Improvements in Machines for Digging and Separating Potatoes and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Digging and Separating Potatoes
and the like.
I, ROBERT BATTERSBY, of Pimbo Lane, near Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a potato digging machine, which shall not merely
dig the potatoes, but riddle them, sort them if desirable, and deliver them into
hampers.
I use any kind of digging or ploughing device now at present in use in potato
diggers. This delivers the potatoes, dirt, etc. on to an oblique endless apron formed
of two or more chains and cross bars. This endless apron partially riddles the
material and the remainder is thrown on to an inclined reciprocating riddle
immediately below the delivery end of the apron. At the end of this riddle a hamper
is carried, into which it delivers the potatoes. In some instances I may have a very
coarse riddle above and a finer riddle below sloping in the reverse direction, and a
second hamper below this riddle to take the smaller sized potatoes. The riddles are
driven preferably by an excentric or crank on the main shaft and are suspended
preferably on springs. If there be two hampers the hamper below the apron is
shielded by an oblique shield a little below the apron so that any dirt which would
otherwise fall into the hamper through the bars of the apron is carried away. A
third wheel is usually placed at the tail end so as to support the weight of the riddles,
hampers, etc. or in place of a single wheel a pair of wheels on the same axle or on
separate axles at some distance apart can be used. In such case the axis of the trailing
wheel or wheels can be made so that it can be run oblique to that of the four wheels,
so as to go round curves. As a rule however curves are not required and hence this
method of allowing for curvature is not always necessary, but is desirable.
Dated the 26th day of November 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & CO.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Digging and Separating Potatoes
and the like.
I, ROBERT BATTERSBY, of Pimbo Lane, near Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Farmer, 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:-
This invention has for its object a potato digging machine, which shall not merely

page_text: dig the potatoes, but riddle them, sort them if desirable, and deliver them into
hampers.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of my improved apparatus;
Figure 2 a plan; and
Figure 3 a side elevation thereof.
I use any kind of digging or ploughing device now at present in use in potato
diggers, which delivers the potato's, dirt, etcetera on to an oblique endless apron formed
with two or more chains and cross bars. These ploughing devices may consist of the
plough-share D, a grid E which may be carried by the share or supported separately,
and which is curved as shown so as to retain the potatoes after being dug up by the
share, and a wheel C of forks or prongs revolving at right angles in the direction in
which the machine is travelling. Instead of scattering the potatoes about the surface
of the field in the usual manner, the digging or ploughing devices deliver the
potatoes, dirt, etcetera, on to the oblique endless apron F formed with two chains G
and cross bars H, some of which are raised a little above the others as at h to prevent
the possibility of the material rolling back again, a portion of the chain being broken
away in Figure 1 of the drawings to show these raised bars. This endless
travelling apron partially riddles the material, and the remainder is thrown on to an
inclined reciprocating riddle I, suspended immediately below the delivery end of the
apron. At the end of this riddle a hamper J is carried into which the potatoes are
delivered as shown. In some instances I may have a very coarse riddle above and a
finer riddle below sloping in the reverse direction and a second hamper below this
riddle to take the smallest sized potatoes so as to sort the potatoes and separate the
large and small. The riddles are driven preferably by an eccentric K or crank device
from the main shaft B by means of rod L, and a bevel gearing M, and the endless
apron F is preferably driven by means of sprocket wheels N and chain O, but any
other equivalent mechanism may be employed. A are the main wheels of the
machine and a third wheel P is usually used so as to support the weight of the
riddles, hampers etcetera, or in place of a single wheel a pair of wheels on the same
axle or on separate axles at some distance apart may be used. In such case the axis
of the wheel P can be made so that it can run oblique to that of the four wheels in
order to go round curves. As a rule however curves are not required, and hence this
method of allowing for curvature is not always necessary.
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 improvement in digging and separating potatoes or the like, which consists
in digging or ploughing them from the earth, delivering them after being dug or
ploughed onto an oblique endless travelling apron where they are riddled, throwing
them on to one or more inclined reciprocating riddles immediately below the delivery
end of the apron, where they are further riddled and (or) sorted, and finally delivering
into hampers, the successive steps of ploughing, riddling, second riddling, sorting and
delivering into hampers, being carried out automatically without hand manipulation,
substantially as described. .
2. A potato digging and separating machine which shall not merely dig the potatoes
but riddle them and sort them into hampers, comprising a digging or ploughing
device, an oblique endless travelling apron or riddle, on to which the potatoes, dirt
etcetera are delivered automatically by the digging device, one or more reciprocating
riddles below the delivery end of the apron for further freeing the potatoes from dirt,
and if desired sorting them in sizes, and one or more hampers or the like into which
the potatoes are finally delivered, substantially as described.
3. In a machine for digging and separating potatoes or the like, the use of an
oblique travelling apron for riddling the potatoes and freeing them from the
surrounding earth, substantially as described.

page_text: 4. In a machine for digging and separating potatoes and the like having an endless
travelling apron or riddle, a digging or ploughing device consisting of a plough
share D, a curved grid which may be carried by the share or supported separately,
and adapted to retain or hold the potatoes after being dug up, and a rotary wheel C
of prongs or forks which delivers the potatoes on to an oblique endless apron or riddle,
for riddling purposes, substantially as described.
5. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved potato digging or separating apparatus taken as a whole, whereby the
potatoes are not only dug, but riddled, sorted and delivered into hampers,
substantially as described.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.