A NEW OR IMPROVED SLEIGH FOR CARRYING OR COLLECTING GRASS. HAY. AND GRain Crops
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Pattison, of Darnley Mill, in the County
kr
of Renfrew, North Britain, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
SLEIGH FOR CARRYING OR COLLECTING GRASS. HAY. AND GRain Crops.”
Sealed the 2nd October 1874, and dated the 17th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Pattison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th June 1874.
I, JAMES PATTISON, of Darnley Mill, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"A NEW OR IMPROVED SLEIGH FOR CARRYING OR COLLECTING GRASS, HAY, AND
GRAIN CROPS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention which relates to a new or improved sleigh for carrying
or collecting grass, hay, or grain crops, consists of a framing carried on
trams or wheels, and upon which it rests so as to be drawn over the
ground by horses. A portion of the upper part or platform of the sleigh
or that upon which the crops to be collected are carried is hinged to the
front end of the framing; this portion preferably consisting of a series

page_text: of parallel bars which can be raised to the level of the framing of the
sleigh or by withdrawing a bar, lowered so that their hind ends may
rest on the ground. When the crop is being placed or carried on the
sleigh, the moveable portion is raised up to the level of the framing, but
when the load is brought to the place where it is to be deposited the
moveable portion is lowered so that it forms an inclined plane, thus
enabling the sleigh to be easily withdrawn from beneath the load, and at
once depositing the load at the place desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Pattison in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PATTISON, of Darnley Mill, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Seventeenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
37th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Pattison, Her special license
that I, the said James Pattison, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Pattison, my executors,
administrators, or 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 "A NEW OR
IMPROVED SLEIGH FOR CARRYING OR COLLECTING GRASS, HAY, AND GRAIN CROPS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Pattison,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Pattison, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to a new or improved sleigh or carriage
intended to facilitate the collecting and discharging of grass, hay, and
grain crops. It consists of a framing supported upon trams or wheels,
the
upper part of the said framing being composed of moveable bars
hinged or otherwise attached to the front or other portion of the
framing, the said bars constituting a platform upon which the crops to
be collected are placed.
.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is, or may be used, or practically carried
into effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheets of Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the annexed Drawings is a vertical section of a
sleigh or carriage more especially adapted for field use, and constructed
in accordance with my Invention, Figure 2 being a plan of the
same.
Although the Drawings represent the sleigh or carriage constituting
my Invention as carried upon wheels A, it. is to be understood that it
may also be supported upon trams as indicated by the dotted lines a,
Figure 1.
<
The carriage is composed, as shewn, of two fixed side bars B which
are tied together at the front ends by cross bars C, D, the bars C, D, and
front portion of the framing being covered or cross clad " by means of
boarding E; shorter fixed bars F are placed parallel to the two fixed side
bars B, the wheels A running between the bars F and B upon axles G,
which are fixed to the said bars by brackets H. In order to shield the
wheels A from the load upon the carriage, the space between the bars B
and F is covered over with boarding I or other suitable material.
The moveable bars J are hinged at one end to a pivot bar K extending
across the frame and situate beneath the boarding E, whilst their other
ends are supported at the same level by means of a cross bar L, which
cross bar L is supported at each end by the fixed side bars B, and held

