ET-181 September 1941 
 
 United States Depart:;. Agric 
 Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine 
 
 A POWER-DRIVEN SOIL-SIFTING MACHINE* 
 
 By F. W. Carlson and M. A. Yothers. 
 Division of Fruit Insect Investigations 
 
 Several kinds of sifting machines for separating subter- 
 ranean insects from soil have been developed during the last few 
 years. Donohoe (1) developed a foot-operated device for recovering 
 the larvae of the raisin moth from the soil. Campbell and Stone (2) 
 developed two sifters for use in examining soil to determine the 
 effect of chemicals on wireworms and also to determine the wireworm 
 population in a given area. One of these was hand-operated and one 
 power-driven. A machine by Yothers (3) was a hand-operated sifter 
 for determining codling moth larval populations in the soil. A 
 hand-operated machine by Lane and Schirck (4) was used in wireworm 
 studies. Another by Morrill \5) was a motor-driven sifter employed 
 for determining wireworm populations in tobacco fields. A mobile, 
 motor-driven soil sifter by Lane and Schirck (6) was employed in 
 wireworm investigations. 
 
 The hand-operated sifter discussed by the junior writer (3 j 
 was suitable for its purpose of separating codling moth larvae in 
 their over-wintering cocoons from soil and debris, but in order 
 to facilitate the handling of much larger quantities and numbers 
 of soil samples this device was transformed into a gasoline-powered 
 machine, as shown and discussed here. The main features of this 
 device are its low cost of construction and operation and its ease 
 of handling and operation. 
 
 Construction 
 
 A frame of 2" x 4" lumber, 25 inches wide and 6 feet long 
 (fig. 1. J), was built on the sawhorses (G) . The 2 by 4«s were 
 notched to fit on top of the sawhorses to prevent slipping, 
 bolt down through the center of each sawhorse fastened the frame 
 to it and yet made it easy to separate them. A 1" x 6" frame (I) 
 was built on three sides of the frame (J) as a guide for the 
 sifting box (E) 
 
 *This power-driven sifter and the hand-operated one from 
 which it originated (see reference No. 3) were developed at the 
 Yakima. Wash., laboratory in the course of investigations of 
 codling moth control. 
 
- 2 - 
 
 The sifting box was made with a bottom of 3/16" mesh hard- 
 ware cloth. The rollers (fig. 1, F) are of round fir, 2£" in 
 diameter and 4" long, with a 1/2" hole through the center for a 
 bolt. A piece of 3/4" pipe and washers keep the rollers apart. 
 The rollers turn on a smooth runway. A 2" x 4" cross piece (fig. 
 3, 4) was set into the end of this box just ahead of the front 
 rollers. To this a connecting rod (fig. 1, D) (fig. 3, 3) was 
 attached, which was fitted on the end with a U-strap (fig. 3, 5) 
 and a bolt (fig. 3. 6) fitted with a grease cup (fig. 3, 7). As 
 there is a great deal of wear and considerable strain here, a 1" 
 bolt should be used as shown in figure 3, 6. The connecting rod 
 (fig. 1, D) (fig. 3, 3) is a good piece of full 1" x 2" straight- 
 grain oak with a 1/4" bolt through each end. The shaft is a 3/4" 
 steel rod with a cross bar (fig. 1, C) (fig. 3, 8 and 9) on one 
 end. 1/2" x 1-1/2", with a double set of holes for changing the 
 length of the stroke. The boxings are fitted with grease cups to 
 insure adequate lubrication. A bolt. 1/2" x 26", running across 
 from one side of the main frame to the other under the drive shaft 
 holds the frame together. 
 
 To operate this sifter a utility gasoline motor (fig. 1, A) 
 was used, mounted on an iron frame as described by Dean (7). To 
 this frame was bolted the extension-shaft frame (fig. 1, M) , which 
 supports the shaft, a 1-1/2" V-pulley, and a bearing. The shaft 
 and V-pulley are connected to the engine shaft by a universal joint 
 (fig. 3, 1). A 10" pulley mounted on the sifter is operated by a 
 V-belt, 1/2" x 48", over the 1-1/2" pulley on the drive shaft. 
 
 The motor frame rests on two cross pieces (fig. 1, K) , 
 attached to and extending across from one beam (L) to the other, 
 and is attached to the sifting machine frame with a bolt (B) . By 
 removing this one bolt the motor and its frame can be separated 
 from the sifting machine. The beams (L) are also bolted to the 
 legs of the horses to insure rigidity of the two machines. 
 
 A flexible cable shown in Dean's paper (7) was removed, and 
 a short piece of 1/2" shafting was made square on one end and 
 inserted in its place (fig. 3, 1 and 2). This shaft is long enough 
 to allow attachment of a flexible cable if desired. The steel 
 platform (fig. 1, H) is for attachment of a paint-gum compressor 
 for spraying purposes in the field where electric power is inac- 
 cessible. The compressor is operated off the projected shaft 
 above it. If desired, this sifter can still be used as a hand 
 sifter by simply removing the one bolt B, thus detaching the motor 
 and its frame from the sifting machine. 
 
