A NEW OR IMPROVED TURNIP TOPPing AND TAILING MACHINE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Duncan Ross, of Hilton Farm, in the County of Inverness,
North Britain, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED TURNIP TOPPing
AND TAILING MACHINE."
Sealed the 26th June 1877, and dated the 13th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Duncan Ross at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th January 1877.
DUNCAN Ross, of Hilton Farm, in the County of Inverness, North Britain.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED TURNIP TOPPING AND TAILING MACHINE."
This Invention has reference to a new or improved arrangement or combination
of the parts of an agricultural machine for cutting off the tops or leaves and the
tails or roots of turnips close above and below the body of the turnips respectively
while in the drills where they grow, the same being a further development of the
Invention, for which Letters Patent were granted to the petitioner, dated the
Twenty-seventh December 1875, Number 4507.
The nature and novelty of the Invention consist under one modification, in having
sharp angled, preferably V or U shaped, blades or knives carried by vertical arms
on the frame of the machine over each drill, the limbs of the V shaped knives being
open to the front, so that the shaws or tops of the turnips being caught in the cleft
of the knife are cut off during the traverse of the machine over them, and in a plane
parallel to the drills and surface of the field or nearly so, in contradistinction to
the manner of cutting turnips heretofor by reciprocating and revolving knives
acting and cutting laterally or transversely across the drills, or by the simple
angled knives described in my former Specification.
Under another modification, instead of each top cutting knife being in one piece,
and V or U shaped, the two limbs may be joined to each other like two scissor
blades, either straight, curved, or rounded on their cutting edges and opening
towards the front of the machine; or the ordinary form of A shaped reciprocating
knives used in the reaping machine may be traversed across stationary knives or
knives moving in the reverse direction in a similar manner, the scissor-like action
of the former, or the reciprocating action of the latter, being effected by a reci-
procating rod and crank which might work one or both of the scissor blades or both

page_text: .
set of knives; or when two pairs of scissor blades are used, the inner one of each
pair of blades might be thus worked, leaving the two outer blades stationary.
The reciprocating crank may be worked by toothed wheels direct, or by toggle
links or other equivalent intermediate levers from either the guiding or carrying
wheels of the machine, so that by the simple forward traverse of the machine the
tops or shaws are readily severed from the turnips by the knives.
When the U or V shaped stationary knife is used, it is attached to or formed in
one piece with a duplex flexible feeler or regulator in front of the machine which is
curved up in front to rise and fall or glide automatically over or adjust itself to
suit the height of the turnips over which it is passing, so as to cut the shaws close
off without cutting the turnips, the falling action being assisted by a spring and
snall weight placed on the extreme front end of each limb of the flexible feeler.
When scissor blades or circular revolving knives are used, these are fulcrumed or
mounted towards the rear of the duplex automatic feelers, and lie parallel or nearly
flush therewith, so that their cutting action is regulated by the height or depth of
the feeler or regulator and rise or fall with it, the spindles of the knives' being
driven by bands or other equivalent from a shaft driven by the axis of the carrying
wheels.
Under another modification the angled knives described in my former Letters
Patent (or equivalent reciprocating saw blades) may be used, but instead of being
stationary they might have a backward and forward reciprocating motion given to
them by cranks or other equivalent similar to that already referred to for giving
motion to the scissor blades.
These top cutting knives under any of the modifications referred to are mounted
on a framing, substantially similar to that shown and described in the Specification
of my former Letters Patent already referred to, No. 4507, 1875, at the rear end of
which framing one, two, or more angled or curved knives are carried by lateral
arins, and extending downwards deep enough to cut the roots off the turnips,
simultaneously while the tops are being cut off by the before-mentioned knives
during the forward traverse of the machine; but where the machine is to be used
for a single drill, the framing instead of having a longitudinal central beam would
be of an ordinary rectangular construction with two side beams and with four
wheels, namely, with a leading and a carrying wheel running on each side of the
drill being dressed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Duncan Ross in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th July
1877.
"
DUNCAN Ross, of Hilton Farm, in the County of Inverness, North Britain.
A NEW OR IMPROVED TURNIP TOPPING AND TAILING MACHINE."
My said Invention has reference to a new or improved arrangement or com-
bination of the parts of an agricultural machine for cutting off the tops or leaves
and the tails or roots of turnips close above and below the body of the turnips
respectively while in the drills where they grow, the same being a further develop-
ment of the Invention, for which Letters Patent were granted to me, dated the
Twenty-seventh December 1875, Number 4507.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Invention
may be fully understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on' the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for the purpose
of showing the best modes and means I am at present aware of for putting the
Invention into effect or practice, the same letters of reference indicating the same or
like parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively à side elevation and a plan of one modification of

page_text: my said Invention, or improved machine as constructed for cutting two drills of
turnips, the topping knives or cutters A being of the improved V shape.
Figure 3 shows a plan of a single drill cutting machine with the 'same shape of
topping knife or cutter, but slightly different in its arrangements for the raising
and guiding of the cutter; while Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a side elevation
and a plan of a single drill machine, with a scissor-acting arrangement of cutters in
accordance with another improvement of the Invention.
Referring to the modification shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the nature and novelty
of my said Invention consist in having sharp angled, preferably V or U shaped,
blades or knives A secured to the front end of an open horizontal frame B, B¹,
carried and oscillating at their back ends B¹¹ on arms C, C1, projecting down from
a transverse bar C¹¹ secured to the main frame or beam D of the machine with the
knives A directly. above each drill z at a height to suit the turnips, the limbs of the
knives being open to the front and fitted with guiding horns a, so that the shaws or
tops of the turnips will be guided into and caught in the cleft A¹ of the knife A,
and so cut off during the forward traverse of the machine over the turnips, and in a
plane parallel to the drills and surface of the field or nearly so, in contradistinction
to the manner of cutting turnips heretofore by reciprocating and revolving knives
acting and cutting laterally or transversely across the drills, or by the simple angled
knives described in the Specification of my said former Patent.
The main frames of these machines may be made of any light and strong con-
struction suitable for carrying the double or single sets of new or improved arrange-
ment of topping cutters A, and their fittings or moving mechanism (forming the
essential subject of my Invention) to be mounted on them, and their own running
or carrying wheels, all preferably of wrought bar iron, either of the ordinary
central drawing beam construction with cross carrying bars, or open rectangular
frame construction, as shown respectively in Figures 1, 2, and 3, 4, and 5. In these
Figures 1 and 2 the central beam D is carried forward at D¹, some distance in front
of the topping cutters A, a, under the usual raised bow part D and shifting pin
drawing shackle D1, where it has an eye D¹ and screw or wedge for fixing the
upper shifting end of the forked stem D² of the front carrying and guiding wheel D³
to run in the central furrow between the two drills, indicated by the dotted lines
zz, in the Figures, and thus set the front end of the frame D at the proper height to
suit the drills of turnips and the cutters. The back end D of the beam D is
secured to the centre of a strong cross bar or frame piece E, having strong eyes E¹
at its outer ends for carrying the oscillating shaft or axle F, which by strong arms F¹
secured at each end and projecting downwards with lateral studs F" at their lower
end carries the two back wheels F2, which run in the centre of the two furrows
close outside of the drills ---z, being treated all so that this back end D, E, of the
frame can be raised and lowered on its wheels F2 to suit the drills and tailing
cutters I, 1, by the oscillation of their carrying arms F¹ and axle F, by or through
the hand lever Fs formed or secured on the centre of the latter, and working over
and fixed by a pin Fill in any desired position of the setting and guiding sector F
projecting up from the back end D of the centre beam D. This raising and
lowering lever F3 is placed in the centre of the guiding shafts or hand steering
arms H, also secured to and projecting back and up from the rear end of the main
centre beam D of the frame. In this arrangement of the topping cutters A, a, their
oscillating frames B are made light enough to be raised by the inclined and forward
action of the gathering in curved horns a gliding over the top of the turnips in
front of the cutters, and adjusted and hung at a proper height by short chains b
near the front of the arms B (to give greater ease and flexibility in rising and
falling) linked by hooking or swivel arms b¹ above to a hand regulating screw and
wheel 61, secured in slots in the tranverse carrying arms B2 screwed or otherwise
fixed to the beam D over the frames B, so that they can be quickly and easily
3 adjusted to suit the height and width of the drills of turnips to be cut. The
cutters A themselves are portable for removal and sharpening, secured by screws
at a¹ to the front end of the bars B bound together by the light bar B¹. The

page_text: ordinary root cutters I are here carried by strong stems 11 projecting up and
secured in eyes in the shifting and fixing blocks I¹¹ secured by cotters to the bar E
of the frame above. The sharp front cutting edge of each root cutter I is preferably
set so as to project forward at the sides, and angled back at about 45° towards
each other at the middle furrow, so as to cut off the roots or tails of the turnips by
the forward motion of the machine (after the leaves have been cut off by the
topping knives A in front), so as to deliver the turnips from the two drills into the
one furrow, but they might be set and angled to deliver the turnips into the side
furrows behind the wheels F2 when desired.
Referring to Figure 3, this shows a very simple form or general construction of
single drill turnip topping and tailing machine, with an open rectangular frame
formed of two side bars or frames Dx, secured at a sufficient distance apart by
transverse tie bars or stays D5, H¹, the back end of the side frames D* being curved
up to form the guiding arms and handles (as seen in Figure 4) but left at the
front as suitable for attaching an ordinary portable pair of trams for being drawn
by one horse on a pair of wheels D in front, and another pair F2 near the back
carried on arms or brackets and lateral studs F¹, F1, secured to and projecting down
from the outsides of the rails I*, so that both sets of wheels run in the bottom of
the furrow on each side of the drill of turnips as 2---2, over which the machine is
traversing.
The construction of the V shaped topping knife A and its carrying frame B, B¹,
is much the same as in Figures 1 and 2, but the back ends B" of the arms B are
hinged to studs on the brackets or arms C, fixed to and projecting down from the
inside of the side frames Dx, and the front end of the frame B is carried and
steadied by holes in the front end of the gathering arms a, sliding on long studs b²
screwed to shifting slots in the brackets 63 secured to and projecting down from the
side frames Dx, as seen in the end view, Figure 3 A, all so that the front end of
the frame B and knife A in this case may rise freely and steadily over each turnip
and cut off the leaves or tops close down thereto, and weights d or springs d', or both
may be mounted on the studs 62 over the arms a to assist them to fall quickly
again after each rise, or the chains b shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be used instead
of these guides and springs., A single root-cutting angled blade I is shown as
attached by a slotted arm I¹ to the side frame Dx secured by the bolts which fix
the arms F1, F1, of one of the back wheels F2, this cutter I acting as before
described in the former arrangement to deliver the cut or dressed turnips into the
side furrow behind the other back wheel F.
Referring to the general arrangement or modification of the improved turnip
topping and tailing machine, shown in Figures 4 and 5, the main frame is made
of an improved rectangular form of two side bars D, Dx, secured together by
transverse stays D5, D6, E, and H', with the front stays D³ bowed or curved up in
the centre to clear the shaws in front of the topping cutters (much as shown and
described in reference to Figures 3 and 3 A), and seen particularly in Figures 4 and 5,
in which the one side frame D is arched up in front at D, and fitted with an
ordinary arrangement of drawing shackle D and single guide wheel D³, and
raising and lowering forked stem D², somewhat different from that in Figures 1 and 2.
The back part of the main frame in this case is carried on two broad rolling and
driving wheels F2 keyed on the outer end of the cross axle 1 revolving in bush-.
bearing brackets 11 secured to the side frames D, D*, which are carried back
considerably behind the wheels F, to form the guiding handles H with transverse
stays Hand E, the latter of which is secured to brackets E" at the ends bolted to
the side frames D, D*, in such a position as to have the stem I' of the root cutter I
fixed to it at the one side by the slotted wedge shifting and securing buckle I¹¹, so
that the cutter I enters the drill and cuts off the tails of the turnips by the forward
draught of the machine (after the shaws have been cut off by the reciprocating
clipping action of an improved arrangement of duplex cutters, as will be herein-
after more particularly described), and then delivers them into one of the side
furrows behind the wheel, just in front of and out of the way of the attendant,

page_text: following behind. In this arrangement of my improved turnip-top cutting mechanism
instead of having each knife or cutter formed in one piece of a U or V shape, as in
Figures 1 to 3, the cutters A1, A2, are each made of two oscillating scissor-like
limbs jointed near to or over each other at A, on the centre of the transverse
carrying and steadying bar B, which is guided at its ends in the slotted brackest b³
secured to the inside of the frames D, Dx, so that the cutters rise and fall to suit
the height of the turnips, while their front cutting arms preferably open outwards
towards the front, to gather in the top leaves and cut them by the scissor or clipping
action of the cutters A", A2, as the machine is drawn forward, which is effected in
this case by the toggle links i connected at their inner ends to the back arms A³ of
the scissor cutters, and at their other end to the front of the reciprocating connecting
rod jointed at its back end to the crank pin and disc j, secured on and revolving
with the short shaft j' carried in journal bush bearings 11 secured to the cross bar De
of the frame, with the intermediate driving stud or shaft J carried similarly above
the shaft j¹, which actuates it at a high speed through the wheel and pinion J, J;
on their respective shafts J,j. The shafts J is driven through its pinion J%, which
gears into and is driven by the large wheel J³ mounted loosely on the first motion
shaft 1, but actuated by it through the coupling K¹ on its one side fitting into the
sliding clutch box K fitted to its shaft, with a sliding groove and feather close to .
the wheel Js, and shifted into or out of gear by the hand lever K" oscillating on a
stud centre K in the cross bar D7, and held in or out of gear with the clutch K¹ on
the wheel Js by the holding catch K bolted to the one side D of the frame, and
which thus puts the whole of the gearing J, J, 2, 3, and cutters A", A², into or
out of action, at pleasure, with the driving shaft 1 and its running and carrying
wheels F2.
