478 TiiANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



feature in it that requires an iinprovenieiit and that is tliat the parallel 

 levers can onl}' go a certain distance, and should the hay bo thrown loosely 

 into tlie box, these levers might exert hardly any pressure upon it, and 

 therefore it requires considerable care and judgment in packing the box to 

 a certain height so that tiie bales may be pressed with uniformity. 



Machines for Making Covered Cord. 



This machine, invented by John Turner and J. E. Palmer, of Montville, 

 Conn., was exhibited at the Fair by Mr. Turner, who gave tlie following 

 written description of it : This is the first machine invented that suc- 

 cessfully performs the work intended. It takes the yarn for the body of 

 the strand, and the yarn for covering the outside of the strand, and in one 

 process, makes them into the complete cord, which is used for hanging pic- 

 tures, mirrors, &c. Tiie large and increasing demand for this style of 

 cord, renders this an important invention. To the casual observer, the 

 apparatus has the appearance of a very simple, ordinary cord machine, 

 constructed ou " the Sun and Planet" principle, and such it essentially is. 

 The arrangement for covering the strands of the cord before laying, con- 

 sists in placing separate platforms containing the bobbins of covered thread 

 directly above and running on the same axis with the bobbin platforms 

 containing the threads which form the body of the strand; yet they have 

 an in'^lependent motion, and run at a much greater speed. In consequence 

 of this the covered threads are wound directly around the partially twisted 

 threads, composing the centre or body of the strands, as they emerge from 

 the top of the hollow spindles forming the axis on which the bobbin plat- 

 forms revolve. The bobbin platforms, containing both the body and the 

 covering threads, derive their motion from pullies attached to the under 

 side of them, and running in contact with rings having a flat inner surface 

 within, in which they revolve, the centrifugal force when running being 

 sufficient to give the necessary friction. After receiving the covering 

 described, the several strands are brought together and laid into a cord in 

 the usual way. 



The merits of the m. chine may be thus briefly enumerated. It is 

 extremely sin)ple in construction. It occupies but small space, requires 

 but little power to operate it, and is easily tended. It makes cord in one 

 continuous piece, of any desired length, thus saving the waste arising from 

 cutting up the usual short lengths of hand made cord. It puts just enough, 

 and no more covering than is necessary on the strands, and with a uniform- 

 ity which it is impossible to attain by hand. Its chief merit is that it saves 

 at least nine-tenths of the cost of labor by the usual hand process. 



The subject selected for the next discussion was " Iron plating for vessels 

 of war." Adjourned. 



American Institute Polytechnic Association, ) 

 Thursday Evening, October 22, 1863. j 

 Chairman, S. D. Tillman, Esq.; Secretary, Mr. J. W. Chambers. 

 The Cliairman having invited, by letter, Rear Admiral Lessoff'sky of the 

 Russian Fleet, to hear the discussion on Iron-clad vessels tliis evening, 

 received the following reply which was read by the secretary. 



