6 BULLETIISr 801, U, S. DEPAETME^STT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of tlie truck and pull it up the incline, the truckman holding the 

 handles as shown. The endless chain is driven by an electric motor 

 or other power. The truck is generally brought clown an incline 

 which is similar except that the sprocket chain is omitted and the 

 slope is less steep. 



The electric hoist is valuable in a Avarehouse in which cotton is 

 handled rapidly. An illustration of this equipment is shown in 

 Plate VII, figure 2. The machinery is protected in the little house 

 shown on the steel frame. Two motors supply both vertical and 

 lateral movement to the steel hooks carrying the bale.' This equip- 

 ment can be housed under the warehouse roof and controlled from 

 any floor by a cable at the doors. This hoist will handle readily 

 100 bales an hour from the first to the third or fourth floor, a little 

 more time being required to deliver to higher floors. However, sev- 

 eral men are required for the operation of the hoist, as there must 

 be one man to operate the machine, one on the lower floor to hook 

 the bale, and one on the upper floor to release the bale, besides those 

 assigned to trucking the cotton to and from the hoist. The hoisting 

 apparatus may be used also for lowering cotton, although better and 

 more economical results are secured from the use of a bale chute. 



The ordinary spiral package chute of sufficient size supplies the 

 best means for lowering cotton. Views of this form of chute are 

 shown in Plate IX, figures 1 and 2. The installation shown is ar- 

 ranged so that the bales are delivered to the bottom floor already 

 headed up and ready for the truck. A straight chute can be con- 

 structed of skids, 3 inches wide, and shod with heavy strap iron. 

 The chute may pass through a number of floors and, by the use of 

 trap doors, bales may be delivered from any floor to any other floor 

 below. A bale chute and an electric hoist are shov\^n in the ware- 

 house in Plate III, figure 2. 



"Wliere the conditions do not demand rapid elevation of the cotton 

 or where available labor is limited the regular platform elevator 

 is the best hoisting equipment. Such elevators may be operated by 

 a belted mechanical connection, by electric motor, or by direct steam 

 connection. The elevator also may be used for transfer of electric 

 trucl^ or loaded trailers from one level to another. The arrange- 

 ment of the building for an elevator used for cotton bales is shown 

 in Plate X. A somewhat different arrangement is desirable if elec- 

 tric trailers are to be handled on the elevator. 



In addition to these forms of handling equipment the slatted 

 belt conveyor arranged on an incline and with spiked slats for en- 

 gaging the bales of cotton is used to some extent. 



For piling cotton the machine in most general use is a small 

 portable elevator such as shown in Plate XI. The movable |)lat- 



