IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING TREES, PLANTS, AND SHRUBS FROM THEIR GROWING POSITION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Newington, of Ridgeway, Ticehurst, in the County
of Sussex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING
TREES, PLANTS, AND SHRUBS FROM THEIR GROWING POSITION."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Newington at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1881.
SAMUEL NEWINGTON, of Ridgeway, Ticehurst, in the County of Sussex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING TREES, PLANTS, AND SHRUBS FROM
THEIR GROWING POSITION."
The object of this Invention is to enable trees, plants, and shrubs, to be raised
from their growing position together with a mass or ball of earth, and at the same
time in a great measure (gradually) to extract the roots which extend beyond this
ball.
For this purpose I form an apparatus consisting of an iron fork or spoon with
lever handle and moveable fulcrum. For large trees I use a bar of iron or steel,
towards the lower end of which a thick plate of steel is rivetted on in the form of
a spoon, which together with the bar is made curved. The iron fork I make with
two curved prongs or tines varying in length, say; from 18 to 22 inches when the
apparatus is to be used for raising small trees, and, say, 30 inches for larger trees.
These prongs terminate at their lowest end in flat points, from which they gradually
increase in size up to the shoulders from which a handle projects; the part of this
handle near the shoulders admits of a treadle, which is made to slide up and down,
being secured to it. The remainder of the handle is round to admit of a tube or
wrought iron pipe being fitted on; this forms the lever which can be extended by
fitting in it a smaller pipe.
The prongs are worked into the soil by drawing the lever from side to side,
whilst the man's foot bears upon the treadle. The prongs gradually disappear
under the trunk of the tree, one prong being on each side of the trunk. When the
prongs disappear the handle still projects out of the soil; the treadle is then moved
up the handle, say, from 9 to 10 inches, and the prongs are worked still further

page_text: into the earth in the same manner. The prongs are thus made gradually to creep
under the trunk of the tree, and if they are long enough they rise up on the
opposite side.
The fulcrum for the lever is formed of two pieces of stout wood united at a short
distance apart from one another by means of a stout iron bar kept tight on the
wood by means of staples. Through the centre of this bar is a mortice through
which the stem of an iron hook can slide up and down. The hook forms the
fulcrum or support for the lever handle, and when the fork has been inserted below
the tree and the tree has been somewhat raised by the lever, the hook can be
raised and retained in its raised position by a key inserted through one or other of
a number of holes formed through its stem, the key itself resting upon the top of
the stout iron bar through which the hook stem passes, and as the tree is raised
the hook can be again and again similarly drawn up. I also use a stem on which
a screw has been cut instead of the key. I also use a fulcrum which can be
adjusted vertically or horizontally, the vertical action being given to it by means
of the lever which raises the tree or plant acting in ratchets, or I use a screw
action either alone or in conjunction with the ratchet action. The horizontal
action effects the translation of the tree and earth after being raised vertically
away from the hole in which it grew; the sledge for moving away the tree and
earth can thus be more easily introduced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Newington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th July
1881.
SAMUEL NEWINGTON, of Ridgeway, Ticehurst, in the County of Sussex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING TREES, PLANTS, AND SHRUBS FROM
THEIR GROWING POSITION."
The object of this Invention is to enable trees, plants, and shrubs to be raised
from their growing position together with a mass or ball of earth, and at the same
time in a great measure (gradually) to extract the roots which extend beyond this
ball.
For this purpose I form an apparatus consisting of an iron fork or spoon, with
lever handle and moveable fulcrum. For large trees I use a bar of iron or steel,
towards the lower end of which a thick plate of steel is rivetted on in the form of
a spoon, which together with the bar is made curved. The iron fork I make with
two curved prongs or tines, varying in length, say, from 18 to 22 inches, when the
apparatus is to be used for raising small trees, and say 30 inches for larger trees.
These prongs terminate at their lowest end in flat points, from which they
gradually increase in size up to the shoulders from which a handle projects; the
part of this handle near the shoulders admits of a treadle, which is made to slide

