IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPADES, SHOVELS, HOES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND IN DIES OR TOOLS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Mainwaring Parsons at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd December 1880.
JOHN MAINWARING PARSONS, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Spade and Shovel Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPADES,
SHOVELS, HOES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND IN DIES OR TOOLS EMPLOYED
THEREIN."
"
I will first describe my improvements as they relate to the manufacture of spades
and shovels.
A plain piece of wrought iron bar of suitable size to form a spade or shovel is
placed in a plater's or roller's fire until sufficiently heated, when the middle part is
placed edgeways between two dies which press (or hammer) up the metal, thus
forming a rectangular recess on each edge of the bar in the middle thereof, and
thickening up the metal at the middle flatways, and also drawing the metal at
such part lengthways. The next operation which is performed without re-heating
the iron, consists in placing the iron in a bottom die shaped to receive the part
acted upon by the first dies, and also a part of each wider end flatways and for a
length sufficient for the desired coffer, and then compressing (or hammering) it by
means of a die or tool which presses down and flattens the thickened part of the
metal in the middle of the bar to the same thickness as the metal at the ends,
and also indents or hollows down therewith parts of the wider ends. These
indented parts form the coffer or aperture for the tree or handle when the halves
or sides are welded together, thus rendering the use of an opener, core, or tool
(usually employed) to form the coffer unnecessary. The metal of the middle or
narrower part is prevented from spreading sideways, by raised sides of the bottom
die. The middle or reduced part of the bar forms the straps or langets, and the ends of
the recessed parts (at the joints of the straps or langets with the ends) form the top or
shoulders of the spade or shovel. As the middle part of the bar is flattened down,
a niche is formed across the centre by means of a hardy or chisel-shaped part in
one of the dies, so that when the iron leaves the second pair of dies, the one end
or side is easily turned or doubled over on to the other without being (as is usually
done) first separated. The iron in process of being manufactured into a spade or
shovel, is again placed in a plater's or roller's fire and raised to a welding heat,

page_text: when it is placed in a third pair of dies, which by compression (or hammering)
completely weld up the parts required to be welded. Suitable bollows are formed
in the faces of this third pair of dies to leave a good and roomy coffer. If the spade
or shovel be required to be steeled inside, the steel is inserted after leaving the
second pair of dies and before the second heating, but if the steel is to be welded
outside, the bar of steel is laid at a welding heat upon the lower die and the iron
thereupon, and thus the steel is welded on, the surplus steel in the latter case is
cut off at the same operation which performs the welding by means of steelings
forming part of or fixed to or in connection with the dies. The partially formed
spade or shovel is then plated or rolled in the usual manner without further
beating, being sufficiently hot from the last described operation. By this method
of manufacturing spades and shovels, three, and sometimes four heatings of the
metal are saved, and the labour is considerably reduced. The dies or tools before-
mentioned may be worked in any suitable press or stamp.
The before-described method of manufacture, and the dies employed therein are
applicable to the manufacture of articles generally, which require the two halves or
sides to be turned over and welded together, so as to leave a coffer, as in the
manufacture of spades and shovels.
The method of steeling the outside of spades and shovels and cutting off the
surplus steel therefrom is applicable also to plantation and other hoes and similar
articles requiring steeling outside.
Hoes and similar articles requiring to be steeled inside may be grooved along the
edge to be steeled by means of a circular saw or tool for receiving the steel
previously to being heated for welding the steel in.