IMPROVEMENTS, IN AGRICULTURAL APPARATUS FOR SPACING: AND DIGGING ROOTS."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hanson, of the Bush, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Farmer and Land Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS,
IN AGRICULTURAL APPARATUS FOR SPACING: AND DIGGING ROOTS."
IN AGRICULTURAL APPARATUS FOR SPACING: AND DIGGING ROOTS."
Sealed the 18th February 1868, and dated the 24th August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by the said John Hanson at the
Offices of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
...24th August 1867.
I, JOHN HANSON, of the Bush, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Farmer'
and Land Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL APPARATUS FOR SPACING AND DIGGING ROOTS,"
to be as follows, that is to say:-
I This, Invention. relates to certain improvements upon or additions to
agricultural apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to the present applicant, and dated 30th July 1855 (No. 1732)
för "Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Digging Potatoes." The
said apparatus for digging potatoes may be briefly described as consisting of a
light frame mounted on a pair of spiked wheels, the axle of which drives a
horizontal shaft 'disposed longitudinally at right angles to the axle, such longi-
tudinal shaft projecting at the back of the frame, and having on its projecting
end a series of forks. When the machine is drawn by a horse or horses along
a drill of potatoes the forks rotate across the drill and throw out the potatoes.

page_text: The present Invention consists, firstly, in providing for driving the longi-
tudinal shaft at either of two different speeds relatively to the progressive rate
of the machine by fitting the axle with two bevil pinions of different sizes in
gear with corresponding bevil wheels. on the longitudinal shaft, and with a
common engaging and disengaging clutch to admit of 'either pinion being
thrown into gear as required; or the-two speeds can be obtained by means of
other well known equivalent gearing.
The Invention consists, secondly, in arranging the machine for spacing
turnips or other roots by removing the potatoe digging forks and plough piece
used beneath these forks, and by fixing on the end of the longitudinal shaft a
series of hoes, and attaching to the frame a pair of coulters, one on each side.
Handles or lever arms are also attached to the frame so as to project out
behind to enable an attendant to raise the back of the machine, and thus lift
the hoes more or less out of the earth when he sees that any part of the drill
he is passing over is too thin to require the "spacing" or removing of any of
the roots. When using the machine in this way the small wheels in front, with
which the machine is ordinarily, provided, are, turned up to allow of the tilting
of the machine. Various sets of hoes or similar implements are provided with
the tools spaced apart differently in each set, so that on each occasion that set
of hoes can be selected and fixed on the shaft, which will produce the spacing
considered to be best adapted to the roots to be operated upon.
These improvements or additions involve very little increase in the cost of
the apparatus, as compared with that of the 'simple 'potato digger, whilst its
utility and value on the farm for the purposes indicated is 'very much
increased..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed'
by the said Jolin Hanson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd February 1868.
j
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HANSON, of the Bush, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Farmer and Land
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred, and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Hanson, Her special licence that I, the said John Hanson,
.

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Hanson, my executors, administrators, and. assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make; use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AGRICULTURAL APPARATUS FOR SPACING AND DIGGING ROOTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Hanson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hauson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be pér-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say:
My said Invention relates to certain improvements upon or additions to
agricultural apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to me, and dated 30th July 1855' (No. 1732); for "Improve-
ments in Machinery or Apparatus for Digging Potatoes."
My said apparatus for digging potatoes may be briefly described as con-
sisting of a light frame. mounted on a pair of spiked wheels, the axle of which
drives a horizontal shaft disposed' longitudinally at right angles to the axle,
such longitudinal shaft projecting at the back of the frame, and having on its
projecting end a series of forks. When the machine is drawn by a horse or
horses along a drill of potatoes the forks rotate across the drill and throw out.
the potatoes.
My present Invention .consists in providing for driving the longitudinal
shaft at either of two different speeds, and in arranging or adapting the
machine for spacing turnips or other roots by removing the potatoe digging
forks and plough piece used beneath these forks, and by fixing on-the end of
the longitudinal shaft à series of hoes and attaching to the frame a pair of
couliers, one on each side.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, may be properly understood I have hereunto appended a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing my
digging and spacing apparatus as arranged for spacing turnips.

