Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 13th Sept., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
I, WILLIAM CORBETT of the Firm of Samuel Corbett & Sons of Wellington in the
County of Salop, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means or apparatus for cutting, pulping and cleaning roots
to be eaten by cattle; and consists first, in an improved combined machine in which
a root cutter, pulper and cleaner is arranged in one apparatus. 2nd. The construction
and arrangement of the knives or slicers of the said root cutters, and 3rd an improved
construction or arrangement of the parts of root cleaners. The machine consists of
suitable frame work and bearing brackets, which carry three drums or expedients for
respectively cutting, pulping and cleaning roots; and which said drums or expedients,
are arranged side by side, and in the same, or in somewhat the same line; that is,
between the root cutter and the root cleaner, an ordinary root pulper is disposed.
The root cleaner works within a sort of trough or partially enclosed box with a
concaved or curved bottom, with its inside edge disposed a little higher than the top
of the pulper; and between the pulper and the cutter, a vertical partition is arranged,
which rests upon a flooring or division running on about a level with the bearing axes
of the drums.
Situated on the outside, and overhanging the drum, is a curved front board, inclined
towards the drum's periphery from the outside, so as to form a wedge like division or
enclosure, wherein the roots are held whilst being sliced or cut up; and at the top of
the division, which divides the cutter drum from the pulper drum, a flap or platformi
is hinged, which when the machine is to be employed for pulping, its edge rests upon
the top of the front edge of the trough of the cleaner. Thus roots after having been
placed in the cleaner and cleaned, are by radial arms or fan like limbs, projected or
thrown over the platform on to the cutter side, which are then cut up and delivered
in the ordinary way.
When the pulper requires to be utilized, the platform or flap cover, which now
encloses the pulper, is thrown back over the cutter, so that the roots now fall into the
pulper division, and are consequently pulped and delivered in the usual way.

page_text: By constructing machines combined as described, a person can clean, pulp or cut as
circumstances require, in one machine.
The cutter drum, or the cutter expedient is constructed as follows, while the pulper
is of the ordinary construction.
The drum which is fixed upon a rotating shaft, consists of an ordinary disc wheel,
having upon its outside edge a broad flange, upon which the cutter bed of the drum,
which is made in segments, is secured and prevented from rocking or displacement, by
ribs on the inside surface of the said segments, which fit accurately over the flanges
aforesaid.
The cutters are arranged at intermediate or equal distances upon the bed in such
a manner, that they are disposed obliquely, or in oblique rows, so as to give determined
cuts, and with their cutting edges or faces disposed at right angles to the face of the
bed or drum and at the back of the aforesaid standing cutters, a flat and broad
slicer cutter is disposed at a short distance from, and running parallel to the face of
the bed before named. This last named slicer cutter is elevated, or cuts a little
higher than the tops of the upright cutters; so that the cut of the horizontal cutter,
slices off a length, which is partially cross divided, that is, the longitudinal slicing and
cross cuttings are not quite complete.
By only partially dividing or cutting up roots as described, there is a saving of
considerable waste, an animal in eating the root, can readily separate or break up the
partially divided parts in his mouth during mastication.
The radial or upright cutters are made L form, and fixed in position by the cutter
part passing through a suitable sized hole in the bed, with the other or flange part
secured on the inside face of the said bed by screws or nuts, or by other affixing
expedients.
Or the cutter may be made blade like, with a shoulder, which rests upon the top
of the bed, and secured at the other side by a nut. Or in this last form of cutter, the
shank of the blade may be secured to a snug on the said underside, with the cutter
plate passed through a hole.
The said cutters may be made adjustable if necessary, and so also may the cutter
blade be made adjustable to either, only partially divide the roots as described, or to
fully divide if necessary. In the latter case, the upright cutters are made to stand up
to the under edge of the slicer cutter, or cutters.
By constructing the cutters of cutter barrels as described, no fitting is rendered
necessary.
The barrel and bed may if necessary, be made or cast in one piece.
The cleaner consists essentially of a cage with angle iron bars or ribs, placed at
equal distances apart, with their inside edges V'd, scolloped or jagged, so as to present
a toothed or serrated like surface to the outsides of the roots to be cleaned; that is,
the drum has open or closed ends with parallel bars running from one side to the
other, (which may be oblique or horizontal) and with their inside presented edges
serrated. Or the said edges may if necessary be left plain.
The roots on being placed in the drum and rotated, become rapidly cleaned in the
screen like cleaner, with the dirt falling through the bars as the drum rotates.
Instead of angle iron, T iron may be employed with or without serrated presented
edges.
Dated this Seventh day of December 1886.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Root Cutters, Pulpers, and Cleaners.
