improvements Digging a
Year: 1896

page_text: improvements
Digging a
We, WILLIAM WAKE, Piano Tuner, and HENRY WAKE, Builder, both of Ellerton.
near York, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in machines for raising, gathering
or lifting potatoes out of the ground, separating them from the tops or bines and
soil, and delivering them into sacks or other receptacles ready for taking away for
storing or for use.
A machine to effect these operations is, according to this invention, carried by a
main frame, which may be constructed of metal, and is provided with bearings and
is mounted on an axle, each end of which is provided with a supporting wheel.
On the inside of one or each of these wheels, is secured a toothed driving wheel,
which gives motion to a pinion mounted on the main driving shaft, that rotates in
bearings in each side of the main frame and from which motion is transmitted by
chains or the like to various parts hereinafter referred to. A clutch arrangement,
under the control of the driver, is provided whereby the rotation of the main driving
shaft can be started or stopped at will. To one side of the fore part of the main
frame there is secured a share mounted on a share carrier, which is capable of
adjustment vertically. Alongside this share is another share mounted on a
similar carrier attached to a bar within the main frame. The shares which are
secured to the lower ends of their carriers, are formed hollow or concave on their
upper sides, and curved downwards towards each other, and their leading or forward
portion are tapered or bevelled off from about the middle of their inner edges
outwards towards their outer edges thus forming between them a V-shaped opening
terminating in a narrow passage. On one share there is provided, at or about the
junction of the V-shaped opening and the passage, a projecting piece which may
overlap the other share so as to ensure the ridge being cut completely through.
Immediately in front of each share may be placed a skimmer, which comprises a
small ordinary share secured to a coulter attached to the main frame on one side, and
on the other to the bar supporting one of the share carriers. Just in front of and
midway between the skimmers there may be arranged a roller the face or periphery
of which is concave in cross section, said roller being mounted on a shaft carried in
bearings secured to the main frame, or to the draught or drag pole. Behind the two
shares there is carried on rollers an inclined endless travelling sheet, formed either of
jointed metal plates, which may be plain or corrugated, or of woven fabric; the
rollers are mounted the one somewhat lower than the other in bearings in side bars
secured to the main frames, the lower roller being placed immediately below the
rear or delivery ends of the shares, and the other in a convenient position to be

page_text: driven by means of a chain, which receives motion from a chain wheel on the main
driving shaft and passes around a chain wheel fixed to the lower roller. The chain
wheels used in this machine are in order to prevent them becoming clogged with
soil, formed with those parts of their rims that are between the teeth bevelled off at
the sides instead of being flat for the entire width of the rim as is usual; thus the
chains bear against a central narrow flat part to which soil cannot readily adhere.
Immediately in rear of the travelling sheet, is placed a preliminary or first dresser
or cleaner comprising a pair of rollers mounted on shafts which are carried in
bearings in the above mentioned side bars which support the rollers of the travelling
sheet. Around the rollers of the dresser pass three, or other convenient number of
endless travelling chains, which are kept the requisite distance apart and. parallel to
each other by laths of wood or metal that are connected to them and whose ends
are secured to tabs on links in the side chains placed at suitable distances apart.
