IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING RAKES, AND IN THE MECHANISM FOR WORKING THE SAME.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Robert Riches, of Norwich, in the
County of Norfolk, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REVOLVING RAKES, AND IN THE MECHANISM FOR WORKING THE SAME.
IN REVOLVING RAKES, AND IN THE MECHANISM FOR WORKING THE SAME.'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Robert Riches
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th October 1872.
I, RICHARD ROBERT RICHES, of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING RAKES, AND IN THE MECHANISM FOR WORKING THE
SAME," to be as follows:
My Invention consists in constructing the rake with two sets of
corresponding teeth fitted on opposite sides of a spindle, and adapted to
counterbalance each other in their movement on the spindle or axis, and
with spur gear and other mechanism, by means of which the two sets of
counterbalancing teeth may be readily turned on the said spindle or axis
of the rake by the movement of a lever, so as to effectually discharge
the load of gathered material from one set of teeth and bring the other
set into operation.

page_text: The mechanism for working the rake is as follows:-On the hub or
nave of one of the travelling wheels is fixed a face clutch, and on the
axis of the said wheel is a toothed spur wheel with a correspondingly
faced clutch fixed to it; this spur wheel is free to slide on the axis, but
cannot revolve except with it, and when in gear communicates motion
to the rake spindle through two other spur wheels. The clutch on the
hub or nave of the travelling wheel and on the spur wheel on the same
axis are put into gear by the movement of a lever and connecting rod
worked by the attendant, and separated or thrown out of gear by a
spring acting on the lever.
The working of the mechanism is as follows:-The rake is drawn
forwards, and when the set of teeth in operation become filled with hay,
corn, or other gathered material, the operator moves the lever, and
through the clutch slides the spur wheel on the axis of the travelling
wheel, and thereby causes a partial revolution of the rake teeth, by
which the operating teeth are raised and the load of gatherd material is
emptied from them, while at the same time the other set of teeth ar
brought into action. The operator now releases the lever, and the parts
are thrown out of gear by the reaction of the spring on the lever until
another load is required to be emptied. By this means the work
proceeds regularly, one set of teeth being emptied, and the other filled
without intermission.
The teeth of the rake can be adjusted to any required pitch by means
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Robert Riches in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 8th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ROBERT RICHES, of Norwich, in the County of Norfolk, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said Richard Robert Riches, Her special
licence that I, the said Richard Robert Riches, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Robert
Riches, my executors, administrators, and 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING RAKES, AND IN THE MECHANISM FOR WORKING THE
SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard
Robert Riches, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Robert Riches, 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 following statement, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :—
My Invention of "Improvements in Revolving Rakes, and in the
Mechanism for Working the same," consists in constructing the rake
with two sets of corresponding teeth fitted on opposite sides of a spindle,
adapted to counterbalance each other in their movement on the spindle
or axis, and with spur gear and other mechanism, by means of which
the two sets of counterbalancing teeth may be readily turned on the said
spindle or axis of the rake by the movement of a lever or levers, so as to
effectually discharge the load of gathered material from one set of teeth,
and bring the other set into operation.
The mechanism for working the rake is as follows:-On the hub or
nave of one of the travelling wheels is fixed a face clutch, and on the
axis of the said wheel is a toothed spur wheel having a correspondingly
faced clutch fixed to it on one side, and on the other side is fixed a
notched disc or plate; this spur wheel is free to slide on the axis, but
cannot revolve except with the travelling wheel, and when in gear
communicates motion to the rake bar or spindle through two other

page_text: spur wheels. The clutch on the hub or nave of the travelling wheel
and on the spur wheel on the same axis are put into gear by the move-
ment of a fork lever and connecting rod worked by the attendant from
a hand lever, and separated or thrown out of gear by a spring acting on
tho said hand lever through the connecting rod to the fork lever, a part
of which lever falls into one of the notches on the disc plate on the back
side of the spur wheel, and so holds the spur wheel in check.
The working of the mechanism is as follows:-The rake is drawn
forward; and when the set of teeth in operation become filled with hay,
corn, or other gathered material the operator presses the hand lever
towards the spring, and through the clutch lever slides the spur wheel
on the axis of the travelling wheel, bringing the two parts of the clutch
into gear, and causing a partial revolution of the rack teeth, by which
the operating teeth are raised, and the load of gathered material is
emptied from them, while at the same time the other set of teeth are
brought into action. The operator now suddenly releases the lever, and
the parts are thrown out of gear by the reaction of the spring on the
lever until another load is required to be emptied. By this means the
work proceeds regularly by one set of teeth being emptied and the other
filled without intermission.
The teeth of the rake can be adjusted to any required pitch by means
of a slotted bar and screws, and each tooth has a spring of india-rubber
or other elastic material attached near tho joint for the purpose of
keeping the teeth in balance, and also for the purpose of holding the
teeth to the work instead of by bars or weights as generally used.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed
by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which are represented a
rake constructed as described, and also the principal working parts of
the same herein-before referred to.

page_text: Fig. 4 shows in side clevation the mode of connecting the india-rubber
springs to the rake teeth; Fig. 5 shews the same in elevation.
Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the toothed spur wheel, shewing the
clutch, and notched disc plate, and lever connection therewith. In
these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the faced clutch; B, the notched disc plate; and C, the toothed
spur wheel; all which may be cast in one piece, as shewn in Fig. 2.
D and D' are intermediate spur wheels to convey the motion from the
wheel C to the rake bar E; F, F, are the joints of the rake teeth, to
which are applied the india-rubber springs G, G, for the purpose of
keeping the teeth in balance and holding them to the work; H, H, are
the slotted bars by which the rake teeth are guided as required, and
may be set to any required pitch by means of screws; I, I, are the rake
teeth; Jis the running wheel of the rake; K is the clutch lever; L, the
spring for returning the same to position after its action on the clutch;
M, the connecting rod between the lever K and the hand lever N, to be
worked by the operator.
As the rake is drawn forward the set of teeth I, shewn in Fig. 1, to be
lowered into operation become filled with hay, corn, or other gathered
material; the operator then presses the hand lever N towards the spring L,
and through the clutch lever K, slides the spur wheel C on the axle of
the running wheel J, thereby bringing the two parts of the clutch A into
gear, and causing a partial revolution of the two sets of rake teeth I, I, .
on their common axis. By this means the teeth that have become filled
are raised and emptied of their load of gathered material, while the teeth
on the opposite side of the axis are by the same movement lowered into
position for gathering a fresh load. The operator now suddenly releases
the band lever N, when by the reaction of the spring L on the clutch
lever K, the parts aro thrown out of gear with the running wheel, until
a fresh load being gathered the teeth have to be reversed in position as
before.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim
as of my Invention is,―
First. The construction of revolving rakes with two sets of counter-
balanced teeth on one axis, adapted to be alternately lowered into

page_text: operation and raised for the purpose of emptying them of their load, as
described.
Secondly. The adaptation and application to revolving rakes of gearing
or mechanism, by means of which the said teeth are caused to revolve
as required at the will of the operator through a hand lever, as
described.
And lastly. The combination of the said teeth with the said gearing
or mechanism, and the means of adjusting the pitch of the teeth, keeping
the same in balance and holding them to the work, as represented and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Robert Riches, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of April in the year
of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
CHA. JA. WATTS,
3, Cathedral Street,
Norwich,
Engineer.
RICHARD ROBERT RICHES.
(L.S.)