IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY SPADING AND DIGGING MACHINES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Donald Mann, of Rochester, State of New York,
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROTARY SPADING AND DIGGING MACHINES."
Sealed the 22nd May 1861, and dated the 19th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Donald Mann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th January 1861.
I, DONALD MANN, of Rochester, State of New York, United States of
America, do bereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROTARY SPADING AND DIGGING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrange-
ment of a rotary digging and spading machine, having a series of spades or
forks upon an endless chain or chains moving upon appropriate rollers, and
forced into the ground by the onward movement of the machine, and consists
in so supporting the endless chain of forks, and the appropriate rollers in a
frame, and so arranging such frame in relation to the carrying truck or body,
that the digging apparatus may be of comparatively light weight, and may be
worked with facility and success, and the whole machine be furnished at a
moderate price.

page_text: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine; Figure 2, a vertical sectional
view; Figures 3, 4, different views of the links of the endless chains.
The truck or body A which carries and supports the whole apparatus may
be made of any required length or width desired or most convenient, care
being taken to give the parts all needful strength. Within this truck or body
is supported by the rod or bolt B the frame C, which carries the drums
a, b, c, around which pass the endless chains D, to which are firmly fixed the
spades of forks d, d. The drums a and b are of about the same size, but the
drum c may be much smaller. The journals of all these drums are supported
in the frame C, which has motion on the rod or bolt B, so that the digging
apparatus may be elevated or lowered as required. Two or more of the
endless chains are placed side by side on the rollers above mentioned, and the
progressive onward motion of the truck or body forces the spades or forks on
the endless chains into the ground with a direct or nearly direct thrust. When
the machine is at work the position of the rollers is as seen in Figure 2, the
forward end of the frame C being the highest, and the small roller c being
upon or near the ground. This position of the rollers causes the forks to enter
the ground with a direct thrust, or nearly so, which is necessary for the
complete working of the machine. The small drum c is so situated in respect
to the others a, b, that the chain makes a short turn just as the forks d, d, are
leaving the ground, the effect of which is, that the soil is completely broken
and pulverized, and left loose and light, and is not packed as when stirred by
a plough or harrow. When the frame C is lowered, and the digging apparatus
in operation, the hind wheels of the frame A will be a little above the surface
of the ground, or but just touch it, and thus the weight of the truck A and its
wheels will act to force the forks d, d, into the ground. Extra weight may
also be put upon the truck when necessary. When the machine is not at
work, the frame C is raised, as seen in Figure 1, so that the forks d, d, will
be clear of the ground, and the machine can then be transported from place
to place. To lift the operating parts of the machine I prefer to employ a
geared segment E, the curve of which is struck from the centre B, and which
is attached to or a part of the frame C. A pinion F (Fig. 2) supported on
the truck A, and turned by a winch G, Fig. 1, works into the segment E, and
elevates or lowers the frame C as desired. Figure 8 shows a couple of the
links of the endless chain with their forks d, d; and Figure 4 shows the under
side of one of such links, the bent edges running over the rims of the
drums a, b. The several parts of the machine may be varied in size and
proportion, as desired or found most convenient in different localities.

page_text: Equivalent devices may also be employed in the arrangement of the frame
of rollers in relation to the truck, and different devices may be used to elevate
and lower the digging apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Donald Mann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DONALD
MANN, of Rochester, State of New York, United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Donald Mann, Her special licence that I, the said Donald Mann,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Donald
Mann, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROTARY
SPADING AND DIGGING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Donald Mann, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Donald Mann, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters of reference marked thereon:-
My Invention consists in improvements in the construction and arrange-
ment of rotary spading or digging machines, which have a series or a number
of series of spades or forks upon an endless chain or chains passing over

page_text: appropriate drums or rollers, and which are forced into the ground by the
onward movement of the carriage carrying such drums and chains, and which
are caused when leaving the ground to turn up or out of the ground at a short
angle, so as to most effectually stir and loosen the soil; but my Invention has
more particular reference to the manner of arranging and supporting such
endless chains of forks and spades with their rollers in a separate frame, and
so arranging such frame in respect to the truck carrying and sustaining it, that
'the digging apparatus can easily and quickly be either brought into action to
loosen and pulverize the soil, or be rendered inoperative, and in so constructing
the whole machine that it is very compact, comparatively light in weight, and
capable of being worked successfully by a team of two to four or more horses,
according to its size, and which can be furnished at a reasonable price.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine with my improvements when
the digging apparatus is raised from the ground; Fig. 2 is a side view of the
machine when in position to dig and pulverize the soil; Figs. 3, 4, are
detached views of the links composing the endless chain, and the forks fixed
thereto.
The truck or body A,. which carries and supports the whole digging appar-
atus, and its wheels 1, 2, may be of any length and width desired, or as most
properly adapted to the character of the ground to be tilled, care being had to
give the parts all needful strength. A convenient size for ordinary uses is
that of about three feet in breadth of digging surface, by about nine feet
length of truck.
Within this truck is supported and suspended the frame C, which sustains
the drums a, b, c, around which pass the endless chains D, and the spades or
forks d, d, fixed to them. The frame C is attached to the truck A, by the
shaft B, or by bolts serving the same purpose, and turns or moves upon it
as a fulcrum or pivot, so that such frame, and the rollers sustained by it,
may be raised above the ground when the machine is to be transported, &c.,
and be lowered when the ground is to be dug and stirred. To elevate and
lower the digging parts of the machine I prefer to employ or make use of a
geared segment or sector E, the curve of which is struck from the axle or
point B, and which is fixed to, or made a part of the frame C. A pinion F
on each side of the machine, supported on the truck A, and turned by a winch
G, and axle, works into the geared segment E, and by it the frame C and
its digging apparatus can be elevated or lowered as desired or found necessary.
Instead of the winch G, a rod, one end of which gears into the segment E.
may extend forward to the driver's seat, and be so arranged that by it the

