improvements in Clou
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 7th June, 1887.
improvements in Clou ՄԱՏԵ
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the county of Middlesex, 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 clod crushers and pulverizers, and consists in the peculiar
construction and combination of devices liereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clod crusher and pulverizer, embodying my
improvements.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same on the line e, c of figure 1.
Figure 2 is a detail hereinafter to be referred to.
Figure 3 is a similar view showing the series of fingers or crushing bars, adjusted
close to the inner ends of the teeth or projections on the wheels or discs.
Figure 4 is a detail showing the arrangement of levers for adjusting said fingers.
Figures 5 and 5ª are details to be referred to.
A represents a suitable frame adapted to support the working portions of my
machine, a transverse shaft is fixed within the frame A, and is provided with a series
of wheels or discs C, having teeth or projections a which sink into the ground and by
contact therewith rotate said wheels or discs.
A second shaft or bar D located in front or rear of the wheels or discs but preferably
in the rear as shown, is provided with a series of fingers or crushing bars E, which are
designed to enter the ground and lift up the earth and especially clods, which it may
be desired to crush more completely by the action of the rotating wheels or discs.
The ends of the shaft or bar D are mounted in the rear ends of arms b, pivotted
upon the shaft B, while their front ends are connected together by a rod or bar c
extending transversely across the machine and supporting the main portions of the
mechanism for adjusting the series of crushing fingers or bars, with relation to the

page_text: wheels or discs, whereby the distance between the said fingers and wheels is increased
or diminished to provide for clods of different sizes.
In other words when the machine is designed for crushing the ground so as to leave
clods of medium size, as for summer fallow land for grain, the adjusting mechanism
hereinafter described, will be operated to throw the crushing fingers or bars from
the inner ends of the teeth or projections on the wheels or discs, as shown in figure 2,
but when it is desired to thoroughly pulverize the ground as for orchard or vineyard
lands, the same adjusting mechanism is operated to bring the fingers or bars nearer
the wheels or inner ends of the teeth or projections as shown in figure 3.
The fingers or crushing bars E are of such construction and are arranged in such
relation to the projections or teeth on the wheels or dises, that their upper portions are
inclined slightly towards the peripheries, thereby contracting the space between the
said wheels and fingers or crushing bars.
The purpose of this construction will be obvious to an experienced farmer for, as the
clods are caught by the teeth projecting from the wheels or discs, towards the fingers
or crushing bars, when the clods are first brought into contact with the front or
points of the teeth, those portions of said clods projecting beyond the sides of each
tooth are severed from the main body of the clod, the latter portion being carried
upward by the teeth onto the crushing fingers or bars. The space between the inner
ends of the teeth and the inner faces of the fingers being of gradually decreasing
diameter, therefore as the clod is carried upward by the rotary movement of the
wheels or discs, it is manifest a gradually increasing pressure is brought to bear upon
it, the pressure increasing until the narrowest space at the upper end of the fingers is
reached, at which point the pressure will be found sufficient to crush a clod of more
than ordinary solidity or ioughness. If an incompressible object is carried on to the
fingers by the teeth, and the operator finds that certain of his series of wheels or discs
are locked by reason of such obstruction he adjusts his operating mechanism and
throws the fingers far enough from the teeth on the wheels or discs, to cause the
obstacle to disengage itself from the teeth and fall to the ground.
The mechanism for carrying out these several features is clearly illustrated in the
drawings and comprises the following features; on the transverse bar or rod c which
unites the forward ends of the arms or levers, with each other, is an arch or yoke d
having a perforation in its top through which the threaded shank of a standard or
post G, is passed and secured. The upper end of the post G, is bifurcated to receive
the operating lever H, which is pivotted therein and provided with a pawl e adapted
to engage any one of a series of notehes formed in a rack I, secured to the frame A,
of the machine.
The operating lever H is pivotted to or near the rack, so that its pawl e may readily
engage the same and the threaded stem of the standard or post G, is provided with
adjusting nuts and g, one of which is located upon each side of the arched plate d as
shown in figures 2, 3 and 4 and by their adjustment regulate the depth which the
fingers or crushing bars penetrate the ground. In other words if the nuts and g are
adjusted towards the top of the standard or post G, the forward part of the frame A¹,
formed by the arms or levers b, the rod or bar e, and the arch d, is elevated or
brought nearer the operating lever H, while the rear ends of the frame, which carries
the fingers or crushing bars, is correspondingly depressed thereby lowering said
fingers or crushing bars, and causing them to penetrate the ground to a greater
depth.
If the nuts and g are turned so that they engage the lower portion of the threaded
standard or post G, the forward end of the pivotted frame A is lowered thereby
elevating the rear end and lifting the fingers, so that they do not penetrate the
ground to any considerable extent or in fact may be raised entirely out of the ground,
the depth of penetration being determined by the simple adjustment of the nuts/
and and their connections, and afterwards maintained by the pawl and rack before
described.
