IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hornsby, of Grantham, in the County of Lincoln,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLOUGHS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hornsby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1877.
RICHARD HORNSBY, of Grantham, in the County of Lincoln.
IN PLOUGHS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object improvements in ploughs.
For a single furrow plough I form the beam of wood with a steel or iron plate on
either side, secured to it by through bolts. The stem of the plough body and the
clasp carrying the stem of the coulter are also, by through bolts, held against the
outer side of the beam. The back end of the upper part of the stem of the plough
body swings upon one bolt, and in the forward end of this part of the stem is a
slot through which passes another bolt. The forward end of this part of the stem
also overlaps the top of the beam, and carries a set screw, which, at its lower end,
bears against a plate fixed on the upper side of the beam. From the furrow side of
the beam is a stay to support the mould board. The beam is straight instead of
being curved downwards as is for the most part usual, and therefore is higher at its
rear end. The slade or slipe and coulter are set towards the central line of the
beam, and the upper part of their steins are curved to allow of their coming to and
resting against the outer side of the beam. This arrangement gives great clearance
for weeds and grass to get away, and whatever passes back over the rear end of the
mould board drops clear away into the bottom of the furrow behind it; the
fastenings which attach the plough body and coulter to the beam can also for this
reason be brought closer together, and as the beam is capable of resisting a great
twisting strain the points of the coulter and share will always remain approximately
opposite one another whatever strain may be put upon the plough handles.
The handles of the plough are, by preference, of wood, and the side plates of the
beam overlap the junction of the beam and handles.
Double, furrow ploughs I form in the same way.

page_text: The additional beam for carrying the second plough I form of trough iron, and
carry it by two bolts standing out from the furrow side of the main beam; these
bolts are formed with collars of large diameter to bear against the side plate of the
beam so as to obtain great steadiness. One of these bolts serves also as a clamping
screw to hold the front of the foremost plough body to the additional beam. The
additional beam is at its front end also clamped to the cross bar which carries the
upright stems of the front wheels, as is usual.
By carrying the additional beam by bolts, each having a broad collar to bear
against the iron or steel side plate of the main beam, I am enabled to carry this
heam securely by two bolts only, which gives great facility for shifting it towards
or away from the main bean, and again securing it according to the width of
furrow required.
At the rear end of the main beam on the furrow side is clamped an upright stem
carrying a wheel for supporting the back end of the plough; from this clamp also a
stay passes to the mould board.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
Robert Henry Johnston, of Grantham, Banker, and William Vincent Hardwick,
of Grantham, Savings' Bank Actuary, Executors of Richard Hornsby, of
Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, who departed this life on the Eighth
day of December, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 3rd January 1878.
ROBERT HENRY JOHNSTON, of Grantham, Banker, and WILLIAM VINCENT HARD-
WICK, of Grantham, Savings Bank Actuary, Executors of Richard Hornsby, of
Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, who departed this life on the Eighth day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLOUGHS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in ploughs:
For a single furrow plough we form the beam of wood with a steel or iron plate
on either side secured to it by through bolts. The stem of the plough body and
the clasp carrying the stem of the coulter are also, by through bolts, 'held against
the outer side of the beam. The back end of the upper part of the stem of the
plough body swings upon one bolt, and in the forward end of this part of the stem
is a slot through which passes another bolt. The forward end of this part of the
stem also overlaps the top of the beam, and carries a set screw, which, at its lower
end, bears against a plate fixed on the upper side of the beam. From the furrow
side of the beam is a stay to support the mould board. The beam is straight
instead of being curved downwards as is for the most part usual, and therefore is
bigher at its rear end. The slade or slipe and coulter are set towards the central
line of the beam, and the upper part of their stems are curved to allow of their
coming to and resting against the outer side of the beam. This arrangement gives
great clearance for manure and grass or weeds to get away, and whatever passes
back over the rear end of the mould board drops clear away into the bottom of the
furrow behind it; the fastenings which attach the plough body and coulter to the
beam can also, for this reason, be brought closer together; and as the beam is
capable of resisting a great twisting strain the points of the coulter and share will

