Jacob Bembry: Greene Publishing, Inc.
On Sept. 18, 1945, the United States Patent Office issued patent number 2,384,976 to John E. Strickland of Madison, for his tree scraper, which would be used to help the local and regional turpentine and timber industries.
Strickland applied for the patent on Jan. 12, 1945, with the serial number 572,520. The invention related to “the care of trees and the like, and more particularly to a tree scraper for removing loose particles, scraping off or removing scales or bark from various trees, or for removing scrape from the faces of pine trees.”
The drawings of the tree scraper by John E. Strickland, which were submitted with his patent application.
A pine tree was worked for turpentine by scarring the face of the tree above the point where a cup was hung for collecting resin, or “gum,” which came from the surface. Some of the gum did not drain into the cup and would become attached to the scarified surface, and form what is known as scrape.
Conventional tools for removing scrape resulted in much of it being scattered and lost when it fell from the trees. The object of Strickland’s tree scraper was to provide a bark and scrape removing blade and shield so that the particles, which were removed, would fall close to the tree’s base for easy recovery, reducing loss to a minimum.
Speaking of the versatility of the invention, Strickland wrote in the application:
“It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.
What is claimed is:
1. A scraper having a double-edged blade with a depending shank portion, a handle recessed near one end thereof with the shank of said blade embedded therein, straps surrounding said shank and said handle securely binding the two together, a shield, heavy metal strap members riveted to said shield adjacent each end thereof for reinforcing and supporting the same, said strip members having bifurcated end portions overlapping in the longitudinal center region of said shield, both extending through said handle on both sides of said blade and through said bifurcated end portions of said blade, said shield extending along said handle for a considerable distance on both sides of said blade and being so formed as to extend outwardly and upwardly around said blade, the sides of the blade converging toward the opposite end of the handle to which said blade is attached.
2. A scraper provided with a doubled-edged blade having a depending shank portion, a handle having a recess adjacent one end for receiving said shank, means fastening said blade to the handle including means for being said shank in said recess, a shield, means affixing said shield to said handle including strap members for bifurcated end portions for accommodating handles of different sizes, said shield extending along said handle for a considerable distance on both sides of said blade and being provided with upturned side portions partially surrounding said blade and converging toward the end of said handle farthest from said blade, said shield being open at both ends.
3. A scraper having a handle, a double-edged blade affixed thereto adjacent one end thereof, a shield, means for affixing said shield to said handle, and means comprising strap members reinforcing said shield and provided with bifurcated end portions for accommodating handles of different sizes, said shield having upturned side portions partially surrounding said blade and converging toward the end of said handle farthest from the blade.
4. A scraper having a handle provided with a blade adjacent one end therefor, a shield adjacent said blade and having upturned edges converging toward the end of said handle, said shield open at both ends.
5. A tree scraper comprising a doubled edged scraper blade, a handle supporting said blade transversely of the same, and a shield carried longitudinally of said handle and extending above and below said blade, said shield having side portions disposed angularly relative to the body for limiting dispersion of particles dislodged by said blade.”