Improved Means for Securing the Handles to Hand Rakes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Securing the Handles to Hand Rakes.
A communication from OSWALD EHLIG, Manufacturer, of Neukirch i/S, in the
Empire of Germany.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates to a convenient means of joining together the handle and
head of a rake, in such manner as to prevent possibility of fracture, while the weak
points of the ordinary fastening, to wit the holes in the rake-head and the forked
ends of the handle, are done away with, and both parts are only put in a frame.
The improved rake-holder is represented in the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view as seen from beneath;
Figure 2 is a side elevation; and
Figure 3 is a view, as seen from above.
This rake-holder consists of an iron steel or other plate a, bent to the form shown
in the drawings, and so shaped or arranged that, when in use, grass and hay do
not cling to it; one end e is formed into an open or split sleeve (to receive the
handle) both the parallel edges being fitted with a perforated lug through which
passes a preferably flat-headed screw bolts with a wing-nut u whereby the edges
may be brought together so as to clip the handle, forming a socket of corresponding
size which can be tightened or loosened at pleasure. At the other end the plate a
is left its full width, and is prolonged at each side and bent back in the form of
suitable straps c, through the perforated ends whereof and corresponding holes in
the plate a pass flat-headed screw-bolts d fitted with wing-nuts, whereby the rake-
head also, duly provided with teeth (as shown) is clamped firmly in the frame thus
provided for the purpose.
The shape of the plate may be varied without departing from the spirit of the
invention and more or less than two strap ends e may be used.
By this mode of fastening great durability is given to the rake, inasmuch as the
rake-head does not need perforation to receive the forked end of the handle, as
hitherto; such perforation having always been found to weaken it, so that in most
cases, it broke in two at that place, and the rake was rendered useless, as the broken
pieces could not be repaired and made fit for use again. This however is not the
case with the new rake-holder, because in it those perforations are wanting; and
moreover even if by accident the rake-head were fractured, the two parts would
remain firmly fixed in the strap frame, or might easily be replaced; and further the
broken parts of rake-head, previously cast aside as useless under the old system of
fastening might be made useful again under the new.
Further the handle is no longer weakened by being forked at one end, for
attachment to the head; but its unweakened end is firmly gripped in the sleeve, as
described.
Consequently cheapness as well as durability is attained. And there is another
advantage to be noted, namely, that if the rake-head be made in halves, by taking
out one part it may be used as a furrow-rake, or as a rake for brushwood.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
;-
A rake-holder for fastening together the rake-head and the handle, consisting of
straps such as c for holding the rake-head a plate such as a and clamped sleeve e
for gripping the handle substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 4th day of August 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.