1 Szpr., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 139 
Why not introduce the elevator system of handling grain, ashas been done 
in America and Europe? 
Fig. 2.—Cross-section of a horizontal grain-belt taken near one of the pairs of oblique rollers 
used to keep the edges of the belt somewhat raised. 
1 and 2, sides of the long framework. 
3, 4, edges of the belt. 
5, 6, returning portion of belt. 
7, 8, oblique rollers for turning up the edge of the belt. 
9, rollers for support of 5, 6. 
10, 11, bearings of the rollers 9, 
The grain elevator, as its name indicates, is a contrivance for raising grain 
from a given position, generally near the ground, to a higher position, generally 
a bin or silo, from which it can at any moment be delivered conveniently and 
quickly by means of proper machinery. 
The essential elements of the grain elevator are :— 
1. The elevating and transferring machine. 
2. The weighing machine. 
3. The bins or silos. 
4. The cleaning machine. 
The elevating machine is built in a great variety of forms, all, however, 
embodying the same principle, if we overlook the pneumatic elevator, which we 
may do for the present. 
An endless band passes round two pulleys, one of which is placed above 
the other, and this endless band carries buckets which, on passing round the 
lower pulley, dip into grain contained in a hopper, and, on passing round the 
upper pulley, shoot the grain that has been dipped up into a receiving hopper 
or spout. See diagram in Fig. 1. 
The grain thus elevated may be weighed in special machines adapted to 
receiving spouted grain, and which automatically register the weights. These 
machines are usually located at the top of the elevator building. 
Before or after weighing, usually after, the grain is carried to its destined 
bin or silo by means of horizontal belts, or inclined spouts, or a combination of 
both. The belts are made of canvas, leather, rubber, or a composition, and 
yary in width from 1 foot to 3 feet, and, while usually running horizontally, 
may have a grade of 1 in 10, and yet work satisfactorily. A spout conducts 
the grain on to the middle of the moving belt, which latter receives an upward 
curvature at its edges through the use of pairs of oblique rollers every 15 to 30 
feet, according to its width. Such belts are shown in illustrations 3 and 5, and 
a diagrammatic cross-section is given in Fig. 2. 
The grain-belt delivers its grain into hoppers or spouts, either at its turning 
point or at an intermediate point, by means of a special carriage which zig-zags 
the belt.as shown in Fig. 5. 
The terminal elevators now in process of construction in the United States 
are costing about 80 cents per bushel of capacity. Previous to the recent 
advance in price of all kinds of material, terminal elevators were built at from 
20 cents to 25 cents per bushel. JI have seen (and examined in many cases) 
many hundreds of elevators in all parts of the United States, and among them: 
all have seen but one with iron bins. They must be uncommon. The large 
terminal elevators are seldom completed in less than twelve months; the smaller 
