An Implement for Weeding and for Earthing-up Root-orops.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 10th Oct.. 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
An Implement for Weeding and for Earthing-up Root-orops.
I, STANISLAW KULESZA, of Skorzewo, County of Stopnica, Government of
Kielce, Russia, Landlord, 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 which this invention relates to, is shewn in the-accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a ground-plan.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
It is composed of a metal frame, formed of a beam a and a body bb, all the parts.
being adapted to the said frame namely:-
(1.) Three coulters, one of which m is in front and secured to the beam. thus
keeping always in the middle of the strip of earth which is being worked or
operated upun; by the help of a suitable device, this coulter can be raised or
lowered at will. The two other coulters nn which aro lateral and 'aro fixed on the
body bb of the implement and provided, like the first, with an adjusting apparatus,.
may also, by means of the sliding-boxes o c, and a binding-screw, be removed' and
fixed on the cross-bar at such distances as may be deemed necessary.
(2.) Behind the body are two curved rods kk, the lower ends of which form the
bed of the rear axle o of the implement and the upper ends are extended and sorre
as a support for the handles pp.
On this axle-tree o are hermetically fixed, at its contre, a raking apparatus i,
formed of three curved scoops e, and at the sides two disca d, d that is to say two.
disc-wheels. In this way, the implement being in motion, the two rear wheels,
rolling on the surface of the ground, set the raking apparatus in motion. The
wheels are of disc formation for the purpose of preventing the soil and the torn-up
weeds, amassed between them from being thrown outwards on to the neighbouring
beds. To avoid any slipping the rims of the wheels are furnished with iron spikes.
The wheels d d may be taken off and re-fixed at a distance of 30 to 50 centimetres
as may be necessary, by simply taking out the pins and replacing them, at the
required distance, in openings made for this purpose along the axle tree at intervals.
of 1 centimetre.
(3.) The beam is branched at its rear extremity to embrace the front wheel !,
which like the conlters, may be placed at the desired height by means of two
vertical strips pierced with holes and fixed at the two sides.
(4.) Fixed to the beam at a, by a hinge, are the two handles pp, of the
implement. Their construction is similar to that usually adopted in agricultural
impletnents, with this difference that they aro attached to the beam by hinges and
may be raised or lowered at will, by means of binding screws y y by the help of
which the handles are fixed, at the desired point, to the rods kk which rest on the
body of the implement, the extension of these rods below the body forms the bed
of the rear axle-tree.
The implement above-described, offers the following advantages:-
1. It renders the soil friable to a depth of from 2 to 10 centimetres, totally
eradicates the weeds and by virtue of the raking apparatus, does away with all
the serious inconveniences resulting from the clogging of coultere, for instance,
the necessity of frequent stoppages to dieengage the implement, which at every few
steps becomes obstructed under the old system. The rapidity and perfection of
the work effected by my weeder renders the use of the hoe quite superfluous.

page_text: 2. By the uso of my implement, the weeds are not piled up in little heaps:
they are thrown regularly and evenly into the furrow where they dry or rot, so
that it is not necessary to rake them together afterwards and carry them out of
the field as is the case when other kinds of weeding implements are employed
which throw the weeds on to the beds.
3. The rear wheel-discs in moving after having been suitably placed at the
distance of 2 centimetres from the neighbouring plants, completely protect the
latter from the scattered earth.
4. The same implement, if a mould-board is substituted for the coulters, will
also serve to earth-up root-crops. In this use of the implement, the protecting
disc-wheels prevent the plants from being covered with the soil.
5. Without particularly referring to forago beet-roots, carrots, potatoes, beans,
maize and such like crops, my implement is of very great use in the cultivation of
beet-root for sugar making, entirely doing away with all necessity of hand-
weeding, as well as earthing up of the crops by the hoe. It also enables beet root
to be grown where, for lack of sufficient hauds, it has hitherto been impossible to
cultivate it properly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is
A weeding implement, for use in the cultivation and eartbing-up of root-crops,
distinguished by a raking apparatus i with revolving scoops e which can be fixed
at various distances, three or more coulters, one of which m is in front and of
variable depth, the others n behind and changeable as regards both their depth
and distance from each other; two rods kk and two handles pp completing the
implement, the whole substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Dated the 22nd day of August 1896.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, A.M.I.C.E., M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.