IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF STEAM POWER TO THE CULTIVATION OF LAND, AND IN THE ROPE DRUMS USED POR SUCH PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry-Septimus Coleman and Alfred George Edwin
Morton, both of Chelmsford, in the County of Essex, Agricultural
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF
STEAM POWER TO THE CULTIVATION OF LAND, AND IN THE ROPE DRUMS USED
POR SUCH PURPOSES."
Sealed the 4th April 1865, and dated the 8th October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Septimus Coleman
and. Alfred George Edwin Morton at the Office, of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 8th October 1864.
We, HENRY SEPTIMUS COLEMAN and ALFRED GEORGE EDWIN MORTON, both
of Chelmsford; in the County of Essex, Agricultural Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said. Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLI-
CATION OF STEAM POWER TO THE CULTIVATION OF LAND, AND IN THE ROPE DRUMS
USED FOR SUCH PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in the application of steam power to the cultivation of
land consist in the employment of two steam engines, one at each side of a
field, for the purpose of traversing the implements to and fro in tilling the
land, such engines both operating simultaneously on the same rope by which
the implements are propelled.

page_text: In carrying out this part of our Invention we employ two single and
detached sets of implements, the one being attached to the one part of an
endless rope and the other to the other part. One implement traverses from
the engine on the headland at one side to the middle of the field, while
the other traverses from the middle to the. engine at the opposite side of the
field, and are so arranged that while one is tilling, the other is going back
without operating on the ground. By this means the one engine is pulling
directly on one implement while it is tilling, and the other engine is pulling
directly on the other which is being dragged, backwards over the ground,
while at same time its surplus power is transmitted by same rope to the
drum of the other engine and to the other part of the rope hauling the
implement in work, thereby assisting in the traction of that implement also.
The second part relates to the druins or riggers communicating the power
from the engines to the tractive ropes of agricultural implements, whereby we
are enabled to use endless ropes, and at same time provide a sufficient holding
power thereon for the purpose required by passing the rope more than once
round. the drum. The improvement consists in providing what may be
termed a traversing groove, in the rigger, whereby the rope, is traversed
laterally while passing round the drum, and so that it passes on continually at
the same point; a uniform point of departure is also maintained. Thus the rope
maintains the same relative position on the drum without riding, or surging,
or slipping in a lateral direction., We find that the rope if passed once and a
half round the drum will afford the necessary adhesion to transmit the required
traction of the rope. To form what we term the traversing groove we mount
a series of parts somewhat like. angular toothed pinions, the V-grooves of
which are each suitable to receive the traction rope. These pinion-like parts
are mounted within the body of, the drum in a position at right angles to the
dise of the drum itself, and in such manner that the teeth on one side project
through the bottom of the broad groove of the drum or rigger, the point
diametrically opposite being towards the axis of the rigger. We dispose six
or seven of these at equal distances throughout the periphery of the drum,
each being mounted on an axis supported by the drum. The grooves of the
pinion-like pieces so disposed form as it were parts of the groove of a grooved
rigger to receive the rope passing over it, but about three of the grooves of
each are presented in the broad groove or surface of the drum or rigger,
which surface, however, the rope does not touch in passing round; as it has
contact only at. the several points of support presented by the V-grooves
before mentioned. The rope may pass twice (more or less) round the rigger,
but is led in a helical direction, and laid in the several grooves presented, so

page_text: The sides
with a
gear
that the one turn does not ride on or effect contact with the other.
of the pinion-like pieces nearest the axis of the drum are all in
single thread of a stationary screw, which, as the drum rotates, communicates a
rotary motion to the V-grooved pieces at such a rate that the rope as it passes.
round on the drum is traversed across the breadth or face thereof a sufficient.
distance to provide for the reception of the next. coil, the rope being thus.
continuously led on at the same point.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Septimus Coleman and Alfred George Edwin Morton
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY,
SEPTIMUS COLEMAN and ALFRED GEORGE EDWIN MORTON, both of Chelmsford,.
in the County of Essex, Agricultural Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One,
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Henry Septimus Coleman and Alfred George Edwin Morton, Her special,
licence that we, the said Henry Septimus Coleman and Alfred George Edwin,
Morton, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said Henry Septimus Coleman and Alfred George Edwin Morton, our
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 APPLICATION OF STEAM:
POWER TO THE CULTIVATION OF LAND, AND IN THE ROPE DRUMS USED FOR SUCH
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Henry:
Septimus Coleman and Alfred George Edwin Morton, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
their hands and scals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE; that we, the said Henry Septimus Coleman and. Alfred
George Edwin Morton, do hereby declare the nature of our 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
Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures: marked
thereon (that is to say):
Our improvements in the application of steam power to the cultivation. of
land consists in the particular application of two steam engines (one at each
side of a field) in the traversing-of-two implements to and fro in tilling the
land, such engines both operating simultaneously on the same circuit of rope
or ropes by which the implements are propelled.
In carrying out this part of our Invention we employ two single and
detached sets of implements, the one being attached to the one part of a rope
and the other to the other part, the whole being joined up with the imple-
ments so as to form a circuit or endless rope. One implement traverses from
the engine on the headland at one side to the middle of the field, while-the
other traverses from the: middle to the engine at the opposite side of the field.
These implements are so arranged that while one is tilling the other is going
back without operating on the ground. By this means the one engine is pulling
directly on one, implement while it is tilling, and the other engine is pulling
directly on the other which is being dragged backwards over the ground, but
at same time its surplus power is transmitted to the drum of the other engine
and to the other part of the rope hauling the implement in work, thereby
assisting in the traction of that implement also.
The second part relates to the drums or riggers communicating the power
from the engines to the traction ropes of agricultural implements, whereby we
are enabled to use endless ropes, and at same time provide a sufficient holding
power therein for the purpose required, which we obtain by the peculiar con-
struction of the drum, which enables us to pass the rope more than once-round.
it. The improvements consist in providing what may be termed 'à traversing
groove in the rigger, whereby the rope is traversed laterally while passing
round the drum; by this means the rope passes on continuously at same
point, and a uniform point of departure is also maintained. Thus the rope
preserves the same relative position on the drum without riding, surging, or
slipping in a lateral direction, as must necessarily be the case where a rope
passes more than once round a drum. We find that the rope if passed once
and a half round the drum will afford the necessary adhesion to transmit the
required traction to the rope. To form what we term the traversing groove
_we mount a series of cylindrical parts somewhat like angular toothed pinions,

