Improvements in Potato Harvesters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato Harvesters.
I JOSEPH NORTH COCKER of West Devonport in the Colony of Tasmania
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention consists in a potato harvester having a large elevator wheel made
with a series of bars, with spaces between, in addition to being provided with
projecting vanes or blades, adapted to carry the earth up round an inner screen
extending for about one quarter of a revolution, over the top of which the potatoes
fall on to an inclined screen, leading to another inclined screen or chute on the
lower end of which a bag or basket may be supported to receive the potatoes.
Behind the share used to raise the potatoes from the ground are arranged two
rotating spider wheels, one set nearly horizontal and another almost vertical, or at
approximately right angles to the horizontal spider, which latter is arranged to
carry the tubers round into a shallow curved trough, whereby they are directed
into the elevator wheel, whilst a third spider arranged vertically on the inner side
of the elevator wheel serves to separate the top or haulm from the potatoes and
delivers it at the back of the machine.
This third spider is provided with a number of curved bars, for the purpose of
separating the haulm, as well as with a number of curved feeder blades, which
direct the potatoes into the elevator wheel out of the shallow curved trough above
referred to.
Suitably shaped shields are arranged inside the machine, so that any earth which
may fall from the screens will be delivered through the open side of the elevator
wheel on to the ground, and bevel sprocket or other gearing is provided to enable
the rotating spider wheels above referred to, to be driven from the axle of the
main drive wheels. Suitable guiding and adjusting devices are provided in some.
convenient position adjacent to the driver's seat, to enable him to easily manipulate
the machine whilst it is in operation.
The elevator wheel is supported by and works around friction rollers mounted
upon a removable framing and the wheel is fitted around its periphery with
projections adapted to enter the surface of the ground and thus cause the elevator
wheel to revolve. The two rotating spiders above referred to as being arranged
behind the share are carried upon a pivoted frame, whose height can be adjusted by
means of a long hand lever fitted with a catch to retain it in any desired position
the spiders being driven by sprocket and bevel gearing from a sprocket wheel upon
an intermediate shaft driven by spur gearing from the spindle or axle of the main
bull or drive wheels of the machine. The delivery chute is preferably arranged
on the side opposite to the share and spiders, and a small land wheel upon one arm
of a long hand lever is provided on that side to allow the elevator wheel to be
raised or lowered as required, as for instance, when the machine is travelling along
a road.
If preferred the elevator wheel can be detached from the machine which is
then simply a potato digger arranged to deposit the potatoes to one side upon the
surface of the ground. For this purpose the elevator wheel is attached to a
casting, mounted upon a projecting end of the axle of the main drive wheels, and
secured thereupon by means of a split pin and collar.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,.
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1. is a sectional plan of a potato harvester embodying my improvements.
Figure 2. is an elevation of the near side of the machine with the elevator wheel
removed, and
Figure 3. is a side elevation of the elevator wheel and adjacent parts, shewn
detached from the machine.
A. represents the large elevator wheel, which is, according to this invention,
formed of a series of bars a, with spaces between, as clearly illustrated in section
in Figure 1; a' al represents the vanes or blades which serve to carry the earth
and potatoes up an inner screen B. (see Figure 3.) extending for about a quarter
of a revolution around the inside of the elevator wheel A. C. (Figure 3) represents
the inclined screen which is arranged below the upper end of the screen B. and
which serves to conduct the potatoes on to another inclined screen or chute D,
beneath the lower end of which a bag or other receptacle can be supported to
receive the potatoes the receptacle being placed upon a suitable frame or support
such as is illustrated at E.
The third
F represents the share used for raising the potatoes from the ground whilst
G, H, I, represent the three rotating spiders above referred to. Of these the one
marked G. is almost horizontal, and is arranged on the dug, or potato delivering
side, of the share F, a slight incline being given to it, so that the edge farthest
from the share will be slightly raised, the share being shaped as illustrated in
Figure 1. so that it extends partly around the spider G. The second spider H. is
arranged vertically or approximately at right angles to the first one.
spider I is also arranged vertically and works at the side of the elevator wheel A.
