GB241664A - Improvements in potato and like planting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

241,664. Farmer, C. Aug. 29, 1924. Planting-machines. - In potato planters &c. wherein spiked arms or members and complementary ejectors pass through the lower part or extension of a hopper the ejectors are formed as skeleton cups or groups of forwardly projecting fingers and slots are formed in the lower part or extension of the hopper to allow of the passage of the ejectors. The spikes are carried by arms pivoted on a rotary member, urged forward by spring pressure and withdrawn by cam action. The ejectors are carried by arms fixed on the rotary member and curved agitators are provided. Two sets of arms 4 on the rotary member 1 project through slots between hoops 3. Each arm 4 carries a skeleton cup 6 consisting of a metal stamping having four radial fingers bent upwards. Each arm 4 also carries an agitator arm or plate 8 having its free end of triangular section and curved as shown in Fig. 3 so as to be near one side of the slotted hopper extension 26 as it passes through it. Pivoted between the two parts of each arm 4 is a spikecarrying arm 11 connected with the next arm 4 by a spring 36 and engaging a pivoted arm 12 actuated by a fixed cam 40. A spike 18 is removably fastened to each arm 11 and projects through the ejector cup 6. The leading surface of the cam 40 has a gradual inclination and the other end a sudden drop, so that the spike is withdrawn slowly from a potato but is projected forwardly suddenly in the hopper extensions to pierce a potato. The skeleton cups 6 are not large enough for potatoes of normal size to enter, but they serve to remove stones &c. from the hopper extensions. Each hopper extension 26 may be provided with an auxiliary agitator consisting of a sprocket chain or a spiked wheel projecting through a slot. The machine may also comprise a ridging-plough, trench-closing discs, and a manure box provided with a valve controlled automatically or by hand.