An Implement for Digging and Pulverising the Soil.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sent, 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov.. 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Implement for Digging and Pulverising the Soil.
I, GEORGE FRANCIS WHITMORE, of West Union, Fayette County, Iowa,
United States of America, Stockman and Farmer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an apparatus for ploughing and pulverising the ground
as it passes over it. It comprises a rotary plough or digger frame carried on an
axle on the main frame to the front end of which is pivotted a guide wheel frame.
The digger frame is formed of a number of colters spaced apart on the main axle
and connected together by a series of shovel or digger blades. In the compart-
ments between the colters, followers operated by cams from the main axle discharge
the raised earth on to a pulverising mechanism at the back of the machine and
consisting of a shaft provided with a series of stirrer blades passing between a
series of fingers projecting horizontally rearward from the rear end of the colter
frame and such fingers are at a point just below the horizontal axis of said frame.
The outer ends of pulveriser shaft have sprocket wheels to connect through chains
with like wheels on colter shaft. The earth falls from the pulveriser in a pulverised
state to the ground.
Dated this 28th day of December 1893.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.. Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Implement for Digging and Pulverising the Soil.
I, GEORGE FRANCIS WHITMORE of West Union, Fayette County, Iowa,
United States of America, Stockman and Farmer, 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 or ploughing and pulverising the
ground as it passes over it.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the rotary plough and pulveriser of
this invention. Fig. 2 is a top view thereof.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 refer to details.
The machine comprises a rotary plough or digger frame A which is held to rotate on
an axle a beld in the main or supporting frame B substantially of the form shewn
in Fig. 2 its front ends being brought together to form a journal for a pivot bolt b
to which the front or guide frame C is pivotally connected said frame carrying the
supporting wheels c.
The digger frame A is formed of a number of colter discs A' and spokes a²
which are connected at their inner ends to the hub portions a³ fixed on the axle or
shaft a.
The several discs A¹ are held spaced apart (Figs. 2, 3) and between them
are held a series of digger or shovel blades D serving also to divide the spaces
between the discs A¹ into a series of earth compartments F. The blades D which
are preferably about 2 inches wide are firmly held between radial ribs at formed
on the faces of the discs and the blades have their inner and outer edges bevelled
to form cutting edges.

page_text: In each compartment F there is held a follower G and cach transverse series of
followers is connected by rearwardly extending arms g with a transverse shaft H
extending entirely across the colter frame and having at its projecting ends h
friction rollers which are adapted to engage a cam mechanism hereinafter
referred to. The followers G are guided between the several colter discs by the
friction rollers and stud arms g' travelling in radial grooves as in the sides of the
discs, and to provide for a radial movement of the said followers the shafts H are
held to travel in slots a' in the spokes a² of the colter discs the shafts being
normally drawn inward by the springs I.
As seen in Fig. 1 the annular rims of the discs A' are secured by the transverse
bolts J which pass through them at a point to the rear of the followers and upon
these bolts are secured to project into each pocket F, a series of forks or fingers K,
six being employed for each pocket they projecting through apertures in the
followers and are preferably diamond shape in cross section as shewn.
Of the hubs of the colter frame the two end ones have each an outwardly
projecting part carrying loosely a cam L, or L' substantially of the shape shewn
in Fig. 1. These cams when adjusted to the position shewn are adapted to force
the followers G in each pocket successively to their outermost position as each
follower reaches a point just above the horizontal axis of the colter frame, and to
allow the retractile springs to draw the followers to their innermost position as the
pockets successively engage the ground. So far as described, it will be observed
that when the machine travels forward, as each pocket comes into engagement
with the ground, the colter discs and the shovel blades D will cut into the ground,
and as the machine travels, the blades D and the forks K will assist in lifting the
earth to carry it up to the point of discharge. As the several filled pockets or
sections of the colter discs reach their rearmost or horizontal position the shafts H of
the followers G engage the cams L, L', and are forced outward to move the
followers to their outermost position whereby to discharge the earth on to a
pulverising mechanisin hereinafter described and the followers as they travel
outward clean the forks and thereby serve to effectually discharge all of the earth
held in each pocket or section.
The followers are arranged to be set to regulate the depth of the cut made
by the colters, and to this end set screws a" are secured in the base of each of the
slots (Fig. 3).
