Beet Topping Machine (Patent No: 534185)

Inventor: Bell, George A.

Location: Lethbridge

Comments: blacksmith and welder, 1952, manager Bell's Welding, 1956, Henderson's Directory

Description: Issued December 11, 1956

George A. Bell, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada Application May 8, 1951. Serial No. 615,237
3 Claims

1. A mobile beet topping machine adapted to be secured behind a tractor or the like and to be operated from a source of power thereon, said machine comprising in combination beams extending rearwardly from said tractor, a transverse shaft spanning said beams and being journalled for rotation thereon, at least one rectangular swingably mounted frame adjacent the front end thereof on said shaft, and extending rearwardly therefrom, a feeler wheel journalled for rotation within each said frame and selectively adapted to engage the ground, said feeler wheel including a pair of spaced and parallel peripheral hoops and a plurality of transversely disposed, spaced and parallel bars spanning the outward faces of said hoops, and adapted to erect the beet foliage prior to the beet topping operation, means to rotate said wheel by said source of power, and an adjustable beet topping blade depending from said rectangular frame and adapted to be positioned adjacent to and below said feeler wheel, said feeler wheel adapted to roll over the tops of the beets thereby positioning said blade substantially the same distance from the upper surface of the associated beets immediately prior to the topping operation.

2. The device according to claim 1 which includes a lever pivotally mounted by one end thereof of said rectangular frame and extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, said blade being secured to the lower end of said lever, an actuating handle extending upwardly from a point along the length of said lever, said handle being adjustably secured to said rectangular frame whereby the vertical relationship between said wheel and said blade can be maintained.

3. The device according to claim 2 which includes a wing guide secured to said lever and extending rearwardly therefrom, said guide adapted to gather in the beet foliage prior to erection of same by said feeler wheel.