516 
Report on the Trials of Implements at Oxford. 
four disc wheels, very similar in form to Fowler's disc anchor, and provided 
■with a box for stones or earth when extra wei_£;hts are reqnired. The rope 
pulley may either be carried above or below the frame — probably the former 
plan is most suitable for the roundabout system, because the rope is more oif 
the ground. The novelty and merit of the arrangement consist in the jire- 
sence of a strong axle placed at tlie end of the frame carrying eight powerful 
tines ; on one end of the axle is a ratchet in four segments into which the teeth 
of a lever handle fit. The distance between the segments represents the space 
through which the anchor is required to traverse on the headland. As long 
as the lever is U]) the tines ride on the surface of the land, but when their 
movements are stopped the strain of the rope which is being wound on the 
windlass causes the tines to bury themselves, and thus afford a ])Owerful 
resistance both to side and forward strain. As the tines descend the hind disc 
wheels rise to some extent, but the anchorage is found ample, and the strain of 
rope tending to draw the anchor forward on the headland is thoroughly coun- 
teracted. There is a great saving of labour. The porter hoy, j^revious to the 
departure of the implement for the opposite anchor, liberates the lever 
handle from the ratchet notch, adjusts the steerage if required, and can then 
leave the anchor ; as soon as the plough commences to return from the opposite 
lieadland, the strain of the rope towards the windlass round the .sheaf or pulley, 
draws the anchor forward until the lever comes in contact with the I'atchct 
section, when it is at once arrested, the tines bury themselves, and strain is 
resisted. The price of each anchor is 25?. A Silver Medal was awarded. 
Henry Pooley and Son were commended at Manchester for automatic grain 
scale for weighing corn in bulk, an extremely ingenious machine, but to which 
the high price of 100/. prevented the judges awarding a medal, as they would 
otherwise have done. This year the exhibitors have completely altered the 
machine, made one ajiparatus do the work that before required double machinery, 
and consequently reduced the price from 100/. to 35/. A short description, toge- 
ther ^^'ith a drawing, will convey some idea of the principle. An overhead shoot, 
with an outlet controlled by a valve, conducts the grain into a divided oscil- 
lating trunk, open top and bottom, which swings upon trunnions resting upon 
the platform of a weighing machine ; the trunk passes through the platform, 
and vibrates between the inclined sides of a hojiper, which forms a portion of the 
platform, these inclined sides meeting at the bottom and uniting at the division 
or partition, foim the apex of a triangle. Each side of the triangle, when 
alternately brought closely against the sides of the hopper, converts that 
portion of the trunk which is in contact with it into a close vessel, being 
retained in position by a bolt. The grain falls into that portion of the trunk 
immediately under the shoot, and when the load is nearly imposed upon the 
machine, the outlet valve of the grain-shoot cuts off the sujjply of grain 
partially, allowing only just so much to fall gently into the machine as will 
complete the load with accuracy. Weight being ascertained, the bolt is wth- 
drawn by the action of the machine, when the hopper tumbles over, releasing 
one of the lower triangular outlets from contact with the side of the hopper ; 
the grain is discharged, and at the same instant the side of the trunk, which, 
was previously empty, is prepared for the reception of another load of grain, 
its lower outlet being closed by the hopper, and its upper portion being brought 
directly under the shoot. Each discharge of the trunk is registered by a 
counter, one figure of which is moved wit h every vibration of the trunk. The 
operations of loading, weighing, discharging, and registering go on without 
intermission so long as the supply of grain continues, the only impelling motion 
being the weight of the grain itself. The reduction in price and greater simpli- 
city of construction justified a silver medal. 
Messrs. Howard's horse-raJce, with self-acting leverage, appears an improve- 
ment on former attempts in this direction, because the means by which the 
