An Improved Potato Plough.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., TOYO
Complete Specification Left, 28th June, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1899
Date of Application, 17 OC, 1030
Complete Specification Left, 28th June, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept.,
1899
An Improved Potato Plough.
We, JOHN COCKERELL, of Plenty Road, South Yan Yean, in the Colony of
Victoria, Blacksmith, and WILLIAM CAIRNS HARPER, of No. 352, Flinders Lane,
Melbourne, in Victoria, as aforesaid, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved potato plough or potato digger the main
feature in which consists in the employment of a circular radially pronged
revolving device which is arranged just behind the prongs of a front share and
serves a double purpose, first it separates the tubers from the earth and second
it delivers those which cannot pass between the prongs in a row aside of the
implement. Said device rotates by reason of its points engaging the land during
the onward movement of the implement.
In constructing a potato plough embodying our improvements a beam follow-
ing the form of an ordinary single plough is employed and said beam supports
from a cross bar at its fore end two travelling wheels, and also it has a foot sup-
porting a share plate which is wide transversely yet narrow longitudinally and
having projecting from its back a series of prongs which approximately follow
the form of a mould board although much less in length. Behind said front
pronged share said radially pronged device is arranged on a sealed axle which is
provided with means for lubricating, the bearing of axle being supported by a
bracket secured to the plough foot and which bracket is capable of adjustment in
order to vary the height or angular position of the radially pronged device. Again
behind the latter device is another set of prongs which project obliquely from
a bracket or arm descending from the beam and said prongs are preferably spaced
nearer together than the widest space between the radial prongs in order to
retain smaller tubers which have passed through the radial prongs and deliver
them also in a row aside the implement. Along the centre of the implement
under the beam is a bearer or sole plate and at its back end is a pivotted centre
board or guide.
י
11000
An improved
We, JOIN COCKERELL, of Plenty Road, South Yan Yean, in the Colony of
Victoria, Blacksmith, and WILLIAM CAIRNS HARPER, of No. 352, Flinders Lane,
Melbourne, in Victoria, as aforesaid, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of
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page_text: this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to an improved potato plough or potato digger, the main
feature in which consists in the employment of a circular radially pronged
revolving sifting device, arranged immediately behind a front share which is just
deep and wide enough to cut the earth about the row of potatoes. Said radially
pronged device is supported on a central axle and it rotates in an oblique plane,
by reason of its edge or points engaging the land during the onward movement
of the implement. By the radially pronged device lying obliquely, it serves a
double purpose, first it separates the tubers from the earth and second it delivers
those which cannot pass between the prongs in a row along the off side of the
implement.
The invention also relates to other features of construction, which together
with the foregoing, will be fully described and explained by reference to the
accompanying sheets of drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 a plan of a potato plough, constructed in
accordance with our invention.
Fig. 3 a front view of the share and its attached parts,
Figs. 4, 5 and 6, detail views of the adjustable bracket bearing and axle of the
radially pronged device.
Fig. 7 a part plan of the radially pronged device when made without a rim and,
Fig. 8 a central section through boss of radially pronged device when furnished
with a cone on upper face of boss to prevent earth lying thereon.
In constructing a single furrow potato plough embodying our improvements,
a beam A, following the form of an ordinary single plough beam, is employed
and said beam supports from cross bars A¹ at its fore end, two travelling wheels A2,
the vertical stems A3, of which are capable of adjustment in order to determine
the depth at which the share B will cut. Said share is made in the form shewn
and it is supported at its point & by the shoe piece C, whilst its upper part takes
the form of a plough foot 6', which is clamped to the plough beam A, also the
share has short prongs 2, at its back, edge, the points of which just clear and
about coincide with the plane of the radially pronged device 1), which has a
short axle D¹ at its centre seated in a box bearing E, carried by an attached
arm E, which is bolted to the part f of an adjustable bracket F, which is in
turn secured to the sole plate C of the plough. The radially pronged device D,
is constructed of a central boss d, having arms d, projecting radially from it,
said arms being flattened at their outer parts and either provided with a light
metal rim, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or without it, as shewn in Fig. 7. Also the
central boss d may either be formed with slots as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 5,
or be solid as shewn in Fig. 8 and have a cone on its upper surface secured with
a screw pin or bolt. The box bearing E, has a screwed cap E², which bears on a
collar, for which a recess is provided in the box bearing the said collar runs
preferably on balls e. dis an oil way in axle D¹, said way being sealed by a
screw d. The arms E¹ is secured to the bracket piece f by bolts f¹,
passing through curved slots therein, and the part f, to the bracket F,
by the bolt f, whilst part F is secured to the sole plate C, by
bolts f³. By means of the adjustable bracket, the height and incline of the
radially pronged device can be adjusted. The back part of the sole plate C is
secured to a foot piece G, the upper end of which is clamped to the plough beam,
whilst at its lower part it has a guide or centre board g pivotted at g, and capable
of being secured at the desired position by a bolt 92, the purpose of the centre
board being to cause the plough to take a straight course. Hare delivery prongs
which may be arranged at about the position shewn above the radially pronged
device D, to leap lumps of earth, weeds and potatoes off its surface said prongs
being secured at H¹, to the arm He descending from plough beam, or said arm He
may be secured to the beam A in front of the foot or breast. I, shewn in dotted

page_text: lines are angularly arranged prongs which may be required when the potatoes
are small, to lead those which fall through the radially pronged device, to side
of furrow and J are arms or fingers to clean the rim of the radially pronged
device D. The plough when of the single type is furnished with the usual handles
at back and at front with the usual draft gear.
When the potato plough is at work the share B, is set to just cut under and
about the row of potatoes or tubers and in the onward movement of the plough
lifts the cut earth onto the radially pronged device D, whereon the earth is sifted
and falls through the prongs, whilst the tubers are retained above and are
delivered by reason of the radially pronged device lying oblique or inclined in
a row along the off side of the implement.
Although this implement has been designed for use as a potato plough, we wish
it understood that it may also be used for raising or digging onions or sugar
beet,
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 :-
1. In a potato plough a circular pronged or sifting device as D, supported
obliquely on the implement by a central axle and having rotary motion imparted
to it by its rim or points engaging the land during the onward movement of the
implement, substantially as described.
2. In a potato plough a circular sifting device as D, provided with prongs to
separate the tubers and earth and arranged to lie obliquely on the implement in
order to deliver the potatoes, substantially as herein described.
3. In a potato plough in combination a circular pronged or lifting device as 1),
supported at an oblique angle on the implement, by a central axle, and a share
as B having backwardly projecting prongs or fingers, which lie adjacent to said
circular pronged device, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a potato plough in combination, a circular pronged device as D, furnished
with a central axle as D', and an adjustable bracket as F, supporting the axle
box, secured on the sole plate of plough, substantially as described and shewn.
5. In a potato plough in combination, a circular pronged device as D, and a
series of prongs as H arranged to lie above said circular pronged device, sub-
stantially as described and shewn.
6. In a potato plough a share as B, designed to cut the land under and about
a row of potatoes secured at its top to the beam of plough and at the fore part of
its bottom to the sole plate, substantially as described and shewn.
2000
Dated this on day of June f
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.