Improvements in Potato Diggers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1892
Comolete Specification Left, 21st July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato Diggers.
We, ROBERT WALLACE and JAMES WALLACE of Graham Square, Glasgow
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Agricultural Implement Makers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object to improve the construction of potato diggers to
increase their efficiency, and to render them lighter to drive, and less liable to choke
with the potato shaws.
In carrying out the invention the digger is made to a certain extent like the well
known Hanson digger, which has a longitudinal rotating shaft with a set of
radiating forks or grapes upon the back end of it. In the improved machine the
forks, grapes, or prongs for throwing out the potatoes are not fixed on the
longitudinal shaft, but are modified in form and fixed on a vertical or inclined
shaft held by brackets fixed to the digger framing, and driven from the longitudinal
shaft by bevil wheels. Vertical or nearly vertical prongs or rods, are fixed to a
a disk or boss on the vertical or inclined shaft, these prongs projecting downwards
some distance so that there is a clear space within them beneath the bottom end of
the shaft. The lower ends of the prongs move just at or near the back edge of the
sock or shovel, such edge being preferably shaped approximately to the curved
course of the prongs at the part. The sock or shovel is by preference made with
a part curved somewhat like a plough mould board.
Dated this Twenty-first day of October 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato Diggers.
We, ROBERT WALLACE, and JAMES WALLACE, of Graham Square, Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark North Britain, Agricultural Implement Makers, 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, that
is to say:
This invention has for its object to improve the construction of potato diggers, to
increase their efficiency, and to render them lighter to drive, and less liable to choke
with the potato shaws.
In carrying out the invention the digger is made, to a certain extent, like the well
known Hanson digger, which has a longitudinal rotating shaft with a set of radiating
forks or grapes upon the back end of it. In the improved machine the shaft
carrying the forks is in a vertical or inclined position and the forks are vertical or
nearly vertical in the operating position where they pass near the back edge of the
sock or shovel, such edge being preferably shaped approximately to the curved
course of the prongs at the part.
And in order that the said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood we hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and representing a potato digger as constructed with our
improvements.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a sectional plan of the digger and Figure, 2, is a
side elevation. Parts at the left-hand side of the figures which are inclined in the
side elevation are, for convenience, shown as without inclination in the plan.

page_text: In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
The digger runs on a pair of wheels, A, on an axle extending through a tubular
part, B, of the body frame of the machine. At a hollow part, C, of the frame and
shown in section in Figure, 1, a bevil wheel, D, on the axle gears with a pinion, E,
on a longitudinal shaft carried in a tubular part, F, of the frame; and this longi-
tudinal shaft by a pair of bevil wheels, G, at its back end drives a vertical or
inclined shaft, H, held in a tubular bearing in a bracket, J, bolted to the body
frame. On the lower end of the shaft, H, there is fixed a disk, K, to which are
bolted curved arms, L, made with forks, M, at their outer ends which ends are
from the curvature of the arms considerably below the disk, K, so that there is
a clear space within the forks. The implement is fitted, as usual with a sock or
shovel, N, which is of the improved form shown in the figures, its back edge
being made slightly concave and approximating to the course of the forks, M, as
they pass near it. The shaft, H, is shown as at right angles to the longitudinal
shaft it may however be inclined thereto so as to have more than a right angle at
its inner side between it and the longitudinal shaft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
In a Hanson potato digger the fixing of the rotating forks on a vertical or
inclined shaft, the said forks having curved arms and their operating ends being
below the disk on which they are fixed with a clear space within them substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twentieth day of July 1893.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.