IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR DIGGING POTATOES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Mmatthias Bawtinhimer, of the Town of Woodstock,
in the Province of Ontario, Canada, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR DIGGING POTATOES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Peter Mmatthias Bawtinhimer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd June 1876.
PETER MMATTHIAS BAWTINHIMER, of the Town of Woodstock, in the Province of
Ontario, Canada. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR DIGGING POTATOES."
My Invention consists of a cylindrical drum formed by two circular plates or
discs upon an axle, and connected together by radially placed bars forming a convex
grate between each row of tines, which are narrow and slightly curved. This drum
is made to revolve by suitable means, causing the curved tines to rake and gather
up the potatoes, which have been previously loosened by suitably located teeth or
plows.
The earth gathered up by the potatoes sifts through the convex grate between
each row of tines, while the potatoes owing to the rotating motion of the tines are
cast behind clear of the machine.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation; Figure 2 is a plan.
A is the main frame of the machine, supported by the large wheels B and castor
wheels C; D is the drum frame pivotted to the main frame A upon the rod E, to
which the shanks of the plows or teeth F are also attached; G is a reversing lever
pivoted to the frame A, and used for raising and lowering the frame D and plows F,
to which it is connected by the rods H and I. The discs J are keyed or otherwise
fastened to the axle K, as shewn; this axle is supported by and revolves within
the frame D. The pulleys L and M are keyed respectively to the axle K and B¹,
and are connected together by the chain N, by which the motion of the wheel B is
transmitted to the axle K.
and
Three or more bars O are concentrically placed between the discs J, as shewn, and
have radially attached to and extending from each a series of long, narrow,
slightly curved tines Q.
Between the bars O, concentrically placed and similarly attached to the discs J,
are four bars P, more or less, forming between each row of tines Q a convex grate

page_text: sufficiently open to allow the earth gathered up with the potatoes to sift through,
but at the same time holding the potatoes.
Owing to the connection between the wheels B and axle K the forward motion
of the said wheels causes the tines Q to revolve, and the frame D, being properly
adjusted, the said tines dig into the ground (previously loosened by the plows F),
and carry the potatoes with them, which as the tines revolve are finally thrown from
the machine either upon the ground or into a box connected to the rear of the
machine.
As potatoe digging machines are not new I need not describe further the
operation of my improved one, suffice it to say that it is applied in the usual
manner.
What I claim as my Invention is, three or moro bars O concentrically placed
between discs J, as shewn, and provided with a series of long, narrow, and slightly
curved tines Q, in combination with a convex grate formed by the bars P concen-
trically placed between each row of tines and attached to the discs J, the whole
being supported by a suitable frame, and caused to revolve by the forward motion
of the machine, as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Mmatthias Bawtinhimer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the First day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.