IMPROVEMENTS IN SPADES, SHOVELS, FORKS, HOES, AND OTHER SIMILAR DIGGING OR GARDENING IMPLEMENTS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Waycott, of Paignton, in the County of Devon,
Ironmonger, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPADES, SHOVELS, FORKS,
HOES, AND OTHER SIMILAR DIGGING OR GARDENING IMPLEMENTS."
Scaled the 25th July 1879, and dated the 28th January 1879.
.
PROVISIONAL specificatiON left by the said Robert Waycott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th January 1879.
ROBERT WAYCOTT, of Paignton, in the County of Devon, Ironmonger.
PROVEMENTS IN SPADES, SHOVELS, FORKS, HOES, AND OTHER SIMILAR DIGGING
OR GARDENING IMPLEMENTS."
"IM-
This Invention relates to an improved method of attaching or fastening spades,
shovels, forks, hoes, and other similar digging or gardening implements to their
handles, whereby the said handles are detachable from the implements, are
strengthened, and in the event of breakage, can be easily and quickly replaced.
In carrying out my improvements, instead of attaching the handle to the spade
or other implement by means of rivets or screws passing through the tang of the
implement and the wooden handle as hitherto, I form the cylindrical portion of the
handle with a hole passing axially through it, the lower end of the same being
provided with a collar or ferrule, and with a square hole at its lower end, and the
neck part of the implement is made square to fit into the said square hole, and to
the said neck I weld or fasten an iron rod which passes through the said hole in the
wooden handle, the upper end being cut with a screw thread; the upper part of the
handle is preferably constructed of a malleable iron eye fitted with a wooden cross
piece for the hand, and tapped with a female screw on its underside so as to form a
nut to screw on the tapped end of the herein before described rod, and thus hold
firmly the cylindrical wooden handle. Or the upper part of the wooden handle
may be formed as hitherto, but with a hole or eye passing transversely through its

page_text: lower part so as to allow of an ordinary screw nut being placed therein to screw on
the hereinbefore described tapped end of the rod. Or the upper part of the said
rod instead of being tapped may be formed with an eye, and a wedge or pin inay
be passed through the transverse eye or hole-in the handle, and through the eye of
the rod so as to firmly secure the same.
By this construction it will be seen that the handles of spades and other imple-
ments will be greatly strengthened by the said rod passing through them, and the
usual weakening of the said handles_by_screws_or_rivets passing through them_will
be avoided; further, should a handle break, it can be easily and quickly replaced
by a new one.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Waycott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
July 1879.
ROBERT WAYCOTT, of Paignton, in the County of Devon, Ironmonger.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SPADES, SHOVELS, FORKS, HOES, AND OTHER SIMILAR DIGGING
OR GARDENING IMPLEMENTS."
This Invention relates to an improved method of attaching or fastening spades,
shovels, forks, hoes, and other similar digging or gardening implements to their
handles, whereby the said handles are detachable from the implements, are
strengthened, and in the event of breakage, can be easily and quickly replaced.
In carrying out my improvements, instead of attaching the handle to the spade
or other implement by means of rivets or screws passing through the tang of the
implement, and the wooden handle as hitherto, I form the cylindrical portion of the
wooden handle with a hole passing axially through it, the lower end of the same
being provided with a collar or ferrule, and to the neck I weld or fasten an iron
rod or tube which passes through the said hole in the wooden handle, the upper
end being cut with a screw thread; the upper part of the handle is preferably
constructed of a malleable iron eye fitted with a wooden cross piece for the hand,
and tapped with a female screw on its underside so as to form a nut to screw on
the tapped end of the hereinbefore described rod or tube, and thus hold firmly the
cylindrical wooden handle. Or the upper part of the wooden handle may be
formed as hitherto, an ordinary screw nut being employed to screw on the herein-
before described tapped end of the rod. Or the upper part of the said rod instead
of being tapped may be formed with an eye, and a wedge or pin may be passed
through a transverse eye or hole in the handle and through the eye of the rod, so
as to firmly secure the same.
But to make my Invention better understood, I will proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is an elevation
of a spade with a malleable iron handle constructed according to my improvements;
Figure 2, part elevation, shewing my improvements applied to the ordinary
wooden handle; and Figure 3, elevation shewing the improvements applied to a
Tshaped handle.
In Figure 1, a is a cylindrical handle of wood, having a hole passing axially
through it as shewn; b is the metal collar or ferrule at the lower end of the handle
a; d is the rod (or a tube may be employed) welded or otherwise fastened to the
neck c; the said rod d passes through the said hole in the wooden handle a, the
upper end being cut with a screw thread e, onto which screws the malleable iron
eye f, fitted with a wooden cross piece g for the hand.
In Figure 2, the upper portion of the handle is shewn formed as hitherto, a nut h
screwing on the tapped end of the rod d.
In Figure 3, a T shaped handle is shewn, the nut h being sunk into the wood so
as to be flush therewith.
By these improvements it will be seen that the handles of spades and other
implements will be greatly strengthened by the said rod passing through them, and
the usual weakening of the said handle by screws or rivets passing through them
will be avoided; further, should a handle break, it can be easily and quickly
replaced by a new one.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the best means with
which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details shewn in the Drawing, as the
same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention,
but what I do claim is, -
The improvements in spades, shovels, forks, hoes, and other similar digging or

page_text: gardening implements as herein before.described, and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing.
"
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Waycott, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.