Improvements in Root Harvesting Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10:h Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb.. 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Root Harvesting Machines.
I, ADAM SMITH LOGAN, of Ferney Castle, Reston in the County of
Berwickshire, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in root harvesting machines by which I
propose to construct a machine which can grip the "shaws" or tops sever the tap
root convey the root or bulb to a suitable position cleanse it of dirt or the like sever
the shaw or top provide for its removal and deliver the root or bulb to a shoot or
elevator.
Turnips swedes mangolds sugar beet kohl rabi and the like can thus be treated.
The apparatus for effecting this may be mounted singly or in duplicate on a
suitable frame which may be hinged hung centred or pivoted at one end or part and
at the other it may be adjustably hung or suspended or secured as required by
spring or weight or other like mechanism thus providing for oscillations due to
inequalities of the ground or size of roots.
Rotary motion may be conveyed to the apparatus as hereinafter described from
the axle or axles of the frame or structure adapted to be drawn by horses or
otherwise through the intervention of suitable chain and wheel gearing or tooth
gear and shafting or equivalently.
On an axle or axles driven as herein foreshadowed I propose to provide say
two wheels or pulleys though the apparatus may be duplicated with grooved rims
preferably provided with like snugs therein adapted to take corresponding bosses
of a series of bracket-shaped levers adapted to rock in their snags as required or
as herein foreshadowed. There may he say fifty of such levers or twenty five in
each wheel which may be held in position by an encircling rod band cover or
equivalent device. The lever centres may be suitably spaced say about nine inches
apart and their inner corresponding extremities may carry bent or other steel
strips or pieces converging towards each other. The ends of these strips members
or springs will be connected to flexible hoops chains rings or frames capable of
having the distance separating their faces at any particular part of their peripheries
adjusted so as to be wider or narrower at will. This may be effected by the
provision on the opposite ends of the levers of rollers or rubbing surfaces
adapted to act in conjunction with cams or curved paths of required form
which may be mounted on or otherwise secured to or connected with the framing
of the apparatus. Thus as the flexible rings revolve the action of the cam or
cams aforesaid will be to close by means of the levers and gear above described the
rings together so as to seize and firmly grip the shaws or tops at the basal
periphery of the gripping frame or rings and about the same time a knife or cutter
suitably disposed and connected to the apparatus will sever the tap root to allow the
bulb to be carried upwards on the frame with its tap-root portion outermost a
suitably guarded revolving brush knife or knives or equivalent device cleansing the
bulb of dirt or the like in its circumferential travel.
About the uppermost portion of the circular revolving flexibly-arranged double-
ring or clamping device will be disposed another knife or cutter acting in close
contact with the periphery to sever the tops thus allowing the bulbs to fall clear
into a shoot or elevator and after this the rings being opened or separated by the
cam device the tops are released and caught by a revolving kicker consisting for

page_text: example of a spiked barrel or the like and thrown clear of the apparatus or where
required. The rings thence travel separated from each other or with an open
portion until nearing the basal peripheral portion when they again gradually close
until at the base there may be an open space of about one inch which closes finally
a little distance beyond the basal centre as above described.
The revolving brush knife or knives and kicker devices suitably guarded as
circumstances may require may be driven from any convenient part of the apparatus
in any convenient manner.
The extreme outer edges of the flexible rings however constructed whether of
hinged open frame links or otherwise of thiu hoop steel band on edge encased in
for example a suitable soft covering of india rubber canvas or equivalent material
must be rounded or beaded and then taper off to form a gripping edge for the tops
and the connection between the strips or springs aforesaid may be by bolting
alternately arranged for the sake of flexibility or by housings formed on or
connected with the rings adapted to receive the ends of the strips.
Suitably arranged and inclined guide bars or rods or media may be provided
near ground level so as to catch the drooping tops of the roots or bulbs and lift
them as it were in a convenient bunch or group to facilitate and ensure their efficient
seizure by the gripping apparatus herein described.
Dated this 9th day of April 1896.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3 St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Root Harvesting Machines.
I, ADAM SMITH LOGAN of Ferney Castle, Reston in the County of
Berwickshire, Farmer, 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. :-
This invention relates to improvements in root harvesting machines with the
object of constructing a machine which can grip the "shaws" or tops, sever the
tap root, convey the root or bulb to a suitable position, cleanse it of dirt or
the like, sever the shaw or top, provide for its removal and deliver the root or bulb
to a shoot or elevator.
Turnips, swedes, mangolds, sugar beet, kohl rabi and the like can thus be
treated.
The apparatus for effecting this, consisting of a circular revolving flexibly
arranged double ring clamping or gripping device, knives, cleaner and so forth, is
mounted singly or in duplicate on or adjacent to a suitable frame which is hinged,
hung centred or pivoted at one end or part, and at the other it is adjustably hung
or suspended or secured as required by spring or weight or other like mechanism.
Rotary motion is conveyed to the apparatus as hereinafter described from the
axle or axles of the frame or structure, adapted to be drawn by horses or otherwise,
through the intervention of suitabie chain and wheel gearing or toothed gear and
shafting or equivalently.
I will now fully describe my invention in reference to the accompanying drawings
in which-
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 a side elevation of a machine embodying my
improvements, the same letters of reference designating the same parts.
A is the main frame of the machine which may be constructed of wood or angle
irons. It is mounted on the axles 1, 1 of the driving wheels B B and is provided
with a swivel wheel C and guide wheel D controlled by the rod d extending to the
rear of the machine. Horses are attached to the drawbar E.

