IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING HAY, STRAW, AND EARTH
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING HAY, STRAW, AND EARTH."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Levi Beardsley, residing at Boston, United
States of America.
Scaled the 23rd May 1862, and dated the 22nd February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd February 1862.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING HAY, STRAW, AND EARTH," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for elevating
hay, straw, and earth.
For the purpose of elevating hay or straw I employ an apparatus con-
sisting of two forks each having two prongs; these forks are connected
together by an axis which passes through the prongs near their upper ends,
or the points where they pass into the stem of the fork; the prongs of the
two forks are curved inwards towards each other. Chains are connected to

page_text: one of the prongs of each fork, and the point of attachment of each chain
is between the axis and the point of the prong; these chains at a short
distance above the forks are connected together and to a rope or tackle,
by which the whole apparatus can be hauled up or lowered. It will be
seen that when the apparatus hangs by these chains its weight tends to
draw the prongs of the two forks apart. The stems of the forks are also
connected together above the axis by a short chain, in the centre of which
is a ring, and above the ring, and suspended from the rope or tackle
which raises and lowers the apparatus, is a metal link, to the lower end of
which a short lever is jointed. The lever has a hook at one end, over
which the ring in the short chain connecting the stems of the forks may
be hooked, and this hook will retain the ring so long as the lever is pre-
vented turning on its axis; this is done by a latch also jointed to the link
and which drops over the other end of the lever. When the short chain
is hooked up in the manner above described the weight of the apparatus
as it hangs from the tackle tends to draw the prongs of the fork together.
Connected with the latch is a cord, by pulling which the lever is freed,
and then in turning it drops the ring of the short chain connecting the
stems of the forks, and the apparatus then being suspended by the other chains
attached to the prongs, the prongs immediately separate.
The apparatus is employed in the following manner :-It is with its prongs
open lowered on to a heap of hay or straw, then the ring in the chain con-
necting the stems of the forks is hooked over the lever, and the raising rope or
tackle is hauled on to lift the apparatus; this results, first, in the closing of the
prongs on the hay or straw between them, and then in the raising the apparatus
therewith to the required height. When the apparatus is over the place where
it is desired to deposit the hay or straw, the latch cord is pulled and the prongs
immediately fall open and discharge their load.
It is not essential that forks, each composed of two prongs should be
employed, as two single tines may be employed in place thereof, and in this case
to steady the prongs, cause the chains which suspend the apparatus when the
tines are separated to pass through eyes in their stems. The latch and parts
connected therewith are arranged in the manner already described, in some
cases however, I employ a spring in connection with it to prevent it from
being accidently displaced. Or, I employ to retain the ring a jointed hook,
the extremity of which is, so long as the hook is desired to retain the ring,
held up in its place by a latch dropping over it, when this latch is drawn
up by its cord, the end of the hook falls, turning about the pin which connects
it with the body of the hook, and so liberates the ring.

