Improvements in Potato Digging or Raising Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato Digging or Raising Machines. :
We, JOHN EVAN POWELL, ROBERT JONES POWELL and WILLIAM WHITAKER, all
of Cambrian Iron Works, Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to potato digging or raising machines and it chiefly consists
in improvements in the potato digging machine described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to James Arthur Lewis dated July 8th A.D. 1885,
No. 8293.
According to our invention we provide for lengthening the forks of the digging
wheel so that they may be arranged to work in proper position relatively to the digging
share notwithstanding the depth to which the latter may be set.
We sometimes provide for positively rotating the separating wheel by means of a
chain, belt or gearing. The arm carrying this wheel is also advantageously made
adjustable so that the angle of the said separating wheel relatively to the digging
wheel can be varied.
At the front of the machine we fix a platform preferably of cast iron and we attach
to or form integral with this platform a socket for the standard of the driver's seat, a
bracket and quadrant for the lever for adjusting the angle of the machine relatively to
the pole and a socket to receive the rear end of the said pole.
Dated the 31st day of December 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato Digging or Raising Machines.
We, JOHN EVAN POWELL, ROBERT JOHN POWELL and WILLIAM WHITAKER, all
of Cambrian Iron Works, Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, Engineers, 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:-
Our invention relates to potato digging or raising machines and it chiefly consists
in improvements in the potato digging machine described in the Specification
Letters Patent granted to James Arthur Lewis dated July 8th A.D. 1885,
No. 8293.
According to our invention we provide for lengthening or adjusting the forks of
the digging wheel so that they may be arranged to work in proper position relatively
to the digging share, notwithstanding the depth to which the latter may be set.
We sometimes provide for positively rotating the separating wheel by means of a
chain, belt or gearing. The arm carrying this wheel is also advantageously made
adjustable, so that the angle of the said separating wheel relatively to the digging
wheel can be varied.
At the front of the machine we fix a platform preferably of cast iron and we attach
to or form integral with this platform a socket for the standard of the driver's seat, a

page_text: quadrant for the lever for adjusting the angle of the machine relatively to the pole
and a socket or recess to receive the rear end of the said pole.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :—
Figures 1 and 2 are a side elevation and plan respectively of a machine of the kind
described in the Specification of the hereinbefore mentioned Letters Patent for digging
or raising potatoes, the said machine being provided with our improvements.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the means for adjusting the arm carrying the
separating wheel.
Figures 4 and 5 are a rear elevation and vertical section of part of the digging
wheel shewing the means for adjusting the digging forks.
Similar reference letters indicate similar parts throughout the drawing.
a is the frame of the machine, b, b the travelling wheels, and c the shaft carrying and
serving to rotate the digging wheel d, by means of gearing, (not shown) a part of
which gearing is carried by the shaft d¹. e is the separating wheel carried by the
arm e¹ and adapted to rotate thereon, the digging share, the standard carrying
the driver's seat, h the lever for adjusting the angle of the machine through the medium
of the shaft ¹, lever. h and link h³, and i the draught pole.
1, j, Figures, 1, 2, 4, and 5, are the forks of the digging wheel which we render
adjustable as to length by providing a series of bolt holes in the disck carrying
the said forks, which latter can be fixed in the required position by the bolts : in
Figures 4 and 5 only one of the said forks is shewn. In Figure 4 we have only
shewn three holes but, if necessary, we make use of more than that number.
7 is a belt for positively rotating the separating wheel e which latter is provided with
a pulley over which the belt passes and driven from a pulley m on the shaft d'.
n, n are guide pulleys carried by the arm e¹ for guiding the belt Z. Although we
have shewn a belt and pulleys for driving the separating wheel it will be obvious that
it can be driven by a chain or other suitable means.
In order to render the arm e' adjustable it is pivotally mounted upon a standard o
by means of a socket o¹, Figure 3. The standard o and socket o¹ are each provided
with a projecting flange having a series of holes p, p formed therein, by the engage-
ment with any two of which holes of a pin q (Figure 3) the said parts o and o¹ can be
fixed in any required position relative to each other.
is the platform at the front of the machine, and s is the socket in the same for
receiving the standard g. t is the quadrant for the lever h, and u is the recess for the
rear end of the draught pole i, the said recess being formed between ribs or
flanges u, u' on the underside of the platform r. The said platform is hinged to tho
frame a by means of a pin v, and the shaft h³ also passes through the said platform.
w, w are the bolts for attaching the pole i to the platform r.
We wish it understood that we do not limit the scope of our invention to the
precise construction shewn and described as it is obvious that the details of such
construction can be varied without departing from the nature of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a machine for digging or raising potatoes, a digging wheel, the forks of
which can be lengthened or adjusted, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for digging or raising potatoes, the separating wheel adapted to
be positively rotated, substantially as described.
3. A machine for digging or raising potatoes, the separating wheel of which is
adapted to be adjusted relatively to the digging wheel, substantially as described.
4. In a machine for digging or raising potatoes, a platform provided with a socket
to receive the standard of the driver's seat, a quadrant for the lever for adjusting
the angle of the said machine. relatively to the draught pole and a socket or recess to
receive the rear end of the said pole, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. The improved potato digging or raising machine, substantially as hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 29th day of September 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.