THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



MECHANICAL & COMMERCIAL.

         Comstock's Rotary Spader.
  One of the Forks of this machine is seen
standing on end against the pole in Fig. 1. At
each end of the fork shaft is a friction wheel
The teeth or tines are secured to the shaft by
stirrups and keys.  Two handles (or cranks)
are cut on the shaft with each a pin or jour-
nal, as seen in the engraving.
  The forks are hung by these pins or journals,
in holes at equal distanos apart around the
periphery of east iron slotted wheels, which
are keyed to an axle which works in the hubs
of the eazns, A, on the outside of the wheels,
and the fork shafts drop into the slots of the
wheels, so ltlat their friction wheels rest on the
cams. The cams ore made stationary by con-
nection with the hounds, B, by means of a
bolt and the Igs a. The pole, seat, and sheet
iron apron F (for the protection of driver) are
connected to these hounds. The arm b, pivot-
ed to the offset arm D, which is bolted to the



side of the cam, curves around the periphery
of the forward part of the cam, forming a
groove which prevents the forks from falling
forward, and also compels the friction wheels
to traverse the cam, the eccentric form of which
causes the forks c, as the implement is drawn
along, to strike the earth successively the same
distance ahead that they are hung on the per-
iphery of the wheels, and, by the same eccen-
tricity, cause a vertical entrance of the teeth
into the ground. The bottom of the cams be-
ing tangential with the circumference is a ful-
crum for the forks, and causes the teeth in lift-
ing to sweep along across the bottom to displace
and lift all the soil it cuts.
  The lift, being thus quickened, the fork gets
a momentum that brings it in contact with the
hanging spring lug in the rear, (connected with
the cam at c) and causes a vibrating action be-
tween it and the spring d on the back part of
the cam, sufficient to throw off and effectually
pulverize the soil, and prevent clogging.
  The hand lever E, pivoted by a bolt to the



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