Award of Medals, Sfc, at Kilhurn. 
693 
made of two pieces, which have to be jointed. The machine 
consists of a disc, and of two augurs carried on a frame just 
above the disc ; as soon as the sides are jointed, the holes are 
bored, the dowels are fitted by hand, and the head is ready 
for the next operation ; one lad can join and bore the wood for 
1000 heads in ten hours. The head-turning machine is very 
ingenious. The square head is clamped between flat circular 
plates, which are capable of being rotated ; as soon as the saw 
has cut through the wood, the plates rotate, and thus the concave 
saw rounds the head, and gives the required bevel to the upper 
side, while the bottom bevel is obtained by two flat cutters 
mounted on a block underneath the saw ; the heads for two 
casks can be cut in a minute. Such is a very brief description 
of the very admirable machinery exhibited at Kilburn, and 
which was very properly recognised by the Miscellaneous Judges. 
It may be mentioned that this particular set had been sold to a 
fish-preserving company at Boulogne for the manufacture of fish 
barrels. 
It is also worth notice, that the Aylesbury Dairy Company 
purchased all the firkins made during the Show. Though not 
guaranteed to be watertight, so close are the joints, that 
practically the casks become so from the moisture exuding from 
the butter. One was tested with water, and, though it dropped 
for a few seconds, it very soon swelled and became perfectly 
water-tight. 
A Silver Medal was awarded to Messrs. Samuelson and Co. as 
the exhibitors of Mr. T. Filter's Patent Cylindrical Hay-press, 
which was shown last year at the Paris Exhibition, and which 
has much merit to recommend it. Mr. Pilter is an Englishman 
who has carried on an agency business in Paris for America and 
England during a number of years. The advantages claimed 
for this invention are rapidity of action, handier form of bale 
for moving about, absolute uniformity of material, and impossi- 
bility of packing the bale. The apparatus being on wheels is 
easily moved, the total weight being about two tons. Reference 
to the illustration (Fig. 1, p. 694) will enable the reader to under- 
stand the following description : — The hay is forked by two men 
upon the platform, which is separated by a central division, so as 
to ensure a regularity of feed on either side. The bottom of the 
platform is composed of slatted openings, through which a chain 
feeder draws the hay to the mouth of the press. The hay is 
sucked in between two conical rollers, placed horizontally. The 
hay thus brought against the end of the press assumes a 
centrifugal motion corresponding to that of the press, and thus 
winds itself into a compact mass, gradually forcing back the 
press and overcoming a slight pressure given by two wooden 
