act upon the land as near as may be to the supporting wheels of the digging
machine, I form each support of a series of narrow wheels set upon their axle at
equal distances apart one from the other. The axis which carries the. digging
tines or tools I mount immediately behind the wheels and parallel with their
axle. The tines are fixed to the axis at distances apart from one another
corresponding to the distances between the narrow wheels, and as they revolve
they enter into these spaces. The tines are secured to discs fixed to the axis,.
preferably three tines are secured to each disc and the several discs are so set
upon the axis that the tines shall enter the land in succession one after the other
as the axis rotates this causes the spits of earth to be turned over diagonally to the
line of advance of the machine.
In broadside digging machines in which the digging tools are divided into
three sets or sections, as described in the Specification of a former Patent granted
to me in the year 1879, No. 1773, in place of arranging such sections so that they
are all in a line with one another when at work digging, I now place the middle
section in advance of the other two, each section as heretofore having its own
supporting wheels and digging tools.
The vertical pivots upon which the two end sections swivel I place near to the
inner ends of each section, that is, the ends which are towards one another so that
when the machine is to travel along roads and the end sections are turned into
a position crosswise of the machine (so that the machine may travel end wise) the
longer ends of the two sections extend across to the side of the machine which
carries the middle section and support it; the pivots upon which the sections
swivel are set somewhat at an angle so that when the end sections are turned
crosswise of the machine the middle section is lifted off the ground; or the middle
section might be lifted off the ground by gearing when the machine is required to
be moved along roads.
The axle of each end section I drive by bevil wheels from a shaft concentric
with the axis upon which the section swivels. These shafts I drive from the
driving shaft of the engine. The axis of the digging tools on the end sections I
drive from the wheels,
The central section need not swivel, and the tilling tools of this section may be
driven direct from the engine.
Other machinery for cultivating land may be arranged in the manner above
described, with the cultivating tools divided into three sections set in a triangle,
one section along one side of the machine, and the other two along the other side
of the machine, and with the end sections capable of swivelling to allow of the
machine being moved endwise along roads.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shown a broadside steam digging
machine constructed according to my Invention.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation; Figure 2, a plan view; and Figure 3, an end
view of the machine.

page_text: In these Figures A is a steam boiler having a central fire box and chimney at
each end; B is a steam engine mounted upon the top of the boiler, and driving_a
crank shaft C. Each end of the boiler is supported upon a locking carriage D,
which by arms D' descending from it carries an axle E upon which are mounted
a series of narrow wheels F at a distance apart from one another. The bosses of
the several wheels abut against and interlock one with the other. One of the
wheels has fixed upon it a bevil wheel G, by which the whole series of wheels may
be driven, as herein after described.
Each locking carriage at the ends of the boiler is constructed as follows:-The
boiler has fixed to it on its under side a flat plate A', from which descends a tubular
axis A. The flat plate A' rests upon a flat plate forming the top of the carriage D.
The tubular axis A2 is received within a tubular bearing D2 on the underside of
the plate which forms the top of the carriage D. The carriage D is thus free to
turn around the exterior of the tubular axis A. Passing up through the centre of
the axis A is an axis H; on the lower end of this axis is a bevil pinion H¹ gearing
with the bevil wheel G, which, as before stated, is fast with tho wheels on the
axle E. On the top of the axis H is a toothed wheel H2; this gears with a
toothed wheel I' on an axis I. On the top of this axis is a bevil toothed wheel I'
driven by a bevil pinion on a horizontal shaft J. This horizontal shaft can, as
shown at Figure 2, be driven at either of two speeds by bevil wheels J' from the
crank shaft C of the engine. When one speed is to be used one pair of wheels aro
_put into gear, and when the other-speed-is-to-be-used-this-pair-is-put-out-of-gear-
and the other pair into gear. In this way the wheels on the axles of the end
locking carriages are driven from the crank shaft of the engine.
When the machine is set for digging the end carriages are in the positions
shown in the Drawing, but when the machine is required to travel endwise from
one place to another a quarter turn is given to each end carriage so as to bring
their axles into the position shown by the dotted lines Z, Z.
In order to be able to turn each carriage into this position each carriage has
upon it, concentric with its axis, a circular rack D²; into it gears a worm K¹ on a
horizontal axis K. This axis can be turned in either direction by gearing from
the shaft J in the following manner :-On the shaft J are bevil wheels J; these
gear into opposite sides of a corresponding wheel on the top of a shaft L, as shown
in the separate view of these parts at Figure 4, so that by making either one or
other of the bevil wheels J3 fast upon the shaft by shifting the clutch J³, the
shaft L can be turned in either direction desired. On the bottom of the shaft L
is a worm L', as shewn at Figure 5, gearing into a worm wheel K³; hero the
shaft K is divided across; to the end of one length of the shaft is fixed the worm
wheel K, into which gears the worm L', and this end of the shaft can therefore
be turned in either direction. The other length of the shaft K can also be coupled
by a clutch K to the worm wheel K, and thereby made to turn in the same
direction as the first mentioned length of the shaft K. Or by moving this clutch
it can be uncoupled from it, and be driven in the opposite direction by a bevil
toothed wheel K which is fast on the worm wheel K³, and which gears with one
side of a bevel wheel K³, the opposite side of which gears with a bevil wheel Kº,
which is then by the clutch made fast to the second division of the shaft K, but
which previously was free to turn around it. The object of the above described
arrangement of gear is to allow of the two end locking carriages being turned
simultaneously for steering the implement, and turned either in the same direction,
which is requisite when the implement is at work digging, or turned in opposite
directions when the axles have been set at right angles to the boiler, and the
machine is being moved endwise without digging.
When the machine is at work digging, the central part of the implement is
supported upon a series of wheels M on an axle M'. The bearings of this axle can
be raised or lowered in vertical slots in guide pieces M fixed to arms M³ which
extend outwards horizontally at right angles to the boiler A. Mounted in bearings
at the top of each guide is a circular nut M, which by the bearing is prevented

