CHAPTER III. 



THE SEPARATING MEMBERS 



After the unthreshed grain is passed from the 

 feed board between the threshing members, the cylin- 

 der and concave, and has been beaten and jarred by 

 their interacting teeth, the mingled straw and loose 

 kernels of grain are delivered to the separating 

 members. 



BEATER. 



In its most common form, the beater consists of a 

 shaft carrying two circular spiders or heads between 

 which are secured beater boards or wings which 

 extend edgewise from the center shaft. The office of 

 the beater is to move the straw away from the cylin- 

 der back to the separating parts. Its chief usefulness 

 is in preventing the straw from piling up back of the 

 cylinder where it is liable to be caught and wound in 

 between the cylinder and concave. This action of 

 the machine is called "back lashing." It should be 

 so placed as to allow the grain and straw to strike it 

 as they come from the cylinder and pass either over 



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