An Apparatus for Destroying Weeds.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Destroying Weeds.
I, WILLIAM LEONARD BRADDON, F.R.C.S., of Ryecroft House, Cheetham Hill,
Manchester, and Sungei Ujong, Malay l'eninsula do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My apparatus for destroying weeds consists, as I prefer to construct it, of two
parts, namely a vessel to contain petroleum or like liquid fuel and to deliver
the same gradually in regulated quantity, and a. rake like tool consisting of a
long handle and a cross head which constitutes a petroleum burner in which the
liquid fuel is vaporised and at which the vapour is burnt as a sheet of flame.
The vessel containing the supply of fuel is adapted to be carried on the back
as a knapsack and a flexible pipe connects it with a passage in the handle of the
tool.
The liquid flows down into a chamber in the cross head and this being highly
heated. when the apparatus is in use vapour is formed. The vapour is caused.
to be mixed with air and to pass out through a long narrow slit or it may be a
series of perforations and being ignited it forms a flame. It is by this flame
that the weeds are destroyed and the flame replaces, or is used in combination:
with the teeth of the ordinary rake; I therefore term my new apparatus a "fire
rake." A wheel or wheels may be applied to aid in supporting the tool or for.
wheels sledge runners may be substituted.
Dated this Thirteenth day of November 1896.
An Apparatus for Destroying Weeds.
I, WILLIAM LEONARD BRADDON, F.R.C.S., of Ryecroft House, Cheetham Hill,
Manchester, and Sungei Ujong, Malay Peninsula 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:-
My apparatus for destroying weeds consists as I prefer to construct it, of two
parts, namely a vessel to contain petroleum or like liquid fuel and to deliver
the same gradually in regulated quantity, and a rake like tool consisting of a
D

page_text: long handle and a cross head which constitutes a petroleum burner in which the
liquid fuel is vaporised and at which the vapour is burnt as a sheet of flame.
The vessel containing the supply of fuel is adapted to be carried either on the
back as a knapsack with a flexible pipe connecting it with a passage in the
handle of the tool; or as a reservoir carried at the end of the handle of the rake,
close to the cross head and burners, and furnished with an air pump to force the
fluid into the burners.
The liquid flows or is forced by compressed air into a chamber in the cross
head and this being highly heated when the apparatus is in use vapour is formed.
The vapour passes out of the tube in the cross head by fine nozzles or holes, and
then is caused to be mixed with air and to pass out through a long narrow slit
or it may be a series of perforations and being ignited it forms a flame. It is
by this flame that the weeds are destroyed and the flame replaces or is used in
combination with the teeth of the ordinary rake; I therefore term my new
apparatus a "fire-rake." In order to facilitate the power to direct the flame
from the nozzles and to more effectually secure the proper admixture of air
with the vapour a sheath is placed over the vaporiser which admits air from
behind the nozzles and prevents draughts disturbing the jet of vapour from the
front. A wheel or wheels may be applied to aid in supporting the tool, or for
wheels sledge runners may be substituted.
The annexed drawings show apparatus made in accordance with this invention.
Figure 1 is a front view and Figure 2 is a side view of an apparatus in which
the oil reservoir is attached to a rod carried by the operator.
a is the rod attached by trunnions b to the reservoir c and secured to it at any
inclination by the thumb nuts done on each side. The reservoir is provided
with an air pumpe and is connected by pipes f, one at each side, to the chamber g
provided with burners h. The reservoir e may be mounted on wheels in which
case it may be of larger size.
The burners are shown to a larger scale (which is a convenient size for use)
in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6; Figure 3 is a plan, Figure 4 is a side elevation,
Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 Figure 3, and Figure 6 is a front view..
The oil flows from the chamber g through the pipes i and back through the
pipes to the orifice being vaporised in transit. These burners are of ordinary
construction and I do not claim their particular construction as part of my
invention.
Figure 7 shows another apparatus in which the rod a is attached to the chamber g
and a reservoir, which may conveniently be carried on the operator's back, is
connected to it by a flexible pipe f¹.
In the place of a series of burners I may use a crosshead as is shown in
Figures 8 and 9, of which Figure 8 is a plan partly in section, and Figure 9 is
a section on the line 9-9. The oil is supplied to the crosshead through the
pipe m, it then travels through the pipes n and n¹ to the pipe p in which are
holes g. These pipes are enclosed between two plates r r, and when the apparatus
is in use the flame issues through the openings between them.
The action of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 is as follows:-By using
the air pump e at intervals pressure is maintained in the reservoir c, the oil
issues through the pipes f f to the chamber g and thence to the burners h. A
valve, not shown, is provided in the pipes f f to regulate the flow of oil.
The other apparatus acts in a similar manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In apparatus for destroying weeds the combination of a vessel to deliver
liquid fuel and a rake like tool constituting a burner substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for destroying weeds substantially as described and shown in
The 1 and

page_text: 2. An apparatus for destroying weeds substantially as described and shown in
Figure 7.
4. A crosshead substantially as described and shown in Figures 8 and 9.
Dated this 26th day of September 1897.
WILLIAM LEONARD BRADDON.