Report on Sheaf- Binding Machinery at Slireicsbury. 53 
weight of 30 sheaves in two bouts being exactly the same, namely, 15-33 lb., and 
the extreme variation 145 lbs. to 18 lbs. The binder apparatus has a traverse of 
8 inches for adjusting the position of the string ; there is also an adjustable 
bnttor which effects the same object. The reel is very simply arranged. Its 
carriage has the usual double motion of elevation and projection ; it is operated 
by two bandies and actuated by a shaft, the square end of which passes loosely 
through a square hole in the sprocket driving-wheel at the rear of the machine, 
while the other runs in a swivelling 'y*"li^3'i carries a small pair of bevel 
wheels which drive a spur-pinion into which the spur-wheel of the reel-shaft 
engages. The width of cut is 5 ft. 3 in., and the width of apron 5 ft. 
The sbeaf-carrier (Fig. 19) is simply a light bent two-prong fork, which caE. 
readily be attached to the binder ; it is actuated by an ingeniously arranged 
hand-lever within reach of the driver, and wiU carry a couple of sheaves roimd 
verj- efficiently. The apron and elevator-canvases are only adjustable by means 
of the straps and buckles. The lower roller of the outer elevator works in the 
ends of levers pivoted to the framing at their upper ends, and free to move to 
a limited degree. By this arrangement the space between the two boards 
varies accordmg to the requirements of the crop. The rollers have iron 
gudgeons working in brass bushes securely let into the wooden frames. The 
platform-apron speed is 5 while that of tie elevator is 8. In every detail this 
machine shows the greatest care and excellence of workmanship. 
Plot 3. Mr. Wood's Machine, Xo. 407, started at the same 
time, and continued to work without any stoppage until the last 
round but one, when the fingers picked up a piece of glass and 
pulled up the machine. The grain was levelled on the web for 
a start ; when this was made, the chain gearing refused to do 
its work ; to clear the elevator caused a stop of 7 minutes, but 
the work was completed at the end of 40 minutes. The cut was 
not quite even, the finger-plates caught the furrows occasionally^ 
and the straw was a little crossed in the sheaf, but the work was 
good on the whole. This machine had no butt web. 
This machine is similar to Xo. 409, described on p. 55. The main driving- 
wheel is of wood of the " bellows construction," like that used by ilcCormick, 
Xo. 215. The felloes or rim are of wood, shod in the usual way, the spokes form 
flat cones with their apices turned outwards. One set of spokes is attached to 
the cast-iron nave, while the others are secured in a " hub," which is capable 
of sliding along over the nave. The two sets of spokes are drawn together by 
means of bolts, and so tightened up at pleasure. It is claimed that the thick 
wooden rims lift less dirt than iron ones. The reel-mechanism is somewhat 
diflFerent from that of Xo. 409 ; and the binder, though exactly the same in its 
main features, yet has a slight addition in the tension arrangement in the 
shape of a pivoted lever, through the free end of which the string passes, and 
is kept from forming into a loose loop when soft twine is used. 
This machine was run on the dynamometer, in which the sheaves were not 
very regular ; the average of 15 sheaves in 4 runs was 14-87 lb., 14-13 lb., 
13'43 lb., 12-6 lb. ; the smallest sheaf weighing 11 lb. and the largest 16 lb. 
Plot 5. Johnston Harvester Co., Xo. 189. — The work done 
by this machine was disappointing. The size of the sheaves 
delivered was very irregular ; and in the second round three 
sheaves were not tied. A stop was made to put the string into 