page_text: in position by means of skewers or bolts M. which pass through the
bar L, and also through staples fixed to the side bars B. In order to
extend the shorter bars F to the back of the carriage moveable bars N
are hinged to the ends of the said bars F, the opposite ends of the bars N
resting upon the hind cross bar L.
Figure 3 is a plan of a carriage or sleigh similar to that hercin-beforc
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that
the wheels A are fixed to the axle instead of revolving thereon, and the
fixed side bars B are made double, the wheels A running between. The
inner side bars B may either be stopped after passing the wheels, and
joined by cross pieces to the outer bars, as shewn on the Drawings, or
they may be prolonged to the back of the carriage as indicated in dotted
lines marked b, or the inner and outer bars may be made to converge
towards each other or towards a central bar.
In operating with the sleigh or carriage herein-before described the
load is built or deposited upon the framing, while the moveable bars J
and N are in the position shewn in full at Figure 1 of the Drawings.
When it is wished to drop the load in any required position the hind
cross bar L is removed after withdrawing the skewers or bolts M, when
the moveable bars drop into the position indicated in dotted lines at
Figure 1 of the Drawings, thus bringing these portions of the load.
between and outside of the bars in contact with the earth, and presenting
an inclined plane down which the load slips as the sleigh is withdrawn
from beneath it, leaving the load upon the ground.
In lieu of hinging the moveable bars J to a pivot bar as hercin-before
described they may be attached to the front of the framing by means of
chains or ropes with a sufficiency of slack allowed to permit the bars
when lowered to slide a certain distance with the load, whereby
their angle with the ground is decreased and their withdrawal from
beneath the load rendered more easy.
Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sections of a carriage more especially
adapted to the conveyance of crops upon roads, and for general purposes;
Figure 6 is a plan of the same. The modification of my Invention
illustrated by these Figures is provided, as shewn, with a large size of
wheels A which revolve upon or are fixed to an axle B carried in
bearings secured to the fixed bars C, which in this case are merely

page_text: continuations of the trams or shafts, whereby a horse may be harnessed
to the carriage.
In order to shield the wheels from the load they are provided with
box covers D which may be fixed, but which are preferably made
moveable and hinged or otherwise coupled to fixed bars E, which extend
from the front of the framing to within a short distance from the vertical
planc in which the axis of the wheels A is situated, or instead of
hinging the box covers D to the fixed bars E, as shewn, they may be
secured to the front of the carriage by a rope or chain and allowed to
slide over the bars E with the load; in which case the bars E may be
provided with rollers to lessen the consequent friction. The moveable
bars F are hinged to a bar or rod G, and their other ends rest on a hind
cross bar H which is attached by tongues I to the ends of the fixed
bars C.
A portion of the front of the framing is covered with boarding
similarly to Figures 1, 2, and 3, as herein-before described.
In unloading the hind cross bar H is removed, allowing the moveable
bars F and box covers D to fall into the position indicated by the dotted
lines at Figure 4, and (in reference to the box covers D) in full lines at
Figure 5, whereupon the load on the inclined plane thus presented to it
allows the carriage to be drawn from beneath it, and the load becomes
deposited on the ground. As has been already said with reference to
Figures 1, 2, and 3, the moveable bars F need not necessarily be hinged
to the framing as herein-before described, but may be attached to the
front thereof by means of chains or ropes, having sufficient slack to
allow the bars to slide a certain distance with the load. I may here
remark however, that the moveable bars may be in this case prolonged
to the front of the framing, and placed above or below the covered front
of the sleigh or carriage.
Figure 7 is a vertical section of a carriage provided with four wheels,
and having fixed box covers B to shield the larger wheels A. The
smaller front wheels C may be situated beneath a projection of the
framing, as shewn on the Drawing, or they may be placed beneath the
front portion of the framing itself. The box covers B, shewn at this
Figure, project to the front portion of the framing similarly to those
herein before described, but are not prolonged to the hind bar, and
instead of being moveable they are attached to the fixed side bars D.

page_text: carriage their tops are sloped or inclined at an angle similar to that
assumed by the moveable bars E upon the removal of the hind cross
bar F. The wheels A run upon studs attached to brackets G secured to
the side bars D, but a through axle may be employed to connect the
smaller wheels C.
Figure 8 is a plan of a carriage provided with box covers fixed and
constructed similarly to those described with reference to Figure 7.
The wheels A. are carried upon an axle B extending across and beneath
the frame, and to prevent loose ends of the load from jutting through or
between the bars' and becoming entangled with the axle (when a
revolving axle is used), any number of short fixed bars C may be placed
between the moveable bars D, having their front ends fixed to the front
portion of the frame, and their other ends supported upon the axle B;
or in lieu of these bars cloths or any suitable covering may be used to
prevent ends of the load from jutting through and becoming entangled
with the axle or sweeping or dragging on the roads or fields.
Instead of constructing my improved sleigh or carriage with moveable
bars hinged to or pivotted on the framing as herein-before described, the
said bars may be fixed to the front portion of the framing and made
sufficiently elastic to bend to the ground with the load upon the removal
of the cross hind bar, or they may be made immoveable, and the whole
body of the sleigh or carriage "tipped" or canted backwards sufficiently
to allow the load to slip to the ground. Chains or ropes may also be
substituted for the said bars.
Sheet 2 of the annexed Drawings exhibits other modifications of
which my Invention is susceptible. Figure 1 on the said Sheet is a plan
of a sleigh capable of being removed from the load in parts, and whereby
the said removal is rendered more easy than if the whole body of the
sleigh had to be pulled from beneath the load at once. It consists of a
centre piece A which may be composed of bars or may be boarded over
so as to present a flat surface, as shown on the Drawings. The centre
piece A is fixed to the front portion B of the sleigh, and on each side of
the said front portion B, and secured thereto by skewers or bolts C are
side pieces D, the opposite ends of which rest upon a cross hind bar E,
whereby they are upheld from the ground.