page_text: up and down being secured to it. The remainder of the handle is round to admit
of a tube or wrought iron pipe being fitted on; this forms the lever, which can be
extended by fitting in it a smaller pipe.
The prongs are worked into the soil by drawing the lever from side to side
whilst the man's foot bears upon the treadle. The prongs gradually disappear
under the trunk of the tree, one prong being on each side of the trunk. When the
prongs disappear the handle still projects out of the soil; the treadle is then moved
up the handle, say from 9 to 10 inches, and the prongs are worked still further
into the earth in the same manner. The prongs are thus made gradually to creep
under the trunk of the tree, and if they are long enough they rise up on the
opposite side.
The fulcrum for the lever is made so that it can readily be adjusted to
different heights, and so that it rests on a large surface of soil, as herein after
described.
to
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shewn apparatus constructed according
my Invention.
Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 a back_view of a curved fork formed as
above described; Figure 3 is a plan view, and Figure 4 an end view of a stirrup
to be slipped onto the square part of the handle of the fork near the shoulders;
Figure 5 is a side view of a wrought iron tube to form an extension of the fork
handle; Figure C is an end view of the socket at one end of the same. The tube
fits over the round portion of the fork handle, the socket fits over a portion of the
rectangular part of the handle. Figure 7 is an elevation, Figure 8 a plan, and
Figure 9 a cross section of an adjustable fulcrum apparatus suitable for being used
with the lifting fork. It consists of two blocks of wood A bolted at a distance
apart from one another to a wrought iron bar B; C is another bar which can
either be turned into a position to lie across the space between the two wooden
blocks A, or can be turned to one side so as not to lie across this space.
The following is the manner in which the apparatus is used.
The points of the fork are placed into the ground at a distance of 2, 3, or 4 feet
from the trunk of the tree; the fork handle held in the hands is moved from side
to side and backwards and forwards; this movement causes the curved tines to
penetrate under the trunk of the tree; the tubular lever may then be slipped on
to the fork handle, and if the tines have not penetrated the foot may be placed
onto the treadle, and the fork again moved to and fro as before. A spit of earth
should now be removed from the back of the fork and the fulcrum placed on to
the ground near to the shoulders, the upper bar of the fulcrum is thrown back, so
as to allow the handle of the fork to rest upon the lower bar. The lever handle
of the fork is now forced downward, and the tree thereby lifted and its roots
partially withdrawn from the ground. The lever handle is now lifted up, and the
upper bar of the fulcrum is turned so as to lie across the space between the wooden
supporting blocks and form a higher fulcrum for the lever. The lever handle is
then again forced downwards and the ball of earth around the foot of the tree,
the roots, and the tree itself will be suspended high enough to allow of an iron
plate or trolly being drawn under the ball, the tree can then be removed on the
plate or trolly to any spot required. Two tree lifters may with great advantage
be used when the trees are large.
For lifting trees of large size I also use a curved lifting tool with a thick steel
plate at its end shaped somewhat like a spoon.
Figure 10 shows a side view, and Figure 11 a face view of part of the tool.
It is formed of a tapering bar of iron or steel A, flattened or spread out at its
thicker end, and curved in the same way as the tines or prongs of the fork. To
the spread out and curved end is rivetted the spoon shaped plate of steel B ; it is
dished to a hollow form, so that it may hold the ball of the tree. C is a long pole,
say about 15 feet long, attached to the stem or handle of the tool by loose clips D.
The spoon shaped end of the tool is inserted under the tree with the same see saw
motion as with the forks. An instrument such as shown would weigh about

page_text: 120 lbs. It would lift, with the addition of two of the forks, a tree 25 feet in
height. Three men could by the aid of the instrument and forks raise such a tree
in five minutes, whereas three men could not dig it up under two hours, and even
then it would have to be lifted on to a sledge to be moved to wherever it was to be
transplanted.
A strong implement formed as above is only used when the forks are not strong
enough to raise the tree. Such implements can be made smaller or larger according
to the size of the trees to be lifted by them.
In place of the adjustable fulcrums for the levers being formed in the manner
shewn at Figures 7, 8, and 9 of the Drawings, the way of forming the fulcrum
might be modified in a variety of ways. It is however always desirable that the
fulcrum should be at a point between two blocks of wood, which give a large
supporting surface for resting on the ground.
The following are some of the advantages derived from using tools of the above
kind for lifting trees:-
1. That a tree can be lifted in from one to three minutes.
2. A larger ball of earth can be lifted than is usually done by the common mode
of digging, and the roots not being cut are drawn out uninjured.
3. As the ball is suspended by the lever the ball can be placed unbroken on to a
plate or trolly without the labor of lifting it by hand.
4. As the roots are drawn out and not cut, the trees close by remain uninjured,
however closely the trees may be planted.
5. Trees can be lifted in wet weather, and allowed to fall back into place.
Afterwards they can be removed safely at any season of the year.
6. Fruit trees can be lifted by the apparatus to allow of their roots being
pruned.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim,―
The construction of apparatus for raising trees, plants, and shrubs, substantially
as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Newington, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
SAMUEL NEW
INGTON. (L.S.)