IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING OR ACTUATING PLOUGHS AND OTHER IMPLEMENTS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Allin Williams, of Baydon, in the County of
Wilts, Farmer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR DRIVING OR ACTUATING PLOUGHS AND OTHER IMPLEMENTS
Sealed the 26th October 1855, and dated the 8th May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Allin Williams at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th May 1855.
I, JOHN ALLIN WILLIAMS, of Baydon, in the County of Wilts, Farmer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING OR ACTUATING PLOUGHS AND OTHER IMPLE-
MENTS EMPLOYED IN WORKING AND CULTIVATING LAND" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of
machinery or apparatus, whereby a simple and economic mode is effected of
drawing or actuating ploughs and other cultivating implements by steam power.
The improvements consist in the employment of a machine fitted with a pair
of windlasses or winding drums, which are driven by steam power at a slow
speed by an ordinary agricultural engine. The slow motion may be obtained
by any suitable arrangement of bevel gearing, such gearing being driven by a
driving belt passed round a suitable driving pulley on the engine. The mode I

page_text: attendant.
prefer, nowever, for driving the drums, is to fix a bevil pinion on the firs
motion shaft of the machine, such shaft having a large driving pulley fastened
thereon. This bevel pinion gears into a large bevel wheel fastened on the
second motion shaft, which is thrown in or out of gear alternately with either
of the drums, which are placed opposite each end of it by suitable clutch boxes
and levers. The framing carrying the winding mechanism is supported on
running wheels, and is firmly secured by shafts to the framing of the engine, so
as to render the two perfectly firm and compact. The ploughs or other imple-
ments for cultivating and working the land are attached to a small carriage,
giving them an independant action from the strain of the chain or rope, one end
of which is connected to the said carriage, whilst the other is wound round one
of the drums; the free end of the other rope or chain on the second drum, when
ploughing with one-way ploughs, being attached to an intermediate rope fitted
with swivel hooks or eyes, and this rope is connected at its other end to the
hauling carriage. The coils of the of the ropes may be guided on to the drums
by means of forked guiding levers working on fixed fulcra, and actuated by the
A fixed table secured to the side of the machine and engine next
the ploughs contains a row of holes at distances asunder equal to the width
of furrow. In these holes is successively fixed the axis of a moveable guide
pulley, round which the hauling 'rope is passed after having previously passed
round suitable fixed guide pulleys or rollers secured to the framing. A move-
able guide roller is fitted on to the front edge of this table, to prevent the rope
from rubbing against the edge thereof, and to guide it on to the pulley of the
machine. A somewhat similar table and moveable guide roller, forming part
of a framework, on travelling wheels, with small adjustable guide pulleys, is
firmly fixed at the opposite end of the field by suitable shores or struts im-
bedded firmly into the ground. A large fixed horizontal guide pulley is attached
to this last-mentioned table or framework, round which pulley is passed the
intermediate rope. In ploughing by this machine, one or more furrows may be
ploughed at once, according to the number of ploughs employed, and the field
may be ploughed either in "towards," or in what is termed "one-way." Each
time the ploughs are drawn across the field the moveable guide pulleys on
each fixed table or framework are advanced a certain number of holes in the
ables, according to the number of furrows made at one time, by which means
the engine and machine will not be required to move until the whole length of
the tables has been traversed or ploughed. When the engine and machine
are shifted into the next land, on the ploughs arriving at one end or side of
the field, if they are one-way ploughs, the second drum is thrown into gear and
draws them back again, whilst the first drum is thrown out of gear, to allow its

page_text: rope to be uncoiled in readiness for another traverse of the ploughs.. To
prevent the ropes from chafing against the ground, they may rest on suitable
carriages or troughs running on wheels. A bell & signal apparatus is fitted
on to the table or the framework at the opposite end of the field from the
engine, which signal serves to indicate to the engineer the precise time at
which the ploughs arrive at the end of the furrow, whereupon he shuts off the
steam and stops the engine, to enable the ploughs to be reversed..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Allin Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ALLIN WILLIAMS, of Baydon, in the County of Wilts, Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Allin Williams, Her special license that I, the said John Allin Williams,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Allin Williams, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR DRIVING OR ACTUATING PLOUGHS AND OTHER IMPLEMENTS EMPLOYED
IN WORKING AND CULTIVATING LAND," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said John Allin Williams, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 I, the said John Allin Williams, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-

