Improvements in Cultivators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1899
Improvements in Cultivators.
I, FREDERICK MARSHALL HIGGS, of Kyabram, in the Colony of Victoria, Fruit
Grower, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to produce an agricultural implement capable
of tilling the soil not only in any ordinary position but also in close proximity
to the trunks or stems of trees, shrubs and vines and under the foliage thereof
even when the latter approaches comparatively close to the ground. Hitherto in
orchards and other cultivated areas it has been impracticable to effect such
tilling at these most important localities by the ordinary field implements
(animal drawn) which, to prevent injury to the tree or the like, have to be kept
from striking it, and consequently the expensive and slow process of tilling by
hand labour has been necessary. As the ground round the trunks of fruit
trees requires to be dug up from two to three times in a year and as this ground
cccupies in the aggregate large areas, the present improvements are calculated
to effect a great economy of time, and of expenditure in various other ways.
One generic improvement which this implement embodies is the use of a lever
or swivel arm which projects from the frame or body of the implement so as to
be adapted to be the first part of the implement to come into contact with
cach tree trunk or the like close to which cultivation is required, the outer
extremity of said lever acting as a fulcrum, which to some extent moves (or
may move) forward whilst touching the tree when the said fulcrum comes into
operation; the effect is that the implement advances in a curved path instead
of in the straight path it would otherwise continue to take. This outer extremity
is termed the fender as it is constructed of leather or otherwise made smooth
and soft enough to prevent injury to the tree, whilst its forward motion, during
contact therewith, is much retarded as already explained. There are other
novel features of construction which will be hereinafter referred to and it will
also be seen that some features used in the general combination of parts may be
diversified at will to suit the varying kind of treatment that is to be given to
the soil.
In this implement its highest point can be made so low as to be capable of
passing under foliage comparatively adjacent to the level of the soil-if so
desired, much less than one foot above the said soil. The tines (or some of
the tines) used to cultivate the earth with this implement are set so as to travel
ordinarily more on edge than broadside on, and this not only prevents the earth
clogging under the frame of the implement, but also gives lighter cultivation
and greater ease of draft than when the cultivating feet come more broadside
on, as they do however during the time when they make the curved path around
or partly around each tree the fender strikes.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates in plan a cultivator
embodying my improvements, the fender being shown in the act of passing the
As the machine progresses it
trunk of a tree whereof the stump only is seen.

page_text: broken lines in Fig. 1. As soon as the fender is clear of the tree again, the
resistance of the soil to the rudder k causes the fender to resume its normal
position at the front.
The rudder may be integral with the lever g but it is preferably wholly or
partly separable therefrom to allow of renewal or adjustment at any time.
Instead of the rudder, other means of bringing the fender forward again might be
used, such as a spring between the swivel lever and the framing. In order to
aid in regulating the steering of the implement, the radial sweep of the draught
lever e is made controllable, and one suitable means for this purpose is the
single or double bar bridle m with holes m¹ and peg m² adjustable through any
suitable holes. In Fig. 2, the two bars of the bridle (which may be considered
simply a part of the framing) are seen. The outer part of the lever e is thus
provided with a bearing (against said peg m²) during work, and the lever has
its range of possible movement during the said work restricted. The strain
of the draught lever is mainly on the centre h to which it is connected in any
suitable manner, but there is also a varying pressure on the peg m². To prevent
undue depression of the front of the implement the lever e is preferably con-
nected by an arm to the pin h at point h¹ as shown.
In using this implement it is necessary in some soils to weight it to cause it
to enter deeply enough into the ground, and also by placing the weight at the
rear to ensure more even depth of work by the different tines. For this pur-
pose, there is, when required, an adjustable weight attached by any suitable
means, such as a hooked bolt o with nut, the bolt being hooked to the frame or
a beam and through a slot n' in n. The weight may, however, be attached in
various other ways. For example, it may be fitted to slide (on a bar attached
to the frame) as on a steelyard. In practice, the weight is located at the side
of the rear of the implement opposite the fender when the latter is in its normal
position, the suitable placing of the weight soon being understood by the
operator. The front tines, or the like, may be somewhat longer than the rear
ones also with a view to securing an equal depth of cultivation, but this is not
an essential.
In the implement shown in the drawing, the bases of some of the tines are
curved laterally as shown at c¹ to secure a better grip of the soil and retain
depth of cut. An adjustable removeable knife, adapted to more or less deeply.
skim the soil as the implement progresses, and cut any weeds met with, may be
attached to the implement as shown at p. Each such knife may be fastened
to the framing, or to an attachment thereto, by clamping or by bolts through
one or other of the holes in p, Fig. 3. The use of any knife p is often
unnecessary. r is a short handle projecting rearwardly by which the machine
can be lifted or guided and this handle may occasionally be found useful. As
shown it is pivoted to a brackets and its end bears on the frame a.
The implement above described being a pioneer invention in its objects, in
its exertion of leverage on a tree in order to cultivate round it, in its employing
a rudder to throw the fender forward at certain times, and in its having a
sufficiency of tines so set as to cause the implement to travel in a special side
track (ie. to one side of the track taken by the horse or like draught) it is obvious
that considerable variation of mere details might be made without departing
from the scope of the invention which therefore is not restricted to details.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved cultivator, constructed or operating substantially as herein
described, and whereby the ground immediately surrounding trees, shrubs or
the like may be operated on without risk of injury to such trees or shrubs.
2. In a cultivator of the type herein referred to, a swivel or swinging lever
having a fender which projects beyond the frame of said cultivator, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.