Patent Potato Digger.

Manawatu Herald, 29 May 1897, Page 3

Patent Potato Digger.

Mr A. Burges3 held a most successful trial of Messrs Kier and Hunt's patent potato digger at Mr Slack's farm, Awapuni, on Wednesday. There was a large number of those interested in the patent present, who watched the proceedings closely. The digger, which is simple in construction, consists of a strong iron frame mounted on two steering wheels and two travelling ones. To the Bteeriog wheels is fitted a chain which is attached to a leaver handy for the driver to raise or lower. The digger is fitted with a concave share, to which ia rivetted round steel bars over which the potatoes are conveyed to the elevator. The bottom of the elevator is fitted with wooden battenß on an edge running longways, over which runs round iron rods fitted to two chains travelling over sprocket wheels. The iron rods carry the potatoes to the upper end of the elevator where they are deposited on to an iron screen which can be set at any angle. The digger was drawn by two horses with ease. The crop was estimated to yield about 10 tons to the acre, the machine digging about a bag per minute. So well did the machine perform its task that a man on the ground offered to pack them up for l£d per bag. It is almost needless to add that all those present expressed thptn^elves highly pleased with the working of the machine. — Standard.