I, WILLIAM CORBETT of the Firm of Samuel Corbett and Sons of Wellington in the
County of Salop, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to means, or apparatus for cutting, pulping and cleaning roots
to be eaten by cattle; and consists 1st, in an improved combined machine, in which a
root cutter, pulper and cleaner is arranged in one apparatus. 2nd, the construction
and arrangement of the knives or slicers of the said root cutters, and 3rd, an improved
construction or arrangement of the parts of root cleaners.
The machine consists of suitable frame-work, and bearing brackets, which carry
three drums or expedients for respectively cutting, pulping and cleaning roots; and
which said drums or expedients are arranged side by side, and in the same, or in
somewhat the same line; that is, between the root cutter, and the root cleaner, an
ordinary root pulper is disposed.
The root cleaner works within a sort of trough, or partially enclosed box, with a
concaved or curved bottom, with its inside edge disposed a little higher than the top
of the pulper; and between the pulper and the cutter, a vertical partition is arranged,
which rests upon a flooring or division, running on about a level with the bearing axes
of the drums.
Situated on the outside, and overhanging the drum, is a curved front board,
inclined towards the drums periphery from the outside, so as to form a wedge like
division or enclosure, wherein the roots are held, whilst being sliced or cut up; and at
the top of the division, which divides the cutter drum from the pulper drum, a flap or
platform is hinged, which when the machine is to be employed for pulping, its edge
rests upon the top of the front edge of the trough of the cleaner. Thus, roots after
having been placed in the cleaner, and cleaned, are by radial arms or fan like limbs,
projected or thrown over the platform, on to the cutter side, which are then cut up
and delivered in the ordinary way.
When the pulper is required to be utilized, the platform or flap cover, which now
encloses the pulper, is thrown back over the cutter, so that the roots now fall into the
pulper division, and are consequently pulped and delivered in the usual way.
By constructing machines combined as described, a person can clean, pulp or cut, as
circumstances require, in one machine.
The cutter drum, or the cutter expedient, is constructed as follows, while the pulper
is of the ordinary construction..
The drum which is fixed upon a rotating shaft, consists of an ordinary disc wheel,
having upon its outside edge, a broad flange, upon which the cutter bed of the drum,
(which is made in segments) is secured and prevented from rocking or displacement,
by ribs, on the inside surface of the said segments, which fit accurately over the
flanges aforesaid,

page_text: The cutters are arranged at intermediate or equal distances upon the bed in such a
manner, that they are disposed obliquely, or in oblique rows, so as to give determined
cuts, and with their cutting edges or faces disposed at right angles to the face of the
bed or drum; and at the back of the aforesaid standing cutters, a flat and broad slicer
cutter is disposed at a short distance from, and running parallel to the face of the bed
before named. This last named slicer cutter, is elevated, or cuts a little higher than
the tops of the upright cutters; so that the cut of the horizontal cutter, slices off a
length, which is partially cross divided, that is, the longitudinal slicing and cross
cuttings are not quite complete.
By only partially dividing or cutting up roots as described, there is a saving of
considerable waste, as an animal in eating the root, can readily separate or break up
the partially divided parts in the mouth, during mastication.
The radial or upright cutters are made L form, and fixed in position by the cutter
part passing through a suitable sized hole in the bed, with the other or flange part
secured on the inside face of the said bed, by screws or nuts, or by other affixing
expedients.
Or the cutter may be made blade like, with a shoulder which rests upon the top of
the bed, and secured at the other side by a nut. Or in this last form of cutter, the
shank of the blade may be secured to a snug on the said underside, with the cutter
plate passed through a hole.
The said cutters may be made adjustable if necessary, and so also may the cutter
blade be made adjustable to either, only partially divide the roots as described, or to
fully divide if necessary. In the latter case, the upright cutters are made to stand up
to the under edge of the slicer cutter or cutters.
By constructing the cutters of cutter barrels as described, no fitting is rendered
necessary.
The barrel and bed may if necessary, be made or cast in one piece.
The cleaner consists essentially of a cage with angle iron bars or ribs, placed at
equal distances apart, with their inside edges V₁, scolloped or jagged, so as to present
a toothed or serrated like surface to the outsides of the roots to be cleaned; that is,
the drum has open or closed ends, with parallel bars running from one side to the
other, (which may be oblique or horizontal) and with their inside presented edges
serrated Or the said edges may if necessary be left plain.
The roots on being placed in the drum, and rotated, become rapidly cleaned in the
screen like cleaner, with the dirt falling through the bars as the drum rotates.
Instead of angle iron, T iron may be employed with or without serrated presented
edges.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical section, a root cleaner, cutter and pulper, combined
in one machine, and constructed and arranged acccording to my invention. It will
be seen that the pulper which is shown in use, forms the middle of the combined
appliances, for purposes as aforesaid.
