It is fixed to the plough by two pieces of iron going from the ends of the drill; one to the beam at B, and the other to the stilt at C, and, moving- round on bolts, allow the wheel \V to fall and rise with every accidental hollow or eminence.
The low part of the coulter is kneed or bent, to bring it to the same plane with the land-side or the plough.
Of a Machine for Reaping Corn The aid furnished to husbandry by mechanical inven tion has been already noticed ; but many people have deemed it practicable to extend that aid to one of the most important branches of rural economy ; namely, that of reaping corn, which, at the current rate of la bour, is become a most expensive process. This deside ratum, however, has not hitherto been obtained, though several unsuccessful attempts have been made by inge nious artisans to construct an implement capable of exe cuting the reaping process. One of these implements has been constructed by Mr Gladstones at Castle Dou glas, and though found imperfect upon trial, may proba bly have laid the foundation of a more successful attempt at some future period.
To reap the crop of a large corn farm, since labour became so high priced, proves a burden of great magni tude ; therefore, we are disposed to believe, that every scheme, which has for its object a reduction of manual labour, by introducing machinery in its stead, must ne cessarily be favourably received by cultivators of every description, and particularly by those extensively em barked in rural undertakings. We all know, what ad vantage the thrashing machine has proved to the corn farmer; indeed, without this machine, it is probable, the expense of separating corn from the straw would, by this time, have amounted to nearly the value of one-tenth of the crop. Be this as it may, as manufactures have reach ed their present flourishing state entirely through the aid of machinery, there can be no doubt, but that agriculture may be equally benefited by assistance of the like kind.
Those, who remendie r OW general opinion, NVII thrashing machine was first tulvertised, will not be seep tical concerning the success of a machine for reaplir corn ; though no doubt the latter, like as it happened 1,, the lOrmer, will require many }eals, and many altera tions, before it can be brought to be completely and useful.
Without further preamble, we proceed to describe M Gladsiones's machine.
AA are the shafts, in which a horse is yoked. 1313 two wheels, which support the machine, and, revolving upon the ground, when the horse goes lOrward, give mo tion to the machine. Upon the axle C of the w heels, the large cog-wheel I) is fixed, acting- in the pinion E upon the axle of which is fixed the breast-wheel 1", and the pulley G. The breast-wheel F, by acting in the pi nion K, gives motion to the breast-wheel I I. The cutt•:• K is fixed on the lower end ol a spindle, coining up through the middle of the iron liar LLL ; and upon th top of this spindle the small pinion M is fixed, which acts in the breast-wheel 11.
The pully G, by means of a pitch-chaM, sets in nn, Lion the small pinion N, which acts in the large gather ing wheel 0 ; and on this wheel the large cross-arm P1' is fixed, to the one end of which the gatherer Q is at tached, with another gatherer at the end of it, it found necessary. The gathering wheel 0, with its cross-arm PP, and gatherer Q, revolves round the cast-iron bat LLL, as its centre, or axis.
It is evident, when the machine is drawn forward, the cutting wheel K will be put into a very rapid mo tion, while the gathering apparatus will go compara tively slow. SS is a circular table of wood, with strong wooden teeth, notched below all around, in front of it. The table is fixed upon the cast-iron bar LLL ; and, as the cutter works immediately below, or rather betwixt the wooden teeth, as may be seen a, T, they not onle hold the corn from flying the cutter, but prevent it from being hurt or damaged ; and the table serves to supper, the corn when cut, till the gatherer conies round.
\V is a spindle through the cross-arm P; a tail V is fixed to the bottom of it ; and the gatherer Q, fixed to the top of this spindle, has liberty to turn backward and forward upon it, as a centre. \V is a segment of wood, by which the tail and gatherer are supported. This tail keeps the gatherer in its proper position, until it come•, round below the large cross-beam X. A piece of wood is fixed below this beam, which takes the corn out of the gatherer, and leaves it in small sheaves, or handfuls. This it does easily ; as the tail of the gatherer being no longer supported by the segment of wood AV, the gath erer falls back, and continues in the position, as at AL till it comes round to N, when the tail rests on the piece. of wood \V, and brings the gatherer again into its pro per position. The gatherer can be let out and taken in, as necessary, by means of the slide groove seen at AV. a a are small circular pieces of wood, coated with some thing that has a tendency to make iron sharp by rubbing upon it ; but the name thereof I have forgotten. These circular pieces of wood are put into a rapid motion by the rope b, over the pulley c and d. They are so con structed as to be put in motion and stopped at pleasure, without interrupting the progress of the machine. They also sharp the edge of the cutter. w is a small handle, which turns a screw, that sets the pinion F. out of the. large cog-wheel, and admits the machine to be drawn as easily as a common cart, without putting the machinery in motion. g vac two handles, by means of which the cutter can be made either to cut low or high, as circum stances may require.