AN IMPROVED POTATO PLANTER
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wilhelm Unterilp, of Dusseldorf, in the Empire of
Germany, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED POTATO PLANTER."
Sealed the 16th Sentember 1870 and dated the 21st March 1870
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wilhelm Unterilp at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1879.
WILHELM UNTERILP, of Dusseldorf, in the Empire of Germany.
POTATOE PLANTER."
"AN IMPROVED
The object of this Invention is to obtain a simple and efficient implement for
planting potatoes, and at the same time depositing manure in the dibbled holes.
To this end I mount a carriage fitted with hoppers on a pair of travelling wheels
which are made fast to their axle by conical friction surfaces. To one of these
travelling wheels I attach a spur wheel which gears into the pinion of a crank
shaft mounted transversely of the implement. This crank shaft may be made of
any desired length, and formed with any desired number of cranks, to each of
which a pendent dibble is attached. The throw therefore of this crank shaft will
depress the dibble in their proper order, to make the requisite holes in the ground
for the insertion of the potatoe, and to raise the same clear of the ground to allow
of the deposit of the potatoe, and also of manure into the dibbled hole. A potatoe
hopper and a nanure hopper are provided for each dibble, and the discharge from
such hoppers of their respective contents into the dibbled holes is regulated by a
horizontal slide, in which are formed holes which, when brought into coincidence
with the discharge openings of the hoppers, will allow of a potatoe and of a measure
of manure leaving the hoppers, and ultimately finding their way down fixed guide
tubes into the dibbled holes. The slide is connected with the short arm of a three
armed rock lever mounted on a fixed fulcrum carried by the carriage frame. A
Becond arm of this rock lever is pivotted to the dibble, and the third arm projects
rearwards, and is broadened at its end to serve the purpose of a shovel. When the
dibble is depressed, it will, from its connection with the three armed lever, draw
the horizontal slide before mentioned forward, and bring an opening in the slide
into coincidence with the discharge opening of the potatoe hopper. This discharge
opening is the termination of a tube leading from the hopper and closed at its
upper end by a piston or valve which, when raised, will permit of the discharge of

page_text: a potatoe from the hopper, and when closed, will cut off the supply to the tube:
This piston or valve is worked by a pendent sliding rod which is lifted at the
required moment by the rear arm of the rock lever before mentioned. When
therefore the dibble enters the ground, the rock lever which it sets in action lifts
the piston or valve of the potatoe hopper, and allows a potatoe to descend into the
opening in the slide made for its reception. The movement of the slide into this
position for receiving the potatoe cuts off the manure supply, and the next
movement of the dibble will rock the three armed lever in the opposite direction,
bringing the opening of the slidė containing the potatoe opposite the discharge
tube which has now advanced to the dibbled hole. While this is taking place and
the potatoe is being guided into the dibbled hole, a second opening in the slide will
permit of the manure running from the hopper straight into the dibbled hole. The
continued rise of the dibble will cut off the supply, and at the same time bring
down the rear arm of the rock lever into contact with the ground, causing it, as the
implement advances, to cover the dibbled hole with loose earth.
It will be understood that each dibble is similarly connected with a rock lever
and slide as above explained for regulating the discharge of the seed and manure,
and for covering the dibbled holes.
For regulating the depth of entry of the dibble, the frame of the implement with
respect to the height of the draft shafts, may be regulated by any suitable
mechanical contrivance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Wilhelm Unterilp in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
September 1879.
WILHELM UNTERILP, of Düsseldorf, in the Empire of Germany. "AN IMPROVED
POTATO PLANTER."
The object of this Invention is to obtain a simple and efficient implement for
planting potatoes, and at the same time depositing manure in the dibbled holes.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in vertical side section my improved
potato planter, and Fig. 2 represents the same in front elevation, a portion of the
framing being removed.
