The P. & O. Co. Canton Disc Plow
Parlin & Orendorff Co.
Catalogue No. 59 (circa 1900)
Sales Language
The P. & O. Co. Canton Disc Plow is made entirely of steel and malleable iron, and strong enough to endure the greatest strain in the hardest and most difficult soils. The Canton Disc Plow is built on lines peculiarly our own, and which have not been successfully imitated, as the essential parts are covered by our own patents, and it is the legitimate result of several years of experimenting in soils where moldboard plows will not work.
A disc plow is recommended in sections where moldboard plows will not work successfully, and we claim, and can demonstrate to any practical dealer or farmer, that we can do more and better work with the Canton Disc Plow than can be done by any other make or style of similar plows. A peculiarity of the Canton Disc Plow is that it will work in the soft, sticky soils that will foul a moldboard plow, and it will work equally well in the hard baked soils to be found in many sections.
Many farms in the South and Southwest, and especially in Texas, which have been overrun and almost ruined by Johnston and Bermuda grasses, have been reclaimed, as the Canton Disc Plow will cut through solid patches of this grass without jumping from the ground or running sidewise, and cutting out the ridge in the bottom of the furrow, which all other plows leave uncut.
The steel beam and axles are designed purposely for this plow, and in the matter of weight, shape and general construction, they are mechanically correct. The levers are all balanced with springs and are always within easy reach of the driver. The disc axle works on ball bearings and is dustproof, and the least contact of the disc with the ground causes it to revolve freely. The peculiar shape of the disc is such that its position on the frame, and the fact that it is ball bearing, insures the perfect working of the plow regardless of the nature of the soil. The disc itself has a better shape for turning the soil, and is one of the superior features of this plow over all its competitors. The draft of the plow is easy and the soil is thoroughly turned over and pulverized.
The seat is placed in the most advantageous position to allow the driver to handle the levers, drive his team and observe his work, and is adjustable back and forth for a tall or short driver.
The wheels of the Canton Disc Plow are of our own make, and like everything else on the plow, are made purposely for this implement. We furnish our Disc Plow with one round-tired wheel and two sharp-edged cast wheels. Whenever ordered, we will equip this plow with one cast wheel or three cast wheels.
The weed hook which is used on the Canton Disc Plow is new in shape and is clamped to the beam and curved in such a manner that the weeds are turned down close up to the bank, completely turning under all trash and clearing a clean edge for the succeeding furrow.
We are now using a hitch which, for simplicity of construction, ease and scope of adjustment, is superior to anything on the market. With it the various adjustments required for different conditions of soil, size and number of horses etc., are easily and quickly made. This clevis is the result of our experiment to secure a perfect hitch for the Canton Disc Plow.
A disc plow without a standing share cutter is like a boat without a rudder, or a clock without a pendulum, and it is one of the features in which the Canton Disc Plow excels all other makes of disc plows.
The standing share cutter is placed back of the disc, directly in line with the furrow bank, and is adjustable on the bracket for the three sizes of discs with which our plows can be furnished. The upright has a sharp edge and runs up close to the bank, while the horizontal share cutter is bolted to the upright and runs on the bottom of the furrow, cutting several inches under the bank towards the landside. This cutter squares the bottom of the furrow, holds the plow in line, and cuts out the ridge that all other disc plows leave uncut. The standing cutter always cuts under the ground towards the bank, and when the plow makes the next revolution of the field, the disc turns over a perfectly flat furrow, turning up and pulverizing all the soil the entire depth.
Every other style of disc plow, all of which are made without the standing share cutter, leaves an uncut ridge on the bottom of the plowed ground, while the Canton Disc Plow is the only one which will cut out a level furrow, thereby loosening and turning all of the soil. This feature alone places the Canton Disc Plow far in advance of all its competitors, a fact which has been proven from time to time in practical field tests, friendly contests, at exhibitions, and in every place where the Canton Disc Plow has been brought into competition with other styles where the standing share cutter on the Canton Disc Plow has been used.
Some time ago a farmer in Texas was using a rival disc plow in the field and lost his pocketbook, and upon making a search for it over the plowed ground this uncut ridge was discovered, and a further examination showed that the ground plowed by these disc plows was not as productive as when it was plowed with the Canton Disc Plow. He soon had a Canton Disc. In this connection another point may be of interest. In hard baked soil where these other plows leave an uncut ridge in the furrow, the horses are obliged to walk on the hard and unyielding sides of these ridges, a practice which soon impairs the usefulness of the horses, as every practical farmer is fully aware. The cutter blade is self-sharpening and reversible, and one extra cutter is furnished with every plow.
By referring to the various views of the Canton Disc Plow as illustrated in this catalogue, the shape and style of the disc, scraper, and the standing cutter will be readily understood.
