IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES APPLICABLE, FOR DIGGING POTATOES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES HOLT of Dunham Massey in the county of Chester Builder do hereby
'declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES
APPLICABLE, FOR DIGGING POTATOES " to be as follows:-
Ui
This invention consists of an apparatus by which the tops are cut off and cast. to
one side, the potato-hills dug up, riddled and the potatoes left lying in a long row
riddled clean.
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It consists 1st, in one or more stout wedge or plough shaped forward. projecting
fingers, which raise the stalks or tops into a more vertical. position, when they are
fallen down, and which are followed or accompanied by a rotary or other knife
which shears them off close to the roots. The continued slope of the fingers acts as
a mould board and ploughs them to one side where they are deposited clear of the
potato ridge or line of hills to be dug.
2nd. In a plough or scoop which can be raised or lowered and the height thereof
exactly regulated by a screw or rack and pinion and a handle or hand wheel
arranged conveniently for use by the driver or attendant. This plough or scoop
scoops up the potatoes and earth of the potato ridge or hill and delivers them into
the mechanism described in the third part of my invention. I sometime perforate
the plough.
0: trist
1.
3rd. In a conical 'drum; screen, or riddle made to rotate by gearing from the
main axle; and set at an angle oblique with the main axis of the machine; the lip
of this conical drum is contracted and forms a shorter reverse cone. The potatoes
and dirt, delivered by the plough or scoop are prevented from falling out by this
shorter cone, and said cone delivers them into the main cone or, drum. In this
latter cone I place one. or more perforated screw blades riveted or otherwise: fixed
to the larger conical drum internally; these blades, assist in riddling, the inass and
cause the potatoes to travel onward to the smaller end of the conical drum where
they are delivered in a long row clear outside of the track that the wheel of the
machine, would take in the, next journey. The small dirt falls out through the
meshes of the conical riddle. The oblique direction of the axis of the drum
pointing backwards and sideways aids the onward motion of the potatoes.
. P
It will be seen that the potato topping apparatus and the digging apparatus are
placed one immediately before the other in the same frame but it is obvious that
they could be put in separate frames or entirely in distinct machines without
departing from the principles of my invention though such division would entail
double duty by requiring two sets of draft animals and driver in place of one set,
so is such division not as a rule to be. commended, and I only mention it to prevent
others thus getting round my invention, the principle being the same whether the
machine be divided or not..
I

page_text: I, JAMES HOLT, of Dunham Massey, in the county of Chester, Builder, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES
APPLICABLE FOR DIGGING POTATOES" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
. The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for digging potatoes or
other roots by means of which the tops are cut off and cast to one side, the ridges
dug up and riddled, and the roots or potatoes deposited together in heaps or
preferably in rows, free from the loose soil and ready to be gathered and taken
away.
:
It is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings :—
Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus.
Figure 2 plan view of same, partly in section, with some of the parts which are
removed shown in dotted lines.
Figure 3 is an enlarged plan, partly in section, shewing the cutter and driving
mechanism therefor.
Figure 4 side elevation of same.
Figure 5 front elevation of same partly in section.
Figure 6 enlarged front elevation of chain wheel which conveys motion to the
main driving shaft I.
Figure 7 sectional elevation of same.
Figure 8 side elevation of guide H and guide plate Q.
Figure 9 plan of same.
Figure 10 sectional elevation on line x, x Figure 9.
A is a strong framework of wood or metal carrying a revolving conical drum or
cage B, into which the potatoes as they are dug are raised and riddled or cleaned.
In front of the mouth of the drum B is placed a scoop C with a projecting lip or
share c which enters the ridge in which the potatoes are growing, and collects the
roots and mould, all being forced by the travelling movement of the machine up
into the revolving drum B. The scoop C is held in position laterally by two arms
or rods D pivoted to it at d and to the frame A at d. It is supported from the
top by the rod E which is pivoted to the lever E¹. E' is a rod or shaft running
transversely across the machine carried in brackets e' upon which the lever E' is
pivoted, and which carries the weight of the scoop C. The scoop C is raised or
lowered by means of the lever E³, the handle of which moves in a guide or
quadrant.e¹. The rod E is divided in two, and joined with an adjusting coupling
device e provided internally with a right and left hand screw, one at each end, into
which correspondingly cut screws on the ends of the rod fit. This device enables
me to adjust to a nicety the height of the scoop C. Radial bars C2 C3 are also
mounted or fixed on the top of the scoop C to assist in keeping the scoop in
position during the digging operation and are made to pass through bosses c³ ³
formed on the plate Cattached to the framework. In each radial arm C C³ are a
number of holes through which a pin c passes for holding the scoop to the
required height and thus taking all strain off the rod E and its adjustable coupling
device e and at the same time preventing the lip or share c entering too deeply
into the ridge.
