An Improved Potato Digging Machine.
Year: 1895

page_text: I, PAUL TIEDEMANN of St. Clair Street, Cleveland, County Cuyahoga,
State Ohio, United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows
The machine of this invention is carried by two fixed side frames in front by a
roller and in the rear by two travelling wheels fixed on an axle. It comprises a
plough scoop adjustable as to height by means of a hand lever and connecting rods,
an endless carrier operated by side chains and sprocket wheels from a sprocket
wheel on the main axle, and a sifter which is oscillated from the front shaft of the
endless carrier through a vertical shaft and gearing. In operation the roller in
front smooths down the earth and weeds. The scoop digs up the potatoes with
earth and stones which pass on to the oscillating sifter over which they are carried
by the cross strips of the carrier to the rear and out of the machine on to the
ground. The rear bearings of the carrier are adjustable vertically or may be
carried on springs.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Potato Digging Machine.
I, PAUL TIEDEMANN of St. Clair Street, Cleveland, County Cuyahoga,
State Ohio, United States of America, Engineer, 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 a machine for digging potatoes, freeing them from dirt
and spreading them over the ground within easy reach for removal.
In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a front
view, and Fig. 3 is a rear view, of the same. Fig. 4 is a side view, iu vertical
section, on the centre line.
A is the main frame of the machine supported in front by the roller B, mounted
in the fork C, and the pole D, swivelled at E, to the frame. In the rear, the
frame A is mounted upon the main axle F and wheels G. A plough scoop H
adapted to enter the ground and remove the potatoes with the inclosing earth is
secured to the side frames I, through one end of which the wheel axle passes.
Suspended from these side frames in front by hooks K is the oscillating grate J
which is supported in the rear by arms A¹ depending from the main frame A in
such a manner as to give a slight elevation to the rear portion. Over this grate
and in contact with its bars move the carrier strips L secured to the chains M
moving over sprocket wheels N, N¹, in such a manner as to raise the potatoes and
large lumps of earth or stones over the grate to the upper end, and distribute them
over the ground in the rear. The shaft ☐ actuates the carrier wheels and is
driven in turn by the driving chain P, and sprocket wheels Q and R driven from
the main axle.

page_text: The rear sprocket wheel shaft S for the carrier chains is mounted in bearings S¹
vertically adjustable in the slotted seats T in the rear arms A¹, the object of which
is to permit the carrier to rise up from the grate bars if any obstruction should
enter, too large to readily pass.
U is a bevel gear and V a pinion driving the vertical shaft W, moving in the
sleeve X and operating the crank disc Y, to which the rod Z connecting with the
swinging gate is pivotted. The constant oscillation thus produced causes all fine
dirt to fall through the bars of the grate and the potatoes are delivered free from
covering at the rear with sticks and stones too large to go through the bars, but
which will not cover up the potatoes.
In operation, the heavy roller B going in front of the machine serves to break
up earth clods and lay weeds or straw smoothly down so that they will lie in the
carrier without difficulty, and pass out in the rear. The scoop can be raised or
lowered by means of the lever 1, rod 2, arms 5 and side rods 4, and is fixed in
position by the arc 6, and trigger 7, thus accommodating itself to light or heavy
soils or to the depth of the potatoes. 8 is an idler adapted to tighten the driving
chain.
9 is a side board at either side of the grate and carrier chain, and serves to
retain the potatoes until they are dumped in the rear.
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 :-
In a potato digging machine, the frame A having the downwardly turned arm A¹
provided with the slotted portion T, the oscillating grate supported at its rear
end upon the downwardly turned arm, and the frame I upon which the front end
of the grate is supported, combined with the endless carrier L, M, having its rear
end journalled in the slotted portion T, so as to be automatically adjustable at this
point, and mechanisms for operating the carrier and the grate, substantially as
described and shewn.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1896.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.