IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKS FOR MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Elliott of 712 Rico Lane, Aintree, near
Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN PICKS FOR MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William Elliott at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th June 1883.
GEORGE WILLIAM ELLIOTT of 712 Rice Lane Aintree near Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster® "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKS FOR MINING AND OTHER
PURPOSES
"
This invention relates to the improvement in the construction of picks, which
are made with a number of blades to fit one shaft.
Picks of this description have hitherto been constructed with a wood shaft, shod
with an iron head through which the blades pass. The blades are notched in the
centre the width of the head, to receive the head, which is secured therein by
pressure caused by a set-screw or wedge.
Another mode of construction is by having the wood shaft shod with an iron
head, through which passes a tapered-oval hole, to receive a blade made of iron or
steel of an oval section, which has a part of it tapered to fit the hole in the head,
and having a collar at the thick end of the taper, beyond which it cannot be
driven into the head.
The principal objections to these arrangements are, in the former arrangement
the blade soon becomes loose in the head, and the screw or wedge is not able to
keep it tight without some repairs being done to compensate for the wear-also
the screw or wedge is liable to wear out or be lost, and the pick is useless until it
is replaced.
In the second arrangement it is most difficult and almost impossible to make a
true oval tapered hole, and as difficult to make the blade to correspond with it and
fit accurately. Also after being in use a short time, the blade becomes loose in the
Din 71

page_text: hole, and the collar or shoulder on the thick end of the tapered part effectually
prevents it being driven further in the hole to tighten it, and compensate for the
wear.
In this invention all these objections are entirely overcome
The blade is made by preference of a rectangular or square section and tapered
from the centre which is the thickest part, to each end.
The head is formed with tapered hole through it, corresponding in section and
taper with the blade, and sufficiently large to admit the blade as far, or there-
abouts, as its centre, where it wedges itself firmly into the head.
Each blow on the point of the blade projecting from the large end of the hole in
-the-head-tends-to-tighten-the-blade-in-the-head.
Any enlargement of the hole in the head caused by use is compensated by the
blade passing a little further into the head before it becomes tight.
-
By this arrangement the taper of the blade is the means of securing-it-firmly
into the head, without the use of any other part, and will always cause it to fit
firmly and compensate for any reasonable wear.
The sides of the head forming the sides of the socket to receive the blade may be
made of a curved form so as to give a slight amount of elasticity to the blade
socket thus giving it a better grip of the blade. The head may also have a slit
extending downwards from the bottom of the blade socket towards the handle, so
that the blade socket may be closed sideways on to blade by means of a screw or
rivet,
-

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George William Elliott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th December 1883.
GEORGE WILLIAM ELLIOTT of Swansea in the County of Glamorganshire
IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKS FOR MINING AND OTHER PURPOSES
"
This invention relates to the improvement in the construction of picks which are
made with a number of picks to fit one shaft.
Picks of this description have hitherto been constructed with a wood shaft shod
with an iron head through which the blades pass. The blades are notched in the
centre the width of the head, to receive the head which is secured therein by
pressure caused by a set-screw or wedge.
Another mode of construction is by having the wood shaft shod with an iron
hend, through which passes a tapered oval hole, to receive a blade made of iron or
stoel of an oval section, which has a part of it tapered to fit the hole in the head,
and having a collar at the thick end of the taper, beyond which it cannot be driven
into the head. The principal objections to these arrangements are, in the former
arrangement the blade soon becomes loose in the head and the screw or wedge is
not able to keep it tight without some repairs being done to compensate for the
wear, also the screw or wedge is liable to wear out or be lost and the pick is
useless until it is replaced, in the second arrangement it is most difficult and
almost impossible to make a true oval tapered hole, and as difficult to make the
blade to correspond with it and fit accurately; also after being in use a short time
the blade becomes loose in the hole and the collar or shoulder on the thick end of
the tapered part, effectually prevents it being driven further in the hole to tighten
it and compensate for the wear.
In this invention all these objections are entirely overcome The blade is made,
by preference, of a rectangular or square section, and tapered from the centre,
which is its thickest part, to each end. The head is formed with a tapered hole
through it, corresponding in taper and section with the blade and sufficiently large
to admit the blado as far or thereabouts, as its centro, where it wedges itself firmly
into the head. Each blow on the point of the blade projecting from the large end
of the hole in the head, tends to tighten the blade in the head. Any enlargment
of the hole in the head caused by use, is compensated by the blade passing a little
further in the head before it becomes tight.
By this arrangement the taper of the blade is the means of securing it firmly
into the head, without the use of any other part and will always cause it to fit
firmly and compensate for any reasonable wear. The sides of the head forming
the sides of the socket to receive the blade, may be made of a curved form so as to
give a slight amount of elasticity to the blade socket thus giving it a better grip
of the blade.
The head may also have a slit extending downwards from the bottom of the
blade socket towards the handle, so that the blade socket may be closed sideways
on the blade, by means of a screw or rivet.
The improvements forming the subject of this invention are illustrated in the
accompanying drawing, in which Figures 1 and 4 are side elevations and
Figures 2. 3. 5. 6 are sections longitudinally through the centre of the picks.
According to the modification illustrated in figures 1. 2. I fix firmly upon a
shaft or handle 1. a head 2. 3. having a socket 2. to hold the shaft 1. and another
socket 3. to hold the blade 4. The blade 4 is made of a rectangular section 5. and
tapered from the centre 6. which is its thickest part, to each end 8. 9. that part

page_text: which coinsides with the blade socket, being made to correspond in length and
taper with the blade socket 3. the taper being such that when the blade 4 is driven
sharply into its socket 3. it wedges itself firmly therein. The handle is secured in
the socket 2. made to receive it by being driven on wedges 7. 7. which open the
end of the handle 1, causing it to press tightly the inside of the shaft socket.
Another modification is illustrated in Figures 1. 3. In this arrangment the
sides of the blade socket 3. are made of a curved, form in order that when the
blade 4. is wedged into its socket 3 the sides so curved Fig. 3. 3. 3. may have a
slight amount of elasticity and thus the grip of the blade socket 3 on the blade 4.
is more elastic and not so liable to shake loose.as in the former arrangment
Figures 4.5.& 6. illustrate another modification where the blade socket 3. is
made with a slit 12 extending downwards from the bottom of the blade socket 3.
a short distance into the handle socket 2 so that the blade socket 3. may be closed
sideways on the blade 4. by means of a rivet 11. or screw 12 and thus prevent the
blade.4. falling out of the blade-socket 3. accidentally.
In all these arrangments the centre of gravity of the pick is the contre of pick
handle 1, and in order to effect this, the centre of the blade 6. Figures 1 & 4. is
kept a short distance from the centre of the handle, towards the large end of the
blade socket 3. so that the blade 4 may balance the projecting portion of the blade
socket 3. at the small end of it.
In use, the end of the blade, 8, projecting from the large end of the blade
socket 3 is used, so that each blow with the pick tends to tighten the blade 4.
into its socket 3. and when it is desired to use the other end of the blade 9. tho
blade 4 is taken out of its socket 3. and reversed end for end.-
Having now described the nature and object of my said invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention the above
described modes of making the blades of picks, so that their taper is the means of
securing them into the sockets formed for them on the heads of their handles,
and the modifications of this arrangment substantially as herein-above described,
and illustrated in the accompanying drawing
=
In witness whereof I the said George William Elliott have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this twenty first day of December in the year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
AEAEAD ITAM TILLATVIL