IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE of Forks, Spades, SHOVELS, AND THE LIKE TOOLS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Palmer, of Stamber Mills, Stourbridge, in the
County of Worcester, Foreman of Works, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE of Forks, Spades, SHOVELS, AND THE LIKE TOOLS."
Sealed the 17th July 1877, and dated the 19th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Palmer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th January 1877.
JAMES PALMER, of Stamber Mills, Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester,
Foreman of Works. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FORKS, SPADES,
SHOVELS, AND THE LIKE TOOLS."
This Invention consists in constructing forks, spades, shovels, and the like tools
in two or more parts in the manner herein-after described, and in afterwards
securing or attaching together these two or more separate parts, as herein-after
appears.
I first construct the blade or fork either by cutting it from a sheet of metal or
by forging it in the usual manner. I next provide the piece or pieces of metal
which is to be used either for a centre strap handle, a double strap handle, a
Chesshire socket handle, or a Chesshire langet handle, all of which technical terms
are well known in the trade. These last-named pieces of metal are hammered out
to any required degree at their lower ends, and are so formed that they will fit
either under or upon the blades to which they are to be applied.
Suitable holes or apertures of the required size and number are next made through
the upper part of the blade and through the lower part of the handle, to correspond
with and being on a right line with each other. Through these holes I insert
either rivets, screws, or screwed bolts, as may be preferred, which when closed or
screwed together, as the case may be, securely hold the blade and the metal portion
of the handle, before referred to, together.

page_text: The substantial advantage to be derived from constructing the tools, referred to
in the title, from separate pieces of metal instead from a whole piece is that much
labour in the production of the whole tool is saved, as well as much metal also.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Palmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th July
1877.
JAMES PALMER, of Stamber Mills, Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester,
Foreman of Works. " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FORKS, SPADES,
SHOVELS, AND THE LIKE TOOLS."
This Invention consists in constructing forks, spades, shovels, and the like tools
in two or more parts in the manner herein-after described, and in afterwards
securing or attaching together these two or more separate parts, as herein-after
appears.
I first construct the blade or fork either by cutting it from a sheet of metal or
by forging it in the usual manner. I next provide the piece or pieces of metal
which is or are to be used either for a centre strap handle, a double strap handle, a
Chesshire socket handle, or a Chesshire langet handle, all of which technical terms
are well known in the trade. These last-named pieces of metal are hammered out
to any required degree at their lower ends, and are so formed that they will fit
either under or upon the blades to which they are to be applied.
Suitable holes or apertures of the required size and number are next made
through the upper part of the blade and through the lower part of the handle, to
correspond with and being on a right line with each other. Through these holes I
insert either rivets, screws, or screwed bolts, as may be preferred, which when
closed or screwed together, as the case may be, securely hold the blade and the
metal portion of the handle, before referred to, together.
The substantial advantage to be derived from constructing the tools, referred to
in the title, from separate pieces of metal instead of from a whole piece, is that
much labour in the production of the whole tool is saved, as well as much metal
also.
That my Invention may be better understood I have annexed Drawings thereof,
which I now proceed to describe.
Eig. 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a centre strap handle
made according to my Invention.
A is the blade, and B is the wooden handle; C is a separate piece of metal,
shewn in detail in Fig. 3. It is inserted between the front part D and the back
part E of the blade A, and is secured there by means of the rivets F, F, which pass
through the holes F¹, F¹, shewn in Fig. 3. The upper part of the separate piece C
is inserted into the wooden handle B, and is secured there by means of the rivets
B¹, B. Bolts or screws may be used instead of rivets if preferred. I sometimes
make the front part D or back part E separate from the blade. The blade then
becomes a simple plate, and the separate parts of the spade or shovel, which then
become three in number, are secured together by bolts, screws, or rivets similar
to those herein-before described and shewn on the Drawings.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which
the same is or may be performed, I desire it to be understood that without limiting
myself to the precise details herein-before contained, as these may be varied
or modified without departing from the nature of my said Invention, I claim as the
Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, the
construction of forks, spades, shovels, and the like tools from separate pieces of

page_text: metal instead of from one whole piece, substantially as herein-before described, and
as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Palmer, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
T. EMERY DAVIES,
Clerk to Mr. G. R. Holland,
Birmingham,
JAMES PALMER. (L.B.)