The rollers are so arranged that the chains travel towards the rear of the machine in
an upwardly inclined direction. The spaces between the laths are furnished with
wires running parallel therewith and secured to the said chains. One of the roller
shafts is provided with a chain wheel receiving motion from the main shaft by an
endless chain. Instead of forming the dresser with laths and wires arranged
crosswise, we sometimes use a number of endless chains running parallel with each
other around the two shafts, and provided at equal distances apart with washers or
shields which form, when running, projecting shelves which may extend either right
across the dresser or which may form short shelves arranged in a zig-zag fashion
across the dresser. Just behind this first dresser is placed another or second dresser,
carried by separate frame plates placed at an incline with and secured about the
middle of their length to the main frame of the machine, and having their lower
ends secured to a cross bar which receives a backward and forward motion from a
connection with a crank shaft carried in bearings mounted on the main frame and
driven by chain gear from the main driving shaft, or may be connected at their lower
ends to one side of a spout arranged across the machine hereinafter described, and
receive a shaking motion sideways therefrom. The second dresser may be furnished
with chains and laths and wires similarly to the first dresser, rauning over rollers
driven by chain gear from the main driving shaft, or it may consist of a number
of endless chains running parallel to each other, to which are secured at suitable
distances apart a number of cross laths of wood or iron having pegs or pins projecting
from their outer surfaces. Below the delivery end of the first dresser and the
starting end of the second dresser, is arranged across the machine a spout or
riddle, the bottom of which may be provided with perforated metal plates or cross
wires of any desired mesh; this spout or riddle receives a backward and forward
motion from a connection with a crank shaft carried in bearings mounted on the
main frame, and driven by chain gear from the main driving shaft. One side of the
spout or riddle at its delivery end is cut away or left open and this open end
communicates with a receiver at the end of an elevator. Or the side portions of the
spout may be provided at both ends with bearings in which rollers are rotatably
mounted; the outer end of one of these rollers projects through one of the side
portions or frames and has secured upon it a nitre wheel in gear with another mitre
wheel on a cross shaft mounted in bearings on the same side, said cross shaft also
being provided with a chain wheel which receives motion from an endless chain
driven from a chain wheel on the main driving shaft of the machine. Over the two
rollers are placed endless chains kept the requisite distance apart by means of cross
laths, placed suitable distances apart, the spaces between the laths being furnished
with cross wires; the chains as they travel round the rollers deliver the potatoes into
the receiver at the end of the elevator. In this arrangement backward and forward
movement of the dresser is dispensed with. The elevator consists of two parallel
side bars or frames arranged at a suitable distance apart and secured to the main
frame of the machine, each end being provided with bearings in which rollers are
rotatably mounted one of said rollers being driven by chain gear from the main
driving shaft. Over the two rollers is placed an endless travelling sheet, provided

page_text: with ordinary conveying buckets. On the top ends of the side bars are secured
angular brackets to carry stationary sieves, generally two in number, and placed one
above the other, the top one being of larger mesh than the lower one. A spout is
arranged beneath one or each of the sieves so as to extend a suitable distance
sideways from the machine to deliver the dresse potatoes at the required distance
from the machine, it may be, into a cart or other vehicle.
The
The main frame of the machine, carrying the various parts, is so mounted on the
axle that it can be instantly lowered to its work, or raised therefrom as desired, by
means of a hand lever and releasing gear adapted to engage with a rack.
action of the machine is as follows:-The roller with concave face or periphery
lays the top of the potatoe ridge or rig to be lifted and makes it even in height;
then the skimmers make the ridge parallel in width and the shares cut it at the
proper depth, lift it and pass it bodily to the conveyor or travelling sheet; this
delivers it to the first dresser which breaks up the soil. This soil then passes
through the wires and chains, leaving the potatoes and the tops or bines; these on
passing over the delivery end of the dresser fall on to the second dresser, any
soil becoming detached by falling and passing through the wire work. The tops
are passed over the delivery end by the aid of the projecting pins on the cross bars,
and the potatoes roll down the incline into the spout or sieve, clean and free from
soil and are shaken towards the open end thereof, whence they are delivered into
the receiver of the elevator, and are lifted thereby on to the top sieve which is placed
at an angle towards the delivery spout. The large size potatoes roll into this spout
and are shot into suitable receptacles whilst those that pass through the first sieve
and not through the second may be used for sets or seeds; and those passing through
the second sieve as food for cattle.
R. E. P. CRAVEN,
Registered Patent Agent,
22 Victoria Chambers, South Parade, Leeds, Agent for the Applicant.
We, WILLIAM WAKE, Piano Tuner, and HENRY WAKE, Builder, both of Ellerton,
near York, in the County of York, 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 has reference to improvements in machines for raising, gathering
or lifting potatoes out of the ground, separating then from the tops or bines and
soil, and delivering them into sacks or other receptacles, ready for taking away for
sorting or for use.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood, we will now proceed to
more fully describe the saine by the aid of the accompanying drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a machine for raising, digging and
sorting potatoes, according to our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 a front
elevation thereof. Figs. 4 to 11 inclusive show details of the machine hereinafter
more particularly referred to. On the main framel are secured bracket bearings 2 and 3
in which is mounted to revolve the axle 4 each end of which is provided with a

page_text: supporting wheel 5 or 6 that run loose thereon, connection with the respective
wheels for turning the axle being made in the usual manner by the
toothed clutches 7 and 8.
