110 Report on Implements at Liverpool, and on 
the compressing and reciprocating arm, collect the com into a sheaf, bind it 
round with wire, twist the same, and cut it off; all this taking place during 
part of the revolution of the hinder-arm. The sheaf is made and thrown off 
the platform by means of a couple of springs, not shown in the illustration. 
The ingenious mechanism by which the two wires are twisted and cut off is 
more easily understood than described. It is effected by the action of two 
small toothed wheels working in opposite directions. The cutting off is 
effected when these wheels cease to move forward, the ^vire coming in contact 
with a sharp edge. 
Fig. 4. — Front Elevation of Walter A. Wood's Harvester and 
Self-binder conibined. 
Fig. 4 enables me to proceed with my description. The motion for 
securing the action is derived from the shaft D by bevel gearings driving the 
shaft K, which again communicates motion to the binder-shaft It. By a 
crank-gear the binder-arm M is made to revolve. The compressing arm X is 
so contrived as to ensure the proper amount of pressure on the band. 11 is 
the stand for the wire-spool, a variable tension being provided for. The 
driver, hy foot-leverage at T, can stop the binder at any point, and tliereby 
regulate the size of the sheaf if required ; for the action is automatic and con- 
tinuous. The lever U, also within reach, is useful for .shifting the ])osition of 
the binder according to the length of the straw, so as to have the bands 
in the proper place. V is a tilting-lever for altering tlie angle of the plat- 
form. The reel, which can be raised or lowered, placed forward or backward, 
according to the nature of the crop, is driven by cliain-gear froni the hub of the 
driving-wheel. 
Osborne's machine is called the " Gordon Binder and Ameri- 
can Harvester." The inventor has been at work on it since 
1863, and in 1866 eleven were used successfully through the 
season. Its operation is simple. The grain is reeled to the 
cutters with the ordinary reel. It is cut and dropped on an end- 
A. Driving-wheel, with spur-gear. 
B. Cross-shaft. 
C. Crank-shaft 
K. Large elevator roller. 
G. Reel, driven by chain. 
J. Elevator belts. 
K. Oblique shaft. 
M. Binder-arm. 
X. Compressing arm. 
0. Reciprocating arm. 
P. Standard. 
Q. Receptacle for the grain. 
Y. Outside divider. 
Z. Ground-wheel. 
