trough from time to time, as occasion may require, and` likewise to stop the mill, for the purpose of clearing the cylinders or rollers from any stones that may have remained on them.

And when the reservoir that is below the rollers is filled with the clay so cleansed, I empty it by means of an apparatus as follows: I place two inclined planes at each side of the reservoir; those planes are broad enough to permit a wheel to pass up them; and those planes reach the whole length and extent of the reservoir, and are moved higher or lower by means of a screw or screws placed beneath them; these planes are meant to bear up an apparatus for the purpose of emptying the reservoir, and carrying the clay forward towards the carts that are to take it away, which apparatus is as follows: first, a bar or beam of wood or iron, or other strong material, made to reach across the width of the receiver ; on each end of this beam is placed a wheel, and from this beam descends a frame, on the lower extremity of which are placed rakers or scrapers; and this frame has a power of adjustment, which is regulated by eyes and bolts, to raise it up or let it down according to the quantity and depth of clay in the reservoir; and this frame of scrapers or rakers serves to carry forward the clay, and force it into a semicircular trough which is sustained by arms or bars proceeding from the great beam that reaches across the reservoir; and from the centre of each of the wheels that are fixed at the end of the great beam, there proceeds an upright bar of iron or wood, upon each of which uprights are fixed at about two, three, or more feet, a long bar or lever of wood or iron, which levers are placed in a horizontal direction, but inclining a little upwards; the other end of these two levers is fixed to a cross-bar, which bar has another lever projecting forward from its

centre;

entre; this last lever has its other end fastened to the rim of a large wheel, one-half revolution of which wheel draws the frame of scrapers and trough up the inclined planes, to the place where the carts are to receive the clay; and the other half revolution of the wheel sends the same frame and apparatus back down the inclined planes. The clay may be taken out of the reservoir of the mill by this means, or any other of the common methods of raising heavy bodies.

Or the clay may be removed and taken out of the reservoir or receiver by the following method, when the manufactory is in constant work, so as to take the clay away as soon as it comes out of the mill.

Second method is as follows: I place a trough or box below the last set or bed of rollers, which trough is proportioned to the size of this last set of rollers; the trough hangs on ledges or sliders in the manner of a hanging drawer, and has a bar or axis exactly below the middle of it, so as to bear it nearly on a balance; and to each end of this bar or axis I fix small wheels or rollers, which wheels are so grooved as to admit a sheeve of rope or chain to pass round it, and the same chain or rope is continued the whole length of the reservoir, and is sheeved or wound round any of the pullies now commonly in use, or a Smeaton's pulley; and after the rope or chain is so passed over the pulley, the other end of it is made fast to the great wheel before-mentioned, so that by one, two, or more revolutions of the great wheel, the trough or box filled with clay is drawn forward to the edge of the reservoir, and emptied into the carts, which is done by the following means: there is a flap, or shutter, or door in that part of the reservoir to which the carts approach to take the clay; this door is of the dimensions to permit the one part of the bottom of the trough or box VOL. XII.-SECOND SERIES.

P

to

to fall inwards to the reservoir. When the other end of the trough is turned up to be emptied, one end of a rope or chain is fastened to the back part of the trough, which rope or chain passes along the trough, and over a grooved wheel which is placed on a post or upright beam; or this wheel may be placed on the top of a triangle at a due distance, and high enough to clear the cart and horse which stand at the edge of the reservoir. This rope after passing over the wheel is continued down from thence, and passes through a pulley that is fixed on a box or ring that encircles the spindle of a centrifugal regulator; the end of the rope is by means of a hook and eye, or any other common fastening made fast at pleasure to this box ; and there is, one end of a rod of iron or other material fastened to the box, and the other end is connected with a centrifugal regulator made in the usual manner; the balls of the centrifugal power to have their weight increased by other small weights attached to them, or not, according to the quantity of clay in the trough. When the centrifugal power is set in motion, its increased velo. city throws the balls farther from the centre, by which means the rod and rope attached to it are drawn up, by which means the other end of the rope that is fastened to the trough causes it to turn up in the manner which some carts do, on its axis having been previously unfastened from the bolts or screws which held it fast. When the trough is in this position, it will easily be emptied by the carmen into the carts'; and, in order to keep the trough in this position, a pin is put in below the box of the rod belonging to the rod of the centrifugal power, in order to prevent the rod from falling down and letting back the trough; and when the pin is to be taken out from below the rod, the centrifugal power must be put gently in motion in order to let the trough down gently; and the

trough

trough is sent back again by means of a rope from the trough passed through a pulley near the rollers, which rope passes by means of pullies on again to the trough of the reservoir, and serves to pull back the trough again in below the rollers, in order to receive more clay.

And I do farther declare that the several operations hereinbefore described may be performed, either by manual labour or by the application and use of any other first mover, commonly known and used, such as the force of water or steam, or the strength of animals, the same being duly connected according to the several purposes, by means and geer sufficiently well known to operative men. It is to be observed, that clay thus worked and purified, will be found superior to clay that is ground in the usual manner.

The great wheel before-mentioned may be put in motion by a horse, water, or any of the common first moving powers. In witness whereof, &c.

Description of a Drill Horse Hoe, or Weed-Harrow. By J. C. CURWEN, Esquire, M. P. of Workington-Hull, Cumberland.

With an Engraving.

From the TRANSACTIONS of the SOCIETY for the Encouragement of ARTS, MANUFACTURES, and COMMERCE.

As one great and most important advantage of drill

husbandry proceeds from the opportunity offered of cleaning foul grounds, as also of breaking and loosening, of stiff soils, to give the power of extension to the roots of grain; whatever can facilitate these operations will, I flatter myself, be deemed worthy of the attention of the Society.

Having hitherto found great difficulty and much labour necessary in accomplishing the cleaning of wheat and other grain, I have been led to make some experiments, and I am sanguine in my hopes that the harrow I send for the inspection of the Society, will be found to accomplish the purpose with greater ease and facility than any thing at present in use,

The simplicity and ease with which it is worked has enabled me, this season, to give my wheat crop, which exceeds one hundred acres, two cleanings, and at an expense of somewhat less than a shilling per acre each operation; a man and a boy, with one horse, being able to clean above seven acres per day. The direction of the harrow to prevent its injuring the grain is effected by an alteration of the chain by which it is attached to the wheels. The distance of the teeth from the centre tooth must be regulated by the width of the drills. In case they exceed a foot, the harrow should be broader, to adtait of another row of teeth. To clean at nine inches, two inches and a half is allowed on each side of the centre tooth, by which means every part of the earth is cut between the rows of grain. The size and strength of the teeth must be regulated by the nature of the soil. The thing is so simple, that I hesitated laying it before the Society till I was encouraged by persons whose experience and knowledge is infinitely greater than my

Own.

The complete introduction of drill husbandry would, I conceive, be of great national importance; and, under this conviction, whatever can facilitate its operations may not be unworthy of attention.

Fig. 1, (Plate VI.) shews the carriage within the shafts (A) of which the horse is placed the carriage wheels are intended to be half the width of the butts or stitches, so

that