IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tasker, the younger, of the Firm of William
Tasker and Sons, of Waterloo Tron Works, near Andover, in the County
of Hants, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 29th March 1859, and dated the 24th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by, the said William Tasker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th January 1859.
I, WILLIAM TASKER, the younger, of the Firm of William Tasker and Sons,
of Waterloo Iron Works, near Andover, in the County of Hants, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLOUGHS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of the
parts of ploughs known as fixed-headed ploughs in connection with the front
end of the beam and head gear, whereby the plough may be turned at the
headlands without having to be carried round by the ploughman.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a casting, having a tube or hollow
cylinder made thereon, which fits loosely over a round portion of the front end
of the beam, so as to be capable of turning thereon. A collar or flange is
formed at the back end of the tube, and a corresponding collar is fixed on to
the beam; the two collars being notched at one part for the entrance therein.

page_text: of a key or catch, which has the effect, when in its place, of locking the tube
and the beam rigidly together, but when this key is elevated by the plough-
man by any convenient means, the beam is free to be turned inside the tube
in either direction, so as to bring one of the plough handles, when turning at
the headlands, in contact with the ground; a skid or slide being fitted to one
of the handles for it to slide upon. Having turned the headland, the ploughman
has simply to bring his handles back again into a proper position for work,
when the beam and tube will become locked again. The wheels are carried
by adjustable stumps and axles, which are connected near their upper and
lower ends with vertical spindles capable of turning freely in cylinders or
collar bearings, formed one on each side of the tubular casting before referred
to. The draw iron consists of two parallel bars fixed rigidly to the lower
ends of the vertical spindles last referred to, and a cross bar which is jointed
at each end to the front ends of the parallel bars.
By this arrangement of draw iron and carriage, the wheels are free to lock
round when turning the headlands.
In place of using two cylinders and vertical spindles, one on either side of
the beam, a single vertical spindle may be employed, placed perpendicular
to the centre of the tube on the end of the beam, the axle of the wheels
locking freely round this spindle as a fixed centre of motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Tasker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TASKER, the younger, of the Firm of William Tasker and Sons, of Waterloo
Iron Works, near Andover, in the County of Hants, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Tasker, the younger, Ier special license that I, the said William
Tasker, the younger, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Tasker, the younger, 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

page_text: of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Tasker, the younger, 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 William Tasker, the younger, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
I
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
the parts of ploughs, known as fixed-headed ploughs, in connection with the
front end of the beam and head gear, whereby the ploughi may be turned at
the headlands without having to be carried round by the ploughman.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a casting, having a tube or hollow
cylinder made thereon, which fits loosely over a round portion of the front end
of the beam, so as to be capable of turning thereon. A collar or flange is
formed at the back end of the tube, and a corresponding collar is fixed on 'to
the beam, the two collars being notched at one part for the entrance thereon
of a key or catch, which has the effect, when in its place, of locking the
tube and the beam rigidly together; but when this key is elevated by the plough-
man by any 'convenient means, the beam is free to be turned inside the tube
in either direction, so as to bring one of the plough handles, when turning at
the 'headlands, in contact with the ground, a skid or slide being fitted to one
of the handles for it to slide upon. Having turned the headland, the plough-
man has simply to bring his handles back again into a proper position for
work, when the the beam and tube will become locked again. The wheels are
carried by adjustable stumps and axles, which are connected near their upper
and lower ends with vertical spindles, capable of turning freely in cylinders
or collar bearings, formed one on each side of the tubular casting before
referred to. The draw iron consists of two parallel bars fixed rigidly to the
lower ends of the vertical spindles last referred to, and a cross-bar which is
jointed at each end to the front ends of the parallel bars.
By this arrangement of draw iron and carriage, the wheels are free to lock
round when turning the headlands.
In place of using two cylinders and vertical spindles, one on either side of

page_text: the beam, a single vertical spindle may be employed, placed perpendicular to
the centre of the tube on the end of the beam, the axle of the wheels locking
freely round this spindle as a fixed centre of motion.
And in order that, my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I
shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all
the Figures.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents a side elevation of
a plough fitted with my improvements; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of
the same, and Figure 3 is a front view of the plough head.
A is the plough
beam, the front end of which is made round, and fits into the corresponding
tube or hollow cylinder B, cast in one piece with the vertical frame C, and
fitting loosely upon the rounded front portion of the plough beam, so as to be
capable of turning freely thereon. The collar and pin at D serve to keep the
end of the beam from slipping out of its place. A flange E is cast upon the
back end of the tube B, which fits against a similar collar F fast on the beam
itself. These two collars are notched so as to receive the weighted forked
lever or catch G, which plays freely in holes made in the casting, and is
retained therein by cottars. When this catch is dropped into the corre-
sponding notches in the two flanges or collars, the plough beam will be locked
or prevented from turning in its tubular socket; but when the catch is
elevated out of the notches, which may be effected by the ploughman pulling
the chain or cord H, or by any other simple contrivance, the beam will be
unlocked, and may then be turned over to one side so as to bring one of the
handles I, I, on to the ground, and consequently raise the ploughshare, in
which position the whole may be readily turned at the headlands. A skid or
other convenient rest may be bolted on to one of the handles for the purpose
of supporting them when on the ground. The headland being turned, the
ploughman readjusts the beam, when the weighted catch G drops into the
notches in the respective flanges E, F, and locks the beam in its proper
position for work. J, J, are adjustable stumps for carrying the running
wheels-K, K; these stumps pass through the overhanging lugs L, L, formed at
the top and bottom of each of the round spindles M, M, which are contained
in the vertical sockets N, N, (one of which is shewn in section in Figure 3) of the
cast-iron frame C, and are free to turn therein, thereby enabling the stump.
of each wheel to swivel or lock round when turning the plough, as shewn by
the dotted lines in Figure 2. 0, 0, are two bars rigidly fixed to the lower
ends of the spindles M, and connected at their front ends by a cross bar P,

page_text: which is provided with a number of holes for the purpose of regulating the
line of draught, as will be clearly understood on referring to the Drawings.
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 what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of ploughs, as herein-before
described.
Second, the construction of ploughs, having the bean and head gear locked
or rigidly fixed together when at work, and capable of being disconnected
when required.
Third, the supporting of the front end of a plough beam in a tubular socket
for the purpose of facilitating the turning of the plough at the headlands, as
herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of locking and unlocking the plough beam
with or from the head or tubular socket, when required, as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the connecting of the wheel stumps to a vertical spindle or spindles
capable of turning freely in vertical collar bearings or sockets, as herein-before
described.
Sixth, the peculiar construction and arrangement of draw iron, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tasker, the younger, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this 20th day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
WILLIAM TADKER, JUN“. (L.S.)