IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIFTING POTATOES AND OTHER ROOTS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hey Harrison, of Carstairs, in the County.
of Lanark, North Britain, Potato. Merchant, for the Invention of
Sealed the 23rd August 1870, and dated the 25th February 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hey Harrison.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th February 1870.
I, GEORGE HEY HARRISON, of Carstairs, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Potato Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIFTING POTATOES AND
OTHER ROOTS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to apparatus of the kind by which potatoes
and other roots are lifted with a species of ploughing action, and the
principal object is to effect a better separation of the roots and earth so
as to materially reduce the subsequent labor of gathering the roots. The

page_text: apparatus comprises a share which cuts into the drill along under the
roots, and which in place of the ordinary plough mould board has
springing from its back part a series of rods or stout wires arranged to
resemble a skeleton mould board and designed to push the roots out
sideways whilst allowing the earth to fall through between them, but
effecting this object very imperfectly in apparatus of the kind as hitherto
constructed.
By the present Invention according to one modification the rods or
wires are at their front ends jointed or simply hooked to the share whilst
their back ends are connected by rods to a series of cranks on a shaft
made to revolve as the apparatus progresses by gearing from a wheel
running in the furrow at the other side of the apparatus. This rc-
volving crank shaft imparts reversed reciprocating motions to the several
rods or wires, and causes a very complete separation of the roots and
earth.
In another modification the revolving shaft is fitted with a series of
cams or wipers which acting on the under sides of the rods or wires lifts
them in rotation. The rods return by their own weight and the pressure
of the earth; or they may be firmly fixed at their front ends and be
made with a spring temper so as to spring back after being lifted. Just
above the share a cutting blade or coulter is arranged to cut the shaws
or above ground portions of the plants, and is inclined with its upper
end further back than its bottom end and at a little distance to the side
opposite to that on which the rods or wires are situated. A pair of
wheels are arranged in front of the share, being connected to the beam
with a lever, by adjusting which the depth of the share below the surface
can be regulated, or by which the share can be raised entirely out of the
ground when not working. The wheel which serves for driving the
crank or cam shaft is made with a rim rounded to about the shape of
the furrow, whilst projections are formed on the sides to insure the
wheel's turning when in the furrow, but which do not project radially
so far as to indent the surface when the wheel is running on level
ground.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Hey Harrison in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HEY HARRISON, of Carstairs, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Potatoe Merchant, scud greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Hey Harrison, Her special
licence that I, the said George Hey Harrison, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Hey
Harrison, 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 APPARATUS FOR LIPTING POTATOES AND OTHER ROOTS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Hey Harrison, my
executors or administrators, 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 George Hey Harrison, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and'
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to apparatus of the kind by which potatoes.
and other roots are lifted with a species of ploughing action, and the
principal object is to effect a better separation of the roots and earth,
so as to materially reduce the subsequent labor of gathering the roots..
The apparatus comprises a share which cuts into the drill along under
the roots, and which in place of the ordinary plough mould board has
springing from its back part a series of rods or stout wires arranged to

page_text: resemble a skeleton mould board and designed to push the roots out
sideways whilst allowing the earth to fall through between them, but
effecting this object very imperfectly in apparatus of the kind as hitherto
constructed.
By the present Invention according to one modification the rods or
wires are at their front ends jointed or simply hooked to the share,
whilst their back ends are connected by rods to a series of cranks on a
shaft made to revolve as the apparatus progresses by gearing from a
wheel running in the furrow at the other side of the apparatus. This
revolving crank shaft imparts reversed reciprocating motions to the
several rods or wires and causes a very complete separation of the roots
and earth.
In-another-modification-the-revolving shaft is fitted with a series of
cams or wipers, which acting on the under sides of the rods or wires
lift them in rotation. The rods return by their own weight and the
pressure of the carth, or they may be firmly fixed at their front ends
and be made with a spring temper so as to spring back after being lifted.
Just above the share a cutting blade or coulter is arranged to cut the
shaws or above ground portions of the plants, and is inclined with
its upper end further back than its bottom end and at a little distance
to the side opposite to that on which the rods or wires are situated. A
.pair of wheels are arranged in front of the share, being connected to
the beam with a lever, by adjusting which the depth of the share below
the surface can be regulated or by which the share can be raised entirely
out of the ground when not working. The wheel which serves for driving
the crank or cam shaft is made with a rim rounded to about the shape
of the furrow, whilst projections are formed on the sides to insure the
wheel's turning when in the furrow, but which do not project radially
so far as to indent the surface when the wheel is running on level
ground.
In order to shew clearly the manner in which I carry the same into
effect, I will now proceed to describe the same more fully, and with
reference to the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a side view of my apparatus; and Figure 2 is a plan of
the same. Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts.
A, A, A, A, is the general framework, which may be made of any
suitable material, to this framework the descending curved plate B is
firmly secured at the top. On the lower portion of this plate a sole

