Trials of Self-hinding Reapers at Aigburth. 
147 
feeder get his hand caught, and have not the presence of mind to throw the 
machine out of gear with his foot, it appears certain that his arm must be 
drawn against the lever, when the rollers would be at once reversed and the 
hand liberated. 
Allcock's new PcHent Pwtable Chaff-cutter, No. 130 in the Society's cata- 
logue, price 28L, was shown amongst machines in motion. Its special claim 
to notice is its new patent lever for protecting the feeder from accidents. The 
safety-guard renders it impossible for the feeder to be injured when at work, 
as, in the event of his arm getting too far and briuiring the fingers in contact 
with the rollers, the arm itself lifts the lever without etfort or impulse on the 
part of the man himself, and compels the fingers to go back from the rollers 
with the fodder in the box until quite away from all danger, wliereas most 
other guards are dependent on the presence of mind of the feeder, and his 
quickness in usmg the lever to reverse the rollers. 
The " Starr " Chaff-cutter of Lowcock and Barr, price 16^. 16s., has also 
a special claim to notice on account of its new safety-bar, consisting of a 
novel arrangement of the lever for stopping and reversing the rollers, so that if 
the man feeding the machine should even get both his hands fast in the 
rollers, he would instantly liberate himself by throwing his arms or body 
against the safety-bar. The idea is new and admirably practical. It is possible 
for a man to get his hands fast in the rollers without throwing his body against 
the safety-bar, but it is unlikely so to happen. In ninety-nine cases out of a 
himdred some part of his body would press against the bar, so that the safety- 
action, if not quite automatic, is nearly so. 
John Williams' Chaff-cutter (W. P. 7), price 18?., is " Whittaker's Patent" 
Chafif-cutter, with a safety-gearing to stop or reverse the machine by hand or 
foot. A special feature in the safety-gearing of this machiu': is that the lever, 
which throws the clutches connected with bevelled pinions in and out of gear, 
once pressed stops the action permanently, and the machine does not go on 
alter the pressure is taken from the lever, as is the case with some machines. 
The last of this class of machinery on my list is the Safety Lever Chaff- 
cutter (S. Edwards's Patent), No. 10, price 19?., exhibited by Messrs. John 
Crowley and Co., Sheffield. The levers, its maker says, are such that the 
user is secured against any liability of accident when feeding. " By the one 
lever the feed is reversed or driven forward, and the length of cut varied with- 
out change wheels. One great improvement is the entire absence of any 
retaining pins to keep the starting-lever in position, which enables the man 
feeding it, even if both his hands were fast in the feed-rollers, to stop the ma- 
chine with his body by bringing it in contact with the lever, which is placed 
in a convenient position for that purpose." 
That the Judges should notice five implements of one class 
I have attempted to explain by indicating the special feature of 
merit which they all possess in common, of making the danger 
to the attendants as small as possible ; and enough has been said 
to show that marvellous perseverance and ingenuity have been 
displayed by our agricultural mechanical engineers in applying 
safety-gearing to a class of implements in such general use that 
the saving of life and limb must be very considerable. 
Of the numerous Field Implements, Denton's Grass Harrow, 
Hunter's Turnip-Topper, and Barford and Perkins' Steam Cul- 
tivator, have sufficient novelty to render a brief notice of them 
desirable. 
L 2 
