Improvements in Horse Rakes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
Improvements in Horse Rakes.
We, JAMES HAROLD HOWARD, GEOFFREY HOWARD and GEORGE GIBBS,
all of Britannia Iron Works, Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Engineers, 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:
This invention relates to horse rakes of the kind or class described in the
Specifications of Letters Patents granted to James Howard and E. T. Bousfield
November 27th 1869, No. 3437, and to E. T. Bonsfield December 13th 1876
No. 4827. Our invention also relates generally to what are known as self-acting
horse rakes fitted also with hand appliances for lifting the tines.
The said invention has for its objects, to simplify the construction, to lessen the
cost of manufacture, and to increase the efficiency of such implements.
The chief feature of our said invention is the improved construction whereby
the self-acting lifting appliances can be operated without moving the lever of the
band lifting appliance whereby the great risk run by the attendant of being struck
by the moving handle when the self-acting appliances are at work, is avoided.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a horse rake having our
improvements applied thereto, the tines being in position for raking.
Figure 2 is a similar view but shewing the tines raised for the purpose of
discharging the load.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of horse rake in which pawls are
employed for the purpose of discharging the load and illustrates our improved
lever and looking appliances.
Figure 4 is a similar view with the tines raised, and
Figure 5 is a plan of part of the horse rake shewing the position of the hand
and foot levers.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the carrying or travelling wheels A are as
described in the beforementioned Specification No. 3437 A.D. 1869 provided with
flanges or drums B around their hubs and are mounted loosely on the axle C upon
which a cradle or frame E is also mounted. Through this frame in front of the
axle C a rod F is passed on which the tines G are threaded. Cranks H, to which
are attached friction bands or straps I encircling the drums B, are fixed upon the
ends of the tine rod F, and at about the centre of the said rod a short arm or
lever K is fastened. Up to this point the construction is old. L is a pedal lever
pivoted to a part L' of the fixed frame of the implement and connected by a link N
to the aforesaid arm or lever K. When the pedal L is depressed, the link N and
lever K operate to turn the tine rod F in its bearings, and so cause the cranks H
to tighten the band I' upon the drums B, whereupon the cradle E is revolved upon
the axle C in company with the carrying wheels A, and the tines G are rocked
upon the axle C as a fulcrum and are thereby raised for the purpose of discharging
their load. The arm K and the link N are so constructed and proportioned as to
form a more or less acute angle with each other when the pedal L is depressed
and the tines are down which angle becomes more and more obtuse as the cradle E
is carried round by the wheels. The straightening of the line formed by the
arm K and link N as the tines are raised compensates for the lowering of the tine

page_text: .
rod F during this movement, and thus maintains the brakes I tight and obviates
the necessity which heretofore' existed for the pedal being further depressed to
keep the bands tight upon the drums during the operation of lifting the tines.
This is an important feature of our present invention.
We also provide means for lifting the tines independently of the friction bands
as follows, that is to say, a hand lever P. constructed in the form of a bell-crank is
pivoted upon a fixed part of the frame of the rake forward of the axle C. Upon
the axle we thread loosely an arm or lever Qwhich passes through a circumferential
slot R in the cradle and is connected by a link or bar S to the hand lever P, so
that when the hand lever is operated the said arm or, lever Q is brought into
contact with the end R' of the slot R and causes the cradle to rotate upon the axle
and raise the tines:: When the tines are raised by the horse, the hand lifting gear
remains inoperative, the slot R in the cradle being long enough to allow the latter
to turn without affecting the arm Q. The band lever and its appliances thus
remain stationary when not operated by the driver and do not as hitherto move
when the pedal appliances, are being used. The driver is thus not in danger of
being struck by the handle when the pedal or self-acting appliances are being used
as is the case in other horse rakes. In lieu of the slot 'R' we may employ two
pins or projections between which the lever Q works.
