AN IMPROVED HAY, STRAW, PEAT, AND DITCHING KNIFE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
HAY, STRAW, PEAT, AND DITCHING KNIFE." A communication from abroad
by Hiram Holt, of East Wilton, in the County of Franklin, and State of
Maine, United States of America.
Sealed the 7th July 1876, and dated the 16th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED HAY, STRAW, PEAT, AND DITCHING
KNIFE."
This Invention relates to an improved knife for cutting hay and straw in the
mow, bale, or stack, also for cutting peat, turf, and muck in any place where the
same may be found; also for cutting ditches in soil requiring the same.
The knife is composed of a long flat piece of steel in the shape of a sword (except
the handle) with notched sickle or serrated edge to the double edged point. There
are two handles standing out on one side at right angles to each other.
The method of using the knife is by taking hold of the handles and thrusting it
downwards perpendicularly, or forward horizontally, as the position of the material
to be cut may require, and working it up and down or back and forward, as the
case may be.
The knife is made about three inches wide at its centre, and about three-eighths
of an inch thick at the handle, narrowing the width to about three-fourths of an
inch at the upper handle, and to about one and a half inches at about two inches
from the point end, the thickness tapering from the lower handle to the point
slightly curved edgewise, with the knife-edged notches or sickle or serrated edge
on the convex edge. The length of the knife varies from two feet upwards.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
August 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. " AN IMPROVED HAY, STRAW, PEAT, AND DITCHING
KNIFE." A communication from abroad by Hiram Holt, of East Wilton, in the
County of Franklin, and State of Maine, United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improved knife for cutting hay and straw in the
mow, bale, or stack; also for cutting peat, turf, and muck in any place where the
same may be found; also for cutting ditches in soil requiring the same.
Referring to the accompanying Drawing it will be seen the the knife is composed
of a long flat piece of steel A in the shape of a sword (except the handle), with
notched, sickle, or serrated edge B, B, B, from the handles C, C, to the double-edged
point D, the two handles standing out on one side at right angles to each other.
The method of using the knife is by taking hold of the handles C, C, and holding
it downward perpendicularly, or forward horizontally, as the position of the material
to be cut may require, and working it up and down or back and forward, as the
case may be.
The knife is made about three inches wide at its centre, and about three-eights
of an inch thick at the handle, narrowing the width to about three-fourths of an
inch at the upper handle, and to about one and a half inches at a point about two
inches from the point end, the thickness tapering from the lower bandle to the
point slightly curved edgewise with the knife-edged notches, or sickle, or serrated
edge on the convex edge. The length of the knife varies from two feet upwards.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the hay, straw, peat, and ditching
knife above described, consisting of the curved blade A having knife-edged notches
or sickle or serrated edge B, and handles C, C, placed as shown, the notched sickle
or serrated edge being large or small, fine or coarse, as best adapted to the material
to be cut for the uses named above, all substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)