Improvements in or in connection with Soil Working Implements.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1892-Accepted, 9th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Soil Working Implements.
1, RICHARD JAMES EDWARDS, of Galena, County of Jo Daviess and State of
Illinois, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object to provide an extremely simple and useful
scraper-attachment for shovels, spades, hoes, cultivators, ploughs.&c., which may
be readily detached from its fastening or clasp on the implement when it is desired
to clean or scrape the blade thereof and which when attached to the implement
will be out of the way so as not to interfere with the proper use thereof, as will be
more fully hereinafter set forth.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a long-handled shovel provided with my
improved attachment;
Fig. 2 a similar view of a spade;
Fig. 3 a detail sectional view of a portion of a spade; and
Fig. 4 a detail perspective view of the scraper detached.
In the drawing a designates the scraper and the leaf-spring or clasp détachably
securing it to the handle of the implement. When applied to shovels of the long-
handled variety, as shown in Fig. 1, the device is preferably secured to the handle
thereof near the shovel blade, but when attached to spades and spade-handle shovels
it is preferably attached to the same near the upper ends of their handles, as shewn
in Fig. 2. If desired, however, the attachment may be secured or applied to any
other portion of the handle of the implement without in the least departing from
the invention the only requisite being that the device should not be secured where
it will be in the way of the operator, as is evident. I have shown the device applied
to shovels and spades, but it is evident that it may be used on other implements,
such as as hoes, cultivators, ploughs, harrows, and other soil-working devices
without departing from the invention.
The handle a of the scraper is of suitable length and is curved or bent trans-
versely so as to embrace the handle of the implement, this curvature serving to prevent
accidental side-wise displacement of the device when attached to the implement.
The forward end a" of the device is preferably wider and flatter than the handle part
and has its forward slightly-curved edge sharpened to form the scraper blade.
This edge is sharpened on both sides to more effectively remove the soil adhering
to the implement. The scraper blade is provided with an opening a³ which enables
the device to be hung on a nail or peg when removed entirely from the implement.
The leaf-spring or clasp is rigidly attached at one of its ends to the handle and
has its other free end slightly curved. The scraper-device is secured by having its
handle-end slipped under the free end of the spring, as shown, the spring being
[preferably provided near its free end with a lug which engages a recess in the
scraper-handle and thereby prevents accidental displacement and loss of the scraper.
When secured to spades and spade-handle shovels, the device is preferably
secured in such position on the handle that its flat scraper-portion a" lies flat on
the upper hand-hold as shown in Fig. 2.
It will be observed that by thus detachably attaching a scraping-tool to this class
of implements, the tool is always handy and convenient and thereby saves the
operators considerable time and trouble, as is evident. The tool may be detachably
attached by other means than the spring without departing from the invention, as I
distinctly desire to reserve the right to vary the specific construction of the holding
means and the tool.

page_text: The curved end of the handle-part of the scraper may be sharpened to an edge,
if desired, and used as a scraper, this end being particularly advantageous in
scraping out such narrow or close places of the implement as the flat part will not
reach.
R. J. EDWARDS,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Soil Working Implements.
1, RICHARD JAMAS EDWARDS, of Galena, County of Jo Daviess and Sate of
Illinois, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, 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:
:-
The invention has for its object to provide an extremely simple and useful
scraper-attachment for shovels, spades, hoes, cultivators, plows &c., which may be
readily detached from its fastening or clasp on the implement when it is desired to
clean or scrape the blade thereof and which when attached to the implement will
be out of the way so as not to interfere with the proper use thereof, as will be more
fully hereinafter set forth.
In the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a long-handled shovel provided with my
improved attachment;
Fig. 2 a similar view of a spade ;
Fig. 3 a detail sectional view of a portion of a spade; and
Fig. 4 a detail perspective view of the scraper detached.
In the drawing a designates the scraper and the leaf-spring or clasp detachably
securing it to the handle of the implement. When applied to shovels of the long-
handled variety, as shown in Fig. 1, the device is preferably secured to the handle
thereof near the shovel blade, but when attached to spades and spade-handle shovels
it is preferably attached to the same near the upper ends of their handles, as shewn
in Fig. 2. If desired, however, the attachment may be secured or applied to any
other portion of the handle of the implement without in the least departing from
the invention the only requisite being that the device should not be secured where
it will be in the way of the operator, as is evident. I have shown the device applied
to shovels and spades, but it is evident that it may be used in other implements,
such as hoes, cultivators, plows, harrows, and other soil-working devices without
departing from the invention.
The handle a' of the scraper is of suitable length and is curved or bent trans-
versely so as to embrace the handle of the implement, this curvature serving to
prevent accidental side-wise-displacement of the device when attached to the
implement. The forward end a¹ of the device is preferably wider and flatter than
the handle-part and has its forward slightly-curved edge sharpened to form the
scraper-blade. This edge is sharpened on both sides to more effectively remove the
soil adhering to the implement. The scraper blade is provided with an opening a³
which enables the device to be hung on a nail or peg when removed entirely from
the implement. The leaf-spring or clasp is rigidly attached at ore of its ends to
the handle and has its other free end slightly curved. The scraper-device is secured
by having its handle-end slipped under the free end of the spring, as shown, the
spring being preferably provided near its free end with a lug which engages a
recess in the scraper-handle and thereby prevents accidental displacement and loss
of the scraper.
When secured to spades and spade-handle shovels, the device is
preferably secured in such position on the handle that its flat scraper-portion a¹¹
lies flat on the upper hand-hold as shown in Fig. 2.
It will be observed that by thus detachably attaching a scraping-tool to this

page_text: class of implements, the tool is always handy and convenient and thereby saves the
operators considerable time and trouble, as is evident. The tool may be detachably
attached by other means than the spring without departing from the invention, as I
distinctly desire to reserve the right to vary the specific construction of the holding
means and the tool.
The curved end of the handle-part of the scraper may be sharpened to an edge,
if desired, and used as a scraper, this end being particularly advantageous in
scraping out such narrow or close places of the implement as the flat part will not
reach.
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. The combination of a soil-working implement, a leaf-spring b secured thereon
and provided with a lug on its free end, and an independent scraper-plate a detachably
clamped to said implement by said spring and provided with an opening for the
reception of the lug on the free end of the spring, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a soil-working implement provided with a spade-handle
and carrying on its handle a device for detachably holding a hand-scraper, of an
independent hand-scraper detachably secured to the handle by said device, said
scraper consisting of a plate bent at one end to embrace the handle of the implement
and flattened at its other end to rest on the flat side of the spade-handle, substantially
as described.
3. The combination with a hand agricultural implement carrying a device on
its handle for detachably holding a scraper, of an independent hand-scraper device
detachably secured to said implement by said device above the blade of the
implement, substantially as described.
Dated this First day of June 1892.
R. J. EDWARDS,
By L. W., per F. B.