page_text: the V-grooves of which are each suitable to receive the traction; rope. These
pinion-like parts are mounted within the body of the drum in a position at
right angles to the drum itself, and in such manner that, the teeth on one. side
project through. the bottom of the broad groove in the drum or rigger, the
point diametrically opposite being towards the axis of the rigger:: We dispose,
six or seven of these at equal distances throughout the periphery of the drum;.
each being mounted on an axis supported. by the drum. The grooves of the
pinion-like pieces.so disposed form: parts of the groove of a grooved rigger, to.
receive the rope-passing over it. About three of the V-grooves of each pinion
are presented in the broad groove or surface of the drum.or, rigger, which
surface, however, the rope need not touch.in passing round, as its contact may.
be only at the several points of support presented. by the V-grooves before:
mentioned. The rope may pass. twice (more or less) round the rigger, but, is
led in a helical direction and laid in the several grooves presented, so that the
one turn does not ride on or effect contact with the other. The parts of the
pinions nearest the axis of the drum are all in gear: with the thread of a:
stationary screw, which, as the drum rotates, communicates a rotary motion to
the V-grooved pinions on their axes at such a rate that the rope as it passes.
round-on-the drum is traversed across the breadth or face thereof a sufficient,
distance to provide for the reception of the next coil, the rope being: thus.com-
tinually at the same-points of arrival-and departure.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a diagram showing our improvements in the application
of steam power to the cultivation of land.
A
A, A', are the engines on the headlands or at opposite sides of the piece of
land it is desired to cultivate: The engines with the exception of the rope:
drum are of the usual construction, but may of course be each of less power
than where one engine only. is employed. B, B!, are the two implements;;
C, C', are the ropes. passing round; the rope drums of both engines.; these.
ropes are shortened or lengthened by. taking up or letting out at the points.
where attached to the implements and according: to the distance apart at
which the engines are disposed. The implement B operates from the middle
of the field to the engine A on the left, and the implement B¹ operates on the
land from the middle point to the engine A' on the right, the retrograde move
ment of the one implement taking place while the other is in work. The
implement moving backwards does so in each case on the unbroken ground..
The implement B is represented as in work while implement B' is moving
backwards. Each of the implements Band. B¹ is of course- supposed to

page_text: represent a combination of ploughs; scarifiers, or other instruments combined
in one frame, as well understood.
By this arrangement it will be readily understood that with both engines
working simultaneously, the power of engine A, for instance, will be transmitted
directly to B (the implement in operation) by the rope C, while the power of
A' will be transmitted directly to B¹ (the implement out of work) by the.
rope C, but which will be in excess of what is required for producing the
retrograde motion thereof, the surplus power will consequently be transmitted
by the rope to the drum of A, round which it passes, and thence to the imple-
ment B in work, and therefore utilizing the whole power of both engines.
The engines are moved forward on the headlands in the ordinary manner, at.
such times as will cause the implements to be bauled in the directions necessary.
to traverse the implements in the lines desired.
4
Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of part of an engine boiler, having a
rope drum arranged and constructed according to our Invention; Fig. 3
an under side plan, and Fig. 4 a transverse vertical section of the drum.
It is mounted on a strong stud D fixed on the under part of the body of the.
boiler somewhat as usual. E is the drum cast with a broad groove or face, in
which the pinions F, F, are disposed, as seen, they are mounted on axes H, H,.
received in bearings I, I, in the arms or body of the drum. The drum is
cast with a flange and inner ring of teeth K, in which a pinion L takes,
receiving motion from the engine by means of the shaft M, on which it is
mounted, as well understood.
.
The V-grooves in the pinions F form the grooves in which the rope C,
shown red, encircling the drum lies, by which it is kept in parallel coils.
The teeth of pinions F take into a stationary screw thread P, fixed on the
bottom of the stud D, which controls the position of the said pinions, and
which by the rotary motion of the drum imparts a slow rotary motion to the
pinions F on their own axes H, the amount of such motion being equal to
the distance from one tooth to another of pinions F, thus the required position
of the rope on the drum is uniformly maintained throughout its action, and as.
indicated in red in Figs. 2 and 3.
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we declare that what we claim as our Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
First, the combination herein-before described in which the power of two
engines is applied to two distinct agricultural implements in the manner
herein-before, described..
. Secondly, we claim the combination, arrangement, and operation of parts.

page_text: represented and described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4, constituting
a hauling rope drum, and its application for the transmission of power applied
to agricultural implements.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Septimus Coleman and Alfred
George Edwin Morton, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
H. S. COLEMAN.
(L.S.)
A. G. E. MORTON. (L.S.)