CONVEYING PLANTS FOR BEDDING WITHOUT INJURY AND FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF POTTING
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HORACE SWETE of Baskerville House Worcester Doctor of Medicine do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for CONVEYING PLANTS FOR BEDDING WITHOUT
INJURY AND FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF POTTING to be as follows:-
An ordinary garden wheelbarrow is constructed the backboard being fastened
to strong iron stays surmounted on either side by an hinge To these hinges a
tray is fixed secured by an iron rod and scrow nut, To the fore part of the tray
2 iron rods are hinged and are long enough to rest on the ground supporting the
tray in a level position these rods pass through staples attached to the legs of
the barrow.
When the handles are raised the under surface of the tray is met by the legs of
the barrow which are extended upwards for this purpose, so that, when the handles
of the barrow are raised to move it along, the tray is still in a practically level
condition and the pots of bedding plants are not tumbled about as they would be
on the inclined bed of an ordinary wheelbarrow at the end of the rods resting on
the ground is a knob or a small iron wheel.
د.
The Tray can also be used as a potting bench for potting cuttings &c at the
flower beds in the garden.
By the removal of one or more nuts the tray may be entirely removed from the
barrow leaving it for use as an ordinary garden wheelbarrow.
Where a barrow is not desired the tray may be affixed to a skeleton frame, in
this case it can only be used as a potting bench, or for the conveyance of pots for
bedding out &c.

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved barrow.
Figure 2 is a view of the back of the tray.
Figure 3 is a plan of the said tray.
Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.
A is an ordinary garden wheelbarrow constructed of any desired size or shape
and of any suitable material. B is the tray in which the plants are carried. The
said tray is mounted over the barrow A and hinged thereto over the wheel of
the said barrow. In the drawing I have shown two strong iron stays C secured
to the backboard of the barrow A. the said stays extending above the upper edge of
the said backboard and each of the said stays being bent over to form an eye or
knuckle c at its upper end. Plates D are secured to the underside of the tray B
near its rear end the said plates having an ear d at each end, between which the
knuckles c fit. A rod or bolt E is then passed through holes in the ears d and
through the knuckles o thus hinging the tray B to the barrow A, the rod or bolt E
being secured by a pin e or by a nut or other convenient means.
To the underside and near the forward end of the tray B are hinged two rods or
bars F one on each side of the barrow, the said rods or bars passing through guides
or staples G attached to the legs H of the barrow. When metal rods are employed
they may be provided at their lower ends with knobs or small wheels. The rear
end of the tray, being mounted upon the stays C, is raised above the level of the top
of the barrow and the rods or bars F, which serve as legs for the support of the
forward end of the tray, are of such a length that when the barrow is at rest
the tray B is supported in a horizontal position. When the handles are raised
in order to wheel the barrow along, the rods or bars F are raised from the ground
and the tray is supported at its forward end by the legs H of the barrow which
are extended upward (as shown at h) a sufficient distance to ensure the bottom

page_text: or bed of the tray being preserved in a practically level or horizontal position.
Or instead of extending the legs H upward the sides of the barrow may be so
made as to support the tray B when the barrow is in motion. The pots of bedding
plants placed in the tray B can thus be conveyed without being tumbled about or
damaged as they would be if carried on the inclined bed of an ordinary wheel-
barrow. A chain I is connected to the under side of the tray and to the backboard
of the barrow the said chain being of such a length as to admit of the tray being
thrown back without tipping completely over, when it is desired to fill the barrow
with potting mould.
The tray B may be fitted with fixed or removable sides and ends of any desired
form or height. When used as a potting bench the potting mould is carried in the
barrow and I provide the tray with a movable partition b, dividing off a space at
the rear of the tray in which the pots are placed and a box J is provided for
containing potting crocks, the said box having clips by which it hooks upon the
side of the tray.
The tray B can be readily removed from the barrow, if desired, by simply with-
drawing the rod or bolt E, when the barrow can be used as an ordinary garden
wheelbarrow. Also instead of the tray B being mounted upon the barrow A it
may be mounted upon a skeleton barrow-frame of any suitable construction and the
said tray may be hinged to and supported over the said barrow or frame by any
other suitable and convenient means which will ensure the bed of the said tray
being kept in a practically level condition when the said barrow or frame is in
motion or at rest,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The tray B mounted upon and hinged to a wheelbarrow.A or barrow-frame,
with means for sustaining the said tray in a practically level or horizontal position
when the said barrow or frame is in motion or at rest, substantially as set forth.