302 General Notices* ■ 



12 in. more than enough, that is, 1 in. each stroke. This, however, is per- 

 haps nothing more than is advisable to calculate upon, making allowances 

 for the operation of the machinery, the partial dragging of the wheels, &c. &c. 

 Secondly, the collector / I must not move too slowly, lest it should retard 

 the corn from falling upon the canvass ; and it must not move too quickly, 

 lest it should shake ripe grain. As before stated, it is 2 a ft. in diameter, that 

 is 94*2477 in. in circumference. But one revolution of b b passes over 

 132 in. of surface; therefore, that the collector 11 may just touch the corn, 

 without bringing it back, or retarding it from naturally falling back, it must 

 make 1*4 revolutions for every one that b b makes. Since there are 6 arms 

 in //, every arm will touch the standing corn at equal distances of 15*7 in. 

 The pulley m makes 6 revolutions for 1 that b b makes : it is 6 in. in diameter, 

 and the pulley n, upon the axle of/ /, is 9 in. • therefore m revolves 1'5 times 

 for once that n turns round, and the collector // revolves 4 times for once 

 that the large wheels b b revolve. But 4x94*2477=376*99 in., the space 

 passed through by the circumference of the collector, while the machine 

 moves forward only 132, the difference of which is 244*99, the space that 

 the collector passes over more than the machine, during one revolution of 

 b b. Therefore, every inch of the corn is brought back 1*54 in. nearly, by 

 the collector, which is sufficient to insure its falling backwards upon the 

 canvass ; and yet it touches the corn so gently, that it is impossible that it 

 can injure it in the smallest degree. A quicker and a slower motion, how- 

 ever, is advisable * which is easily given, by having two or three sheaves upon 

 the pulleys m and n • and then, by shifting the belt, a different motion is pro- 

 duced. With regard to the canvass, it is necessary that it should revolve as 

 much as the ground passed over by the machine • that is, while the wheels b b 

 make one revolution, or pass over 132 in. of the surface, 132 in. at least of 

 canvass should pass over the rollers, w, as before stated, has 36 teeth, and 

 x 18, so that the roller y will give two revolutions for one of w. But w 

 revolves 6 times for 1 revolution of the wheels b b : hence the roller y will 

 revolve 12 times for every revolution of b b. The diameter of the rollers is 

 4 in. ; their circumferences, therefore, are nearly 12*56 in., 12 revolutions of 

 which will give 150*72 in. As before stated, one revolution of b b gives only 

 132 in., wherefore there is a preponderance of motion, on the side of the 

 canvass, of 18*72 in. for every revolution of b b. This velocity is necessary to 

 insure the canvass of clearing itself in all cases * and, with a smart velocity, 

 the cut corn is laid down with a greater angle to the path of the machine. 

 It may here be observed, that it is often found convenient to have the can- 

 vass to lay down the corn on either side of the machine, according to the 

 direction from which the wind is blowing. This may be done with a double 

 wheel at x, with a handle in the usual method employed for reversing the 

 motion of the rollers of the threshing machine. It were desirable, too, if 

 possible, to have the canvass besmeared with a drying oil or gum, or some 

 other substance which would prevent it from contracting with moisture : as 

 the slightest shower, or dew of a morning, contracts it so much, as to ren- 

 der the implement useless until the corn is perfectly dry. This will form 

 one of the improvements for next season. — Patrick Bell. Mid Lioch, 

 Aucherhouse, January 16. 1830. 



This reaping machine was invented by Mr. Bell, a young clergyman, in 

 the early part of 1828; it was tried in the autumn of the same year in For- 

 farshire, and, as we have already stated (Vol. V. p. 600.), was found to do 

 its work in a most efficient manner, and to be on the whole, by far the most 

 pei'fect reaping machine that had hitherto been invented; though con- 

 structed, as the editor of the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture states, at a 

 very short notice, in consequence of his request. 



It was tried again in October 1829, and the following are some of the 

 reports of the trials then made, which Mi*. Bell, to whom we are under the 

 greatest obligations for his ample descriptions and drawings, has furnished 



