Improvements in Rakes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890
CUMI LEIE
Improvements in Rakes.
We JAQUES ALPHONSE GREFF and ALFRED BARNABÉ, 45 Rue Saint Sébastien,
Paris, in the Republic of France, Constructeurs 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 an improved rake termed the Universal French Rake,
having metallic sliding or sled teeth.
This denomination of metallic sled teeth signifies that all the teeth present at their
free end a broadened, rounded and flat part so that they drag or slide on the soil
without penetrating it so deeply as ordinary pointed teeth of wood or of metal.
The flat parts of the teeth are all parallel with each other and with the direction
of the travel of the rake, so that these teeth work edgeways dragging on their
rounded end.
The advantages resulting from this arrangement are numerous :
1° This rake is very light and at the same time very strong.
2° The end of these teeth forming slide or sled, permits, even in weeds plants or
roots sloping or running parallel with the surface, such as twitch grass, in which
wooden rakes break and the ordinary metallic rakes remain caught, very easy working
and consequently less fatigue to the labourer and better yield or result.
3° It advantageously replaces the pitchfork for turning or raking together all
kinds of fodder.
4° It permits collecting with the greatest facility fodder which rain has fixed
upon the soil.
5° In barns it separates short straw or litter from grain much better than the
ordinary wooden or metallic rakes.
6° It is preferable to garden rakes either for covering seeds or for raking paths
or walks.
These advantages resulting principally from the broadened flat and rounded shape
of the end of the teeth working edgeways, it will be understood that we claim this
arrangement whatever may be the nature of the metallic wire or metallic plate which
serves to obtain it, provided that the extremity of the one or the other assumes the
shape above defined.
The object of the accompanying drawing is therefore to give examples of this unique
arrangement, indicating in what manner it may be practically realised.
In all the figures representing a transverse section through the crossbar, or beam,
or frame, and consequently a side view of the teeth, the curved part a, b, c,
extending between the points a and c is the broadened part of the tooth forming
sled. The arrows placed beneath each of these figures indicate the direction in which
the rake travels.
In Figure 1 the tooth is formed of a rod bent at its end to form an eye, this
tooth may be of one piece as shown by the figure on the left or in two pieces as
shown at the side. In this latter case the stems may be screw threaded or not.
In Figure 2 the tooth terminates in a book. This may also be of one piece or of
two pieces screw threaded or not. It should be observed that the hook travels
edgeways, the bent part being turned backward as indicated by the arrow.
In Figure 3, the tooth is of steel, in two pieces M N riveted respectively on the
wooden cross bar at m and. n. It will be observed that the tooth has always the
curved part a, b, c travelling edgeways. It will be seen that the teeth are always set
side by side by referring to the figure on the right which represents a section of the
cross bar in the other direction.
In Figure 4 the tooth is constituted by an iron wire flattened at its extremity as

page_text: represented in the two views of the drawing. Although the drawing shows the
teeth in two pieces, they may also be of a single piece.
Figures 6, 7 represent teeth constituted by a double iron wire. To make them,
we drive in on each side of the cross-bar iron wires bent into U shape, such as d, b, e
below and d', b, e¹ above the bar (Figures 5 and 5). Then the middle part of
each tooth is flattened so that the branches of each wire come one against the other
(Figure 6) while leaving a swollen or enlarged part at the end to obtain the sled
part dragging on edge a, b, cas in the other types. Instead of simply flattening
the two branches of the wire they may be twisted several times upon each other
(Figure 7) provided that the part a, b, c is also directed in the same way as in
Figure 6.
These same teeth may also be made with a single wire instead of two (Figures 5
and 5). In this case the cross-bar is pierced with only three holes (Figure 5b)
instead of the four necessary in the preceding case (Figure 5ª). The metallic wire
is threaded in the hole d, d (Figure 5), it is then bent at b and at b¹ in threading
the side d, b, e in the hole e¹ and the side d', b, e¹ in the hole e. There is thus
obtained a form which projects laterally following the same lines as the Figure 5.
By the aid of this construction, either the type 6, or the type 7 is obtained in the
same way as before.
Figure, 8 represents steel teeth of a single piece,. presenting always at their ends
the curved part a, b, e travelling edgeways. They are cut or made slanting at f, 9
and are driven into grooves (Figure 8) of the cross-bar. There is then fitted
against the notched face of the cross-bar a band or strip of metal or of wood p q
fixed on the bar by screws which piece of metal secures the teeth firmly in place.
