of String Binders at Derby. ' 
267 
As regards the Gleaners and Binders, a description is appended 
of the Notts Fork and Implement Company's invention, and 
the Johnston Harvester Company's machine, which appeared the 
most deserving of notice. 
McCormick and Co.'s Twine-binder is identical in tying and 
packing mechanism with the machines shown by The Johnston 
Harvester Company, and Samuelson and Co., inasmuch as they all 
adopt what was originally Appleby's patent, but which is now 
public property in England, therefore one description will suffice; 
and as the McCormick machine was awarded the Gold Medal 
as the most successful machine at the trials, it is only right that 
it should be carefully described. The binding mechanism is 
attached to an ordinary American harvester, with travelling plat- 
form, elevator, &c. The first motion is by a spur-wheel on the 
main axle, 24 inches diameter, which drives a pinion on counter- 
shaft No. 1, which on its opposite end carries a bevel wheel 
sliding on a feather, and actuated by a clutch under the control 
of the driver. This bevel wheel drives a bevel pinion on shaft 
No. 2, running backwards and parallel to the main driving wheel : 
on its rear end is a triple wheel, comprising a small chain wheel, 
which drives the binding-gear, a spur-wheel to drive the 
bottom apron through an intermediate wheel, and a larger 
chain wheel for the elevator, on the other side of which is the 
pitman crank, working the knife from behind. The binding 
mechanism comprises first, a shaft (No. 3), which runs from 
back to front of the machine under the binding-table. On its 
forward end is a small chain wheel, driving on to a square shaft 
No. 4, with a loose chain-wheel on it, so as to adapt its position 
to the table when the latter is shifted. On the rear end are two 
cranks, actuating the packers, which sink through slots on the 
binding-table. On the foremost end of No. 4 shaft is a small 
geared pinion, also loose, with a stop pivoted to it, which is held 
by a paul actuated by the compressor. On the extreme end of 
the shaft, beyond the stop, is a clutch with two driving-prongs, 
which engage into the tail of the stop when the paul is out of 
gear. When the paul comes into gear with the stop, the tail of 
the latter is so depressed as to allow the clutch to clear it, and so 
the pinion is thrown out of gear. 
This pinion, through two intermediate wheels, drives the 
knotting-gear, by means of a large spur-wheel on the binder-shaft 
No. 5, with cams on both sides ; that on the outside works a 
tension lever for the string. 
A crank-pin on the outside cam actuates a crank and rocking- 
shaft, the opposite end of which carries the needle arm. 
The compressor is pivoted on a crank at the back of the needle 
arm ; and it actuates first a rocking-shaft, with a cam which locks 
