Improvements in Potato Diggers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
DIONAL DI MUIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato Diggers.
I, WILLIAM WILSON, of Bedford Foundry, Leigh in the County of Lancaster,
Managing Director do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object Improvements in Potato Diggers and consists
firstly in the rotating fork or digger, secondly in the screen or scratch against
which the potatoes are thrown by the aforesaid rotating fork and thirdly in an
interchangeable gear for varying or controlling the speed of the said fork.
I attach the forks to the hub by a pivot and the free end acting against or
working in connection with a spring to serve as a cushion in the digging and
delivering operation and to prevent injury to the potatoes.
They are screened and delivered by a scratch having radial spokes connected
to a bar from the frame by an adjustable link and is capable of being under the
driver's control.
Instead of radial bars I may use suspended ropes or chains or a series of links
connected together to serve as a scratch or screen.
To adapt the speed of the forks to the land the fork axis can be provided with
suitable auxiliary gear on a side shaft gearing with corresponding varying sized
wheels on the axis so that the fork can be driven direct or at a quicker or a slower
speed as desired by the actuation of a clutch in reach of the driver.
Dated this 25th day of July 1893.
WILLIAM WILSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Potato Diggers.
1, WILLIAM WILSON of Bedford Foundry, Leigh, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer 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:―
This invention has for its object Improvements in Potato Diggers and relates
more particularly to that class of machine where a rotating fork is arranged at or
approaching right angles to the main axle for throwing the earth and potatoes on
to the one side and to so screen the earth from the potatoes that they are left clear
to be gathered.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood I will refer to the
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan. a. a. are the road wheels and
bb the frame the front portion being provided with a tilting lever c on the
axis C which is connected at the other end to the pole by the lever d and
link e.
The movement of the levers and the relative angle of the frame when
out of work is indicated by the dotted lines.
The pole is hinged at ff. to the frame the draught being taken from under
the axles by the links and rods 9. The bevil wheel drives a pinion on the
shaft which is provided with a disc k to which are bolted the rotating dished
forks serving to throw the potatoes against the radial screen m effecting a
[Price 8d.]

page_text: vibatory motion by its being supported to the adjustable arm n. A share o
attached to an arm p serves to pass under and loosen the earth and its contents
after which they are separated in the manner described.
In some condition of soil it may be necessary to run the fork faster or slower
and to accomplish this I arrange paralled to the fork shaft ja short shaft j¹ having
toothed wheels st thereon and gearing with corresponding wheels and u on the
shaft j. A clutch g works on the said shaft and by being put into gear with either
the wheels vor u will effect the necessary change.
9.
I would have it understood that I may use spokes of cane, rope or chains
hanging from a cross-tree but these are only applicable or essential where paralled
devices for screening are employed. The great advantage attained by the radial
spokes being their freedom from becoming clogged as is the case in those with
paralled spokes.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In machines for digging potatoes the employment of a screen provided
with radially arranged spokes and mounted at the one side of the machine as
shown in Fig. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
Second. The combination of a screen with radial spokes and a pole hinged to
the frame at a point in front of the axle at fas shown at Fig. 2.
Third. A lever c at the side of the machine for operating the frame bb' relative
to the pole in combination with a screen having radial arms substantially as
described.
Fourth. The taking of the draught by the rods g. g. from a point under
the axle in combination with the fork wheel and screen m substantially as
.described.
Fifth. In potato digging machines the employment of a variable speed gear, as
shown at Fig. 3 or any mere modification thereof.
Dated this o6th 1 of A1 1001
EDMUND WILSON,
Agent.