page_text: When unloading the hind bar E is removed and the skewers or
bolts C. withdrawn, and on traction being applied to the front
portion B it is drawn from beneath the load taking with it the centre
piece A, but leaving the side pieces D which are afterwards pulled from
beneath the load by chains or ropes F, Figure 2, connecting the said side.
picces D to the front B. As shewn on the Drawings the said connecting
chains or ropes F may be made of different lengths, so that the side
pieces D are pulled from beneath the load one at a time.
In lieu of fixing the centre piece to the front, as herein-before
described, the side pieces or one of the side pieces may be so fixed and
the centre piece left loose, and instead of the sleigh being constructed
in three pieces, as shewn on the Drawings, any other suitable number
of pieces may be employed.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, is a plan of another modification of sleigh or
carriage. It consists of a frame A with a covered front B, upon which,
and also upon the hind cross bar C a detachable platform D rests, the
back or after end of which drops to the ground upon the removal of the
hind bar C; the frame A and front B are then drawn away leaving the
load resting partly on the ground and partly on the platform D.
The platform D is taken from beneath the load by drawing it out,
either in the same direction as the frame A and front B, or in an opposite
direction or at one side.
'
Figure 4, Sheet 2, shows another method of removing the load from
the sleigh, which consists in forming the platform whereon the load
rests of any number of straight or wedge-shaped planks A, one only
being shewn resting at each end upon the fixed side beams B. To
remove the load the portions A may be withdrawn from the sides, and
the load allowed to drop on the ground.
Also in lieu of employing flat planks or bars A, as aforesaid, circular
or other shaped bars C may be employed resting upon or thrust through
the fixed side beams B, on the withdrawal of which the load sinks to the
ground.
By means of my improved slcigh the collecting of crops may be
effected with considerable rapidity, as the crop may at once be built
into ricks or mows upon the sleigh (it being made sufficiently large) in
the field, and which is then drawn with the rick or mow built on it to the
rick yard or to any suitable part of the field where it is deposited in the

page_text: built state by drawing the sleigh from beneath it, and thus considerable
time is saved.
Having now described and particularly ascertained some of the
modifications of which my Invention is capable, I would now observe
that I do not restrict myself to the shape of sleigh, carriage, or bars
applied thereto as herein-before described and shewn upon the appended
Drawings, as it is obvious that such may be constructed of any desired
shape, circular, square, oblong, or polygonal, nor to the number of
wheels to be employed or to the positions of the same, nor to the
manner of hinging, pivotting, or otherwise attaching the bars or box
covers, as it is obvious that these details may be considerably varied;
what however I do consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement and construction of sleigh or carriage with a
moveable platform, whether consisting of a scries of open bars or of a
covered surface, the said platform being capable of being raised and
lowered, and which when lowered either brings the load into immediate
contact with the ground or presents an inclined plane, so that the sleigh
or carriage may be drawn from beneath the load, which is at once deposited
on the ground substantially as herein-before described and shewn.
Second. The arrangement and construction of sleigh or carriage with
a platform consisting of two, three, or any greater number of parts or
bars by removing, detaching, or partially detaching which the deposition
of the load upon the ground is at once effected, as herein-before described
and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Pattison, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December,. One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.