Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 20th Apr., 1895
Figure 3 a side elevation.
Figure 4 a plan detail of the share or shovel and comb and part elevator.
Figure 5 a detail in plan of cam disc and part of separator and second
conveyor.
Figure 6 an elevation detail of cranks operating the clutch gear.
In the before mentioned figures "A" represents a frame, to which the apparatus
and pole "A" for horses, are attached.
B" are castor or bogie wheels, each working in forked bearings "B¹." The.
said forked bearings being fitted to the bottom end of legs "B"."
The said legs are secured to frame "A" and each terminating and meeting at top
in the form of a support for saddle B'."
"
In the two main or motive wheels, each is formed with a hub "C" provided with
teeth to engage a clutch "C" which is provided with an expandable spring "C1"
for the purpose of drawing the clutch back so as to throw it out of gear with the
teeth on said hub. The wheels are formed of spokes "C" and rim "C" on the
periphery of which are attached spurs "C5" of the pitch as shewn.
The disengaging levers operating the clutches, consist of two bent cranks "C"
and "C" the lower ends of which are shaped to fit the periphery of the

page_text: clutches "C" and bent to clear the frame "A" and fit against frame
standards "D" said cranks are pivotted to lugs "D'" and "D*." The ends of
said cranks are joined by one vertical connecting rod "D"."
From the joint of the connecting rod "D" with "C" there is suspended a
link "D" to which a lever "E" is hung. The lever "E" is fulcrumed at one
end to a transverse rod "E" supported by standards "G" and at the other
end "E" is shaped to link into a hooked standard "E." When it is necessary
to throw the clutches out of gear, the end "E" of the lever "E" is released from
the standards "E," the action of which causes the springs "C" to regain their
normal position and disengage the teeth "C" of the clutch from the hub.
66
F" is a spur wheel mounted upon the axle of the main wheels and gears with
two pinions "F" and "I" mounted on frame "A." The pinion "F" is fitted to
one end of a through spindle "F'." The spindle "F" at its opposite end is
provided with a sprocket wheel "F3" which communicates by link belts "F" to
a serond sprocket wheel "F," which is fitted to a through spindle
"F" carrying a
pair of sprocket wheels "F7" of the first conveyor. Two link belts "F8" operate
on the two sprocket wheels "F" at the upper end of conveyor and at the lower
end around a- pair of rollers "F" fitted to a spindle working inside of conveyor
franie. The link belting (Fig. 4) is fitted with tined bars "G" having teeth "G"
and spaces "G" corresponding with the spaces "H2" and teeth "H" at the back
of the shovel "H": "H" are shields to the side of conveyor and hanger.
"G" is a suspended frame to which the first conveyor is fitted. It is pivotted
at its high end to lugs "G" and is formed to be raised and lowered (as desired)
at the outer end by means of hangers "G" meeting in a loop at apex "G" to
receive one end of a disengaging lever.
Hanger "G" is attached to conveyor frame "G" and to sides of cheeks of
shovel.
66
.
G7" is a disengaging lever attached to a transverse spindle "G" pivotted to
standards "G8" on each side of frame the said lever being held in position at the
opposite end "G" by a hooked standard "A"." "H" are the longitudinal separator
bars or gratings fixed under the track of the first conveyor to transverse bars, secured
to the sides of the shields "H." To operate the second conveyor and separator,
there is provided a pinion "I" to which is attached a sprocket wheel "1" com-
municating its motion through a link belt "11" to another sprocket wheel "12"
attached to a spindle "I" which works in lugs on each side of frame "A." On
the spindle "1" are a pair of sprocket wheels "I" operating a link belting of a
conveyor carrying slats or transverse bars "I" fitted each with two lugs [*"
projecting forwardly from the bars. The said link belting communicates with two
other sprocket wheels "1" which operate a crank spindle "17" (Fig. 5) formed
with a continuous number of cranks fitted to operate the oscillating separator and
the said spindle being fitted at one end with a buckled shaped disc or cam "J"
rotating vertically and reciprocating between a pair of suspended rollers "J"
which revolve upon pins "J" of the bracket "G" extending from lugs "G".".
"J*"
represents hinged hangers prepared for carrying and acting as a bearing
to the crank spindle "1" and to admit of the side reciprocating action imparted
to the separator by the action of "J" and "JI”
"J¹
66
are side shields to the second conveyor fitted to the frame of conveyor.
The ends are centered on "J" so that the reciprocating motion is imparted to
elevator as well as separator.
"J" is the separator formed with bars loosely fitted at one end, upon the
respective pins of the crank spindle "17" and loosely resting at their opposite end
upon the top edge of shoot.
The shoot for depositing the potatoes consist of a trough "K" with two sides
and bottom, and provided with a tilting plate "K" centrally pivotted to the sides
of box "K" and operated by a pivotted lever "K*."
.
The lever "K" is crank shaped and is pivotted to the frame at "A"," and to
an arm Ab" the lower end of the said arm "A" connects with the outer edge of
"

page_text: "6
the tilting plate K₁," so that when said lever "K" is pushed forwardly, the
arm "A" is raised and carries one end of the tilting plate K¹ upwardly, whilst
the other end of said plate is lowered and forms an inclined plane down which the
potatoes fall.
We bring our invention into operation as follows:-
The driver locates himself in the saddle "B" depresses the lever "E" of the
clutch gear, and releases the lever "G" which lowers the shovel "H" to its work,
then by means of lever "K" adjusts the shoot so as to deposit the potatoes on the
desired side, the machine is then ready to operate.
As the machine is hauled forward, the shovel which operates below the bed of
potatoes, scocps up same, and by reason of the pressure caused by the forward
motion, the potatoes and soil is forced on to the comb.
A series of tined bars, operating on a first conveyor, progressively passes up in a
rotary course through the ribs of the said comb, lifts the potatoes from the under
side, and conveys them over a grating (where the loose soil escapes) to over a second
conveyor where they are deposited.
The second conveyor formed with transverse slats or bars fitted with lugs carries
the potatoes over a separator, where, being subject to an agitation (as hereinafter
more fully described) the smaller potatoes and earth are separated and passed
through the grating whilst those preserved are conveyed on to the shoot.
The said transverse slats, or bars of second conveyor are provided with two or
more lugs upon their "going" face, to assist in the agitation.
The two guides for the second conveyor extending over the shoot, are formed by
a continuation of two of the separator bars, curved outwardly for the purpose of
conveying weeds beyond the said shoot.
The agitation to the separator is produced by a vertically rotating buckled or
cam faced disc operating between two rollers fixed to rigid bearings, causing a
sideway reciprocating motion to a crank spindle, and by an oscillating motion of the
separator bars which are pivotted to the crank spindle of said disc. The suspension
of the conveyor frame, from the main frame by hinged lugs or hangers allows
of reciprocating or side motion being imparted to said conveyor as well as to
separator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
First. In an improved potato digger. A shovel formed with a comb at back
edge, in combination with an elevator carrying transversed tined bars, which
operate between the teeth of the said comb, substantially as described and
illustrated in the drawings.
Second. A separator consisting of a set of longitudinal bars, operated by cranks
to oscillate vertically and by a buckled disc and rollers to reciprocate sideways in
combination with the conveyor to which the reciprocal motion is also imparted as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Third. The combination in an improved potato digger of the two conveyors or
elevators and a shoot operated upon by a lever arranged substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The combination and arrangements of the several parts, substantially
as hereinbefore described and shewn in the drawings, forming, "An improved
potato digger and separator."
Dated this Ninth do
T.1 1004
W. D. ROWLINGSON,
172, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicants.