MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 35 



at their heads by light bevelled wheels and connecting shafts, and by 

 means of a hand crank conveniently attached to one of these, the 

 screws are turned simultaneously, and the table is run up to the lower 

 side of the rollers, preparatory to the formation of a bale. The hori- 

 zontal rollers and receiving cylinders are all geared to roll back and 

 forth upon the cotton, their motion being made exactly to correspond 

 with the reciprocating traverse movement of the carriage and the at- 

 tached table beneath. On one of the shafts connecting the screws, a 

 ratchet-wheel is fastened, which, at the termination of each traverse 

 movement, alternately engages two catches, suitably attached to the 

 frame \vhich turns the screws, and the table descends. 



Thus arranged, the table on which the bale is formed by its traverse 

 movement in connection with the corresponding rotation of the rollers 

 and receiving cylinders, draws in and condenses the sheet of cotton, 

 as it is delivered from the lap-cylinder. As the motion of the car- 

 riage and the table and its incumbent cotton is reversed, the sheet is 

 folded back by the cylinder under which it is drawn, while, simul- 

 taneously with the change of movement, one of the catches engages 

 the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, and, releasing the screws, causes the 

 table to descend sufficiently for the admission of another layer of con- 

 densed cotton. 



The bale is thus gradually formed by a succession of layers, and is 

 everywhere uniformly condensed and perfectly regular at the sides and 

 ends, there being no tendency to expansion, save towards the table 

 below and the rollers above by which it is effectually confined. The 

 rope and bagging for securing the bale are easily applied, the covering 

 for the bottom of the bale being spread upon the table before it is run 

 up to the rollers, and the bagging for the top of the bale, together 

 with the ropes, may be passed between the receiving cylinders and 

 laid upon the upper side of the bale by a single transverse movement 

 of the carriage and its attachments. When the machine is arranged 

 to traverse the bale endwise, the ropes are applied by passing them 

 over the bale between the rollers, which for this purpose are set apart 

 at suitable intervals. Hoop-iron can be substituted for ropes in putting 

 up the bale with much greater facility than is practised in connection 

 with the common baling-presses, and, by using a clasp-lock contrived 

 by the inventor of the machine, the inconvenience of riveting is avoid- 

 ed, and the operation of securing the ends of the hoop is accomplished 

 with expedition. The quantity of cotton in process of condensation at 

 any instant being that portion passing between and under the cylin- 

 ders, the demand for motive-power requisite to operate the machine 

 has reference chiefly to the friction of the working parts. This ele- 

 ment of resistance is favorably met by the slow motion of the machine, 

 the formation of two or three layers per minute being sufficient to 

 keep pace with the performance of a first-class cotton-gin ; and, by 

 causing the carriage to run on truck-rolls, the friction arising from the 

 expansive pressure of the cotton is confined to the bearings of the re- 

 ceiving cylinders and rollers. 



The principle of action being patented, a wide range is secured in 

 the choice of combinations and styles of construction for the attainment 



