An Improved Weed Extirpating Machine.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Weed Extirpating Machine.
We, ADOLF MERREL and ARTUR DUFFEK both of 3 Gerstengasse Prague
Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
Our extirpating machine consists of two polygonal drums mounted upon a
swinging parallelogram frame, adjustable in height upon a frame carried upon
wheels and moved by horses or otherwise, one of the drums gearing with the
driving axle so that it will revolve when the machine is being driven. Endiess
chains are placed over the two drums the length of each link coinciding with the
width of one side of the polygonal drums, and each link carrying its tine or prong.
The tines or prongs are curved and sharpened, and on the lower side of the chains,
when the drums are lowered, they reach into the earth. They move with their
chains in the same direction in which the machine is driven, so that they extirpate
the weeds and herbs from the earth, and carrying them overhead. Between each
two tined chains and above the drums there are wire cribbles which are shaken by
the motion of the machine and carried by appropriate arms upon the frame, by
which arrangements the weeds and herbs are cleansed from the particles of earth
which hang upon them, and are driven to a quickly rotating system of small
tines which throw them upon a horizontal cribble mounted upon the rear end of the
machine, capable of being tilted from time to time so as to throw the accumulated
weeds down.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and ascer-
tained reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figs. 1 and 2 show the machine in elevation and in plan respectively.
Fig. 3 is a rear view of the machine, without the tilting cribble.
Figs. 4 and 5 represent a chain link with its tine, in plan and elevation
respectively.
Fig. 6 is a side view of a portion of the machine showing the method of
supporting the screens.
Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line a-x of Fig. 6.
Upon an iron framing a which is carried upon the wheels A and A¹ and a leading
wheel B. with its adjusting piece C, two polygonal drums e, e¹, are mounted. The
horizontal shafts J and Jof the said drums are journaled at the ends of two pairs
of equal and parallel levers d and d', linked together by horizontal bars band
which swing upon their axles faud f', whilst the distances between f f¹
and J. J are equal. By means of a hand lever L and seginent K the lever d can
be lowered or raised and with it both the polygona! drums e and e¹ will descend
or ascend. Over these drums flexible steel chains are placed, each chain link
covering exactly one side of the drum. Each link Z carries on its outer side a
tine or prong D, properly curved and sharpened, the tine being preferably of a
V shaped section, as shown by Fig. 5 of the drawings. At the end of each link
outward projections E are provided, so adjusted that they abut one against the
other, when the chain is strained. The links are hinged together with the bolts F,
Figures 4 and 5.
Upon the axle J a toothed wheel is fixed, gearing with a small toothed wheel.

page_text: which is fixed upon the driving axle, so that in driving the machine, the polygonal
drum e is turned and with it the lower tines are moved in the driving direction so
that they remove the weeds and herbs ou their way, and carry them upward.
Between each two chains and tines above the upper part of said chains, wire
cribbles are fitted, so arranged that they detach the earth, which the weeds
bring with them, by a sifting motion. Upon the parallelogram frame arms 9 I'
are fastened, into which a horizontal shaft o carrying small tines n is journaled.
Upon this shaft a small toothed wheel m is fixed gearing with another toothed
wheel m¹ mounted in adjustable bearings. This wheel m' is fixed upon a horizontal
spindle upon which a small chain wheel is fixed, a chain y driving the same from
the chain wheel i, fixed upon the axle J. The axle of the chain wheel and the
toothed wheel m¹ can be fixed in a slot which is concentric to o as shown more
clearly in Fig. 1 by which means the chain y can be conveniently stretched.
The cribbles or screens u are all mounted on one frame 1 (Figs. 6 and 7) ou
two pairs of rocking levers 6 and 7 pivoted to the under frame at 4 and 5
respectively, and to the screen frame 1 at 2 and 3 respectively, the pairs of levers 6
and 7 being parallel to each other. The sifting action is imparted to this screen
frame by a number of pins or a ratchet wheel 10 mounted on the shaft 0, which
acts upon and depressses a prolongation of one or both of the levers 6 the screen
frame being returned to its normal position by the springs 8, 9 after depresssion.
It will thus be seen, that the shaft o being set in motion by the movement of the
machine the screens, are caused to vibrate, thus removing the earth from the
weeds.
The weeds and herbs brought to the rotating tines n (Fig. 1) are thrown by
them off the cribble. u and down upon a lower cribble t. which is pivoted to the
rear end of the framing, a on a horizontal axle t¹ and with arms s and s¹ outside
at its ends. To one side of this rear cribble a tilting lever carrying a weight
is. pivoted at ¹ upon, the frame a, and rests upon a pin, not shown in the drawing
which projects from the prolongation of the bar over the axle t¹ so that the
weight of and upon the lever keeps the cribble t in its carrying position.
On lifting this lever r, the cribble t. will fall and thereby eject its contents of
weeds and herbs. We do not confine ourselves exclusively to this tilting arrange-
ment, which can be constructed in any convenient manner and is given here only
as an example.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an extirpating machine the combination of two polygonal horizontal
drums e and e', the axles J and J of which are journaled in a parallelo-
gram ff J. J upon the frame a, the drums carrying endless chains, each chain-
link being adapted to each side of the drums and being provided with tines D
curved and moving in the direction of the drive, with a suitable gearing provided
between the axle of the drum e and the driving axle of the machine, so that the
tines D can be lowered or raised by means of a lever L or otherwise, and that
they, whilst the machine is driven extirpate the weeds and herbs from the earth
and drives and cleans them on their way back upon shaking cribbles u till they are
taken and thrown off by a rotating system of tines n on to a rear cribble t, which
can be tilted by the hand, substantially as set forth.
2. In an extirpating machine the combination of tines D upon endless chains
composed of flexible tined or pronged links Z provided at their hinges F with
outward projections E which abut one against the other under each hinge F when
the chains are strained, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In an extirpating machine the combination of shaking cribbles u between each
two tined or pronged chains Z, said cribbles being carried by rocking levers 6, 6, 7, 7
the cribbles u being shaken, by pins or ratchet wheel 10 on the axle o or by other
suitable means substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 4. The improved extirpating machine, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 3rd July 1895.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.