IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RAKES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard of Bedford in the County of Bedford
Engineer and Edward Tenney Bousfield of the same place, Engineer for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RAKES
رو
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard and Edward
Tenney Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
17th July 1883.
JAMES HOWARD, of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, Engineer, and EDWARD
TENNEY BOUSFIELD, of the same place, Engineer, IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE
RAKES
"
"
Our present invention is designed to improve the construction and to simplify
the mechanism of that class of horse-rakes for which we obtained patents dated
November 27th A.D. 1869 N° 3437 and June 29th A.D. 1875 N° 2363, and for
which a patent was obtained by one of us dated December 13th A.D. 1876
N° 4827.
"
⚫ The horse-rakes made according to these patents have frictional drums fixed on
the travelling wheels the tine frames being fitted with appliances for tightening
frictional bands on the outside of the said drums, whereby the tines are relieved
of the load as described.
By our present improvements we obtain a more direct action of the lifting
appliances upon the tine frame; the frictional surfaces are protected from grit and
dirt; and the required adjustments are more simply and easily effected.
On each travelling wheel of our improved horse rake we fix a frictional drum or
cylinder, concentric with the axle, within which is an expanding friction ring, or
a segment of a ring to form a brake-block. The said friction-rings or segments
of rings are suspended, within the drums or cylinders, upon the outer ends of an
actuating spindle; by this arrangement the expanding friction-rings or segments
of rings hang clear of the friction drums or cylinders except at the times when
C

page_text: they are brought into contact to lift the tines of the rake; suitable bearing pieces
are formed on the inner sides of the oxpanding friction rings or segments of rings
to receive the levers upon either end of the actuating spindle.
The actuating spindle which operates the expanding friction rings or segments
of rings has its bearings in the tine-frame; by preference the tines are hung on
the same spindle. When it is desired to lift the tines to relieve them of the
collected material, the actuating spindle is partially rotated, the hand or foot of
the attendant, being employed to bring the expanding friction-rings or segments
of rings in contact with the friction drums or cylinders; the wheels being thereby
locked, the onward movement of the implement rocks the tine-frame and the tines
are raised the required height to clear them of the collected material

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield in the Patent Office
on the 17th January 1884.
JAMES HOWARD of Bedford in the County of Bedford, Engineer and EDWARD
TENNEY BOUSFIELD of the same place Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE
RAKES
"
"
Our present invention is designed to improve the construction and to simplify
the mechanism of that class of horse-rakes for which we obtained patents, dated
November 27th A.D. 1869 N° 3437 and June 29th A.D. 1875 N° 2363 and for
which a patent was obtained by one of us dated December 13th A.D. 1876
N° 4827.
The horse-rakes made according to the inventions described in the specifications
of these patents have drums fixed on the travelling wheels, the tine-frames being
fitted with appliances for tightening frictional bands on the outsides of the said
drums, whereby the tines are raised from the ground and relieved of the load.
By our present improvements we obtain a more direct action of the lifting
appliances upon the tine frame; the frictional surfaces are protected from grit and
dirt; and the required adjustments are more simple and easily effected than in
the rakes heretofore constructed.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of a horse rake provided with
improved mechanism constructed and arranged according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, and
Figure 3 is an elevation of the friction drum and ring detached.
On each travelling wheel a of our improved horse rake we fix a friction drum
or cylinder b concentric with the axle c. Within each of the said drums or
cylinders is a friction ring d capable of expansion and contraction as herein
described. The said friction rings are suspended upon the outer ends of an
actuating spindle e; by this arrangement the said friction rings hang clear of the
friction drums or cylinders b except at the times when they are expanded and
brought into contact therewith in order to lift the tines e' of the rake. The drums
are preferably provided with internal flanges b₁ for preventing the displacement
of, and consequent injury to the friction bands or rings.
Bearing pieces or lugs ff are formed on the inner sides of the expanding friction
rings d, and levers g- upon the ends of the actuating spindle e are adapted to
impinge against these bearing pieces or lugs. Each of the levers g is provided
with a screw g¹ for adjusting the said levers relatively to the bearing pieces or
lugs, and also to compensate for the wear of the contact surfaces.
The said actuating spindle e which operates the expanding friction rings has its
bearings in the frame h which carries the tines e¹. By preference the said tines
are hung on the spindle e. When it is desired to lift the tines to release the
material which they have collected the actuating spindle is partially rotated.
For the purpose of partially rotating this spindle e a lever k pivotted to the
beam, carrying the axles of the machine, in such a manner that it can be
depressed by the foot of the driver or attendant occupying the seat 7. To the
lever k is jointed one end of a rod k¹, the other end of which is connected to a
lever secured to the actuating spindle e. It will be seen that by depressing
the lever the rod e will be partially rotated, thereby causing the levers g to
impinge against the bearing pieces or lugs ff and by thus expanding the friction
rings force them into contact with the inner surfaces of the drums or cylinders.

page_text: .
The friction rings being thus locked to the wheels, the onward movement of the
implement rocks the tine frame h and with it the tines, so that the latter are
raised to the required height to free them of the material such as hay, straw, or
the like, which they have collected. It is obvious that we may modify the details
of the mechanism hereinbefore described without departing from the essential
feature of our invention; for instance, instead of using elastic rings for applying
the required locking or binding pressure to the interior surfaces of the friction
drums, we might arrange segmental blocks, which could be adapted to bear- upon
the inner peripheries of the friction drums or cylinders with the effect hereinbefore
described.
Having thus fully described our said invention and the manner of performing
the same we wish it understood that we Claim.
The mechanism for exerting frictional pressure upon the interior surface of the
drum, or drums, substantially as, and for the purposes, described.
☐
In Witness whereof I- the said Edward Tenney Bousfield for myself and on
behalf of the said James Howard have hereunto set my hand and seal this
Fourteenth day of January in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.