An Improved Implement for Digging and Collecting Twitch and Dock Roots and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 11th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Implement for Digging and Collecting Twitch and
Dock Roots and the like.
EDWARD WEDDELL Norton-le-Clay Pilmoor York. Farmer's Son do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is an agricultural impllement composed principally of iron, the
front part is like unto a plough, which digs up the soil by horse or steam power,
then the soil passes up a long trough about 18 inches long with square sides &
bottom into a screen cylinder about 2 ft. long & 18 inchs. diameter and has its
bearings (axis it might almost be called) on the out side one at either end, the
screen cylinder is perforated with holes about 1 in. in diameter which let the
soil through, and revolves by power got from a main drive wheel the conection by
chain-gear, the twitch, docks, & other roots are freed from the soil by the screen
cylinder revolving & pass into a trough at the end which is cleared at convenient
distances in the field.
Dated this 10th day of December 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Implement for Digging and Collecting Twitch and
Dock Roots and the like.
I, EDWARD WEDDELL, of Norton-le-Clay, Pilmoor, York. Farmer's Son, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention consists of an improved agricultural implement for digging and
collecting twitch, dock roots, and the like.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of my improved implement.
Fig. 2, is a plan.
Fig. 3, is a sectional plan of cylinder arrangement.
Fig. 4, is an elevation showing teeth upon the front of cylinder.
Fig. 5, is an elevation of split rings for suspending cylinder.
According to my invention A is a frame having a screen cylinder B mounted
thereon. The said screen cylinder is composed of ends or sections C which are
made with grooves D, for receiving split rings E, which are provided with
projections F by means of which the said cylinder is suspended (between the
frame A) from bearings G bolted upon the said frame, the bearings at the front
end of the said cylinder are fixed, but those at the back are adjustable by means
of bolts or pins so that the back end of the cylinder can be lowered or raised as
required. The front end or section C of the said cylinder, of which C¹ is the
screen portion, is toothed, (see Fig. 4), for receiving a chain H passing from a
pinion J upon a shaft K, from which it derives its motion. The said shaft K is
carried in a bracket L upon the frame A and a guide frame N mounted upon. the
axle O, which is cranked to clear the screen cylinder B.
The said guide frame has two guides P through which passes a sliding hand
rod R, having upon it forks R' and R' engaging with or fitting into the recessed

page_text: bosses of bevel wheels S and T for gearing with a corresponding bevel wheel U,
upon the wheel V of the machine.
The said bevel wheels, S and T slide upon a key on the shaft K, so as to have a
sliding action when operated by the forks R' and R2 upon the guide rod R, and
are caused to gear with the wheel U by moving the sliding hand rod R, (but only
one is in gear at once), and the direction in which the screen cylinder B revolves,
depends upon which bevel wheel is in gear with the wheel U. By such means the
rotation of the screen cylinder B can be reversed.
The sliding hand rod R can be locked in position after either of the bevel
wheels S and T have been put in gear with the wheel U by means of a pin O
fitting into hole R³ which abuts against the guide P.
When the cylinder B turns, the split rings E remain stationary, the cylinder
turning on them as axes.
At the front of the screen cylinder B and secured to the frame A is a digger or
scoop W bolted on to a trough X. The said digger may be like a plough share as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or double as shown in Fig. 1. The single digger is for
working round a ridge, the double digger for working up and down the same
furrow. Ware knives for cutting the furrow from the soil, that is left to be cut
the next time. In some cases the sides of the trough may be dispensed with. Z is
a front wheel on a swivel so that the machine may turn easily. The implement
may be drawn by horse or steam power.
The action is as follows:-
On the digger or scoop W penetrating the earth the soil passes up the trough X
into the screen cylinder B which is caused to rotate by the chain mechanism which
derives its motion from the wheel V, as before explained. The twitch, dock, and
other roots, are freed from the soil, by the screen cylinder B revolving, and may
pass into a trough (or table with edge at back to keep twitch on) fitted at the
end, which is cleared at convenient distances; or they may fall direct on to the
ground.
The soil passes through the perforations on to the ground again.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An implement for digging and collecting twitch, dock roots, and the like,
having a revolving screen cylinder and digger or scoop, operating in the manner
substantially as set forth.
2. In an implement for digging and collecting twitch, dock roots, and the like,
the combination of a digger or scoop and a revolving screen cylinder deriving
its rotation from the motion of the implement, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 9th day of Sentonales
1000
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicant.