IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declaro the nature of this invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF HOES" and in what manner the same is to be perforined,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has relation to garden and farm hoes, and it consists in the
improved process of manufacturing a pronged hoe, and in the improved construction
of the same as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank showing the manner, in
which two lives are cut out of one piece of sheet steel; Figure 2 is a front view of
the finished hoc; Figure 3 is a side view of the saine; and Figure 4 is a cross
sectional view of one of the prongs.
In the drawings the letter A indicates the hoo blade or body, which is formed
with a series of prongs, B, having their faces rounded towards their edges and
having their ends bevoled, as shown at E, at the front faces.
In the process of manufacturing the hoes a blank is taken, which is as long as
the prongs and twice the width of the solid portion of the blade, while the blank is
of the width as the hoe plus one tooth whereupon this blank is stamped or cut out
by means of dies in such a manner, that the prongs of one hoe projects into the
spaces between the prongs of the other hoe.
The separate hoe blanks are thereupon placed in a drop or press; where the
front faces of the prongs are somewhat spread in width and formed oval or rounded,
as clearly seen in the sectional view Figure 4. and where the ends of the prongs are
formed beveled.
"
By this construction of the prongs the hoe will penetrate into the ground with
great case, while at the same time the space between the prongs will be sufficiently
narrow to prevent the loosoned dirt from falling out between the prongs, the
natural moisture in the ground being sufficient to hold it together, and it will also
be seen, that small stones or similar obstructions in the soil will be allowed to full
freely between the prongs, the rounded front faces of the same forcing them
towards the spaces between the pronga.

page_text: The rounded front faces of the prongs will also allow the soil, where it is damp
and sticky, to slido off from the face of the hoo without sticking on it, and clogging
the same, by reason of the surface of the hoe being comparatively smaller than the
surface of a hoe having a solid blade.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1 The improved process for manufacturing hoes, consisting in cutting two hoo
blanks out of one sheet of metal; having the prongs of one blank projecting in the
spaces between the prongs of the other blank, substantially as and for the purpose
shown and set forth.
2nd The improved process for manufacturing hoes, consisting in cutting two hoe
blanks out of one sheet of metal, the prongs of one hoe blank projecting into the
spaces between the prongs of the other blank, and then rounding the front faces of
the prongs and beveling their lower ends in a drop or press, substantially as and for
the purpose shown and set forth.
3rd As an improved article of manufacture a hoe consisting of a solid blade or
body provided at its lower edge with a serios of prongs having their front faces
rounded towards their edges and having their lower edges beveled from front to
rear, substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.
Dated this 8th day of October 1884.