page_text: piece C is formed or fixed thereto, under this again the wearing sole
plate D proper is bolted, rivetted, or otherwise secured. The front end
of this sole plate has a recessed head E formed or fixed on it, or it may
be the back portion of the share F, or the head may have a tang or
prolongation formed on it and projecting forward, on which the share F
may be secured, which share cuts into the drill along and under the
roots; G, G, are rods, bars, or wires which spring from its back part,
and are jointed at the share end by a pin or pins a in the recesses formed
in the head E. These rods, bars, or wires are inclined upwards and
diverge as they proceed backwards, and near their back ends they are
jointed to the ends of connecting rods H, H. After passing these joints
their ends are received in a sparred framework I, where the rod ends
are kept each in its own space and at proper distances apart by means
of the spars J, J. This frame is shown in the skeleton Drawing Figure 3.
These rods, bars, or wires receive a suitable reciprocating motion, vertical
or nearly so, through the connecting rods H, H, which are hung or
jointed on cranks or their equivalents K, which are formed or fixed on
a shaft L, which turns in bearings L', L', bolted or otherwise secured to
the framework A, A.
In the Drawings eccentric wheels are shown instead of cranks, but I
make use of either to impart motion to the bars, rods, or wires. The
connecting rods H, H, are of different lengths if the shaft L is mounted
horizontal. The differences in their lengths are such that when they
are mounted the rods G, G, will form as it were something like a skeleton
mould board; if, for instance, the roots are to be thrown to the right hand
when moving forward the longer connecting rods H, H, are towards
the right. This arrangement allows the bars, rods, or wires to be lower
towards the right and so give the series an incline downwards in that
direction. The incline may be either regular or irregular as may be
necessary. I prefer an irregular incline so far that when looking
forward from behind to a section of the whole series (where the roots
and earth are getting separated) they shall appear concave or hollow.
The shaft L receives its motion through a pinion M which is fixed on it,
which pinion is driven by a spur wheel N fixed on the shaft N¹. On
the same shaft a pinion O (shown in dotted lines) is secured; this pinion
is shown as driven by internal teeth O¹ cast, formed, or fixed on the
inside of one of the driving and apparatus bearing wheels P, P. Į
prefer to mount these driving and bearing wheels loose on the shaft Q