Finally the Figures 9 and 9* represent a last type of tooth always based on the
same principle. We take a tube T formed of a plate of sheet iron rolled, but not
soldered, and introduce it into the corresponding hole of the cross-bar. Then, by one
of the open ends of the tube is introduced a pin or plug H which is driven in by a
mallet aided by a driver so as to wedge the tube between the pin and the wood of
the cross-bar. The tube being slightly broken open spreads at its central part and
is invariably held in place. Then by the aid of pincers, or otherwise the two ends of
the tube are flattened so as to give them the broadened and rounded form a, b, c
represented in side view in the left figure and in front view in the right figure.
To complete the description of our system of rake, it is necessary that we should
describe the method we use of attaching the cross-bar beam or frame and handle.
The system of fastening may be composed either of a single metallic wire 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6 (Figure 9") which is passed into the hole 1, 2 of the bar, the wire is then
bent at the point 2 at the upper part of the bar and it is introduced downward into
the hole 3, 4, of the handle; the wire is again bent at the point 4 and thrust
inverselv to its first passage into the hole 5, 6 of the bar.
Two distinct metal wires may also be used, one for the right hand fastening 1, 2, 3, 4
and one for the left fastening (3¹, 4, 5, 6 Figure 8). In this case, the wire on
the right is introduced into the hole 12 of the bar, it is folded in two and brought
to the hole 34 of the handle into which it is thrust downward. As regards the wire
on the left it is introduced in the same way, but upward in the hole 5, 6 of the
bar, it is then bent and introduced into the hole 3, 4¹ of the handle. As in
the preceding case, one of the parts of the fastening is above the rake, the other
below it.
Finally we may use as fastenings the screw threaded hooks or rods represented
Figure 10.
For this purpose the end 4 of the hook is introduced into the oblique hole 1, 2
of the bar or frame and is pushed until it meets the handle, the said threaded end 4
is then screwed into the lateral oblique hole 3, 4 of the handle. When the screw has
reached the end of its journey the extremity of the rod is bent against the wood of
the bar so as to form the hook which holds the bar. We proceed in the same way
for the fastening on the left 4¹, 31, 5, 6 taking care to deviate the holes in the handle
so that the rods do not meet.

page_text: It is evident that we may combine a metal wire fastening as represented, Figure 8ª
with a screw threaded hook as represented Figure 10.
Further, all these fastenings may be used with any type of teeth.
We also construct rakes having teeth set at different distances apart on the two
faces. Thus, in Figure 10 the space between the teeth of one of the faces is less
than the space y between the teeth on the other face. It is evident that this arrange-
ment may be used not only with the type of tooth represented, but also with all the
above mentioned types of teeth in two pieces.
This construction is very important as regards rakes extended to serve two different
purposes; for example for rakes which are to serve simultaneously in gardens and
in fields or barns.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A system of rake with metallic sliding or sled teeth, characterised by this fact
that the teeth present at their ends broadened rounded and flat parts, so that they
slide along the soil without penetrating it, the said system being practically realised
in the types herein before described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 of
the accompanying drawing.
2. In combination with the system of rake with metallic sliding or sled teeth, above
characterized, metallic teeth in one or two pieces, composed of bent wires (Figure 5)
and squeezed at their middle part (Figure 6) or several times twisted (Figure 7),
as above set forth with reference to Figures 5, 5, 5, 6, 7 of the accompanying
drawing.
3. In combination with the system of rake with metallic sliding or sled teeth above
characterised, metallic teeth having slanting edges penetrating into grooves or notches
in the cross-bar or frame and screwed by the aid of a longitudinal strip or band
secured upon the corresponding side of the bar, as above described with reference to
Figures 8 and 8 of the accompanying drawing.
4. In combination with the system of rake with metallic sliding or sled teeth,
above characterised, the teeth formed of a hollow tube wedged against the cross-bar
or frame by the aid of a pin or plug, the ends of the tube being flattened so as to
assume the rounded broadened form above defined, as described with reference to
Figures 9 and 9ª of the accompanying drawing.
5. In combination with the system of rakes with metallic teeth above described,
the metal wire fastenings in one piece (Figure 9a) in two pieces (Figure 8) or the
screw threaded hooks (Figure 10) as above described with reference to the said
figures.
6. A rake with metallic sliding or sled teeth, having the teeth at a greater distance
apart upon one of the faces of the cross-bar or frame than on the other face, in the
manner and with the object set forth with reference to Figure 10 of the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this Twenty-third day of October 1890.