page_text: My said Invention relates to an improved construction & arrangement
of machinery or apparatus, whereby I obtain a simple and economic mode of
drawing or actuating ploughs and other cultivating implements by steam
power.
The improvements consist in the employment of a hauling machine fitted
with a pair of windlasses or winding drums, which are driven by steam power
at a slow speed by an ordinary agricultural engine. The slow motion may be
obtained by any suitable arrangement of bevel gearing, such gearing being driven
by a driving belt passed round a suitable driving pulley on the engine. The
mode I prefer, however, for actuating the drums is to fix a bevil pinion on the
first motion shaft of the hauling machine, such shaft having a large driving
pulley fast thereon. This bevil pinion gears into a large bevil wheel fast on tho
second motion shaft, which is thrown in or out of gear alternately with either
of the drums, which are placed opposite each end of it by suitable clutch boxes
and levers. The framing carrying the winding mechanism is supported on
running wheels, and is firmly secured by shafts to the framing of the engine,
so as to render the two perfectly firm & compact. The ploughs or other imple-
ments for cultivating and working the land are attached to a small carriage,
giving them an independant action from the strain of the chain or rope, one
end of which is connected to the said carriage, whilst the other is wound round
one of the drums; the free end of the other rope or chain on the second drum,
when ploughing with one-way ploughs, being attached to an intermediate rope
fitted with swivel hooks or eyes, and this rope is connected at its other end
to the hauling carriage. The coils of the ropes may be guided on to the
drums by means of forked guiding levers working on fixed fulcra, and actuated
by the attendant (or made self-acting). A fixed table secured to the side of
the machine and engine next the ploughs contains a row of holes at distances
asunder equal to the width of furrow. In these holes is successively fixed
the axis of a moveable guide pulley, round which the hauling rope is passed
after being previously passed round suitable fixed guide pulleys or rollers
secured to the framing or table of the machine. A moveable guide roller is
fitted on to a moveable trussel under this table, to prevent the rope from
rubbing against the edge thereof, and to guide it on to the horizontal guide
pulley. A somewhat similar table and moveable guide rollers, forming part of
a framework, on travelling wheels, with small adjustable guide pulley, is firmly
fixed at the opposite end of the field by suitable shores or struts embedded
firmly into the ground. A large fixed horizontal guide pulley is attached to this
last-mentioned table or framework, round which pulley is passed the inter-
mediate rope, herein-before referred to. In ploughing by this machine, one or

page_text: more furrows may be ploughed at once, according to the number of ploughs
employed, and the field may be ploughed either in "towards," or in what is
termed "one-way." Each time the ploughs are drawn across the field the
moveable guide pulleys on each fixed table or framework are advanced a
certain number of holes in the tables, according to the number of furrows
made at one time, by which means the engine and machine will not be
required to move until the whole length of the tables has been traversed or
ploughed, when the engine and machine are shifted into the next land. On
the ploughs arriving at one end or side of the field, if they are one-way ploughs,
the second drum is thrown into gear and draws them back again, whilst the
first drum is thrown out of gear, to allow its rope to be uncoiled by the back
traverse of the hauling carriage in readiness for the next succeeding traverse
of the ploughs. To prevent the ropes from chafing against the ground, they
may rest on suitable carriages or troughs running on wheels. A bell and
signal apparatus is fitted on to the table or framework at the opposite end
of the field from the engine, which signal serves to indicate to the engineer
the precise time at which the ploughs arrive at the end of the furrow, where-
upon ho shuts off the steam and stops the engine, to enable the ploughs to
be reversed.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall refer to
the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, the samo
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout both Sheets of
Drawings.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, represents a general plan of my
apparatus in working order, supposed to be harrowing a field; Figure 2, on
Sheet 2 of the Drawings, represents a side elevation of the hauling machine
and agricultural engine with the table fitted thereto; and Figure 3 is a sido
elevation of the platform, which is to be firmly fixed on the side or end of
the field, opposite to the hauling machine and engine.
A, A, is the hauling machine, the framing of which is supported on the
running wheels B, B, and is connected by the check plates C, C, to the framing
D, D, of an ordinary farmer's engine E; F, F, are two drums or windlasses,
for the purpose of hauling the ploughs or other cultivating implements over
the ground. The spindles of these drums work in suitable plummer blocks G,
and are cach fitted with a sliding clutch box H, II', which are thrown in or out
of gear by suitable clutch levers when requisite, with the corresponding clutches
I, I, fast on cach end of the short shaft J, which carries a large bevil wheel
K, gearing into and receiving motion from the bevil pinion L, fast on the

