IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Wilder, James Wilder, and Henry Wilder,
of Wallingford, in the County of Berks, Engineers, for an invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HARROWS.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Wilder, James
Wilder, & Henry Wilder at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 15th May 1882.
RICHARD WILDER, JAMES WILDER, and HENRY WILDER, of Wallingford, in
the County of Berks, Engineers, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HARROWS.
This invention has for its object the construction of a flexible harrow, accomo-
dating itself readily to uneven ground, and permitting its being easily folded for
storage or otherwise, and which can be easily rendered rigid or inflexible at will, if
required.
Our invention relates more particularly to improvements on a flexible harrow,
for which Letters Patent were granted to James Edward Ransome, William
Copping and Lawson Lansdell, dated the 6th day of May 1862, and numbered
1355.
In the drawings accompanying the specification of that harrow the tines and
beam sections are shewn formed in one piece or welded together, and supported or
resting on shafts or bars by means of clips and nuts carrying bosses or loops through
which the bars pass, thus jointing one section to the next.
Now, our invention is designed to dispense with such means of connection and
thereby form a harrow stronger and cheaper in construction, and which can be
quickly rendered rigid or inflexible.
We form our tine and beam section in one piece (the front row of beam sections
usually carrying two tines). We generally prefer to arrange our harrow on the
well-known zig-zag plan, so that each tine may take a separate track, but we
can also arrange it otherwise or in another shape without departing from our
invention.

page_text: The beam sections have holes punched or drilled through them, through which
are passed iron rods connecting them together, the said sections being kept at their
proper distance apart by means of tubes working on the rods and fitting recessed
collars also placed and working thereon; or the tubes may be furnished with collars
or flanges at their extremities. The tubes and sections are prevented from leaving
the rods by nuts or otherwise.
On flat or level land it may be desirable to use a rigid harrow. We, therefore,
provide an arrangement for so converting the harrow, and which also serves to lift
or raise the same from the ground.
It consists of a bar or rod furnished with a hook or claw for each row of cross
tubes or rods, all the hooks or claws, except one, being welded on or attached to
the bar, the said fixed hooks facing one way. A hook at one end of the bar or rod
is detachable, and can be secured by a screwed bolt and fly-nut or otherwise. When
the rigid hooks are passed over the tubes or rods, the loose hook (in its reversed
position to the others) is slipped over the last tube or rod and screwed up or secured
to the bar, thus making the harrow rigid, while the end of the bar or rod carrying
the hooks serves as a handle to lift the harrow.
The harrow being composed of a number of sections can be enlarged or reduced
in size, with the addition of longer or shorter rods, according to the work required
to be done and the strength at the disposal of the user, and can be made as a series
of small barrows, each connected to the other by chains or links.
It will be obvious that the mere details of our invention may be modified or
varied without departing from the principle thereof.
We are aware that it has been before proposed to render flexible harrows rigid at
will, but not, we believe, according to the principle of our invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Wilder,. James Wilder, & Henry Wilder in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 23rd October 1882.
RICHARD WILDER, JAMES WILDER and HENRY WILDER, of Wallingford, in
the county of Berks, Engineers,
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HARROWS."
"
This invention has for its object the construction of a flexible harrow, accomo
dating itself readily to uneven ground, and permitting its being easily folded for
storage or otherwise, and which can be easily rendered rigid or inflexible at will,
if required.
Our invention relates more particularly to improvements on a flexible harrow,
for which Letters Patent were granted to James Edward Ransome, William
Copping and Lawson Lansdell, dated the 6th day of May 1862, and numbered
1355.
In the Drawings accompanying the Specification of that harrow, the tines and
beam sections are shewn formed in one piece or welded together, and supported or
resting on shafts or bars by means of clips and nuts carrying bosses or loops through
which the bars pass, thus jointing one section to the next.
Now, our invention is designed to dispense with such means of connection and
thereby form a harrow stronger and cheaper in construction, and which can be
quickly rendered rigid or inflexible.
We form our tine and beam section in one piece (the front row of beam sections
usually carrying two tines). We generally prefer to arrange our harrow on the
well-known zig-zag plan, so that each tine may take a separate track, but we can
also arrange it otherwise or in another shape without departing from our invention.
The beam sections have holes punched or drilled through them, through which are
passed iron rods connecting them together, the said sections being kept at their
proper distance apart by means of tubes working on the rods and fitting recessed
collars also placed and working thereon; or the tubes may be furnished with collars
or flanges at their extremities. The tubes and sections are prevented from leaving
the rods by nuts or otherwise.
On flat or level land it may be desirable to use a rigid harrow. We, therefore,
provide an arrangement for so converting the harrow, and which also serves to lift
or raise the same from the ground.
It consists of a bar or rod furnished with a hook or claw for each row of cross
tubes or rods, all the books or claws, except one, being welded on or attached to
the bar; the said fixed hooks facing one way. A hook at one end of the bar or rod
is detachable and can be secured by a screwed bolt and fly-nut or otherwise. When
the rigid hooks are passed over the tubes or rods, the loose hook (in its reversed
position to the others) is slipped over the last tube or rod and screwed up or secured
to the bar, thus making the harrow rigid, while the end of the bar or rod carrying
the hooks serves as a handle to lift the harrow.
The harrow being composed of a number of sections can be enlarged or reduced
in size, with the addition of longer or shorter rods, according to the work required
to be done and the strength at the disposal of the user, and can be made as a series
of small harrows, each connected to the other by chains or links, or otherwise.
It will be obvious that the mere details of our invention may be modified or
varied without departing from the principle thereof.
We are aware that it has been before proposed to render flexible harrows rigid at
will, but not, we believe, according to the principle of our invention.
The accompanying sheet of Drawings explains the manner of performing our
invention.

page_text: Fig 1. shews a pair of harrows A. B. joined together by a chain C. The harrow
B is shewn flexible transversely as well as longitudinally by means of links or
joints D. The dotted line K L in harrow A is intended to represent the stiffening
bar when the harrow is to be made rigid.
Fig 2. is a side elevation of the harrow.
Fig 3. is a side elevation of the stiffening bar.
Fig. 4. a side elevation of a front beam and tines.
Fig. 5 an enlarged view of a beam section and tine.
Fig. 6. a front view of tine.
Fig 7. a plan of beam section.
Fig 8. a connecting rod.
Fig. 9. section of a collar.
Fig. 10. end view of a distance tube.
In these views E. is the beam section. F the tine, G holes therein. H the
screwed rod passing through the tubes I whose ends fit into recessed collars J, and
maintain the beam sections at the proper distance. K is the stiffening bar. L the
handle of the same. M M the rigid hooks and N the loose or clamp hook, the
operation of which is clearly seen in Fig. 3 O the fly-nut holding it in position.
Having now described our invention and the manner of performing the same, we
would have it understood that we claim as our invention of improvements in the
construction of harrows,
Firstly. The combination of the perforated beam E and tine F made in one
piece or welded together, with the rods H, tubes I, and collars J substantially as
described.
Secondly. The bar K L carrying the hooks M, and the adjustable or clamp hook N,
to render the harrow rigid at will, substantially as described.
In witness whereof we, the said Richard Wilder, James Wilder and Henry
Wilder, have hereunto set our hands and seals this Twenty first day of
October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
eighty two.
RICHARD WILDER. (L.S.)
JAMES WILDER.
(L.S.)
HENRY WILDER.
(L.S.)