US179452A - Improvement in potato-diggers - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. I. HERRICK.

POTATO-BIGGER.

Patented Ju1y'4. 1876.

Wfinesses'.

NJEI'EHS, PNOTO-LITNOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

w. I. HERRICK.

POTATO-BIGGER.

Patented July 4,1876.

Niknuses.

N. PETER$. PHOTO-LITNOGRAPNEI. WASNMTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT" Genoa WILLIAM I. HERRICK, OF SOHODAOK LANDING, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGERS'.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179.452. dated J My 4, 1876; application filed November 30, 1875,

tato-Diggers, of which the following is'a full' and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section at the line :20 m, and Fig. 2a plan view.

My invention consists in constructing and combining the several parts of a potato-digger substantially in the manner herein shown and described.

The object of my invention is to mechanically open the hills in which the potatoes are grown, and thoroughly remove and separate the potatoes from the soil.

As shown in the drawing, A is the main frame-work of the machine, which may be'made of any fit material, and in any form suitable for receiving the parts affixed thereto B, the axle-upon whichthe wheels 0 revolve, and which may, when desirable, constitute a part of the framework of the machine; D, a frame, hinged by the pivot 01 to the main frame work, and having its two posterior limbs deflecting upward, as shown in Fig. 1, for receiving the cross-barE, the bracketseof which are secured to the ends of the frame D F, a bar, fixed to the head of the frame D, provided with a slotted opening at each end, in one of which the colter G is secured, the other serving to secure the brace H of the colter; I, a plow, secured to the lower extremity of the colter G, for raising and opening the hills of potatoes. This plow is made in the form shown in Fig. 2, and is rendered adjustable in its position in relation to the frame D by a seriesof holes in the upper ends of the colter G and brace H J, gear wheels, revolving on the axles of the wheels 0, provided with ratchet-wheels secured thereto and arranged in such manner that, when the machine is moved forward, the spring pawls K will engage in the ratchetwheels and impart to the gear wheels J the same speed as the Wheels (J acquire. When the machine. is moved backward the spring-pawls slip freely Over the teeth of the ratchet-wheels, leaving the gear-Wheels J motionless; L, a doublecranked shaft, having its hearings in the sliding boxes I, and provided with the loose pinions M, having ratchet-wheels secured thereto. The disks N are secured to the'ends of the shaft L, and are provided with the springpawlsa, (shown in Fig.-3,) which engage in the ratchetwheels of the pinions M (when these pinions are turned in the right direction) 7 and give motion to the shaft L. O are intermediate gear-wheels revolving on the studs 0 for producing and imparting an accelerated speed to the shaft L. P are the rakes, each one of them being provided with a series of bent teeth, arranged, in a single line, transversely to the path of the machine and to the bar or handle of the rake, the form of them being closely similar to that of the common garden rake. The space occupied by the toothed ends of these rakes is nearly equal to the width of the machine inside of the frame A. They are arranged to penetrate the earth at each side of the colter G in such manner that, however rapidly they may be driven, the teeth cannot enter the same perforations a second time during a single transit of the machine. The rear ends of them are suspended by means of swinging forked links Q to the cross-bar E, and they are connected, without any intermediate device, directly to the wristpins of the cranks of the shaft L, whereby a positive motion is imparted to them for forcing the teeth into the soil, at each revolution of the shaft, to the full depth of penetration to which themachine is adjusted. By suspending the rakes by the links Q, and imparting motion to them by the cranks, as above described, the points of their teeth are moved in an oval direction, the major diameter of the oval being nearly vertical. These rakes should be so arranged that the points of their teeth will pass intheir downward stroke a little in advance of the point of intersection of the colter G and brace H. By doing this the rakes catch the vines gathered by the colter, and by their rearward stroke remove them therefrom, and by passing them out of the Way preventing the machine from becoming clogged by an accumulation of the vines, thereby entirely remedying a common defect in potatodiggers. By means of the slotted openings (2 the position of the cross bar E can be adj ust-ed in or out, so as to change the penetration of the rake-teeth in relation to the depth of the furrow cut by. the plow I,

R, a tumbling-shaft, operated by the hand lever r held in any required position by the notches of the quadrant T and provided with an arm, r which is connected by the link S to the brace H. By means of this combination tire] y clear from the ground. In effecting this it will readily be seen that, as the plow I is raised, the opposite endof the-frame D is depressed, forcing down the rear ends of the rakes P, the opposite or toothed ends of the rakes being thereby correspondingly raised, and ina like manner the teeth of the rakes drop down as the plow is lowered; T, a tumbling-shaft, operated by the hand-lever t, and provided with the arms 1 which are connected by the rods U to the sliding boxes I for moving the pinions Min and out of gear with the wheels 0. When in gear the lever 15 is secured in its place'by the catch V. Wis a seat for the driver, placed within easy reach ofthe levers r and t.

As the machine is drawn forward, the

wheels 0, through the gear wheels J, O and M, impart a rapid motion to the shaft L, by the cranks of which the toothed rakes P are moved at a corresponding speed, the teeth of which are driven into the soil that has been been raised and broken by the colterG and plow I, in such manner as to greatly facilitate the penetration of the teeth of the rakes. By

tions of the rakes, it is effected by turning the I tumblingshaft T by the lever t By this means the sliding boxes I are moved rearward, carrying the pinions M out of gear with their driving-wheels O.

Ido not claim, as my invention, the rakes of potato-diggers, having'a series of teeth arranged in either straight or staggering lines along thelength ot' a bar running parallel to the path of the machine; neither do I claim them of any construction differing fromthe specific form herein shown and described but I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with theplow, ofa potato-digger, and two or more toothed rakes cooperating therewith to separate and remove thepotatoes from the soil, of a colter for cutting and separating the ground as it is raised and delivered over the surface of the plow.

2. The combination, withthe colter G, of the toothed rakes P, co-operating therewith to remove the potato-vines, in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

' WILLIAM I. HERRIOK. Witnesses:

SANFORD 'R. HASKELL, HENRY (J. HASKELL.

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