An Implement for Removing Stones and Exterminating Poppies from Land.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1894
PROVIDIONAL DI MUTTICATION
An Implement for Removing Stones and Exterminating Poppies
from Land.
We, ALFRED JAMES SMITH Farmer of Red House Rendlesham, Woodbridge,
EDWIN NICHOL Artist, of Rendlesham_Rectory, Woodbridge, and JAMES
PROCTOR WOODS and CLEMENT WOODS, Engineers, of The Suffolk Iron Works,
Stowmarket, all in the County of Suffolk, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
A machine consisting of a continuous revolving platform running on three
centres so arranged that for the space of about 18 inches it runs parallel with the
earth; to the outside of the platform are fixed rakes with levers, with the teeth
Eo bent that having raked the ground where they run parallel to it, they rise
holding the stones in the teeth, then carry the stones over the top of the platform
and discharge them in a receiver at the back.
The rakes being very closely toothed will act as a poppy exterminator. The
whole is driven off the pair of wheels that carry it.
Dated this 9th day of October 1893.
ALFRED J. SMITH.
EDWIN NICHOL.
An Implement for Removing Stones and Exterminating Poppies
from Land.
We, ALFRED JAMES SMITH, Farmer, of Red House, Rendlesham, Woodbridge
EDWIN NICHOL, Artist, of Rendlesham Rectory, Woodbridge and JAMES
PROCTOR WOODS and CLEMENT WOODS, Engineers, of The Suffolk Iron Works,
Stowmarket, all in the County of Suffolk, 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 :—
The implement consists of a continuous revolving platform running on wheels
mounted on three centres or axles and so arranged that for the space, say, of
about 18 inches, it runs parallel or thereabouts to the earth; to the outside of the
platform are attached jointed rakes, the teeth of which are so shaped that, after
having raked the ground where they run parallel to it, they will, on rising, hold
the stones &c. in the teeth, then carry the same over the top and discharge them
into a receiver at the back.
The sets of rakes are so arranged that when one set rises from the earth, the next
immediately takes its place, thereby completely and continually raking the ground.
The rakes being close together the implement will act not only as a stone picker,
but also as a poppy exterminator.
And in order that our invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
fully to describe the same.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 is a plan of an
implement constructed according to our invention, and Fig. 3 is a side view of parts
drawn to a larger scale, and Fig. 4 is a side view showing a modification...

page_text: We will first describe the machine shown at Figs. 1, 2, 3, like parts being indicated
by similar letters of reference in all the figures.
a is the frame of the implement, to which the draught shafts or thills a' are
fixed. a a² are brackets fixed to the frame a and carrying bearings in which the
shaft is mounted. cc are the carrying and driving wheels fixed on the main axle c',
and on this latter is fixed a chain wheel c2, which, by means of a chain d, gives
motion to the shaft in the following manner.
The chain d, in addition to passing round the chain wheel c², passes round a
chain wheel e fixed on an intermediate shaft or axis e, and on this latter is
fixed a toothed wheel e, which gears into a toothed wheel fixed on the
shaft b. Tension is put on the chain d by passing it round an adjustable tension
wheel f.
On the axis b is mounted a frame g, which is capable of swivelling thereon.
This frame carries the axle gl on which are fixed chain wheels 92, and it also
carries adjustable arms g³ carrying an axle g on which are fixed tension wheels 9º.
A travelling platform consisting of chains and cross bars is mounted on the
wheels gg and on the chain wheels fixed on the axis b, and such platform
receives motion in the desired direction from the shaft rotated as hereinbefore
described. The platform h has fixed to cross bars thereof, brackets h', to which
are pinjointed sockets having fixed therein bent rakes i. Other cross bars of the
platform have stops j fixed thereto which limit the fall of the rakes i in their
downward motion and permit the rakes to lie close to the platform in their
upward motion.
The lower end of the frame g is provided with running wheels 9 carried by
arms g adjustably fixed at g' to the frame g, and such arms are, at their upper
parts, curved to the arc of a circle struck from the axis band suitably guided and
provided with toothed racks g³, to which motion is given by means of toothed
pinions k¹¹ fixed on an axis k carried by bearings on the frame a and to which
motion can be given by the handle. Thus, by rotating the axis k, the frame g
can be raised at its lower end to take the rakes clear of the ground when the
implement is travelling on a common road or being turned; the working position of
the rakes in relation to the ground is adjusted by varying the position of the
frame g in relation to the arms 9', which can be readily done by means of the con-
nections or joints 9°. A ratchet wheel ³ fixed on the axis k and a retaining
pawl mounted on the frame a serve to hold the frame 9 at any desired height.
The toothed wheel is provided with a clutch acted upon by a lever m, so that
when the implement is travelling on a common road, the gearing for driving the
travelling platform and rakes can be thrown out of gear.
n is a cage to receive the stones or weeds as they are thrown out from the rakes
when the latter commence to descend from the chain wheels g at the upper part of
the frame g.
We will now describe the modification represented at Fig. 4. In this modification
the frame g is mounted on the main axle c' of the wheels c, instead of upon the
axis of the implement shown at Figs. 1, 2, 3, and the axle c' carries a gear
wheel c, which drives a gear wheel c* fixed on an axis c' supported in brackets g
fixed to the frame g. On the axis c is also keyed the chain wheel c² working,
by the chain d, the chain wheel e', which in this modification is fixed on the
axis b* carried by the frame g. On the axis * are also fixed the chain wheels b*,
which give motion to the chains of the travelling platform, and the frame g
carries the parts y¹, g³, g³, g', y described with reference to the implement shown
at Figs. 1, 2, 3.
An adjustable tension wheel f* is carried by the frame g to put the required
tension on the chain d, and the running wheels have their carrying forks 9**
adjustably fixed in sockets 910 carried by the lower end of the frame g.
In this
modification the arms 97, racks ys and parts acting therewith are dispensed with.
The full lines in Fig. 4 show the position of the frame 7 and parts carried
thereby when the implement is at work and the dotted lines show the position of

page_text: such parts by which the teeth of the rakes will be clear of the ground when
the implement is travelling on common roads, the frame g in such case being
turned partly round the main axle c' and secured in such position as long as may
be required by a pin o connecting it with the frame a of the implement.
By the above constructions of implement the rakes, when in action, are caused to
travel for a certain distance in a plane parallel or thereabouts to the earth; they
then rise over the wheels g of the foremost axle g', and the size of these wheels is
such that whilst the rakes rise on it sufficiently to lift them out of the earth,
they do not rise so suddenly as to throw out the stones and weeds lying in the
bend of the rakes; after leaving the wheels g³, the rakes travel upwards and
backwards, and the moment they reach the top and begin to travel downward
and forward towards the parallel plane, they throw the stones into the receiver n at
the back of the implement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An implement for collecting and removing stones and exterminating poppies
from land constructed and operating substantially as herein before shown and
described.
2. An implement provided with a travelling platform fitted with bent rakes so
arranged that they shall rake the earth whilst travelling for a certain distance in a
plane parallel or thereabouts with it and shall lift the stones from the carth and
deliver them to a cage or receiver at the back of the implement, substantially in
the manner herein shown and described.
ALFRED. J. SMITH,
EDWIN NICHOL,
J. P. WOODS,
CLEMENT WOODS,
DAVA
ALFRED. J. SMITH,
EDWIN NICHOL,
J. P. WOODS,
CLEMENT WOODS,
By Harris & Milis,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.