Improvements in Forks, or Implements for Elevating Hay, Straw; or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL DEVITICATION,
Improvements in Forks, or Implements for Elevating Hay, Straw;
or the like.
I, WILLIAM OGLE, of Perseverance Works, Ripley, in the County of Derby,
Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in forks, or implements which are
employed in elevating hay, straw, or the like, say for example in building a
stack, the said fork being used in connection with a crane or other elevating or
lifting tackle.
In carrying out this invention the fork or implement is formed preferably
with two or more tines of suitable length, which are placed parallel to each
other and are secured to or formed integrally with a cross bar or stock. The
latter is formed with an eye, or a bracket provided with a hook or an eye is
secured thereto, to which the chain or rope of the crane or elevating tackle is
secured.
*At a suitable distance from its pointed end, each tine is formed with an hinged
or pivotted joint, so that said pointed end may be turned at right angles to the
main part or nearly so. These pointed ends are connected by links to arms secured.
to a transverse shaft, which latter is mounted in bearings secured to the cross
bar or stock.
This transverse shaft is provided with a lever by means of which the attendant
can turn said shaft, and the pointed ends of the tines may thus be simultaneously
turned at an angle with the main part as described, or returned to their normal
position again.
The pointed ends of the tines are preferably so hinged or pivotted that they
will turn inwards towards each other.
The apparatus works as follows:-
The attendant first pushes the tines (when the latter are straight) in to the
hay or straw, and then turns the pointed ends of the tines at right angles to their
main parts, by means of the lever on the transverse shaft.
This lever when the tines are in this position, engages with and is held by
a catch on the: cross bar or stock, and the bay or straw is thus retained by the
inturned ends of the tines.
The fork is then raised by the crane or elevating tackle, taking with it the
load of hay or straw which it retains. When it has reached the desired point,
the load may be released by releasing the lever from the catch and allowing the
load to fall by its own weight.
The catch which holds, the lever may be operated by a cord connected thereto
and may thus be released from below if desired.
If preferred each tine may be formed with a pointed end composed of two
parts hinged or pivotted separately to the end of the main part, the said hinged

page_text: or pivotted joints being so constructed that each part opens out in the reverse
direction to the other."
This construction is specially applicable when only one tine is used.
In an alternative arrangement I form each tine with an outer hollow casing,
and an inner part sliding within the hollow casing. The point of the tine is
formed on the latter, which projects through the end of the outer casing.
Pivotted near the point on the inner-part; are one or more links, the free ends
of which engage with the free ends of corresponding links pivotted to the end
of the hollow casing.
Each pair of links form a toggle joint, and these joints open out when the
pointed end of the inner part is drawn up to the end of the outer casing, or the
latter is pushed up to the point of the former.
With this arrangement the fork may be formed with two cross bars or stocks,
the outer hollow casing being secured to one, and the inner parts to the other.
The lifting rope or chain is preferably secured to the cross bar of the inner
parts, and the links are thus opened out automatically as the fork is raised:
Dated this 15th day of February 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Forks, or Implements for Elevating Hay, Straw,
or the like.
I, WILLIAM OGLE, of Perseverance Works, Ripley, in the County of Derby,
Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, 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 improvements in forks or implements which are
employed for elevating hay, straw, or the like, say for example in building a
stack, the said fork being used in connection with a crane or other suitable lifting
tackle.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fork or implement constructed according to
my invention, shewing the tine points turned inwards.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the points extended or straight.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation, and
Fig. 4 a side elevation showing one of the points.
Fig. 5 is a front elevation, and
Fig. 6 a side elevation showing a modification.
Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying out this invention the fork or implement is comprised of preferably.
two parallel tines A of suitable length, which are secured to or formed integrally
with a cross bar or stock B, the said tines being placed any suitable distance
apart. The cross bar or stock B is formed with one or more eyes, or brackets
provided with eyes C C, secured thereto as shown, to which the chain or rope
of the crane or lifting tackle and a guide. rope may be readily attached.
The points D are formed independently of the tines A and are pivotted thereto

page_text: at A', so that the said points may be turned inwards towards each other and
at an angle to the main part as shown in Fig. 1.
Each point D is formed of the shape shown in Figs. 3 and 4, that is, say thin
in side elevation, broad in front elevation at D', and tapering from D' to the
extreme point D2. From D¹ to D³ the point is formed with a cutting edge on one
or both sides as preferred, in order that it will cut its way and may be thus
pushed with ease into compressed or damp straw or hay. If preferred the cutting
edge or edges may be serrated.
The points D are connected at Ds by links E to arms F¹ on a transverse shaft
or bar F, which latter is mounted in bearings H on the upper ends of the tines A.
The shaft or bar F is also provided with an arm F by means of which the
attendant can turn the said shaft, and thus move the points D into either of
the two positions as shown in the drawings, that is at an angle to the tines A
as shown in Fig. 1, or in a straight line with them as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.
The points are retained in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring catch G
pivotted to the stock B, engaging with an extension F³ (see Fig. 2) of the arm F
on the shaft or bar F.
The catch G may be moved out of engagement with the arm F2 by a cord G¹
(see Fig. 1) attached to the upper end of the said catch.
The apparatus is used as follows:-
The attendant first pushes the tines A when the points D are straight, into the
hay or straw, and then turn the points D into the position shown in Fig. 1. The
fork is then raised by the crane or lifting tackle until it reaches the desired
point, when the load is released by a pull on the cord G' which releases the
arm F, and falls clear of the fork.
In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the points D are formed on the
ends of the tines A, and the load is retained on the tines by arms K pivotted on
the sides of the tines.
st
These arms K are connected to the lower end, of the links E, and are operated
in the same manner as the pivotted points D previously described.
•
In a fork or implement with three tines, the latter are each preferably placed
at one of the angles of an equilateral triangle, the stock being in this case formed
with three corresponding radial arms connected to a central boss.
In this case in place of the single shaft F, I employ three short radial shafts
each provided with an arm which is connected by a link to the pivotted point
or arm of the corresponding tine. The inner ends of the whole of these shafts
are preferably provided with bevel wheels which engages with a central bevel
wheel or pinion, actuated by a lever, so that the whole of the points may be
operated simultaneously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1
1. In a fork or implement for elevating hay straw or the like providing the
tines with points such as D having a cutting edge on one or both sides sub-
stantially as described.
2. In a fork or implement for elevating hay straw or the like the combination
with a tine A of a pivotted point such as D provided with a cutting edge on one
or both sides substantially as described.
3. In a fork or implement for elevating hay straw or the like the combination
with a tine A having a fixed point such as D with a cutting edge on one or
both sides of a pivotted arm such as K substantially as described.
4. In a fork or implement for elevating hay straw or the like, the combination
with the tines A of pivotted points such as D D a transverse shaft or bar F
provided with arms F1 connected to the said points an arm F2 for rocking the
shaft F and means for locking the said arm substantially as described..

page_text: 5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete fork
or implement for elevating hay straw or the like substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this the 14th day of November 1898.
WM. OGLE.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.