Improvements in Road Scraping Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1895-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Road Scraping Machines.
I, NATHANIEL SEDGWICK MONROE, of Arcola, Douglas County, Illinois,
U.S.A., Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the machine of this invention two long scraper bars are suspended through
intermediate cross bars from a central longitudinal beam pivotted on a king bolt to
a waggon frame which with the central beam is carried on four wheels. The
scraper bars, one on each side of the frame, are placed at an angle of about 30° to
the central beam and one scraper bar overlaps the other at the rear end so as not
to leave a ridge on the roadway. By means of a pulley and chain actuated by a
pawl and ratchet mechanism mounted upon the central beam the scraper bars may
be drawn laterally nearer to or farther from each other and by means of band levers
pivotted on the scraper bars and each carrying a castor wheel said scraper bars
may, when not required to be used, be raised to rest on the castor wheels. The
front end of each scraper bar is in connection through a rod with a whipple tree.
Dated this 11th day of February 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, NATHANIEL SEDGWICK MONROE, of Arcola, Douglas County, Illinois,
U.S.A., Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for object more especially to provide, in road scraping or
levelling machines, means for instantly and conveniently adjusting the angle of the
scraper bars by contracting or widening the front space so as thus to accommodate
the device to the width of the road; and for preventing a ridge being left on the
road after the passage of the machine.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved road scraping or levelling machine with
parts broken away in order more fully to shew the special mechanism of the scraper
bars. Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same with the axles and blocking in section.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a plan and a side elevation of modifications of
details.
A, A', are scraper bars provided with metal, preferably steel, sheathing or
shoes 20 projecting beyond the timbers to which they are attached and their front
ends secured to pivotted reach bars a at a¹ and connecting with the double tree b
which is secured to an ordinary waggon frame 5 mounted on wheels 4. The rear
ends of the scraper bars are pivotted to a bar I at i to which bar is secured a
bracket for supporting an adjustable lever C, pivotted at c¹ and fulcrummed
to the saddle or self adjustable clasp c¹¹. Secured to the forward ends of the

page_text: scraper bars by bolts g³ are two bars G which are parallel to each other and extend
a considerable distance beyond the coupling pole D. The object of said bars is to
prevent the scraper bars from twisting outward at their scraping edges by reason
of the pressure of the same against the ground. The bars G are supported about
centrally by a hanger consisting of timbers and gl depending from the coupling
bar or pole D and the master beam B. The scraper bars A, A', are also provided
at their extreme front ends with caster wheels mounted on levers H and
fulcrummed at h. Their object is to elevate the scrapers when out of use by
removing levers H from their respective pins 1 (only one shewn) and engaging
them under the pins secured to the wrought iron standards L. The master
beam B is very strong so as to support not only all the mechanism on the machine
but also to receive the thrust of the scraper bars. The master beam is secured to
the rear axle 6 mounted on wheels 7 and its front end to the front truck by an
ordinary king bolt and is further secured by means of the hangers g. Secured
about centrally to the master beam B and coupling bar D by means of the boxes 10
is a spindle on which is mounted a drum 8 carrying a hand wheel 13 and a
ratchet wheel 11 with its pawl 12. Secured to the drum is a chain 14 passing over
a sheave 16 attached to a hanger 15 and thence to bracket c.
When it is desired to increase the angle between the scraper bars A, A', the
operator winds up the chain 14 by hand wheel 13, the pawl 12 and ratchet wheel 11
preventing unwinding of the chain, and consequently the scraper bars are held at
the desired angle. To obtain the contrary result the pawl is released from the
ratchet wheel and the scraper bars will automatically draw closer together at
the front end, for it will be obvious that as the chain 14 unwinds from the drum the
lever C retains the same relative position to its pivotal connection c¹ by means of
the saddle or clasp e which is loosely hung upon beam B, and consequently is
pushed forward, as the scraper bars are advanced through the medium of the
beam I secured to the same, and as the machine moves along the road the lateral
pressure of the earth or gravel naturally causes the scraper bars to spread outward
in front and close in at the rear.
As distinguished from a majority of road scraping or levelling machines, there
is with the machine of this invention no possibility of forming a ridge in the road
at the rear end of the machine as the beam or bar A extends beyond the scraping
corner 2 of bar A¹ which is indicated by the dotted line X, also the corner 3 of
bar A extends beyond line X thus smoothing down any ridge formed by the
bar A¹.
In the modifications shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 the rear truck is removed, the front
truck with its accompanying mechanism being the same as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
On beam I is fulcrummed a lever N at ', a shorter beam B and coupling bar D
securing the same by a spreading block B¹ and supporting the same on beam 25
which is secured loosely at one end to bar A or A', the other end being provided
with a pin 26 which passes through a long slot in beam 25 at the end opposite
to the pivotted end thus allowing said pin 26 to move freely in the slot when
spreading or contracting the scraper bars. is a rest pin.
In operating the machine, the amount of earth or dirt removed, occasionally
becomes excessive towards the rear end of the scraper bars, whereupon the lever Č
is operated to raise them and allow the accumulated dirt to remain upon the road.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A road scraping or levelling machine with two independent scraper bars A, A',
so arranged that one of said bars projects beyond and overlaps the track formed
by the opposite scraper bar, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In a road scraping or levelling machine, the combination with adjustable
scraper bars A, A, of the mechanism, or its equivalent for spreading, or for
contracting the angle of the same, which mechanisin consists of chain 14, winding

page_text: drum 8, hand wheel 13, pawl 12 and ratchet wheel 11, all operating substantially
as described and shewn.
3. In a road scraping or levelling machine provided with pivotted bars G
adapted to slide, the hangers g and g for rigidly supporting the scraper bars A, A¹,
substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a road scraping or levelling machine, the combination with scraper bars
one of which is longer than its fellow, and projecting beyond it rearward, of the
reach bars a secured to a double tree and pivotally connected therewith, substantially
as described and shewn.
5. In combination with a road scraping or levelling machine, having one scraper
bar projecting beyond the rearmost end of its opposite scraper bar, a single caster
wheel mounted on a beam I, and pivotally connected through the medium of the
lever N for the purpose specified, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.