IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MINING PICKS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MINING PICKS."— A
communication from abroad by the Incorporated Washoe Tool Company,
of the City of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 27th March 1866, and dated the 30th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th October 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MINING
PICKS," to be as follows:-
The objects of this Invention are to give strength and stability to the pick.
The strength is due to the proportion of the parts, and the stability to the
method of attaching the belve or handle to the pick. The Invention is based
upon the combination of these two desiderata in one tool as a new article of
manufacture, the tool thus constructed being better, stronger, and more stable
than those heretofore made. The eye of the pick is made of an elliptical form
of an even size during its whole length, and the latter is increased and forms
a raised eye which, in addition to prolonging the grasp upon the helve, has

page_text: two other advantages, each in itself desirable, namely, 1st, increasing the
weight of metal at the middle of the tool; and, 2ndly, forming an elongation
transversely to the general trending line of the pick so as to receive the junc-
tion of each bit or end of the pick by a gradual curve instead of by an angular
or shouldered junction. The vibration of the bit of the pick in its ordinary
percussive action is ultimately expended at the point where it springs out of
the central boss or head, and the tendency to rupture at this point is both
theoretically and practically demonstrable; by a gradual mergence of the bit into
the head no absolute line of fracture is anticipated or provoked, as is the case in
the square shouldered bit, which distinctly vibrates upon the line of junction
with the central boss. The end of the helve is not split, wedged, or otherwise
spread, but is intended to fit and fill the hole per se, as does the whole length
of the portion embraced by the eye. In this connection it can be readily
withdrawn by a direct blow suitably applied upon the helve, but it withstands
in a surprising and highly satisfactory manner the jar incident to the blow
received transversely to the axis of the helve.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 "In-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MINING PICкs," being a communication
to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-

page_text: ment 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 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 William Edward Newton, 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The objects of this Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of
Mining Picks" are to construct these articles of greater strength and stability
than heretofore; the first is due to the proportion of the parts, and the second
to the method of attachment of the helve or handle to the pick; it is practi-
cally useless to endeavor to attain one without the other, for both are
necessary to a satisfactory result, and therefore the two features are combined
to produce as near a perfect result as the nature of the case will permit, a tool
thus constructed being better, stronger, and more stable than any other. I
make the eye of the pick of elliptical form of an even size throughout its
whole length and the latter is increased, as shewn in the Drawing, in which
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section taken through the eye of the pick;
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. It will be seen that the eye is
lengthened, so that in addition to prolonging the grasp upon the helve two
other advantages are obtained, each in itself desirable, namely, first, increasing
the weight of the metal at the middle of the tool; and, second, forming an
elongation transversely to the general trending line of the pick, so as to
receive the junction of each bit or end of the pick by a gradual curve instead
of by an angular or shouldered junction. The particular form given to the
end of the tool may be varied to suit the work to be done. The vibration of
the bit of the pick in its ordinary percussive action is ultimately expended at
the point where it springs out of the central boss or head, and the tendency
to rupture at this point is both theoretically and practically demonstrable. By
a gradual mergence of the bit into the head no absolute line of fracture is
anticipated or provoked, as is the case in the square shouldered bit, which
distinctly vibrates upon the line of junction with the central boss. The end of
the helve is not split, wedged, or otherwise spread, but is intended to fit and
fill the bole per se, as does the whole length of the portion embraced by the
eye; in this connection it can be readily withdrawn by a direct blow suitably
applied upon the helve, but withstands in a surprising and highly satisfactory

page_text: manner the jar incident to the blow received transversely to the axis; it is
manifest that this mode of constructing the eye and merging the bit by curved
lines into the socketed head is applicable to other tools as well as miners'
picks.
Having thus described the Invention which has been communicated
to me as aforesaid, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is, an elliptical socket the opposite sides of which are parallel to each
other, and elongated in the line of its axis, in combination with one or more
projecting arms or bits merging by curved lines into the socketed head, as
herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON (L.s.)