IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Baker, of Wisbech, in the County of Cam-
bridgeshire, Agricultural Implement Maker, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES."
Sealed the 26th February 1867, and dated the 1st September 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Baker at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st September
1866.
'I, JOHN BAKEB, of Wisbech, in the County of Cambridgeshire, Agricultural
Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REAPING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction of rake for self-raking
reaping machines, and consists in constructing the rakes in such a manner
that the teeth or that portion of the rake to which the teeth are attached shall
be moveable, and have such a degree of elasticity or spring given to them
that they will be better able to overcome and yield to the resistance offered to
them when coming in contact with the standing crops.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to hinge that portion of the
rake on which the teeth are placed, and to retain it in its position by means
of springs or any elastic material, so that when coming in contact with the

page_text: crop it shall partly yield to the resistance offered, and thereby break the force
of the blow, which is now a serious drawback to the ordinary or rigid rakes
generally employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BAKER, of Wisbech, in the County of Cambridgeshire, Agricultural Implement
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did. for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Baker, Her special license that I, the said John Baker, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Baker, my executors, administrators, or 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 Kingdon of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REAPING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said John
Baker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Baker, 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 fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :—
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction of rake for self-raking
reaping machines, and consists in constructing the rakes in such a manner that
the teeth or that portion of the rake to which the teeth are attached shall be
moveable, and have such a degree of elasticity or spring given to them that

page_text: they will be better able to overcome and yield to the resistance offered to them
when coming in contact with heavy pressure.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to binge that portion of the
rake on which the teeth are placed, and to retain it in its position by means of
springs or any elastic material, so that when subjected to heavy pressure it
shall partly yield to the resistance offered, and thereby break the force of the
blow, which is now a serious drawback to the ordinary or rigid cakes generally
employed.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, 1 shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the perspective elevation of my improved rake given on the annexed
Drawing.
A is the body of the rake, to which is secured the fixed bar B, such bar
having connected to it by means of the binges C, C, the several moveable
sections D, D, which carry the teeth E, E, of the rake. The several sections
are maintained in their normal position by their respective bent blade springs
F, F, which are secured at one end to the fixed bar B, whilst their opposite
ends press upon the surface of the several hinged sections D; G is the handle
or stem of the rake for connecting it with the mechanism of the reaping
machine. It will thus be seen that this rake is provided with elastic spring
teeth attached to independent parts or sections similar in principle to the hay-
making machine, so that when meeting with extra resistance the teeth will
yield to the efforts of the machine, and will instantly resume their proper position
again when the obstruction is passed; hence all chance of breakages in the
teeth of the rake and in the other parts of the machine in connection with the
rake is avoided. If desired the binged sections D may all be made in one
piece, but I prefer to employ two or more independent hinged sections as
shown in my Drawing; or in lieu of using hinged sections carrying two or
more teeth, each individual tooth of the rake may be spring hinged so as to
yield independently of its neighbour. These peculiar rakes may be adapted
to all self-raking reaping machines.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st, the application and use to and in self-raking reaping machines of
rakes so constructed that the teeth shall yield to any undue resistance and
resume their proper position again, substantially as herein-before described.

page_text: 2nd, the constructing of rakes for self-raking reaping machines with
yielding teeth acted upon by springs, substantially as herein-before described.
3rd, the combination of the hinges C, sections D, teeth E, and springs F,
operating substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Baker, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.