104 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEE. 



April 



village store, and in use upon every farm. The an- 

 nexed engraving represents a new rotary spader of 

 peculiar appearance and construction. The follow- 

 ing description will be readily understood by the 

 intelligent reader. The cast-iron cams, A, are pro- 

 vided v/ith an axle to which they are keyed fast; 

 they are attached to the wrought iron frame, B, by 

 the connection, C, and have further a lug, a, which 

 takes against the frame, and prevents the whole 

 strain of the draft from coming on the key. The 

 offset iron arm, D, is bolted to the face of the cam, 

 and has an arm, 5, jointed to the upper end, which 

 is curved around the periphery of the cam, as 

 shown in the engraving, so that it forms a gi-oove 

 or recess, in which the fork shafts, c, travel. The 

 lever, E, is jointed to the frame, and bears against 

 the back of the arm, b, so that it is kept up to the 

 lug, against which it bears when the machine is in 

 operation ; when not in use the lever is thrown 

 toward the team and carries the arm with it, thus 

 opening the groove. The strap, d, attached to the 



hinder end of the cam, has a piece of india-rubber 

 interposed between it and the same, which serves 

 as a spring. The forks are secured upon shafts, 

 the ends of which have rollers that run around the 

 cam as the machine is drawn along. The bottoms 

 of the cams are tangential with the circumference 

 and have also a peculiar hook at the hinder part, 

 by which the action of the forks is much improved, 

 a vibrating or sifting motion being thus obtained, 

 which thoroughly pulverizes the soil. The planc- 

 su; face at the bottom gives a horizontal movement 

 to the excavating gear and adds very greatly to 

 the efficiency of the tool. The iron apron, F, af- 

 fords a protection from danger to the driver, in 

 case of the breakage of the seat, from which point 

 the operation of the machine is directed. The 

 team is attached by the usual appliances to the 

 pole, G, against which a detached roller shaft is 

 seen inclined. The apertures, e, in the face of the 

 cam wheel are made for convenience of access in 

 adjustinsting the forks and the shafts in place. 



Fi"-. 2 is a representation of the machine with 

 the forks thrown out of gear with the cams. The 

 lever, E, is thrown forward, and the arm, 6, then 

 relaxes and so widens the groove that the forks 

 assume the position shown in the engraving, and 

 the machine may be drawn over the ground without 

 their entering it. The arrangement of the other 

 parts is similar, and presents no peculiarities not 

 previously described. 



The patent for this invention was procured May 

 13, 1862, by C. Comstock of Milwaukee, Wis., and 

 further information may be obtained by addressing 

 the inventor as above. — iScien. American. 



— ^The above cut gives a good representation of 



this new candidate for the suffrages of the farmers 

 of the prairies. That it gives promise of great 

 value we feci sure, from a limited trial as set forth 

 in the last number of the Farmer. 



The most serious objection to it, is its cost, 

 which will to a great extent precludes its use by 

 the small farmer. The present high price of iron 

 and steel of which it is made is an obstacle that 

 cannot be easily overcome, and we must be content 

 with the condition of things as they are and hope 

 for a reduction at an early day. 



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