IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RAKES AND CULTIVATORS, AND IN WHEELS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER CARRIAGES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Smith and George Taylor, of the Vulcan
Works, Ipswich, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RAKES
AND CULTIVATORS, AND IN WHEELS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 11th January 1862, and dated the 13th July 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Smith and
George Taylor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 13th July 1861.
We, THOMAS SMITH and GEORGE. TAYLOR, of the Vulcan Works, Ipswich,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE
RAKES AND CULTIVATORS, AND IN WHEELS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER CARRIAGES," to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in horse rakes and culti
vators, and in wheels for the same and other carriages. For these purposes.
in constructing horse rakes, in addition to the tines being all independent of
each other, the central tines are arranged in such manner that they may
descend lower down than the other tines, in order that such central tines may,
when desired, be caused to descend or drop into a furrow when the rake is
being moved along a furrow, whilst at other times when the rake is on level
land, the central and other tines, as heretofore, may be caused to work at the
same level. For this purpose it is preferred that the tines should be on a
cranked axis, the crank occupying so much of the length of the axis, and in
the centre thereof as it is desired to have central tinês to descend lower than
'

page_text: the other tines. Or the tines may be on separate axes, or otherwise, so as to
admit of the central tines being lowered to a greater extent than the other
tines when it is desired that they should work in a furrow or hollow. In con-
structing wheels for horse rakes, cultivators, and other carriages, the spokes
are made of iron tubes (or otherwise hollow at their outer ends), which are
filled at their ends with wood, iron, or other material, and around such ends
an iron ring is fixed by spikes or bolts driven through the ring into the interior
of the spokes, and on the ring so fixed to the spokes a suitable tyre for running
on land is shrunk. In order to regulate the action of the tines of cultivators,
a lever is used, which has its fulcrum or axis near its forward end, and such
axis or fulcrum is carried by the fore part of the frame of the machine. The
back end of the lever is formed with a handle, and near the back end of the
lever is formed an opening or eye, which passes over a curved bar near the
hinder end of the machine. The curved bar is formed with several holes
through it, and there are holes through the lever where the eye is made, so
that a pin may be passed through such holes in the lever, and through one of
the holes in the curved bar, and according as the pin is through one or other
of the holes in the curved bar, so will be the working position of the tines, and
when the lever is released and its back end is raised to and retained near the
upper part of the curved bar by a suitable catch or stop, the tines will be out
of the earth. To the fore end of the lever which projects beyond the axis or
fulcrum, there is applied a link or connecting rod, which at one end is pin-
jointed to the fore end of the lever, and at its other end it is pin-jointed. to
an arm on the front axis or frame to which the front tines are fixed, and as
the front and hind axeš or frames to which the tines are fixed are connected
by connecting rods, they will be both simultaneously caused to rotate in their
bearings when the lever is moved upwards or downwards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Smith and George Taylor in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th January 1862.
TO ALL TO, WHOM THESE, PRESENTS SHALL COME, we; THOMAS
SMITH and GEORGE TAYLOR, of the Vulcan Works, Ipswich, send greeting....
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our. Lord. One
thousand eight hundred, and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year, of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the

page_text: 66
said Thomas Smith and George Taylor, Her special licence that we, the
said Thomas Smith and George Taylor, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Smith, and George Taylor,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE-RAKES
AND CULTIVATORS, AND IN WHEELS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER CARRIAGES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Smith and George
Taylor, our executors or administrators, by, an instrument in writing under our
or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Smith and George Taylor,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in horse rakes and culti-
vators, and in wheels for the same and other carriages.
When using horse rakes as heretofore constructed upon furrowed land and
raking along the furrows, considerable difficulty has been experienced to get
the middle or furrow teeth to reach the bottom of the furrows, owing to the
teeth or tines having their centres or bosses all fixed on a continuous or straight
axis rod. To avoid this inconvenience, according to our Invention, in construct-
ing horse rakes, in addition to the tines being all independent of each other,
the central tines are arranged in such manner that they may be set suitably to
descend lower down than the other tines, in order that such central tines may,
when desired, work in a furrow when the rake is being moved along the same,
whilst at other times when the rake is on level land, the central and other
tines, as heretofore, may be caused to work at the same level. For this pur-
pose, the tines may be mounted on a cranked axis, the crank occupying, so
much of the central portion of the length of the axis as is required for the
central tines which are desired to descend lower than the other tines; or the
tines may be mounted on separate axes or otherwise, so as to admit of the
central tines being lowered to a greater entent than the other tines when it is
desired, that they should work in a furrow or hollow. :

