Improvements in Heads for Picks and other Implements.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heads for Picks and other Implements.
We, WILLIAM OWEN of 51 Mervan Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, and WILLIAM KIRKLEY BIRKINSHAW of Quarndon, Derby, in the
County of Derby, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to implements such as miners picks, hammers, hoes, axes,
and other implements of that description where the blade is secured by a shank in
a socket in the head, and is capable of being removed when required. Various
devices have been before now suggested for fixing and removing the blades in the
socket but in the present invention what is believed to be an entirely novel method
is adopted.
The head may be formed of cast steel or other suitable metal and provided with
a suitable socket or recess for the handle or shaft to which it may be secured by
rivets or in other suitable manner. The head is provided with sockets for preferably
two blades or points arranged opposite to each other each socket proper terminating
at a suitable distance short of the centre of the head, a space either entirely open or
covered in being thus left between each socket. The shank of each blade is so
tapered to correspond with the taper of the socket that entering from the outside its
inner end will pass beyond the centre of the head the knocking of the tapered
blade into the tapered socket being sufficient to hold it during work. The result
of this arrangement is that when one blade or head requires to be removed for any
purpose it may be knocked out by inserting another blade or head into the opposite
socket, the fixing in of the second blade releasing the first one by reason of the
inner ends of the two shanks meeting inside the socket head. The pick or other
implement is intended to be used as a single instrument only.
The same result could be attained by making the blade shanks shorter so as not
to reach as far as the centre of the socket head and having a loose piece at the
centre portion so that when the second blade was inserted it would strike one end of
the loose piece and drive it against the inner end of the shank of the first blade thus.
expelling it in the manner already described. Any suitable means may be adopted
to prevent the loose piece falling out as for example providing it with a slot and
passing a pin through it the pin being secured in the socket head.
Dated this 21st day of November 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heads for Picks and other Implements.
We, WILLIAM OWEN of 51 Mervan Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, and WILLIAM KIRKLEY BIRKINSHAW, of Quarndon, Derby, in the
County of Derby, Merchant, 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 relates to implements such as miners' picks hammers, hoes, axes,
and other implements of that description where the blade is secured by a shank in
:

page_text: a socket in the head, and is capable of being removed when required. Various
devices have been before now suggested for fixing and removing the blades in the
socket but in the present invention what is believed to be an entirely novel method
is adopted..
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of a blade or tool and pick-head
constructed according to this invention and
Figure 2 is a section of another form.
Like letters indicate like parts in both figures.
A is the head which may be formed of cast steel or other suitable metal and
provided with a suitable socket or recess A¹ for the handle or shaft to which it may
be secured by rivets or in other suitable manner. The head A is provided with
sockets C for preferably two blades or points arranged opposite to each other.
Each socket proper may connect directly with the other, as shown in full lines in
Figure 1, or as shown in dotted lines in that figure, it may terminate at a suitable
distance short of the centre of the head, a space or chamber C' either entirely open
or as indicated by the dotted lines covered in being thus left between the sockets ;
in either case each of the two reversely tapered sockets may be regarded as a
continuation of the other. The shank of each blade or tool D is so shaped or
tapered to fit or correspond with the taper of the socket C that, entering from the
outside, its inner end will pass beyond the centre of the head or the part which
would be occupied by the corresponding end of a blade shank fixed in the opposite
socket, the knocking of the tapered blade D into the tapered socket C being sufficient
to hold it during work. The result of this arrangement is that when one blade or
tool D requires to be removed for any purpose it may be knocked out by inserting
another blade or head into the opposite socket C, the fixing-in of the second blade
releasing the first one by reason of the inner ends of the two shanks meeting inside
the socket head. The pick or other implement is intended to be used as a single
instrument only.
As shown in Figure 2 the same result may be attained by making the shanks of
the blades or tools shorter so as not to reach as far as the centre of the socket
head A and having a loose piece or bolt E at the centre portion so that when the
second blade is inserted it will strike one end of the loose piece E and drive it
against the inner end of the shank of the first blade D thus expelling it in the
manner already described. Any suitable means may be adopted to prevent the
loose piece falling out as for example providing it with a slot E and passing a pin F
through it, the pin being secured in the socket head A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination in a tool head adapted to hold only one tool at a time of two
reversely tapered sockets such as C substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with a tool head having two reversely tapered sockets such
as C connecting with each other either directly or through a space or chamber such
as C¹ of a blade or tool having a shank to fit. the sockets the inner end of the shank
when in place projecting beyond the centre of the head or part at which would
be located the corresponding end of a tool if inserted in the other socket substan-
tially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The combination with a tool head having two reversely tapered sockets such
as C of a sliding piece or bolt such as E adapted to be driven into one socket by a
tool shank inserted in the other socket substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with a tool-head having two reversely tapered sockets such

page_text: as C of a slotted piece or bolt such as E E¹ and pin F substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of August 1893.
W. K. BIRKINSHAW.
WILLIAM OWEN.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicants.
W. K. BIRKINSHAW.
WILLIAM OWEN.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicants.