NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



515 



MORRILL'S PATENT DITCHING MA- 

 CHINE. 



This engraving is a perspective view of a ma- 

 chine for digging ditches, invented by Jonathan 

 "VV". Morrill, of Hampton Falls, N. EL, who has 

 taken measures to secure a patent fur it. 



A A are the wheels ;_B is the axle of the same, 

 across which the beam lever, C, is secured. The 

 ciitters for ditching are placed and secured in this 

 lever. D D D are the cutters for cutting the sides 

 and front edge of the sods. These cutters are 

 united together and are braced and supported by 

 the stirrup brace, E, which has a vertical bar, F, 

 secured to the front edge, and passes up through 

 the slot, G, in the lever, C. This bar, F, has a 

 slot, II, cut in its upper end, with a pin, I, passing 

 through it to make it fast to the lever. As the 

 cutters are raised and lowered, the slot in the bar 

 F admits of the lever, C, being depressed and 

 raised. J is a spade, cutter, or scooper, it has a 

 bent handle, K L, which turns on a fulcrum pin, 

 a, which passes through the bar, F. The part, L, 

 is secured to a link, M, which passes up through 

 a mortice, N, in the beam, and it is loosely secured 

 in the s.ime by a pin, c, which it allows to move 

 back and forth, as the cutters, D D D, and spade 

 J, arc depressed or elevated ; P are thin plates 

 of metal for guiding the sod as it is raised up, and 

 for throwing it out at the side of the ditch. The 

 plate, P, is but to incline the sod to the one side. 



Two men take their position at the handle of the 

 lever, facing the wheels. They press down the 

 lever, which causes the spade to fly out, at the 

 same time cutting the sod on three sides, then, 

 raising the lever, (without changing their hold) 

 forces the spade in, cutting the sod off at the bot- 

 tom. . 



The machine being now at the surface, is brought 

 forward seven inches, when the same operation is 

 repeated, one sod pressing out the other, throwing 

 them upon the side of the ditch. Or the lever can 

 be extended beyond the wheels, a man working at 

 each end. 



It will cut a ditch, one, two or three feet in 

 depth, and seven inches wide. 



A ditch can be cut fourteen or twenty-one inch- 

 es wide, by going over the ground twice or three 

 times. 



It is comparatively easy work for two men. It 

 is fitted to the large wheels of a single horse wag- 

 on. 



It may be used to good advantage without the 

 lever and wheels, by having attached to it a piece 

 of wood two feet long, with handles as represented 

 in the small cut. It cuts a ditch smooth on the 

 sides and bottom. 



Address Jonathan W. Morrill, Hampton Falls, 

 N. H. 



