IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RAKES, PART OF SUCH INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Newzam Nicholson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th April 1872.
I, WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON, of Newark-upon-Trent, in the
County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineer and Iron Founder, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HORSE RAKES, PART OF SUCH INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES,"
to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to an improved method of con-
structing the wheels and axles of horse rakes, whereby greater durability
is secured and the actual width of the rake diminished. On the
wrought-iron axles of a horse rake I fix a boss or outer axle of cast iron
of large diameter, and I make the bush of the wheel also of large size
to fit on this boss or outer axle, both boss and wheel bush being by
preference cast on chills, whereby their durability is greatly increased.
This enlarged diameter allows the length of the bush and axle to be
diminished, the stability of the rake being as great as if constructed on
the ordinary plan with longer bushes and axles. I cast upon the boss
or outer axle an arm or bracket to which the bar that carries the

page_text: strippers of the rake can be attached in a simple manner, and where
the rake is intended to be self-acting I cast also upon or with this boss
a projection or cam for releasing the pawl'as afterwards described.
When it is desired to construct a rake that can be raised or lowered I
make the boss or outer axle with an excentric hole, and arrange so that
it can be moved round the wrought-iron axle and fixed at any desired
point.
The second part of this Invention relates to a method of attaching the
shafts to horse rakes by which the pitch of the teeth can be varied, and
which allows the rake to be more readily stowed either when put away
or in railway transit. To effect this I fix to the draught irons to which
the shafts are attached cast bosses having corrugated projections of a
spherical section, and I use at each end of the cross bar of the shafts
(which I make by preference of tubular iron) similar bosses having
corrugated hollows or depressions of a corresponding spherical section, into
which the above-named projections fit. In some cases I make the bosses
on the draught irons also with corrugated hollows, and use corrugated
balls or spheres fitting into the hollows, making the connection in a
similar manner to an ordinary ball and socket joint. A bolt, round
which the shafts can be moved, passes through the tubular cross bar and
the bosses and spheres, and on tightening the nut on this ball the shafts
are held in any required position.
I do not confine myself to the exact arrangement described, as it may
be varied without departing from the actual principle of the improve-
ment.
The third part of this Invention relates to a method of constructing
what are commonly called self-acting horse rakes, or rakes so contrived
that the teeth are lifted by the onward progress of the horse. Cast with
or attached to the naves of one or both carrying wheels I construct a
ratchet or toothed wheel or wheels into which a pawl or pawls connected
with the rocking frame which lifts the teeth can be dropped. The
person working the rake rides by preference on a seat with his feet on
a footboard or plate: Through this footplate projects a stud which
operates upon a pair of rule-jointed links, and a bar carrying the above-
named pawls. The rule-jointed links are locked or kept in place by a
spring, and hold the rocking frame firm whilst raking. When it is
wished to relieve the rake of its load the stud is depressed by the foot,
which unlocks or partially opens the rule joint, causes the pawl to fall

page_text: into the ratchet wheel, the rocking frame to partially rotate, so that
the teeth are lifted till the pawl comes in contact with a projection or cam
attached to the axle, when it is released & the teeth fall and resume
the proper position for raking. When it is desired to work the rake
from behind, the stud is actuated by a lever which projects over the back
of the rake.