CERTAIN IM- PROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henham, of East Peckham, in the
County of Kent, Farmer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 22nd July 1853, and dated the 27th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th May 1853.
I, WILLIAM HENHAM, of East Peckham, in the County of Kent,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CER-
TAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, in the first place, in cranking the axle for
the wheels of the fore carriage so as to preserve it in a horizontal
direction, and the ordinary standards in a perpendicular position, or
nearly so, when the wheels are travelling on the ground at different
levels.
My Invention consists, in the second place, in cranking the coulter
so that it may be turned to cut either way.

page_text: And my Invention consists, in the third place, in forming the "turn-
wrests or "turn-furrows" in the following manner:-Instead of the
ordinary wrests fixed obliquely I fix two wrests in a horizontal posi-
tion, and so formed as that the lower wrest nearest the share shall be
cranked inwards at a certain distance from its end, so as to cease to
operate upon the furrow, leaving the upper wrest to operate on and
turn the furrow. I then again crank the lower wrest outwards near
the other end so as again to take the furrow, in order to obtain the
required width in the open furrow.
These wrests are so attached to the plough that they may be easily
removed, and a "mould-board" substituted. When a mould-board
is used, I form it on the same principle as the wrests; that is to say,
with an interval or open space in the lower part, leaving the upper
part and the two ends of the lower part to operate in turning the
furrow.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henham in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 26th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM HENHAM, of East Peckham, in the County of Kent, Farmer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Henham, Her special license
that I, the said William Henham, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henham, my 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 "CERTAIN IM-

page_text: PROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Henham, 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 per-
formed, 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 Henham, 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 Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in Ploughs" consists, in
the first place, in cranking the axle of the fore carriage so as to main-
tain the perpendicular, or nearly perpendicular, position of the ordinary
standards when the wheels are travelling over ground at different levels.
When applied to a plough with a frame of wood the axle is passed
through a stock of wood and cranked, so that one wheel may be fixed
and turn at a higher level than the other. By this means the axle
may be maintained in a horizontal, or nearly horizontal, position, which
enables the plough to be kept upright. This cranked axle may also be
applied to a plough with an iron frame.
My Invention consists, secondly, in cranking the coulter so that it
may be turned so as to cut on either edge without altering its vertical
position.
And my Invention consists, in the third place, in forming the "turn-
wrests" or "turn-furrows," so that when placed in their required position
on the plough the lower "wrest," or that nearest the share, shall, after
operating upon the furrow for a short distance, cease to operate, being
cranked inwards, and leave the upper wrest to act upon and turn the
furrow; the lower wrest being again cranked outwards near its other
end is again brought into operation upon the furrow.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood
I will describe it more particularly by the aid of the accompanying
Drawing.

page_text: "
de-
Fig. 1, represents the situations of the coulter and the "turn-
wrests on the plough; Fig. 2, shews the coulter detached; Fig
3, 4, 5, and 6, are views of the upper and lower "turn wrests
tached; and Fig. 7, represents a mould-board formed on the same
principle as the "turn-wrests," and which may be substituted for them
in some cases. It will be seen, on reference to Fig. 2, that the coulter
is cranked at a, in such a manner that by turning the upper part b, in
the beam c, of the plough, (see Fig. 1,) its cutting edge may be turned
so as to operate on either edge without altering the vertical position of
the coulter. Fig. 3, is a side view of one of the upper "turn-wrests
detached; and Fig. 4, is a plan or horizontal view of the two wrests,
shewing the direction of their inclination when applied to the plough,
and also their communication by a cross rod at the inner end. One of
these wrests is shewn in its position on the plough at d, (Fig. 1,) to
which it is connected at the point e, by means of a hinge joint, the
other end of each wrest being connected to a rod which is made to
slide as required in the frame of the plough. Fig. 5, is a side view of
one of the lower "turn-wrests" detached; Fig. 6, is a plan or hori
zontal view of the two "wrests," shewing their inclination or divergence,
and also their connection by the cross rod. One of these wrests is
also shewn in its position on the plough in Fig. 1, being united thereto
near the share by means of a hinge joint at f, the other end of each
wrest being connected with a sliding rod, as in the case of the upper
wrests.
The operation of these wrests is as follows:-As the plough pro-
ceeds the furrow, as cut by the share and coulter, is first taken by the
front part of the lower wrest, the upper wrest coming into action imme-
diately after; but the lower wrest being cranked inwards at the point g,
(as shewn in Fig. 6,) leaves the furrow to be operated upon by the
upper wrest only, and by its being cranked again outwards at the
point h, is made again to take the furrow in order to produce the
required width therein.
Fig. 7, represents a mould-board formed so as to operate upon the
same principle as the above-described "turn-wrests;" that is to say.
the part i, is intended first to take the furrow, which is left by the part

page_text: to be taken by the upper part k, and is again taken to complete the
width of the furrow by the lower part 1.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that
I do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise forms and
arrangements of the parts represented and described; but what I
claim as of my Invention is,―
First, the cranking of the axle of the fore carriage for the purpose
described, and to be used with the "turn-wrests" or the mould-board
described.
Secondly, the cranking of the coulter, as described.
Thirdly, the formation of the upper and lower "turn-wrests," so as
to be capable of acting upon the furrow in the manner described.
And lastly, the formation of a mould-board capable of acting upon
the same principle as the "turn-wrests," as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henham, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of No-
vember, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three.
0
Witness,
JOHN WEBB.
WILLIAM HENHAM. (L.s.)