IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Dodds, of Bedburn, in the County of
Durham, Tool Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PICKS."
Sealed the 5th January 1875, and dated the 8th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Dodds at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th July 1874.
I, MATTHEW DODDS, of Bedburn, in the County of Durham, Tool
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PICKS," to be as follows:-
Instead of constructing the head or metal part of the pick wholly of
iron or of steel I construct the main or central portion thereof of iron
and the ends of steel. This I effect as follows:-I form of iron in the
usual way part of a pick head, that is to say, instead of having two
points, one at each extremity, it is made somewhat shorter than the
pick is intended to be, the deficient portions at each end being supplied

page_text: by pick ends or points formed of steel welded on to the central part of
the pick, whereby I obtain a pick which is mainly of iron, but in as far
as usefulness is concerned equal to a steel pick, and very much less
costly
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Matthew Dodds in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
DODDS, of Bedburn, in the County of Durham, Tool Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Matthew Dodds, Her special licence
that I, the said Matthew Dodds, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthew Dodds, 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
PICKS, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Matthew Dodds, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention; 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 Matthew Dodds, 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:-
The object or nature of my said Invention is to improve the con

page_text: struction of picks used in mining coal, and for other purposes, in an
economical manner, and so as not to deteriorate the utility of the
implement.
To effectuate the object above mentioned I proceed as follows:
Instead of constructing the head or metal part of the pick wholly of
iron or steel I construct the main or central portion thereof of iron and
the ends of steel, that is to say, I form of malleable iron the centre
part of a pick head, but instead of having two points, one at each
extremity, it is made somewhat shorter than the pick is intended to be,
the deficient portions at either end being supplied by pick ends or points
formed of steel welded on to the central part of the pick, whereby I
obtain a pick which is mainly of iron, but in as far as usefulness is con-
cerned equal to a steel pick, and very much less costly.
Sometimes, instead of securing the steel ends to the central part by
welding, I fasten them in their places by means of a kind of dovetail
connection and screws, for instance, in the manner illustrated in the
accompanying illustrative Drawings.
:
The foregoing statements particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention and indicate in what manner the same is to
be performed or carried out in practice; and in further compliance with
the condition in the said Letters Patent contained I will now proceed to
more fully and particularly describe and ascertain in what manner the
same is to be performed by referring to the Drawings accompanying
these Presents.
Figures 2 and 3 represent the two points to be fitted into the pick
head..
Figure 4 represents a pick head with points complete.
In these Figures A is the head made of iron, and B the points made
of steel, which are welded to the head, although if preferred the points
be so made as to fit and be screwed into the sockets formed in the
head of the pick, whereby the points may be removed at pleasure.
× shews the part where the screw may be applied.
may

page_text: It is obvious that when pick heads are constructed according to the
foregoing method they will be capable of allowing the steel ends to be
replaced as they are worn away, thus rendering the article not only.
economical in first cost but also as to its use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the 5
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of
Improvements in Picks," as herein-before described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings, it heing understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details shown by the Drawings, so long as the 1
substantial character of my Invention is preserved.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Dodds, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
JAS. HUGH DODDS,
South Bedburn,
Near Bishop Auckland.
MATTHEW DODDS. (L.S.)
1