Improvements in Implements for Pruning or Lopping Trees and Shrubs.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Implements for Pruning or Lopping Trees and
Shrubs.
I, SAMUEL HALL (trading as "The Standard Manufacturing Company") of
St. Alkmund's Churchyard in the Town and County of Derby, Horticultural
Implement Maker and Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an improved implement for pruning or
lopping trees and shrubs which shall have greater leverage power be lighter in
construction and of increased durability than the implements at present in use for
this purpose.
The blade or cutter is pivotted or connected to the hook in the usual manner and
my first improvement is applied to the end of the cutter from which the stroke or
throw is obtained by providing a bush either revolving or fixed, to be inserted in
the stroke hole, the object of which is to preserve the cutter and minimise the
friction between it and a circular ended looper to be hereinafter described.
The
To secure a central pull and for convenience in removing the blade from the
hook I provide a detachable double looper between the blade or cutter and the
connecting rod, the upper end of the latter being fixed or threaded into a sliding
block to which are also attached the ends of the said looper in such a manner as to
admit of its being readily removed when required for sharpening or renewal.
said block works up and down a slide and in the upper end of it I secure a rod
rather longer than the length of the stroke, the said rod passing through or between
a guide or guides of suitable form to take the strain and prevent any lateral play
when cutting or lopping.
Into the lower end of the said block I fix the connecting rod as already stated
which maintains the block in its central working position assisted by the said
connecting rod passing through eyelets or other suitable guides down the back of
the shaft or pole of the implement and which terminates in a forked socket at the
end of which I pivot a lever either forked or tongued the fulcrum of which is
provided with a pin or stud adapted to fit into the teeth of a rack which may be
either single or double. The said rack is fastened to the pole or shaft and is
provided with a bar outside the teeth to confine the fulcrum end of the lever
between it and the rack this end being loose between the rack and the bar, the
latter also acting as a guide to the lever when being moved to its first position.
In ordinary pruners there is only one stroke and to increase the power I shorten
the distance between the centres of the "pull" and "fulcrum" and provide a series.
of centres one at each tooth of the rack capable of sustaining a certain share of the
power, the whole of the cut of the blade being taken. by a series of pulls on the
lever the fulcrum moving from one tooth of the rack to the next after each stroke
of the said lever.
At the end of the cut or last of the series of strokes of the lever I am able to
obtain a backward movement of the blade or cutter by means of the leverage
obtained at the lower end or last tooth of the rack upon the upward or backward
stroke of the lever, this partly relieves the blade or cutter from the hook at the
point where there is the greatest friction and the remainder of the return stroke of
the blade or cutter, which is comparatively easy, is effected by bringing the lever
back to the first or top tooth of the rack.
Dated this 7th day of February 1893
W. SWINDELL,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Implements for Pruning or Lopping Trees and
Shrubs.
I, SAMUEL HALL (trading as "The Standard Manufacturing Company") of
Saint Alkmund's Churchyard, in the Town and County of Derby, Horticultural
Implement Maker and Machinist 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide an improved implement for pruning or
lopping trees and shrubs which shall have greater leverage power, be lighter in
construction and of increased durability in proportion to its cutting capacity and
power than the implement at present in use for this purpose.
In order that my said invention may be the more readily understood I have
caused to be annexed to this Specification a sheet of drawings the figures and
letters of reference marked upon which will be hereafter referred to.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved implement and Figure 2 is a back
elevation of the same.
The blade or cutter A is pivotted or connected to the hook B in the usual
manner and my first improvement is applied to the end of the cutter A, from which
the stroke or throw is obtained, by providing a bush C either revolving or fixed to
be inserted in the stroke hole D the object of which is to preserve the cutter A und
minimise the friction between it and a circular ended looper E to be hereinafter
described.
To secure a central pull and for convenience in removing the blade A from the
hook I provide a detachable double looper E between the blade or cutter A and
the connecting rod F, the upper end of the latter being fixed or threaded into
a sliding block G to which are also attached the ends of the said looper E in such
a manner as to admit of its being readily. removed when required for sharpening
the cuiter A or for renewal of the same. The said block G works up and down a
slide I and in the upper end of it I secure a rod F1 rather longer than the length
of the stroke the said rod F¹ passing through or between a guide H or guides of
suitable form to take the strain and prevent any lateral play when cutting or
lopping.
Into the lower end of the said block G I fixed the connecting rod F as already
stated (which maintains the block G in its central working position assisted by the
said connecting rod F¹) passing through eyelets H' or other suitable guides down
the back of shaft or pole J of the implement and which terminates in a forked
socket K at the end of which I pivot a lever L either forked as shewn upon the
drawings, or tongued; the fulcrum of which is provided with a pin M or stud
adapted to fit into the teeth O of a rack P which may be either single or double..
The said rack P is fastened to the pole or shaft J and is provided with a bar Q
outside the teeth O to confine the fulcrum end of the lever M between the said bar
and the teeth O this end working loose between the teeth O and the bar Q, the latter
also acting as a guide to the lever L when being moved to its first position.
In ordinary pruners there is only one stroke, and by my invention I shorten
the distance between the centres of the "pull" and "fulcrum" and provide a series
of centres one at each tooth of the rack P capable of sustaining a certain share of
the power, the whole of the cut of the blade A being taken by a series of pulls on
the lever L the fulcrum M moving from one tooth of the rack P to the next after
each stroke of the said lever L and finally at the end of the cut the different parts
assume the positions shewn by dotted lines on Figure 1. It being understood that
any suitable number of teeth above one may be employed in the said rack.
At the end of the cut or last of the series of strokes of the lever L I am able to
obtain a backward movement of the blade or cutter A by means of the leverage

page_text: obtained at the lower end or last tooth of the rack P upon the upward or backward
stroke of the lever L, this partly relieves the blade or cutter A from the hook B at
the point where there is the greatest friction and the remainder of the return.
stroke of the blade or cutter A, which is comparatively easy, is effected by bringing
the lever back to the first or top tooth of the rack P.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said:
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an implement for pruning or lopping trees and shrubs the employment of a.
cutter carrying either a fixed or revolving bush C in the stroke hole substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated.
2. The double looper E, sliding block G, guide or guides H and slide I
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated.
3. The rack P having a series of teeth or notches O and bar Q substantially as.
and for the purposes herein described and illustrated.
4. The whole substantially as and for the purposes herein described and.
illustrated by the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 6th day of November 1893.
W. SWINDELL,
Agent for the Applicant..