CHANGES IN THE LOBSTER EEARING APPARATUS AT 

 WIOKFORD IN 1909. 



A number of changes in the lobster-rearing apparatus were tried out this 

 summer in the effort to make the rapidly growing plant easier to operate and 

 capable of greater extension with the least amount of lost energy in the way of 

 friction as a result of the motion of the waves on the comparatively slender 

 framework of the apparatus. 



Raising Shaft Beams. 



The shaft beams on two of the rafts were elevated high enough to permit the 

 raising of the hatching-cars entirely out of water without touching the beams. 

 This got rid of the doors on the side of the cars and consequently the cars were 

 stronger. 



Hoisting Device. 



To make the raising of the cars easier a hoisting-gear consisting of a drum and 

 ratchet gear operated by a handle was put on each of the uprights at the corners 

 of the cars. This device has proved very satisfactory and saves considerable 

 time and strength. 



Changes in Paddle Connections. 



The paddles were adjusted to fit over and rest upon a bearing-stud placed in 

 the bottom of the car and were connected with the gear shaft by means of a small 

 square shaft one end of which was united to the paddle shaft by means of an 

 ordinary pipe-coupling and the upper end fitted into a sleeve-coupling Avhich was 

 cast with a square hole one end of which received the small square shaft just 

 mentioned and the other end received the square gear shaft. The sleeve-coupling 

 was slotted on one side about three-quarters of its length, through which it was 

 pinned to the shaft. By means of this slot the coupling was allowed to slide 

 upon the gear shaft to disengage the paddle shaft and when engaging the jviildle 

 shaft by sending down the pin preventing it from slipping of? the end. 



