IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE TEETH OF RAKES FOR GATHERING HAY OR OTHER CUT CROPS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Pierce, of the Town and County of Wexford,
Ireland, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE TEETH OF RAKES FOR GATHERING HAY OR
OTHER CUT CROPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Pierce at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1881.
PHILIP PIERCE, of the Town and County of Wexford, Ireland. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE TEETH OF RAKES FOR
GATHERING HAY OR OTHER CUT CROPS."
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of agricultural implements
known as horse rakes with steel teeth tumblers, whereby the teeth may be easily
and expeditiously withdrawn from the barrel or replaced therein.
It is well understood that those implements are usually made with 23 or 12 teeth.
The latter being named a "gatherer" is found to be well adapted to gathering the
cut hay with winnows, but leave portions scattered over the ground owing to the
teeth being too far apart. to collect cleanly. The former, the "rake," is used to
collect this scattered portion of the crop, but is not so well suited to do the work
of the "gatherer," as the teeth being set so closely together the 'hay gets clogged
between them.
The principal object of my Invention is to so construct the "rake" that every
second tooth may be withdrawn from the centre barrel, thus expeditiously
converting the 23 tooth rake into a 12 tooth gatherer, or vice versa.
The idea of simply removing every second tooth is not new, such having often
been done, but from the manner in which the teeth are secured in the barrel (as at
present constructed) very great difficulty is experienced in replacing them;
according to my improved method of fixing the teeth any inexperienced person can
remove or replace them.
According to my Invention I provide a centre barrel of a steel tooth tumbler
horse rake, wherein the alternate teeth pass through holes in the barrel, and are
secured in the ordinary way with wedges; between each alternate tooth there is

page_text: one of the intermediate teeth which is to be withdrawn or replaced in the barrel
in exactly the same relative position; at or about the centre of this intermediate
tooth I fix a collar of iron or other suitable material, of such dimensions as will
fill a hole made in barrel. This collar has on one side a projection, and at
right angles to this projection is a groove. This groove is to receive the edge of
the wedge which is to secure the tooth in its place.
To fix the tooth it is passed into the hole in barrel, the projection of collar
passing in through the slot made to receive the wedge, and when the projection is
wholly within the barrel the tooth is turned, say, a quarter revolution, thereby
causing the groove in collar to coincide with the slot before named; if the wedge
is now driven in the tooth will be securely fixed in the barrel. The wedge fixing
itself in the groove in collar prevents any tendency of the tooth to revolve in
the barrel, and the projection being of such form at its extremities as to fit the
inside of the barrel, all tendency of the teeth to move laterally is prevented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Philip Pierce in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th August
1881.
PHILIP PIERCE, of the Town and County of Wexford, Ireland.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING THE TEETII OF RAKES FOR
GATHERING HAY OR OTHER CUT CROPS."
This Invention more particularly refers to improvements in that class of
agricultural implements known as steel tooth tumbler horse rakes whereby the
teeth may be easily and expeditiously withdrawn from from the barrel or placed
therein.
It is well understood that those implements are usually made with 23 or 12 teeth,
respectively termed gatherer or rake. The "gatherer" is found to be well adapted
to gathering the cut crop into "winnows," but leaves portions scattered over the
ground owing to the teeth being too far apart to collect cleanly. The "rake" is
used to collect the scattered portion of the crop, but is not so well suited to do the
work of the "gatherer," as the teeth being set so closely together the crop gets
clogged between them. The principal object of my Invention is to so construct
the "rake" that every second tooth may be withdrawn from the centre barrel, thus
expeditiously converting the 23 tooth rake into a 12 tooth gatherer, or vice versu.
The idea of simply removing every second tooth is not new, but from the manner
in which the teeth are secured in the barrel in rakes hitherto constructed very
great difficulty is experienced in replacing them. According to my improved
method of fixing the teeth any inexperienced person can remove or replace them.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood I will now more fully
describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 shews in plan a portion of the centre barrel of a steel tooth, tumbler
rake having the holes bored through to receive the teeth and the key ways or
slots carrying the wedges used to fix the teeth in their places. It will be observed
that every second hole is of larger diameter for the purpose hereinafter to be
explained. Figure 2 is a similar view, but with the teeth fixed in position for the
purpose of raking. A, A, A, A, are four teeeth fixed in the ordinary manner by
the wedges B, B; C, C, C, are the intermediate teeth, which are to be removable."
