REAPING-MACHINE. 
239 
Top View of Reaping-Machine.—Fig. 48. 
directions. 
Nine and Eleven-Inch 
Shifts. —It will be observ¬ 
ed in putting the machine 
together that there are two 
full shifts for cutting 9 and 
11-inch stubble. These 
shifts are marked whenever 
an alteration is required to 
suit them respectively, 1 for 
the 9-inch shift, and 2 for 
the 11-inch shift. There is 
a pair of followers for each 
shift, and should a different 
a shift be preferred to start 
with (as wheat may be long 
or short) from that suiting 
the followers left in the 
driver, they must, of course 
be changed! Should a short¬ 
er stubble than 9 inches be 
required for short oats on 
smooth ground, a half shift 
may be made at the tongue , 
without further alteration, 
except to make .a small 
ground-wheel 3 or 4 inches 
less than the one to the 
machine. 
The divider to be placed 
with the screw left about 
the middle of its mortice, 
and on a trial to be set out 
or in as may be shown best 
by the operation. As much 
grain should be collected 
by it as can be well cut. 
to suit grain more or less tangled, by 
made to pass through the frame of 
Dividing-iron by its moveable groove to be raised or lower- 
The bough to be put further out or in. 
the distance which the hind end is 
the platform 
ed to suit the height of the reel. 
The Reel .—Its height is regulated altogether by the grain to be cut, be¬ 
ing placed only so low usually as to operate well upon the short grain that 
may be in the piece to be cut—observing to have the two ends of equal 
height, or the band would not run fairly upon the pulleys, which, in the 
first place, must be so placed upon the shaft that the band will work proper¬ 
ly upon the iron pulley below. By means of the reel-screw the band is 
kept tight, and by the buckle it is taken up as it stretches—tail of the band 
behind. 
The Lever puts the blade out of gear when the machine runs without 
cutting. Long end of the Yoke next to the grain, and hole in it turned up 
or down to suit high or low horses—ends fastened to the horses with leather 
straps—off horse to be borne off by a stick. To prevent accident put nails in 
points of keys, and at corners of screw-taps—-a tack in the point of the driver- 
key when the followers are tightened—point of the key to be cut off when 
driven up— Connecting-pin, followers, ;&c., to be renewed of hard wood when 
necessary—though not often—put pins in oil-holes to keep out sand—grind 
the blade on smooth side when necessary. 
ward, and close to the machine, and throwing his 
rake entirely across the platform with a limber 
action, must take a strong hold upon the heads of 
the wheat, and at a quick draw bring- it off with¬ 
out halting, rather against and behind his left, 
never before him. The heads must be drawn 
round, so that the buts will be left pretty much 
Operation —At the commencement of harvest 
when the wheat is often somewhat green and hea¬ 
vy, and the hands unskilled in the use of th orake, 
it must be expected that raking the wheat from the 
machine will be laborious, which, however, will 
become less and less so, as wheat ripens and hands 
.acquire the art. The raker must walk well for- 
