Improvements in Apparatus for Planting or Setting Potatoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Planting or Setting Potatoes.
We, JAMES BOARDMAN of Kerfoot Street, Leigh-Bedford, Fitter, FREDERICK
BUDWORTH of Charles Street, Leigh-Bedford, Fitter and RICHARD EATON, of
Youd Street Leigh-Bedford, Fitter all in the County of Lancaster do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed with the object of providing a machine which will
plant or set potatoes at regular intervals without causing any injury to the seed
potatoes.
To a disc, rotating with the axle, or otherwise rotated as the machine is drawn
along we affix a number of grip-forks the operative part of which extends radially
beyond the periphery of the disc. These are situated at any desired distance apart
and may be either rigidly fixed or may be made movable so that they may be
placed closer together or further apart if desired. At present we prefer to place
about 8 round a disc of say about three feet in diameter. Instead of being affixed
to a disc each grip-fork may be carried by or form part of an arm or spoke radiating
from a central hub or boss.
Each grip-fork is made with a fast and loose jaw pivoted together. The loose
jaw is closed by a spring and is opened by the operation of a cam or other projecting
surface against which it comes in contact as the disc rotates. To the tail or under
surface of the jaw are connected a couple of studs or a cross bar carrying two
runners which engage with the cam.
The cam is preferably stationary and fixed with bolts or other connecting device
to the frame of the machine. It is preferably a double concave cam which bears
against the jaw of the grip-fork at two points in the revolution of the disc once to
receive the potato to be planted and once to release the potato and drop it into the
ground. When released from the action of the cam the jaw closes by the action of
a spring. The disc or other carrier for the grip-forks is actuated by a clutch
which only rotates it in one direction and may be connected to either the axle or
wheel or otherwise arranged to rotate as the machine is drawn forward but to
remain stationary should any backward movement take place.
A hopper is provided to hold the potatoes placed over the revolving disc and
formed wih a slot through which the grip-forks pass as the disc rotates. The
grip-forks are by the cam caused to open as they enter the hopper to receive a
potato and close again as they emerge through the slot in the side.
The machine may if desired be made with two such discs or carriers so that two
rows of potatoes may be planted at the same time. There may also be added a
plough to turn up the ground to receive the potatoes and a scraper or other device
to draw the gi und over and cover the potatoes when planted.
Dated 31st January 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus -for Planting or Setting Potatoes.
We, JAMES BOARDMAN, of Kerfoot Street, Leigh-Bedford, Fitter, FREDERICK
BUDWORTH, of Charles Street, Leigh-Bedford, Fitter, and RICHARD EATON, of
Youd Street, Leigh-Bedford, Fitter, all in the County of Lancaster 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 is designed with the object of providing a machine 'which will
plant or set potatoes at regular intervals without 'causing 'any injury to the said
potatoes, as has been the case in some machines where great damage has been
caused to the seed by arprong or fork being thrust into them.
It consists essentially in apparatus constructed with a number of revolving forks or
grippers preferably attached to a rotating disc which seize hold of the potatoes and
lift them out of a hopper and deposit them on the ground.
It will be fully described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Fig. 1, side'elevation of machine partly in section.
Fig. 2, transverse sectional elevation of same.
Fig. 3, side elevation of grip fork (cnlarged scale).
Fig. 4, front elevation of same.
.
A disc A, is placed on the axle of the machine between the two wheels "B,
and is either affixed thereto to rotate with the wheels or is otherwise rotated
as the machine is drawn along. To the disc-A, we affix a number of grip-forks C,
the operated part of which extends radially beyond the periphery of the disc A.
These are situated at any desired distance apart and may be either rigid .or
fixed or may be made movable so that they may be placed closer together or
further apart if desired.
We at present prefer to place about 8 of the grip forks C, round the disc-A,
as shown the disc being about 12'inches in diameter and the diameter across
from the tip of one grip fork to that of the opposite one being about 2 feet.
Instead of being affixed to a disc each grip fork may be carried by or form
part of an armor spoke radiating from a central hub or boss.
Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, each of the grip forks" C, is
provided with a fast jaw e, to which a movable jaw c', is -pivoted and by which
it is carried. The fast jaw c, is bolted rigidly to the-disc A, and the movable
jaw is pivoted at c. To the lower arm of the pivoted movable jaw cis pivoted
across bar or cross head D, which carries on each end a runner or bowl D.
The cross head D is guided by and moves up and down in a slot or slide.d,
one on each side of jaw c. Below the cross head D, is-fixed a spring d' which
bears against the periphery of the disc and always tends to hold the loose, jaw c
closed against the fixed one c. Instead of resting against the disc A, the
spring may rest against or be carried by a bracket -affixed-to-the shank of the
other jaw.
The loose jaw is closed and sheld closed by the spring and is opened at
each revolution of the disc by a fixed or stationary cam E against which the
runners D₁ come in contact. The cam E, is in duplicate one being placed at
each side of the rotating disc and are held in position by the stays e affixed to
the frame of the machine. It-is" preferably ra double concave cam which bears
against the runners D₁ of the loose jaw of the grip fork C, at two points in
the revolution of the disc D, once to receive the potato to be planted and once
to release the potato and drop it into the ground.
Between each of the grip forks C is placed a plate F to fill up the space
and as the disc rotates to prevent the potatoes falling out of the hopper G, through
the slot in the front through which the grip fork travels.

page_text: The disc or carrier of the grip-forks is actuated by a clutch which only rotates it
in one direction and may be connected to the wheel or otherwise arranged to rotate
as the machine is drawn forward but to remain stationary should any backward
movement take place.
A hopper G, is provided to hold the potatoes placed over the revolving disc and
formed with a slot through which the grip forks pass as the disc rotates. The grip
forks are by the cam caused to open as they enter the hopper to receive a potato
and close again as they emerge through the slot in the side. The cam again opens
the grip fork to release the potato when part of a revolution has been made."
cleaning knife or scraper H is affixed at the bottom of the hopper to keep the
forked ends of the stationary jaws c clear of soil.
A
The machines may if desired be made with two such discs or carriers so that two
rows of potatoes may be planted at the same time.
There may also be added if desired a plough to turn up the ground to receive
the potatoes and a scraper or other device to draw the ground over and cover the
potatoes when planted.
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. An apparatus for planting seed potatoes having grip-forks carried by a
rotating disc the jaws of which are opened to receive and release the potatoes by
a stationary cam or equivalent mechanism as the disc rotates substantially as
described.
2. In an apparatus for planting seed potatoes a grip fork-which is carried by a
rotating disc having a fixed and movable jaw with a sliding cross bar attached to
the latter to engage with a stationary cam.
•
3. An apparatus for planting or setting potatoes constructed substantially as
described and shown.
Dated this 29th day of October 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.