USRE2850E - Improvement in horse hay-forks - Google Patents

Description

BEST AVAILABLE COPY ,4. i L dZfdflame Hay-fink.

BZSSMd Feb. 45 A968.

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UNITED STATES To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that ANDREW J. LAIRD, of Middletown, in thecouuty ofDauphin and State of Pennsylvania, has invented a new and useful Improvement in Hay-Forks; and 1 do hereby tlrtiltil'e the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation of the same, reference beinghad to the ace-ompanyingdrawings, which are made a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the implement in readiness to be probed into the hay. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the implement in readiness to hoist the hay. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the tine. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a modification in the form of the tines.

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

This invention relates to a hay-elevating fork in which two tines are adapted to be brought together, so as to form a penetrating point to adapt the implement to be readily inserted into the hay or straw and then opened out, so as to form points of support on which the hay is lifted. The novelty consists in a peculiar method of combining a sliding bar and lever with the tines, the advantages ofv which will be hereinafter specified.

in order that others skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may be enabled to fully understand anduse the same, I will proceed-to describe it in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings.

A A may represent two parallel bars of equal length, connected together by the cross pieces or straps B B.

O is a sliding rod, which moves up or down between the bars A A, and is guided by the straps B B. The lower end of the rod 0 is jointed to the upper or flattened extremities of the tines I) D, which fit within the slotted --ends of the bars AA, and are connected thereto by pins or pivots d (I. These pins or pivots .pass through segmental slots 01 d, which are formed in the tines D D for the purpose of adapting thelatter to freely swing outward or inward in the arc of a circle, in order to open and close under the impulse of the rod 0. These slots are necessary, under the construction here represented, in order to adapt the PATENT OFFICE.

MARY JANE LAIRD, or MIDDLETOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ADMIN'ISTRATRIX or THE ESTATE or ANDREW J. LAIRD, DECEASED.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,337, dated August 21, 1866; Reissue No. 2,850, dated February 4, 1868.

tines to freely conform to the position of the sliding rod 0, and said slots form one of the features of this invention. the sliding rod G is jointed to a link or connecting-rod, E, which in turn is jointed to a lever, F, which is formed with an eye, f, for the attachment of a rope, G, whereby the lever F is operated so as to close the tines, as will be presently explained.

H is a ring formed on or secured to the upper extremities of the bars A A, and constituting the point of attachment for a rope whereby the implement is raised and lowered, said rope running over a pulley or pulleys and connected lever stands parallel with the bars AA, while the upper horizontal arm of the lever F projects through the ring H. The attached end'ot' the rope G passes through the ring H, with the horizontal arm of the lever F, when the tines are'open, as represented. I Now, it will be observed that when the tines are open the three movable parts 0 E F-tha't is to say. the sliding rod, the intermediate link, and the lever-all stand in line or parallel with each other, and a very slight movement of the lever F will sutfice to throw these parts out or line with each other by throwing the jointed connection between the link E and the lever F beyond the center of the rod 0. When the parts are thus thrown outof line it is manifest that the weight of the hay which is suspended by the tines D D will continue to raise the sliding rod (J, and thus allow the tines to close and discharge the bay. The implement is then ready to be reinserted, after which the tines may be opened by the application of the hand to the lever F. The object in having the horizontal arm of the lever F project through the ring H, together with the-attached end of the rope G, is that the latter is thereby rendered capable of moving the lever in the desired direction, under any position which the imple- The upper end of e ment may assume in being elevated-as, for

instance, the rotary movement of the implement in being elevated may turn the eye fon the opposite side of the implement from the operator, in which case the rope G, acting from its point of bearing upon the ring H, will move the lever F in the same direction as if the eyef were presented toward the operator. This action is the same whether the implement be wholly or partially turned around during its elevation. By this simple arrangement the operator is enabled to close the tines at the proper moment without changing his position.

The operation of the implement may be improved'and much facilitated by the employment of tines of the form represented in Figs. 4 and 5, such tines having cutting-edges 2 2 to adapt them to more readily penetrate the hay. Fig. 4. shows these tines in position to be probed into the hay, and Fig. 5 shows them in position to be hoisted up.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim therein as new, and for which I desire to secure Letters Patent, is-

1. The tines D D, having cutting-edges, in combination with rod 0, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The tines D D, in combination with the rodO, when the formerare pivoted to the parallel bars A A, and work in slots arranged in the end of the same, substantially as described, and for the purposespecified.

. 3. The rod 0, link E, .and lever F, when the same are arranged and combined substantially as described.

4. The bars A A, when they are connected and arranged as shown, in combination with the rod 0 and-link E, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the sliding rod 0, I

the lever F, having its upper horizontal arm adapted to project through the ring H, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

MARY JANE LAIRD,

Administratrir of A. J. Laird, deceased.

Witnesses:

J OHN SNYDER, GEO. W. ZIMMERMAN.

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