Figure 2 represents in back elevation, one of the pedestal axle bearings of either the
cutter or pulper drums, and also the said view shows a portion of the slotted frame-
work, wherethrough the axle passes, in making the said bearing interchangeable,
either for carrying a cutter or pulper.
Figure 3 represents a transverse vertical section on the dotted lines A B figure 2.
Figure 4 also represents in vertical section, a root cutter drum, constructed and
made according to my invention.
Figure 5 represents a plan of the said drum, thus exhibiting the arrangement of
the cutters, and with their cutter parts protruding and standing through the top face
of the said drum. Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section on the dotted lines CD
figure 5.
Figure 7 represents partly in edge view, and partly in section, one of the cutters,
while figure 8 represents a plan of the same. Figure 9 represents the cutter in position,
through the bed of the drum.

page_text: Figure 1 represents a
ication, in WINCH
secured to a carrying lug of the drum.
of the said cutter,
Figure 11 shows another means of securing the cutter blades in position.
Figure 12 represents in side elevation, the root cleaner drum, and figure 13, shows
an end view of the same.
Figures 14, 15 and 16 represent upon an enlarged scale, portions of the serrated
cleaner bars.
Figures 17, 18 and 19 represent modifications of the said cleaner bars.
Figure 20 represents in plan, and figure 21 in elevation, combined cutter blades of
Figure 22 shows the same in position, with the blades collectively passing
through holes made in the drum.
a cutter.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
figures.
a is the lower framing of the combined machine, which supports and carries a root
cleaner, a root pulper, and a root cutter, and with the pulper disposed between the
other two, but this is immaterial, as the cutter may be made to take the place of the
pulper, or vice-versa.
is the root cleaner, c is a root pulper, and d is a root cutter. Or when the
vertical knives are removed from the latter, it becomes a root slicer.
The root cleaner b, consists essentially of an openwork framing, somewhat after .
the manner of a drum shaped cage, with supporting radial arms, and fixed axle or
shaft 63, which latter is supported, and works within suitable bearings, carried by the
upper frame a², or by the lower frame a.
The cage part of the cleaner, is made up of a series of rings, with longitudinal, and
serrated or roughened inside parts, as seen in the longitudinal view, figure 12, and in
the detached views figures 14 to 19; so that on the roots being placed within a hopper,
at the rear end of the cage cleaner, they are made to travel from rear to front, by the
rotation given to the said cleaner, by belt, band, or other gearing.
Thus, the inside edges of the longitudinal bars b*, have teeth, serrations or
roughenings 65; so that on the roots traversing from back to front, up the inside of
the cage, all dirt accumulations are removed from their surfaces, and which falls
through the grating like structure.
Instead of the inside edges of the longitudinal bars b*, being serrated as in figures 14
and 15, they may be shaped as in figures 17, 18 and 19.
The shaft or axis 63, carries near its front end, radiating arms e, having lifters e at
their outer ends, which rotate with the shaft and cleaner; so that on roots emerging
or rolling from out of the front open end of the said cleaner, into a concave receiver
or trough like receptacle ƒ; and from thence, they are carried to either a pulper, or
a cutter to be operated upon.
The pulpere consists of a series of pulper parts, arranged upon the periphery of
the drum, and with inwardly directed holes in front of the cutter parts, and through
which the root pulped, is passed to the interior of the drum.
The drum has radial arins, and is supported and turns by a central axis c¹, working
within a pedestal bearing c², carried from the bed of the lower framing a.
The pedestal bearing is best seen in figures 2 and 3, and consists of a removable
bearing, with an extended and depending flange part c; so that the said parts c
with the other part, makes a kind of angle bearing, and covers over, and bonds
together, the divided framings a³, a³, which are separated by a slot at.
By slotting the framing, and closing over the said slotted part, by a web of the
bearing, the respective cutter and pulper drums inay be made interchangeable.
Thus, when a root pulper is required to be replaced by a root cutter, or a slicer, the
securing bolts of the bearings, have only to be removed, when the bearing can
be withdrawn laterally, and the axles or shafts passed through the slots at of the
framing.
g is a front board or platform, jointed at 9 at one end, and at the other end,
(when the pulper is not required to be employed) resting upon a flange or shelf f2, at
the other end. is a secondary front board, situated at the front of the cutter, and

page_text: makes a wedge space, between the inside face, and the cutter, and wherein the roots
are thrown prior to being operated upon.
When the machine is required to pulp only, then the jointed front board or plat-
form g is thrown up into the position as represented in figure 1; so that the roots are
carried into the wedge space between the pulper, and the upright division i, upon the
top of which, the front board g is jointed.
When the cutter is required to be used, the front board g, is thrown over the pulper
as represented in dotted lines figure 1; so that the roots are passed over the top of
the front board, and falling into the cutter division, are consequently cut up, and
delivered in the usual way.
