56 Report on Slieaf-Bindivg Machinery at Shrewsbury. 
behind the upper, and so open a gap between tlie barb and the end of th« 
lower spiral. Just above the hook, and in the line of the strings, is a small 
fixed shelf, on which the strings rest in the first mstance. The string from 
the gripper being over the hook, the sheaf is formed against it ; the needle- 
arm brings the string round the sheaf over the hook, and in revolving 
partly round forms a looj), which in the return revolution of the hook is 
pushed oif by a small inclined edge fastened over the hook in such a 
manner, that in the forward turn it slips over the string by the inclined 
surface, but in the backward turn catches the loop by its vertical surface and 
pushes it off the hook, which it could do completely were it not that the 
strings are caught between the lower barb and the under spual, and so di'awn 
through the loop and tightly secured. In the meantime the needle-arm has 
carried the string under the gripper again, and there it is held while the 
connection with the knot on the hook is cut. The ejection of the sheaf jerks 
the knot out of the grasp of the hook, and so completes the operation. 
The delivery apparatus consists of two single prongs, jointed at their upper 
ends to a horizontal rocking-frame and actuated at their middles by cranks, 
the shaft of which carries also the cams which work the gripper and the 
knotter. The prongs strike into the sheaf at right angles and then push it off 
the deck, the ledge and packing-finger opening back at the same time. 
This machine has no butting-web ; but the binder gear has an unusually 
large; lateral range, 14j, so that even very short corn can be bound when 
desired. The main driving-wheel has a shallow central rib round its middle 
and alternate cross-ribs of the same section. It is of cast iron, and is mounted 
on a pair of rocking arms, which can be raised or lowered by means of a screw 
terminating in a convenient handle in the rear of the machine. The gearing 
is well arranged and protected ; the reel is worked in a very ingenious 
manner, the two motions being given by the usual jointed frame, but con- 
trolled by one handle. A screen is fitted, banging vertically over the apron 
and about two-thirds of the way back from the fingers ; this is for the 
purpose of preventing the com being thrown too far back, and is said to be 
useful in some kinds of crops. A hoop-iron band is laid across the apron at a 
variable distance from the knife, according to the length of the grain, and is 
intended to retard the top of the corn, which tends always to traverse in 
advance of the butt, and it seems to answer the purpose very well. The 
sheaf cradle is simply and efiBciently arranged, and is operated by the foot of 
the driver. 
Work was afterwards proceeded with on the even-numbered 
Plots. 
Plot 4. Messrs. Howard, No. 49. — In the third round a nut 
came off the bolt which retains the platform in its place. This 
took rather more than 13 minutes to replace, after which the 
machine went well. Cutting and sheafing were good and 
regular, until the last cut, which caused the same difficulty as 
arose with No. 45, already described (p. 54). Time, 48 minutes, 
including stoppage for .iccident. 
This machine was, in arrangement and design of knotter, the same as 
No. 45, with the exception that the height and width of it had been con- 
siderably lessened, with the view of reducing the weight and cost as much as 
possible. 
Plot 8. Messrs. Ilornshy, No. 4570. — This machine has two 
webs on the platform ; the web nearest the cutting-bar is about 
