IMPROVEMENTS IN POTATO DIGGERS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN MARSHALL, of the firm of Alexander Jack and Sons, of Maybole, in the
County of Ayr, North Britain, Agricultural Implement Makers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POTATO DIGGERS" to be
as follows:-
This Invention which relates to Improvements in Potato Diggers has reference
to that class of Potato Diggers known as Hanson's Potato Diggers and has for
its object to simplify the means for operating the several motions in the working
of such machines.
"
In carrying out these Improvements there is pivotted upon the beam of the
Machine at right angles thereto a cross lever, and upon the shaft carrying the
front or forward wheel there is mounted a hand lever provided with any suitable
locking device.-This last mentioned lover is similar to the lever ordinarily used
for the purpose of elevating the digging "Sock" and effects this purpose under
these present improvements by means of the said lever bearing upon one end of
the Cross lever, the opposite end of which passes under and raises the rod by which
the Machine is drawn which rod is ordinarily known as the draw-rod." This
"draw-rod" is pivotted at its inner end to the Centre of the frame or tubular part
through which the main axle or shaft passes.-To this "draw-rod" is also pivotted
one end of a connecting rod the other end of which is pivotted to a fork which
embraces a Clutch and throws the said Clutch in and out of gear with the bevil
pinion which is operated by the bevil wheel secured to the Cross-shaft of the
Machine. This clutch is capable of sliding longitudinally upon the shaft to
which the disc which carries the forks is secured, and is prevented from turning
radially by means of its being mounted upon a "feather" fitted on such Shaft-
This motion of throwing the clutch in and out of gear causes the disc and its
forks to be respectively operated or brought to rest and at the same time by means
of the hand lever and Cross lever hereinbefore mentioned respectively to throw
the digging "Sock" out of and into the position necessary for digging in which
positions the said "Sock" and its Connected Mechanism is retained by means of
the locking device upon the band lever before mentioned.
Dated this Twenty sixth day of March 1884
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
Petitioner's Agents,
115, St Vincent Street, Glasgow,

page_text: COMPLEIE SPECIFICATION.
I, JOHN MARSHALL, of the firm of Alexander Jack and Sons of Maybole in the
County of Ayr, North Britain, Agricultural Implement Makers do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN POTATO DIGGERS and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My Invention which relates to Improvements in Potato Diggers, has reference to
that class of Potato Diggers known as Hanson's Potato Diggers and has for its
object to simplify the means for operating the several motions in the working of
Buch machines.
In carrying out these Improvements there is pivoted upon the beam of the
Machine at right angles thereto a cross lever, and upon the shaft carrying the front
or forward wheel there is mounted a hand lever provided with any suitable locking
device. This last mentioned lever is similar to the lever ordinarily used for the
purpose of elevating the digging "sock" and effects this purpose under these
present improvements by means of the said lever bearing upon one end of the cross
lever, the opposite end of which passes under and raises the rod by which the
Machine is drawn, which rod is ordinarily known as the "draw-rod."―This
"draw-rod" is pivoted at its inner end to the centre of the frame or tubular part
through which the main axle or shaft passes.-To this draw-rod is also pivoted one
end of a connecting rod the other end of which is pivoted to a fork which embraces
a clutch and throws the said clutch in and out of gear with the bevil pinion which
is operated by the bevil wheel secured to the cross-shaft of the Machine.―This
clutch is capable of sliding longitudinally upon the shaft to which the disc which
carries the forks is secured, and is prevented from turning radially by means of
its being mounted upon a "feather" fitted on such shaft.-This motion of throwing
the clutch in and out of gear causes the disc and its forks to be respectively
operated or brought to rest, and at the same time by means of the hand lever and
cross-lever hereinbefore mentioned, respectively to throw the digging "sock" out
of and into the position necessary for digging, in which positions the said "sock
and its connected mechanism is retained by means of the locking device upon the
hand lever before mentioned.
"
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1. is a plan of part of a potato digger provided with the improvements
constructed according to and constituting my present Invention.
Figures 2, and 3, are part longitudinal sections of the same taken on the line A, B,
Figure 1 and shewing the relativo positions of the parts when the clutch mechanism
of the "fork" disc is out of and in gear respectively.
Figure 4, is a side elevation of a detached portion of the said clutch mechanism.
In carrying out my present Improvements, I pivot at a, upon and at right
angles to the longitudinal beam b, of the machine, the cross lever c.-Upon the
pin or short shaft d, to which is secured the forward wheel of the machine repre-
sented in dotted lines at r, upon the annexed drawings I provide the hand lever e,
pivoted upon the non-rotating shaft 8, upon which is secured a suitable locking
device, for retaining the said lever e, in any position into which it may have been
previously brought, such a locking device may consist of a quadrant f, notched
upon its outer edge (as represented in dotted lines at Figure 3,) and a latch g,
engaging with the notches therein.-The hand-lever e, is similar to the lever

page_text: ordinarily employed for the purpose of elevating the digging "sock" at the rear
end of the machine and under my present improvements it is caused to effect this
purpose by means of the said lever e, bearing upon one end of the cross lever c,
the opposite end of which passes under and raises the rod h, by which the machine
is drawn. The rod h, is generally known as the "draw-rod" under which name
it is hereinafter referred to throughout my Specification. The draw-rod h, is
pivoted at its inner end at i, to the centre of the frame or transverse tubular
part j, of the machine, through and in which the main axle or shaft t, (Figures 2
and 3,) passes and rotates.-To this draw-rod h, is also pivoted one end of the
connecting rod or link k, which preferably spans over the transverse tubular part j,
the opposite end of the said connecting rod or link k, being pivoted to the outer
end of the clutch fork l.-The opposite end of this fork l, embraces the clutch m,
(Figure 4) providing for its rotation therein, while admitting of longitudinal
motion only when the said fork l, is moved in such a direction. The bevil pinion
wheel n, is arranged to rotate freely upon the shaft u, to which the fork disc is
secured, the said pinion wheel n, being secured thereon against longitudinal motion,
while the clutch m, is mounted upon a "feather" v, which admits of its rotating
with the said shaft and providing for a longitudinal sliding motion thereon.-The
shaft u, to which the clutch mechanism is secured, passes through and rotates
within the longitudinal tubular part o, of the machine, and the bevil pinion
wheel n, gears with a bevil wheel secured to the transverse main axle or shaft t,
of the machine and rotates within the casing p,-The draw-rod h, is secured against
lateral motion at its forward part, by means of the guide q, in which it is free to
rise and fall.
It will be seen that upon lowering the hand lever c, the forward wheel secured
at or near its lower extremity causes the longitudinal beam 6, to be depressed at
its forward end, while the digging "sock" secured at its opposite or rearward end
is raised out of contact with the ground.-Simultaneously with this operation the
cross lever c, depressed at its one end by the hand lever e, by its opposite end
raises the draw-bar h, into the position represented at Figure 2 of the annexed
drawings, upon which motion the clutch m, is thrown out of gear and thereby
stops the motion of the disc and forks.
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:-
In potato digging machines, mechanism for simultaneously effecting the operation
of the rotating forks and the digging "Sock" thereof consisting of the cross-lever c,
hand-lever e, draw-rod h, connecting rod or link k, and clutch fork l, all arranged
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth with reference to the
annexed drawings.
Dated thi
1
An
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1004