The Appleby and Holmes types of mechanism are the only two in general use. Fig. 36 gives the Appleby with its sheaf about to be ejected, and Fig. 37 the Ilohnes knotter with the knot nearly completed, and its sheaf. Both depend somewhat upon the ex pansion of the sheaf, when relieved from compression, to insure a tight band : but the latter less than the former, be cause it makes its knot closer to the grain. Wood's (Holmes) binder squares the butts of the gavel with an oscillating board armed with several flanges to also more the grain downward. placed on edge at the front of the receptacle. The upper end of the board rotates in a plane coincident with that of the table, while the lower end receives a slight reciprocating motion from being linked to a suitably placed pivot : and the re sult is a series of rapid alternating rak ing strokes to move the grain downward from the elevator, on the table, and to square the butts (Figs. 38, 39).
Features of the Wood binder not here described are so similar to corre sponding features of the Appleby type that they do not need a separate de scription. The relation of the Wood binder to the harvester appears in Fig. 40. The harvesters used with the Ap pleby type of binder to do the reaping arc, as a rule, triple-apron machines of the type formerly used with wire bind ers, and modeled on the original har vester invented by the Marsh Bros. to carry men with it at the side where the grain is delivered over the driving-wheel from an elevator, to do the binding by hand and drop their sheaves on the ground alongside. Wood has modified this harvester by deflecting the horizon tal platform apron-conveyer and ex tending it up the elevator, and placing a lightly framed float upon the surface of the elevator portion to hold the as cending grain against the elevator to give pressure enough to force it np. To counteract a tendency of the moving apron to lift away from its proper place in the angle at the foot of the elevator, he drives all three rollers positively by suitable gear, thus drawing the bottom of the cloth tight and keeping the top surface slack. Lightness, reduced friction, and a decreased num ber of rollers and quantity of cloth are the objects.
The triple-apron and single-apron arrangements are outlined in Figs. 41 and 42. The operation of the single-apron construction is displayed in Fig. 43 ; that of the triple-apron construction in Fig. 44. For transporting this class of binding-harvesters on the road a stout two-wheeled truck is commonly used (Fig. 45), as the wheels of the machine track too widely for rural roadways and narrow bridges. For this purpose the tongue is made attach able to one end of the machine. So far as practicable, rolled iron or steel framework for binding-harvesters has superseded wood, to resist the effects of weather and maintain integ rity of alignment. So, also, chain-gearing is employed when it can be made available, in preference to cog-gearing, as it obviates the accurate lining of shafts, runs freely, and wears only in the chain-links, which are cheaply replaceable without delays, and its use lightens and cheapens construction.
Driving-Gear.—Fig. 40 is an improved arrangement of the driving-power by the Mil waukee Co. Fig. 47 is Shaughran's adjusting device for the harvester reel, made by McCor wick. At a is seen the right-hand portion of the reel-shaft. Its support is pivoted at b and c. The reel may be moved backward and forward by the hand-lever d, and upward and down ward by the hand-lever e, with their respective connecting-roils, to adapt the position of the reel in relation to the grain, the sickle-bar, and the conveyer which receives the grain. At f
is a lifter-spring so attached as to sustain a greater portion of the weight of the reel and its support, to reader easy the manipulation of lever d. The levers have spring-latches, and maintain the reel in any given position for the time being.
The Milwaukee Harvester Co.'s adjustable reel support (Fig. 48) has but one hand-lever, which locks the reel in any position forward or backward in the direction of its length, and upward or downward when turned on its own axis by the operator. A lift-spring in the for ward arm, not visible in the figure, sustains the weight of reel and forearm.
Aultman, Miller & Co., of Ohio, make a binding-harvester (Fig. 49) in which the cloth con vever is confined to the platform, and the grain is moved up the elevator to the binder under a suspended float carrying a pair of raking teeth, and by a gang of teeth with tedder action derived from a crank-shaft working under the elevator-boards. The teeth are propelled in slots in the elevator, and serve the double purpose of elevating the grain and packing it under the knotter, which is modeled on the Appleby plan. "This machine packs the grain upward. Walter A. Wood makes a rake-elevator binding-harvester (Fig. 50) which has cloth-conveyer on platform only, and elevates and packs the grain with a rotary rake having teeth on four arms. The rake-heads rock, so as to feather and draw out of work, as soon as they arrive at the edge of the binder-table. They are held in work by tail-guides at the forward end. The raking device is in the form of a reel, which is journaled only at the forward end; thus the entire rear line of harvester and binder is left open, as seen ID Fig. 51, giving unobstructed passage to the grain, however long the straw may be. There is a light eloth-and-frame extension behind the platform to keep the heads of tall grain from touching the stubble behind the harvester. The knotter works beneath the binder-table which is slotted just above it, and is a hook of the Appleby type. The twine-needle is piv oted above the space for the sheaf. The discharger recipro cates. The grain is elevated only along the small arc re quired foe the action of the rake-heads upon it, lightening both weight and work. The driving-wheel is located just in front of the binder, not under it. as in other binding-harves ters, and its power is conveyed hack to the binder, plat form conveyer, and elevator by a tumbling-rod. As the driving wheel end grain-wheel are not centered on the same transverse line, the latter is arranged as a caster to avoid cramping in turning. It is attached far enough back to balance the machine, the principal weight of which is brought as near the driving-wheel as practicable. The weight of the tongue, and of the driver, whose seat is slightly forward of the driving-wheel center. on the hounds of the tongue, aids in balancing the machine." A very considerable ['art of the harvesting in the large grain-fields of the Pacific coast is now performed with the wide-cut " header." sometimes drawn by a long string of animals. but preferably by a traction engine. The header cuts the straw near the top, leaving the stubble standing high, and taking off little more than the grain-ears. This renders the duty of the conveyer meehanisin so light as to admit of taking it swath IT; or 20 it. wide, and even wider. From the plat form-eonveyer the are elevated between canvas belts to a point over the driving-wheel, and there shot into a long supplemental conveyer swung well out from the side of the machine to deliver them into large tender-wagons traveling alongside to receive loads and hanl to the thrasher.