US81517A - Improvement in eokse hay-forks - Google Patents

Description

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Letters Patent No. 81,517. dated August 25, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-'roars 'titte dgetule maat in in time Eaters ttett mit mthugrtrt 11i-tige smite.

TO.ALL WHOMIT MAY lCONCERN:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. IilNs, ot' Ashland, Iin the county of Schuylkill, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Horse Hay-Forks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a sufliciently full, clear, and exact description thereof, toV enable one skilled iu the art to which my said inventionappertains toV make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which is made a part of this specification. t

The subject of my invention is a horse hay-fork, cf novel and simple construction and operation. It co'nsists 'ofI a pair o f jaws, composed of a plurality ot' tines, attached to a suitable handle or stock, the one by a rigid and the other by a hinge joint. The hinged or `movable jaw is connected, by means of a suitable rod or brace, to a slide or roller working in a recess in the face of the stock, and engaged by a suitable catch to lock thejaws in their closed position.

In the drawingsv Figure 1 yis a perspective view of my improved fork, in its closed or set position` Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, open, and in the position in which it is driven into the hay.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, showing a diiierent construction ofthe locking-devices from that represented in tlie other figures. i

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

A may represent the stock or handle, which may be of any suitable form, and is provided at its upper end with aloop orieye, a, for the reception of the elevating-rope B, and has attached to it, at itslowerend,y a pair of jaws, C D, each o t' which is preferably composed of a plurality of tines, c cl, and are connected to said stock by the rigid-and hinged joints e cl respectively. v

'E is a rigid brace, connectingl the iixedjaw C, ata suitable distance from its intersection with the stock A, tosaid stock, for the purpose of strengthening it, and F, a rod, similar to the brace E, connecting the movablejaw D,."at a correspondingpoint, to the locking-devices. y l i I n figs. l and 2, the rod or brace F is represented as provided with a widened and slotted upper end,f, to adapt it for attachment to a sliding block, G, working in arecess, al, in the stock A, andA held from lateral displacement in said recess by `means of guides, g g.

II is a spring-latch, attached to the-stock in any suitable manner, and/working in a slot, a2, in its face,' and adapted to engage with the upper lend ot' the block G, to hold said block in its depressed position, represented in iig. 1.

In tig. 3, the widening and'slot-ting-of the cndf of the rod or brace F is represented as dispensed with, and said end of the same ora less width, working in the slot a2, which is elongated for that purpose.

Theslide G is composed ot' suitable studs or pins projecting from the sides-oi` the rod, and occupying the recess al, the sides, of which are thus adapted to be closed, as represented at a3, thus greatly increasing the strength of this part. of the apparatus.

lThe latch H is` composed of a ilat bar'ot' metal, or other similar material, pivoted at its upper end, and

adapted to close by gravity over the slide `G of the rod F, to hold the jaws intheir closed position,-as represented.

I represents the trip-cord, whichis attached to the latch H, as shown. By pulling said cord,`the latch is retracted, releasing the slide Gr, and thus allowing ,the jaw Dto open to discharge the load.

The shape of the tines is such that the load exerts a continuous pressure on the locking-devices, so that whenreleased the movable jaw will readily open to discharge the load. By hrig'ing one jaw only, the loadis discharged to that side, and the fork is thus adapted to pitch the hay to the sides and corners of the mow, when desired, instead of dropping it always directly under the fork.

` To enter the forkinto the hay, it'being in 'the position represented in Iig.- 2, the jaw D is first forced down by pressing on it with the foot, and then, while still holding it, the jaw C is inserted by forcing the upper end of the stock back, thus bringing the slide G' to its depressed position, when the latch H engages Withit, and

holds the `iaws in the position into which they have been forced. The fork is then elevated by means of the rope B, and, having reached the desired locality, by drawing the cord I 'the latch is retracted and the jaws allowed to open, discharging the load, as before described.

The several parts-of my improved fork may be madeof combined wood and'metal, as represented, or in any other approved mode. I also propose substituting a. roller for the slide G, vvhen desired, and otherwise modifying the form of the various parts, as may be preferred. l Y Y Having described my invention, I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the movable jaw D, of the slide G, connecting-rod F, and latch H, arranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth. y

2. Thecombined arrangement of the stock A, rigid and hingedjaws C D, brace E,rod or brace F, slide G, and latch H, all substantially as described, for the purposes specifiedV CHARLES E. LINS.

Witnesses:

I. H. YocUM, M. M. Moen.

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