IMPROVEMENTS IN POTATOE RAISERS, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JAMES MELLOR, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire; Farmer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POTATOE RAISERS, AND APPARATUS
THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to apparatus employed for the getting or raising of
potatoes, and have for object the more orderly and less damaging digging or
raising, by automatic means, of potatoes in the field, than is at present obtained by
the mechanical contrivances in use.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I attach to a suitable frame-
work, a digger or spade so arranged as to cut underneath the potatoes for the
purpose of upturning the same as is already understood. Behind this spade or
digger I mount on a suitable shaft-which may be solid or hollow-a revolving
disc or wheel, in such manner that the axis of revolution is in the direction of.
travel of the machine. This disc or wheel is provided with floats or grids pro-
jecting therefrom, and at suitable distances. Underneath these revolving floats or,
grids is fixed a curved or other grid upon which the potatoes, and earth, are forced
by the travel forward of the machine as they are lifted by the spade or digger.
As this arrives on the grid it is pushed to one side by the revolving floats or grids
projecting from the revolving disc or wheel and the soil is riddled away from the
potatoes by the movement. The grid underneath may be extended as far as need
be to one side of the disc. And travelling floats or grids are also provided having
spikes or forks for clearance of the carrier grid, whereby the potatoes may be
carried as far as need be to one side and there deposited down a shoot to the
ground and thus lay the potatoes in orderly line without damage, so as to facilitate
final sorting or collection or both.
I also provide guide bars or rods projecting in front of the machine for the
purpose of collecting together the tops or foliage of the potatoes in to orderly line,.
just before or at about the same time as the spade or digger is lifting the roots,.
so that the same may be laid one way, in such manner that when they approach
the revolving apparatus they meet a set of revolving spikes or forks which turn
them to one side, by preference to the same side as the potatoes, and on to a
travelling band or chain either formed part of or separate from the travelling floats
beforenamed, whereby the tops or foliage may be deposited on the ground side-by
side with the potatoes.

page_text: And the
Motion may be given to the various parts in any mechanical manner.
revolving disc or wheel having the floats or grids attached may be employed with
or without the addition of the travelling floats or grids, or the travelling band
for the tops or foliage, and variations may be made without departing from the
peculiar character of the invention which consists of the employment of a revolving
wheel or disc having floats or grids projecting therefrom in the line of movement
of the machine or thereabouts, in connection with a spade or digger and carrier
grid, whereby the potatoes are pushed to one side of the machine. And also in the
application in addition of similar floats or grids made to travel by means of endless
chains or otherwise either in connection or not with a travelling band or carrier
for the tops or foliage for the purpose of carrying such potatoes and foliage to one
side and depositing them on the ground in orderly line.
Dated this fourth day of September 1885
WILLIAM GADD,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Potatoe Raisers and Apparatus therefor.
I, JAMES MELLOR, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire; Farmer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POTATOE RAISERS, AND APPARATUS
"THEREFORE," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The improvements relate to apparatus employed for the getting or raising of
potatoes, and have for object the more orderly and less damaging digging or
raising, by automatic means, of potatoes in the field, than is at present obtained
by the mechanical contrivances in use.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I attach to a suitable frame-
work a digger or spade so arranged as to cut underneath the potatoes for the
purpose of upturning the same as is already understood. Behind this spade or
digger I mount on a suitable shaft-which may be solid or hollow-a revolving
disc or wheel, in such manner that the axis of revolution is in the direction of
travel of the machine. This disc or wheel is provided with floats or grids pro-
jecting therefrom, and at suitable distances. Underneath these revolving floats or
grids is fixed a curved or other grid upon which the potatoes, and earth, are forced
by the travel forward of the machine as they are lifted by the spade or digger.
As this arrives on the grid it is pushed to one side by the revolving floats or grids
projecting from the revolving disc or wheel, and the soil is riddled away from the
potatoes by the movement. The grids underneath may be extended as far as need
be to one side of the disc. And travelling floats or grids are also provided having
•
.

