Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/181

STR t'lon maybe observed in this figure, pointed out by the letter q. Fig. 8, has already been de- scribed in Fig. 3. Fig. 9, has likewise been ex- plained, by stating the mechanism of the beams, F, F, Fig. 10, has been accounted for, at Fig. 1 . — P, is the pivot ; and t, the pin which serves to secuie the former. Fig. 11, a view of a box from the opposite side of Fig. 2 : at the dotted lines r, r, is the canvas men- tioned in the description of Fig. 4, with this difference, that in such figure it appears within, while in Fig. 11, it is shewn from without, in the same manner as the cloth passes round the ratch-wheels, while the machine is in motion. Fig. 12, is a se6tion of the box viewed from behind ; the piece of wood 0, at the bottom, with in- serted spindles ; and the aperture serves for the reception of the lower part of the straw-thruster G, Fig. 5. For the arm iv moves behind at x, Fig. 2, and 11, in the same manner as the staves Z, Z, to which the knives are fixed. Lastly, the balancing lev6rs marked y, y. Fig. 1 1, are designed for the purpose of more firmly compress- ing the straw by the appropriate boards: — -atf,/, Fig. 1, is the place in which the arms, M, M, Fig. 2, pass and move during the opei;a- tion of the machine. The principal advantages of Count Riesch's straw-cutter, ap- pear to be the following, nimiely, 1. That it cuts the straw in two boxes at the same time ; 2. That the straw placed in such boxes is regularly advanced, without any farther aid or attention j and, 3. That the chq^' thus manufa6lured, U not only eaten with avidity by STR [ijjs cattle, but also is more salubrious than any other cut straw; because it is rendered much softer by the powerful compression of the ma- chine. — He farther observes, that one man is capable of cutting at least 100 trusses of straw in the course of one day, or within 10 hours ; whereas, by the common method, five men are required for performing a similar task. In order to explain more distinft- ly the mechanism of this apparent- ly complicated machinery, it should be remarked that, instead of the usual ^fly -wheels, the whole motion is effccled by means of the balance, A, Fig. 1, and 2. Thus, one per- son supplies the two boxes with straw, swings the moveable arras, and manages the work, without any farther assistance. — When the engine was first constru6ted, the action of the balance was extreme- ly difficult, till the levers B, B, Fig. 1 , were brought nearer to the roller Q ; an alteration by which the hypomochlion, or the centre of motion, became shorter, and the power of the lever was better ac- commodated to the centre of the cylinder. Now the balance was easily moved, and by means of the regulating pins S, S, Fig. ], the straw could be cut of various lengths ; but, in case it be wanted uncommonly short, the teeth of the r.itch-wheel h, k, h. Fig. 2, should stand more closely together; in conseijuence of which, the nioxeable arms g, g, g, will ad- vance to a shorter distance, and proirude only a few lines of the straw, which may thus be cut to a very diminutive size. In suppl)ing the box with straw, the woi kmau ought to dispose it in regular layers, as closely compress- ed as possible ; for otherwise, if it