Improvements in the Construction of Machines for Raking and Collecting Hay and such like Material.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 26th Oct., 1888
DESSOUVE
Improvements in the Construction of Machines for Raking and
Collecting Hay and such like Material.
We, JOHN GIFFORD of Coombe Farın Sherbourne, in the county of Dorset, Farmer,
and EDWARD GIFFORD of 48 Thorne Road, South Lambeth, in the county of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of machines for
raking and collecting hay and such like material, and has for its object to provide an
efficient implement which will deposit the material collected in a more convenient
In rakes and
manner than heretofore, and without manual assistance while at work.
collectors as generally constructed the implement is mounted on wheels and the frame
carrying the teeth or tines is arranged at right angles to the direction of travel of the
implement, and when a sufficient quantity of material has been collected by the tines,
it is necessary to raise them manually to release the material which is then deposited
in a line also at right angles to the direction of travel of the implement by this
method certain delays and economic objections arise.
According to our invention the implement is mounted on wheels as usual, but
instead of disposing the frame carrying the tines at right angles to the line of travel of
the implement as described, we dispose it diagonally at a suitable angle thereto. The
tines are all arranged parallel with the line of travel and are fixed at the required
angle on sleeves mounted loosely, independent of each other, upon a shaft running
the full diagonal width of the implement so that the tines can automatically adapt
The fore end of each tine in
themselves to surface inequalities in the usual manner.
front of its centreing sleeve is extended and a depressing bar provided acting upon all
the extensions by suitable hand gear, so that the whole of the tines may be simul-
taneously raised when desired for travelling or other purposes.
In combination with a frame thus diagonally disposed and carrying tines we provide
a diagonal collector exteuding the full diagonal width of the implement. It may be
formed of sheet metal (preferably corrugated iron) or other suitable material, and

page_text: fitted concentrically within and following the same curve as the tines, but terminating
at a suitable distance above the ends of the tines and the ground level.
The collector may be fixed by suitable connections on the same sleeves as carry the
tines or teeth, or it may be mounted upon a separate shaft extending the full diagonal
wi 'th of the implement it is provided with suitable hand gear for raising it when
desired. The collector receives the hay or material raked together by the tines and
as it becomes filled the material passing to and escaping from the rearmost open end is
deposited in a line parallel to the line of travel of the implement.
By this arrangement no manual raising of the tines or collector during work is
required and the aforesaid delays and inconveniences attending the use of rakes
constructed on the ordinary principle is avoided.
The shafts carrying the tines and the collector are supported in and surrounded by
a frame provided with the usual yokes, seat for driver, shaft for horse, wheel bearings,
and other attachments.
By J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Patent Agent.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Machines for Raking and
Collecting Hay and such like Material.
We JOHN GIFFORD, of Coombe Farm, Sherbourne, in the county of Dorset, Farmer,
and EDWARD GIFFORD, of 48 Thorne Road, South Lambeth in the county of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner tlie
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of machines for
raking and collecting hay and such like material and has for its object to provide an
efficient implement which will deposit the material collected in a more convenient
manner than heretofore, and without manual assistance while at work. In rakes and
collectors as generally constructed the implement is mounted on wheels and the frame
carrying the teeth or tines is arranged at right angles to the direction of travel of the
implement, and when a sufficient quantity of material has been collected by the tines
it is necessary to raise them manually to release the material which is then deposited
in a line also at right angles to the direction of travel of the implement; by this
method certain delays and economic objections arise.
According to our invention the implement is mounted on wheels as usual but
instead of disposing the frame carrying the tines at right angles to the line of travel
of the implement as described, we dispose it diagonally at a suitable angle thereto.
The tines are all arranged parallel with the line of travel and are fixed at the required
angle on sleeves mounted loosely, independent of each other, upon a shaft running the
full diagonal width of the implement so that the tines can automatically adapt
themselves to surface inequalities in the usual manner.
A rake constructed in accordance with our improvements is illustrated in the
annexed drawings which we will now fully describe in reference thereto.
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 is an elevation, Figure 3 is a front end elevation with
tines removed. The remaining figures are details bereinafter referred to, and in all
the figures like letters indicate like parts.
In figure 1 SS are the horse shafts and W. W the carrying wheels; the arrow
indicates the direction of travel of the implement. In the drawings the rake R is
shown disposed at an angle of fifty degrees with the line of travel of the implement
which angle we have found to be advantageons, but it is to be understood that this is
not arbitrary and any suitable angle more or less may be adopted without departing
from the invention. The framing is preferably made of wrought iron bars and is
supported by the carrying wheels W. W and may be conveniently arranged as shown.
To the front diagonal bar A the horse shaft fraque and connections for drivers:

page_text: seat etc. are attached, and either end is fixed into a casting a a¹ of suitable shape
hereinafter referred to. From one of these castings the bar B is carried around the
leading end of the rake R and extended as far as desirable to the rear thereof, the
bars A and B being connected by the strong bridges or yokes bb. Instead of
the castings a a' the frame may be built up if desired.
To the bars A and B the bracket pieces wware fixed and arranged to serve as
bearings for the wheels W W figures 4 and 5, and the whole frame is tied strongly
and firmly together by the transverse bridge voke E. The aforesaid castings a a¹
serve also as bearings for the diagonal time shaft T. which is also supported at intervals
by suitable attachments; upon the shaft T are mounted end to end the sleeves t
figures 1 and 6. Figure 7 is an enlarged plan of a single sleeve t upon one end of
which the part is turned flat and carries the loose fitting eye piece figures 8 and 9.
To this eye piece 2 the tine is fixed preferably with a socket and screw as illustrated
so as to be readily removable. The angle of the part with the centre line of the
sleeve is such that when the sleeves are in position on the tine shaft T the line of all
the tines is parallel to the direction of their intended travel.
7'
The rake R is made up of any desired number of tines the length of the sleeves t
determining the spacing apart thereof, and the tines may be made of the same curvature
and dimensions so as to form a parallel sided rake from end to end; but we find it
more advantageous to gradually decrease the size of the tines from the trailing end of the
rake to the leading end as we have illustrated, thereby saving weight and material and
at the same time facilitating the delivery of the material collected. In combination
with a frame and times this diagonally disposed we may in certain cases provide a
diagonal collector extending the full diagonal width of the implement, such a collector
may be of sheet metal (preferably of iron and corrugated in the direction of its length)
fitted concentrically within the tines but terminating at a suitable distance from the
end of the tines and the ground level.
Such a collector may be fixed to suitable L or Tirons holted or rivetted to lugs
cast on the same sleeves as carry the tines, and consequently works upon the same
centre or it may be mounted upon a separate shaft extending the full diagonal width
of the implement, and provided with any suitable hand gear for raising it when
desired. The collector receives the hay or material raked together by the tines and
as it becomes filled the material passing to and escaping from the rearmost open end
is deposited in a line parallel to the line of travel of the implement. We do not
however find that the collector is required and we prefer as a rule to dispense with it
and use the implement as illustrated.
By the above described arrangement no manual raising of the tines or collector
during work is actually required as the material collected will readily pass away this
being assisted, especially where no collector is used, by the vibration or "jump" of
the tines passing over surface inequalities. Thus by our invention the aforesaid delays
and inconveniences attending the use of rakes constructed on the ordinary principle
are effectually avoided.
We have not illustrated any means of raising the tines when required for travelling
or other purposes, as any of the usual mechanisms now used for this purpose may be
readily applied, and this operation forms no part of our present improvements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is -
1. A machine for raking and collecting hay and such like material having the rake
disposed diagonally at a suitable angle with the line of travel of the implement
the tines being parallel with the said line substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
2. In a machine such as described and claimed, a diagonally disposed rake with its
tines either of equal size or gradually decreasing in size from the trailing end.
substantially as and for the purposes described and illustrated.

page_text: 3. In a raking machine the combination with the herein before described diagonally
disposed tine bar and tines of a diagonal collector arranged concentrically within-the
tines substantially as described.
4. In a raking machine such as described and illustrated the construction and
arrangement of frame, diagonal tine bar, sleeves, loose eyepieces, and tines, all
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Unto
DAYS
J. C. CHAPMAN, Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C
Agent for Applicants.
Hot JAY
1000.
J. C. CHAPMAN, Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicants.