Tim FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



411 



Satnuelson,* the well-known agricultural implement 

 maker, of Banbury. It enjoys considerable reputation 

 as a good pulverizer, and a " cleaner" of the soil, bring- 

 ing the couch-grass and other weeds to the surface, 

 ready to be collected by the harrows or by hand. 



In this machine, the tines or forks are intended to 

 act after the manner of the trenching-fork or spade, 

 and are made of steel (cast or double-shear steel, not 

 hardened) throughout — at least, at the parts exposed to 

 strain in passing through the soil. A curve is given to 

 them, so that the extremities shall enter the ground 

 almost perpendicularly ; and their section is square or 

 diamond-shaped, set on the angle, so as more easily to 

 break any extraneous substances (as stones) which they 

 may meet with in the ground. Their extremities are 

 pointed, like a fork or like a chisel, being more or less 

 acute, according to the soil to be dealt with and the 

 depth to be penetrated. The fork-point has, however, 

 been found to act well on all soils. These prongs or 

 forks are found to penetrate the soil by the mere weight 

 of the machine ; the inventor stating that, with a weight 

 of IS cwt., the prongs are forced into the ground, in 

 ordinary soils, to a depth of 10 inches, and that, at 

 this depth, their strength is such as to resist any strain 

 caused by the draught of as many horses as can be 

 practically applied to the machine. The steel forks or 

 prongs (a) are fixed at their upper ends between two 

 discs (b), bolted together, six pairs being apportioned 

 to each pair of discs. The prongs are made in pairs, 

 with a curved junction, so as to be more firmly bedded 

 between the discs. A number of these discs rotate 

 freely on a central shaft (c) ; and between each pair, 

 and rotating on the same central shaft, a ring (o) is 

 placed, which keeps the discs apart, and clears their 

 side-surfaces from adhering soil. The circumferences 

 or peripheries of the discs are also kept clean, and the 

 soil kept clear from the prongs, by " cleaners," (e) hung 

 freely on a shaft (f) placed above and a little behind the 

 shaft (c) on which the digging wheels (b) rotate. Each 

 " cleaner" (e) is in contact with the circumference of 

 two half-centres of the discs (b), and is also provided 

 with a projecting tongue, which passes into the space 

 between adjacent centres, and limits its lateral play upon 

 the shaft (f) on which it is hung. The cleaners (e) are 

 provided with weights at their extremities, to keep them 

 to their work. 



The " digging discs" (b), the " rings" (d), and the 

 " cleaners" (e), are all connected to an inner frame (g), 

 which is itself hung to a front bar, which front bar con- 

 nects two frames (h h), one on each side. These frames 

 are provided — at the end opposite that at which the 

 horses are attached^with toothed ([uadrants (i i), and 

 support the wheels (k k) on which the whole machine 

 travels from place to place, and which also serve to regu- 

 late the depth to which the prongs are allowed to enter 

 the ground. At the back part of the "inner frame" (g), 

 which bears the diggers (b), a shaft (l) revolves in 

 suitable bearings. At each end of this shaft (l) pinions 

 (m m) are keyed, which take into the toothed quadrants 



♦ Patent dated November 2nd. 1852. No. 621. Price of 

 the specification, 9^d 



(i i). Near one extremity of the shaft (l), a bevil wheel 

 (n) is keyed, which takes into a bevil pinion (o) fixed 

 on the end of a shaft (p), which is turned by a handle 

 (u) at its extremity. By turning this handle (r) the 

 bevil wheel (o) causes the shaft (i-) and the pinions 

 (m m) to revolve, the latter ascending or descending, 

 according to the direction in which the handle (r) is 

 made to revolve the toothed quadrants (i i), and causing 

 the inner frame (g) to be raised, with its discs (b), rings 

 (d), and cleaners (li), nearer to or further from the 

 ground. The inner frame (h) and digging wheels (b) 

 can be maintained in any desired position with relation 

 to the travelling wheels by a " pawl" (s) taking into 

 a ratchet wheel (t), cast on to one of the pinions (m m). 



On proceeding to its work, the digging discs or wheels 

 (s) are raised sufficiently by the means above-described, 

 to ketp the prongs from contact with the soil ; and are 

 kept in this position by the " pawl" (s) catching the 

 ratchet wheel (t). On reaching the place to be dug, 

 this pawl is thrown out, when the weight of the inner 

 frame (g), with its digging discs (b), &c., will cause the 

 pinions (m m) to run down the toothed quadrants (i i), 

 and the digging prongs or forks (a) to enter the ground. 

 The degree of penetration requisite is regulated by 

 the handle (r), so as to depress the inner frame (g) less 

 or more. The utmost extent of depression given is that 

 which depresses the prongs up to the centre plates or 

 discs ; in this position the travelling wheels are lifted 

 off the ground, and maintained by the pawl (s). 



As the machine is dragged forward, the resistance 

 oflered by the earth in front of the prongs causes the 

 latter to revolvis, and portions of the soil to be detached, 

 which are thrown back, after being lifted and broken up, 

 by the action of the cleaning bars (e). As before- 

 mentioned, a full-sized machine weighs nearly a ton, 

 and breaks up to a depth not exceeding ten inches, a 

 breadth of three feet at a time, equal to that of four 

 ploughs, and equivalent to about five acres in seven 

 hours. The price of the machine is £27 lOs. The 

 draught required varies with the nature of the soil from 

 four to seven horses. A smaller implement is made for 

 occupations where the horse-power is limited. 



With reference to the cultivating capabilities of the 

 machine, Mr. Samuelson, in a paper read before the 

 British Association, remarked: — " I think it right to 

 state that it possesses, in common with all other rotary 

 implements hitherto made, or proposed, this disadvan- 

 tage, as compared with the plough — that it does not 

 completely invert the soil. I believe, however, that the 

 occasions for such inversion are much more rare when 

 we work with an instrument which leaves the ground 

 broken, hollow, and mixed, like the digging machine, 

 than with one which, like the plough, cleaves off a slice 

 and exposes its superficies only to the air ; there being, 

 in fact, this essential distinction between the two 

 machines — that one allows the air and water to descend ; 

 whereas, in the other, fresh soil must always be brought 

 up, if it is to be acted upon by the elements." 