By this construction the operator is enabled to regulate and control the depth

page_text: which the fingers or crushing bars enter the earth, and may instantly vary the same
to suit the different conditions of the soil.
It may be necessary at times owing to the soft or loose condition of the earth to
support the machine upon wheels, such as the caster wheels shown in figure 3 said
wheels being located at the corners of the frame A, and connected by any well known
means so that by the operation of a lever they may be elevated or thrown out of
engagement with the ground when desired. These wheels are also of great
advantage in supporting the machine, when going to and returning from the field,
for, in proportion as the power and strain is removed from the working parts of the
machine, the life of the same is prolonged, while they regulate the depth at which
the teeth or the wheels penetrate soft or wet land.
At each end of the shaft D, is a crank arm k, which is pivottally connected to a
link 1, that is in turn pivotted to the inner sides of the frame A.
The link extends approximately at right angles to the crank arm k when the
machine is in position shown in figure 3, and firmly locks the series of fingers or
crushing bars for as the pressure is brought directly against the working face of the
fingers or crushing bars, it is transmitted to the crank arm k and as these arms are at
right angles to the links the movement of each of the crank arms will be in a line
nearly or quite parallel with its adjacent link, therefore the position of the latter will
not be changed, and the series of fingers and the entire frame A', remaining in a
rigid or locked condition, until the operator grasps the lever H, and, slightly moving
the same, releases the parts, and practically converts the frame A' from a rigid to a
flexible frame.
The above described manner of connecting the frame A¹, carrying the shaft D, and
fingers or crushing bars E, with the main frame of the machine, constitutes what
may be termed a toggle-joint connection and as the operating lever is connected to
the forward part of said frame A', it is manifest that the movement of the said
lever is communicated directly to the arms b, as these arms vibrate the movement of
the rear ends is transmitted to the links 4, which in their movement describe arcs of
circles, thereby drawing upon the crank arms &, to cause a slight rotary movement
of the shaft D, and a consequent adjustment of the fingers or crushing bars, from the
wheels or discs, to provide for crushing large clods, for releasing an incompressible
object lodged between the fingers and teeth a, or for clearing the fingers of the weeds,
or rubbish adhering thereto. The depression of the hand lever acis to throw the teeth
upward and backward, and raising it again brings them back to first position.
This double movement is peculiar from the fact that the first movement of raising
the fingers raises them a short distance nearly straight up, after which, by reason of
the change of position of the two centres of support, they are thrown backward as
before-described.
When they come to be thrown down into the ground the first movement will be to
bring them forward to nearly their proper position, and the latter portion of the
movement forces them directly downward into the ground.
In order that the shaft D may be securely braced against the upward strain
naturally brought upon it, when the machine is in operation, I may employ a
connection comprising a notched rack m and fork lever n substantially like that
shown in figure 2 and locate the same at or near the centre of the shaft or at any
points intermediate between its ends whereby the shaft. D is braced and locked in any
of its adjusted positions.
This invention is applicable to a harrow of common form and substantially the
same mechanism may be applied to a cultivator, in both cases the spiked wheels or
discs, and the fingers or crushing bars are arranged in substantially the same manner
as before described, they being operated and adjusted to facilitate the successful
operation of the several machines to which the improvements are applied.
In like manner may the improvements described be connected with and operated in,
conjunction with a harrow or cultivator employing the ordinary concavo-convex discs
(see figures 5 and 5), the latter displacing in this instance the spiked wheels or discs,

page_text: and crushing the clods between themtelves and the finger or crushing bars as before
described.
In all the machines above enumerated but especially in the case of the sharp-edged
dises just described, the fingers or crushing bars, enter the ground at an incline, and
loosen the soil adjacent to the discs and at the same time, tend to hold the machine
more closely to the ground, thereby accomplishing results far better than those
obtained by many of the machines for similar purposes now in use.
If found desirable a sceder may be applied to and operated in conjunction with the
crushing machine heretofore described, the fineness of the work performed by said
machine making a seeder peculiarly adapted to the same.
In figures 1 and 2 the pole L is suitably supported and braced upon the forward
part of the main frame A, and the driver's seat is secured at the rear of said frame, and
in close proximity to the end of the operating lever H a plate M secured to the rear of
said frame A, is connected by a hinged joint to a curved guard N, which encloses the
upper portions of the spiked wheels or discs, thereby obviating the danger of the
operators clothes, or the driving reins becoming entangled in the iceth during
the rotary movement of said wheels.
The machines now described embrace the active principles of a cultivator, crusher,
pulverizer and leveller, all combined in a single compact machine easily operated and
not liable to derangement. In operating the machine, the teeth first enter the ground
and break up the soil, the clods adhering to the teeth being carried against the fingers
or bars.
