Improvements in Ploughs.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ploughs.
I, FREDERICK HENRY KEANE, of Cappoquin Foundry, Cappoquin, in the
County of Waterford, Ireland, Engineer, do liereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of utilising the tractive power used
for working a plough to also lift the plough out of gear or out of the land at the
will of the operator; and also to automatically cut off the feeding mechanism
(when the plough is so lifted) when a seeding attachment is used in conjunction
with the plough.
This I accomplish by attaching the draft bar or chain (which connects the
plough to the tractive power) to a crank, lever, or the equivalent; attached to or
formed on the bent axle which carries the supporting and regulating wheels of the
plough. When the operator wishes to lift the plough out of the .land he has
merely to release the lever catch, and the tractive power acting on the axle draws
the wheels forward under the body of the plough and thereby lifts it out of the
land.
When the seeding attachment is used on the plough a suitable connection is
made between the draft bar or lever and the feed mechanism; which connection
will automatically close the feed boxes or runs when the plough is lifted out of the
land and open them when it is again dropped into working position.
Dated this 20th day of March 1896.
FREDERICK HENRY KEANE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ploughs.
I, FREDERICK HENRY KEANE, of Cappoquin Foundry, Cappoquin, in the
County of Waterford, Ireland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved method of utilising the tractive power used
for working a plough to also lift the plough out of gear or out of the land at the
will of the operator, and also to automatically cut off the feeding mechanism (when
the plough is so lifted) when a seeding attachment is used in conjunction with the
plough.
The manner in which I prefer to accomplish the first part of my invention I will
now explain with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the Figs. 1 and 2
A represents the hook or means of attachment of the tractive power to the plough.
The hook A is connected by a chain and rod D to a lever B which is fixed rigidly
to the cross axle C. The axle C is free to rotate in bearings E, E, and it also
DO11

page_text: supports the wheels F. To the axle C is fixed a second lever G which is suitably
connected to the hand lever H at the rear of the plough within easy reach of the
operator. The band lever H'is pivotted at I and it may be fixed at any desired
point within its depressed or elevated positions. In Figs. 1 and 2 the plough is
shown in its raised position, to lower it into its working position the lever H is
released and raised causing the wheels and other attachments to assume the position
shown by dotted lines. When the plough has to be again raised the handle H is
released and depressed; at the same time the tractive force pulling is the direction
indicated by the arrow J tends to draw the wheels F under the plough and to
lift it. The extent to which the tractive power may be used to assist the lifting
of the plough out of its work, may be regulated to requirements by lengthening or
reducing the length of lever B. It will be obvious from the preceding explanation
that the lever B may be dispensed with entirely and the draft rod attached to the
bent part of the cross axle C or it may be replaced by any of the usual mechanical
contrivances whose effect is equivalent to that of a lever, such for example as a
toothed wheel on the cross axle and a rack attached to the draft rod or chain, also
a sprocket wheel upon the cross axle and chain to engage over it attached to the
draft rod, or by the intervention of a second lever between the draft rod and
cross axle.
The second part of my invention appertaining to the automatic cutting off of
feeding mechanism when the seeder is used with the plough is constructed as
follows:-
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying drawings, K is a lever or
slide which carries part of the toothed gearing driving the seeder feed rolls; by
the partial rotation of the slide K upon the point L the continuity of the gearing
between the driving wheel M and the seeder feed rolls may be made or broken,
thereby working or stopping the feed rolls. The slide K is connected to the hand
lever H by a rod N, so that by the depression of the hand lever 'H when the
plough is raised the slide K is partly rotated and drawn towards the rear of the
plough, knocking the feed rolls out of gear. By the reverse motion of the lever H
the slide K is drawn in a direction towards the front of the plough by a spring O
which is in tension. As it is desirable to stop or start the action of the seeder
feed rolls by the first motion of the hand lever H in raising or lowering the plough,
the rod N is pivoted to the lever H at a point which will give the rod a longer
stroke than that made by the slide K, and it is also connected to the slide K in
the following manner :-Upon the slide K are two lugs or projections P through
which the rod N passes freely; between these lugs P, and clamped to the rod N
is a spring clutch Q which grips the rod N with force sufficient to make the slide K
follow the motion of the rod to the limit of the slide's action, but insufficient to
cause a rupture to any part when the rod continues its stroke beyond that made by
the slide K. The clutch Q is preferably constructed as shown by making the
gripping parts of two or more pieces and surrounding them with a coil spring, the
action of the spring tending to keep the gripping parts tight upon the rod. It
may, however, be constructed by a flat spring of a flat U shape, the ends of which
rest upon the rod, and the central part against a suitable projection upon the
slide K. It may also be formed of a plunger made to press upon the rod by means
of an adjustable coil, or other spring. Instead of a spring, clutch the motion of
the rod N through the lugs P may be retarded by means of a weighted or spring
brake. The method described for retarding the longitudinal motion of the rod N
it will be clear can be applied with equal effect to its connection with the hand
lever and slide K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture and use in tilling ploughs of the means of lifting the plough
out of work or out of the land by connecting the tractive power to a lever or its

page_text: equivalent úpon the axle which carries the supporting or regulating wheels in such
a manner, that the force of the tractive power is to pull the wheels forward under
the body of the plough, substantially as described and ascertained.
2. The manufacture and use in seeding ploughs of the means of starting or
stopping the seeder feeding mechanism by connecting the knock off of the seeder
feeding mechanism to the hand lifting lever, by a rod or its equivalent made to
work through a retarding device such as a spring clutch, or other brake substantially
as, and for the purpose described and ascertained.
3. The manufacture and use in seeding ploughs of the means of starting or
stopping the seeder feeding mechanism by connecting the knock off of the seeder
feeding mechanism to the draft bar or lever by means of the hand lever or by
other suitable connection substantially as and for the purpose described.
FREDERICK HENRY KEANE.