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

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Newzam Nicholson, of Newark-upon-
Trent, in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineer, and
Iron Founder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HORSE RAKES,
PART OF SUCH INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Newzam
Nicholson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th July 1872.
I, WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON, of Newark-upon-Trent, in the
5 County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineer and Iron Founder, do
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
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
O constructing the wheels and axles of horse rakes, whereby greater
durability is secured and the width of the rake over all diminished.

page_text: On the wrought-iron axle of the horse rake I fix a boss or outer
axle of cast iron of a larger 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 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 eccentric 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 certain methods of coupling
together the teeth of horse rakes in pairs or groups, and in weighting or
balancing the same, being a modification of my Invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to me on May 27th, 1861.
On one plan I use moveable metal clips, made by preference in halves,
connected together by a screw or screws and embracing as many teeth
as it is wished to group. This clip may be moved and fixed nearer either
to the point or the pivots of the teeth according as it is desired to add
to their weight upon the ground when raking heavy or damp crops, or 2
to balance them for lighter crops.
On another plan I make elongated cast or malleable iron fixings to
carry two or more teeth, which fixing pivots on the tooth carrying bar,
when the tooth carrying bar is attached to a rocking frame these fixings
are arranged so as to balance the teeth and reduce the length of steel a
required for their construction.
The third part of this Invention relates to a method of attaching the
shafts to horse rakes or other agricultural machines 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 3
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

page_text: 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 bolt 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-
ments.
The fourth 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 foot board or plate. Through this foot plate projects a stud or
bar which operates upon a pair of rule jointed links and a bar carrying
the above named pawl. 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 into the racket wheel and 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, and 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.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Newzam Nicholson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NEWZAM NICHOLSON, of the Trent Iron Works, Newark, in the County
of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors give
and grant unto me, the said William Newzam Nicholson, Her special
licence that I, the said William Newzam Nicholson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I the said William Newzam
Nicholson, 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 HORSE RAKES, PART OF SUCH INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO
OTHER MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Newzam Nicholson, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Newzam Nicholson, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
The first part of this Invention relates to an improved method of
constructing 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 horse rakes I fix bosses or outer axles of
cast iron of large diameter, and I make the bushes of the wheels also

page_text: of large size to fit on these bosses or outer axles, both bosses and wheel
bushes being by preference cast on chills, whereby the durability is
greatly increased. This enlarged diameter allows the length of the
bushes and axles to be diminished, the stability of the rake being as
great as if constructed on the ordinary plan with longer axles and
bushes. I cast upon the bosses or outer axles arms or brackets, to
which the bar that carries the 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 these bosses projections or cams for releasing the
pawls, as afterwards described.
•
When it is desired to construct a rake that can be raised or lowered
I make the bosses or outer axles with excentric holes, and arrange so
that they can be moved round the wrought-iron axle and fixed at any
desired point.
The second part of this Invention relates to certain methods of
coupling together the teeth of horse rakes in pairs or groups, and in
weighting or balancing the same, being a modification of my Invention
for which Letters Patent were granted to me on May 27th, 1861.
On one plan I use moveable metal clips, made by preference in halves,
connected together by a screw or screws, and embracing as many teeth
as it is wished to group. These clips may be moved and fixed nearer
either to the points or the pivots of the teeth, according as it is desired
to add to their weight upon the ground when raking heavy or damp
crops, or to balance them for lighter crops.
On another plan I make elongated cast or malleable iron fixings to
carry two or more teeth, which fixings pivot on the tooth carrying bar.
Where the tooth carrying bar is attached to a rocking frame these
fixings are arranged so as to balance the teeth, and reduce the length of
steel or iron required for their construction.
The third 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 the ends of the cross bar of the shafts
(which I make by preference of tubular iron), similar bosses having