On each intermediate tooth, at or about the centre, I fix by shrinkage or other
approved mechanical means a tube or collar of iron or other suitable material, of such
size as will fill the hole in barrel before referred to as being of larger dimensions,
and having on one side a projection; at another part of the circumference, and
preferably at right angles to the projection, I form a channel E running parallel to
the axis of the tube, as shewn at Figure 3. The projection D is of such size as
will pass freely through the keyway or slot when the tooth having the tube or
collar fixed on it is put into the hole in the barrel, and is made of the form shewn
at Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, acting against the inner sides of the barrel as a stop to
prevent the tooth moving endways; the tooth is turned, say, a quarter revolution
so as to bring the projection D into the requisite position, that is, at right angles
to the slot. The groove E is to receive the edge of the wedge which is to secure
the tooth in its position, and I prefer to make the said groove E of a concave form,
as shewn in Figures 5 and 7, and to round the edge of the wedge to suit (or it
may be a flat or otherwise), so that when the latter is driven home the tooth cannot
revolve in its place. Figure 7 is a section through x, y, of Figure 8, which latter
is a detached view of one of the intermediate tooth attachments.
The tube or collar may be fixed in position by means of a set screw, as shewn
by the dotted lines at Figure 6. To fix the tooth it is passed into the hole in

page_text: barrel, the projection D passing in through the keyway or slot, and when the
projection D is wholly within the barrel the tooth is turned a quarter revolution,
according to this example, causing the groove or flat in tube or collar or on tooth
itself to coincide with the keyway or slot before named. If the wedge is then
driven into the slot the tooth will be securely fixed in the barrel. The wedge
fixing itself in the groove E or otherwise prevents any tendency of the tooth to
revolve in the barrel, and the projection D acting as hereinbefore explained all
tendency of the tooth to move lengthwise is prevented. Figure 9 shews the
projection D formed on the tooth itself instead of on the collar. Now in these
examples described and shewn the tooth and collar must necessarily be turned but.
a quarter of a revolution, as only in that position will the tooth be locked and in a
position to receive and be firmly secured by the wedge, but according to other
modifications, as shewn at Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13, the tooth and collar is turned
one half of a revolution.
The teeth C are formed with a collar thereon; this collar has two projections D,
one at each end, which takes against the outer circumference of the barrel a, as
shewn at Figures 10, 11, and 12. The tooth and collar, is inserted in the hole in
barrel a, in a precisely similar manner to the previously described Figures, but in
order to lock the tooth so that it shall not be liable to move lengthwise it is
necessary to turn it one half until the projections are opposite to the slot or
keyway, as shewn more clearly at Figure 10. Instead of such projections being
formed on the collar they may be formed on the teeth themselves, as shewn at
Figure 13, otherwise the operation of attaching or detaching the teeth is quite
similar, but in this case the teeth do not require such large holes in the barrel,
but in some cases where a larger hole is required to receive a tooth provided with
a collar the bearing surface is so great that the projections may be dispensed with
and the tooth locked in position by a key, as shewn at Figure 14, but I prefer to
use the projections, whether on the teeth or their collars, because they determine
the position of the teeth and ensure the points of the series of teeth being even,
otherwise considerable annoyance may be experienced in adjustinent. Figure 15
is a section of one end of a tumbler rake.
This class of rakes, and to which this Invention more particularly refers, are so
well known that it is unnecessary to give any further description of them, as my
Invention only refers to the method of and means for effecting the ready with-
drawal or vice versa of the teeth, which may be every alternate one or every third,
as may be required, or all may be removed for the purpose of packing.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this my Invention, and
in what manner the same is or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood
that I claim,--
First. The method of and means for facilitating and effecting the insertion and
locking of teeth in the centre barrel of rakes, and the withdrawal therefrom,
substantially as set forth.
Second. The employment of a projection or projections on a collar or on the tooth
itself or their equivalents for locking the said teeth in or to the barrel, and secured
to the said barrel by a wedge or pin, all in the manner substantially as described
and illustrated with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip Pierce, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
PHILIP PIERCE. (LS.)