66 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



Dederick's Improved Hay Presses. 



Fig. 1. 



THE annexed engravings represent the appearance and construction of an improved press 

 adapted for packing hay, cotton, hops, hemp, &c., for which two patents have been recently 

 granted to Levi Dederick, of Albany, New York. One patent is for an improvement on the 

 doors of the press, and the other is for an improvement in operating the follower, giving it a 

 parallel motion, while pressing, by toggle-levers. 



The Doors. A is the case or box in which the cotton, hay, or other article to be pressed is 

 placed. It has a trap-door B B, and a side-door C. The cotton or hay is placed in the case 

 through the top-opening. The side door, especially, requires to be very securely fastened to 

 resist the great pressure that comes upon it. This door is secured to a stile D, having a 

 small round tenon at each end. These fit loosely in recesses in the top and bottom pieces 

 of the frame. To this stile, and also to the door C, are secured two arms or battens c c, the 

 outer ends of which project a short distance beyond the edge of the door C. E is a stile 

 attached to the top and bottom pieces, like the one at D, but not to the door. This stile E has 

 recesses d d, which, when the door is closed, fit over the end of the battens c c. F is an arm 

 or lever attached to the stile E by a pivot when the door is closed ; the outer end of this arm 

 or lever is fitted in a recess in the stile. The door C is thus made perfectly secure; the 

 outer ends of battens c c fitting in the recesses d d, and the outer end of the bar lever fitting 

 in the recess /. To unfasten the door, raise the outer end of F from the recess /, and turn 

 the stile E around till the end of the battens clear the recesses d d. This door is for dis- 

 charging the compressed material, hay, cotton, &c. The top door, when closed, is secured 

 by ^a bar G, which is attached by a bridge to the front edge of the door. The bar is provided 

 at each end with a flange h to catch in the top side-pieces i i of the frame, and this secures 

 the top door on the hay or cotton when the case is full for pressing. By raising the lever H 

 to a vertical position, the bar G is turned so as to free the flanges h h from the caps i i, and 

 the door can be opened. 



The Levers. The follower presses horizontally in the case A ; it is not seen, but suffice it 



