Explanatory References to the accompanying Drawings
of Col John Wilson's improved Cast Iron Plough.

Fig. 1. Is a view of the left, or land side of the plough, the
eye of the spectator supposed to be elevated 45 degrees above the
plane on which the plough stands. The land side of the share,
the shield attached to the mould board, and the land plate,
comprising the land side of the plough, are seen, with the
heads of the screws which fasten them together. The height
of the land plate is eleven inches, and one edge extends
under the shield; as represented by the dotted lines on the
shield. The wrought iron bar, or standard, which is closely
fitted into the dihedral angle of the sheath and mould
board, is seen above the land plate, passing through the
beam and terminating in the nut screw b, on the top
of the beam. The beam is five or six feet in length, and
curved; the forward end turning up towards the line of
draught.

At ~~the point~~ a, perpendicular over the point of the
share, the Coulter is attached to the land side of the beam
to answer two purposes. When inclined back as at c, it cuts
and separate weeds, cornhills and other obstructions, and
gouges the ground to a slight depth, for the cutting edge
of the share and mould board; when inverted into the
position represented by the dotted coulter at d, it cuts the
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.

label levels:

These four pages supply detailed information on the construction and the capabilities of John Wilson's improved cast iron plough. It accompanied the drawings as part of the patent application. Col. Wilson (1782-1869) was a prominent agriculturist and the inventor and manufacturer of farm implements. He also ran, with his brother-in-law, a book printing office for four years between 1816 and 1820.

top of page