page_text: For raising earth, I employ an apparatus. of a somewhat similar con-
struction. The prongs or tines are replaced by spades; these are placed
opposite the one to the other, and at the top of their blades are fixed
in sockets in two metal frames jointed together at a point midway between
the spades, and each frame has an arm formed on it, and projecting over
the joint or centre; a short chain with a ring in the centre connects the
extremity of each of these arms, and there are other chains connected to
the frames near the spade sockets, these are attached above to the rope
or tackle which raises and lowers the apparatus.
When the apparatus hangs by the latter chains, its weight, as in the
case of the prongs of the hay and straw elevator, tends to separate the-
spades. The ring in the short chain connecting the arms of the frames,
is capable of being hooked up and liberated as already explained, and
when the apparatus hangs by these chains, its weight tends to keep the
spades together.
In employing the apparatus, the spades are driven into the land in an
inclined position, and opposite the one to the other; the ring is then hooked
up, so that in raising the apparatus and load its weight may tend to keep
the spades together, but as this is not sufficient to resist the heavy strain
to which the apparatus is exposed in detaching the mass of earth to be
raised, a stretcher or strut is placed between the stems of the two opposite
spades above the sockets, so as to prevent them approaching each other,
the length of the stretcher or strut is adjustable, it being made in two pieces
one having a ratchet rack upon it, and the other a pawl. The apparatus
being thus adjusted, the piece of land is detached and then elevated to the
height required by hauling on the lifting tackle. When over the spot
where it is desired to deposit the raised earth it is liberated by pulling
the latch cord, and also a cord leading to the pawl of the stretcher or strut.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th August 1862:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD,. of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, Her special license, that I, the said George
Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
'IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING HAY, STRAW, AND EARTH," a
'communication to me from abroad by Levi Beardsley, a person resident at
Boston, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, 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 calender months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
:-
Figure 1 represents a double hook elevator as it appears when the tines are
'enibedded in a bundle of hay; Figure 2 a view of the same after the hay has
been discharged; Figure 3, a side view of the loop, tripping plate, and latch.
In Figures 4, 5, and 6 is represented a single tine elevator; Figures 7 and 8
details to be referred to; Figures 9, 10, and 11, views of the earth elevator,
and its parts. In Figures 1 and 2, A are four curved tines that are riveted
together at their tops in pairs.
In the Drawings A, A, A, A, are four curved tines that are riveted together
at their tops in pairs, each pair being bent so that they will be spread some
distance apart as represented in the Drawings. The two pairs of curved tines
are jointed together at a by a rod 6 passing across from each pair, and the
two riveted ends above their fulcrum are connected together by a short
chain c, having a ring c linked to it. This chain is of a sufficient length to
allow the tines to separate as in Fig. 2, and by raising the hooks A by this
chain c, they will close up as shown in Figure 1. B, B, are two chains, that
are attached to one of each pair of tines A, which being of a suitable length,

page_text: are attached to a latch loop C (Figure 3), between which is pivoted a hooked
latch e shown clearly in Figure 8, one end of which passes through a hole in
'a jointed tripping plate g. The pulley rope G is connected to the loop C,
and a cord h is attached to the piece g. The office of the chains or cords B, B,
is to open the hooks, while that of the chain c is to close them. From this
description it will be seen that by placing the tines over a mass of hay, and
hooking the ring c² of the chain c on the hooked portion of latch e, when this
latch is held by the piece 9, and drawing on the pulley rope G, the tines A
will be drawn together, and grasp and compress the hay in a bundle, when it
may be elevated by drawing on the pulley rope G, shown in Figure 1, then
when it is desired to drop the hay free from the tines by pulling on cord h, the
latch will be tripped, and the chain c will allow the chains B, B, to open the
tines as shown in Figure 2, thus discharging the hay from them.
Figures 4, 5, and 6, represent a single-tined hay elevator. A2, A2, repre-
sent two curved teeth or tines connected by a fulcrum pin a near their upper
ends, on which the tines are allowed to work freely; B², B², are two chains,
the lower ends of which are attached to the tines A² below the fulcrum pin a².
These chains pass through eyes 62, 63, at the upper ends of the tines above the
pin a³, and are connected to a socket C, to which the fall rope D³ is attached.
This socket C² may be formed of two metal plates c, c, properly secured to
cross plates or bars d², and within this socket a lever E' is fitted and secured
by a fulcrum pine which passes through its upper end, see Figure 2. Tho
⚫lever E² extends down below the socket C³, and it is connected by a spiral
spring to a latch G2, which is fitted in the lower part of the socket C³, and
5 secured therein by a pin or pivot f, the outer end of the latch projecting
beyond the side of the socket, and being of curved form as shown clearly in
Figure 2. The lever E has an opening g³ made in it to receive the inner
end of the latch G2, the spring F retaining the lever on the inner end of the
latch, and the latter is consequently held in a horizontal position ready to
hook. To the upper end of each tine A2 there is attached a chain H. The
upper ends of these chains are connected to a ring 12, which when fitted on
the outer curved end of the latch G³, retains the tines A3, A3, in a closed state
as shown in Figure 1.
The operation is as follows:-The fall rope D is passed through suitable
5 sheaves or blocks so placed that the implement may be hoisted over the place
where the hay is to be deposited. The tines A2, A², are inserted into a mass
of hay which is to be elevated, and the ring 12 of the chains H³, H², is placed
on the curved end of the latch G³. The latch G² and chains H2, H², retain
the tines A, A, in a closed state while the implement is being hoisted, and