 The general appearance of this machine is shown in figure 2, 
 which is from a somewhat different angle from that shown in fig- 
 ure 1. 
 
- 3 - 
 
 1 Donohoe. C. A Treadle Sifter for Examination of Soil in 
 
 Studies of Insects. Ur ; es Department of Agricul- 
 ture, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, ET-1 . 
 February 1934. 
 
 2 CampV Stone, "M.'W. Soil Sifters for Subterranean 
 
 Ins United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau 
 of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, ET-49. May 1935. 
 
 3. Yoth Simple Hand-Operated Soil-Sifting Device, 
 
 ted S rment of Agriculture, Bureau of Ento- 
 
 mology and Plant Quarantine, ET-134. October 1938. 
 
 4 Lan M. C, and Shirck.-F. H. >± Soil Sifter for Subterranean 
 Insect Investigations. Jour. Econ. Ent . 21 (6): 934-936. 
 December 1928. 
 
 5. Morrill, . Jr. irdy but Compact Soil Sifter for 
 
 United 'States Department of Agriculture, Bureau 
 of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, ET-148. June 1939. 
 
 6. Lane, M. C, F. H. A Mobile Power Soil Sifter. 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Ento- 
 mology and Plant Quarantine, ET-70. January 1936. 
 
 7. Dean. F i\ d P. A Power-Driven Mixer for Making Emulsions and 
 
 Other Sprays in the Field. United States Department of 
 Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, 
 ET-145. May 1939. 
 
 List of Materials 
 
 Lumber : 
 
 3 piece. " x 12' #1 fir S4S (surfaced 4 sides) Frame 
 
 2 pieces 2" x 3" x 16' #1 fir S4S 
 
 1 piece 1" x 6" x 12' #2 PP nderosa pine) 
 
 1 piece 1" x 4" x 16' #2 PP. S4S 
 
 1 piece 1" x 2" x 12' blind stop PP. S4S 
 
 1 piece 1" x 2" x 8" clear oak S4S 
 
 2 pieces 2" x 2" x 8" #1 fir S4S 
 4 pieces 2-1/2' rid, 4" long 
 
 Frame 
 Frame 
 
 Screen box 
 Screen box 
 Pitman rod 
 Boxing blocks 
 
 Hardware 
 
 Hardware cloth, 24" x 38". 3/16" mesh, galvanized 
 
 2 rods 1/2" x 25" 
 
 2 rods 1/2" x 26" 
 
 2 pieces 3/4" pipe, 15-1/4" long 
 
- 4 - 
 
 2 bolts 3/8" x 5-1/2". machine 
 2 bolts 3/8" x 6-1/2", machine 
 2 bolts 3/8" x 4-1/2", machine 
 5 bolts 3/8" x 2-1/2", machine 
 2 bolts 3/8" x 1", machine 
 2 bolts 1/4" x 2-1/2", machine 
 
 1 piece shafting, 3/4" x 15", with crank drilled with holes for 
 
 bolts 
 Length of shaker strokes 1-1/2" to 4" 
 
 2 collars, 3/4" 
 
 2 boxings, 3/4", complete 
 
 1 U with bolt and grease cup 
 
 1 boxing, 1/2", complete 
 
 1 angle iron brace for motor 
 
 1 piece shafting, 1/2" x 10" 
 
 1 pulley, 1-1/2" 
 
 1 collar, 1/2" 
 
 1 pulley, 10" 
 
 1 V-belt, 1/2" x 48" 
 
 Total cost, materials, less motor and motor frame, about $11. 
 
A POWER -OR I VEN SOIL SIFTING MACHINE 
 
 f « CARLSON. 
 
 Figure 1. — Power-driven soil-sifting machine. A, Utility gasoline 
 motor; B, bolt for attaching the motor frame to the sifter frame; 
 C, adjustable crank with l-l/2 n to 4" stroke; D, hardwood connect- 
 ing rod; E, shaker screen and frame; F, rollers; G, horses; H, 
 platform for spray-gun compressor (when used for spraying); I, 
 guide frame for sifter carriage; J, stationary base for sifter; 
 K, cross pieces under engine frame; L, leg rests and motor support; 
 M, extension-shaft frame. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries with support from LYRASIS and the Sloan Foundation 
 
 http://archive.org/details/powerdriOOunit 
 
Figure 2. — Soil-sifting machine from a somewhat 
 different angle from that shown in figure 1. 
 
FIG 3. 
 
 I-THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WITH FLEXIBLE WRE CABLE REMOVED- 
 2-SQUARE SOCKET FOR DRIVE SHAFT. 
 3- CONNECTING ROD. 
 
 4- CROSS PIECE ON SIFTER. I 
 
 3- U- STRAP 
 
 6- CRANK BOLT. 
 
 7- GREASE CUP. 
 
 8- CRANK ON SHAFT WITH HOLES FOR ADJUSTING STROKE- 
 9- SIDE VIEW OF CRANK- 
 
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 CRANK ASSEMBLY B UNIVERSAL OF SIFTING MACHINE. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 
 
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