On the axle 4 on one side of the main frame 1 and inside the wheel 5 is secured
the main driving wheel 9 which gears with and communicates motion to the
pinion 10 which is secured to the internally toothed wheel 11 and is loosely mounted
ou a shaft 12 carried in bearings 13 and 14 secured to the main frame 1. Motion is
communicated to the said shaft by the toothed clutch 15 on the outer end of the
pinion 10 driving the toothed clutch 15 which slides endwise on a feather in the
shaft 12. The clutch is under the control of the driver and by it the rotation of
the main driving shaft 12 enn be started or stopped at will.
On the outer end of the shaft 12 is secured a toothed wheel 17 which communicates
motion to another similar toothed wheel 18 which is secured to the mitre wheel 19,
both of which revolve together loosely on a fixed stud 20 secured to the bracket 13.
The said mitre wheel 19 gears with and giving motion to the mitre wheel 21 secured
on the end of the longitudinal shaft 22 which revolves in bearings 23, 24, 25 and 26
secured to the main frame 1 of the machine. The shaft 22 serves to communicate
motion to other parts of the machine hereinafter referred to. Immediately in front
of the main frame 1 are placed the leading wheels 27 and 28 mounted on a shaft 29
carried in bearings 30 and 31 on the forked ends 32 and 33 of a carrier 34 which is
capable of swivelling about a vertical axis for which purpose its stad 35 is
journalled in a bearing 36 on a bracket 37 which is fixed to a bracket 38 secured
to the main frame of the machine.
To the carrier 34 is secured the draught or drag pole 39 by the staple 40 which
may be bolted to the carrier. To the drag pole there is or may be secured another
forked carrier 41, the lower ends 43 and 44 of which formn bearings 45 and 46 for a
rotary shaft 47 on which is mounted a centrally arranged hollow or concave roller 48.
49 and 50 are two shares secured to carriers 51 and 52 respectively. They are
made hollow on their upper sides and curve downwards towards each other, their leading
or forward ends being tapered or bevilled off from about the middle of their inner
edges outwards towards their outer edges where they terminate in points at 53 and 54,
thus forming between them a vee-shaped opening terminating in a narrow passage 56
On one share 49 is provided at or about the junction of the vee-shaped opening and
the passage, a projecting piece 57 which overlaps the other share 50 so as to ensure
the ridge being cut completely through. The share carriers 51 and 52 are mounted in
vee-shaped grooves or ways 58 and 59 formed in the brackets 60 and 61 secured to
the main frame 1 of the machine, adjustable vertical movement being given to the
carriers through levers 62 and 63 which are secured on a rock shaft 64 carried in
bearings 65 and 66 on the brackets 60 and 61 and are connected to the upper ends
of the carriers 51 and 52 by links 67 and 68 and pins 69 and 70. Movement is
given to the rock shaft 64 by a hand lever 71 which is fixed on the end of the said
rocking shaft and is provided with a tongue or bolt 72 capable of taking into
noteles 73, in a quadrant plate 74, secured to the main frame 1 of the machine so
that the hand-lever and the attached parts can be adjusted and fixed in various
positions.
Immediately in front of each share 49 50 may be placed a skimmer 49 which
comprises a small ordinary share secured to a coulter 49 attached to the main frame
on one side, and on the other side to the bar supporting one of the share carriers.