page_text: always remain approximately opposite one another, whatever strain may be put
upon the plough handles.
The handles of the plough are, by preference, of wood, and he side plates of the
beam overlap the junction of the beam and handles.
Double furrow ploughs we form in the same way.
The additional beam for carrying the second plough we form of trough iron, and
carry it by two bolts standing out from the furrow side of the main beam; these
bolts are formed with collars of large diameter to bear against the side plate of the
beam so as to obtain great steadiness. One of these bolts serves also as a clamping
screw to hold the front of the foremost plough body to the additional beam. The
additional beam is at its front end also clamped to the cross bar which carries the
upright steins of the front wheels, as is usual.
By carrying the additional beam by bolts, each having a broad collar to bear
against the iron or steel side plate of the main beam, we are enabled to carry this
"beam securely by two bolts only, which gives great facility for shifting it towards
or away from the main beam, and again securing it according to the width of
furrow required.
At the rear end of the main beam.on the furrow side is clamped an upright stem
carrying a wheel for supporting the back end of the plough; from this clamp also
a stay passes to the mould board.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 is a plan of a single furrow plough
constructed according to our Invention.
The plough beain is straight, and is composed of a centre portion a of wood, with,
on either side of it, an iron or steel plate b of a thickness of, say, 3/16 or 1/4 of an
inch, and these plates are held to the wood by through bolts, which also serve to
attach other parts to the beam. The stem c of the plough body is held by two of
these bolts, and the hole in the stem to receive the front bolt is slotted to admit of
adjustment. e' is a set screw to facilitate the adjustment; it passes through a lug
in the stem, and bears on a small metal plate fixed on the top of the beam. A bolt
through the plough beam also serves to secure the clasp & which receives the coulter,
and this also is furnished with an adjusting screw d.
Figure 3 is a transverse section; it indicates the manner in which both the
stem c and the coulter stem are curved to bring the furrow line underneath the
plough beam.
The unusual height of the beam above the bottom of the furrow at the point
where the parts c and d are attached brings them closer together than heretofore,
and therefore any spring of the beam (which from its construction is very stiff) has
less effect in allowing a relative motion laterally between the coulter and plough
body. e, e, are the handles; they are scarffed into the centre piece a of the beam;
the plates b overlap their ends, and they are secured by two through bolts. On the
furrow side these bolts pass through the foot of the stay f which supports the
mould board; g, g, are ties connecting the handles with the beam at the top; his
the draft head on the fore end of the beam; it is adjustable in the usual way; i is
the land wheel and the furrow wheel; these are carried by stems adjustable in
the ordinary way upon a cross bar fixed to the beam by a clamp and set screw.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, and Figure 5 is a plan of a double furrow plough
constructed according to our Invention. In several respects it is similar to the
single furrow plough, but it is provided with an additional plough beam carrying
a second plough body with share and mould board, and also a coulter. This
additional plough body is of trough iron, as is more clearly seen at Figure 6, which
is a transverse section taken on the line a, a, in Figure 5. The additional plough
body is carried by two of the through bolts of the main plough beam. These bolts

page_text: are formed with large collars and to project on the further side of the collar; the
projecting parts of the bolts receive nuts, and the additional beam is clamped
between them at a suitable distance from the main beam. Also at the fore end of
the additional beam a clip set up by a set screw at the top clips the additional
beam down to the cross bar l..
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim as our improve-
ments in ploughs,-
First. Forming the plough beam of wood with a steel or iron plate secured to the
wood on each side.
Second. The straight plough beam, high above the mould board, in conjunction
with the curved stems of the slade or slipe and coulter bringing the cutting edge of
the coulter and the slade or slipe of the plough underneath the beam.
Third. As respects double furrow ploughs the way of connecting the additional
beam by two bolts with collars to the main beam, and by a clip to the cross bar
which carries the wheel stems. .
Fourth. The construction of single furrow ploughs, substantially as described in
respect to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings.
Fifth. The construction of double furrow ploughs, substantially as described in
respect to Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Henry Johnston and William Vincent
Hardwick, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.