AN IMPROVED STEAM DIGGING MACHINE.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Knight, of Weybourne House,
Farnham, Surrey, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STEAM DIGGING
MACHINE.'
"
Sealed the 2nd April 1874, and dated the 21st November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Knight at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st November 1873.
I, JOHN HENRY KNIGHT, of Weybourne House, Farnham, Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
STEAM DIGGING MACHINE," to be as follows:-
.
My Invention consists of an improved machine for digging, tilling,
and cultivating the earth, which may be actuated by means of a high
speed cord from a grooved pulley on a traction or portable steam
engine..
My improved digging machine consists of a vehicle or framework
which runs on four wheels. The front wheels are for steering; the hind
wheels, which carry the greater part of the load, are used for propelling.

page_text: On the upper part of this framework or carriage and a little behind the
line of the driving wheels a crank shaft of three or more throws is fitted.
This crank shaft works three or more vertical connecting rods, the lower
ends of which are guided by radius rods or guides. Into the lower ends
of these connecting rods are fitted or fixed the tines, spuds, or other
cutting instruments which penetrate the earth, turn it up, and turn it
over.
One end of the crank shaft carries either a spur or bevel wheel, which
gears into a pinion on the driving shaft. On the other end of this
driving shaft is a grooved driving pulley driven by the high speed cord,
by means of which motion is communicated from the engine to the
crank shaft. A train of wheels and pitch chain transmit motion from
the driving shaft or the crank shaft to the road wheels. The road
wheels carry the digger forward about 8 inches at each stroke of one of
the tines or spuds.
To regulate the depth of the digging the end of the carriage or
vehicles carrying the crank shaft is raised or depressed, and in order
further to adjust the depth or run the digger without digging the spuds
can be thrown backwards to clear the ground by means of a lever,
which carries the forward ends of the radius rods.
The driving cord is led on to and off the driving pulley by guide pulleys
so arranged that the digging instruments will work either to or from the
engine, or even at right angles with the line of ropes without reversing
the engine or changing the position of the ropes on the pulleys, so that
the engine has always a direct pull on the digger. A wagon on the
headland opposite the engine carries two or more pulleys on vertical
spindles which turn the cord at right angles, that is to say, towards the
tension pulley. This tension pulley is fixed at one end of a sledge, on
the other end of which is a weighted box to balance the pull of the rope.
When the wagon is hauled forward the tension pulley on the sledge
follows also, and by its resistance over the ground keeps the rope tight.
When a portable or traction engine is used it is hauled along the
headland by means of blocks and tackle. On the opposite headland is
an ordinary farm wagon fitted with one or more of the pulleys as above
described, and likewise hauled along by blocks or tackle.

page_text: G
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Knight in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY KNIGHT, of Weybourne House, Farnham, Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Henry Knight, Her special license that I,
the said John Henry Knight, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Henry Knight, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED STEAM DIGGING MACHINE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Knight,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Knight, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say:—
My Invention consists of an improved machine for digging, tilling,
and cultivating the earth, which may be actuated by means of a high
speed cord from a grooved pulley on a traction or portable steam
engine.
.
My improved digging machine consists of a vehicle or framework
which runs on four wheels. The front wheels are for steering; the
hind wheels, which carry the greater part of the load, are used for

page_text: propelling. On the upper part of this framework or carriage and a little
.behind the line of the driving wheels a crank shaft of three or more
throws is fitted. This crank shaft works three or more vertical con-
necting rods, the lower ends of which are guided by radius rods or guides.
Into the lower ends of these connecting rods are fitted or fixed the tines,
spuds, or other cutting instruments, which penetrate the earth, turn it
up, or turn it over.
One end of the crank shaft carries either a spur or bevel wheel, which
gears into a pinion on the driving shaft. On the other end of this
driving shaft is a grooved driving pulley driven by the high speed cord,
by means of which motion is communicated from the engine to the
crank shaft. A train of wheels and pitch chain transmit motion from
the driving shaft or the crank shaft to the road wheels. The road wheels
carry the digger forward about 8 inches at each stroke of one of the
tines or spuds.
To regulate the depth of the digging the end of the carriage or vehicle
carrying the crank shaft is raised or depressed by moving the framework
on the vertical spindle attached to the front axle, and in order further to
adjust the depth of the digging, or to run the machine without digging,
the spuds can be thrown backwards to clear the ground by means of
a lever which carries the forward ends of the radius rods.
The driving cord is led on to and off the driving pulley by guide
pulleys so arranged that the digging machine will work either to or from
the engine, or even at right angles with the line of ropes without
reversing the engine or changing the position of the ropes on the pulleys,
so that the engine has always a direct pull on the digger. A wagon on
the headland opposite the engine carries two or more pulleys on vertical
spindles, which turn the cord at right angles, that is to say, towards the
tension pulley. This tension pulley is fixed at one end of a sledge, on
the other end of which is a weighted box to balance the pull of the rope
when the wagon is hauled forward. The tension pulley on the sledge
follows, and by its resistance over the ground keeps the rope tight.
When a portable engine is used it is hauled along the headland by
means of blocks and the tackle. On the opposite headland is the afore-
said farm wagon fitted with two or more of the pulleys as above
described, and likewise hauled along by blocks and tackle.

