IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON HURDLES
Year: 1885

page_text: JOSEPH JOHN CORBETT West Mustow House Stone near Kidderminster Land
Surveyor Assistant Overseer Agricultural Implement maker etc. in the Parish of
Chaddesley Corbett and County of Worcester do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON HURDLES to be as follows:-
Each hurdle to consist of as many vertical horizontal and diagonal or oblique
bars of any convenient section, and any suitable length and strength, but instead
of the horizontal bars entering the vertical bars, as under any of the present forms,
both are to be made with round holes to receive rivits of sufficient strength to
hold same fast together. Both sides or heads of rivits to be made or formed at one
operation or otherwise. The diagonal or oblique bar will complete the rigidity of
the hurdle. The diagonal bars may, when desired be attached to hurdle with one
rivit and screwbolts so as to be quickly detached and allow the hurdle to be closed
for the convenience of carriage and to facilitate repairs as a broken foot may easily
be welded on without further separating parts. The advantage over present make
of hurdles will be to reduce first cost, because a complete hurdle can be made cold,
It will reduce the cost of repairs more considerably, as a broken rivit (which is
the most common failing in hurdles) can be replaced there and then by any
ordinary inteligent farm laborer without removing the hurdle, and if a vertical or
horizontal bar is broken access for re welding will be much simplified.
Having had over 20 years experience among iron hurdles I feel confident nearly
fifty per cent. will be saved in repairing these hurdles.
A simple plan enclosed herewith.

page_text: Improvements in from purus.
JOSEPH JOHN CORBETT West Mustow, near Kidderminster, Land Surveyor
Assistant Overseer, Agricultural Implement maker etc. in the Parish of Chaddesley
Corbett in the County of Worcester do hereby declare the nature of any invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON HURDLES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
Each hurdle to consist of or contain as many vertical horizontal and diagonal or
oblique bars of any suitable section and length according to the particular purpose
any respective lot may be required for, say whether for fence against sheep or
cattle either requiring a lighter or stronger fence and for such other general
purposes as iron hurdles are made for, but instead of the horizontal bars, being
attached or fastened to the vertical bars or heads by entering the ends into the
upright bars or heads both are to be made with round or other formed holes to
receive rivets of sufficient strength to hold the two fast together, the diagonal bar
will fix and preserve the hurdle in its rectangular position and effectually prevent
the peculiar strain to which hurdles are so subject or liable, that is when a hurdle
being fixed in the ground, one end is lifted out a very great strain is put on the
rivet heads formed on the end of the horizontal bars as also on the head of hurdle
against its weakest section and with no other stay or support only the rivet on
end of bar which is acted upon as if with as many levers for the purpose of either
bursting them from the head or vertical bar or bending the latter generally ending
in a breakage before many times so setting and lifting each hurdle.
To make the improved hurdle it is only necessary to fix the length, heights,
sectional strength and number of bars to be in each, then a model or pattern can
be made which will give the correct distances of all the necessary holes to be
punched, then cut or press off pieces of iron guaged to a fixed length which pieces
can be driven through the bars as placed ready for riveting just so far as is
sufficient to form a head on each side, it being prevented going further through by
a tool prepared for the purpose, then with a blow of sufficient force it becomes fast
and after being turned over the other side receiving a similar blow to finish.
The following specifications with such an elevation drawing as was sent with
provisional or first application should be sufficient instruction to any operative to
produce these hurdles.
Required a hurdle six feet long by three feet six inches high including feet, to
have in it four horizontal bars, 6 ft. long each, by one inch, by inch sec. two
beads or vertical bars, three feet six inches high each by 11in xin. sec. and one
diagonal bar of 1 in. x in. sec.
The first or uppermost bar to be placed 24 inches from top of vertical bar to
centre of rivet, the second bar to be 10 inches from the first, the third bar 8 inches
from second bar, and the fourth 6 inches from the third, the remainder of head or
vertical bar to form the foot and to be pointed, the heads to be punched at the
required distances through their in. sections with in. punch, the horizontal bars
to be punched with punch through their in. sections, and the diagonal bara

page_text: through their in. sections, the latter so that they lie flat against the side of hurdle
extending diagonally across the middle of hurdle to the extent of one third of the
hurdle's whole length, the whole then to be fastened together with fin. rivets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
That while these hurdles can be made, cold, either by hand or machine power
rapidly they are when finished so fixed by the diagonal bar that they cannot
become rickety as others do, that in setting and lifting, one end can be raised
while the other is still in the ground, which latter so easily cuts its way with the
radial motion that with the rigidity given by the diagonal bar, these hurdles can
be quickly torn up and loaded in such a manner as would be very damaging to
others with very much less risk of damage, and while a breakage is only now to be
expected from actual accident instead of the consequence of ordinary use, and
whenever a bar or rivet is broken access for repairs is very much simplified there-
fore together a very great saving in repairs is a certain consequence to the users of
these improved hurdles.