Improvements in Potato-digging Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Potato-digging Machines.
I, GEORG HARDER, of Cronsforder Allée, 24, Lübeck, in the Empire of Ger-
many, First Lieutenant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention relates to a potato gathering machine with share and
throwing forks, in which several forks revolving in the same plane, are so arranged
as to rotate on one crank plate, for the purpose of removing the potatoes from the
ground and throwing them to one side.
The invention consists in lengthening the forks so as to form guide rods, which
pass, in an oblique position, freely through a common opening in a fixed plate
on the frame.
This arrangement causes the forks to pass through one another and prevents the
breaking of the rods.
The main wheels of the machine transmit their motion through a tooth-wheel on
the axle to a tooth pinion on a short shaft which carries at its opposite end -a
toothed-wheel gearing with a pinion on the fork-shaft.
The said fork shaft carries a crank plate on which the forks are placed so that
they can rotate thereon. The forks are prolonged upwards beyond their rotating
points which prolongations form rods which pass, in an oblique position, through
an opening, which is common to all four forks, in the fixed plate of the frame work.
When the machine is in operation, the forks are moved around the fork shaft,
in consequence of the above described transmission of motion through the crank
plate on the said shaft, while, at the same time, they are guided in the before
mentioned opening by means of the prolongations of the forks. By this means the
forks strike through, behind the ploughshare, the earth loosened by the latter,
and throw the potatoes with some of the earth, against a sieve, rotating with them
and fixed to the right hand wheel, which allows the earth to pass through, while
the potatoes are cleaned and accumulate in front of the said sieve.
The guiding of the fork rods in a common opening prevents their knocking
together, as they bear one against one another in the opening. As the first rod
follows the motion of the fork, which cuts through the earth, it endeavours to
move in a circular path. As at this moment the other three rods are not loaded,
they yield to the motion of the first rod and shift in the opening under the pressure
of such rod, that is, they mutually yield. By this mutual yielding of the guiding
rods they are prevented from striking one another when in motion.
In the form of machine described, the frame of the stand consists of two parts.
The inner frame in which the ploughshare and the driving gear are fixed, is placed
so as to rotate on the axle.
The second outer part of the frame is jointed by means of its prolonged side rails
with the inner frame, near the axle by bolts and is supported in front by the horses,
by means of the pole or shaft. In consequence of making the frame in two parts,

page_text: the share, in conjunction with the forks, can be raised or lowered as desired,
and is kept at the desired 'height by a rod, which, pushed through the corresponding
hole, rests on the outer frame. A lever which turns on a fixed point, on which is
hung the inner frame, with share and forks, serves to raise the share and forks at
the end of the furrow. The share and forks are kept in the withdrawn position by
placing the said lever on hooks. At the same time as the share and forks are lifted
out, the said lever throws the forks out of action by pushing the disconnecting
lever, which lies above it, so far sideways that the claw which carries with it the
conical tooth-wheel, which runs loose. on the axle is disconnected from this tooth
wheel. The share and forks are, thus simultaneously withdrawn, and the latter
brought to a standstill by one operation and likewise the single operation of lifting
of the lever out of the hook serves to put the machine again into operation, as by
lowering the lever share and forks return to their former working positions, the
disconnecting lever is freed, and in consequence, the spring behind the claw
allows the latter to gear once more into the tooth wheel.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
1
Improvements in Potato-digging Machines.
I, GEORG HARDER, of Cronsforder Allée 24, Lübeck, in the Empire of Ger-
many, First Lieutenant, 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 present invention relates to a potato digging machine with share throwing
forks, in which several forks revolving in the same plane, are so arranged as to
rotate on one crank plate, for the purpose of removing the potatoes from the ground
and throwing them on one side.
The invention consists in lengthening the forks so as to form guide rods, which
pass, in an oblique position, freely through a common opening in 'a fixed plate
on the frame.
This arrangement causes the forks to pass through one another and prevents the
breaking of the rods.
This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view hereinafter referred to.
Figure 2 is a plan view partly in section.
Figure 3 a front elevation partly in section.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate modified forms to be hereinafter referred to.
The main wheels a on the axle b, transmit their motion through a tooth-wheel.c
on the axle to the tooth pinion d provided on a short shaft e which carries at its
opposite end the tooth-wheel gearing f which engages with a pinion g on the fork-
shaft h.
:1
The shaft carries a crank plate m, on which the forks n¹, n², n, n are placed so
that they can rotate thereon. The forks are prolonged upwards, beyond their rotat-
ing points, which prolongations form rods o¹, 0, 0, 0, which pass, in an oblique
position, through an opening p, which is common to all four forks, in the fixed
plate of the frame-work.

