THE 



NEW-ENGLAND 



FAR^VIERS' AND MECHANICS' J OURNAL. 



Vol. I. GARDINER, JANUARY, 1828^ ^o- h 



IVIEOHANICS. 



BLISS' MOVEABLE HAY PRESS. 



We have now in operation in this village two Hay Presses.— 

 One of them is the Hydrostatic Press of immense power, the other 

 is known by the name of " Whitney's Hay Press"— a very conve- 

 nient machine, and jdihough not so powerful, yet it is much cheap- 

 er in its construction and presses sufficiently hard for common 

 purposes. Both of these arc fixed, and all hay to be pressed must 

 be carried to them. It has long been a desideratum to have a 

 press which should be moveable, which could be carried into the 

 meadow with ease, or from barn to barn, and thus save the labor 

 of moving the hay (perhaps several miles) to the press. 



This has been very ingeniously effected by Mr. Moses B. Bliss 

 of Pittston, Me. This improvement consists (in the words of the 

 specification) in making the box to revolve on trunnions which pro- 

 ject from near the centre of its two largest sides, so that it may 

 be turned to an upright position for the convenience of filling and 

 stowing, and then to a horizontal one for the pressure. 



We had an opportunity not long since of seeing this machine in 

 operation, and were much pleased with Ihe ease and facility with 

 which the hay is pressed. Two yokes of oxen are sufficient to 

 move it to any distance. 



It is taken into the barn floor and filled from the bays or mows, 

 and requires one man to pitch the hay and another to stow it in the 

 box ; when thus filled, the box is brought down to a horizontal po- 

 sition and secured by bars, and the hay within these subjected to 

 the pressure. The strength of two men is amply sufficient ; even 

 one might do it. The time employed in pressing is about five 

 minutes. Two men can press two tons per day. 



1 Vol. 1. 



