IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR EXCAVATING PEAT AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND FOR MAKING DRAINS AND TRENCHES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
[.
2.
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
C "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR EXCAVATING PEAT AND OTHER
MATERIALS, AND FOR MAKING DRAINS AND TRENCHES."-A communica
tion from abroad by Victor Phillipe Challeton, of Paris, France:
C
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd March 1874.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR EXCAVATING
PEAT AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND FOR MAKING DRAINS AND TRENCHES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improved machinery for excavating or
extracting peat or clay, and for cutting drains or tronches of any
desired depth, by the aid of which the workmen are no longer obliged
to work in the water or to pump it out. This improved machinery is

page_text: characterized by the general arrangement of its parts, its lightness of
construction, and the method of working it.
The accompanying Drawings show by way of example an arrange-
ment of the improved excavator of this Invention, Figure 1 being an
end view; Figure 2, a front view; and Figure 3, a plan of same. The
reference letters apply to all three Figures.
a, wood sleepers, upon which a rail is laid for the grooved rollers at
the front side of the machine to travel on; b, wood or metal tram for
rollers / to run on; c, framing carrying a floor or platform d; c, cross-
bars; ff, uprights; g, g, stays; h, cross bar uniting stays g; i, i, two
uprights; q, steel cutter; », rack gearing with a pinion z; 8, cage or
open framing formed of metal laths united at intervals by ties or bands.
and rivetted to cutter q; t, t, Figure 3, two perforated flaps hinged
within the cutter, and which close and retain the material contained
within the cage or frame when the extractor is raised. The cage 8, with
its cutter of pecular form indicated in the Drawing, is connected with
the machine framing by the rack ", which works in guides p, p,
extending nearly the whole height of the framing, said guides being
carried in a plate m supported by a strong iron bracket. On this plato
m is mounted part of the gearing for raising the excavator, namely,
pinion v, with its bearing u and shaft x, on which is keyed tooth wheel
y and rack pinion ; n, crank handle for raising the excavator when
loaded, on one end of which is keyed the pinion v, its other end being
counterweighted at 1 and provided with a ratchet click 2 and clutch 3
for throwing the machine out of gear, which is effected by simply
shifting the crank shaft from left to right; o, winch fixed on the
framing, by which the extractor is moved along by means of a chain or
cord, the machine being carried on rollers as before mentioned.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, 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 term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR EXCAVATING PEAT AND OTHER
MATERIALS, AND FOR MAKING DRAINS AND TRENCHES," a communicaton to me
from abroad by Victor Phillipe Challeton, of Paris, France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
:
This Invention relates to improved machinery for excavating or
extracting peat and clay, and for cutting drains or trenches of any
desired depth, by the aid of which machinery the workmen are no
longer obliged to work in the water or to pump it out. This improved
machinery is characterized by the general arrangement of its parts, its
lightness of construction, and the method of working it. It is composed
of three distinct parts, namely,—

page_text: 3rd. The mechanism by which the latter is raised and lowered and
moved horizontally. The frame may be of wood or iron, and tho
machine rests on two rails fixed on portable sleepers.
In order that my Invention may be more readily understood I have
shown in the accompanying Drawings, by way of example, an arrange-
ment of the improved excavator of this Invention, Figure 1 being an
end view; Figure 2, a front view; and Figure 3, a plan of same. The
reference letters apply to all these Figures.
a, wood sleepers, upon which a rail is laid for the grooved rollers at
the front side of the machine to travel on; b, wood or metal tram for
rollers to run on; c, framing carrying a floor or platform d; c, cross
bars; ff, uprights; g, g, stays; h, cross bar uniting stays g; i, i, two
uprights; q, steel cutter; r, rack gearing with a pinion z, having two
side flanges; s, cage or open framing formed of metal laths united at
intervals by ties or bands, and rivetted to cutter q; t, t, Figure 3, two
perforated flaps hinged within the cutter, and which close and retain the
material contained within the cage or frame when the extractor is raised.
The cages, with its cutter of peculiar form indicated in the Drawing, is
connected with the machino framing by the rack r, which works in
guides p, p, extending nearly the whole height of the framing, said
guides being carried in a plate m supported by a strong iron bracket.
On this plate m is mounted part of the gearing for raising the excavator,
namely, pinion v, with its bearing u and shaft x, on which is keyed
toothed wheel y and rack pinion z; n, crank handle for raising the
excavator when loaded, on one end of which is keyed the pinion v, its
other end being counterweighted at 1 and provided with a ratchet click
2 and clutch 3 for throwing the machine out of gear, which is effected
by simply shifting the crank shaft from left to right; o, winch fixed on
the framing, by which the extractor is moved along by means of a chain
or rope, the machine being carried on rollers having stops to limit cach
advance of the machine according to the width of the extractor. This
winch might be placed horizontally beneath the frame if preferred;
p, iron guides for the extractor. It may be readily understood that the
rails may be laid to traverse the machine forwards or backwards, as may
be required.

page_text: be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
extractor substantially as above described and represented in the Draw-
ing mounted on a frame and operated by mechanism, by which it is
raised and lowered and moved horizontally to deposit the material raised
either on the right or the left, all as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have here.
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-ninth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy
four.