628 Report on the Trial of Combined Stacking-Machines 
hopper and trough. After harvest, when the horse-power is no longer 
required, four long screws are substituted for the bolts that commonly hold 
the first and second frames together, by these the middle frame is gradually 
lowered through the carriage-frame till the top frame rests upon the lowest ; 
the middle frame, with the whole of the horse-works, is then removed, and 
the two other frames securely bolted together. In this way the weight of the 
machine is lessened 10 cwt., the hopper is brought down to the right level 
for taking straw from a threshing-machine, and the amount of rigidity that 
is desirable when working by steam-power is fully secured. A fan-shaped 
expanding board enables the square hopper to take straw from the threshing- 
machine at any angle. Although the Judges preferred a round to a square 
hopper, there is perhaps some reason for adopting the former shape in this and 
the next machine, for it will be seen that a platform is placed round the hopper 
to prevent hay and corn from falling on to the horse-path under the hopper. 
The upper part of the trough folds imder, and is fastened to the carriage-frame 
when travelling. The rake-heads are well fastened by iron straps, which 
pass over the ladder-chains, and are held by short iron bolts. It will be 
noticed that this machine was set ready for work in less time than any other 
in the trial. When once set for work it can be moved from one rick to 
another with the greatest facility, and the point of delivery on any one rick 
could be shifted, if desired, each time a fresh waggon comes to be unloaded. 
The materials and workmanship throughout are very good, and the improve- 
ments introduced within the last twelve months have rendered this a very 
efBcient and valuable form of elevator. 
No. 4392. Holmes and Sons. This machine is lighter and has rather 
fewer parts than No. 4iJ91, but its ujjper frame has not the same facility for 
revolving freely upon a central pivot. There is no independent carriage- 
frame, but the horse-works are placed round the upright shaft over the main 
axle. The horse-wheel drives a bevel-wheel on a horizontal shaft, which 
carries a toothed pitch-wheel ; a link chain from this wheel drives the pitch- 
wheel on the shaft of the lower drum. The trough is telescopic, and is raised 
by racks and worm-wheel on Hayes's principle. When the trough-frame is 
raised to its full height for elevating hay and corn, it rests on these two racks 
and on the central screw ; side stays are provided, but were not used in 
the trial. For travelling, two cast-iron brackets are provided to take the 
weight, wlien the frame is raised, off the central screw. When used with 
a threshing-machine, the trough-frame is lowered by means of the central 
screw. This machine is cheaper than the one last described, and packs 
into a rather smaller compass, but its mechanical construction is not quite so 
good. 
The two elevators that remain to be described are of precisely the same 
pattern ; the exhibitor of the second paying a royalty for its use. 
No. 165. Barford and Perkins. From Fig. 10, p. 629, it will be seen 
that the horse-track in these machines is between the fore and hind carriage- 
wheels, while in the case of Messrs. Holmes and Son's machines (Fig. 9) the 
horse walked round outside the carriage-frame. Fig. 10 further shows 
that there is no separate carriage or horse-gear frame, but that the horse- 
gear is fixed beneath the frame that carries the trough, and that this frame 
can be raised or lowered on racks fixed on the inner sides of four shafts 
that rise vertically above the carriage-wheels. The frame is raised by the 
handle that projects from the front of the elevator, which moves a long shaft 
on each side of the frame ; these shafts carry worms which gear into wheels 
and work the rack and pinions. The handle that in the illustration (Fig. 10) 
appears above and between the fore-wheels raises tlie trough by means of the 
hemp-rope and pulley-block. To hold the trough open the upper ends of the 
suspending ropes are fixed to the trough a little above the joint ; to fold it up 
