IMPROVEMENTS IN THATCH-MAKING MACHINERY
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Osborne Reynolds, M.A., of Debach, near Wood-
bridge, in the County of Suffolk, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS
IN THATCH-MAKING MACHINERY."
Sealed the 7th February 1871, and dated the 10th August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Osborne Reynolds at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th August 1870.
I, OSBORNE REYNOLDS, M.A., of Debach, near Woodbridge, in the
County of Suffolk, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THATCH-MAKING MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the preparation or manufacture of continuous
lengths of thatch or straw mat for agricultural and other purposes, and
consists of the improvements herein described for preparing such thatch
or mat.
I separate the straw or other material to be used into as nearly as
possible equal small bundles or handfuls by hand, and place the same

page_text: side by side. I then put the first bundle or handful between two
strands of wire or string, the ends of which have been previously joined
together; I then by means of the machine herein-after described
double or twist the said wires or strings once or twice; having done this
I place a second bundle between the two strands beyond the twist just
described, and then give them another twist, and so on, repeating the
operations until the required length of thatch has been made. In some
cases I secure both ends of the bundles or handfuls of straw in this way,
and thus form a kind of mat; but for simple thatch one binding will be
generally found sufficient.
The improved machine or machinery consists of a pillar or frame,
which for convenience may be made to run upon wheels, at the top of
which I mount a short shaft; to one end of this shaft I fix two double
cross arms or four single arms at right angles to each other, and to the
other end of the said shaft a crank or handle for turning.the same. At
the opposite end of one of the double cross arms I mount two reels upon
axes parallel to that of the shaft, and upon these reels wind the wire or
other strands by which the thatch is to be bound together. At the
opposite end of the other double cross arms I fix two eyes. or ring bolts,
through which the ends of the strands are passed and secured together,
and attached to a hook or other fastener before commencing the binding
operation: By now putting a handful of straw in the "shed" or angular
opening between the strands and turning the machine, the first handful
will be secured and a second "shed" formed, in which a second handful
having been placed a second turn is given to the machine, and the
second handful is secured, and so on, until the required length is
produced, when the strands are cut and the thatch can be rolled up
for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Osborne Reynolds in the Great Seal Patent Office 3
"on the 10th February 1871.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of August, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give.
and grant unto me, the said Osborne Reynolds, Her special licence,
that I, the said Osborne Reynolds, my executors, administrators, and:
assigns, or such. others as I, the said Osborne Reynolds, 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 termi
therein expressed,, should and lawfully might make, use; exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom. of Great Britain and Ireland, the,
Cliannel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN,
THATCH-MAKING MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Osborne Reynolds, my, exccutors or administrators, by an,
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Scal. Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters;
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Osborne Reynolds, 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:-
This Invention relates, firstly; to the preparation by improved
machinery or apparatus of continuous lengths of straw or other suitable.
material in bundles or rolls, or of straw mat for thatching corn and
lay stacks and buildings, and for other useful purposes, herein-aftei
designated straw mat..
Secondly. Of improved machinery or apparatus for preparing sucli
straw mat.
Thirdly. Of an improved apparatus or appliance for raising the straw
mat to the tops of stacks, the roofs of buildings, &c.
And, fourthly. Of a new or improved broach or thatch peg for
securing the thatch in place, and of an improved ladder to be used on
the slopes of stacks, roofs of buildings, &c.

page_text: The object of my Invention is to secure a more regular and rapid
arrangement of the straw or other material used in thatching; a more
perfect securing of the thatch in place when laid, thereby producing a
better water resisting thatch in less time and at less cost than heretofore.
The straw mat may be prepared before it is wanted, during leisure time,
and can be used a second time.
The means by which I propose to carry out my said Invention are
as follows:-
Firstly. In the preparation of the straw mat I separate the straw or
other material to be used into as nearly as possible equal small bundles
or handfuls by hand, and place the same side by side; I then place the
first bundle or handful between two strands of wire or string, the ends
of which have been previously joined together. I then by means of the
machine herein-after described draw the said strands tightly around each
bundle, then double or twist the said wires or strings once or twice, and
thus secure the material in a kind of loop or mesh; having secured the
first handful I place a second bundle between the two strands, beyond
the twist or double just described, and then proceed in the same manner
as with the first bundle, and so on, repeating the operations until the
required length of straw mat has been made. In some cases I secure
both ends of the bundles or handfuls of material in this way, and thus
form a kind of mat; but for simple thatch one binding will generally be.
found sufficient, especially for conical stacks and roofs.
Secondly. My improved machine or machinery for accomplishing this
twisting or looping consists of a pillar or frame on which I mount a
short shaft; to one end of this shaft I fix two double cross arms, or four
single arms at right angles to each other, and to the other end of the
said shaft a crank or handle for turning the same; at the extremities of
two of these arms I mount or fix two reels, drums, wheels, or pullies
upon axes parallel to that of the shaft, on which reels is wound soft
wire or other strands, by which the straw mat is to be bound together.
At the opposite ends of the other cross arms I fix two ring bolts, or form
two eyes, through which the ends of the strands are passed and secured
together, and attached to a hook or other fastener in front of the frame
before commencing the binding operation. By now placing a bundle of
material in the "shed" close to the junction of the strands, and turning

