PIPE LAYING

Southland Times, Issue 20209, 21 June 1927, Page 4

PIPE LAYING

McLAY’S PATENT PLOUGH. 'A SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATION. A pipe laying plough, which when perfected, may revolutionise drainage methods, was demonstrated yesterday afternoon by the inventor, Mr A. McLay, on his farm at Whiterig. There was a fairly large attendance of district farmers who took a keen interest in the demonstration. The weather conditions under which the trial was held were not altogether favourable as the severe frosts experienced during the last two days had made the surface soil very hard. Notwithstanding this drawback, however, the plough did everything which its inventor claimed for it and those present were surprised at the evenness with which the pipes were laid. The plough is simply constructed but operates in such a way that the present method of ditch digging is entirely eliminated, the plough laying the pipes and replacing the soil as it passes through the ground. The time thus saved is remarkable, the plough laying the pipes, apart from stoppages, at the rate of 40 per minute. This elimination of time should greatly reduce the cost and enable farmers at a minimum cost to bring into production areas which are lying idle because of the difficulty of effectively draining them. Within a few minutes of the pipes being laid on Mr McLay s property yesterday, the water from the low lying levels was running through the pipes. The underlying principle of the plough is displacement and it works in such a way that nothing is compressed. It consists of two vertical plate members joined in the front to a cutting edge and gradually widening so as to allow for the width of the pipe which it is desired to lay. A sole plate, of the same width as the pipe, is also attached to a cutting share in front. The sole plate has a single cutting edge and is placed at such an angle as to allow the soil to slip back on top of the pipe. Inside the cavity between the vertical plates there is a cambered chute made to fit the size of the pipe and this is designed in a way that enables the pipes to be laid evenly. At each side of the plougn above the surface of the ground is an iron plate on which the men who feed the pipes into the chute stand. Any accumulation of soil is also provided against by a bridge joined to the vertical plates, which runs along the full length of the plough. This is hinged to another bridge in such a way that plenty of clearance is given for bunched soil. The plough is drawn through the ground by means of a wire rope wound by a traction engine. Up till the present several of the appliances used are merely improvised and can be improved upon, but those present yesterday were undoubtedly impressed with the efficient manner in which the plough operated.