Iм- PROVEMENTS IN GARDEN AND FIELD ROLLERS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Ellis, of No. 20, High Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN GARDEN AND FIELD ROLLERS."
Sealed the 27th October 1871, and dated the 10th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Ellis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th July 1871.
I, GEORGE HENRY ELLIS, of No. 20, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN GARDEN AND FIELD ROLLERS," to be as follows:-
**
I. My improvements relate to a novel and economical mode of con-
structing garden and field rollers, whereby no lubrication is needed,
no harmful effect is produced upon them by exposure to the weather,
and they are kept free from dirt while in use.
II. In carrying out this design, instead of making the cylinders of
cast iron, I employ a non-rusting material, such as burnt clay, pottery,

page_text: or artificial stoneware, the axis being formed by or upon the same
material so as to require no lubrication.
III. I construct the cylinder of the roller in such a manner that it
may be filled and weighted with sand, and having recessed ends with
central projecting pins or axis.
IV. A suitable handle is provided to fit or draw upon the said axis,
and I dispose thereupon a moveable brush or other scraper bearing upon
the surface of the cylinder (at the will of the operator) to keep the
roller clean while at work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Henry Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY ELLIS, of No. 20, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
.Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Henry Ellis, Her special licence that I,
the said George Henry Ellis, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Henry Ellis, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN GARDEN
AND FIELD ROLLERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Henry Ellis, my executors or administrators, by an in-
strument 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 Patept,

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Henry Ellis, 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 Drawing hereto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:
1. My improvements relate to an improved and economical mode of
constructing garden and field rollers, whereby no lubrication is needed,
but little hurtful effect is produced upon them by exposure to the
weather, and they are kept free from dirt while in use.
2. In carrying out these improvements, instead of making the
cylinders of cast iron, I employ a non-oxydable material, such as burnt
clay, pottery, or artificial stone, and I form the axis of the same
material so as to require no lubrication.
3. I construct the cylinder of the roller in such a manner that it
may be filled and weighted with sand, and with recessed ends having
central projecting pins or axes.
4. A suitable handle is provided to fit or draw upon the said axes, and
I dispose thereupon a moveable brush or other scraper bearing upon the
surface of the cylinder (at the will of the operator) to keep the roller
clean while at work.
To enable my improvements to be better understood, I will more fully
describe the same by the aid of the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of my improved roller,
the handle being shewn in a perpendicular position; and Figure 2, an
end elevation of the same, the handle being in an oblique position.
a, a, is the cylinder made of a non-oxydable material, such as burnt
clay, pottery, or artificial stone; b, b, the axes formed of the same
material and in one piece with the ends c, c; d is a hole formed in one
end of the cylinder to enable the cylinder to be filled with sand or other
suitable material so as to increase its weight, the hole being then closed
by any suitable means; k, k, is the handle formed by preference of two
pieces of half-round wrought iron, each piece being made with a ring e
at one end; these rings fit over the axes b, b, which revolve therein
when the roller is moved without requiring lubrication; the pieces of
half-round iron pass up the ends and over the top of the cylinder until
they meet, when they are turned up at right angles and are formed into

page_text: aT at the top, the two parts being secured together by rivets or bolts
ff, so that the handle may be easily applied to or removed from the
· cylinder. g is the brush (or a scraper may be employed) attached to the
iron rod which passes through the eyes i, i, fixed on the handle k; the
rod has a ring handle j at the upper end by which the brush may be
made to bear upon the surface of the cylinder by the person using the
roller so as to brush the dirt therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Ellis, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand- eight hundred and seventy-one.