IMPROVED PROPS FOR SUPPORTING PLANTS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, No. 4, Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED PROPS FOR
SUPPORTING PLANTS."-A communication from abroad by Lambert Grès,
of Haybes, in the Empire of France, Slate Merchant.
Sealed the 22nd June 1860, and dated the 21st January 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners, of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st January 1860.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, No. 4,
Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVED PROPS FOR
SUPPORTING PLANTS," communicated to me from abroad by Lambert Grès,. of
Haybes, in the Empire of France, Slate Merchant, to be as follows:-
The short duration of wooden props, the cost of replacing and keeping them
in repair, and the constantly increasing price of oak, have suggested the use
of some other material, and this Invention has for object the substitution
of slate for wood in the construction of props of small and medium size, such
as are used in vegetable or flower gardens, and even in vineyards or hop
grounds. Slate of good quality when properly cut, that is to say, in the sense
of the nerve or long grain of the stone will furnish very solid props, which, the
dimensions being equal, will prove stronger than oak, while affording the

page_text: inappreciable advantage of never decaying. These props resemble square
rods slightly diminishing in thickness from the bottom to the top where the
angles are rounded or cut. Their length will vary from about 12 inches to
one or more yards, and their thickness at the base from half an inch each
side to one or more inches in proportion to the length. The part of the prop
which enters the earth is basiled, or terminates in a more or less sharp point
in the form of a wedge or quadrangular pyramid. In making these props no
special machinery is required, the same tools being used as have been long
employed in making slabs of polished slate, namely, a circular saw and re-
volving platform moved by a bydraulic wheel' and a carriage moved by hand.
The circular saw serves to divide the rough slabs of slate into square paving
tiles or rods for props at pleasure. The carriage is placed upon four rollers
or small wheels running on a couple of rails placed parallel to the circular
saw, so that on pushing the carriage its exterior will pass close to it. On
this carriage the rough slate is placed to be sawn, the part which is to be
sawn being made to lap exactly over the edge of the carriage, which is then
pushed by one hand towards the saw, whilst the other holds the piece until
detached. The revolving platform (usually of cast-iron) is pierced in the
centre to receive a vertical shaft which supports it, giving it rotation, and to
which it is firmly secured. This platform serves to dress and polish the pieces,
using fine sand and water.
The rough slabs being sawn into rods for props, the two faces which havo
not been sawn are pared down with the chisel, if necessary, they are then
dressed by the revolving platform, and polished equally with the two other
faces, the angles are then cut or rounded by the same process, and the end
being tapered to a suitable form for entering the ground, the prop is
complete
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th July 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, No. 4, Wellington
Street South, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said
William Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVED PROPS FOR SUPPORTING PLANTS," communicated to
me from abroad by Lambert Grès, of Haybes, in the Empire of France, Slate
Merchant, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next-and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The short duration of wooden props, the cost of replacing and keeping
them in repair, and the constantly increasing price of oak, have suggested the
use of some other material, and this Invention has for object the substitution
of slate for wood in the construction of props of small and medium size, such
as are used in vegetable or flower gardens, and even in vineyards or hop
grounds, or for trelliswork. Slate of good quality, when properly cut, that is
to say, in the sense of the nerve or long grain of the stone will furnish very
solid props, which, the dimensions being equal, will prove stronger than oak;
while affording the inappreciable advantage of never decaying. These props
may resemble square rods slightly diminishing in thickness from the bottom to
the top where the angles are rounded or cut, or they may be of one or other of
the forms shewn in the accompanying Drawing, or of whatever shape may be
found most desirable; their length will vary from about twelve inches to one
or more yards, and their thickness at the base from half an inch on each side
to one or more inches, in proportion to their length. The part of the prop
which enters the earth is basiled, or terminates in a more or less sharp point
in the form of a wedge or quadrangular pyramid. To make these props no
special machinery is required, the same tools being used as have long been

page_text: employed in making slabs of polished slate, namely, a circular saw and
revolving platform moved by a hydraulic wheel, and a carriage moved by hand.
The circular saw serves to divide the rough slabs of slate into square paving
tiles or rods for props indiscriminately. The carriage is placed upon four
rollers or small wheels running over a couple of rails placed parallel to the cir-
cular saw, so that on pushing the carriage its exterior will pass close to it. On
this carriage the rough slate is placed to.be sawn, the part which is to be sawn
being made to lap exactly over the edge of the carriage, which is then pushed
by one hand towards the saw, whilst the other holds the piece until detached.
The revolving platform (usually of cast iron) is pierced in the centre to receive
a vertical shaft which supports it, giving it rotation, and to which it is firmly
secured. This platform serves to dress and polish the pieces, using fine sand
and water.
The rough slabs being sawn into rods for props, the two faces which have
not been sawn are pared down with the chisel, if necessary, they are then
dressed on the revolving platform, and polished equally with the two other
faces, the angles are then rounded or cut by the same process, and the
end being tapered to a suitable form for entering the ground, the prop is
complete.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
JOHN GEDGE,
11, Wellington St.,
Strand.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)