the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. 
9 
comes round to the front. The rake works continuously, or 
can be arrested at any point of its traverse by leverage from the 
driver's foot, thus the size of the sheaves can be regulated accord- 
ing to the crop, and the bundle can be carried on the table 
round a corner as far as is desired. The light-reel rake in front 
is adjustable as to height ; it is driven by chain-gear, and is of 
course quite independent of the table-rake. An advantage is 
claimed for this entire separation ; the reel-arm being always 
parallel with the cutter-bar, its motion is uniform throughout, 
and the corn is delivered at right angles to the cutter-bar and 
not diagonally : it results that the table-rake compressing the 
corn into a bundle, as shown in the drawing, delivers it in a 
more compact form for binding. Of this I had ocular proof 
during the trials at Schencks Station. The men employed in 
binding the grain were unanimous in their opinion that the 
sheaves made by the table-rake were easier to bind than from 
any other machine. The disadvantages of the table-rake appear 
to be that as the rake compresses the grain at the corner of 
the table, there is some risk of loss from shedding in over-ripe 
corn, and the closeness of the sheaf interferes with the drying 
effect of sun and wind, when the corn is cut green. The 
draft appeared moderate, and the machine was very steady in 
work. I can imagine that, for moderately light crops, the 
Buckeye table-rake will be a valuable invention. The machine 
is light and strong, the sliding spring seat for the driver being 
especially commendable, as also the careful way in which the 
gearing is protected. 
Through the courtesy of Mr. Walter A. Wood, I am enabled 
to present my readers with detailed drawings of the Chain-Rake 
Reaper, a machine which has meritorious points, but which un- 
fortunately delivered the sheaves, when on trial, too directly in 
the rear of the machine to allow of a clear track for the horses. 
The figure (No. 4, p. 10) shows a plan of the machine. The letters 
and explanation will fully explain the action. The end of the 
jointed rake (F) travels round the outside of a nearly square 
platform in the same line as the travelling-chain to which it 
is attached, collects the corn into a close bundle, and throws it 
off, the action of the joint and flexible arm tending to collect 
the corn with great facility, like the sweep of the human arm. 
I understand that these reapers are largely sold, and I can believe 
that, when properly adjusted, they are capable of doing good 
work. The frame is of wood, strongly made. The motion is 
communicated to the chain by universal joint and bevel gearing, 
and as the cross-shaft can be thrown in and out of gear by a 
lever from the driver's seat, the traverse of the rake can be 
arrested at any point. 
