AN IMPROVED IMPLEMENT OR APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND SWEEPING TURNPIKE AND OTHER HIGHWAYS, FOREEPING TURNP AND OTHER HIGHWAYS, CARRIAGE DRIVES, AND FOOTWALKS, OR OTHER PLACES REQUIRING TO BE BU CLEANED
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hughes, of the City and County of Worcester,
Road Surveyor, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED IMPLEMENT OR
APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND SWEEPING TURNPIKE AND OTHER HIGHWAYS,
LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hughes, of the City and County of Worcester,
Road Surveyor, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED IMPLEMENT OR
APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND SWEEPING TURNPIKE AND OTHER HIGHWAYS,
CARRIAGE DRIVES, AND FOOTWALKS, OR OTHER PLACES REQUIRING TO BE BU
CLEANED."
Sealed the 8th December 1863, and dated the 12th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hughes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
June 1863.
I, ROBERT HUGHES, of the City and County of Worcester, Road Surveyor,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
IMPLEMENT OR APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND SWEEPING TURNPIKE AND OTHER
HIGHWAYS, CARRIAGE DRIVES, AND FOOTWALKS, OR OTHER PLACES REQUIRING TO BE
SO CLEANED," to be as follows (that is to say):
My Invention consists in mounting on two wheels of any desired diameter
and width of tire a suitable frame connected to the axis of the said wheels,
terminating in the front with arms or shafts for hand or horse draught, and to
a transverse bar for hand draught, placed parallel with the axis, and diagonally
for horse draught. I secure in any convenient way a suitable number of
tempered springs, to which I attach scrapers, a scraper being secured
or formed to or connected with every spring so used, and which will
effectually scrape a road possessing an uneven surface; the lower extremity
of the blade of such scrapers I purpose also to form of steel or other_
hard metal, or so. construct them that the lower or scraping portion may
be added or removed at pleasure. The apparatus thus constructed has only
to be elevated by its shafts or draught bar in front, when the scrapers will

page_text: be pressed on the surface of the road by the power exercised by the man in
pulling the machine across the road. For horse draught the machine will
work in a longitudinal direction of the road, and have a regulating power
either by screw or lever and rack, so that in each case there is power in
addition to the extent of the expanding force of each separate spring before
referred to, thereby permitting the scrapers to press down to or adapt them-
selves to any moderate inequality of surface common and incidental to
and
turnpike, highways, and other roads and footpaths subjectto much traffi
to the apparatus thus described I apply fence boards or plates that also adapt
themselves to the surface of the road, and prevent the dirt or mud from
escaping at the sides from the front of the scrapers.
As a modification of this apparatus suitable eyes or their equivalents may
be applied at the free end of the springs for receiving the handles of suitably
constructed brushes, brooms, or besoms, by which means the apparatus is
converted or in a condition for sweeping, so that the same process, namely,
that of drawing the apparatus over the road, path, or part desired to be
cleaned, the same will be effectually and economically performed.
And as a further modification the frame and springs of this implement
can be so arranged and placed to a cart body or tumble cart that the mud or
dirt as scraped or sweeped can be raised and tipped in the cart by means
of a lift with scoops or apron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HUGHES, of the City and County of Worcester, Road Surveyor, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Hughes, Her special license that I, the said Robert Hugbes, my
, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Hughes, my 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,

page_text: and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED IMPLEMENT
OR APPARATUS FOR SCRAPING AND SWEEPING TURNPIKE AND OTHER HIGHWAYS,
CARRIAGE DRIVES, AND FOOTWALKS, OR OTHER PLACES REQUIRING TO BE SO CLEANED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Hughes, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Robert Hughes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in mounting on two wheels of any desired diameter
and width of tire a suitable frame connected to the axis of the said wheels,
terminating in the front with arms or shafts for hand or horse draught, and
to a transverse bar for hand draught, placed parallel with the axis, and
diagonally or otherwise for horse draught. I secure in any convenient way a
suitable number of tempered springs, to which I attach scrapers, a scraper
being secured or formed to or connected with every spring so used, and which
will effectually scrape a road possessing an uneven surface; the lower
extremity of the blade of such scrapers I purpose also to form of steel or other
hard metal, or so construct them that the lower or scraping portion may be
added or removed at pleasure. The apparatus thus constructed has only to
be elevated by its shafts or draught bar in front, which may be regulated in
height as may be required, when the scrapers will be pressed on the surface of
the road by the power exercised by the man in pulling the machine across the
road. For horse draught I prefer the machine to work along the road or
pathway instead of transversely, and have a regulating power acting on the
scrapers either by screw or lever or other equivalent, so that in each case
there is power in addition to the extent of the expanding force of each separate
spring before referred to, thereby permitting the scrapers to press down to or
adapt themselves to any moderate inequality of surface common and incidental
to turnpike, highway, and other roads and footpaths subject to much traffic;
and to the apparatus thus described I apply fence boards or plates that also
adapt themselves to the surface of the road, and prevent the dirt or mud from
cscaping at the sides from the front of the scrapers.
As a modification of this implement suitable eyes or their equivalents may

