OVERSHOT THRESHING- MACHINES, 
WITH 
CLEANER COMBINED. 
Plate I. 
Section All. The uniform success which has attended this machine at every and numerous 
fairs where exhibited, and an extensive introduction and sale during the past two harvests, 
has demonstrated its superiority over all its competitors as well as over all similar machines 
heretofore made by the proprietors, and entitles it to the following detailed notice. 
§ a12. This machine combines all the advantages of the common Thresher with the over¬ 
shot cylinder, adjustable concave and changeable features, for left or right hand working, so 
long manufactured by the proprietors. It also has the journals of its cylinder hung in uni¬ 
versal boxes or bearings, thereby always avoiding any binding and friction between them. 
§ A18. This machine is furnished with a Fan, placed beneath the feeder’s table, which is 
driven by an outside pulley, over which the main band passes and drives it in its circuit 
from the Horse-Power to the pulley of the threshing cylinder. A shoe, with screens and 
sieves, is also placed partly under and after the cylinder, and is similar to that in a common 
hand grain fanning mill, excepting the sieves and screens, which are all of an improved ana 
peculiar construction. 
§ a14. This frame work is extended some six feet in length aft the center of the cylinder, 
and is lined up its sides and covered over the top. Within this extended and enclosed por¬ 
tion of the frame are placed a light open wood riddle, filling the whole area, and with a 
closed wood riddle or bottom directly beneath it. Both riddles receive a vibratory motion 
endwise, but in contrary directions, so that while the upper riddle serves to separate the 
straw from the grain and carry it off at the extreme end, the tight riddles serve to convey 
rapidly and steadily the chaff and grain which has fallen upon it, back towards the cylinder, 
and discharging it directly upon the fingerboard of the shoe. 
Among the most important improvements introduced by the proprietors in their machine, 
and which have given it its wide celebrity and its extensive use, are the following, which 
need but be known to be appreciated. 
§ a!5. An endless apron of can¬ 
vas, with hard wood slats extending 
crosswise the machine, which slats 
are about two inches wide, and 
two inches from centres and three- 
eighths of an inch thick, and con¬ 
fined edgewise to the endless apron, 
and with lugs at the ends, so as 
to form cells between the slats 
when moving in a plane, for re¬ 
ceiving, holding and conveying the 
grain, while the straw and coarse 
reverse SIDE of machine in operation. chaff are suspended upon their edges 
and above the grain in the cells. This apron is placed immediately at the discharging side of 
the cylinder, and at an inclination upwards and nearly parallel with the inclined portion of 
the top of the machine as seen in the cut. 
§ a16. It is well known that in all overshot machines the grain and straw are discharged 
at different angles, the grain taking a more downward direction, while the straw is carried 
higher and further from the machine, and if allowed so to do would strike the floor sepa¬ 
rately, and form almost a perfect,separation in the operation. 
§ a 17. This endless apron is so placed in relation to the cylinder, as to avail itself of this 
described first and almost perfect separation of the grain and straw, making at a low esti¬ 
mate Ninety Per Cent of the entire separation at this point. The apron moving rapidly in 
the same direction with the grain, the concussion upon its slats is so slight as not to fracture 
the kernels of the most tender kinds of grain, and causes little or no wear upon the slats 
from the same cause. At the upper end of this apron, the grain from the cells falls directly 
upon the inner end of the closed riddle or bottom, by Which it is conducted, with its chaff, 
to the shoe, as before described, while the straw is caught by a revolving beater with 
strong iron teeth, which teeth as it revolves are projected outward, and comb rapidly forward 
the straw, tossing and opening it for the free discharge of any grains which may remain in 
it. These teeth, on their circuit with the beater, recede within the beater at each revolution 
during the returning part of its circuit, thereby avoiding the possibility of clogging or 
winding of the straw upon it. 
§ a 18. Another feature is a series of wood fingers, lying within and upon the straw 
riddle; these fingers are about twenty inches long, and with each vibration of the riddle, 
are made to rise and fall several inches, thus virtually suspending the straw and agitating it 
at the same time. These fingers are very light, and move without noise, and require but a 
moiety of force for their action. 
§ a19. The length of this machine, as shown by its frame work, is found sufficient for 
threshing and cleaning perfectly all heavy grains, but when light grains are to be threshed, 
and the work to be crowded, there is an extension which is attached if desired, and is shown 
attached in the cut. When not in use, or being transported, this extension may, with the 
sideboards and pulleys, which appear above the main frame, be detached and packed with- 
