US296168A

US296168A - hxgley

Info

Publication number: US296168A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1884-04-01
Anticipated expiration: 1901-04-01

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor.

Patented Apr. 1,1884.

A. L. HIGLEY.

POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

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(No Model.) r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. L. HIGLEY.

, POTATO DIGGING MACHINE. No. 296,168. Patented Apr. 1, 1884. Fig.2

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PATENT ASA L. HIGLEY, OF TROY, new YORK, ASSIGNOR on ONE-HALF TO Jenn MATHEWS, on SAME PLACE.

POTATO-DIGGING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,168, dated April 1, 1884.

Application filed April 30, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, As. L. HIGLEY, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Digging Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others shilled'in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to potato-digging machines; and the objects are, first, to force the ends of the radialarms beneath the potatoes and bring the latter to the surface of the ground; second, to leave the potatoes in a row upon the surface of the ground.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my machine as a whole. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of my machine. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the hub or frame K, taken at the broken line a: y in Fig. 1.

B and B are traction-wheels, mounted in the ordinary'manner upon an axle, A, pro vided with a pole, 0, having braces D D. One wheel, B, is provided with a gear-Wheel, O, fixed thereto, and connecting with gearwheel M. by the intermediate wheel, N, which has an axle, R, extending through its support P. The wheel M is fixed to the hub or cylindrical frame K, adapted to revolve upon its axle I, fixed to axle A at J. The hub K is provided with radial arms L, as shown arranged in spiral form, and there may be one, two, or more rows of arms. I have shown three depressions, b, in the hub, adapted to receive arms to form another row or series. The arms are secured to the hub by means of threaded bolts a, passing through the arms and into a threaded aperture in the shell of the hub, as shown in Fig. 3, which arrangement permits of the easy substitution of a new arm for a broken one. The rear end of the hub-axle I is secured laterally by the arm G, pivoted upon support E, which latter is fixed to axle A and strengthened by brace F. Arm G is provided with handle H, by means of which an attendant can lower or raise the rear end of the arm-supporting hub when it is desired to dig deeper or not so deep, or when any obstacle is to be passed over. The support E also serves to carry the stop-screen S, which extends in a plane parallel with the line of direction taken by the machine, and serves to stop the potatoes as they are suddenly forced from the ground by the ends of the arms which are revolved in a direction at right angles to the line of direction of the screen and toward the same, the potatoes being left in a row upon the surface of the ground at the foot of the screen. The screen is pivoted orhingedto support E, and may be folded up against the arm G when the machine is be ing transported from one field to another or is not in use; or it may be folded to diiierent angles and held in the desired position by a hook and staple, as shown, or by any equivalent device. There may be two tractionwheels, B and B, fixed upon a common axle, to utilize the traction of both supportingwheels. I also employ two plows, T T, at- 7 tached to axle A, adapted to loosen the earth upon both sides of the row of potatoes to be dug. The plows are adjustable upon their supports U U as to height, and their supports are adjustable laterally upon the axle A. The-wheel N may be arranged to slide backward in its support, to disconnect the hub K and the traction-wheels. The radial arms L may be of any desired shape or material, provided they are adapted to force the potatoes to the surface of the ground when the hub is revolved. I prefer to make the arms of steel and curved in form,to give them elasticity and enable them to more easily enter the ground. I prefer to make the screen of wire having apertures sufficiently small to prevent pota .toes from passing through, though it may be of any material adapted to stop potatoes thrown against it.

From the foregoing description it will be 5 readily seen that a forward motion of the machine will give a revolving motion to armsupporting hub K and cause the arms to revolve in a plane at right angles to the line of direction of the machine. The machine is drawn along over the row of potatoes to be dug, so that one traction-wheel and one plow pass along on each side of the row, and the arms entering at one side of the row for]; it up and throw out to the surface of the ground or against the screen all the potatoes in the row.

What Iclaim'as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a potato-digging machine, the combination of the following organized parts, to wit: the axle A,With the transporting-wheels, gearing 0 N M, the revolving digger K, arranged in the line of draft, the adjustable folding screen arranged in a plane parallel with the revolving digger, a pivoted lever for adjusting the revolving digger, and the plows T T, at- 15 taohed to axle A, to loosen the earth upon both sides of the row of potatoes to be dug, the combination being and having the mode of operation substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of April, 1883.

ASA L. HIGLEY. \Vitnesses:

' W. H. HOLLISTER, Jr.,

GEO. A. MOSHER.