IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH MACHINES FOR SYRINGING OR WASHING THE LEAVES OF PLANTS PARTICULARLY THOSE OF THE HOP AND GRAPE VINE
Year: 1885

page_text: We JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE and RICHARD MUIRHEAD both of Maidstone in the
County of Kent, Mechanical Engineers do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH MACHINES FOR SYRINGING OR
WASHING THE LEAVES OF PLANTS PARTICULARLY THOSE OF THE HOP AND GRAPE
VINE" to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to arrange certain detail improvements in or to
the machine patented by us on the twenty seventh day of June 1882 and
numbered 3037 by which a more effective action of various parts can be obtained,
and consists of:-
First. Making the brackets or frames which carry the jet pipes slotted or
grooved so that the pipes can be adjusted vertically to suit varying distances
between them.
Secondly. Removing the outer portion of the pipe clip band so that no projection
exists outside the pipe itself to prevent the bine being torn while the machine is
moving along the alley.
Thirdly. Making a jet pipe clip with two arms like the jaws of a vice from a
pronged shaped metal the two jaws being drawn towards each other by bolts and
nuts and without an extension beyond the circumference of the pipe.
Fourthly. Arranging the suction pipe under the tank and fitting a removable
plug at one end and a kind of well at the other with a strainer above provided
with a rod by which it can be lifted when the tank has to be cleaned out.
Fifthly. Hanging the shafts from the near side only of the vehicle and tem-
porarilly attaching them to the other side, which when released enables the horse
to draw from one side only when the machine has to be turned at the headlands.
Sixthly. Making the shafts with springy or jointed fore ends whose points can
be attached to, say, the Horses collar to prevent Hop poles being caught between.
Tholl

page_text: Hop and Grape Vine.
We JAMES ARTHUR DRAKE and RICHARD MUIRHEAD both of Maidstone in the
county of Kent, Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
.
The object of our invention is to arrange certain detail improvements in or to
the machine patented by us on the Twenty seventh day of June 1882 and
numbered 3037.
In machines constructed according to our former specification the jet pipes were
described as adjustable horizontally to suit the width of the alley between the
Hop poles and also capable to be set at any desired angle, but no provision was
made to enable said pipes to be raised or lowered. Now according to the first
detail improvement of our present invention which we show at A Figure 1 of the
annexed drawings the side brackets A which support the jet pipes are slotted or
formed with grooves so that the pipes can be shifted to bring them close together
or to arrange them as desired and be secured by bolt nuts.
The next or second detail improvement is in the clips or carriers B which
actually support the jet pipes 23 from the brackets A. We cut off the projecting
part C of the band or ring of the clip B which holds the pipe 23 as indicated by
dotted lines in Figure 2 and either leave the ends or turn them slightly inwards as
at D, D, Figure 3 or we make new clips of corresponding shape as shown at
Figure 3 the two ends clipping the pipe by two points of contact instead of by one
only thus securing the pipe more firmly and at the same time without having any
projection beyond the outer circle of the pipe.
The third detail improvement is a novel clipping appliance for the jet pipes, the
appliances being so made that it, with the pipe can be adjusted towards or from
the machine or be set at any desired angle for the jets to be directed. This is
represented at Figure 4 of the drawings and applied to the slotted or grooved
bracket A in Figure 1. The appliance is composed of two limbs E, E, having at
one end a pair of jaws F, F, like those of a vice which by means of the bolt G and
nut H grip the pipe on the upper and lower surfaces only without projecting
beyond the outer circle of the pipe horizontally. The space I between the two
limbs E, E, of the clip forms a slot through which the bolt J passes to hold the clip
to the vertical slotted frame or bracket A. The space I allows of the clip being
drawn in or out horizontally as will be understood by referring to Figure 1.
By the double means of adjustment thus provided by the slot in the bracket A
being at right angles to that of the clips the jets can be directed to play upon any
part of the plant whether in à vertical, horizontal or angular direction and all or
any of them concentrated upon and brought trearer to any part of the plant that
may be affected with blight."
By adopting either of the above or equivalent devices if the machine should
come in contact with a pole there will be no rough projection to cut or injure the

