MACHINERY FOR TRENCHING AND CULTIVATING THE SOIL AND DIGGING ROOTS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frank Wirth at the Office of the
A communication
Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December 1879.
from Egbert von Kobylinsky, of Wocterkeim, in the Empire of Germany.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
"IMPROVEMENTS
Frankfort on the Mam, in the Empire of Germany.
MACHINERY FOR TRENCHING AND CULTIVATING THE SOIL AND DIGGING ROOTS"
[A communication from Egbert von Kobyliusky, of Woeterkeim, in the Empire of
Germany.]
IN
This Invention relates to an improved construction of machinery for trenching
and cultivating the soil, and for digging potatoes and other roots, wherein by slight
modifications one and the saine construction of machine may be made applicable
either for digging trenches in the soil, or for cultivating, loosening, drilling, or
scarifying the same, or for digging out potatoes and other roots.
For these purposes a horizontal rectangular frame, supported at about its middle
upon road wheels, has a transverse beam suspended below it by iron bars, to which
bean is attached the upper end of an arm passing down at an angle and terminating
in a blado somewhat similar in its construction and action to a plough share, so
that as the machine is advanced the blade digs into the ground to a depth which
is governed by an adjustable surface wheel, or by preference pair of wheels carried
by an arm at the front end of the frame, to which arm the draught hook for the
horses is connected. Along the arm of the ploughshare and between side checks
thereon travels the lower part of an endless chain belt, which passos round a
driving drum on the framing at the upper end, and over a small roller just behind
the ploughshare, so that the soil turned up by the latter travels upwards upon
upper part of the chain belt, and, in the case of trenching, is delivered on to a
shoot, which inclines laterally either towards both sides of the machine or only
towards one side, so that the soil cut out by the plough is delivered on to both
sides or one side only of the trench formed. In the case of digging roots the soil
18 delivered on to au inclined screen to which a vibrating motion is imparted by
tappets on the endless chain drum or by other convenient means, so that the earth
carried up with the roots falls through the screen, while the roots are delivered
into a box suspended or running on wheels at the rear end of the framing. Motion
the

page_text: is imparted to the chain drum by toothed gearing from the axlo of the road wheels,
which is made of some length and is grooved, so that the road wheels can be slid
outwards upon them to any required distance to clear the earth thrown out in
trenching, and can then be fixed thereon by a key secured by a ring and screw.
The wheels used when operating on the land are provided with spikes to ensure
hold in the ground, and when the machine has to be transported these may be
taken off and replaced by ordinary road wheels, which are allowed to run loose on
the axle.
The lower part of the chain belt is covered with a roof sloping to one or both
sides, so that any earth falling from the upper part of the belt is caused to fall off
sideways, so as to prevent clogging of the chain.
When digging potatoes or roots, sloping bars forming a screen may be fixed to
the sides of the said roof, so that any roots falling off sideways from the belt with
the soil would pass along these bars and be delivered separately from the soil,
which would pass through the bars. An upper set of such inclined bars may also
be provided for the same purpose at the sides of the upper part of the chain belt,
and a longitudinal fence consisting of bars may be provided at the sides of the belt
to prevent as much as possible the falling off of the soil and roots, or a close fence
consisting of boarding may be provided on one side when it is desired to keep the
one side of the track entirely clear of the soil, roots, or weeds that are dug up, in
which case the roof or covering over the lower part of the chain belt also inclines
only to one side. If in digging roots it is desired to deliver them in compact rows
on one or both sides of the track an inclined trough shaped grating may be formed
on one or both sides by bent bars extending from the frame of the machine to the
sides of the inclined arm carrying the ploughshare, so that on the roots and earth
falling from the sloping roof on to such grating the earth will fall through the bars
while the roots will run down the grating and be delivered at its open end. These
gratings may be occasionally rocked by a lever to prevent clogging. The clogging
of the ploughshare is prevented by two curved bars passing up from the top of the
blade to the frame on either side. In some cases a vertical blade extends centrally
from the front end of the ploughshare up to the framing, and provided with an
adjusting screw, whereby the earth in front of the plough is cut vertically so that
when raised on the belt it will fall equally to either side on the shoot behind. The
ploughshare has a flat under surface, and a flat platelike extension in front, so as
in scarifying or surface ploughing to cut only the top thin layer of the soil. The
angle at which it penetrates the soil may also be made adjustable.
When two surface wheels for regulating the depth of the cut of the plough are
used they are mounted on an axis that can turn vertically in the arm carrying
them, so as to adjust themselves to the angle of the ground, and they are also
adjustable nearer to or farther from each other upon the axis.
The box into which the earth, roots, or weeds are delivered from the chain belt
may be variously constructed. According to one arrangement it is suspended
loosely both at back and front by looped connections from the framing, the front
end being open to receive the roots delivered from the inclined screen on to which
they fall from the belt, while the bottom is formed as a grating to let the earth
fall through. In order to expedite this a jogging motion is occasionally imparted
to the box by means of a chain connected to its back end and passing up over
guide pullies on the framing to a roller on which it is wound, and which can be
turned to and fro or rotated by a lever. When the box has become filled with
roots the back end is raised up by the said chain so as to tilt its contents in a heap
on to the ground; in doing so, the roots may be made to fall against a grating or
screen fixed to a transverse bar of the frame in order still further to separate the
earth from them.
According to another arrangement the box is only suspended at its rear end, the
front end being supported by small wheels, and the tipping being effected by means
of a lever extending upwards from its rear end. Or the box may be arranged as a
truck with wheels at its middle, and with hooks in front to hook on to the

page_text: machine, two handles being provided at the rear end for tipping and hauling.
When the earth dug up by the machine is to be conveyed away, a truck such as
last described is used with solid bottom instead of a grating.
The grating or screen over which the roots fall into the box has its upper end
covered by a smooth plate, so as to prevent it from becoming clogged, and for the
same reason all the bars run in a downward direction fixed only at their upper end,
and without any intermediate or lower transverse bars on which the earth or weeds
might catch, a transverse support being provided beneath the lower ends of such
bars for them to rest upon.
The before described endless travelling band is, by preference, constructed of two
Alat linked chains situated some distance apart, and connected by transverse bars
placed closely together.
A raised platform is provided over the framing which may serve as the seat for
the driver, and for carrying the spiked wheels and other loose parts during
transport.
The machine may be guided either by a bar projecting sideways some distance
at the front end of the framing, or when the machine is of small dimensions, to be
used for scarifying or drilling, it may be provided with handles at the back like
those of an ordinary plough. For transporting the machine along the roads an
ordinary carriage pole may be temporarily attached to the rear end of the framing,
so that the horses draw the machine backwards.