page_text: be applied at the free end of the springs for receiving the handles or holders of
suitably constructed brushes, brooms, or besoms, by which means the appa-
ratus is converted from a scraping to a sweeping implement, so that the
same process, namely, that of drawing the apparatus over the road, path,
or part desired to be cleaned, the same will be effectually and uniformly
performed.
And as a further modification the frame and springs of this implement can
be so arranged and placed to a cart body or tumble cart, that the mud or dirt
as scraped or swept can be raised over an inclined plane to drop into a
receptacle, which may be further used for carrying away the dirt so brushed or
scraped up, and if necessary a lever may be applied to this part for elevating it.
But as my Invention is capable of considerable modification, as will be seen
by the Drawings hereunto annexed, I will proceed to describe the same.
Fig. 1 represents a top view of my improved implement constructed for
band draught, and may be made wider or narrower, that is, with more or less
scrapers, according to the district, or nature of the roads or paths required to
be cleaned; and the periphery of the wheels A, A, also may be made of any
convenient width. B, B, and B, B, are side framings or shafts secured to a
back rail marked C, C, and to a front stretcher marked D, D, which may be
formed of iron, as here represented, or otherwise as preferred, and E, E, is the
draught bar, which of course may be attached as here represented, with iron
straps clipping the ends of the shafts, or adapted so that it may be elevated or
lowered for the convenience of adjustment, for the ease or convenience of the
workman using it. F, F, is the axle of the wheels, secured to the frame
or parts B, B, by iron clips marked G, G. H, H, is a transverse stay which
may be permanently fixed, or made to work on an axis for regulation, hereafter
to be referred to; to this stay the springs I, I, I, are secured, for carrying the
scrapers, which are represented in an oblique position marked J, J, J, their
connection with the springs being represented in dotted lines; the fence
boards are not well seen in this view, but the parts K and L are small wheels,
that may
be used for supporting the same when in work. It may be necessary
in scraping heavy and neglected roads or after snow to employ additional
labour for the efficient working of this implement, and for that purpose
I purpose applying a bar of wood or iron, or other suitable material, to the
back rail C, as here indicated in dotted lines, and which additional rail may be
so placed or elevated, that when the scrapers are depressed to their work, this
rail shall be in the best position to receive the exertions of the labourer.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of Figure 1 taken through the dotted lines a
and b, dividing the draught bar E, front stretcher D, axle F, the stay H, and

page_text: back rail C; from this view the general construction and action of the
implement will be best understood; the spring I may be attached to the stay
H by two screws as here shown, or otherwise, as preferred; the spring is repre-
sented as bent at right angles at c, and again bent forward at the bottom
end for entering a slot formed in the scraper blade J, the flat form of which is
shown separate at Fig. 3, and it will be evident from this view, that to obtain
the elastic force of the spring I on the scraper the draught bar E and shafts
must be elevated, and which may be done to the fullest extent by elevating the
draught bar and end of the shaft to the position indicated in dotted lines at M,
at which time the free end of the spring will be in contact with the bottom
side of the back rail C, and the extreme elastic force of the spring fully
exerted. N is a side plate, which may be conveniently formed of iron, or other-
wise secured to the extreme end of the side rails B, B, in the position here
shown, for carrying the fence plate or board marked O, which is secured to the
part N by the pin or axis f, and to the part N the stud k is also secured, the
shank of which works in the slot formed in the fence board O, in connection
with the stud marked 1,1; this arrangement permits, when the implement is in
work, of the lower edge of the fence boards being parallel with the roadway,
and this fence board may be used with or without the small wheels K. and L, or
the fore wheels K may be used and the hinder ones L omitted, as it is this
part of the fence board or plate that is required closest to the ground,
to prevent liquid scrapings flowing away from before the outer scrapers.
Before concluding the description of this Figure, I will observe that the stand
or rest marked P, P, may be applied or omitted or otherwise arranged, as it is
simply added for supporting the fore end of the shafts when the implement is
standing, and for the purpose of keeping all stress off the springs out of
use, and if desired a light wheel may be applied to this part, as here shown in
dotted lines, for the purpose of more convenient locomotion; and I will further
observe that when required I purpose applying a box or receptacle for brushes,
hammer, screw-wrench, and the food and upper clothing of the workman using
this implement on the highway at a distance from his home, placed as
indicated by the dotted lines g, h, and g, h, or otherwise as preferred; and by way
of regulating the pressure of the springs which may be necessary in many
instances, the stay H may be fastened on an axis, as indicated by the dotted
circle marked m, from which levers may extend each side and bent up
or provided with an iron plate, represented in an edge view in dotted lines at n,
so that the depression of the levers, and holes being provided through the plate
, the pin p will hold it in any position requisite to increase the downward
force of the springs to their work.

page_text: Fig. 4 is an end view of Figures 1 and 2, with the back rail C removed, for
the purpose of showing the springs I, I, attached to the stretcher H, H, all the
parts being indicated by the same letter that defined them in the former
Figures, and need no further remark further than the scrapers shown separate
at Figure 3 are intended to be composed of iron, steeled at the bottom end
for durability, or they may be constructed as shown in a separate flat and edge
view at Fig. 5, which is a piece of thin iron, bent in the form here shown,
clipping and holding the scraper Q, which may be made of chilled cast iron
or homogeneous metal, which is very hard and inexpensive, and at the same
time permits of easy renewal, and this same plan may be carried out, modified
as required, for holding a brush, as shown at Fig. 6, in a flat and edge view,
marked R, R; the part marked 0, 0, is simply a slide that, when drawn up
as at o, the parts for clipping the brush, r, r, expand, but when slid down is
in condition for securely holding the brush stock t, t; this plan admits of the
brush being turned sides to, or readily removed for renewal, or the application
of scrapers, by the removing the nut u in Fig. 7, which is merely drawn for the
purpose of exhibiting the brush applied to a spring I, the angle part v being
slightly modified from the same part in Figure 2, for receiving the brush and
scraper stock last described at Figures 5 and 6.
Fig. 8 may be taken generally as a modification of Figure 2, as adapted
for horse use; in this case I have represented the scraper S as made like a
common hoe, with a socket for receiving a suitable ash or other wood shaft,
marked T, T, and which shaft I prefer attaching to a metal clip, working on
the axletree which forms its fulcrum, while the forward end of the shaft T¹ is
held up to a transverse bar, marked U, shown in a front and top view at Fig. 9;
in the front of this bar a number of projecting hooks are placed according to
the number of scrapers used, and which hooks are marked w, that by means of
elastic rings the fore ends of the shafts T are held in contact with the hooks,
but as the fore end of the implement is elevated, and the scrapers more or less
pressed down on the surface of the ground, so the elastic rings will be
stretched, ready to correct the position of the scraper when the fore end of the
implement is depressed, but should it be necessary to elevate the scrapers
close under the back rail C, so as to use this implement as an ordinary truck,
whether worked by hand or horse power, the bar U may work on the pin x,
marked with the same letter in Figure 9, which would form its axis, and to
this a lever may be secured, as indicated in dotted lines at y, so that by freeing
the lever by removing the pin, also shown in dotted lines marked z, the lever
will drop down, depressing the shaft of the scraper marked T₁ to the extent of
the radial distance of the axis a to the hook w, and this same principle may

page_text: also be carried out by a slight modification of the part n, and piu p, in Figure 2.
Referring back to Figure 8, I have exhibited, in dotted lines marked V, a re-
ceptacle for holding the mud or dirt scraped or swept up, which, by preference,
I purpose making of galvanised sheet iron; on the side towards the scrapers
an inclined plane is shown, over which the mud is intended to flow as
gathered in front of the scrapers, and which, when full, can be taken away
and conveniently emptied by opening a slide in or near the bottom, but when
intended as a receptacle for holding the mud that may be scooped up after
being collected by the process of scraping, the inclined plate W may be con-
tinued up so as to form a deeper vessel for holding a larger quantity, which
could be easily removed or drawn away by a horse, when horse power is being.
used; this vessel or receptacle I purpose suspending by suitable straps, as
here shown in dotted lines, from the axle, so that it may always be evenly
balanced, and to which straps, if necessary, levers could be connected, taking
their fulcrums on the sides B, B, so as to elevate the receptacle more or less
from the ground, so as to preserve its pendulous suspension as much above the
axle as it may be necessary to elevate it.
Having now given a general description of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be, according to my present experience, carried into
effect, I wish it understood that I claim as new and of my Invention, and wish
protected by these, my in part, recited Letters Patent, the implement or
apparatus herein generally described and specified, without purposing to con-
fine myself to the general detail, or restrict myself to any particular material
that may be beneficially used for the purpose, provided the general spirit of
the Invention or improvement exhibited in the Drawings is preserved.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Hughes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
ROBERT HUGHES. (L.S.)