US627145A - Potato-digger - Google Patents

Description

No. 627,|45. Patented lune 20, i899.

's. c. scHoFlELn.

PUTAT BIGGER.

' {Appucation med Apr. 4, 189s.,

(No Model.) 2 Sheete-Shaet-I.

No. 627,I45., Y Patentad lune 20, |899.

, SLL Gf.. SCHUE-flELDb.,

POIAIO.: DIESER;

(Appliflation.` filed-1 Agn, 4,. 159,8? (No Model.) l 2 sheets-sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES ,y

PATENT Orr-1cm sILAsc. soHoF1ELD,`oF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

PoTATo- BIGGER.

` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,145, dated J' une 20, 1899.

Appiiaion 6166 aan 4, '1896. serai No. 676,366. (No 616661.)

To @ZZ whom. t may concern:

Beit known that I, SILAs O.- SCHOFIELD, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and Statey of Illinois, have invented cer'- tain new and useful Improvements in Potato- Diggers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in potato-diggers, its object being to provide a simple and practical digger, economical in construction, and adapted for actual use under varying conditions of soil.

The invention is fully described and explained in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of a completeV digger embodying myimprovenients. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the machine through the line 2 2, Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the central main casting or forging of the plowvof the digger. Fig. 4 is a section in the plane l 4 of Figs. 3' and 5, and Fig. 5 is a top plan of the complete digger.

In the views, A A are two parallel transverse timbers of the main frame of the machine, and B B are longitudinal parallel bars fastened to the bars A A and forming with them the complete main frame. The timbers A A rest upon and aresupported by parallel runners C C or other suitable supports, whereby the frame may be held at a fixed distance above the ground and ymay move forward freelyin the operation of the machine, a loop cz being fastened to the front timber A for the i attachment of a horse or team of horses.

Between the front ends ofthe longitudinall timbers B B of the frame are pivoted the front ends of two bars D`D, extending backward and converging toward their lrear ends,where they are rigidly fastenedin transverse grooves c at the upper end of the shank E of the cen' tral casting or forging of a suitable/diggingplow, the grooves e c being formed in both side faces of the shank and only one of them being shown in the drawings. The shank is formed with a suitable point E and with wings E2 E? just above the point,these wings being adapted to support the moldboards F F of the plow, and the inner ends of the moldboards being set in suitable recesses, so as to machine, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

be flush with the upper surface of the shank at their point of junction therewith. On the lower or rear faces of themoldboards are fas-l tened separating-fingers G G, each pair of fin- -gers being formed from a single bar of steel ben-t into U shape at its middle, and the U- shaped bend being clamped to the lower or rear face of the moldboard by means of abar H, crossing one or more pairs of the fingers and held in place by suitable bolts. Other separating-fingers G G2 are fastened to the shank of the plow itself and are clearly shown in the drawings, but need not be described particularly, as they form no part of the novelty claimed for the machine. The length of the vertically-swin ging frame is such that the rear end e of the plowshare is in substantially the same transverse line as the rear ends'of the runners O C, and the plow is therefore fully supported by the runners and lies Within their base area. It may therefore evidently be raised temporarily and supported upon the frame of the machine for convenience of movement when the digger is not in operation, or its height with relation to the frame of the machine maybe permanently adjusted in order to lix the depth below the surface of the ground at which the plow shall run when in operation.

For the temporary support of the plow for convenience of transportation swinging rods l I are pivoted in the timbers B B near their rear ends and may be swung upward in veri rod L passes through and extends below the bars K K' and is provided with a clamping set-screw Z, whereby its vertical position with reference to the bars K K maybe changed and whereby it may be secured in any desired position of adjustment. The lower part of .the rod L is bent backward in an approximately horizontal line and is adapted to rest upon the rear timber A of `the frame of the By means of `this arrangement the plow may evidently IOO y be set at any depth below the lower faces of IIS the runners and the depth at which it runs in the ground may thereby be fixed. This is evidently a necessary adjustment, since it is essential to have the plow run below the poratoes to be dug and at the same time it is objectionable to have it run any deeper than is necessary to reach all the potatoes, since -any greater depth requires the unnecessary lifting of earth.

Having now described and explained my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. 'l`he combinationwith the main frame and its supports, of the swinging frame, the digging-plow fastened to and supported by the main frame, and the rods, I, I, pivoted to the main frame and adapted to be swung upward and ro form supports for the swinging frame, whereby the plow may be held 2. The combination with the main frame, l

the swinging vframe, and the plow supported by the swinging frame, of a vertically-adjustable rod, L, p fastened to the swinging frame .and adapted to rest upon the main frame and support the swinging frame,where by the vnormal height of the swinging frame with relation tothe main frame may be adj usted to regulate the depth of the plow.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, this 24th day of March, A. D. 1898.

sILAs c. 'sol-IOFIELD.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. STEARNS, E. A. SHANNON.

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