A, A, is a carriage fitted with hoppers and mounted on a pair of travelling
wheels B, B, which are made fast to their axle C by conical friction surfaces. D is
a spur wheel keyed on the axle C, and gearing into the pinion of a crank shaft E
mounted transversely of the implement, and having its bearings in the side frames
of the carriage. This shaft is shewn as constructed with five cranks, to each of
which a pendant dibble F is attached. The throw of this crank shaft will depress
the dibbles in their proper order to make the requisite holes in the ground for the
insertion of the potato, and raise the same clear of the ground to allow of the
deposit of the potato and also of manure into the dibbled hole. A potato hopper G
and a manure hopper H are provided for each dibble, and the discharge from such
hoppers of their respective contents into the dibbled holes is regulated by horizontal
slides I, one of which is shewn attached in Fig. 3.
In this slide holes are formed, which, when brought into coincidence with the
discharge openings of their respective hoppers, will allow of a potato or a measure
of manure, as the case may be, leaving the hoppers, and ultimately finding their
way down fixed guide tubes G and H' (see the detached view, Fig. 4) into the
dibbled holes. Each slide I is connected with the short arm k of a three armed
rock lever K mounted loosely on a fixed fulcrum rod L attached to the carriage
framing (see the detached views, Figures 5 and 6). A second arm k¹ of this rock
lever is pivotted to the dibble F, and the third arm k² projects rearwards, and is
broadened at its end to serve the purpose of a shovel. When the dibble F is
depressed, it will, from its connection with the three armed lever K, draw the slide
I forward and bring an opening in the slide into coincidence with the discharge
opening of the potato hopper. This discharge opening is the termination of a tube
leading from the hopper, which tube is closed at its upper end by a piston or valve
q, which, when raised, will permit of the discharge of a potato from the hopper, and
when closed, will cut off the supply to the tube. This piston or valve g is worked
by a bent sliding rod g' pendant therefrom, and having for its guide a vertical slot
in the discharge tube, see the detached view, Fig. 4. The rod g with its valve g
is lifted at the required moment by the rise of the rear arm k³ of the rock lever K.
As therefore the dibble enters the ground, the rock lever K which is thereby set in
action lifts the piston or valve g, and allows a potato to descend into the opening in
the slidę I made for its reception. The movement of the slide into the position for
receiving the potato cuts off the manure supply, and the next movement of the
dibble will rock the three armed lever K in the opposite direction, bringing the
opening of the slide containing the potato opposite the discharge tube G¹ which has
now advanced to the dibbled hole. While this is taking place, and the potato is
being guided into the dibbled hole, the smaller opening in the slide I will permit of
the manure in the slide falling through the guide H₁ into the dibbled hole.
continued rise of the dibble will cut off the supply, and at the same time bring
down the rear arm k³ of the rock lever into contact with the ground, causing it, as
the implement advances, to cover the dibbled hole (as by the action of a spade)
with loose earth.
The

page_text: It will be understood that each dibble is similarly connected with a rock lever K
and slide I as above explained for regulating the discharge of the seed and manure,
.and for covering the dibbled holes. The progress of this implement over the land is
clearly indicated in the plan view, Fig. 7.
For regulating the depth of entry of the dibble, the frame of the implement with
respect to the height of the draft shafts may be regulated by any suitable
mechanical contrivance. The Drawing shews the draught poles connected with the
carriage A by adjustable coupling cheeks furnished with pin holes for receiving the
coupling pins at different elevations.
By connecting the travelling wheels with their axle by conical friction surfaces,
they may be disconnected by simply slackening the tightening thumb screws which
serve to bind the friction surfaces together, and thus the mechanism may be readily
thrown out of action when the implement is required to be transported on its
wheels from place to place.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Potato
Planter," and described the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,-
First. The arrangement of mechanism above described, constituting my improved
potato planter.
Secondly. Obtaining the motion for regulating the discharge of the seed and of
the manure from their respective hoppers, and for actuating the spades (which
cover the deposited seed with earth) from the reciprocating dibbles in the manner
above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wilhelm Unterilp, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.