page_text: When the machine is in operation, the forks are moved around the fork shaft h,
in consequence of the above described transmission of motion through the crank
plate m, while at the same time, they are guided, in the beforementioned opening p
by means of the prolongations of the forks o, 02, 03, 0. By this means the forks
strike through in the manner shown in Figure 3, behind the ploughshare r, the
earth loosened by the latter; and throw the potatoes with some of the earth, against
a sieves, rotating with them and fixed to the right-hand wheel a, which allows the
earth to pass through, while the potatoes are cleaned and accumulate in front of
the said sieve.
The guiding of the fork rods in a common opening prevents their knocking
together, as they bear one against another in the opening. Figure 1 shows in
diagrammatic plan viewed from above, the position of the four guide rods in the
opening p. As the rod o¹ follows the motion of the fork n¹, which cuts through the
earth, it endeavours to move in a circular path. As at this moment the rods 02, 03,
o are not loaded, they yield to the motion of the rod o' and shift in the opening ?,
under the pressure of such rod o'; that is, they mutually yield, so that these rods
now occupy the positions shown by the letters in parentheses in Figure 1. By
this mutual yielding of the guiding rods they are prevented from striking against
one another when in motion.
In the form of machine described the frame of the stand consists of two parts.
The inner frame. (Figure 2) in which the ploughshare and the driving gear are
fixed, is placed so as to rotate on the axle b.
The second outer part of the frame is jointed by means of its prolonged side
rails with the inner frame, near the axle b, by bolts and is supported in front by
the horses, by means of the pole or shaft. In consequence of making the frame in
two parts, the share, in conjunction with the forks, can be raised or lowered as
desired (see Figures 1 and 2) and is kept at the desired height by a rod, which,
pushed through the corresponding hole Figure 1, rests on the outer frame. A
lever k, which turns on a fixed point i, on which is hung the inner frame, with
share and forks serves, to raise the share and forks at the end of the furrow. The
share and forks are kept in the withdrawn position by placing the said lever kon
the hook. At the same time as the share and forks are lifted out, the said lever k
throws the forks out of action, by pushing the disconnecting lever n which lies
above it, or far sideways that the claw which carries with it the conical tooth-.
wheel €, which runs loose on the axle bis disconnected from this tooth wheel. The
share and forks are thus simultaneously withdrawn, and the latter brought to a
standstill by one operation and likewise the single operation of lifting of the lever k
out of the hook serves to put the machine again into operation, as, by lowering
the lever k, share and forks return to their former working positions, the discon-
necting lever n is freed, and in consequence, the spring behind the claw allows the
latter to gear once more into the tooth wheel c.
Referring now to the modifications shewn in Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrating a
modified form of the guide for the guide rods, the guide-rods of the throwing-up.
forks are arranged to pass through perforations in a revolvable plate or disc sup-
ported in the machine frame.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the revolvable guide or disc.
Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation of the revolvable disc; and
Figure 6 is a somewhat modified alternative arrangement.
In the form of construction illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 the plate with an
aperture is secured to the frame in the same manner as in the other form of the
machine. In the aperture there is supported by means of balls a disc r which
contains as many perforations as there are rods for guiding the forks; the said
guide-rods o themselves passing through perforations s¹ 23 st.
While the machine runs idle the guide rods take up their position below the
disc p, in contact with each other so that at this point of contact they roll about
one another and also, in so doing, carry round the disc. When, however, the
machine is in operation, it is the fork, as it goes through the earth, which through

page_text: 1
the medium of its guide-rod sets the disc r in rotary motion, so that the guide-rods
under the said disc move apart and freely slide up and down in their several per-
forations, thereby interchanging their relative positions in the same way as has
already been described; except that, in the present improved construction the rods
are by the disc r maintained in their respective positions without friction, so that
the forks are prevented from knocking-up against each other and any breakage of
the rods is avoided.
In the modification represented in Figure 6 the disc r with the perforations s
is not supported under the aperture p but suspended from a rod t, which connects
it with the disc r¹ resting upon ball-bearings in the aperture p. It will be readily
understood that the rod t may if preferred be made stationary in the plate q while
the disc r, in that case, would be revolvable around the rod t. The rod t must be
long enough to prevent the rods of o² from impinging on the plate q.
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:-
1. A potato digger or gatherer with several forks rotating in the same plane
and turning on one crank plate, characterised by having the forks lengthened into
guide rods (0, 0, 0, 04), which pass freely, obliquely. through an opening (?), in a
fixed plate on the frame, common to all of them, for the purpose of preventing the
forks from knocking against one another and the rods from breaking,
2. A modification of the machine for digging or gathering potato-crops wherein
the rods that guide the throwing-up forks are passed through apertures in a disc
reyolvably supported in the machine frame.
Dated this Ifith day of December 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.