IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN PLOUGHS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Knights, of Harleston, in the County of Norfolk,
Engineer and Millwright, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN
PLOUGHS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Knights at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th December 1878.
ROBERT KNIGHTS, of Harleston, in the County of Norfolk, Engineer and Mill-
wright. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN PLOUGHS."
This Invention relates to that construction of drain plough which is used in
connection with steam power, and consists in applying that power to the raising of
the mole or boring tool out of the ground when a bout has been completed instead
of employing hand labor for that purpose. The beam which carries the mole is
jointed at one end to the main framing, and fitted at the other end with steering
handles. Mounted on this beam is a guide pulley for receiving a rope which is
hooked to a stud on the standard of the main framing. From this pulley the rope
passes up to a second pulley carried by the standard, and thence to a third guide
pulley mounted on the main framing. From this pulley the rope passes rearwards,
and is connected to the anchor rope by the winding up of which the plough receives
its back traverse. When the plough has arrived at the end of its bout the anchor
rope is set in action, and the first effect is to pull upon the rope which is led round
the guide pullies of the drain plough. The tension thus thrown on this rope will
cause the beam to rock on its fulcrum and lift the mole out of the ground. The
plough will then be free to follow the drag of the anchor rope, and it will thus be
brought back to a starting position. The bauling rope being next set in action the
attendant will depress the mole and cause it to enter the ground, its depth being
regulated, as heretofore, by the travelling and steering wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Knights in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th June
1879.
ROBERT KNIGHTS, of Harleston, in the County of Norfolk, Engineer and Mill-
wright. " IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAIN PLOUGHS."
This Invention relates to that construction of drain plough which is used in
connection with steam power, and consists in applying that power to the raising of
the mole or boring tool out of the ground when a bout has been completed instead
of employing hand labour for that purpose.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in side clevation a drain plough
fitted with my improved contrivance for applying steam power to the lifting of the
mole out of the ground at the completion of a bout; Fig. 2 is an end elevation ;
and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.
In these Figures the plough is shewn in its acting position, that is, in the position
it takes while being drawn forward by the hauling rope A, A. The plough frame
is composed of four parallel bars which are connected together in front by the outer
bars being bent inwards towards the inner bars and rivetted thereto, while the
inner bars are connected together by short cross pieces which form the socket for
the pivot pin of the snatch block B. The bars at their rear end are connected
together in pairs, a free space being left between the pairs for the play of the plough
beam C.
This beam is pivotted at its forward end to a pair of brackets pendent from the
inner bars of the frame A, which bars are braced together by a cross piece so placed
as to be clear of the beam when in its raised position.
The frame A is mounted upon a pair of travelling wheels D and a central front
steering wheel E which is mounted in a fork, the stem of which is free to turn in
socket bearings on the frame. The wheels D are mounted on stud axles made fast
to the frame A.
Near the rear end of the frame and standing_up above the central space thereof
is a standard A', in which is mounted a pulley F forming part of the apparatus for
lifting the plough beam.
Below this pulley is a cross rod G to which is affixed a chain H. This chain is
led down to a pulley I mounted on the rear end of the beam C, and passing up
from this pulley it is led over the pulley F, thence down to a pulley K mounted on
the frame A near one side thereof, and from the underside of this pulley it passes
through a guiding hole in the rear end of the frame.
A ring is attached to the extremity of this chain to provide for its connection
with the back hauling or anchor rope.
Fitted to the beam C is the mole L, which is carried by a stem L¹ as usual fitted
to the rear end of the beam.
The slot through which this then passes is elongated to permit of the canting of
the stem for the purpose of adjusting the "rake or inclination of the mole to the
ground, which adjustment may be affected by means of a wedge, as shewn in the
Drawing.
The stem is furnished with a series of holes for receiving a transverse pin which
passes through lugs fitted to the beam C, and thereby fixes the mole to suit the
depth of drain required.
When the mole stem is properly adjusted and the hauling of the plough is
commenced through the rope attached to the snatch block B the mole will find its
way into the ground, and having reached the required depth will continue to work
at that depth to the end of the bout. Before however the plough can be drawn
back to the position for commencing a fresh bout the mole must be raised out of
the ground, and it is to effect this operation by the agency of the steam ploughing
tackle in place of hand labour that the chain H and its pulleys are employed.

page_text: I have said that the plough is shewn in the Figures as at work, the hauling
rope B attached to the snatch block B being wound up upon its drum.
While this is taking place the back hauling or anchor rope H' which is attached
to the rear of the plough is giving out its slack.
This attachment to the plough I prefer to effect through a chain H* which is
wound upon and made fast to a small drum H³ mounted on the plough frame.
The drum Hs carries a ratchet wheel h, into the teeth of which enters a pawl h¹
pivotted to a bracket which carries the barrel, and the barrel is thus locked against
the drag of its chain.
On the outer end of the barrel is mounted a spur wheel h² which gears into a
pinion h³ mounted loosely on the stud axle of one of the carrying wheels D.
This pinion carries a clutch which takes into a ring of clutch teeth formed on the
hub of the adjacent wheel D. When the clutch is thrown into gear and the plough
is advancing a rotary motion will be given to the barrel H³, and it will thereby be
caused to wind up its chain, which is attached, as already explained, to the back
hauling rope. On this being effected the attendant will throw the clutch out of
action. Supposing now a bout to have been completed, the attendant before
commencing the return motion of the plough will raise the catch h¹ out of the
teeth of the ratchet wheel hand draw the chain H2 off its barrel; he will then
connect the chains H and H2 together, as shewn in the dotted line at Fig. 3. . The
effect of this will be to throw the drag of the back hauling rope H' on to the
chain H, and thereby to lift the mole clear of the ground or into the dotted position
shewn in Fig. 1, which position it will retain during the back motion of the plough
by means of a hinged latch, as usual. The continued strain of the back hauling
rope will next tighten the chain H2, and through it, as well as the chain H, draw
back the plough to the starting side of the field, whence it may resume its work.
To enable the plough to take up a proper position for starting the attendant will
operate the steering wheel E, and to permit of this the steering mechanism shewn
in the Drawing is provided, the handle for working it being brought to the rear
of the plough near the upper end of the standard A' which furnishes a bearing for
the diagonal shaft of the steering gear.
When the plough is in a position for commencing a new bout the attendant will
release the beam from its hinged latch, and the mole will then fall to the ground
ready to enter it at the first forward movement of the plough, as before explained.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Drain
Ploughs," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
The means above described whereby I am enabled, through the action of the
back hauling rope, to lift the "mole" out of the ground at the end of a bout.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Knights, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
ROBERT KNIGHTS. (L.S.)