page_text: shaft M. On this shaft is keyed the large driving pulley N, which receives
motion by means of a belt O from the smaller pulley P, fast on the main or
crank shaft Q of the engine. R, R, is a table, formed in two lengths and
jointed at S, such joint corresponding to the junction between the engine and
hauling machine, so that the table, which is secured by strong brackets T, T,
to the framing of the hauling machine and engine, may have a slight play
with them, according to the irregularities of the ground, the joint in the table
and the junction between the hauling machine and engine admitting of free
play vertically. This table is made to detach readily from the framing of the
engine and hauling machine by unscrewing the coupling nuts which secure
the brackets T to such framing. The table R may also either be made of tho
same length as the hauling machine and engine combined, or it may be made
to project considerably beyond them, as shewn by the dotted lines, a wrought-
iron stay U being fitted obliquely behind each projecting end for the purpose
of holding the table more securely at those parts. One of the projecting
ends of the table R rests upon the cross bar R', which is bolted underneath
the projecting ends of the engine framing D, D, a small pair of running
wheels D¹, D', being placed underneath the bar R', to support the weight of
the end of the table, and carry the water tank E. The longer portion of
the jointed table may be fitted with suitable running wheels V, V, for the
purpose of facilitating its removal from one locality to another, on which
occasion the shorter length of the table is folded or turned over on to the
portion fitted with the running wheels, & the whole may then be used, if
necessary, as a cart for carrying any of the minor parts or details connected
with the entire apparatus. The platform W, which is situated on the opposite
side or end of the field to that on which the engine & hauling machine
are placed, is kept firmly fixed in its place by suitable shores or struts
X, X, embedded into the ground at one end; or it may be held fast to
resist the strain of the hauling ropes by means of chains, ropes, or other
suitable and simple contrivance. This platform consists of two rectangular
frames of wood or iron, running on suitable carrying wheels, and united by
bolts or pins Y. Y, or other suitable attachment when required for use.
When it is desired to transport the platform from one locality to another, the
shorter frame is detached from the longer one by withdrawing the pits Y
and is laid upon it, so that it may be carried by it to any desired locality with
facility. A large grooved horizontal pulley Z is fixed at one end of the plat-
form, and above this pulley is erected the standard a, through which passes the
signal pole 6, the lower end of such pole having a collar or shoulder formed
upon it, and works in and is supported by the wrought-iron bar c. A handle d

page_text: serves to turn the signal when requisite. e is a bell, suspended from the
standard a, the object of which is to draw the engineer's attention to the signal
just before the ploughs or other implements have arrived at the further end
of the field. A number of holes f, f, about nine inches part, corresponding to
the ordinary width of a furrow, are made in the two longitudinal frames of the
platform; and a similar series of corresponding holes are made in the table
R, R, for the purpose of containing the small moveable guide pulleys g, g,
round which the hauling ropes h, hi, are guided after leaving their respective
drums and fixed guide pulleys i, i", which may be supported on their upper
sides by the bars j, j, bolted to the main framing. The axis of the moveable
guide pulley g' in the platform W is supported at its upper end by the moveable
bar k, which is perforated, to correspond to the holes f in the platform, and is
hooked on to the back portion of the platform by the bars 1, 2, which have
their ends suitably shaped, for the purpose of hooking on to the back of the
platform. A similar arrangement may also be adopted for supporting the upper
sides of the moveable guide pulleys g in the table R, if found desirable. In
ploughing by this apparatus, it is highly important that the ploughs, whether
one or more be used at one time, should all have a free and independent action
of their own; and for this purpose I connect them by short lengths of chain
to the carriage m, which runs on the supporting wheels n, n, and is fitted with
a notched draw bar o, for the purpose of adjusting the line of draught. The
hauling ropes h, h', are prevented from chafing or rubbing against the edge of
the table R, R, by causing them to pass over the vertical guide pullies p, p',
which are carried in suitable bearings in the moveable trussels q, q, which rest
upon the ground, and bear also against the under side of the table R, so as to
act as additional supports to the table at those points when the greatest strain
is upon it. These pullies p, p', may also be applied to the edge of the plat-
form W, if required. An intermediate rope r connects the carriage m with
the free end of the unwinding rope h', which rope is kept from chafing or
rubbing on the ground by being laid over and carried by the small trough-
shaped carriage s. In using this apparatus, supposing the operation to be
performed be that of harrowing, as shown in my Drawing, Sheet 1, the arrow t
is connected by short chains to the carriage m, and the hook of the hauling
rope h is engaged into a suitable notch in the draw bar o. One hook of the
intermediate roper is then attached to an eye on the side of the carriage next
the unharrowed land, and the other end, after being passed round the small
moveable guide pulley g¹ in the platform W, and thence round the large
fixed horizontal pulley Z, is hooked on to the end of the second hauling
rope h. The hauling rope h, after passing over the vertical guide pulley p