page_text: The several Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent our improvements in
horse rakes. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rake, in which the axis of the
tines is made in parts; the red lines shew the position of the middle tines or
teeth when lowered to rake furrows; Figure 2 is a back elevation of the rake,
shewing the four middle teeth or tines c, c, c, c, in a furrow; a, a, a, is the
frame axle or stretcher bar with dip in it; b is a moveable cradle carrying the
middle part of axis rod g; h is a stay brace for holding moveable cradle in any
position required, it is secured by the bolt i.
Figure 3 is a detail shewing the frame axle bar a, a, a, with a dip in it, and
the axis rod f, g, and f.
Figure 4 is a sectional detail shewing another method of construction, in
which the frame axle bar a, a, is fixed above the teeth or tines c, c. The red
lines shew the position of the middle teeth or tines when in a furrow; h is a
moveable cradle carrying the middle axis rod g; i is a bolt for securing the
moveable cradle h to frame axle bar a, a.
Figure 5 is a detail view shewing the frame axle bar a, a, fixed above the
axis rods ff, and g; h is a moveable cradle carrying middle axis rod g; i is a
bolt for securing the same in any position to frame axle bar a, a; the dotted
lines shew the position of axis rod 9 when the teeth or tines are set for raking
level surfaces.
Figure 6 is a plan shewing the back frame bar a, a, a, set off to accommo-
date the middle tines or teeth c, c, c, c, when the axis rod is made with a dip or
crank in the centre, so as to move round for adjustment.
In constructing wheels for horse rakes, cultivators, and other carriages, the
spokes are made of iron tubes (or otherwise hollow at their outer ends), which
are filled at their ends with wood, iron, or other material, and around such ends
an iron ring is fixed by spikes or bolts driven through the ring into the interior
of the spokes, and on the ring so fixed to the spokes a suitable tyre for running
on land is shrunk.
Figure 7 is a side view, and Figure 8 is a vertical section of a wheel con-
structed according to our Invention; Figure 9 is a portion of the same, full
size. a, a, are tubular spokes, stopped at the end by a filling piece of wood or
other material; 6 is an iron ring or inner tyre; c are spikes or trenails passing
through the ring or inner tyre c into the filling pieces at the ends of the spokes;
d is the nave of the wheel; e is an outer tyre shrunk over the ring or inner
tyre b. In place of making the spokes entirely hollow, the hollow may be at
the outer end, and only sufficient to receive the trenail or spike c, as is shewn
at Figure 10.
"
In order to regulate the action of the tines of cultivators, a lever is used,

page_text: which has its fulcrum or axis near its forward end, and such axis or fulcrum is
carried by the fore part of the framing of the machine. The back end of the
lever is formed with a handle, and near the back end of the lever is formed an
opening or eye, which passes over a curved bar near the hinder end of the
machine. The curved bar is formed with several holes through it, and there
are holes through the lever where the eye is made, so that a pin may be passed
through such holes in the lever and through one of the holes in the curved bar,
and according as the pin is through one or other of the holes in the curved bar
so will be the working position of the tines; and when the lever is released
and its back end is raised to and retained near the upper part of the curved bar
by a suitable catch or stop, the tines will be out of the earth. To the fore end
of the lever which projects beyond the axis or fulcrum there is applied a link
or connecting rod, which at one end is pin-jointed to the fore end of the lever,
and at its other end it is pin-jointed to an arm on the front axis or frame to
which the front tines are fixed, and as the front and hind axes or frames to
which the tines are fixed are connected by connecting rods, they will be both
simultaneously caused to rotate in their bearings, when the lever is moved
upwards or downwards.
Figure 11 is a side sectional elevation, and Figure 12 is a plan, of a culti-
vator, having two sets of teeth or tines. a, a, is the frame of the machine, the
hinder end of which is supported by two wheels b, b, each being capable of
adjustment, so that the teeth or tines may work at any desired depth by means
of the side levers c, c, working on centres or studs fixed to wheel stalks d; e, e,
are quadrants or guides on which the side levers c work, and they are secured
in any position by pins f. The fore end of the frame a, a, is bolted to the head
piece g, at the front end of which is a round socket; h is a vertical spindle
sliding through this socket, and capable of adjustment by means of a shifting
collar i, which can be secured in the desired position by the set screw j.
Attached to the vertical spindle h is a crutch or fork end, in which is supported
the axis k, carrying the fore wheel 1; the tines or teeth m, m, are attached to
the bars n, n, the ends of which are provided with centres working in sockets,
bolted or otherwise fixed to the frame a, a. In the head piece 9 is a mortice,
through which passes the centre or axis pin o, carrying the handle lever p. On
the front side of the fore bar n is attached a strong jaw, arranged so as to
counterbalance in part the weight of the tines or teeth; fixed to this bar n in
this jaw is the link q, which connects the front bar n to the lever p, so that by
raising the lever p the fore bar n will be turned on its axis, and so lift the
teeth or tines m out of the ground backwards; on the ends of the bars n, n, are
attached projecting snugs or jaws, in which are fixed below the frame a, a, two

page_text: side rods r, r, which connect the two bars n, n, so that when the fore bar is
turned on its axis the other bar is turned also to the same extent, by which
both sets of teeth or tines are lifted out of the ground at the same time. On
the hinder part of frame a, a, is fixed the curved guard s, supported by the two
stays t,t; at the handle end of the lever p is a mortice or eye, so arranged as
to work on the guards, at the lower end of which is a series of holes or
notches for the purpose of securing the lever p in any position by the pin u, so
as to regulate the pitch of the teeth or tines, as may be desired; by this means
the tines or teeth m, m, are kept firmly to their work. The method for fasten-
ing the teeth or tines to bars n, n, is shewn in Figure 1; by this mode each
tine or tooth can be adjusted separately to suit curved or flat lands; at the fore
end provision is made to adjust the line of draught, so as to cause the imple.
ment to work deep or fleet, as may be required; the draught chain v is made
to work in the quadrant w, and is secured in any position by the pin x ; by
this means also the fore wheel is made to lock round when desired.
The red lines in Figure 11 shew the position of working parts when the
lever p is raised and kept in that position by the self-acting catch or pin y at
top of guard s.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Smith and George Taylor,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
THOMAS SMITH.
(L.S.)
GEORGE TAYLOR. (L.S.)