Improvements in Spades.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1888-Accepted, 1st June, 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Spades.
I, JOSEPH LEE of Vale House, Hampstead Heath, London in the County of
Middlesex, Artist, do hereby declare the nature of iny said 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 has for its object improvements in spades by which greater strength
is imparted to the upper part of the blade and an increased area of bearing surface is
afforded for the foot when forcing it into the ground which is a great advantage.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and easily carried into
practice, I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which is illustrated in
six figures a spade inade according thereto.
Figure 1 is a perspective or general combined front and side view of the spade.
Figure 2 is a direct front view.
Figure 3 is a back view.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the edge of the spade and Figure 5 is a sectional elevation
on the line C. D. looking to the left hand.
To make my spade 1 take a piece of metal capable of forming the blade A and the whole
or part of the socket B and leave sufficient length to allow the upper edge a' to be turned
or curved round and downwards as shown so as to entirely remove the keen edge from
the tread of the foot and in the place thereof to supply the broad more or less curved
surface a at the top thereof, of course the edge a¹ may be carried more or less round
than shewn and even until it meets the back of the blade. It will also be noticed
that the part a' is so raised as to create a distinct flange bead or corrugation which
leaves the distinct hollow a running from each edge up to the centre swell at the root
of the socket. This bead gives considerable stiffness to the blade and is in every sense
a great improvement to it though in some cases the hollow may be dispensed with.
The exact curve of the upper edge may of course be somewhat varied without entirely
changing its character such for instance as illustrated at Figure 6 where the top
part as is flatter.
Then there may be more or less hollow than is shown at a² but on the whole I have
shown the shape as an example most likely to be generally useful.

page_text: These spades inay be stamped or pressed or forged or partly pressed and partly
forged and may be made from any material though I prefer tough sheet steel especially
for children's sea-side spades. In cases where a separate socket is used and fastened
on to the blade A there is no projection left at the upper part out of which to form
the socket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I do not lay any
claim to spades or shovels worked from a single plate so as to form the socket and
tread by bending backwards the upper part of the blade and opening out a hole in
the doubled part to receive the handle but what I do claim is :-
The improvements in spades in which an upwardly projecting socket piece B is
formed out of the solid metal with the upper parts a turned round so as to form an
enlarged surface or tread a3 and with or without the hollow a² as and for the purpose
substantially as herein set forth and as shown upon the drawings.
Dated this 26th day of April 1888.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.

page_text: I, JOSEPH LEE of Vale House, Hampstead Heath, London in the County of
Middlesex, Artist, 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 :-
This invention has for its object improvements in spades by which greater strength
is imparted to the upper part of the blade and an increased area of bearing surface is
afforded for the foot when forcing it into the ground which is a great advantago.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and easily carried into
practice, I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which is illustrated in
six figures a spade made according thereto.
Figure is a perspective or general combined front and side view of the spade.
Figure 2 is a direct front view.
Figure 3 is a back view.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the edge of the spade and Figure 5 is a sectional elevation
on the line C. D. looking to the left hand.
To make my spade I take a piece of metal capable of formingthe blade A and the whole
or part of the socket B and leave sufficient length to allow the upper edge a³ to be turned
or curved round and downwards as shown so as to entirely remove the keen edge from
the tread of the foot and in the place thereof to supply the broad more or less curved
surface a³ at the top thereof, of course the edge a¹ may be carried more or less round
than shewn and even until it meets the back of the blade. It will also be noticed
that the part at is so raised as to create a distinct flange bead or corrugation which
leaves the distinct hollow a running from each edge up to the centre swell at the root
of the socket. This bead gives considerable stiffness to the blade and is in every sense
a great improvement to it though in some cases the hollow a² may be dispensed with.
The exact curve of the upper edge may of course be somewhat varied without entirely
changing its character such for instance as illustrated at Figure 6 where the top
part a³ is flatter.
Then there may be more or less hollow than is shown at a' but on the whole I have
shown the shape as an example most likely to be generally useful.

page_text: These spades may be stamped or pressed or forged or partly pressed and partly
forged and may be made from any material though I prefer. tough sheet steel especially
for childrens sea-side spades. In cases where a separate socket is used and fastened
on to the blade A there is no projection left at the upper part out of which to form
the socket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improvements in spades formed with the upper part a' turned round so as to
form an enlarged surface a and with or without a hollow a³ as and for the purpose
substantially as herein set forth and as shown upon the drawings.
Dated this 26th day of April 1888.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Agent for Applicant.