In making claims of superiority of construction on the Disc Plow, we call particular attention to the double ratchet on the front furrow wheel lever whereby the same work is done that requires two levers and all its attendant complications on other makes of disc plows. One ratchet is used to raise or lower the frame and the other for castoring the wheel. Both of the front levers are counterbalanced with steel springs, rendering them very easy to operate.
The trip lever on the rear wheel axle bracket is automatic and can be set to give the proper alignment to the plow. When back furrowing the lever is dropped, and when the turn has been made the lever is automatically tripped back in place, insuring a perfectly straight furrow.
The scrapers for cleaning the dirt from the discs can be adjusted for either a 24, 26 or 28 inch disc, the concave surface of all discs being alike and the scraper always runs close to the surface of all sizes of discs. This adjustment can be made in a very few minutes by turning the collar which holds the scraper arm in place. We make two styles of scrapers, some places requiring a scraper with a long arm so that the scraper itself will work closer to the ground and help in turning the furrows.
When working in stumpy ground the tripping of the rear lever allows the plow to go around the stumps, a feature which is original and exclusive with the Canton Disc Plow. Numerous cases have been known where other disc plows have been used in stumpy ground and where obstructions were encountered the driver was obliged to hitch his team to the rear end of the plow, pulling it back before being in a position to proceed with his work.
The Canton Disc Plows, either single or double, are made so that either 24, 26 or 28 inch discs can be used on the one frame. The rear axle bracket has two iron washers to regulate the height of the frame.
When the 24-inch disc is used, both of the washers are placed on the top of the rear wheel axle bracket, which lowers the frame toward the ground.
When the 26-inch or medium sized disc is used, one of the iron washers is placed on the bottom and the other on the top of the rear wheel axle bracket, which centers the frame.
When the 28-inch disc is used, both washers are placed on the bottom of the rear wheel axle, raising the rear end of the frame to its full height.
The front furrow wheel is regulated for the three sizes of discs by changing the hook which connects the ratchet to the axle bracket. This bracket is provided with three holes and the front of the frame is raised or lowered by moving this hook up or down in exactly the same way as the washers are raised or lowered on the rear axle. This is an adjustment which keeps the furrow wheel lever within reach of the driver at all times, and does not necessitate the changing of the driver’s position when it is necessary to use this lever for castoring the wheel. The land wheel lever is always within reach of the driver, regardless of its position. Many other makes of disc plows are equipped with 24-inch discs. Nearly all of the Canton Disc Plows are sold with the 28-inch discs, as they are known to do the most and best work with this size, and it is only occasionally that ground is encountered where the smaller disc will give best results. The disc is adjustable for cutting a furrow from 14 to 16 inches in width and does its best work when cutting at a depth of from 6 to 8 inches, cutting out all the land, something no other disc plow can do. The value of this adjustment is readily apparent to all users of disc plows, as the plow can be quickly adjusted to suit the size of the team or extraordinary conditions of the soil.
The P. & O. Co. Canton Double Disc Plow
In general construction the Canton Double Disc Plow is similar to the Single Disc, and what we say about the Single Disc applies with equal force to the Double Disc. The plow is adjustable, and furrows can be cut ranging from 16 to 24 inches, the width of furrows being susceptible to changes to accommodate the soil. There are a number of Three Disc Plows on the market, and many claims have been made as to the quality of work done with them. The Canton Double Disc Plow, equipped with 28-inch discs and standing cutters, will turn a 24-inch strip, equal to the cut of any Three Disc Plows of any other make. The Canton Double Disc Plow with the standing cutters cuts out the banks under each furrow, leaving the plowed ground all of equal depth and providing a level place wherein the furrow horse can walk. One point of superiority on the Canton Double Disc Plow, to which we call particular attention, is the fact that both the discs are adjustable when it is necessary to reduce or widen the furrows, and consequently both furrows are of equal width and depth. The adjustment on other Double Disc Plows for widening or narrowing the furrow is made entirely with the front disc, and consequently these plows do not cut furrows of equal size. A twelve-inch furrow can not be filled with ten inches of dirt. Another valuable feature on the Canton Double Disc is that it can be converted into a Single Disc by removing the front disc and cutter and the sliding of the front furrow wheel up to the beam, to take the proper amount of land, all of which can be done in a few minutes. When the Double Disc Plow has been converted into a Single Disc it can be adjusted to cut a furrow from 12 to 16 inches, and the plow will run absolutely straight, without undue side draft and exactly the same as a Single Disc Plow, except that it is somewhat heavier.
P. & O. Double Diamond Corn Plows
A combination of right and left hand Corn Plows coupled together, and is as easily handled as a single plow. The right hand plow has two handles and the left hand plow but one, with an adjustable frame. This plow has been very serviceable in ridging up the ground in some cases where an ordinary cultivator fails to do the work.