page_text: the crank which actuates the machine twice round, a firm twist is given
to the strands round the material, which is at the same time.drawn
forwards towards the operator, and the strands form a second "shed,"
in which another bundle of material having been placed the crank is.
turned, as before described, and the second bundle of material is
secured; this process is repeated until the required length of straw
mat is produced, when the strands are cut and their ends secured in
any usual way. The straw mat thus produced is very flexible, and
adapted for the rapid laying of thatch; it is rolled up, and either stowed
away for future use, or used at once.
Thirdly. My improved apparatus for lifting or raising the straw mat
when made consists of an elevator or hoist, the sides or cheeks of which
are formed of two boards, between which a slide or carrier provided with
a spike at its upper end is fitted and carries one or more plats" or
lengths of straw mat. This slide is hoisted either by means of a pole or
a cord passing round a reel, drum, wheel, or pulley, fixed near the top
of and between the cheeks or sides of the hoist. When the load is
removed from the slide piece the latter is set free, when it immediately
falls by its own gravity into the position intended for receiving another
load of straw mat. This apparatus is very light and can be easily moved
from place to place, forwards or backwards, by an ordinary assistant as
the work proceeds. In connection with this apparatus for hoisting I use
a light ladder adapted for lying on the slants of the roofs to be thatched,
which is prevented from slipping down by means of spikes fixed at
intervals to the rounds or to the trees of the said ladder, which spikes
pierce or catch on to the material of the stack, roof, &c., and thereby
hold the ladder in the position required when laid upon the sloping
roof, &c.
Fourthly. My improved broach or thatch peg is formed of a piece of
straight stick or other suitable material, about three feet, more or less,
in length, pointed at one end and having a hole or eye in the other end,
through which a wire or other strand is passed, and then twisted into
a thong with a loop at its other end sufficiently large to allow another
broach to pass through it; this second broach having a wire or strand
3 affixed to it, as to the first one, which secures the looped end of the first.

page_text: in the same way as the first one; by proceeding thus with succeeding
broaches and thongs a continuous binding is formed along the length
of flat roofs and around conical ones. The broaches are driven home
in the thatch in succession through the said loops, at the same time
straining each wire or strand tightly as the broach is being driven
down.
Fig. 1 is a section of the straw mat, made as described. in the first,
part of this Specification, where A, A, A, shew the material bound in
the wire or other strand; which is twisted at B,, B, B..
Fig. 2 is a horizontal plan of the machine; Fig. 3 is a. side view of
the machinery and upper part of the frame; Fig. 4 is an end view of
the same; Fig. 5 is a front view of my new elevator; Fig. 6 is a. side.
view thereof; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan of the same; Fig. 7 is a side..
view of my improved ladder; and Fig. 8 shews my improved broach or 1
thatch peg, with the thong and loop attached. The following reference.
applies to each Figure where the index letters appear.
A, A, A, is the straw mat; B, B, &c. shew the twists of the wire or:
other strand; C, D, E, F, shew the upper portion of the frame of the
machine; is the short shaft turned by the crank h; i is the crank 2
handle; i, j, are the two arms, on which two recls k, k, are fitted, and
on which is wound the soft wire or other strand to be used in binding
the material; 1, 7, are the other two arms, which are formed with eyes 1,
through which the strand from the reels & passes; m, m, are the sides,
checks, or slide bars of the hoist frame; n, n, is the slide or carrier, 2
having a spike n' at or near the top; o is the cord for hoisting the
slide and its load, passing over the pulley o¹; o² is a small pulley for
preventing the cord falling away from the hoist when the latter is not
upright; p, p, p, p, are spikes in the ladder trees q; r is the broach or
thatch peg, having an eye ¹ in its upper end; & is the thong attached 3
thereto, having a loopt at its other end.
I hereby declare that what I claim as new, and desire to secure by
the before-mentioned in part recited Letters Patent is, the mode of and
the machinery for producing straw mat for thatching and other nurs

page_text: poses, and the means of lifting or elevating and fixing the same,
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof I, the said Osborne Reynolds, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Eighth day of February in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.