page_text: in the trussel q, is passed round the horizontal moveable guide pulley g, the
spindle of which is inserted into one of the holes f, corresponding to the line
of draught of the harrow. The rope h then proceeds to the fixed guide
pulleys i, i, between which it passes to the winding drum F, to whose
surface its extremity is attached. As the line of draught of the rope h¹
conincides pretty nearly to its drum F, it will not require a guide pulley g,
but may pass off the drum F¹ direct to the pulley Z on the platform W.
The drum F is now thrown into gear by the clutch handle u, whilst tho
other drum F is thrown out of gear by its corresponding lever handle .
The engineer, who is stationed at V, then waits until the signal to start is
turned on by the man in attendance on the harrow. On the engine being
started, the drum F immediately commences by a slow but powerful move-
ment to haul the harrow t from the opposite side or end of the field towards
the engine and hauling machine, whilst at the same time the rope h' is being
uncoiled from off the drum F' by the action of the intermediate rope r.
Having thus completed the first traverse of the harrow, the engine is stopped,
and the ropes h and r disengaged from the harrow, which is then turned round
with its carriage m in readiness for the second traverse. The intermediato
roper is then hooked on to the draw bar o, and the rope his hooked on to
one side of the carrriage to be drawn back with it. The guide pulley g' in
the platform W might be placed, if found desirable, in the proper line of
draught for the second traverse of the harrow before the first traverse was
commenced, so that it will not require altering until the harrow has arrived
at the platform again. The guide pulley g in the table R must first be placed
in a hole corresponding to the third traverse of the harrow before such third
traverse is commenced, but in the meantime such guide pulley may be placed in
any hole found most convenient in practice. The engine is now started again;
previous to which the drum F is thrown into gear, & the whilst the drum F
is thrown out of gear to allow the rope h to uncoil. On the engine being
started, the intermediate roper will act as the hauling rope, the drum F
winding up the rope h', and thereby dragging the harrow back again to the
opposite or platform side or end of the field. Just before the harrow or other
implement has arrived at the platform the attendant rings the signal bell e, to
call the attention of the engineer, who then regards the signal b, and stops
the engine immediately it is turned on, which is done so soon as the harrow
or other implement has arrived quite up to the platform. The guide pulley g'
may then be moved forward a sufficient number of holes to bring it in the
proper line of draught for the fourth traverse, the opposite guide pulley g
in the table R having been previously adjusted for the third traverse. The

page_text: implement and carriage are then turned round and the drums prepared for the
third traverse, which, on the engine being started, is effected in a similar
manner to the previous ones, and the operation is continued until a width of
land equal to the entire length of the platform W and table R has been
ploughed or otherwise cultivated. This having been accomplished, the engine
& hauling machine are traversed forward, so as to bring them opposite to
another portion of unploughed or unworked land. This traverse is effected
by the rope or chain w (Figure 2), which is attached to the drum F when
required, and is guided downwards therefrom by means of the three guide
pullies a, a, a, the lower pair of pullies being placed at right angles to the upper
pulley underneath the drum, such pullies being supported by the wrought-iron
framing y, which is holted to the under side of the hauling machine framing.
The free end of the rope or chain is then made fast to any fixed point, as at z,
some considerable distance in advance of the machine. On the drum F being
then set in motion by the engine, the rope or chain w will be wound up, and
the whole machine and engine will be traversed forward or backward, as the
case may be, to the desired extent. The platform W is then moved forward
by horses, or other convenient means, so as to correspond to the table R, when
the operations herein-before described are repeated.
Figure 4, on Sheet 2 of my Drawings, represents a detail section of an
arrangement which I propose to adopt for effecting the regular and even
coiling of the hauling ropes on to the winding drums or windlasses F, F; and
Figure 5 is a corresponding front elevation of the same. A is the framing of
the hauling machine; and F¹, one of the winding drums, the rope h¹ of which is
guided to and fro over its surface in order to coil it evenly by means of the
hand lever 1, working on a fixed centre at 2, and formed with a fork at its
lower extremity. Each side of the fork is fitted with an antifriction pulley, for
the purpose
of preventing the rope from chafing against the sides of such fork,
and being consequently injured thereby. When the rope is being wound on
to the drum, the lever 1 is gradually moved to and fro, either by an attendant,
or by self-acting mechanism worked from their respective drum shafts, such
mechanism being so arranged that the fork of the lever will have traversed
the entiro width of the drum by the time a coil is laid over its entire surface.
Thus, supposing the drum requires fifteen coils of rope to fill its entire width,
then the lever must be made to complete the traverse of the width of the
drum by the time such drum has made fifteen revolutions, and so on, in pro-
portion to the width of drums and thickness of ropes. The fuel for the engine
is carried on a platform 3, situated in the rear of the hauling machine, and
convenient to the engineer.

