6 BULLETTX 801; "C. S. DEPABTMEXT OF AGRICULTURE. 
of tlie truck and pull it up the incline, the truckman holding the 
handles as shown. The endless chain is driven by an electric motor 
or other power. The truck is generally brought down an incline 
which is similar except that the sprocket chain is omitted and the 
slope is less steep. 
The electric hoist is valuable in a warehouse in which cotton is 
handled rapidly. An illustration of this equipment is shown in 
Plate VII, figure 2. The machinery is protected in the little house 
shown on the steel frame. Two motors supply both vertical and 
lateral movement to the steel hooks carrying the bale. This equip- 
ment can be housed under the warehouse roof and controlled from 
any floor by a cable at the doors. This hoist will handle readily 
100 bales an hour from the first to the third or fourth floor, a little 
more time being required to deliver to higher floors. However, sev- 
eral men are required for the operation of the hoist, as there must 
be one man to operate the machine, one on the lower floor to hook 
the bale, and one on the upper floor to release the bale, besides those 
assigned to trucking the cotton to and from the hoist, The hoisting 
apparatus may be used also for lowering cotton, although better and 
more economical results are secured from the use of a bale chute. 
The ordinary spiral package chute of sufficient size supplies the 
best means for lowering cotton. Views of this form of chute are 
shown in Plate IX, figures 1 and 2. The installation shown is ar- 
ranged so that the bales are delivered to the bottom floor already 
headed up and ready for the truck. A straight chute can be con- 
structed of skids. 3 inches wide, and shod with heavy strap iron. 
The chute may pass through a number of floors and, by the use of 
trap doors, bales may be delivered from any floor to any other floor 
below. A bale chute and an electric hoist are shown in the ware- 
house in Plate III, figTire 2. 
"Where the conditions do not demand rapid elevation of the cotton 
or where available labor is limited the regular platform elevator 
is the best hoisting equipment. Such elevators may be operated by 
a belted mechanical connection, by electric motor, or by direct steam 
connection. The elevator also may be used for transfer of electric 
trucks or loaded trailers from one level to another. The arrange- 
ment of the building for an elevator used for cotton bales is shown 
in Plate X. A somewhat different arrangement is desirable if elec- 
tric trailers are to be handled on the elevator. 
In addition to these forms of handling equipment the slatted 
belt conveyor arranged on an incline and with spiked slats for en- 
gaging the bales of cotton is used to some extent. 
For piling cotton the machine in most general use is a small 
portable elevator such as shown in Plate XI. The movable plat- 