page_text: corrugated hollows or depressions of a corresponding spherical section,
into which the before-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 are moved passes
through the tubular cross bar and the bosses and spheres, and on
tightening the nut on this bolt the shafts are fixed or held in any
required position.
The fourth 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 the carrying wheels I construct ratchet or
toothed wheels, into which 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 foot plate projects a stud
which operates upon a pair of rule jointed links and bars carrying the
before 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
pawls to fall into the ratchet wheels and the rocking frame to partially
rotate, so that the teeth are lifted till the pawls come in contact with
the projections or cams attached to the axle, when the said pawls are 2
released and 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.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention I proceed more fully
to describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 shows a section of a horse rake axle and wheel with con-
centric outer axle; Figure 2 a similar section with excentric outer axle;
Figure 3, a plan of Figure 2.
3
a, a, are the wrought-iron axles; b, b, the wheels; c, the concentric
outer axle; c*, an excentric outer axle; and d the bracket for holding 3
the hen that nonnins the strinner

page_text: Figures 4 & 5 are elevation and plan of moveable metal clips for
coupling together a pair of horse rake teeth, and Figure 6 a plan of
an elongated metal coupling or fixing for the same purpose.
e, e, are the teeth; f, f, the moveable metal clips; and 7 the
elongated metal coupling. These clips or couplings may be made to
embrace or connect a larger number of teeth.
Figures 6 & 7 are plan and elevation of the method of attaching shafts
to a horse rake, which is shown also by dotted lines in Figure 8.
h is a casting attached to the draught iron having a corrugated
spherical projection; and "i" a boss attached to the shafts having a
corresponding depression; & ka bolt with nut passing through
the back bar of the shafts for holding the same in any required
position.
Figure 8 is a plan, Figure 9 a back elevation, and Figures 10 & 11
sectional elevations of a self-acting horse rake.
a, a, the axle; b, b, the carrying wheels on which are the ratchet
wheels 1, 1; c, c, the teeth; m, the rocking frame carrying the teeth
bar; n, the footboard; o, the stud projecting through the same; p, the
rule jointed links; q, q, two pawl bars carrying at one end of each the
pawls r, r, and at the other end projecting catches **, **, which engage
when required with corresponding catches or projections on the rule
jointed links.
The same pawl bars also carry weights 8, 8, for the
purpose hereafter described; "t" is the seat for the driver; and u a
spring on the rocking frame for holding up the rule jointed links, and
keeping the rocking frame firm during the process of raking.
"
0
In working the rake, when it is required to deliver the load the stud
" is depressed by the foot and acting on the rule jointed links, un-
locks the rocking frame, and at the same time releases the catches **, **,
on the pawl bars by which the pawls are allowed to drop into the ratchet
wheels ", " as shown by the dotted lines in Figures 10 & 11, being
assisted by the gravitation of the weights "8, 8," on the pawl bars. As
the horse moves on the wheels revolve, and with them the ratchet
wheels, which being engaged with the pawls depress the rocking frame,
and raise the teeth of the rake to the proper height for releasing the
collected material, when the cams "D" disengage the pawls, & the
teeth resume the proper position for raking.

page_text: It will be seen that the two pawls with their carrying bars, weights,
and catches work independently of each other, so that in turning the
lifting is performed by one wheel only, the pawl overriding the ratchets
in the other wheel.
If it is desired that the rake should be worked by a person walking 5
behind it the stud "o" is actuated or depressed by a lever which projects
over the back of the rake.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and certain
methods in which the same may be carried out, I declare I do not
confine myself to the precise plans herein shown, as they are capable 1
of being varied without materially departing from the essential principles
of my Invention; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly. The method of constructing the wheels and axles of horse
rakes described & shown in Figures 1, 2, & 3.
Secondly. The plan of grouping or coupling the teeth of horse rakes 1
by moveable clips or elongated fixings described & shown in Figures 4,
5, & 6.
Thirdly. The method of attaching shafts to horse rakes described and
shown in Figures 6, 7, & 8.
And fourthly. The [arrangement and combination of parts and 2
mechanism in constructing rakes that are delivered by the onward
progress of the horse, especially as to the use of two pawls on separate
bars which can act independently of each other, in combination with
rule jointed locking links for fixing the rocking frame whilst raking,
substantially in the same or similar manner to that shown and described
in Figures 8, 9, 10, & 11.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Newzam Nicholson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
WILLIAM NEWZAM NICHOLSON. (L.S.)