^o 



OFFICIAL RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION 



No. II. 



Ai'i'Aki;ii. Di-: coriM'. di'. woodward. 



Cot apparoil <le coupe clait cclui iutroiluit par Fcnlinaiul WodcI- 

 wartl avant lS4.v Dos machines ayant cot apparoil dc coupe furent 

 d'un ct>up introtluites datis les parlies occidetilales de TAiiierique et 

 elles prouverent elre des machines de valour. Copenihmt cot ai)pareil 

 de coupe etait defectif, parce(pio des brins d'horlio s'accuniulaiiiit (hins 

 les lames coupeuses et les onuorj^'eaienl bieiitot. 



L'appareil de coupe de Mr. llussey ful place dans des machines 

 de ce genre ce qui les reiidail aptes a rendre d'excellents service. 



No. 12. 



ESTERLY'S REAPING MACHINE. 



On October 22, 1844, a United States patent was granted to (ieorge 

 Esterly for a reaping machine. It was adapted to take the heads only 

 of the standing grain. It consisted of a large receptacle upon two main 

 supporting wheels. The reel for gathering the grain also served as one 

 element of the cutting device; it was given movement from one of the 

 main supporting wheels. The rear end of the machine was supportetl 

 upon a truck, consisting of two wheels secured to the framework by a 

 vertical axis, by which their direction of travel might be changed. A 

 capstan wheel was connected by ropes to this axle, and by this means 

 the direction of movement of the machine as a whole was controlled. 

 Horses were placed behind the main portion of the machine, and so 

 connected to the rearward extension that their draft had the effect of 

 pushing the machine in advance of them. 



TTiis machine, somewhat modified, came into practical use. The 

 accumulation of grain was pitched out of the receptacle into a wagon 

 provided with a large box, that was permitted to be driven beside the 

 machine at intervals. The cutting knife was a stationary straight blade, 

 secured to the front portion of the box, and along this the spirally |)laced 

 steel bars of the reel passed, thus producing a shearing action similar to 

 that of lawn-mowers of the present day. 



Mr. Esterly subsecpiently produced many valuable machines, and 

 was one of the most fertile inventors of his day. 



