1875.] 
181 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
two staples or rings. A leather strap or a piece of 
rope is tied from one ring to the other, and the 
point of the plow share put under it. The plow¬ 
share then rides upon the shoe and slides along the 
ground with ease. Another kind of shoe may be 
made from a piece of a split log, pointed at one end, 
and notched as shown in the illustration, so that the 
point of the plow share will catch in the notch and 
hold the plow to the shoe as it is drawn along. The 
flat shoe is the more desirable one, because whea 
the plow is brought in to the tool-shed, it may stand 
on the shoe and be kept from the ground, preserving 
it from rust, besides it is always ready for removal. 
A Useful Clamp. 
CLAMP. 
The clamps in general use by mechanics, and 
which are tightened by screws, are slow in opera¬ 
tion, and are very much in the way in some kinds of 
work. A form of clamp that is unobjectionable in 
this latter respect, and 
that is instantaneous in 
operation, is here illus¬ 
trated. It may be made 
of cast or wrought iron. 
In the former case, any 
mechanic who wishes 
to possess them, may 
readily cut the patterns 
out of wood, and have 
as many as he wants 
very cheaply cast of the 
size he needs at a foun¬ 
dry. It is in shape simi¬ 
lar to an elongated horse 
shoe, with a flattened 
face inside, spread out 
at the edges, and tapesing in thickness to the points. 
A ridge or flange at the back of each arm, gives 
strength and rigidity. The arms are not parallel, 
but one diverges somewhat from the other. A 
slide tapering from end to end, in exactly the same 
proportion that the one arm diverges from the 
other, fits upon the diverging arm. Its face is made 
parallel to the opposite arm, but as it is moved 
upon the diverging arm, it recedes from or ap¬ 
proaches the other one. Thus by driving it down, 
it is made to clamp instantly anything placed 
between the arms, and when it is driven up, it 
releases it at once. The illustration shows the 
clamp complete ; at a it is shown in section in such a 
manner, that the mode in which the slide fits upon 
the arm is seen. This slide may be made with 
a projecting heel, as seen at b, in which case a 
blow upon the curved part of the clamp will 
tighten it upon the work held by it. The contri¬ 
vance will be found useful in blacksmiths and 
carpenters’ shops, as well as in the farm work-shop. 
Sawing Wood 
by Horse-Power. 
The accompanying illustrations of a machine for 
6awing wood by horse-power, have been prepared 
in accordance with the requests of several corres¬ 
pondents. Figure 1 represents a table upon which 
the wood is placed on a sliding carriage, and 
pushed up to the saw. Figure 2 is another device, 
in which the wood is placed upon a hanging car¬ 
riage, and is allowed to be pressed against the saw 
almost wholly by its own weight. The last named 
we have found to be preferable, as it works with 
greater ease, and is safer from accident. The 
tables are stoutly built of 4 x 4 oak or maple scant¬ 
ling, morticed together, with tops of one inch oak 
boards, closely jointed. There are two shafts, one 
upon the lower part of the table carrying an 8-inch 
pulley upon which the belt from the horse-power 
runs, and a second pulley 22 inches in diameter, 
made to act also as a heavy balance wheel, from 
which a belt is run on to the saw pulley, 6 inches 
in diameter, upon the second shaft, which is just 
below the top of the table. The saw is 28 or 30 
inches in diameter. This latter shaft should run 
in thimble boxes, and should be as short as possible, 
12 inches being a sufficient length ; it will then run 
steadily without any side motion. So far the con¬ 
struction of both tables is alike. That shown at 
figure 1 has a sliding carriage, which runs upon 
grooved rollers traveling on hard 
wood rails, and is drawn back¬ 
wards by a cord attached to a 
hickory spring, upon the lower 
part of the frame, or to a weight 
which hangs near the comer post. 
The carriage runs only upon one 
side of the saw, and the wood is 
laid upon it with so much project¬ 
ing as it is desired to cut off at one 
stroke. The saw is so much ex¬ 
posed that if the operator is at all 
thoughtless or careless, he may 
lose a finger or two before he 
knows it, and it is therefore ob¬ 
jectionable for any but a skilled 
mechanic. Its chief advantage is 
that by removing the carriage and 
putting another saw upon the arbor, boards may be 
ripped, and other similar work may be done. The 
frame shown in figure 2 is perfectly safe if used 
with ordinary care, or without recklessness. It is 
ed, a great saving of time is effected, not only in 
the sawing, but iu the splitting ; for it is easier to 
split one piece four feet long, than two pieces two 
1. —SAW WITH SLIDING CARRIAGE. 
feet long, or three pieces sixteen inches long, and 
the amount of handling after splitting, is less in 
the first case than in the other cases. The sawing 
is also more rapid, inasmuch as the accumulated 
force or velocity of the saw and 
machinery, is exhausted before a 
thick stick is sawn through, and 
the motion becomes very slow, 
often obliging the operator to 
withdraw the wood until the 
speed is recovered, which never 
happens in sawing wood that 
has been split thin. This is not 
generally known, or if known is 
usually neglected. Proper lubri¬ 
cating of the bearings and boxes 
is very important. For the boxes, 
sperm or the best lard oil only 
snould be used, and tallow for 
the thimble boxes. A sharp saw 
is also an absolute necessity for 
easy and rapid work, and the fre¬ 
quent moderate use of the file is 
advisable, rather than an occasion¬ 
al thorough filing, which uses up 
a saw as fast as many moderate 
filings. This rule will apply t© 
many other sorts of tools and 
cutting machines as well as saws. 
Fig. 2.— SAW WITH HANGING CARRIAGE 
shown in detail at fig. 3. It is hung upon an iron 
rod which passes through iron or wooden boxes or 
sockets upon the top of the posts. These posts 
are made to lean forward, so as to throw the frame 
sufficiently from the edge of the 
saw when the wood is laid upon 
it, that the saw may not be struck 
suddenly. A catch may be placed 
upon the left hand post to keep 
the frame from swinging against 
the saw until the operator is ready ; 
when the catch will be pushed back 
with the left hand while holding 
the wood with the right, so as to 
allow it to come into easy contact 
with the saw. A very gentle pres¬ 
sure is all that is required to carry 
the frame past the saw, and to cut 
the wood. The severed portions 
are thrown off with the right hand, 
while the left conducts the frame 
into its forward position again. 
Then the wood is shifted along 
the frame by the mark of a guage 
upon it, and the operation is re¬ 
peated. With an elevation of 3i 
inches to a foot, of a one horse 
tread-power, or a two-liorse-power 
with one horse, and pullies and 
saws of the sizes here mentioned, 
one cord of wood not over 8 
inches thick, can be cut “ once in 
two ” in an hour ; or half a cord can be cut “ twice 
in two,” in the same time. It may here be men¬ 
tioned that by splitting wood fine before it is saw¬ 
COUNTERFEIT PEKIN DUCKS.— 
Almost every thing is counter¬ 
feited, as well as greenbacks, and eagles — even 
ducks, much humbler birds, come in for their 
share of misrepresentation. Aylesburys, with 
yellow bills and Rouens, with disqualifications.. 
Fig. 3.— HANGING CARRIAGE—FRONT VIEW. 
are put off upon the unsuspecting, as purely 
bred birds. The Pekins, though but just intro¬ 
duced, are already crossed with other varieties, and 
