AGRICULTURAL
MACHINERY
175
The grain moving on down the binder deck is forwarded overcome the tension of the spring, shown at the right of by the packers, as seen in Fig. 35. These consist of a the figure, the latter yields, and the trip latch, being connected to the compressor shaft, is raised and releases the end of a dog carried on a gear by which the knotter shaft is driven, and the dog is immediately thrown down by a spring engaging a lug on the packer shaft. This starts the knotter shaft, which carries the compressor cam, and, the cam wheel being connected by a pitman with the needle shaft, the needle moves upward, passing the cord round the bundle. Simultaneously with the motion of the needle, the compressor is forced against the grain, and the bundle is tightly compressed between the compressor and the needle, thus taking most of the strain off the cord. Previously to the upward movement of the needle, the cord is held by one end in the cord holder, which lies outside the knotter bill, as seen in Figs. 36 and 37, and extends
pair of arms sleeved upon cranks on a constantly driven shaft, and having their lower ends connected by links to
over the knotter, underneath the bundle, through the eye of the needle, and thence to the twine box. As the needle carries the cord upward, the second strand is laid over the knotter and cord holder, and, at this moment, the segmental racks on the knotter wheel engage the pinions of the knotter and cord holder. As the knotter rotates, a loop of both strands of the cord is formed round both jaws, and when about three-quarters of the revolution is completed, the upper jaw is raised by a cam, the strands between the knotter and cord holder passing between the the frame of the machine. By means of the packers, the grain is forced against the compressor or trip arm until a
Pio. 38.—Holmes binder. jaws and being grasped thereby. The cord-holder disk carries a knife which now’ strikes the cord and severs it, the end running to the eye of the needle remaining in the grasp of the holder. The discharger arms, which are rigidly secured to the knotter wheel, then reach the bundle, forcing it out of the binder, drawing off the sufficient quantity has accumulated to form a bundle, the loop from the knotter over the bight held between its size of which is regulated by suitable adjusting devices. jaws, and the knot is complete. All this takes place When the pressure on the trip arm becomes sufficient to during a single revolution of the knotter shaft, and as
