Four Oaks Spraymobile

[will-haggle]

I’m showing my Four Oaks Spraymobile with some other sprayers this year and I’ve been looking through my litarature, kindly supplied to me by Sprayerman, when I came across a 1954 price list. it lists the 25 gallon Spraymobile at £135! I was surprised to find it listed in 1954, because in 50 Years of Garden Machinery it says “The pedestrian-controlled Spraymobile, introduced in 1960 had everything except a seat.” I had an idea mine was earlier than 1960 because of the Villiers Mk12 engine. I will now take the starting pulley off and check the date. Some re-writing of information sheets may be required!

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[stevewoollas]

An instance of you live and learn.
Industry bibles such as 50/70 Years of Garden Machinery contain so much information there is bound to be the odd inaccuracy.
For those you haven’t seen Alan’s Spraymobile it well worth a view when the opportunity presents.

[will-haggle]

Yes, I certainly don’t blame Brian Bell, I think it was a simple Typo, probably should read 1950, though I have no evidence that they were around that early. I was also a bit puzzled that it was Four Oaks that held the patent for the wheel ratchets, when Mayfield had been using them for years before 1960.

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[charlie]

Do you have the patent number? Have you looked it up on the patents website? This will give a date for the patent which might be earlier than the spraymobile.

[will-haggle]

I’ve looked at my flywheel today and my engine was stamped 08/1956.
Charlie, I’ll look up that patent again….

[will-haggle]

The patent number is GB821823 (A) ― 1959-10-14

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[will-haggle]

821,823. Ratchet clutches. FOUR OAKS SPRAYING MACHINE CO. Ltd., and LUDFORD, L. Jan. 31, 1956 [Nov. 2, 1954], No. 31601/54. Class 80 (2). [Also in Group XXXI] In a vehicle having front wheels 2 driven from a prime mover through an axle 3, freewheel devices 9 permitting relative movement between the wheels 2, a central swivelling rear wheel 4 is carried by a swivelling column 5 supported in upper and lower bearings 6 on the chassis. As shown, the vehicle which is constructed as a motorized spraying-machine comprises a frame 1 and rearwardly-directed handles 8. Each freewheel device 9 comprises an annular driving member 10 carried by the axle and having cutout portions 13 and a member 11 secured to the wheel and carrying spring-loaded pawls 12, whereby the pawls 12 can be forced out of the portions 13 when the vehicle passes round a curve.

[charlie]

Always interesting to see the original patent and drawings.

[Author]

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