IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOUGHS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement
Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PLOUGHS."
Sealed the 13th April 1858, and dated the 30th November 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard at the
Office of tho Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th November 1857.
I, JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF PLOUGHS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is, first, to construct ploughs of greater strength
and with the use of a less weight of metal than heretofore. For this purpose
I form the beam of bar iron with a double flange at the upper edge, which
flange tapers off in opposite directions from near the point where the beam is
united to the frame, at which point there is the greatest strain upon the beam,
both laterally and vertically; I also propose to construct the frame of the
plough of bars of iron, either ribbed or plain, in place of the ordinary cast-iron
frame or of the wrought-iron frame described in my Patent dated January
31st, 1855. These wrought-iron bars I set at such a distance apart as to
admit of the insertion between them of the plough beam and the share neck
or lever, and I connect them to the beam and to each other, so as to ensure a
proper amount of stiffness for the frame. To the inner face of one of the

page_text: forward bars an ear or lug is welded or fixed to receive the front pin which
fastens the breast to the frame.
The Invention relates, secondly, to an improved mode of fixing to the beam
the slides which carry the wheel stalks, the object being to tighten the slides
and prevent them from rattling or wearing loose in the slot holes of the beam;
for this purpose I forge on to the furrow side of the beam a bearing piece
or bearing pieces. The slides which carry the wheel stalks are passed
through slots in the beam and bearing pieces, and between these two bearing
points I introduce a loop screw which takes hold of the slides, and by the
application of a nut on the end of the screw draws them tight in the direction
of the length of the beam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th May 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
IlOWARD, of Bedford, Agricultural Implement Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Howard, Her special license that I, the said James Howard,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such othors as I, the said James
Howard, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF PLOUGHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Howard, by an instrument in writing undor 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 James Howard, 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,

page_text: reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The chief object of this Invention is to construct wrought-iron ploughs from
a given weight of metal of greater strength than heretofore. For this purpose I
form the beam of bar iron with a double flange at the upper edge near the point
where there is the greatest strain upon the beam, both laterally and vertically,
and this flange I taper off at its opposite ends. With the same object I also
construct the frame of the plough of bars of iron either ribbed or plain, in place
of the ordinary cast or wrought-iron frame, or of the wrought-iron frame
described in my Patent dated January Thirty-first, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-five. Between these wrought-iron bars, which form a kind of skeleton
frame, I insert the plough beam and the share neck or lever, and I connect
them to the beam and to each other, so as to ensure a proper amount of
stiffness for the frame.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews the improved plough in side
elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan
view taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; a, a, is the wrought-iron beam formed
for a part of its length with a double flange which tapers off on the opposite
sides of the beam to nothing at or near the points marked **, between which
points the beam has to sustain the greatest strain. The frame of the plough
consist of four curved bars of iron b, b, which are securely bolted to the beam,
two on each side thereof, and rivetted to the sole c of the plough. Between
these bars lies the share neck or lever d, which is capable of adjustment to any
required angle by means of the binding nut e, which holds the clamp f tight
against the hind bars of the frame. To increase the stiffness of the skeleton
frame I apply thereto a brace g, which is bolted to the two bind bars b, and
connects with the forward bars, to which it is also bolted. To the inner face
of one of the forward bars an ear or lug &* is welded or fixed to receive the
front pin or bolt, which fastens the breast of the plough to the frame.
The Invention relates also to an improved mode of fixing to the plough
beam the slides which carry the wheel stalks, the object being to tighten the
slides so effectually as to prevent them from rattling or wearing loose, as they
are now apt to do in the slot holes of the beam. For this purpose I forge
on to the furrow side of the beam a bearing piece or bearing pieces of angle
iron, as shewn at h, h. In the ends of these bearing pieces I form recesses
which lie in a line with the corresponding slot holes in the beam, and the slides
i which carry the wheel stalks k I pass through the slots in the beam and
allow them to rest in the recesses in the bearing pieces. Between these two
bearing points, before inserting the wheel slide i, I introduce an ordinary loop

page_text: screw . The wheel slide when inserted in its place will therefore pass through
the loop screw, and by the application of a nut to the end of the loop screw I
draw the slide tight in the direction of the length of the beam. By this
means the wheel slides i may be held so firmly in place as effectually to pre-
vent them giving way to the strain thrown on the wheel stalks.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of 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,-
Firstly, the construction of plough beams as herein described.
Secondly, the mode of tightening the wheel slides in the direction of the
length of the beam as described.
And, thirdly, fitting ploughs with skeleton frames made of curved bars, either
ribbed or plain as described, whereby great strength with comparative light-
ness will be ensured..
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lanc. .
JAMES HOWARD. (L.S.)