Improvements in Implements for Cultivating and Aërating the Land.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1395-Accepted, 25th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Implements for Cultivating and Aërating
the Land.
JOHN EVAN STEEVENSON 1 Radcliffe Road Nottingham Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the construction of an implement to work by
mechanical power, for pulverizing and aerating the land: Upon a horizontal shaft
revolving across the land to be operated upon, 1 fix a number of cutters or tines
set at an angle, preferably of 60° with the axis and also at an angle with the
circumference, to break away the soil from the unbroken ground, over which the
implement is passing, and discharge the soil immediately behind the cutters.
The shaft and cutters revolve at a high velocity to prevent the soil adhering
to then, the clods of earth and long grass being discharged by centrifugal force.
The horizontal shaft is driven by a pinion or other suitable means working
inside a dust proof casing, which also forms the shaft bearings, the velocity of
the cutters preventing the dust working toward the bearings.
The casing is made preferably a little less in diameter than the cutters, and is
forced through the ground, the cutters removing the soil displaced by the casing.
When the land is very hard 1 plow a furrow to permit of the passage of the
pinion casing through the land.
The cutting edge of the cutter is tangental, the inner edge revolving in advance
of the outer edge, to prevent long grass hanging to them.
The horizontal shaft and pinion are driven from a second motion wheel round
which the shaft-pinion, and casing, rise and fall, to adjust depth of cultivation.
The second motion wheel also drives a shaft, onto which is keyed a sliding
pinion which gears with a third motion wheel keyed upon the axle and driving
rollers by which the implement is supported and propelled.
The first motion or motor shaft is so placed that a sliding pinion will gear
either with second or third motion wheels, this giving the implement two speed of
travel in relation to the motor shaft.
The waste gases from the motor and furnace, are conducted downwards and
turned into the pulverized soil immediately behind the implement.
Dated this 20th day of June 1894.
JOHN EVAN STEEVENSON.
Improvements in Implements for Cultivating and Aërating
the Land.
JOHN EVAN STEEVENSON Radcliffe Road, Nottingham, Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of this invention is the construction of an implement to work by
mechanical power for pulverizing and aerating the land.

page_text: Upon a horizontal shaft revolving across the land to be operated upon, I fix a
number of enters or times set at an angle, preferably of 60°, with the nxis and
also at an angle with the circumference, to break away the soil from the unbroken
ground over which the implement is passing and discharge the sod immediately
behind the cutters. The shaft and cutters revolve at a high velocity to prevent
the soil adhering to them, the clods of earth and long grass being discharged by
centrifugal force.
The horizontal shift is driven by a pinion or other suitable means working
inside a dust proof casing, which also forms the shaft bearings, the velocity of the
cutters preventing the dust working toward the bearings.
The casing is made preferably a little less in diameter than the cutters and is
forced through the ground, the cutters removing the soil displaced by the easing.
When the land is very hard plow a furrow to permit of the passage of the
pinion easing through the land.
The cutting dges of the cutters are tangential, the inner edges revolving in
advance of the outer edges to prevent long grass linnging to them.
The horizontal shaft and pinion are driven from a second motion wheel, round
which the shaft, pinion and easing rise and fall to adjust depth of cultivation.
The second motion wheel also drives a shaft on to which is keyed a listing
pinion which gears with a third motion wheel keyed upon the axle and driving
rallers by which the implement is supported and propelled. The first unition or
motor shaft is so placed that a sliding pinion will gear either with sermal or
third motion wheels, thus giving the implement two pela of travel in relation to
the motor shaft.
The waste gases from the motor and furnace are conducted downwards and
turned into the pulverized soil immediately behind the implement,
The invention is represented in the necompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side view of the machine showing the supporting wheels and gearing
in dotted lines in order to expose parts which would otherwise be hidden.
Fig. 2 is n rear view of the same omitting some of the parts and showing
other parts in section.
Fig. 3 is a side view and Fig. 4 is an end view of one set of revolving entters.
