AN IMPROVEMENT IN SCYTHES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Torfi Bjarnason, of Iceland, but at present of
166, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Farmer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN SCYTHES.”
Sealed the 10th July 1874, and dated the 29th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Torfi Bjarnason at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th April 1874.
I, TORFI BJARNASON, of Iceland, but at present of 166, Buchanan
Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Farmer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of “AN IMPROVEMENT IN
SCYTHES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which relates to an improvement in scythes, has for
its object to alter the angle between the scythe blade and the ground,
which is often rendered necessary where the ground varies much in
hardness or relative declivity. This object is effected by making the
scythe blade separate from the heel, about which it is moveable at the
dock, a prolongation of the upper part of the back of the blade being
rounded to fit a circular eye in the heel, so that the edge of the blade

page_text: can be turned more or less up as required, allowing the heel always to
keep the same position in the end of the scythe handle. The blade is
fastened to the heel by a screw or or a wedge at the end of the rounded
portion which passes through the eye of the heel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Torfi Bjarnason in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, TORFI
BJARNASON, of Iceland, but at present of 166, Buchanan Street, Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, 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 Torfi Bjarnason, Her special
license that I, the said Torfi Bjarnason, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Torfi Bjarnason, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN SCYNTES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Torfi
Bjarnason, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 Torfi Bjarnason, 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, which relates to an improvement in scythes, has

page_text: .
for its object to after the angle between the scythe blade and the ground,
which is often rendered necessary when the ground varies much in
hardness or relative declivity or in condition of the sward. This object
is effected by making the scythe blade separate from and adjustable in
the heel by which it is attached to the handle.
°
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 accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figures 1, 2, and 3 are
different views of one arrangement under which the scythe blade A is
attached to the heel or stock B in accordance with my said Invention.
As shewn by these Figures the blade A is formed with a circular projec-
tion or prolongation C, which is preferably made conical and fitted into
a similarly shaped eye or socket formed in the heel B, wherein it is
secured by a tapered wedge or pin a driven through a hole in the
projection C, and bearing against a collar or ring D placed against the
side of the heel B, as shewn. By this means, on removing or driving
out the pin or wedge a the cutting edge of the blade A can be turned
more or less upwards as required according to the nature of the ground
over which the scythe is operated whilst the heel or socket B is allowed
always to maintain the same position at the end of the scythe handle, to
which it is secured in the ordinary manner.
Under another mode of securing the scythe blade A to the heel or
socket B the tapered pin or wedge is dispensed with, and a screw thread
is formed on the end of the projection or prolongation C, over which a
nut D is tightened, as shewn at Figures 4 and 5 of the Drawings.
In constructing scythes in either of the improved modes herein-before
described the lower side of the blade A and the lower side of the eye in
the heel or socket B are preferably placed on the same level, as shewn at
Figure 3, and the centre line or axis of the projection or prolongation C
is also preferably made parallel with the flat side of the blade, and if
continued forward should cross the edge of the back at a point at or
about fourteen inches from the heel B, as shewn by the dotted line b, b,
Figure 1.

page_text: The improvement in scythes constituting my said Invention is appli-
cable to all scythes irrespective of their size, and whether made entirely
of steel or of steel and iron welded together, or under other modes of
construction.
c
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I 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, rendering the blâdes of scythes adjustable or movable
(by making the blade separate from the heel by which it is attached to
the handle of the scythe) as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Torfi Bjarnason, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.