page_text: from moving end wise in either direction; fast on the nut is a worm wheel M³.
Worms N' on a shaft N gear into both worm wheels, so that by turning the shaft N
both nuts M can be turned simultaneously. Each bearing of the axle M¹ has
jointed to it the lower end of a screw O, the upper end of which works through
one or other of the nuts M
In this way the digging tools which are set on
an axis just in rear of the wheels M can be adjusted to dig to any depth
required.
The axis P which carries the tines or digging tools in rear of the wheels M is
carried by plates which descend from the arms M³, as shown at Figure 2. The
bosses which carry the tools are threaded upon the axis and interlock one with the
other just in the same way as the bosses of the supporting and driving wheels
interlock with one another. The bosses of the tools are shown at Figure 2, but
not the tools themselves, the tools are shewn at Figure 3. As they revolve they
come between the narrow wheels, and thus the axis which carries them may bo
set very close to the wheels, as above explained. The axis M' has upon it a chain'
wheel M (see Figure 3), the boss only of this wheel is shewn in Figure 2; it is
driven by an endless chain from a chain wheel Q upon the horizontal axis J before
mentioned, and when the machine is set for digging the axis P carrying the digging
tools is revolved, but when the machine is travelling end wise the chain wheel Q
can by shifting a clutch Q be set free upon the shaft, and the axis P will then no
longer be driven.
In rear of the axles of each locking carriage at the two ends of the implement is
also an axis R, upon which are threaded a series of digging tools which have their
bosses interlocking with one another, as before described; the axes R are carried
by arms R' extending from the axle, as shown at Figures 2 and 3. Upon two of
these arms R¹, viz., the two which are nearest to the vertical pivot of cach locking
carriage, are circular toothed arcs R³ (see Figure 3), into which gear toothed
pinions S¹ on an axis S. This axis has upon it a worm wheel, not shown in the
Drawing, into which gears a worm, by turning which the worm wheel, together
with the toothed pinion S¹ can be turned in either direction and held locked in any
position desired.
'
In this way the digging tools on the axes R can be set to dig to any depth
desired. The bearings at the ends of the arms which carry the axes R embrace
the bosses which are threaded upon these axes, and which carry the digging
tools.
The bosses which are threaded upon the axes R and which carry digging tools
are revolved by a toothed wheel R³, which is fast with them, being driven through
toothed wheels R' from a toothed wheel R5, which is fast with the wheels F on the
axles E of each locking carriage; when the machine is not at work digging, these
wheels can be put out of gear.
When the machine is not at work digging, but is to be moved endwise from one
place to another, the end carriages D are, as before stated, turned round so that
their axles come into the position of the dotted lines Z, Z. The wheels which
previously supported the centre of the implement will then, as before stated, bo
ifted off from the ground by reason of the pivots of the two end locking carriages
being set somewhat inclined, as shown at Figure 3; the implement will then only
pe supported upon the wheels of the two end locking carriages.
As before stated, and as will be seen at Figures 2 and 3, the bosses which carry
he digging tools are so set upon their axes that the tools enter the land in
uccession one after the other; in this way the work is equalised, and the spits
f earth are turned over somewhat at an angle to the line of advance of the
nachine.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
he saine, I would have it understood that I claim,--
First. The construction of digging machines with a series of narrow supporting
wheels set upon an axis at short distances apart from one another, and with a series
f digging tools radiating out from a shaft parallel with the axis of these wheels,

page_text: •
and (as they revolve) entering into the spaces between the wheels, substantially
as described.
Second. The construction of a broad-side digging or cultivating machine with
three sets of supporting wheels on three parallel axles ranged in a triangle, one in
front of the centre of the machine, whilst the two others are on locking carriages
at the two ends of the machine, as hereinbefore explained, and with each set of
wheels having in close proximity to it cultivating implements, substantially as
described; I also claim having the vertical axis of each locking carriage near to
those ends of the horizontal axles which are towards one another when the axles
are in a line, substantially as described.
Third. The construction of broad-side digging or cultivating machines, substan-
tially as herein before described and illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
Fourth. The combination of two end swivelling carriages, the axles of each of
which can be driven and mechanism for simultaneously turning each swivelling
carriage for the purpose of steering, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Churchman Darby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
TC DARRY (19)