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan of the machine, partly in horizontal section; Figure 2 is
a back end elevation, and Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical.section. The same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts in all the Figures.
Such parts of the machine as remain 'the same as in the original machine
described in my earlier Specification berein-before referred to will not require
to be described on the present occasion, nor to be referred to further than is
necessary in explaining my present improvements and additions. The machine
is represented as provided with doublé gearing, so that the longitudinal shaft 1
..can be made to rotate in either direction, and so as to throw out the potatoes
or other roots to either side of the drill without reference to the direction in
which the machine may be progressing. The machine.may however be made
with single gearing when it is wished to make it as light as' possible.
The longitudinal shaft 1 is carried in bearings 2, 3,. one fixed to the back
end cros 4 of the framing, and the other attached to a central longi-
tudinal frame bar 5 fixed on the back end cross bar 4, and on a cross bar 6
towards the front of the machine. The shaft I has loose on it two bevel
pinions 7, 8, and a clutch 9 between' them can be put into gear with either
pinion and turns the shaft by means of a groove and key. The clutch 9 is
adjusted by a lever 10 carried by the frame bar 5, or in any other convenient
way. The pinions 7, 8, gear with bevil wheels 11, 12, upon the axle 13 of
the carrying wheels 14. These bevil wheels 11, 12, are cast in one piece,
which is fixed on a 'tubular shaft 15, and on the same tubular shaft is also
fixed a piece comprising two similar bevil wheels. 11', 121, facing the others.
The tubular shaft 15 is turned by the axle by means of a groove and key, but
it can be shifted across by a clutch lever 16 so as to put either set of bevil
wheels into gear with the pinions 7, 8; it is by this lever 16 that the direction
of rotation of the longitudinal shaft 1 is determined. When the outer pinion 7
is put into gear the longitudinal shaft 1 is driven at a quick speed, suitable for
potatoe digging; but a slower speed suitable for spacing turnips and the like
is obtained by putting the inner pinion 8 into gear. On the back end of the
longitudinal shaft 1 there is fixed a disc 17 formed with bolt holes for the
attachment of digging forks or hoes; it is shown as having bolted to it a set
of four hoes 18, but various numbers may be used, and also different discs (17)
to suit whatever spacing may be required. Hoes of different breadths may also
be fitted to the disc accordingly as it is wished to clear out larger or smaller
spaces, so that on each occasion of using the machine that set of hoes can be
selected and fixed on the shaft 1 which will produce the spacing considered to be
best adapted to the roots to be operated upon. Handles 19 are attached to the
back end of the frame to enable an attendant to raise the back of the machine,

page_text: and thus lift the hoes 18 more or less out of the earth when he sees that any
part of the drill be is passing over is too thin to require the spacing or removing
of any of the roots. A guard rod 20 is fixed to the frame of the handles 19
so as to extend over the revolving hoes and to prevent the reins from being
caught by them. When using the machine in this way the small wheels 21
in front, with which the machine is ordinarily provided, are turned up to allow
of the tilting of the machine. Two paring coulters 22 are fixed to the trans-
verse frame bar 4 for the purpose of paring or slicing the sides of the drill and
reducing it to a width of about six inches. I prefer to have the coulters 22
made with small mouldboards, as shown.
These improvements or additions involve very little increase in the cost
of the apparatus as compared with that of the simple potatoe digger, whilst
its utility and value on the farm for the purposes indicated is very much
increased.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict.
myself to the precise details berein described or delineated; but that what I
believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the constructing of agri-
cultural, apparatus for spacing and digging roots substantially in the improved
manner herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hanson, have hereunto set my hand
, and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.