The series of crushing bars are also used to pulverize the earth, when such an
object is desired and also by reason of their all being in a line at the rear of the
machine they perform the functions of a leveller.
The series of wheels or discs see figures 1 and 2 may be mounted on the shaft B
to enable one or more of said series to be removed from said shaft, so as to increase
the space between each pair of the remaining wheels, which it is desirable to do when
coarser crushing is to be accomplished. To provide for this feature I may employ
devices similar to the clips or washers P shown in figures 2 and 2ª. These clips are
here shown as being composed of two hinged sections adapted to encircle the shaft B
and have their free ends united by a bolt and nut.
While this construction is well suited for the intended purpose I may adapt other
means, the main object being to furnish some simple mechanism that will serve as a
washer, between the wheels or dises, and at the same time he readily applied or
removed to provide for the lateral adjustment of the same.
A rod or shaft R soe figure 2 mounted in the main frame preferably in the rear of
the fingers or crushing bars is provided with strippers S.
These strippers may be of any desirable form and project to within a short distance
of a guide to the rear face of the crushing fingers and may be normally held against
said bars by the action of springs T coiled around the shaft R.
It will thus be seen that the rearward and upward movement of the crushing bars
shewn in Figure 2 will act upon the series of spring actuated strippers, and will cause
the latter to pass over the two sides of each crushing bar thereby cleaning the same
and removing any and all material rubbish &c. adhering thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The wheels or discs having teeth or projections thereon and a pivoiied frame
having at its rear end the fingers or bars upon which the clods are crushed in combi-
nation with an adjusting mechanism at the front of the pivoited frame for regulating
the depth the fingers enter the ground substantially as herein described.
2. The wheels or discs having the teeth or projections extending therefrom and
a pivotted frame, having at its rear a sories of fingers or crushing bars forming
between their working faces and the wheels or discs an upwardly contracting space
in combination with a double link connection between the pivoited frame, and the

page_text: main frame of the machine, and a lever for operating the pivotal frame and adjusting
the fingers towards and from the wheels or disces, substantially as herein described.
3. In a clod crusher a means for adjusting the fingers or crushing bars with
relation to the spiked wheels comprising a pivotted frame carrying at its rear, the
fingers or crushing bars, a link connection between said frame and main frame, and
a lever for depressing and elevating the rear of the pivotted frame, substantially as
herein described.
4. In a clod crusher, a pivotted frame having a series of fingers or crushing bars
mounted in its rear, and a means for adjusting said series of fingers, vertically to
regulate the depth they enter the ground comprising a lever, a connection between
said lever and frame and adjusting nuts, engaging the connection and elevating and
depressing the front of the frame substantially as herein described.
5. In a clod crusher the frame A' having the shaft D, mounted in its rear, and the
fingers or crushing bars projecting from said shaft in combination with the crank
arms the links connected therewith, an operating lever pivotted to the front of the
machine, and connected to the front of the frame A', and the wheels or discs having
the projecting teeth, substantially as herein described.
6. In a clod crusher, the wheels or discs mounted upon a transverse shaft and
provided with the projecting teeth or spikes in combination with the arms b pivotted
upon said shaft, a bar or rod uniting the forward ends of said arms, a transverse shaft.
mounted in the rear of the arms and provided with the fingers or crushing bars, a
double joint connection between said shaft and main frame, and an operating lever for
adjusting the position of the crushing bars, substantially as herein described.
b
7. In a clod crusher, the wheels or discs mounted upon a transverse shaft and
having tecth projecting therefrom in combination with the arms 6 pivotted upon said
shaft, a bar or rod connecting the front ends of the arins, a shaft or bar connecting
the rear ends of the same and having the fingers or crushing bars projecting there-
from, a double joint connection between the rear shaft and main frame, a standard or
post having a stem passing through the front of the frame A' or through an arch c¹
formed thereon, and adjusting the arms and fingers or crushing bars, a pivotted
lever attached to said post and having the pawl and a rack having notches with which
the pawl engages, substantially as herein described.
8. The shaft B, and the spiked wheels or discs laterally adjustable thereon, in
combination with the two part hinged clips or washers P interposed between said
wheels and the bolts and nuts for removably securing the washers to the shaft
substantially as herein described.
9. The combination with a crushing machine having the spiked wheels and a series
of fingers or crushing hars adjacent to said wheels, of a series of spring actuated
strippers adjacent to and cleaning the crushing bars during the movements of the
latter, substantially as herein described.
10. The combination with a crushing machine having spiked wheels and a series
of fingers or crushing bars, of a spring actuated shaft in the rear of said crushing bars
and a series of fingers or strippers projecting from said shaft and cleaning the crushing
bars substantially as herein described.
Dated this 1st day of February 1887
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.