page_text: when the implement reaches the desired point of elevation the operator or
attendant by means of a suitable cord draws out the lower end of the lever E?,
and thereby releases the inner end of the latch G2, and the chains. H2, and the
tines A2, A2, will be distended in consequence of the attachment of the
chains B², B, thereto, see Figure 6, and the load will be at liberty to drop
from the tines. The chains B it will be understood have a tendency to
distend the lower parts of the tines, while the chains H2 have a tendency to
keep them closed. The chain B2 in consequence of passing through the
eyes at the upper ends of the tines, keep the latter from turning at the
points of attachment of the chains B to the tines A, and the spring F pre-
vents the casual movement of the lever E2 from the latch G³.
This Invention admits of two tines only being used, whereas in Figures. 1
and 2 four tines are employed in order to admit of the load being nearly
balanced, or to facilitate the balancing thereof to prevent the turning of the
implement as it is elevated. Two tines however can be fastened on each side
near the point where the side chains are fastened, and bowed out with a rod
running between them as a brace. Ropes can be used instead of chains B for
opening the tines. In Figure 7 is represented a hay elevator with a trip hook
of rather different construction; Figure 8 a side view of the trip hook; a³, are
'the side cords; 63, the chains with the center ring hooked upon the trip or fall
hook; c³, are clevises or rope guides fastened to the ends of the arms of the
tines by a swivel bolt. One end of these guides is sufficiently large to receive
the chain link, and the other end is a ring 14 inches in diameter or there-
abouts, through which the said ropes pass. To discharge or open the fork
when filled with hay pull upon the loop d³, and the hook will drop down and
let the ring fall.
Figure 9 represents an earth elevator, the general operation of which is
similar to that of the hay elevator, the tines being replaced by spades f³ which
pass through sockets 93 (Figure 10), in the end of the arms P, these spades
are of boiler iron, strengthened by wrought-iron backs ³ (Figure 11), and
baving sockets for wooden handles. The arms are pivoted together
at m³, the chains n³ being secured to their ends, while the chains p³ are attached
to them near to the sockets which carry the spades; Figure 10 represents the
arms and the frame which carries the sockets. To hold the spades securely
together with their load of earth a brace is employed, which is constructed and
operated as follows:-q³ is a strong bar of metal or wood, upon which slides
another bar, having upon its upper surface ratchet teeth, with which engages
a pawl s pivoted to a short standard w³ rising from the bar q³. The spades
are driven into the earth in an inclined position as seen in Figure 9, the brace

page_text: (one or more of them) is placed between the handles of the spades, the bar 1³
being run out till the opposite ends of the brace rest upon the opposite spades,
the pawl s is then dropped, the ring is put over the hook, and the load is
raised by the chains 22³, the elevator is then swung over the point where it is
to be unloaded, the pawl is tripped by a cord t³, the hook is then tripped
by the loop d, and the spades separate from each other, allowing the earth
to drop.
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above recited Letters Patent, I claim,
1st, the double tined hay elevator represented in Figures 1 and 2, and
operating as described.
2nd, I claim the tripping latch, tripping plate, and loop, operating as set
forth.
3rd, I claim the single tined elevator constructed substantially as described.
4th, I claim connecting the lower end of the lever E with the latch G³, by
means of a spring F, for the purpose of preventing the casual detachment of
the latch from the lever as described.
5th, I claim the earth elevator represented in Figure 9.
6th, I claim the brace q³, r³, represented in Figure 9, operating as set
forth.
7th, I claim the combination of the chains n³ and p³, with the trip hook,
operating as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (L.S.)