Rake (tool)

“ The diameter of the curls of the cutting, shaving, or chip produced by a turning and also the direction in which it moves after leaving the tool, depends upon the amount of the top rake and the direction in which it is provided. The greater the amount of rake, whether it be front or side rake, the larger the coils of the cutting, and, therefore, the less the amount of power expended in bending it. Furthermore, it may be remarked that the thickness of the cutting is always greater than is due to the amount of feed traverse, and it requires power to produce this thickening of the cutting. ”

“ When a tool has front rake only, the form of its cutting will depend upon the depth of its cut. With a very fine cut the cutting will come off after the manner shown in Fig. 940, while as the depth of the cut is increased, the cutting becomes a coil such as shown in Fig. 941. These coils lie closer together in proportion [I-259] as the top face of the tool is given less rake, as is necessary for steel and other hard metal. Thus Fig. 940 represents a cutting from steel, the tool having front rake only, while Fig. 941 represents a cutting from a steel crank pin, the tool having side rake. ”

“ An even better way of accomplishing this is to divide a hoe or rake handle, whichever is used in seed-sowing, into feet and quarter-feet, preferably cutting in the marks with a knife. If one is limited to buying just one tool for making the drills the rake should be chosen, as it can also be used for fining the soil and for cultivating between the rows. A garden line can easily be improvised from two sticks, sharpened at one end, and a suitable length of strong twine. ”

“ The Clearance.—Now, in grinding, the important point is the clearance line (B) . As shown in this figure, it has an angle of 10 degrees, so that in placing the tool in the holder it is obvious it cannot be placed very high above the center, particularly when used on small work. The top rake is ground at an angle of 60 degrees from the vertical. The arc of the curved end depends on the kind of lathe and the size of the work.
The tool (Fig. 25) , with a straight cutting edge, is the proper one to rough off cast iron. Note that the top rake (C) is 70 degrees, and the clearance 15 degrees. ”

“ The front face should have little or no clearance, because it causes the tool to dig into the work. A tool so shaped will clear itself well on the back stroke, whereas if but little clearance and front rake be given as in Fig. 1652, the tool will not only dig in, but its cutting edge will rub on the back or return stroke. ”

“ Jarring may almost always be remedied on brass work by reducing the keenness of the top face, giving it if necessary negative rake, as shown in Fig. 964. On iron or steel work it may be avoided by using as stiff a cutting tool as possible, holding its cutting edge as close to the tool post as convenient, and reducing the length of cutting edge to a minimum. ”

“ The stones should be raked off into the cross-paths, and may remain there until the land is dug up in the autumn or winter, when they may be removed. There is a good deal to be done with the rake in many ways, besides the raking of beds. It is a very useful tool to job over a bed when some kinds of seeds are sown: it also makes a very good drill, and is especially useful in getting leaves from the paths and borders ”

“ If the tool gets dull too quickly and the cutting speed is not excessive, then the tool has too much clearance. If the tool edge breaks there is too much rake (providing of course that the tool has not been burnt in the forging or hardening) , a fine feed will generally produce longer and closer coiled cuttings (that is of smaller diameter) [I-260] than a coarse feed, especially if the work be turned dry or without the application of water.
Fig. ”

“ The teeth of the hand-rake are of wood or iron. For the horse-drawn rake, a bar with long curved steel teeth is mounted on wheels (see Hay and Haymaking) . The word “rake” has been used since the 17th century in the sense of a man of a dissolute or dissipated character. This is a shortened form of the earlier “rake-hell,” apparently in common use in the 16th century. In military and naval use “to rake” means to enfilade, to fire so that the shot may pass lengthwise along a ship, a line of soldiers, entrenchments, &c. ”

“ I have never been able to see any great deal of difference in the two methods, except as to appearance, therefore I would advise the lawn-owner to try both methods and adopt the one that pleases him most. If a rake is used, let it be one with blunt teeth that will not tear the sward. There is such a rake on the market, its teeth being made of bent wire. On no account use a sharp-toothed iron rake. That is sure to injure the sward. ”

“ For myself, above all patent devices in the shape of wire rakes for agitating curd, I prefer a simple wooden hand hay rake. Get one made of wood throughout and saw off the handle, leaving the stub about four feet long; this will insure convenient handling. When the moment arrives in the early cooking departure to use the rake, take the utensil described and, inserting it teeth up in the whey and curd midway of the vat at one end, push it gently from you to within two inches of the farther edge, letting the back of the rake head slide on the bottom of the vat. ”

“ Before its introduction the hay, after making, had to be gathered up by the hand rake—a tedious and laborious process—but the introduction of this implement, whereby one horse and one man can do work before requiring six or eight men, marked a great advance. The horse rake is a framework on two wheels carrying hinged steel teeth placed 3 in. apart, so that their points slide along the ground below the hay. In work it gathers up the loose hay, and when full a tipping mechanism permits the emptying of the load. ”

“ As the swathes lie in long parallel rows, it is a great convenience in working for two to be taken in width at a time, so that the horse can walk in the space between.
The side-delivery rake, a development of the ordinary horse rake, is a useful implement, adapted for gathering and laying a quantity of hay in one continuous windrow. ”

“ Now, the arms of the raking apparatus are diametrical arms, the centers of which are axes mounted on a horizontal head, which head is so fastened on a vertical shaft that, the opposite ends of the arms being inclined to the axis of rotation, one end of one arm will descend and sweep across the platform, while the other will be carried in an exactly opposite direction, with its rake teeth turned up, while the teeth of its opposite arm are turned down. ”

“ It is less likely to get broken, and easier to use. There is quite a knack in manipulating even a garden rake, which will come only with practice. Do not rake as though you were gathering up leaves or grass. The secret in using the garden rake is _not_ to gather things up. Small stones, lumps of earth and such things, you of course wish to remove. Keep these raked off ahead of where you are leveling the soil, which is accomplished with a backward-and-forward movement of the rake. ”

“ The small double round rake (Fig. 2) is set with 1 inch finishing nails.
The large round rake (Fig. 3) is set with 11⁄2 inch No. 10 wire brads, or with wooden pegs whittled from 3⁄8 inch doweling, leaving a small head to prevent the yarn from slipping off too easily. The pegs should be securely glued into holes drilled just the right size to take them. Many patients prefer the wooden pegs in the round rakes. Such a rake was sold in some stores during the war and used for knitting hospital stockings to cover surgical dressings. ”

“ A fine friable surface is necessary to ensure favourable conditions for the seed, and in levelling the ground there must be a dihgent use of the rake and roller. It is not sufficient to go over the ground once with each implement. Repeated raking assists in clearing the land of stones, unless they are very numerous, in which case it may be necessary to spread 2 or 3 inches of fine rich earth over the surface. After every raking the roller should follow, each time in a different direction. ”

“ The rack on a lathe bed should be a cut one, and not simply a cast one, because when a cutting tool is running up to a corner as against a radial face, the self-acting motion must be stopped and the tool fed into the corner by hand. As a very delicate tool movement is required to cut the corner out just square, it should be capable of easy and steady movement, but in the case of cast racks, the rest will, from defects in the rack teeth, move in little jumps, especially if the pitch of the teeth be coarse. ”

“ Each row is termed a “windrow,” the passage of the wind through the hay greatly aiding the drying and “making” thereof. When hay is in this form it may either be carried direct to the stack if sufficiently “made,” or else put into cocks to season a little longer. The original width of horse rakes was about 8 ft., but nowadays they range up to 16 and 18 ft. The width should be suited to that of the swathes as left by the mower, and as the latter is now made to cut 5 and 6 ft. wide, it is necessary to have a rake to cover two widths. The very wide rakes are only suitable for even, level land ”