_
The revolving conical cage B is formed preferably of a number of laths or thin
pieces preferably of iron b placed circumferentially round it. The fore part or

page_text: lip C¹ of the conical drum is contracted, and forms a shorter reverse cone, and the
drum B is made to revolve clear of the scoop C. The potatoes and dirt delivered
by the scoop C are prevented falling out by this shorter cone C', which delivers
them into the main cone. Through it longitudinally runs a three bladed archi-
medean screw B¹ though it may have a more or less number of blades, these blades
are formed of a number of thin flat round or half round bars or laths b' placed at
convenient distances apart to allow the dirt to pass through the spaces into the
main cone whilst the potatoes are being passed to the rear end of the cage. The
laths b are attached to the circumference of the screws where they come in contact,
and to three or more longitudinal stays 62 on the circumference of the cone. I have
found that it is best not to let the internal screw project much for the first eight or
pine inches from the lip as if it does so project it has a tendency to stop the
material from entering the screw. The central axis B2 of the cage runs nearlý
horizontally though it is raised or lowered at its front end as the scoop C is raised
and lowered, the bearing bª being fixed to the scoop as shewn. The rear end of
the thaft B³ is carried in a bearing bª suspended by a bracket from the frame A.
A universal joint or coupling 65 of the form shewn, or any other convenient
form, is attached to the shaft at this end to allow of the raising and lowering
movement at the front end. The cage B is set diagonally in the frame A as shown
in the plan view, Figure 2 so as to deliver the potatoes clear of the ridge from
which they have been dug.
G is a revolving cutter placed at the side of the machine for the purpose of
cutting off the tops from the potatoes before the digging or uprooting process. takes
place, this cutter is attached to and revolves with a shaft g. It is placed over a
guide H of V-shape which raises and gathers the tops together and holds them
firm while the revolving cutter lops them off. This guide H is provided with the
partially rounded ends h h¹ for raising the haulms or tops from the ground and
carrying them up the incliné h² on to the flat V part h³ of the guide. This guide
can be of any convenient form so as to throw the tops behind the machine or in
other position as desired. A fence h' is also provided for preventing the haulms or
tops falling into or becoming entangled with the bevel gearing N¹ through a slot
or opening in the fence h the cutter G is made to pass. Motion is conveyed to
the main driving shaft I by chains J J¹ from a wheel k k¹ on the axle, of the
wheels K K¹, the chains connect with wheels L L' on the shaft I.
.
The chain wheels kk revolve loosely on the axles of the wheels K, K¹, and
internal ratchet wheels k³ ³ are formed on the wheel kk' into which spring
pawls kengage; these pawls k are carried in the ends or sockets of levers ko keyed
onto the bosses k of the wheels K K¹ from which motion is conveyed to the chain
wheels kk' through the lever k6 and pawl k. By this arrangement whenever the
forward motion of one or both of the wheels K K' is reversed, the pawl becomes
disengaged from the ratchet teeth and ceases to convey motion to the chain wheels'
and thereby permits of the machine being reversed without disturbing the cage or
cutter. When preferred instead of the lever k carrying the pawl ka disc or plate
keyed to the boss k7 and made to cover the ratchet wheel may be employed, and
on this plate or disc may be mounted one or more spring pawls made to engagé
with the teeth of the ratchet.