To ensure clean raking it is necessary that the cradle which carries' the tines,
should, whilst permitting the tines to move up and down sufficiently to follow the
irregularities of the ground, be itself held steadily in position and not allowed' to
turn upon the axle, except when discharging.
For effecting this object we pivot to a convenient part T of the frame' a latch T
furnished with a spring T2; this latch engages with a projection Es upon the
cradle E and prevents the latter from rocking. Upon the lever L a projection L'
is formed which comes in contact with the tail end of the latch T when the pedal L
is operated and turns the latch upon its pivot T thereby disengaging it from the
projection E and releasing the cradle. Further, upon one side of the latch Ta
cam-shaped projection 1 is formed which in conjunction with a stud Q on the
lever operates to raise the latch for the purpose of releasing the cradle when
the hand lever is used to raise the tines. It will thus be seen that the latch T is
disengaged from the projection E and liberates the cradle when either the pedal
or the hand lever is brought into action to raise the tines.
1
Referring now to Figures 3 to 5 which illustrate our improvements in the con-
struction of horse rakes wherein toothed' wheels are used instead of friction drums,
and pawls instead of bands for the purpose of raising the tines, U is a toothed
wheel fixed or formed upon the hub of the wheel, to take the place of the drum B
Figures 1 and 2, and V is a pawl pivoted upon a stud V upon the rocking frame E.
W is a spring or cushion secured to the frame. The pawl y rests upon this
spring when the tines are down. In some instances the spring W may be attached
to the pawl instead of to the frame, Y is a hand lever for controlling the tines.
It is secured to a shaft Y the end Y of which is cranked to adapt it for engaging
an arm loosely mounted on the shaft Yand for depressing the said arm when
the lever Y is pulled. The arm Yis connected by an adjustable connecting bar Y
and socket Y to a part E of the cradle E. The said part of the cradle is
furnished with a socket E and spring E for a purpose hereinafter described.
Xis a pedal to admit of depressing the bar. Y by the foot when desired. When
the driver rocks the cradle E by pressing his foot upon the pedal X or by pulling
the handle Y the pawl V is withdrawn from the spring W and by its own weight
drops into one of the notches of the toothed wheel U. It is then together with
the cradle carried round by the wheel until it comes into contact with projec-
tion Z on the frame, which projection operates to force the pawl out of the notch
and thus liberates the cradle. The latter is then returned to its initial position by
the weight of the tines which fall again into the raking position. When the cradle
returns, the pawl falls again on to the spring W and there rests until the driver
wishes to raise the tines again. There is one pawl at each side of the machine.
1.

page_text: A spring W is employed in lieu of a solid stop to prevent concussion when the
pawl falls. It is obvious that the tines can be raised when the implement is
stationary by pulling on the handle. Y, also that the said handle remains stationary
when the tines are being raised by the horse.
When the tines are in the raking position the spring E' presses the connecting
bar Y up into such a position that it prevents the cradle from rocking and keeps
the tines down steadily to their work and ensures clean raking.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In a self-acting horse rake, the hand lever lifting appliance so constructed
that it shall not move or operate when the self-acting appliance is in use.
2. In a self-acting horse rake a hand appliance for raising the tines comprising
a lever P acting on an arm Q that works in a slot or its equivalent in the cradle,
substantially as described.
3. The lever K and link N connecting the cradle to the treadle, and arranged
and operating substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
4. The locking latch T in combination with the means for raising the same,
arranged and operating substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
5. The employment of a spring or cushion W substantially as described for the
purpose of preventing concussion when the pawl falls.
6. The combination with the pedal levers Y, Y of the shaft Y' cranked at Y'
to engage with said levers, and the hand lever Y fixed on said shaft, substantially
as described, and for the purpose specified.
7. A horse rake constructed substantially as described with reference to either
of the forms or modifications herein described and illustrated by the drawings, and
operating as, and for the purposes, specified.
Dated this 20th day of April 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.