IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKS, AXES, ADZES, AND TOOLS OF A SIMILAR CHARACTER
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Brown, of Regent Works, Sheffield, in the County
of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKS, AXES, ADZES,
AND TOOLS OF A SIMILAR CHARACTER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Brown at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th May 1876.
THOMAS BROWN, of Regent Works, Sheffield, in the County of York.
PROVEMENTS IN PICKS, AXES, ADZES, AND TOOLS OF A SIMILAR CHARACTER."
"IM-
In the Specification to a Patent granted to W. S. Bury on the 6th August 1870,
No. 2188, was described a construction of picks and such like tools wherein the
blade was made loose from the shaft, and was fitted thereto by passing it through a
metal loop on the shaft and securing it by means of a loose wedge or key, the
blade having a projecting stud on the bottom surface which entered a notch or
recess in the loop when keyed in, so as to hold the blade securely in the shaft.
The key or wedge in this arrangement being loose was apt to get lost, thus causing
inconvenience and delay.
My present improvement has for its object to obviate this defect, and consists in
constructing the wedge or key with a groove along one or both its sides, into which
fits a stud or projection on the inner face of the loop, so that the groove or grooves
being closed up at both ends after the wedge is inserted, this is free to slide back-
wards and forwards in the loop so as to allow the blade to be inserted and then
keyed fast, but it is prevented from sliding entirely out of the loop. The key is by
preference placed at the bottom of the loop, in which case the before-mentioned
projection on the blade is made at the top, fitting into a hole at the top of the loop.
The blade is also by preference provided with a flat projection on its under side,
against which the key bears, in order that when the blade is fixed in position the
projecting ends of the key may be some distance from the under face of the blade
on each side of such projection, which thus admits of the blade being more easily
detached from and attached to the shaft. The groove of the key might also be made
in its under surface and the stud at the bottom of the loop, but in this case the
groove and stud would have to be made under cut, in order that the key should be
retained on the stud.

page_text: Instead of making the loop of a bent metal strap, as described in the said
Specification, I prefer to make it of a malleable iron casting having a socket at its
lower end, in which the shaft is secured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th November
1876.
"
THOMAS BROWN, of Regent Works, Sheffield, in the County of York.
PROVEMENTS IN PICKS, AXES, ADZES, AND TOOLS CF A SIMILAR CHARACTER."
IM-
In the Specification to a Patent granted to W. S. Bury on the 6th August 1870,
No. 2188, was described a construction of picks and such like tools wherein the
blade was made loose from the shaft, and was fitted thereto by passing it through a
metal loop on the shaft and securing it by means of a loose wedge or key, the
blade having a projecting stud on the bottom surface which entered a notch or
recess in the loop when keyed in, so as to hold the blade securely in the shaft.
The key or wedge in this arrangement being loose was apt to get lost, thus causing
inconvenience and delay.
My present improvement has for its object to obviate this defect, and consists in
constructing the wedge or key with a groove along one or both its sides, into which
fits a stud or projection on the inner face of the loop, so that the groove or grooves
being closed up at both ends after the wedge is inserted this is free to slide back-
wards and forwards in the loop, so as to allow the blade to be inserted and then
keyed fast, but it is prevented from sliding entirely out of the loop. The key is by
preference placed at the bottom of the loop, in which case the before-mentioned
projection on the blade is made at the top, fitting into a hole at the top of the loop.
The blade is also by preference provided with a flat projection on its under side,
against which the key bears, in order that when the blade is fixed in position the
projecting ends of the key may be some distance from the under face of the blade
on each side of such projection, which thus admits of the blade being more easily
detached from and attached to the shaft. The groove of the key might also be
made in its under surface and the stud at the bottom of the loop, but in this case
the groove and stud would have to be made under cut, in order that the key should
be retained on the stud.
Instead of making the loop of a bent metal strap, as described in the said
Specification, I prefer to make it of a malleable iron casting, having a socket at its
lower end, in which the shaft is secured.
On the accompanying on newn my p
to a pick.
Fig. 1 shews a front elevation of the socket, binde, and key combined; Fig. 2
shews a side view of the socket with a section through the blade and key on
line X, X, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shews a perspective view of the socket and key with the blade removed.
Fig. 4 shews a side view of the blade detached, and Fig. 5 shews a perspective
view of the key detached.
The socket A is formed with a loop A¹ for receiving the blade B and key C.
Inside the loop is formed a stud or projection A which fits into a groove C¹ in the
side of the key, this groove being in the first instance made open at one end, so
that when the key is slid into the loop the stud can enter it, after which the end
of the groove is closed up, so that the stud cannot pass out of the groove, and thus
the key is secured in place while it is free to slide backwards and forwards to the

page_text: required extent for securing and releasing the blade. In order to enable the key to
be driven more conveniently the blade is formed with a flat projection B', against
which the key bears, so that the projecting ends of the key are slightly removed
from the under surface of the blade outside the socket. The blade also has a
projection B which enters the hole A³ in the loop, and thus holds the blade in
position.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim in respect of picks, axes, adzes, and such like
tools of the kind above referred 'to-
First. Providing the key for securing the blade with a groove, into which enters
a stud in the loop of the socket, substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
Second. Providing the blade with a flat projection, against which the key bears,
substantially as and for the purposes hercin set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Brown, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord Oue.
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
THOMAS BROWN. (L.S.)