page_text: bine or drag it from the pole. The pipes act in their subsidiary office as wheel-
guards will prevent the wheels from coming in contact with the poles and enable
the machine to slide or glide smoothly past without causing injury to either plant
or pole.
The fourth detail improvement relates to a novel manner of arranging the
suction pipe and strainer to a hop or plant syringing machine to obtain an effective
means of cleaning the auction and also for emptying the tank. This is clearly
shown at Figure 5 of the drawings.
On the bottom of the tank 20, outside, we attach a small box or well K having
an open top towards the tank, that part of the tank being cut out to afford free
communication between the tank 20 and the box or well K which then practically
becomes a part of the tank. In the opening thus formed over the top of the well
we fit a strainer of perforated metal or wire gauze L through which all the liquid
must pass on its way to the pumps 22 a small rod or wire M is attached to the
strainer L by which the latter can be easily taken out for cleaning and replaced
while the tank is full of liquor.
The suction pipe N from the pumps is connected to the well as shown by
Figure 5. A plug P is provided at the end of the suction pipe by removing which
the same can be thoroughly cleaned out and the tank entirely emptied.
The fifth detail improvement relates to hanging the shafts as by a hinge joint
from one side only viz the near side of the machine like a crane jib and to
temporarily connecting the shafts to the other side.
In the specification of our previous patent already alluded to we pointed out the
advantages of drawing these machine by shafts instead of traces but as in most
cases there is not sufficient width between the rows of hop poles to allow of a
machine so constructed being turned round in the alley we described a method of
construction and working in which the shafts were made detachable from the
machine in order to facilitate the turning of same. In working according to that
method after the horse had been uncoupled and taken the shafts with him attached
by the harness the man in charge had to turn the machine round by means of the
handles. As however owing to the weight of water in the machine and the soft
nature of the ground on which they work the man was sometimes unable to turn
the machine round and much valuable time was consequently lost at the headlands.
Instead therefore of making the shafts merely detachable we make them pivotted
at one side and semi-detachable from the other preferably according to the plan X
shown at Figure 6 and 7 of the annexed drawings, so that they can turn or swing
like a gate. On the other side of the machine there is a socket or equivalent
contrivance fitted with a pawl, catch or detent Q shown more particularly at
Figures 8 and. 9, which may be either pressed forward by a spring R or not
according to circumstances or operated by a lever or rod S within reach and under
the control of the man in charge or of the driver.
By this improvement when the machine arrives at the headland and it is
necessary to turn it round the man in charge moves the lever S which withdraws
the catch or pawl Q say on the right side to disconnect the right hand side of the
shafts at the back the horse then begins to turn to the left and in so doing partly
draws the machine round the shafts at the same time turning on the hinge or pivot
and pulling the machine by the left hand corner only. When the shafts arrive at
a certain angle is determined by the length of the piece of chain T on the off side
the machine is completely drawn round by the horse into the other alley and the
shafts are again returned to a straight line with the machine the catch or pawl
taking hold ready for another journey.
According to the sixth detail improvement we construct each shaft in two parts,
the fore ends being distinct from but so connected to the hinder parts that the
extreme fore ends may take a position in, on, or close to the collar of the horse.
According to the usual method of constructing shafts, each shaft is of one length
of wood or iron and the horse draws the machine by a short piece of chain or
chains extending from the hames on either side of the collar to a staple or staples

page_text: fixed a short distance, say 12 to 18 inches back from the points of the shafts.
The ends of the shafts stand out away from the horse and are left projecting
beyond the point of draught or attachment this plan causes no inconvenience in an
open field or road, but in the narrow alleys of a hop garden it is very objectionable
on account of the liability of the ends coming into contact with and get behind
the poles particularly when in the act of turning as previously described. To
obviate this inconvenience we do away with the projecting ends of the shafts by
cutting them off at or near the place where the draught hooks or staples are
situated and we purpose employing a strong spiral spring or springs (one to each
side) as at U U Figures 6 and 7 which form as it were on each side a prolongation
or continuation of the shaft, but being perfectly flexible instead of rigid can easily
be bent either upwards, downwards or inwards towards the horses collar and
coupled permanently thereto with a bolt, pin, hook, link or other connection.
Instead of the springs ends or fore shafts V can be jointed to the shafts W, W,
and connected to the horses collar or hames as at Figure 10 and with or without
hames guards thus no space will be left between the horses shoulder and the shaft
for a hop pole to get into.
The tractive power of the horse being transmitted through these spiral springs
or ends the machine will not be subjected to any sudden strains by the snatching
or jerking of the horse and the horse also will in his turn be spared some of the
jarring caused by the roughness of the ground over which the machines have to be
drawn.
The draught may be from any other part of the shafts if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. The slotted or grooved frames or brackets A as described and substantially as
shown at Figure 1 of the annexed drawings for adjusting the pipes of Plant
Washing and Syringing Machines as set forth.
2. The clip or jaw appliance D Figure 3 of the annexed drawings for jet pipes
of Plant Syringing Machines as described.
3. The pipe clipping appliance shown at Figure 4 adjustable on the slotted or
grooved frame bars or brackets A substantially as at Figure 1 of the annexed
drawings.
4. The arrangement of suction pipe N and well K. together with the means
indicated for emptying Plant Syringing Machine tanks as described and shown at
Figure 5 of the annexed drawings together with the strainer L and rod M.
5. Hanging or pivotting the shafts of Plant Syringing Machines from the left
hand or near side only as described with reference to Figures 6 and 7, the other
side being detachable as and for the purpose described with reference to Figures 8
and 9.
6. The employment of attachments or fore ends of shafts to the shafts proper
whether by springs U Figures 6 and 7 or non-flexible ends V Figure 10 of the
annexed drawings as and for the purpose described.
The 8th day of Rohruary 1886
The 8th
day of February
1886
H. GARDNER.
Agent for the said J. A. Drake, and R. Muirhead.