page_text: when my improved machine is used as a cultivator the tines with
their connecting rods are disconnected, and an ordinary cultivator is
attached to the machine, either underneath or behind, as shewn by the
Drawing, when the machine is put in motion by the cord, and draws the
cultivator over the ground.
when my improved machine is used as a cultivator the tines with
their connecting rods are disconnected, and an ordinary cultivator is
attached to the machine, either underneath or behind, as shewn by the
Drawing, when the machine is put in motion by the cord, and draws the
cultivator over the ground.
And in order that my Invention may be better understood, and more
easily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Sheet I. illustrates my improved digging machine, and also the sledge
carrying the tension pulley. Similar letters of reference refer to similar
parts in the various views of the machine.
Figure I. is a side elevation; Figure 2, an end elevation; and Figure 3
a plan of the digging machine.
A is a crank shaft running in bearings fixed to the framework W;
this crank shaft has two, three, or other number of throws, and carries a
similar number of connecting rods J, to which are attached tines or
spuds K for entering and turning over the ground as they are carried
upwards and downwards by the revolution of the crank shaft. At one
end of the crank shaft is keyed the spur wheel B, gearing into and driven
by the spur pinion C; this pinion is keyed on to the driving shaft D.
On the opposite end of the shaft D is keyed a fly wheel or grooved
pulley E, worked by a flying cord X driven by the engine. While the
spuds or tines are in action motion is also communicated to the wheels T,
by which the machine is made to traverse, as desired, at the rate of
about 8 inches for each revolution of the crank shaft. The motion is
obtained from the crank shaft by means of the pinion N gearing into
the spur wheel O; this wheel is keyed on to a shaft carrying a chain
pulley P. The chain from the pulley P is taken round the chain wheel Q
keyed to the axle of the road wheels T. The road wheels may be made
with spikes a or paddles b, or with ridges across the face for use over
wet ground. The steering wheel or wheels V are attached to a swivel
pin at the front end of the frame, so that by turning the handle Z the
machine may be guided in any direction.
When it is required to move this machine over the ground without
allowing the tines to act they may be raised entirely from the ground by
drawing forward the lever M either by means of a winch, rack, and
pinion or screw. The radius rods L would then be forced backwards.

page_text: and upwards, and the tines take the position as shewn by dotted lines.
For actuating this machine the cord X is put in motion by the engine,
and a guide pulley F directs the cord into the V groove of the horizontal
pulley G, round which pulley (when the machine is working towards
the engine) the cord takes a half turn, and when working from the
engine the hauling rope takes a half turn round the pulley H, so that
when the machine turns round at the headland one rope falls into or
leaves the pulley G, and the other rope falls into or leaves the pulley H,
according as the digging machine turns to the right or left. The road
wheels T run loose on the axle R, and are thrown in and out of gear
by the clutch S worked by the handle U. A box d, fitted with weights
for working on stiff or hard ground may be placed in the framing. The
framework of the machine may be either wood or iron, and the motion
may be communicated by spur wheels, as shewn, or by bevil gearing if
preferred.
Figure 4 is a side elevation; Figure 5, an end elevation; and Figure 6,
a plan of the sledge carrying the thension pulley A, which revolves in the
bracket C fixed to the front of the sledge. B is a box to be filled with
stones or earth to prevent the sledge yielding to the strain of the rope.
Sheet II. shews a plan of the general arrangement for working the
machine, and also a method for cultivating by removing the tines and
attaching a cultivator to the machine.
Figure I. is a side elevation of the machine, with the tines and con-
necting rods removed, and having a cultivator attached to the framework
when the machine is put in motion by the flying rope. It is drawn over
the ground, taking with it the cultivator. A plough or set of harrows
may be attached to the machine instead of the cultivator, in which cases
the machine acts as a motor only.
Figure 2 is a plan of working. A is an ordinary portable or traction
engine fixed to headland, and on the opposite headland is an ordinary
farm wagon C fitted with two or more pulleys to guide the rope. Behind
the wagon is the sledge E, with the tension pulley for keeping the driving
rope at its proper tension. B is the machine in position for working.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and how the same is to be carried into operation, I would
have it understood that I do not confine myself strictly to the details of

page_text: construction as herein-before set forth, as the same may be varied in
many ways without departing from the principle of my Invention, but
what I claim and desire to secure by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The construction of a digging machine to be worked by a
high speed cord giving a reciprocating motion to the tines by means of a
crank shaft and rods, and at the same time communicating traversing
motion by means of gearing and chains to the propelling wheels, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. I claim using the machine as a motor only, substantially as
herein-before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings,
by removing the tines and rods and attaching to the framework a plough
or cultivator.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Knight, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the
▸ Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
23, Southampton Bldgs.,
JOHN HENRY KNIGHT. (L.S.)
W.C.,
Patent Agent.