page_text: spikes or forks for clearance of the carrier grid whereby the potatoes may be
carried as far as need be to one side and there deposited down a shoot to the
ground, and thus lay the potatoes in orderly line without damage, so as to facilitate
final sorting or collection or both.
I also provide guide bars or rods projecting in front of the machine for the
purpose of collecting together the tops or foliage of the potatoes into orderly line,
just before or at about the same time as the spade or digger is lifting the roots, s0
that the same may be laid one way, in such manner that when they approach the
revolving apparatus they meet a set of revolving spikes or forks which turn them.
0 to one side, by preferance to the same side as the potatoes, and on to a travelling
band or chain either formed part of or separate from the travelling floats before-
named, whereby the tops or foliage may be deposited on the ground side by side
with the potatoes.
Motion may be given to the various parts in any mechanical manner. And the
5 revolving disc or wheel having the floats or grids attached may be employed with
or without the addition of the travelling floats or grids, or the travelling band for
the tops or foliage, and variations may be made without departing from the
peculiar character of the invention, which consists of the employment of a revolving
wheel or disc having floats or grids projecting therefrom in the line of movement
0 of the machine, or thereabouts, in connection with a spade or digger and carrier
grid, whereby the potatoes are pushed to one side of the machine. And also in
the application in addition of similar floats or grids made to travel by. means of
endless chains or otherwise either in connection or not with a travelling band or
carrier for the tops or foliage for the purpose of carrying such potatoes and foliage
to one side and depositing them on the ground in orderly line.
But that the improvements may be better understood I will by the aid of the
accompanying drawings proceed more fully to describe means employed by me.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, shews a longitudinal section partly in elevation of a portion of apparatus
on line A B of Fig. 2, which is a plan, arranged in accordance with my improve-
ments, and Fig. 3, is a front view of the chief acting portions thereof.
The same letters indicate corresponding part wherever they occur.
a a is the
framing of the machine, which may be of any suitable form. bb are the wheels
which are set wide enough apart to span over two ridges of potatoes, and to
embrace the travelling chain arrangement; but in case of using the revolving disc
or wheel alone, the width may be such as to cover one ridge only if desirable,
or a one ridge wide machine may be rendered stable by the addition of an arm
and one wheel at one side thereof.
cc is the digger or spade which cuts underneath the potatoes for upturning
purposes, and may be of any desirable size and form, and may have strengthening
stays attached.
dd is the disc or wheel mounted on the shaft e e. A suitable number of
floats ff, or they may be openwork grids, project from the disc or wheel d d.
These grids or discs project from the face of the disc or wheel in the example
5 shewn; but they may project from the surface or periphery of a disc or wheel of
smaller diameter. g, g, is the curved grid formed of rods or otherwise upon
which the soil and potatoes are forced and through which the soil is riddled.
hh are the travelling Boats or pins on the endless band which carries the
potatoes to the side for deposit on the ground; and h¹h¹ the endless band of
spikes or forks for carrying the foliage also. These are shewn of the same length;
but it is obvious that one may be extended farther than the other and so deposit
the foliage and potatoes in separate rows.
jj, are the guides or rods for collecting the foliage in order to be dealt with.
The endless band hh may be so constructed as to have the travelling floats
5 on the upper surface of the grid, and the grid may be turned to the rear, and a

page_text: travelling lattice with projections may be used and the rods or grid bars cut short.
Motion is given to the disc or wheel by means of the geared bevil wheels kk, or
a mechanical equivalent, and to the travelling chains or bands by the pulleys and
belts or chains l, l, m m, or other mechanical means. If need be the floats or
grids f, f, on the disc or wheel d d, may be caused to extend further so as to push
to one side the foliage to be caught by the revolving spikes or forks h¹ h'. Or a
special set of forks may be attached to the disc or wheel for the purpose.
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. The employment of a revolving wheel or disc whose axis of motion is in the
direction of the forward motion of the machine, or thereabouts, and which disc or
wheel has projecting therefrom floats or grids to be used in connection with a
spade or digger, and carrier grid, wherein the potatoes are pushed to one side
by such floats or grids, for the purpose and in manner substantially as shewn and'
described.
2. The employment in conjunction with potatoe raising apparatus, of travelling
bands arranged with grids, spikes, rods, or floats, for the purpose of carrying the
potatoes or foliage or both to the side or rear of such apparatus, in manner
substantially as shewn and described.
:
3. The employment in combination of the revolving disc or wheel, with floats-
or grids, with the spade or digger, and with the travelling bands, or chains, or
floats, for the purpose and in manner substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 3rd day of July 1886