The line AA represents the surface of the land to be operated upon. The
implement is supported on the wheels a bb, a being the steering wheel and the
propelling wheel.” ccare steam eylinders, the pistone, piston rods, and connecting
rus from which (not shown) give rotary motion to the crank shaft d. Mounted
on the crankshaft with capability of being moved en lwise thereon, is the first
moti minion d³, which is capable of being placed nu held in gear with either
the wheel 6 fixed to the wheel, or with the wheel fixed on the axis e, so as to
obtain two different speeds of travel. The pinion is keyed on to the shalt e
which latter can be moved endwise in its bearings to enable the pinion to be
placed in or out of gear with the wheel so as to enable the implement to work
on the land or to travel when required without giving motion to the cutters A
pinion keyed on the custer shaft /, gears with and is driven by the wheel e'.
By these means I cause the cutters to revolve at a high velocity, thereby
preventing the soil adhering to them, whilst the clods of earth and long grass are
discharged by the centrifugal force developed in such cutters. is
リ a frame which
is mounted loosely on the axis e and carries the hearings y' for the entter shaft /'',
as also the case for enclosing the pinion ƒª. The frame has commected thereto
a toothed rack gearing with a pinion , to, or on the axis of, which is fixed a
worm wheel to which motion can be given by the worm on the shaft, which
latter can be rotated by means of the hand wheel. Thus, by rotating the
shaft, the frame g can be caused to turn on the shaft and thereby regulate
the depth to which the cutters shall enter the soil, or raise the cutter shift and
cutters free of the ground to the position shown by the dotted circles Fin Fig. 1.
Upon the shaft" are keyed bosses, on to which the cutters are secured
in the following manner. Each set of cutters is cast in two (or it may be more)
!

page_text: parts, each of which is formed with a hub or enlargement / fitting the exterior
of its boss and extending somewhat less than half way round the latter.
These hubs or enlargements are each formed with two parallel holes, one on
each side of the boss3; the two parts forming one set of cutters are mounted opposite
to each other on a boss f³, and bolts are passed through the holes in the hubs
or enlargements, which are then holted together on to the boss 3 with sufficient
force to cause them to be driven by the friction of such boss.
The blades of the cutters
the axis and the cutting edges
ference of the boss /³.
are fixed alternately at an angle both ways with
of said blades are tangential with the circum-
is a small double mould board immediately in front of the pinion case g² for
the purpose of cutting, as the machine travels forward, a trench to permit of the
free passage of such pinion case. This double mould board is used when the
land is hard but is necessary in light open land.
is the chimney, which is so formed as to terminate just above the level of the
land, and is a blast pipe entering said chimney and turned downwards therein to
cause the smoke to come in contact with the soil as it flies off the cutters. The
lower end of the chimney may terminate in a horizontal tube extending across all
the cutters and provided with openings to deliver the smoke and gases in the
direction of each rotary cutter.
The implement travels in the direction indicated by the arrow Fig. 1, and
when it is travelling forward the wheels rotate in the direction indicated by the
arrows thereon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
Lion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In implements for cultivating and aerating the land, the peculiar combination
and arrangement of parts, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In implements for cultivating and aerating the land, the peculiar construction of
revolving cutter and method of fixing and driving the same, substantially as herein
shown and described.
3. In implements for cultivating and aerating the land, the combination of
revolving cutters, driving pinion on the axis of such cutters, and case enclosing
such pinion, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In implements for cultivating and aerating the land, the combination with
the pinion case enclosing the rotary cutter driving pinion, of a double mould board
in front of such case to form a trench for the free passage of the latter, substantially
as herein shown and described.
5. In implements for cultivating and aerating the land, the means for regulating
the depth of cultivated soil and lifting the cutters clear of the ground, substantially
as herein shown and described.
6. In implements for cultivating and aerating the land, the aerating of the
cultivated soil by the waste smoke and gases from the motor, substantially as
herein shown and described.
Dated this 20th day of March 1895.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents