WOOD'S JOINTED-BAR MOWER. 289 



been vastly multiplied by machinery within the brief space of 

 ten or fifteen years. These improvements, moreover, have been 

 steadily progressive. We now have mowers of easy draught 

 and that do the work well — most of them, in fact, better than 

 it could be done by the hand-scythe. 



The past year has recorded the triumph of American 

 mechanics at the Exposition at Paris. It was an American 

 machine that took the lead of all others on the field, and won 

 for its ingenious inventor, Walter A. Wood, of Hoosick Falls, 

 N. Y., not only the grand gold medal for perfection of work 

 and another for superiority of mechanical construction, but also 

 the decoration of the Imperial Cross of the Legion of Honor. 

 This must be regarded as a national triumph in which every 

 American must feel a just and natural pride. [See Frontispiece 

 to the Abstract of Returns.] 



This new jointed-bar mower runs upon two driving-wheels, 

 each of which has an internal gear which connects with ratchet- 

 gear wheels, making each an independent driving-wheel. These 

 wheels are so placed as to run in the tracks made for them by 

 the track-clearer so as to avoid running over the grass that has 

 been cut. The spring seat is so placed that the driver's weight 

 balances the weight of the tongue, leaving no pressure upon 

 the necks of the team. A new lever arrangement is attached to 

 raise the finger-bar in passing obstructions and to hold it at any 

 height, raising both ends of the bar at the same time. The 

 arrangement for throwing in and out of gear is also very simple 

 and convenient. The guard-fingers are made of malleable iron 

 faced with steel plates riveted securely and attached to the bar 

 by bolts, by means of which they can be readily removed or 

 replaced. The frame is of wood, this having been found by 

 experience to be altogether the best material. The bar is 

 sufficiently strong to stop the team in case of striking any 

 obstacle, and still elastic enough to fly back to its position when 

 the strain is removed. 



This machine took the first premium of the Essex, the Berk- 

 shire and other fairs. Fully a hundred thousand have been 

 built and sold, and it is estimated that at least fifty thousand 

 were used in the harvest of last year. It is made at Hoosick 

 Falls, N. Y. The Boston agents are Messrs. Whittemore, 

 Belcher & Co., 34 Merchants' Row. 



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