Five Years Progress of Steam Cultivation. 
369 
tilth, perfectly straight rows complete! v finished up on the head- 
lands as elsewhere, the seed planted at regular depth, and all 
without the trampling- of a single hoof. It is also adapted for 
haulage by other systems of rope-traction. 
Mr. E. Hayes, of Stonv Stratford, Bucks, has introduced 
various modifications into this svstem of a stationary engine and 
windlass, and rope laid out round the field. Between the two 
winding drums upon the same axis are hung three riggers or 
band-wheels, anv one of which may be driven at pleasure by a 
belt from a broad rig?er or sheave on the engine fly-wheel. The 
middle rigger on the windlass is simply a "dead rigger;" each 
of the others actuates at a slower speed one of the drums, by 
means of spur-wheels inside. To reverse the action of the drums, 
then, it is onlv necessarv to slip the belt from one outside rigger 
to the other, without taking anv toothed wheel out of gear, and 
without stopping the engine — which is a source of trouble and 
delay when the engine has but a single cylinder. The revolution 
of the slack or paving-out drum is arrested, ready for the reverse 
motion, by the momentary pressure of a steam-piston brake. 
But no attendant is needed at this windlass ; for Mr. Haves leads 
out cords from the windlass around the field, by which either of 
the anchor-men instantaneously shifts the reversing bar, when the 
implement arrives at the end of its furrow. So that no signalling 
is required, except in case of obstruction to the plough while on 
its journey ; and this enables the farmer to work in the thickest 
fog, or bv moonlight in a pressing season, with perfect safety to 
the machinery. Anv implement adapted for rope-traction mav 
be employed with this apparatus. 
The improvements of ^Messrs. J. and F. Howard, of Bedford, 
embrace all parts of the so-called " round-about " system. Their 
10-horse double-cvlinder ordinary portable engine, actuated the 
stationary windlass by means of a spindle with universal joints, 
in place of a driving-strap, which is liable to slip in wet weather. 
The two coiling-drums are hung upon eccentric bosses, or hollow 
axles, both upon one carriage axietree ; and by altering the posi- 
tion of these eccentrics either drum is raised or lowered at 
pleasure, in order to place its toothed flange in or out of gear 
with one of the pinions on the first-motion shaft above. Thus a 
very light, though powerful, two-wheeled windlass is secured : 
the stopping and reversing are easv ; the motion of the drums can 
be stopped without shutting ofi" steam ; the slack or loose drum, 
dropping upon a fixed block, becomes its own brake ; and the 
amount ot frictional pressure in this braking action can be regu- 
lated at will. The next point that meets our attention is the 
provision made for holding up the rope off the ground ; not onlv 
to save wear, but to economise motive-power, A tight or pulling 
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