page_text: Figure 6, on Sheet 2 of my Drawings, represents a general diagram plan
of the arrangement of apparatus when used for ploughing in what is
termed "towards," that is, with ordinary ploughs, in place of one-way
ploughs, as would be employed with the arrangement of apparatus herein-
before described. It will be seen, on referring to the Diagram, Figure 6,
that in place of the platform W and table R being exactly opposite to cach
other, one of them is in advance of the other to the extent of its entire length,
the distance from the outer end of the table R to the farthest end of the
platform W being equal to the width of a land. The platform W is reversed
or turned round, as will be observed on referring to the Drawing, in order to
allow of the guide pulley g' being adjusted to another hole at each traverse of
the ploughs on that side of the land. Three ordinary ploughs t, t, t, one being
slightly behind its neighbour, are connected to the carriage m, for the purpose
of leaving each plough independant, and allowing them all perfect freedom of
motion. These ploughs having been drawn across the field as far as the plat-
form W by the drum F', and disengaged from the intermediate rope r, are,
with the carriage m, conveyed by one or more horses to the opposite side of
the land at s. In the meantime, the hauling rope. h has been drawn out or
uncoiled by a horse, or by any other convenient arrangement, from the drum F,
such drum having been previously thrown out of gear. The rope h is thus in
readiness for the second traverse of the ploughs on that side of the land at 8,
the first traverse on such side being represented by the dotted lines u, which
represent the three furrows formed by the ploughs. The guide pulley 9 in the
table R may then be adjusted into the proper hole, and the ploughs having
been connected to the rope h, the signal is given for the engine to start, the
drum F having been previously thrown into gear and the drum F1 out of gear;
and whilst the ploughs are being thus drawn along the land, the rope h' on the
opposite side is uncoiled or drawn out, as herein-before described, in readiness
for another traverse, its guide pulley g' being suitably adjusted for that purpose.
The operation thus proceeds until the entire land has been ploughed, the last
traverse of the ploughs being completed in the centre of the "land," or there-
abouts. On the completion of a land, the platform and hauling machine &
engine are traversed in the manner I have herein-before described to the next
succeeding land, when the operations are repeated, as before. I may here
observe, that as the whole of the drawing or actuating apparatus in the
Diagram, Figure 6, is exactly the same as that illustrated on a larger scale by
Figures 1, 2, and 3, I have not considered it necessary to enter into any detailed
description thereof, as such description would be a mere repetition of what I
have herein-before described. And I would further have it distinctly under-

page_text: stood, that although I have only illustrated ploughs and harrows as being used
in connection with my hauling mechanism, I do not confine or restrict myself to
the use of such implements, as it is obvious that the same is equally applicable
to any kind of agricultural implement which requires to be traversed or drawn
over the land, such, for example, as grubbers, scarifiers, land rollers, and clod
crushers, reaping and mowing machines, &c.; and although I have herein-
before described my apparatus as being driven by an ordinary farmer's engine,
it is obvious that any convenient arrangement of portable steam engine may
be employed.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to inc
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general construction, arrangement, and mode of working machinery
or apparatus for driving, actuating, or drawing by steam power, ploughs and
other implements employed in working and cultivating land, as herein-before
described, and illustrated by my Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of drawing ploughs and other agricultural
agricultural implements over or across a piece of ground by employing a
hauling machine and steam engine combined, working in conjunction with a
fixed hauling platform, as herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of the perforated platform W, and corre-
sponding table R, with moveable and fixed guide pullies, in the manner and
for the purpose herein-before described.
Fourth, the peculiar construction, arrangement, and mode of working the
hauling machine, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the peculiar construction and arrangement of platform W, and the
application and use of the signal and bell in connection therewith, as herein-
before described.
Sixth, the application and use of the small carriages, for the purpose of
preventing the hauling ropes from rubbing or chafing against the ground, as
herein-before described.
Seventh, the application and use of the carriage m, to which the ploughs or
other cultivating implements are attached, for the purpose of taking off the

page_text: strain of the hauling rope from such implements, and allowing them to have a
perfectly free and independant motion of their own.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Allin Williams, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eighth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
JOHN ALLIN WILLIAMS. (L8.)