Implement Show at Manchester. 
533 
Now that most of these machines are so equal and so perfect in their cutting 
powers, it struck the Judges tl\at the makers had turned their attention 
to the important point of endurance ; this has been effected in the case of 
Messrs. Hornsby and Sons, Burgess and Key, and Bamlett, by the adoptiou 
of au oil-reservoir inside of the brass bushed crank-axle, by which, with the 
aid of cotton waste, continuous lubrication is brought to bear on the fast 
motions.' 
Kegarding novelties and new inventions at this meeting, we would notice a 
combined i-evcrsible reaper and mower. No. 42, exhibited by Mr. W. Harkess, of 
Lostock Graham, Cheshire. It is made entirely of iron, and cuts either 
right or left, has a double finger-bar and knife-blade, the platform swings over 
by pulling a chain, and from an arrangement in the machinery, the horses are 
turned at the headlands, in the same manner as in the plough, enabling it to 
cut up and down, or across the corn, as is the case with " Bell's reaper." Had 
this machine been more perfect in construction, it would have taken a place 
for a medal, but as the Exhibitor observed to us — " it is yet in an imperfect 
state." 
Perhaps the most ingenious reaper exhibited was " The Star," claiming to 
be a novelty, and belonging to the inventors, Messrs. Foster and Sons, of 
Witham, Essex. It has no gearing, the reciprocating motion being gained by 
a curved ridge or cam inside the driving-wheel, acting upon steel friction 
rollers, connected to the knife by a lever. This motive-power is not a new 
one, having been used by the Eev. Patrick Bell, in his original reaj^er, so far 
back as 1850. A useful improvement in this machine is an india-rubber ring, 
inserted below the driver's seat to take away the jar. 
Another novelty was exhibited by Mr. William Brenton, of Polbathic, St. 
Germans, Cornwall. It consisted of a jjatent cylinder reaping-machine, fitted 
with a galvanised iron roller platform, about 10 inches in diameter, stuck over 
Avith short metal knobs, each 1 inch in length. The roller is placed at the 
outer edge of the platform, and is kept asleep (by means of a cogged segment) 
while the sheaf is forming on the tilting-board, and put into action simply by 
touching a spring with the foot, when the sheaf is ready for delivery ; although 
it did its work admirably on some sides of the corn, the Judges did not con- 
sider it was yet in a jjerfect state. 
Messrs. Picksley, Sims, and Co., Leigh, near Manchester, showed 12 mowers 
and reapers. No. 1974 being a new implement, in which a " Sun and Planet " 
motion is used to get up the speed of the knife ; all the machines exhibited 
bj' this Company have an ingenious arrangement for varying the speed of the 
knife, and the change of gearing is instantaneous. These machines are all good 
looking, and admirably got up. 
On Messrs. Horns bys' stand the Judges selected 7 out of 17 exhibited, and 
these 7 may be regarded as tj'pes of the rest. Hie excellence of the machines 
of this firm exists in their having wrought-iron driving-wheels, and open 
knife-blades instead of solid ones, which are liable to choke with grass. The 
dehvery of the corn is effected by a rake working without cams on an inclined 
axis, the cog-wheel machinery is fixed in the inside of the work, and the 
screw-nuts are all secured by counter-sunk split pins. 
Mr. Bamlett, of the Vale of Mowbray Works, Yorkshire, showed 22 mowers 
and reapers, fitted with oil-reservoirs and patent finger-plates. Mi\ Bamlett 
was found to have reduced the stroke of his knife from 3 inches to 2i ; the 
consequence of this upon the durability of the machine must be left to 
experience. 
We found Mr. W. Mattison, of Leemingbar, Bedale, Yorkshire, had in- 
creased his stroke to 5 J inches, the cutter-bar clearing two fingers at one throw, 
a principle which was tried unsuccessfully by Mr. AVylie in Scotland five 
years ago. 