page_text: but furnished with ratchet wheels and pawls in their naves or bosses
after a manner well known, so that both wheels may be made use of as
driving wheels, but when in the act of turning they can move in opposite
directions independent of each other. The bearing blocks or bushes of
these wheels are mounted in slotted curved brackets, which curves are
portions of circles drawn from the working centre of the shaft N¹.. Two
pins or rods b, b, are mounted through holes in the upper or top sides of
these brackets; their lower points may either rest in ebb holes in the
upper sides of the curved blocks or bushes c, c, seen in dotted lines, or
they may be jointed thereto. The upper ends of these pins or rods have
eyes formed on them and are jointed on pins fixed in the ends of
levers d, d. These levers are fixed on a rocking or weigh shaft e which
vibrate or rock in bearing f,f, fixed to the main framework A, A. On
the rocking shaft e a bell crank g with arms of unequal length is fixed;
the long arm passes backward through a guide so that the end may
be conveniently within reach of the attendant. The curved limb of the
guide i has saw tooth notches formed on one edge, into either of which
the arm ǹ may be dropped so as to hold it in any desired position. The
short arm has a rod k jointed to it; this rod passes forward and is
similarly jointed to the arm of a second bell crank P, but which may
have its arms of equal length if necessary. This bell crank has
its main centre or joint formed in the front end of the main framework
A. The other arm m is jointed by links n to a swivel joint on the top
of the spindle or stem o; this is mounted in a socket or boss p secured
between the two cheeks of the main framework A, A. The lower end
of this spindle or stem has a cross head q formed on and at right angles to
it. On this cross head are mounted two moveable brackets », r, in the
lower ends of which are fixed studs or pins on which the front bearing
wheels R, R, revolve. It will be seen that by pulling down the lever or
arm h a reaction against the bearing wheels will take place through the
pins or rods b, b, and stem or spindle o, so that the digging, ploughing,
or cutting parts of the apparatus will be lifted or raised from or out of
the ground to any required distance. A reverse action of course is
necessary when lowering the same is required. The apparatus or root-
digging machine may be drawn by a double chain, represented by dotted
lines s, s, the ends of which may be attached to moveable buckles t, t,
which may be secured at any point on the cross head q. A single chain
π may lead forward from a proper point in the bight of the doubled
chain to the dragging or moving power, whether horse or steam; this

page_text: will always keep the front bearing leading and swivelling wheels R, R,
in their proper direction in the bottoms of the hollows between the drills..
Or the drag chain may be attached direct to the front end of the main
frame; in this case the moveable brackets ", ", which carry the leading
wheels R, R, will be bent considerably backwards at their lower ends so
as to keep the wheels R, R, in proper position to the line of motion
somewhat in the style of furniture castors. The shaft N¹ on which are
fixed the spur wheel N and pinion O has its ends or journals v set in
bushes which are fixed in or formed excentrically in circular parts w, w,
which are the end portions of a casting S. The circular parts are free
to turn round in bushes which are formed in the ends of brackets T, T,
which are firmly secured to the main framework A, A. This casting or
piece S can be turned round as far as may be necessary by means of
the hand wheel U to any desired position; and may be held fast there by
means of the lever pawl or click x which takes into any one of the
notches formed in the rim of the hand wheel U. The pawl is
mounted on a study secured in the framework A, A. It will thus
be seen that by turning round the hand wheel U the casting S
and its circular ends or parts w, w, in the bearings or bushes in
the ends of the brackets T, T, the spur wheel N, and pinion O
which are mounted on the shaft N are thrown in or out of gear
with their respective driving and driven toothed wheels M and
O', and so start or stop the movements of the shaft L, excentrics
or cranks K, connecting rods H, H, shaft L, and reciprocating bars,
rods, or wires G, G. Although not shown in the Drawings I
fix up proper screens to prevent roots, earth, or other matter from
being thrown on to or getting entangled in the wheels or moving
parts. Instead of actuating the bars by cranks, excentrics, or connecting
rods I sometimes make use of an arrangement shown in diagram
Figure 4. Cams or wipers V are fixed or formed on a roller or shaft V¹
placed underneath the back ends of the rods, bars, or wires G¹, G¹, and
which cams or wipers are so placed on the roller or shaft that they may
either lift each of these rods in rotation alternately, altogether, or in any
other regular or irregular manner so as to effectually separate the roots
from the soil. When the bars or rods are jointed at their front ends
and worked in this manner their descent is caused by their gravity
assisted by that of the roots and earth, but I sometimes make use of
steel rods, bars, or wires suitably tempered and fixed fast at their front
ends. In this case when they are lifted by the cranks, excentrics, cams,

page_text: رو
or wipers, their descent may be mostly effected by the spring given to
them assisted by their own gravity and that of the roots, soil, or any
other material that may be at the time on them. Just above the share
I arrange and fix a cutting blade or coulter W in such a manner so that
"the shaws or above ground portions or branches of the plants which
may have met across the furrow and may be interwoven with those in
the adjoining drill may be cut and so separated. This blade, cutter, or
coulter may be attached at its lower end to the edge of the share,
while the upper end ¹ which is farther back may be securely fixed to
the main framework A or other suitable part. The knife is set at the
cutting part a little distance to one side, opposite to that on which the
rods, bars, or wires are situated. In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown the
wheel or wheels P, P, for supporting and driving the cranks, cams, or
wipers as having a rounded rim to suit the drill, and in Figures 3 and 5
I have shown the wheels still rounded_but_much-sharper, and on their
-angular-sides are projections X, X, which are kept a little distance from
the extremity of the wheel rims, which when the wheels sink up to them
lay hold of the ground and prevent wheels slipping thereon, and so
assist in the driving of the moveable parts, and also when the apparatus
is lifted clear off the ground and travelling along a hard even surface
these pieces X, X, are clear so far as not to enter the ground or touch the
road. Instead of having the angular pieces X, X, opposite each other
as shewn in the Drawings, I sometimes place them on the opposite sides
alternately, that is, I place each in the centre of the opposite space. I
sometimes dispense with one of the large driving wheels, but in this
case I mount a small bearing wheel behind the back ends of the
reciprocating rods or bars, which wheel is represented by the dotted
lines Y. I sometimes also mount the large driving wheels much farther
forward, as represented by the dotted lines P₁, and drive the movable
portions by a ring of external teeth either fixed or cast on one of the
driving wheels. I do not confine myself to driving the moving parts
entirely by toothed gearing as belts, straps, bands, or chains may be
made use of, particularly when the part or parts to be driven are beyond
the reach of driving it or them by toothed gearing easily. Instead of
making my apparatus exactly as shown I sometimes make it more in a
plough form, having beam, arms, handles, leading wheels, share side,
plate and sole, and with the cutting blade or coulter and with only one
driving wheel moving in the furrow or hollow part between the drills,
but instead of a mould board I make use of either of the series of

page_text: reciprocating bars as has already been described. In this case I also
mount a small bearing and steadying wheel back or under the bars or
.rods.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself
entirely to the shape and construction of the apparatus and its various
portions as set forth and shewn according to the description and
Drawings annexed so long as the principle of my Invention is not
departed from.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. The employing a set or series of reciprocating rods, bars, or
wires jointed to or connected with potatoe lifting apparatus as described
with reference unto the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Second, The making use of revolving cranks or their equivalent
eccentrics for giving the rods, bars, or wires their reciprocating motion
as herein set forth with reference to the annexed Drawings.
Third. The employing of cams or wipers for giving the rods, bars, or
wires a reciprocating motion so as to cause the earth or soil to leave the
roots which are being lifted, all as fully described and set forth in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
"
Fourth. The arrangement for lifting or raising the root lifting
apparatus as described and represented in the Drawings.
Fifth. The employing a cutting blade, knife, or coulter for cutting
the "shaws" or interwoven above ground portions of the plants, as fully
described and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Sixth. The construction of a root lifting apparatus in such a way that
the working of the reciprocating rods, bars, or wires can be performed
with equal effect either from above or below the rods, bars, or wires as
described and shewn in the Drawings.
Seventh. The general construction and combination of root raising or
lifting apparatus whereby the soil is riddled and the roots are raised and
thrown aside on the surface as herein-before described and represented
in the accompanying Drawings.
Eighth. The construction of driving and bearing wheels with pro-
jections cast, formed, or fixed on them in such a manner that they only
come into operation when required as in soft ground, but so that they

page_text: will be clear of the ground or roadway when moving from one place to
another, as described and shewn in the Drawings. hereunto annexed..
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hey Harrison, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August
One thousand eight hundred and seventy..
GEORGE HEY HARRISON. (L.S.)