Behind the two shares 49 and 50 is placed a roller 75 having its journals 76 and 77
mounted to revolve in bearings 78 and 79 in guide plates 80 and 81 which are
supported at one end by the share carriers 51 and 52 and at the other end by a
rotary shaft 83 which is mounted in bearings 84 and 85, carries a roller 86, and
receives motion through a toothed pinion 87 which is secured on its outer end and is
in gear with the internally toothed wheel 11. Over the rollers 75 and 86 is placed
an endless travelling sheet 88 of woven fabric or other material. This endless
travelling sheet 88 instond of being of one width, may be in two widths, the roller 75
being then replaced by two rollers 89 and 90 which are placed at an angle to each

page_text: other (see Fig. 7 and 8) their inner journals 91 and 92 being carried by a
central bearing 93 secured to the stretcher 94. Immediately in the rear of the
endless travelling sheet 88 is placed the first dresser or cleaner comprising inclined
side bars 95 and 96 carrying revolving shafts 97 and 98. The shaft 97.has secured
on one end a toothed pinion 99 which gears with and receives motion from the
internally toothed wheel 11. The other shaft 98 receives motion from the
endless chains 100 and 101 which are driven by chain wheels 102 and 103
respectively secured on the shaft 97 and gear with chain wheels 104 and 105 secured
on the shaft 98. Between the chain wheels on the shafts 97 and 98 are secured other
chain rollers 106 and 107 for the endless chains 108 and 109 to run over.
across the endless chains at suitable distances apart are laths 110 (see Fig. 10)
formed with projecting ends 111 and 112 having wires 113 and 114 placed across
them. Secured to the chains between the laths are cross wires 115. Instead of the
laths 110, metallic shields or angle pieces 116 (Figs. 11) are sometimes secured to
the said chains so as to form projecting shelves which inay extend right across the
dresser or which, as shown, may form short shelves, which are arranged in a zig-zag
fashion across the dresser.
Secured
Behind the first dresser is placed another or second dresser carried by separate
inclined plates 117 and 118 the lower ends of which are carried by a shaft 119
revolving in bearings 120 in the main frame 1 whilst the upper ends are carried by
a shaft 122 revolving in bearings 123 and 124, on the ends of vertical
brackets 125 and 126 secured to the main frame 1. Motion is communicated to the
shaft 122 from a mitre wheel 127 that is secured on the shaft 22 and is in gear
with a mitre wheel 128 secured on a vertical shaft 129 which revolves in
bearings 130 and 131, and has secured to its upper projecting end a mitre wheel 132
in gear with a mitre wheel 133 secured on the end of the said shaft 122. Over
chain wheels 134 and 135 similar to those in the first dresser, are placed
endless driving chains 136 and 137 which with the intermediate chains 138 and 139,
have secured to them the laths 140, in which are placed projecting pins 141;
between these laths wires 142 are also secured to the chains at suitable distances apart.
This second dresser receives a lateral shaking motion from a crank 143 on the
shaft 22 through a link 144 which is in connection with a stud 145 secured to the
side bar 117.
Immediately under the bottom shaft 119 is placed across the machine a fixed
sloping spout or shoot 146 to convey the potatoes from the second dresser to the
receiver 147 of the elevator. Sometimes such shoot 146 may have the bottom
plain or it may be provided with perforations 148 (Fig. 4) or with wire network to
form a riddle, in which case endwise motion is imparted to such shoot by a
crank 149 on the shaft 22 and a link 150 in connection with a plate 151
secured to the shoot 146 (Fig. 4). Such shoots may sometimes be furnished with
an endless travelling band 152 composed of transverse laths 153 and wires 154
(Figs. 5 and 6) secured at suitable distances apart to endless travelling
chains 155 and 156 which receive motion from chain wheels 157 and 158 on the
revolving shafts 159 and 160 which are respectively mounted in bearings 161 and 162
secured to the sides 163 and 164 of the said spout. The shaft 160 and the
chain wheels thereon are driven by the shaft 159 and chain wheels 157 which
receive motion from the shaft 22 througir the bevel wheels 166 and 167,
cross shaft 168 revolving in bearings 160, 170, and bevel wheels 171 and 172 the
latter of which is secured on the end of the said shaft 159. With this arrangement
it will be unnecessary to impart a to and fro motion to the shoot.
The elevator comprises two side plates 176 and 177 kept at the required distance
apart by bolts 178 and for convenience placed at an angle to the main frame of the
machine to which it is secured. Its upper end carries in bearings 179 and 180 a
rotary shaft 181 with chain wheels 182, and in its lower end is mounted in
bearings 183 a rotary shaft 185 which is furnished with chain wheels 186 and is
driven through bevel wheels 188 and 189 from the shaft 22. Over the chain wheels 182
are placed ordinary endless elevator chains 190 and 191 to which are attached, at

page_text: suitable distances apart, conveyer buckets 192 which deliver the potatoes from the
receiver 147 on to the sieve 193 which is secured to the side plates of the elevator.
The potatoes which do not pass through this sieve roll down a shoot 194 into a
suitable receptacle. Those which do pass through the first sieve 193 but not
through the second one 195 which is below it and is of closer mesh than the first
one, roll down a shoot 196 into a suitable receptacle. Those that pass through the
second sieve also pass into a suitable receptacle.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The roller 48 flattens the top of the
potato ridge or rig to be lifted and makes it even in height; then the skimmer 49°
inake the ridge parallel in width and the shares 49, 50 cut it at the proper depth, lift
it and pass it bodily to the conveyor or travelling sheet 88 which delivers it to the
first dresser which breaks up the soil. This soil then passes through the wires and
chains, leaving the potatoes and the tops or bines which pass over the delivery end of the
dresser and fall onto the second dresser, any soil becoming detached by falling and
passing through the wire work. The tops or bines are passed over the delivery end
of the second dresser by the aid of the projecting pins on the travelling cross-bars
thereof and the potatoes roll down the incline 146 into the shoot or sieve, clean and
free from soil and are shaken towards the open end thereof, whence they are delivered
into the receiver 147 of the elevator, by which they are lifted onto the top or first
sieve 193. The large size potatoes roll into the shoot 194 and are discharged into
suitable receptacles; those that pass through the first sieve 194 and not through the
the second one 195 may be used for sets or seeds and those that pass through the
second sieve as food for cattle.
The chain wheels used in this machine are, in order to prevent them becoming
clogged with soil, preferably formed with those parts of their rims that are between
the teeth, bevelled off at the sides, instead of being flat for the entire width of the
rims as is usual so that the chains will bear against a central narrow flat part to which
soil cannot readily adhere.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :--
1. A machine for raising potatoes out of the ground, separating them from the tops
or bines and soil and delivering them into sacks or other receptacles, arranged and
operating substantially as herein before described.
2. In a machine for raising, dressing and sorting potatoes, shares constructed and
arranged as herein before described and one of which is provided on its inner side with
a projecting part arranged to overlap the inner edge of the adjacent share
substantially as described and shown for the purpose specified.
3. In a machine for raising, dressing and sorting potatoes, the use in conjunction
with shares arranged and operating as set forth of skimmers placed immediately in
front of the shares, substantially as described and shown for the purpose specified.
4. In a machine for raising, dressing and sorting potatoes, the arrangement behind
shares arranged and operating as set forth of an endless travelling sheet of woven
textile material adapted to convey the top portion of a potato ridge or rig removed by
the shares to dressing apparatus substantially as described and shown.
5. In a machine for raising, dressing and sorting potatoes, the combination with
potato and soil delivering apparatus of dressing apparatus comprising endless
travelling chains with laths and cross wires or shields or paddles, or projecting pins
substantially as described and illustrated for the purpose specified.
6. In a machine for raising, dressing and sorting potatoes, the use in conjunction
with dressing and elevating apparatus of delivery shoots or spouts constructed
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and
shown in Figs 1 to 4 or modified according to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings annexed.
7. A potato raising, dressing and sorting machine comprising skimmers, shares,
endless conveyor sheet, first and second dresser delivery spout, elevator and sorting
apparatus the whole constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinhefore

page_text: described with reference to and shown in the drawings annexed for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1897.
R. E. P. CRAVEN,
Registered Patent Agent,
22, Victoria Chambers, South Parade, Leeds, Agent for the Applicants.