HARVESTING FLAX 71 



The chief details of this mechanism are illustrated at Figs. 

 31 and 32, of which the former is a sectional elevation of the 

 machine and the latter a plan view of the pulling drum. The 

 numerals in each diagram refer to corresponding parts. 1 

 represents the framework or chassis and extension of the small 

 motor vehicle, 2 a seat for the operator, and 3 the wheels on 

 which the car is supported and free to travel. It may be 

 propelled by horse traction or automatically by a self-con- 

 tained motor. When the mode of propulsion is automatic, 

 a driving pulley on the motor shaft 4, not shown, but mounted 

 on the chassis 1 , communicates rotary motion through a belt 5 

 to a pulley 6 compounded with the axle of the carriage 

 wheel 3. 



The extension of the chassis 1 carries the overhanging 

 drum 7, supported and free to rotate about the bearings 8. 

 Rotary motion is imparted to the drum 7 through the medium 

 of a spur-pinion 9, on the motor shaft 4, gearing into and 

 driving a spur-wheel 10 on the supplementary shaft 11. A 

 pulley 12 on the same shaft drives through the belt 13, a 

 pulley 14 compounded with the drum 7. 



The periphery of the drum 7 is provided with four apertures 

 at equal distances apart. A comb 15, provided with an anti- 

 friction bowl 16, is mounted on the stud 17 in the free end of 

 a lever arm 18, in turn pivoted internally to the stud 19 in 

 drum 7. The comb 15 and its duplicates are free to radially 

 oscillate, externally or internally, through their respective 

 aperture of the drum. The anti-friction bowl 16 is kept in 

 rolling contact against the varying surface of a negative and 

 stationary cam 20, independently mounted at the end of and 

 concentrically with the drum 7. A spiral spring 21 is attached 

 at one end to the stud 17 and at the opposite end to a fixed 

 position coincident with the drum centre or bearing 8. The 

 function of the spring is to maintain a constant contact between 

 the anti-friction bowl 16 and the face of the cam. 



The action of the foregoing mechanism and the operation 

 of pulling are as follows : As the machine moves forward 