By providing the blades D with outer and inner cutting edges it will be
clear that while their front edges serve to cut into the ground the rear edges
serve to cut roots or twigs as the followers press them up against the said edges.
The cams L, L', are loose on the end hubs a³ and to provide means whereby
they can be adjusted from the driver's seat and set in such a way that they will
force the followers to their outermost positions as the pockets successively strike
the ground, whereby to provide for a tread face for the colter when the machine is
moved to or from a field, said cams have toothed discs / fixed in their outer face,
over which pass sprocket chains m, these connecting at their rear end with
sprocket wheels m² on a shaft M carried transversely on the main frame under the
driver's seat N. On this shaft is fixed a toothed dise O and loosely an operating
lever P, which extends up near the driver's seat and has a spring actuated detent
for engaging the disc O.
Qis a pawl for holding the shaft M in any of its adjusted positions. It is
operated by a foot lever Q (Fig. 2).
The pulverising mechanism consists of a shaft R provided with a series of stirrer
blades S passing between a series of fingers T projecting horizontally rearward
from the rear end of the colter franie just below the horizontal axis of the latter.
The outer ends of the shaft R have sprocket wheels r over which pass driving
chains U for connection with sprocket wheels a on the colter shaft.
It will be seen that as the machine travels over the ground the discs cut into the
earth, the shovels cut and break it and serve with the forks and followers to raise
it to a point above the pulveriser platform, where it is discharged by the outward

page_text: movement of the followers, the earth as it falls on to the pulveriser platform being
thoroughly crushed before it falls to the ground.
To more effectively discharge the earth, the several followers G may have their
ends formed with projecting fingers g* as shewn in Fig. 4, and the fingers of the
adjacent ends of each pair of followers are so arranged as to intermesh when they
are drawn inward.
In some kinds of soil such as heavy stalk fields where straight edge cutters would
encounter a great resistance in penetrating the ground I find it preferable to form
the cutters with penetrating points D as shewn in Fig. 7.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same may be performed, I declare that what |
claim is :-
1. In a combined rotary digger and pulveriser, in combination, a main frame, a
digger frame held to rotate thereon said frame formed of a plurality of discs,
radial blades connecting thein at their outer peripheries, whereby to form earth
holding compartments, radially moveable followers operating between such blades
and a cam mechanism for moving the followers outwards at determined points, for
the purposes specified substantially as described and shewn.
2. In a machine of the kind referred to, in combination, a main frame, a disk
frame having a series of radial pockets and cutter plates, reciprocating followers
operating in said pockets, a pulveriser frame comprising a comb plate and stirring
fingers rotating between the comb fingers, said frame arranged to receive the earth
as it is discharged from the disc frame, and means for reciprocating the followers,
substantially as described and shewn.
3. In combination, the discs A', the shovel blades D having cutting edges on
their inner and outer edges, the followers G, and means for reciprocating the
followers between the shovel blades D, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a machine of the kind referred to, the combination with the discs A', the
shovel blades D and the followers arranged substantially as shewn, of the forked
fingers extended through the followers into the spaces between the shovel blades,
for the purposes specified substantially as described and shewn.
5. In a machine of the kind referred to, the combination, with the main frame,
the cams adjustably held thereon, the discs held to rotate on the frame B, having
spokes formed with elongated slots, and the shovel blades D, of followers held to
reciprocate between the shovels, said followers having rearwardly extending shanks,
transverse rods seated in said slots and connecting the follower shanks, said
transverse rods being adapted to engage the cams and spring devices for holding
the rods to their normal position, for the purpose specified substantially as described
and shewn.
6. The combination of a series of colter discs having radial plates or shovels at
their outer edges, followers operating between such shovels, forked arms extended
outward through said followers and a cam aud spring mechanism for reciprocating
the followers, for the purposes specified, substantially as described and shewn.
7. The combination of a series of colter discs having radial plates or shovels at
their outer edges, followers operating between said shovels, forked arms extended
outward through the followers, spring devices for normally drawing the followers
to their inner position, adjustable cams loosely mounted on the colter shaft, adapted
to force the followers to their outer positions, and lever mechanism arranged to be
operated from the driver's seat, for adjusting said cams, for the purpose specified
substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 28th day of September 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.