IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TOPPING AND TAILING TURNIPS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hunter, of Maybole, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, Agricultural Implement Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR TOPPING AND TAILING TURNIPS."
Sealed the 15th October 1878, and dated the 18th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hunter at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1878.
THOMAS HUNTER, of Maybole, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Agricultural
Implement Maker.
TURNIPS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TOPPING AND TAILING
This Invention has for its objects to simplify and improve turnip topping and
tailing apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to the present applicant, and Numbered 4234, of 1875.
The machine described in the said earlier Specification was mounted on wheels
and constructed for operating simultaneously on two drills of turnips, but in
carrying out the present Invention according to one modification a light and
inexpensive machine is made for a single drill, and the frame of it is made with
flat bearing bars or slides to slide along each side of the drill, such slides keeping
the machine in a more nearly level and uniform position than wheels, which are
apt to descend into comparatively small hollows, and to ride up over comparatively
small obstructions.
The frame is provided with a cross bar at the front with a number of holes, so
that the draught chain or chains from a single horse which proceeds along the
furrow beside the drill that is being operated on may be connected to the frame
in different positions to adapt the line of draught to different configurations of the
ground.

page_text: At the front of the frame there is adjustably attached a vertical bar having its
lower end forked, and curved horns are formed at the ends of the prongs so as to
project forward, and by passing one on each side of the turnips act as guides.
The prongs of the forked vertical bar have also formed or fixed on their ends
transverse horizontal studs or short bars projecting outwards, and on these are
centered two cutting bars extending backwards, their back ends being capable of
rising and falling to adapt them to the different sizes or heights of the turnips.
The cutting bars have saw blades fixed on their after parts, and they have also
strong blade or other springs applied to them to cause them to bear on each side
with sufficient force for the topping operation.
For full sized turnips the saw blades are fixed on the upper sides of the cutter
bars, so that the under edge of the bars by riding on the sides of the turnips may
guide the saw blades into the proper position for the cut.
In some cases, where the shaws, require to be cut more closely, the cutter bars
may be turned over so as to have the saw blades on their under sides.
The back ends of the cutter bars have chains connected to them, these chains
proceeding backwards to a single chain by which the attendant worker can raise
or move the cutter bars when necessary.
For the tailing operation a vertical bar adjustably fixed at the back end of the
frame has its bottom end curved forward, and there is formed on or attached to it
a cutting blade curved and shaped to correspond with the under side of the turnip,
and this blade passes under the turnips and cuts off the roots as the machine pro-
gresses, the turnips being turned over to one side or the other by the vertical bar.
By another modification a machine for operating on two drills is made by
attaching two small machines of the kind herein-before described to a frame on
wheels, such as is described in the earlier Specification herein-before referred to.