Apparatus for Smoothing Race Courses and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Smoothing Race Courses and the like.
I, ASHTON MARLOW HEATH GARDINER of 63 Howard Street, Eccles. New
Road, Salford in the County of Lancaster, Manager, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of apparatus for smoothing race
courses and other ground that has been cut up or rendered uneven by horses running.
rapidly over it.
For this purpose upon a suitable frame I mount a number of arms or blades
arranged in one or more rows and so arranged that when the apparatus is in use
they will press upon and level the ground in advance of a set of rollers journalled
in the said frame. The arms or blades which may advantageously be made of
elastic material such as spring steel, are mounted on a rocking bar or frame
connected with springs the action of which can be adjusted so that the pressure of
the arms or blades upon the ground can be varied to suit requirement:
.
Means such for example as a lever worked by a screw, are provided for raising
the arms or blades from the ground when necessary.
The rollers may be kept clean by a suitably arranged plate or scraper.
2001
A. M. H. GARDINER,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Smoothing Race Courses and the like:
1, ASHTON MARLOW HEATH GARDINER of 63 Howard Street, Eccles New
Road, Salford, in the County of Lancashire, Manager, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention has reference to a construction of apparatus for smoothing
racecourses and other ground that has been cut up or rendered uneven by horses
running rapidly over it.
For this purpose upon a suitable frame I mount a number of arms or blades
arranged in one or more rows and so arranged that when the apparatus is in use
they will press upon and level the ground in advance of a set of rollers journalled
in the said frame. The arms or blades which may advantageously be made of
elastic material such as spring steel, are mounted on a rocking bar or frame
connected with means whereby the pressure of the arms or blades upon the ground
can be varied to suit requirement.
Means such for example as a lever worked by a screw, are provided for raising
the arms or blades from the ground when necessary.
The rollers may be kept clean by a suitably arranged plate or scraper.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section;
Fig. 2 a front view; and
Fig. 3 a rear view of apparatus constructed according to this invention.
A represents the frame of the apparatus in which are journalled the rollers A*.
B B are arms or blades fixed in a row to a rocking bar D mounted in bearings D'
that are vertically adjustable in brackets E carried by the frame A wherein the
bearings are fixed by nuts F. The bar D is connected by a link G and lever H
| Price RI

page_text: and link I to a hand lever J. This hand lever is provided with a spring catch K
arranged to work over a notched quadrant L in a manner well understood, the
arrangement being such that by operating the hand lever J the pressure of the arms
or blades B on the ground can be varied, or the arms or blades can be lifted clear
of the ground and the hand lever can be fixed in its adjusted position.
The arms or blades B are preferably formed of resilient material, for example
steel, and serve to press pieces of earth or tufts of grass that have been turned up
by horses' hoofs, back into their original position prior to the passage of the
rollers A*.
M M are weighted scrapers pivoted to the frame A and each arranged to bear
against the rearward surface of one of the rollers and keep the same clean. N is a
box or receptacle suspended by chains from the frame A so as to catch the material
removed from the rollers by the scrapers. O is a seat for the driver of the
apparatus.
The apparatus when used is drawn over the racecourse or the like after the
manner of an ordinary roller. The driver, from his seat, can see the state of
the course and can by operating the hand lever J suitably regulate the pressure of
the arms or blades B upon the ground.
It will be obvious that other means than the hand lever J and its connections
may be used for varying the pressure of the arms or blades B upon the ground
without departing from the nature of my invention. Thus the arms or blades may
be more or less rigid or unyielding and a spring may be arranged to act on the
rocking bar D to cause them to press on the ground, the force of this spring being
regulated by a screw and nut or other equivalent device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for smoothing racecourses and the like, constructed with one or
more rollers and with a number of arms or blades arranged in one or more rows in
front of the roller or rollers and provided with means whereby their lower ends can
be caused to press with more or less force upon and smooth the surface of the
ground over which the apparatus is drawn, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for smoothing racecourses and the like, constructed substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 17th day of June 1892
A. M. H. GARDINER.