The open ends of the drums may be enclosed by a supplementary cover a³, and
marked j.
Although I have represented the cleaner in an elevated position, yet the same
may if necessary be placed in any intermediate position, relative to the pulper or
cutter axes.
Instead of a combined cleaner, pulper, and cutter, a cleaner, and pulper or cutter,
may be used; so that the pulper or cutter may be changed, one from the other, as
circumstances require.
The root cutter and its drum, is constructed as follows, (see principally the enlarged
views, figure 4, 5 and 6).
k is the outer periphery of the drum, with knife or cutter holes k, made therein,
and where-through, the knives or blades / pass outwardly, and with their cutter parts
standing above the face of the periphery or bed. These knives or cutters have
returned lower ends 12, with a piercing 13, through which a screw bolt m passes, and
is secured in position by a nut n, as represented in the sectional and enlarged views
figures 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Thus the shanks of the cutters, lie within the holes made through the drum, and
with the cutter parts extending above the bed, and with the angle parts, lying on the
inside face of the drum, secured in position by nuts and bolts.
In the modification figure 10, the cutter is secured in position by a nut and bolt, to
a hanging lug, on the inside of the drum.
In figure 11, the cutter consists of a shank, which is passed through the drum, and
is secured at its inner end, by a nut screwed thereon.
In figures 20 and 21, the cutters are made from sheet metal, collectively connected
together, by a plate 1.
By combining, and making cutters as described, they admit of being placed in
position without trouble, by simply passing the standing up cutters 1, through the
coincident holes in the drum, and then bolting the plate to the drum, as represented
in figure 22, where the plate is shown in dotted lines, on the inside of the bed of the
drum, and with the cutters protruding upwardly through the holes.
The bed of cutter drum k, consists of four segmental parts k¹, k², secured to a broad
annular wheel like flange k³, carried by a division web or diaphragm k³, and which
said bed segmental parts, are kept centrally in position, by annular inside ribs k6,
wherein the flanged rim k³, accurately fits, and takes off all strain from the attach-
ment means, which secure the said segments, to the flange of the said middle
part.
The segments k k¹ carry the slicer knives o, while the segments k², carry the cutter
knives, and which said slicer knives o, are supported and secured upon their
undersides, by divisional or cross prop knives o², secured to the diaphragm kas
aforesaid.
The opposite front ends of the slicer knives o, are supported upon elevated blocks k²,
thus leaving a space between the underside of the said slicer knife, of a depth equal
to a slice or cut to be made, and through which said space or opening 8, the cut up
root passes into the inside of the drum.
If necessary, the drum may be cast in one piece, but constructed essentially in the
manner as described.

page_text: The cutters admit of being adjusted to any desired height, by placing packing pieces,
under their inside abutment parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is―
First. A root cleaner, a root pulper, and a root cutter or slicer, combined in one
machine, substantially as described and set forth in figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
Secondly. The means herein described of transferring the roots to be operated
upon, either to a pulper, or to a cutter or slicer, according to whether the said roots
require to be pulped or sliced, as described and set forth in figure 1.
Thirdly. Combining in a single machine, a root cleaner, and a root pulper, or a
root cleaner, or a root cutter, substantially as described.
Fourthly. Making slots or gaps at, within the supporting framings a, a³, of pulper
or root cutters, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth in
figures 2 and 3.
Fifthly. The combination with a root pulper, or root cutter axle bearing blocks, of
a slot at, as described and set forth in figures 1, 2 and 3.
Sixthly. Making root cutter drums, or root cutters or slicers, of segments and
parts k¹, k², k³, k³, k and k³, substantially as described and set forth in figures 4, 5
and 6.
Seventhly. The improvements in the construction of cutter knives 1, 12, 13, sub-
stantially as described and set forth in figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
Eighthly. The means herein described of securing cutter blades within root cutter
drums, by passing the shanks, through holes k in the bed, and securing them on
the inside of the drum, substantially as described and set forth in figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
and 11.
Ninthly. Making, and combining collectively, the cutters, or parts of the cutters,
substantially as described and set forth in figures 21 and 22.
Tenthly. The construction and arrangement of the parts of root cutters, as described
and set forth in figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings.
Eleventhly Making root cleaners, of a series of bars, disposed longitudinally and
grating like, and with the inner edges or faces of the said bars or lengths, serrated,
toothed, jagged, or roughened, substantially as and for the purpose as herein set forth
in figures 12 to 19.
Twelfthly. The combination with a cleaner of the kind herein described, of a root
lifter, as set forth in figures 12 and 13.
Lastly. Arranging, and combining the cutter knives with respect to their slicer
knives, as herein described and set forth, so as to only partially cross cut, or partially
subdivide the slicer cuts, for the purpose as set forth.
Dated this Tenth day of September 1887.
WILLIAM CORBETT.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.