and Miscellaneous Implements at Bristol. 
89 
its forward end a cylindrical cam which actuates the lower end of a vertical 
lever, the upiier end of which h;vs a se:^mental rack connected with the tying 
mechanism, the lever bcins; kept up to tiie cam by a spiral spring. On the 
rear end of this same lonaitndinal shaft is an eccentric sproggle-wheel, which 
drivc-s a corresponding wlieel oa a third longitudinal shaft, near the ground on 
the extreme outside of the machine, actuating two forks or prongs for dis- 
charging the sheaf when tied. On the extreme rear end of the second 
longitudinal shaft is a crank, the connecting-rod of which actuates a corre- 
sponding crank on the rear end of a longitudinal rocking-shait at the top of 
the machine which carries the binder-arm. The wire-reel is carrie<l by a 
bracket beside the bindcr-nrm and above the sheaf. The tension on the wire 
is regulated by a spring-f iction brake pressing on the wire. On the axle of 
the wire-reel is pivote.l a lever, hooked at its outer end, and hollowefl out to 
carry the wire, the oflSce of which is to take up the slack ; the tail end of the 
Siiid lever is bent up at riiiht-angles, and actuated by a pin on the side of 
the binder-arm, the end of which is merely slotted to carry the wire within 
a small friction-roller. 
I will now endeav^mr to describe the binding mechanism, which, unfor- 
tunately, I am not able to illustrate by drawings. The binder-arm, when it 
has moved forwards towards the elevator, strikes into an india-rubber adjustable 
cushion placed oa an arm at right-angles to the vertical bracket which carries 
the tyinj mechanism. The end of the wire is at this point held by a spring 
clamp on the inside of the twister; the wire then jiasses through the front of 
the arm under the grain as it falls on to the binding-platform, to the slack 
lever which is up. The rack alrta ij' described is now right over to the rear, 
having been brousht into this position by the action of the cylindrical cam on 
the same shaft. The binder-arm now retire-:, causing the wire to loop rotind the 
top of the spring-clam;) ; and as the end of the arm clears the twister, a spring 
lever, which had been held up by the arm, drops on the wire and forces it into 
the twister. The binder-arm continues to rise, during which time the rack 
moves slowly forward by the action of the cam, and causes the twister to 
revolve without any action except to bring the wire to the bottom of the 
pinion, and thereby allow of the upper wire coming into place. The binder- 
arm now descends, enters above the twister, and the wire is forced down by 
the action of a second lever, actuated by the same spring as that which 
brought the wire before into the upper portion of the twister-pinion, which 
has V>een already described. The said lever remains down during the 
op'.-ration of twisting, keeping the wires close together, and assisting the 
twister, and when the twisting is effected it is released by the cam and pulled 
back by the spring into its former position ; the segment being at its extreme 
forward position, and being held there by the cam. 
The rack segment on its inner face carries two cutting-knives, the outer of 
which shears the wire off the face of the twister, and the inner one has a 
double action ; its lower face drives the wire into the spring-clutch, which 
holds it, and the upjier edge cuts the loop which has been formed as already 
described ; the said loop being thus liberated, falls into a receptacle below. 
Such is a brief description of the mechanism, which I fear will hardly prove 
intelligible to those who have not seen the machine in action. In reality the 
mechanism is simple, and the manner in which the wire is held by the loop 
is bHh simple and efficient. The wire is twisted two and a half times, which 
is quite sufficient for durability. The reel for collecting and directing the 
corn on to the platform is carried by an adjustable wooden arm. The reel can 
be raised or lowered by altering the iX)sition of a bolt, but is not controllable 
by the driver, it is driven by pitch-chain and tension-gear from the axle of 
the dri\ing-wheel. The elevator consi.-^ts of four rubber-bands, carrying cross- 
laths with iron fingers. These revolve between fixed wooden boards, the com 
