MACHINES FOR CEUSHING LOCUSTS. 



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is composed, preferably, of boards, making a tight flooring, and resting on transverse 

 cleats g g, the forward ends of which are rounded and rest upon the ground. The for- 

 ward side of the platform is provided with a downwardly-inclined metallic flange or 

 scoop, h. 



The hood or cover c is composed, preferably, of coarse bagging or other textile or 

 flexible material, and is attached firmly to the ends of the platform, preferably by 

 means of metallic strips i, which are screwed to the platform, the ends of the cover 

 being interposed between the platform and the strips i. 



j j represent parallel inclined standards, which are rigidly attached to the front side 

 of the platform, and project upwardly and outwardly therefrom, the standards being, 

 preferably, portions of the strips i, as shown in Fig. 1. 



Ic represents a bar, which is somewhat longer than the platform &, and is adapted to 

 slide up and down on the standards j, the bar being provided with slots, through 

 which the standards pass. The forward edge of tbe hood or cover c is attached in any 

 saitable manner to the bar Tc, so as to rise and fall with the latter. The bar k is cou- 

 3;ected to the draught-ropes e by short ropes e', which pass through orifices in the upper 

 tnds of the standards J, and are so arranged that the draught which moves the aj)pa- 

 latus will draw the bar upwardly, so that the receptacle is held open, as shown in 

 Figs. 1 and 2, while the apparatus is in motion. When the draught ceases and the 

 apparatus stops, the bar k falls, and thus automatically closes the receptacle, as shown 

 in Fig. 3. I prefer to employ a tpring, 7, to facilitate the descent of the bar k, this 

 spring being attached at its ends, preferably, to a stationary object near the rear edge 

 of the platform, and to the underside of the hood or cover near the forward edges 

 thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This spring, however, may not be necessary when 

 the bar is sufficiently heavy to descend readily by its own weight. 



It will be seen from the foregoing that when the apparatus is put in motion the 

 front of the receptacle is automatically opened, and the grasshoppers or other insects 

 on the surface of the field over which it is drawn are gathered or "scooped" into the 

 receptacle. 



I provide the rear side of the receptacle with a rigid frame, m, to which the hood c 

 is attached. This frame incloses a sheet of fine netting, n, which forms a reticulated 

 barrier at the rear of the receptacle, and allows the air to pass freely through the re- 

 ceptacle when it is in motion, but arrests and prevents the escape of the insects. 



Another machine that may be mentioned in this connection is that 

 invented by Mr. Charles Hoos, of Arago, Nebr. (Patent No. 187,855, 

 dated February 27, 1877.) In the accompanying illustrations, Fig. 72 



riG. 72.— The Hoos Locust-crusher : Top view. 



represents a top view of the machine ; Fig. 73 is a vertical section of 

 the same taken through the line x x; and Fig. 74 is a side view. The 

 following detailed description illustrates the construction and working 

 of the machine : 

 A are the wheels, one of which revolves upon an axle attached to the frame B, and 



