Improvements in the Method of and Means for Planting Trees and Erecting Posts and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Planting Trees and
Erecting Posts and the like.
I, IGNACIO PANAMÁ, of Santa Ana, in the Republic of San Salvador, Central
America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of and means for making
holes for the purpose of planting trees, erecting telegraph posts and the like.
By this invention I employ a wheeled vehicle on which is mounted a suitable
steam, gas, or other engine. Preferably at the rear of the vehicle is arranged an
anger or boring instrument, which consists of a suitable boring bit mounted upon a
screw-threaded stem. This stem passes through the internally screw-threaded boss
of a mitre-wheel which is seated to rotate in cross-beams forming part of the
vehicle. A similar mitre-wbeel rests upon that first named but its boss, instead of
being screw-threaded, passes over the stem of the auger and is fitted thereto with
a feather or spline in such manner that it can move vertically up and down therein,
but cannot turn freely thereon. This mitre-wheel is also arranged to rotate
between cross-beams forming part of the vehicle. Both these mitre-wheels mesh
with pinions mounted on horizontal shafts fitted with pulleys or chain-wheels
deriving rotary motion from the engine shaft. Each of the pulleys or chain-
wheels is fitted with a clutch which is operated by a suitable lever. The two
levers are preferably coupled by a rod so as to be operated simultaneously without
its being necessary to stop the engine. When one clutch is locked and the other
unlocked, one of the pinions on one of the horizontal shafts engaging the lower
mitre-wheel will cause the auger stem to be fed downwards into the earth, but if
the clutches be reversed and the upper mitre-wheel be rotated the auger stem will
be raised.
Dated this 9th day of June 1896.
PERCY R. J. WILLIS,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Planting Trees and
Erecting Posts and the like.
I, IGNACIO PANAMÁ, of Santa Ana, in the Republic of San Salvador, Central
America, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to that class of machines for making holes in the ground
which from the use to which they are generally applied are called tree-planters,
though often used for digging post holes and other similar work.
My invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter described for
operating the auger or digging implement by power derived from a suitable
portable engine mounted upon a wheeled frame.

page_text: The object of my invention is to increase the speed, power and general efficiency
of the machine.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of same.
Fig. 3 is a section of the screw driving mechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan of same.
A is a wheeled vehicle on which is mounted a suitable engine, here represented
by B. This engine may be of any character-as, for example, a small gas
engine.
C is the auger or boring implement, and c is its screw stem.
D, Figs. 3 and 4 is a gear which is mounted on the stem e by means of a feather
or spline d, which is connected with the gear and is seated freely in a longitudinal
key-way in the stem, whereby the latter may move up and down.
E is a gear nut seated on the stem below the gear D. Both gear and nut
are held together and prevented from moving vertically by suitable timbers a,
Fig. 3.
Fis a shaft having a pinion f, which meshes with the gear D.
G is a shaft having a pinion g which meshes with the gear nut E.
Upon shaft F is loosely mounted a chain pulley f, which is adapted to be
thrown into and out of connection with said shaft by means of a friction clutch f2,
operated by a lever f3. Shaft G is similarly provided with a loose chain pulley g',
adapted to be thrown into and out of connection by means of a clutch g2 and
lever g 3. Pulley f¹ is driven by a chain H from a chain pulley h on the engine
shaft b. Pulley g¹ is driven by a chain I from a chain pulley i on the engine
shaft b.
The operation is as follows:-When pulley is thrown into gear by its clutch,
and pulley is thrown out of action, the gear D is rotated, while the nut E
remains idle. The screw stem e is thus turned and the anger is forced into the
ground. To raise the auger the pulley f' is thrown out of gear, and the pulley g
is thrown into action, thereby turning nut E and lifting the screw stem and
auger.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
An improved earth auger consisting of a wheeled frame provided with an engine
or motor, a screw stem mounted at one end of the frame and provided with a
boring tool or implement, a gear D mounted on the stem by means of a feather or
spline, seated freely in a groove or key way in the stem, a gear nut below the
gear D and stops formed by the frame above and below the gear and gear nut
whereby the gear and nut are held together and prevented from moving vertically,
a shaft extending transversely across one side of the front of the frame and
provided with a pinion to engage said gear, a second shaft extending transversely
across the opposite side of the front of the machine, and provided with a pinion
to engage the gear nut, loosely mounted chain pulleys ou said shafts and clutches
whereby the pinions are thrown into and out of connection with the gear and
gear nut.
Dated this 7th day of August 1806
PERCY R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.