“ When sufficient load has been gathered he engages the upper [165] notch in the right hand lug, releases the left and raises the other sufficient to point the teeth into the ground. The pull of the horse turns the rake over and the man grasps the teeth again with the handle lugs as before. Unless the driver is careful the teeth may stick in the ground and turn over before he is ready for it. It requires a little experience to use such a rake to advantage. No better or cheaper way has ever been invented for harvesting Canada peas. ”

“ I claim, 1st, A rake shaft or head, arranged outside of the periphery of the wheels, projecting laterally beyond them, and so jointed that its sections can be folded vertically upon the carrying frame without detaching any of the parts of the rake, substantially as described.
2d, An axially turning rake-shaft, so jointed that its outer sections can be folded inwards without detaching any of its parts.
3d, The combination of the inner fixed section of the rake shaft with the outer vertically folding sections, projecting beyond the wheels, substantially as and for the purpose described. ”

“ The tools to be used for this surface Tillage are those which will comminute [223] or fine the soil most completely without compacting it or leaving it in ridges or in furrows. In garden work, a fine rake is the ideal thing; whereas in field work, some of the wire-tooth weeders or smoothing harrows are excellent. In fields which are hard and lumpy, however, it will be necessary to use heavier and rougher tools.
Steel rake
In order to break down hard clay soils, one must exercise great care not to work them when they are wet ”

“ Perhaps the greatest improvement of modern times is the method of carrying the hay from the field to the stack. An American invention known as the sweep rake was introduced by the writer into England in 1894, and now in many modified forms is in very general use in the Midlands and south of England, where the hay is carried from the cock, windrow or swathe straight to the stack. ”

“ In holding the handle of the rake high, all the loose stones, weeds, &c., will be easily drawn from the ground without the mould; when the handle is held low, the teeth of the rake enter the ground and scratch it up, which is sometimes necessary to be done; but the little gardener should be careful not to rake away his soil ”

“ The rake was found, and bound with stout cord to the clothes-prop, and the process of "salving" the wrecked steamer commenced.
"I must mind and not damage her with these iron spikes," said Brian, carefully thrusting out the head of the rake and lowering it into the water.
"Hullo! I've got something," he remarked an instant later, as he hauled in the drag. "But it isn't the boat. What can it be?"
The prongs of the rake grated on the bricks, and there, amid dead leaves, rotten twigs, and muddy sediment, lay something which at first glance might have been mistaken for a dead fish. ”

“ Each man picks up a rake, that is, an iron rod ten feet long with some six inches turned at the end at right angles. To lift this rake by one end requires no simple effort, but experience is everything. Grasping the handle firmly with both hands, the stoker places the other end in the mouth of the retort, runs it a little way in, and withdraws a quantity of red-hot coke. This falls through an opening in the floor into trucks below, and is destined either to be used again for furnace purposes or to be sold to outside consumers. ”

“ No horse rakes, no mowing machines or hay tedders or loading or pitching devices then. The scythe, the hand rake, the pitchfork in the calloused hands of men and boys did the work, occasionally the women even taking a turn with the rake or in mowing away. I remember the first wire-toothed horse rake with its two handles, which when the day was hot and the grass heavy nearly killed both man and horse. The holder would throw his weight upon it to make it grip and hold the hay, and then, in a spasm of energy, lift it up and make it drop the hay. ”

“ If ammonia or alcohol is put into the sprinkling-water, rinse the sprinkler well before putting it away.
A Tool Box: Fill cracks with putty to keep out dampness, hinge on a cover, and furnish with a padlock. Keep in it a sharp fine saw, a hatchet, tack hammer, brace and assorted bits, chisel, monkey wrench, screw-driver, and gimlets. Also assorted brads, tacks, wire nails, screw hooks, screw eyes, and picture wire. A putty knife is useful. A T-square and foot rule are indispensable. ”