The wheels L L¹ run loose on the shaft I and are connected with clutches M M'
keyed to and sliding on the shaft I. These clutches are thrown into and out of
gear by the levers m m¹ actuated by the handle m³. Motion is conveyed from the
driving shaft I to the cage B through the bevelled skew gearing N, and to the
cutter G through the bevelled gearing N¹. The shaft I is shewn as one piece
driven at both ends, but if found more convenient it may be made in two, one part
driving the cage B receiving motion through the chain J, and the other part driving
the cutter G receiving motion through the chain J¹. Clutches to each part may be
used as described or the one sliding on each end of the shaft may be actuated
separately, so that one may be in gear while the other is out of gear. P P1 are
shares for removing the dirt or clay from the front of the cage, so as to prevent aš

page_text: little as possible of it coming in contact with the scoop C these shares extend
sufficiently far to make a levelled place for the deposit of the potatoes from the back
of the cage. P enters the first and deepest into the soil, and removes a portion
away, whilst P¹ is attached to the projecting lip c, and aids it in entering the ridge,
and digging the potatoes. Q is another guide plate to remove the tops when cut
by the cutter G and is hinged to the guide H at q¹. The wheel q² is employed for
supporting the plate Q and preventing it dragging on the ground. Ŕ are the
shafts and S and S¹ are steadying wheels, these should be made adjustable as
regards height so as to regulate the depth to which the scoop shall cut. A seat for
the driver may be provided if required and when a seat is provided the levers Es
and m may be turned upwards.
At the rear end of the cage is provided a fixed semicircular delivery board or
plate T, a portion of the lower part is cut away in L form to admit of a piece of
india rubber or other flexible material t being attached to it. This piece t dropps
onto the ground from the delivery board T and adjusts itself to any unevenners of
the ground. The delivery board is fixed to the framing by suitable brackets or
supports.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
It is drawn by one or more horses or other draught animals yoked to it in the
usual manner.
The scoop C engages with the ridge of potatoes to be unearthed,
and raises the roots and mould which fall into the narrow cone C' at the front of
the cage.
These are then caught by the screw-blades and passed to the rear of the
cage the clay and mould being broken fine with the revolving action of the cage
falls out between the laths, and the potatoes riddled clean are delivered in a long
row clear of the track that the wheel of the machine will take. The oblique
direction of the axis aids the outward motion of the potatoes. At the same time
and concurrently with the operation just described the stalks and tops of the
potatoes in the next ridge are collected together by the V-shaped guide H cut off
by the cutter G and deposited clear of the track by the guide plate Q.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. The manufacture and use of machines for digging potatoes or other roots
in which the roots are unearthed by an adjustable plough or scoop passed into a
revolving conical riddle set obliquely to the line of motion of the machine and
discharged to one side so as to be clear of the wheels of the machine in its
succeeding course substantially as described.
2nd. In a machine for digging potatoes and other roots the combination of the
revolving conical riddling cage set obliquely to the axis with an adjustable scoop
or plough fitted thereto and having its cutting edge facing in the direction of
motion of the machine, substantially as described.
3rd. The combination with a conical drum formed of laths for riddling potatoes
and other roots when unearthed, of the archimedean screw B¹ fitted internally and
constructed substantially as described, and a short conical mouth or lip such as C¹.
L 4th. The combination with the riddling cage B and the unearthing scoop C, of
the mould board or share P or P¹, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5th. The combination with the riddling cage B and the adjustable unearthing
scoop C, of the shaft B2 carried in bearings 61 b4 and the universal joint or
coupling 65 substantially as and for the purposes described.
6th. The combination with a machine for digging potatoes or other roots, of a
cutting apparatus placed at the side of the machine in such position as to remove
the tops from the next row, substantially as described.
7th. The combination of mechanism for conveying motion from the main shaft
to the shaft I substantially as described and shown.
8th. In combination with a potato-digger a side apparatus such as described for
cutting the haulms or tops of the next row to be dug while digging a row already

page_text: stripped of potatoes also the wing Q for throwing the haulms onto the dug part all
substantially as and for the purposes described.
9th. The combination with a machine for digging potatoes of a fixed semi-
circular delivery board or plate T for delivering the potatoes as they pass from the
cage clear of the track the wheels will take during their next journey substantially
as described.
10th. The combination with a revolving cage or drum B of a fixed semi-circular
delivery board or plate T and its flexible part t, substantially as described:
Dated this 1st day of October 100+.
WM P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
WP. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.