page_text: frame C can be raised or lowered by the driver without his leaving bis seat.
By suspending the frame C in the carrying truck substantially as described, at
or near one of its ends, the digging apparatus can be raised or lowered with
comparative ease, as instead of having to lift its whole weight it is raised by
lifting only a little over one half of its weight, and the power is applied at a
good advantage.
The journals of the rollers or drums a, b, c, are in the opposite sides of the
frame C, and they may be so arranged as to be moved nearer to or further
from each other, to taughten or ease the endless chains D passing over them.
The rollers a and b may be of about the same size, or one may be somewhat
larger than the other; the drum c may be much smaller, and is generally
about one-third the size of the others, or a little more. For a machine of the
size above mentioned I usually make the rollers a, b, about fourteen to sixteen
inches in diameter, and the roller c five or six inches. If more weight is
desired these may be made larger, and for the purpose of pressure upon the
forks or spades they are generally of cast iron. The endless chains D pass
over and around these rollers, and carry the spades or forks d, d, which may be
from ten to twelve or more inches long, and so placed as to stand about six or
eight inches apart. A machine as above described will have four chains
each having two rows of forks. The length of the forks and their distance
from each other may, however, be varied according to the character of the
soil and the cultivation required.
When the machine is to be moved or transported from place to place, the
frame carrying the digging apparatus is raised as shown in Fig. 1, so that the
forks d, d, will be entirely above the ground; the truck A thus becomes a
carrying truck at once ready for use.
When the machine is at work the frame C, and the digging apparatus is
lowered, as shown in Fig. 2, and the several rollers are then in the position
seen in that Figure. The hind wheels are intended to revolve on the surface
of the ground, and the weight of the truck A, with the weight & pressure of
the digging apparatus, will act to force the forks d, d, into the ground. Extra
weight may also be added for that purpose, if necessary. When the digging
apparatus is in position for working as shewn in Fig. 2, the roller a is higher
than the others, and should be so placed that as the endless chains leave it,
and the forks d, d, begin to touch the ground, they will be at right angles or
nearly so with the surface of the ground, so as to easiest enter the ground
as the machine advances, and be forced to the proper depth by the roller b.
The roller c is so placed in respect to the roller b as to cause the forks d, d,

page_text: when they are leaving the ground to receive a sudden jerk or flirt, the effect
of which is that the soil is effectually broken and pulverized. By carrying
the roller c further from the roller b6, a shorter turn or angle will be given to
the endless chain, and consequently a greater flirt will be given to the forks
as they leave the ground, and the pulverizing will be more complete.
By arranging the digging apparatus so that it can be raised or lowered as
desired, the extent of the penetration of the forks d, d, can be graduated &
regulated according to the character of the soil, or the degree of cultivation.
In a proper soil the forks may be allowed to penetrate their entire length,
while for loosening turf-bound land they can be placed to penetrate only a
few inches. In digging or spading machines, making use of such endless
belts and forks as heretofore constructed, the extent of the penetration of the
teeth could only be regulated by having forks of different lengths and sub-
stituting one length for another. In such previous machines also the principal
drum or roller, which forced the forks into the soil, revolved on the ground,
thus pressing not only the forks into the ground, but also the links to which
they were fixed, thus imbedding them into the ground, and rendering necessary
the outlay of not a little power to withdraw their broad surfaces from the soil
packed around them, while by my improvement the roller 6 is or can be kept
at such a distance from the surface of the ground, that only the forks will
penetrate, and the links to which they are fixed will be just above it. The
draft of the machine is thus materially lessened, as compared with the
previous machines. Fig. 3 shews a couple of the links of the endless chains
D with the spades or forks d, d, fixed to them, and connected together by
the other links f. f; Fig. 4 shews the under side of the links carrying the
forks, the surface being curved to pass easily over the roller c. To lessen
friction the lower surface should not be flat, but be made with two or three
projections g, so that these only will touch upon the rollers. The end
projections are to keep the chains in proper position as they move around
the rollers. The connecting links f, f, are prevented from being disconnected
by resting against the shoulders h, h, but may easily be removed or changed
by turning them sideways, as shewn on one side of Fig. 4.
Many devices may be employed in the arrangement of the frame of rollers
as to its relation to the truck and which will be equivalents of the plan
described; toggle levers can be used in place of the segments, and by these
the frame C could be held up when raised, or the weight of the truck thrown
upon it when the machine was in operation; or the ends of the frame C may
slide in groove plates, and the whole be moved alike at each end, it being

page_text: only necessary that the forward end should not be so low as to permit the
forward forks to quite reach the ground. The several rollers a, b, c, may
be placed so nearly together as merely not to interfere with each other.
By my improvements I greatly reduce the size and weight of the several
rollers and also shorten very considerably the length of the endless chains,
thus greatly reducing friction, and diminish the weight of the whole machine,'
and at the same time do the work more perfectly. The whole apparatus and
machine is rendered very compact, and can be made so light as to be capable
of being worked by ordinary teams; and in fact the machine need be no
heavier than is necessary for strength, and for the stirring of the lighter soils;
for penetration of the heavier stiffer soils extra weight may be applied.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is
the arrangement of the frame C, with its rollers a, b, c, and endless chains
and forks, in respect to the carrying truck A substantially as and for the
purposes set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Donald Mann, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, A.D. 1861.
DONALD MANN. (L.S.)