Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
I, THOMAS SOUTAR BISSET, of the Firm of J. Bisset and Sons, Agricultural
Implement Makers, Blairgowrie, in the County of Perth, North Britain, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation of
potato diggers so as to render such apparatus less liable to bruise the potatoes than
existing potato diggers and also to reduce the draught and to avoid entanglement
with shaws.
The potato digger is made with the framing, carrying wheels, and horizontal
shovel or sock all constructed in the ordinary manner, my improvements consisting
as hereinafter described in the placing of the shaft of the rotating separator in a
more or less inclined position sloping backwards and downwards, and in the form
given to the prongs of the separator.
In carrying out my invention the rotating separator is fixed on the lower end of a
shaft sloping backwards and downwards at an angle of about forty five degrees, and
carried in a bracket bearing fixed to the main framing.
The prongs of the rotating separator are shaped and curved so as together to
present a disk like form concave on its under side at the central part but curved the
other way at the outer part; and in passing round through their most forward
position, their ends are preferably alternately close behind, and a few inches from
the sock which passes under the earth and potatoes. The ends of the prongs thus
present a forward direction and nearly horizontal position to the earth and potatoes
as they come from the sock, instead of a nearly vertical position as in other
diggers.
The backwardly inclined shaft may be driven in various ways from the main axle,
for example, by a pitch chain and bevil wheels, by bevil wheels only, by spur and
bevil wheels, or by universal joints combined with either.
The prongs of the rotating separator which are attached to and operate on the
upper side of the disk from their position and shape tend to left and throw out the
potatoes and separate them from the earth in a comparatively gentle but very
effectual manner. Entering under the potatoes they lift them out of the earth
instead of their being violently thrown out by the broadside blow given by the forks
of other diggers.
Dated this Fourteenth day of Mar 1806
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: We, GEORGE SOUTAR BISSET, of Ellenbank, Rattray, Blairgowrie, Merchant,
JOHN BISSET, Sometime Agent of the Bank of Scotland, Greenock, now Cashier of
the Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh, and JOHN BAILLIE MILLER, Solicitor, Blairgowrie,
Trustees and Executors of the Applicant, THOMAS SOUTAR BISSET, who died on the
28th August 1896, formerly of the Firm of J. Bisset and Sons, Agricultural Implement
Makers, Blairgowrie, 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 :-
The said invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation of
potato diggers so as to render such apparatus less liable to bruise the potatoes than
existing potato diggers; and also to reduce the draught and to avoid entanglement
with shaws.
The potato digger is made with the framing, carrying wheels, and horizontal shovel
or sock all constructed in the ordinary manner, the improvements consisting as herein-
after described in the form given to the prongs of the separator, the shaft of which
is in a more or less inclined position sloping backwards and downwards.
And in order that the said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings on which
Figure, 1, is a plan, and Figure, 2, a side elevation showing the improved potato
digger.
As shown in the drawings the framing, A, carrying wheels, B, and horizontal
shovel or sock, C, are all constructed in the ordinary manner; and in carrying out
the invention the prongs, D, of the rotating separator are attached to the upper side
of a conical disk, E, which is fixed on the lower end of a shaft sloping backwards
and downwards at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and carried in a tubular
bracket bearing, F, the lower end of which is shaped so as to form a cover, G, for
the conical disk, E.
The prongs, D, of the rotating separator are shaped and curved so as together to
present a disk like form concave on its under side at the central part but curved the
other way at the outer part; and in passing round through their most forward
position, their ends are preferably alternately close behind and a few inches from the
sock, C, which passes under the earth and potatoes. The ends of the prongs, D,
thus present a forward direction and nearly horizontal position to the earth and
potatoes as they come from the sock, C, instead of a nearly vertical position as in
other diggers.
The backwardly inclined shaft carried in the tubular bearing, F, is driven from
the main axle, H, by bevil wheels and a second shaft all enclosed and carried by a
tubular bearing bracket, J; or the backwardly inclined shaft may be driven in
various other ways from the main axle, H, for example, by a pitch chain and bevil
wheels, by spur and bevil wheels combined with a shaft or by universal joints
combined with either.
The prongs,
D, of the rotating separator which are attached to and operate on the
upper side of the disk, E, from their position and shape tend to lift and throw out
the potatoes and separate them from the earth in a comparatively gentle but very
effectual manner. Entering under the potatoes they lift them out of the earth
instead of their being violently thrown out by the broadside blow given by the
forks of other diggers.

page_text: 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 potato digger having a rotating separator at its after end, fixing the separator
on the lower end of a shaft inclined backwards and downwards, the separator prongs
being disposed and shaped substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in
the accompanying drawings.
Datad this Twelfth day of Wahun 1907
EDMUND HUNT,
Agent for the Executors of the Applicant.