It will be understood that although these machines, Figures 3, 4, and 5, are shown as
single drill machines, they might also be made double drill machines by fitting a
side frame Dx and transverse stays, as D, E, on each side of the main drawing
beam D, having another set of topping and tailing cutters A, I, carrying frames B
and their fittings, with either three or four running wheels D, F, F2, or D', D', F², F²,
as seen in Figures 2 and 3 respectively.
One arrangement of the gearing J, J",,, such as shown in Figures 4 and 5,
might be made to actuate the two sets of the topping scissor knives; or, instead of
the arrangement of gearing there shown for actuating the scissor blades, gearing
such as that used for reaping machines may be adopted, having an internal toothed
wheel mounted on one of the rolling carrying wheels actuating a pinion keyed on
the central shaft or a loose hollow spindle on it through a stationary intermediate
wheel as usual, or a wheel revolving round the said pinion and the internal toothed
wheel, so as to give a high speed to the central shaft or hollow spindle on it, which
would actuate the crank and connecting rod of the scissor blades. The open
gathering ends of these scissor cutters A1, A2, are preferably curved upwards, to
act as the feelers a in Figures 1 and 2, to automatically rise and fall in a sensitive
or flexible manner over the different heights of turnips, so that the inner cutting
part will clip the shaws or leaves close off without slicing or cutting the turnips.
Instead of the V or U shaped topping knives A, described in reference to Figures
1 to 3, two long angled blades A³ may be used similar to those described under my
said former Patent, curved at their outer ends a, secured to an oscillating centre
at B behind, as shown in Figure 2 A, all to rise and fall as the frame B and its
V cutters A with a hanging chain in front and counterbalancing levers and weights
1, 1, behind, as in Figures 1 and 2, the two blades crossing each other at some
distance from the front where they are sharpened at A¹ to cut the shaws by the
forward motion of the machine.
By another arrangement two such blades A³ might be jointed, one to oscillate
horizontally over each drill across a fixed gathering horn sharpened on the inner
edges, as a, Figures 1 and 2, to cut the tops off the turnips by their reciprocating
action, produced in an equivalent manner to that described in reference to Figures
4 and 5 for actuating the scissor blades A, A.

page_text: Instead of using single angled blades I for cutting the roots of turnips, two blades
such as those shown at A3, A3, in Figure 2 A might be used, crossing each other and
sharpened in the inner cleft as at A*, but fitted to the back frame of the machine
so as to be drawn and cut under the drill.in the reverse direction to that indicated
by the arrow, the parts a being turned up so as to act as raising tails instead of
horns to deliver the turnips into the furrows at the sides of the drill.
Any or all of these cutters A, A1, A2, A3, and their lifting bars B may be counter-
balanced or fitted with weights or springs d, d¹, or with back balance levers and
shifting weights l¹ to make them automatically rise and fall, as shown and described
in reference to Figures 1 to 3 A, to suit the different heights of the turnips.
Although both limbs of the scissors or cutters A", A2, are here shown as recipro-
cated it will be understood that one of each set might be stationary and have the
other oscillated across it; and instead of reciprocating cutter blades circular or
revolving cutters might be used, driven so as to run and cut towards each other in
cleft A¹ of the feelers a, a, where the U or V shaped knives A are shown in Figures
1 to 3, the spindles of these revolving knives being driven by bands or other
equivalent from a shaft driven by the axis of the carrying wheels F2.
Under another modification the angled knives described in my former Letters
Patent (or equivalent reciprocating saw blades) may be used, but instead of being
stationary they might have a backward and forward reciprocating motion given to
them by cranks or other equivalent similar to that already referred to for giving
motion to the scissor blades.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First. The general construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of
turnip topping and tailing machines with improved arrangements of automatic
rising and falling V or U shaped cutters A, or oscillating blade cutters A1, A2, AS,
for cutting the leaves or tops off turnips, all substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The fitting and use or adaptation of V or U shaped knives A for cutting
off the leaves or tops of turnips in turnip topping and tailing machines, and the
mode of automatically gliding the cutters over the irregular sized turnips, all sub-
stantially as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 3 A
of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The fitting and use or adaptation of reciprocating or oscillating clipping
blades as A1, A2, A³. or revolving cutters for cutting off the leaves or tops of
turnips in turnip topping and tailing machines, and mode of automatically adjusting
them to the heights of the turnips, all substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Duncan Ross, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
bundred and seventy-seven