page_text: F is an inner frame hinged at the points ff at one end on the shaft 4 carried
by the framing A and at the other it is adjustably supported from the said frame A
by the spring connections ff, thus providing for its oscillation due to inequalities
of the ground or size of roots. On the shaft 7 carried by this frame F, I fix the
revolving flexibly arranged double ring or clamping or gripping device L which
grips the roots and carries them by the shaws or tops for subsequent treatment as
hereinafter explained.
The gripping device L consists of two wheels or discs G G with a series of
snugs or seats cut or notched out of their peripheries into which fit the corre-
sponding bosses of a series of bracket-shaped levers H adapted to rock in their
seats in which they are held by an adjustable ring 9 fitting into grooves in the
bosses and similar grooves in the wheels G G between the seats of the levers H.
There may be any desired number of these levers H in each wheel G; I find 25
or 26 a convenient number for ordinary work and I prefer to arrange them so that
those on one wheel intervene between or alternate with those on the other as shown
in Figure 2.
The inner corresponding extremities of the levers H carry steel springs, members
or strips A converging towards each other and their ends are connected in any
convenient manner to the flexible hoops, chains, rings or frames & capable of
having the distance separating their faces at any particular part of their peripheries
adjusted so as to be wider or uarrower at will.
1 illustrate these frames as being of hinged open frame links, but however
constructed, whether in this manner or otherwise of thin boop steel bands on edge
encased in for example a suitable soft covering of india rubber, canvas or equivalent
material, the extreme outer edges of the flexible rings must be rounded or beaded
as shown in Figure 1 to form a gripping edge for the tops and prevent injury to
the roots and the connection between the members & aforesaid may be by bolting
alternately arranged for the sake of flexibility or by housings formed on or connected
with the rings adapted to receive the ends of the strips.
The opening and closing of the extreme ends of the strips A carrying the chain
frames to release and grip the shaws or tops of the turnips or roots is effected
by the rollers h² on the outer ends of the levers H moving in contact with the
cams or curved paths J J connected to the inner frame F at . As the
rollers travel round the parts jj the springs A and frames & 4 are closed but as
they travel round the parts they are opened or moved apart.
K is a cutter bar, hinged at the points k k to the main frame A, having a knife
edge so disposed about the lower periphery of the gripping device L as to cut
off the tap root of the turnip or other root. It may be adjusted vertically by the
screws to vary the depth of cut as desired.
M is a suitably arranged revolving cleaner mounted on the shaft 18 and its other
end may be supported by a spring of such strength as to permit the cleaner to
accomodate itself to the root. In the drawings this appliance is shown in the
form of several knives having a guard fitted over them, though it may be a brush
or the like, and as the bulb passes it, carried by the device L, the dirt is
removed.
About the uppermost portion of the periphery of the clamping device L and in
close proximity thereto is arranged the knife N bolted at the point n to the side of
the cam J. As the roots are carried round by the device L the bulb is cut off by
this knife N and falls into a suitably arranged shoot carried at any convenient part
of the machine.
On the shaft 16 a kicker or spiked drum O is fitted so that when the shaws or
tops are released from the device L, by reason of the action of the rollers and
paths as above described, they fall onto the kicker O and are thrown into a
shoot arranged as required.
P is an adjustably arranged guide situated about ground level the function of
which is to gather up the tops into a bunch to ensure their effective seizure by
the gripping device L. It is hung from the main frame A at the points pp

page_text: and inclined at will by the chain p¹, while for cutting off the overhanging leaves it
may be conveniently provided with cutting edges.
The gripping device L is operated from the driving wheel axle 1 through the
intervention of the sprocket wheels 2 and 3, shaft 4, sprocket wheels 5 and 6,
:shaft 7 and chains 8 aud 9.
The kicker O is revolved by the sprocket wheels 10 and 11, chain 12, shaft 13
internally toothed wheel 14 and pinion 15, and shaft 16 driven from axle 1°, while
the requisite motion is conveyed to the cleaner M by sprocket wheels 10 and 17,
chain 12, shaft 18, sprocket wheels 19 and 20, chain 21 and axle 22.
Clutches on the driving axles to put the mechanism in or out of gear as desired
and like necessary devices for the proper working of the machine, as will be
understood, are fitted and applied in the ordinary way.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-As the device L revolves, at or
about the point X (Figure 2) its periphery will begin to close over the shaw or
top of the root (consequent on the co-operation of the rollers h² and cams J J)
then about the point Y the top will be firmly gripped almost simultaneously with
the severance of the tap root by the knife edge of cutter bar K. The bulb
is then carried up by the gripping device (under the influence of rollers h³ and cam
paths ) and in passing the cleaner M the root is cleansed. On reaching the
knife N, still gripped by device L, the bulb a is severed from the top and falls
into a shoot and onto the ground and about the point Z the frames are moved
apart (under the conjunctive influence of rollers and cain paths jj) and the
shaw or top is released and passes onto the kicker from whence it is thrown
where required.
The frames then travel down open ready to operate again as just described.
Thus it will be seen that as the machine is travelled forward there is a continuous
stream of roots being carried round the machine by the portion of frames h h¹
.contiguous to the cam paths jj while that part adjacent to the paths is
travelling round open and empty till it nears the point X when the cycle of
operations recommences thus making the harvesting of roots a practically
-continuous process.
Though have described and illustrated the apparatus as arranged singly, it
will be readily seen that it may be duplicated so as to operate on two drills if
-desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A root harvesting machine constructed or adapted to operate substantially as
herein described and illustrated in the drawings.
2. In a root harvesting machine such as above referred to, the construction of
the circular gripping device L and the means for successively operating its flexible
gripping members during the travel of the machine substantially in the manner and
. for the purposes herein described and illustrated.
3. In a root harvester, the use, for the purposes of successively gathering up,
gripping the tops or shaws, severing the tap root, cleansing the bulb, severing the
top and effecting its removal, of mechanisms combined together and adapted to
co-operate substantially in the manner described.
Dated this 5th day of February 1897