Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Nov.,
1900
I, CHARLES JOSEPH MOULTON, of High Street, Chatteris, in the County of
Cambridge, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The invention relates to improvements upon an invention described in the
Specification of Letters Patent No. 25003 of 1896, whereby I greatly improve the
operation of the machine by rendering it more certain in action and less liable to
become choked with weeds
In the said specification are shown and described two vertical dependent arms
at the front of the machine carrying the digging share which is arranged approxi-
mately in a line with the short endless elevator Now I have found that in a
machine constructed according to the said prior patent there was a great tendency
for weeds and potato tops to collect at the angle between the shale and its carry-
ing arms.
According to my present invention I attach these dependent arms
to the frame of the machine at a point farther back and I carry the said arma
forward to the desired point for carrying the share in a direction approximately
parallel to the short endless elevatoi I also employ an auxiliary endless band
arranged approximately parallel to the short endless elevator and at a short dis-
tance above the same This endess band has a number of points or projections
which help to push the weeds, earth and potatoes on to the short endless elevator.
This auxiliary endless band is carried by two rolleis and 18 driven by a chain
and sprocket wheel from any convenient part of the machine.
The auxiliary endless band 18 made perfectly adjustable so that it may be
arranged parallel to the endless elevator or at slightly varying angles thereto for
different kinds of soil.
The points or projections on the auxiliary endless band may also be varied
according to the soil.
Dated thin 9-1 AL.
1000

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement.-
The invention relates to improvements upon an invention described in the
Specification of Letters Patent No 25003 of 1896 whereby I greatly improve the
operation of the machine by rendering it more certain in action and less liable to
become choked with weeds
In the said specification are shown and described two vertical dependent aims
at the front of the machine carrying the digging share which is aanged approxi-
mately in a line with the short endless elevator Now I have found that in a
machine constructed according to the said prior patent there was a great ten-
dency for weeds and potato tops to collect at the angle between the share and
its carrying arms According to my present invention I attach these arms
to the frame of the machine at a point farther back and I cany the said aims
forward to the desired point for carrying the share in a direction approximately
parallel to the short endless elevator
I also employ an auxiliary endless band arranged approximately parallel to the
short endless elevator and at a short distance above the same This endless
band has a number of points or projections which help to push the weeds, earth
and potatoes onto the short endless elevator. This auxiliary endless band is
carned by two rollers and is driven by a chain and sprocket wheel from any con-
venient part of the machine The auxiliary endless band is made preferably
adjustable so that it may be arranged parallel to the endless elevator or at
slightly varying angles thereto for different kinds of soil
The points or projections on the auxiliary endless band may also be varied
according to the soil
My invention 18 illustrated in the accompanying drawings Fig 1 of which
represents the left hand side view and Fig 2 the right hand side view of so much
of a potato digging machine as will enable my present improvements to be clearly
understood
And in order that my present invention may be clearly understood in connec-
tion with the invention described in the specification of patent herembefore
referred to I will apply similar letters of reference to such parts of the machine
as correspond with parts described in the aforesaid specification
a is the main frame, bb are the mam supporting and diving wheels which
are fixed to a rotating shaft c and d d are a pan of smaller wheels mounted on
a fore-carriage supporting the front of the frame a
I now dispense with the arrangement described in said former specification for
raising and lowering the front of the frame a in relation to the fore-calage e
and employ in lieu thereof a pair of collars a one above and the other below the
frame a through which the upright e 18 passed and which can be fixed in the
desired position in relation to the fame a by set screws a g is the share which,
instead of being carried by the dependent arms a descubed in the specification
heieinbefore referred to, 18 according to my present invention carried by arms a³
pivoted at a to side brackets a which also help to support the side frames or
guards These aims a³ extend forward from the pivots a to the desired point
for carrying the share g in a direction approximately parallel to the short endless
elevator h I also employ the following means for raising and lowering the
share
On the arms a³ I fix segmental racks a³ and on the fiame a I fix bearings as
carrying a shaft a on which are fixed pinions al gearing with the segmental
1acks a On such shaft a³ is also fixed a worm wheel all which can be rotated by
a worm a¹ on a shaft a provided with a hand wheel a Thus by rotating the
hand wheel a the share can be adjusted for depth of work and it can be raised
above the ground when the machine is to travel from place to place At the
hear of the share g and connected thereto is a grating 9 over which the potatoes
pass on their way to the short endless elevator h and through which a consider-

page_text: able part of the earth accompanying the potatoes passes. is the endless elevat-
ing screen on to which the potatoes with their tops and weeds and some earth
are delivered from the short endless elevator h.
I also according to my present invention employ an auxiliary endless rake
band 2 arranged approximately parallel to the short endless elevator h and at a
short distance above the same and extending from over the share g and grating g³
to over the rear end of the short endless elevator h, this endless rake band p 18
provided with points or teeth p¹ which help to push the weeds, earth and pota-
toes on to the short endless elevator h
This auxiliary endless band p 18 carried by two rollers p p³, the roller p 18
fixed to a shaft and the roller p³ 18 mounted on a shaft p carried by arms pe
mounted on the shaft p The endless band p 18 driven by means of an endless
chain p' passing 1ound a sprocket wheel på fixed to the driving shaft & and
round a sprocket wheel po fixed to the shaft p
The auxiliary endless band p 18 made preferably adjustable in the following
manner so that it may be arranged parallel to the short endless elevator h 01 at
slightly varying angles thereto for different kinds of soil. To the shaft pare
fixed connecting rods po which are connected to levers 2 fixed on a shaft p" on
which latter is also fixed a lever p¹³ which by a connecting 1od p* 18 connected
with a hand lever pl This hand level 215 18 provided with a paw! pt acting in
combination with the teeth of a segmental lack p", by which means the rake
band can be retained in any desired position
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 18.
1 In a potato digger a share supported by pivoted adjustable arms extending
backward therefrom in a direction approximately parallel thereto and carrying
a grating and short endless elevator substantially as herein set forth.
2 In a potato digger the combination of a share supported by arms extending
backward therefrom, a grating at the rear of the share, a short endless elevator
receiving the potatoes, tops, weeds and earth from the grating, and an endless
rake band having points or teeth arranged above the share, grating and short
endless elevator substantially as herein set forth.
3 In a potato digger the combination of a share, supported by arms extended
backward therefiom, a grating at the rear of the share, carried by said arms,
means for adjusting the height of the share, a short endless elevator carried by
said arms receiving the potatoes, tops, weeds and earth from the grating, an end-
less rake band arranged above the share grating and short endless elevator and
means for adjusting the angle of the endless rake band substantially as herein set
forth
T21 1000
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.