It serves to separate the tops or haulm from the potatoes and to deliver them at
the back of the machine for which purpose it is provided with a number of curved
bars . It is also provided with a number of curved feeder blades ', for with-
drawing the potatoes out of a shallow curved trough 2 (arranged underneath the
spider 1, between the spider G. and the elevator wheel A.) and delivering them
into the elevator wheel. A sheet metal or other chute (such as J.) is arranged as
illustrated in Figure 3, to conduct away any dirt which might fall through the
screen C, and to deliver it through the open side of the elevator wheel A on to
the ground.
The approximately vertical spindle g. of the spider G. is mounted in bearings
secured to a frame k. carrying the share F. and driver's seat k¹, and motion is
imparted to it through the medium of the spur gear y', horizontal spindle 92, and
sprocket gearing g³, from a countershaft L. to which motion is communicated by
spur gearing . from the main axle upon which the main drive wheels L' L' are
secured.
The spider H is driven by bevel gear h. from the spindle g2 and the spider I
is driven by sprocket gear 3 from the main axle 1, as clearly illustrated in
Figure 1.
The large elevator wheel A. is supported by and works around antifriction
rollers a³, mounted upon the frame a³, which carries the curved iron trough 3, and
is secured to a bracket or casting a. upon a projection of the main axle . This
bracket or casting is secured upon the axle by a split pin and collar a, which can
e removed when it is required to take off the elevator wheel. The bracket also
carries the support E. for the basket, into which the potatoes are to be delivered,
and the elevator wheel is fitted with projections a' around its periphery to increase
ts hold upon the ground.
The anti-friction rollers a² are grooved to correspond with a rail a' fitted around
the inside of the elevator wheel A, and which runs upon the rollers.
The rotating spiders G. and H., and share F, are carried upon a frame k, which
is pivoted at its forward end upon the countershaft L, and whose height can be
adjusted by means of a long hand lever k-having a catch working into a

page_text: toothed quadrant 3 secured upon a frame -pivoted upon the main axle l', of the
machine. The frame to which the pole 4 is attached is also pivoted as shewn
at k to the forward end of the frame k³.
If preferred the machine may be provided with a small land wheel M, upon an
arm m, attached to a long hand lever m', whereby the elevator wheel may be raised
and lowered as required, for instance, when it is travelling along a road.
The operation of the invention is as follows,-
The share F raises the earth and potatoes on to the revolving spider G, which
with the second spider H, serves to deliver the potatoes into the curved trough ²,.
whence they pass into the elevator wheel A. The third spider I, being caused to
rotate in the required direction, serves to separate the tops or haulin and weeds
from the potatoes, and delivers them outside the elevator wheel. Meanwhile a
large proportion of the dirt will have fallen on to the ground through the
spiders G. H, and subsequently through the bottom of the elevator wheel A. The
potatoes will be raised by the elevator wheel up the inner screen B, and will be
delivered by the blades a¹ on to the screen C., down which they will pass on to the
inclined screen or delivery chute D, whereby they will be delivered into any
convenient receptacle provided to receive them upon the support E.
The operation of the machine when the elevator wheel is removed is substantially
the same as that above described, except that the potatoes are not elevated into
bags or other receptacles, but are delivered on to the ground in rows.
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:-
1. The improvements in potato harvesters, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
2. In a potato harvester, the combination of a share F.; rotating spiders G. H. I.;.
the spider G. being nearly horizontal; the spider H. being fitted to rotate vertically
or approximately at right angles to the spider G, and the spider I. arranged to
rotate in a vertical plane, together mounted, driven and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. In a potato harvester, the combination of a share F; rotating spiders G. H. I.;
detachable elevator wheel A. made with bars (such as a.) with spaces between,
and having blades or vanes (such as a¹) and working around and supported by
anti-friction rollers (such as a³); an inner screen B., inclined screen C. and screen
or chute D. and a support E for a bag or other receptacle; together mounted
driven, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Dated 15th T... 1906
GEO. DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C.