US1278938A - Scythe. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

/Z V A W/T/VESSES. 3 INVENTOR a w? a J, I 11/11,. //A" M 2 Samue/M Mfc/ven ATTORNEY nmrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. KITCHEN, 0F SALEM, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB- TO BARTLETT ALL STEEL.

SCYTHE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SCYTHE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918,.

Application filedAp -ilw, 1917. Serial No. 163,135.

ton and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scythes, of which the following-is a specification. V

This invention relates to improvements in scythes, and the invention relates particularly to theconstructionof the heel-end of the scythe blade and the tang.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a relatively thin high grade tool steel scythe blade, preferably made out of sheet steel which requires a minimum offorging to reduce it to proper shape and consistency. A further objectis-to provide novel andsiinple means for-reinforcing the heel-end of the blade and also the tang, by increasing the thickness of the metal in these parts atthe points where the greatest strains-are experienced, and to accomplish this object without the use of rivets or of folding and rolling the said parts. And a further object is to corrugate certain portions of the heel'endt of the blade in a novel manner for increasing the strength and for preventing the buckling of the blade.

A further object is to improve the devices shown in my United States Patent N 0. 1,187,432, dated June 13, 1916, and also my pending application Serial No. 115,532.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed description which follows, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a broken plan view; showing the sheet metal blank from which my improved blade is made.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank comprising the sheet metal reinforcing member.

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view of the heelend of the blade after the reinforcing member has been permanently welded to the blade proper, and the whole operated upon for producing the finished article.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken on line 66 of Fig. 3. r

In the drawing, 2 represents the blank from which the blade is made, which consists of a plane sheet of tool steel for producing a keen and lasting cutting edge when properly tempered. The blank 2 is preferably normally of the proper gage and therefore 1 does not require any rolling or forging for bringing it to the proper thickness. 3 represents the cutting edge-of the blade, and 4 represents the back flange portion, which in the finished article is bentupwardly substantially at right angles to the body of the blade (see Figs. 3, 4, and5). The broad heel-end 5 tapers upwardly toward the back flange 4, for providing a relatively narrow neck 6 to which-is integrally joined'a tang 7. The blank 2 of'Fig. 1 ispreferably of the same gage throughout, and the back flange 4 preferably extends partially across the rounded end of the tang for stifiening the neck 6. I

It is known that ascythe blade-is weakest at 'its-heel-end, which includes the-portions 5 and-6, anda particular objectofthepres ent invention is to suitably reinforce said parts so as to give to the whole blade the requisite strength and stiffness. "The rein forcement referred to consists of overlaying a portion of the heel-end 5, as Well as the neck 6, and the tang 7, with a sheet metal plate or part 8, which is first blanked-out of sheet steel, as shown in Fig. 2, having an angular web 8, and a tang 8", corresponding to the similar parts of the blade 2. The

plate 8 may consist of any suitable grade of steel. The blank 8 is disposed upon the blank 2 (see dotted lines in Fig. 3), where it is temporarily held in place preferably by spot welding. The heel-end of the blades 2 with the overlaid portion 8 is next heated and then placed between suitable dies or forging tools and subjected to a suflicient pressure to firmly weld parts 8 and 2 together, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. The dies (not shown) are preferably provided with grooves and tongues, which during the welding operation referred to, mold or form two or more ribs 9 and 10 on the top side of the blade, and corresponding grooves 9 and 10 in the bottom side of the blade. The rib 9 preferably extends from the neck 6 forwardly toward the point of the blade substantially parallel to the back flange 4, while the rib 10 extends from a point substantially midway between the rib 9 and the cutting edge 3, at an angle of approximately 45, to and intersecting the rib 9 near its forward end. The ribs9 and 10 preferably taper, their broadest ends facing the tang 7. By

this novel construction and arrangement of the heel-end of the blade, said end is doubled in thickness. The rib 9 prevents the blade from bending or buckling at its narrowest point neck 6, while the rib 10 prevents the broad heel portion 5 from twisting independently from the neck and tang. Thus the weakest portions of the blade are adequately strengthened and stiffened. The ribs 9 and 10 are preferably positioned so that their outer edges 11 correspond to the margins 12 of the plate 8. By this provision, the laps or joints between the blades 2 and 8 are obscured. The back flange 4: may be bent up by means of the same dies employed for forming the ribs and grooves 9 and 10 at a single operation, if desired. In any event, the main portion of the blade 2 beyond the reinforcing portions needs but one heating, therefore the high grade of the steel is not liable to be impaired. This latter feature is important for the reason thatunder the old methods of constructing scythes, the blades were heated so many times that they were rendered soft and incapable of retaining sharp cutting edges for any length of time. I

My method and means for reinforcing the heel-end of the scythe blade are extremely simple, and they are believed to be novel. The cost of construction as well asthe labor are greatly reduced, while the strength, durability and efficiency of the whole scythe is materially improved. r I

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A scythe, including a blade of uniform thickness throughout and having an integral tang separated from the blade by a neck, a reinforcing plate welded to the top face of the tang, the neck and a portion of the heelend of the blade, and tapering reinforcing ribs and grooves formed in the welded parts of the neck and heelend of the blade, the said ribs and grooves converging and, intersecting toward the pointed end of the blade.

2. A scythe, including a blade of uniform thickness throughout and having an integral tangseparated from the body of the blade by a neck, a reinforcing plate mounted upon and welded to the tang, the neck and a portion of the heel-end of the blade adjacent the neck, a pair of ribs and grooves made from the welded parts, one of said ribs and its corresponding groove extending across the neck and a portion of the heel-end of the blade, the other rib and corresponding groove extending obliquely from the rearend of the blade and intersecting said first rib and groove toward the pointed end of the blade. V 1

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SAMUEL M. KITCHEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

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