IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS FOR DIGGING POTATOES, FOR GRUBBING, FOR FORMING DRILLS, AND FOR SIMILAR USES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Reid at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th July
1867.
I, THOMAS REID, of Monkton Mill, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS FOR DIGGING POTATOES, FOR GRUBBING, FOR FORMING
DRILLS, AND FOR SIMILAR USES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the constructing of agricultural implements for
digging potatoes, for grubbing, for forming drills, and for similar uses in an
improved manner and so as to work more effectually and satisfactorily.
The Invention consists in adapting or adding to a frame like that of a
double mould board plough, firstly, a small single share in front running on
the surface and serving to turn over to one side the "shaws" or above ground
part of the potatoe plant; secondly, a coulter to divide the earth placed
a little behind the surface share, and having a mould board fixed to it to
continue the turning over action on the shaws; and, thirdly, two or three
pairs of knives fixed to the sole of the plough frame to detach and throw out
the potatoes, the front pair of such knives being in about the position of the
ordinary share and united in front, but diverging behind outwards and slightly
upwards, whilst the other pair or pairs of knives are similarly placed further
back and are longer, the hindmost being the longest. In addition it is preferred
to use two or more curved rods or ribs on one or on both sides, such as bave
already been used for assisting in turning the plants aside, and the two mould

page_text: boards may also be used or not according to circumstances. The surface
share in front is fitted to the beam with an adjustable attachment so that it
can be set more or less to one side as may be required, and the combined
coulter and mould board immediately bebind it has also an adjustable attach-
ment on the beam for a similar purpose. The implement with the described
improvements may be used for digging any roots, or for grubbing or removing
weeds, or for otherwise cultivating the soil.
The Invention further consists in constructing a compound implement for
acting on two or more drills at once by adapting to a single frame similar in
form to that of the implement well known as "Finlayson's four horse grubber,"
either two or more sets of shares with double mould boards for forming the drills,
or two or more sets of the details herein-before described for digging or removing
potatoes. The action of this implement either when forming drills, digging
potatoes, or grubbing is improved by centering on the axle of the pair of wheels
at the back of the frame two levers which serve as handles, and which the
attendant can raise or lower independently, such levers being connected to the
right-hand and left-hand sides of the frame respectively. With this arrangement
the attendant can by acting on the levers cause either side of the implement to
enter more or less deeply into the earth as may be requisite for guiding it in a
straight line.