Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-08-02

0SSSSO % . . Q Q Q Q .
If the thrashing machines of the
country wasted only three or four
bushels of grain out Of every thousand
they thrash, the loss of wheat alone in
the United States every year would
equal quantity sufficient to furnish a
normal supply of bread to a million
people for nearly half year. The pres
ent Importance of keeping thrashing
machines at their highest point of eff
cheney thus is easily seen.
1t is probably not possible to save
all the grain, even with the most eff
cient operation under the best field
conditions. However, the careless op-
orator who does not know just what
the different parts Of his machine are
for, or who does not watch them close
ly while the separator is running, may
waste great amount of grain unnec-
essarily. He will surely have to make
frequent stops for repairs and adjust
ments. Every time a machine stops,
the whole crew, usually several men
and teams, must be idle until it starts
again, loss Of time to everybody con-
cerned.
Failure to Separate.
If a machine fails to separate all
the grain from the straw, it Is usually
due to one or more Of the following
causes: (1) The machine is not being
run at its proper speed, (2) it is being
crowded beyond its capacity, (3) the
cylinder fails to thrash all the kernels
out of the heads, az the separating
mechanism is not level, or (5) the
blast is not adjusted properly.
Cracked grain is another, source OF
waste which may become serious
| Cracked grain may be due to excessive
speed Of the cylinder, to the cylinder
being too close to the concave teeth
or to grain being returned in the tail
ings elevator and run through the cyl
inder repeatedly. Loss both from poor
separation and cracked grain can bt
prevented in large measure by proper
adjustment of the machine and atten
ton to it while in operation.
Reduce Loss of Time.
The loss of time due to stops on &C
count Of breakage and wearing part
getting out Of adjustment, so frequen
with thrashing machines, can be great
ly reduced and the life of the separa
tor heightened appreciably if the ma
chine is overhauled preparatory t
starting the seasons work and all tn
parts put in good repair and adjust
ment, and afterward watched intefli
gently while in operation. If the grail
is to, be thrashed rapidly and waste re
duced to a minimum, it is essentia
that the engine should have suf1cien
power and the belt pulley be of tn
right size to run the separator at tn
proper speed at all times. The spec
In revolutions per minute at which tn
cylinder should run is invariabl
stated by the manufacturer in the il
structions accompanying the machin
and is often stamped on the machin
itself. A variation Of more than a fey
! per cent either above or below thi
stated speed is sufficient to impair Sc
riously the efficiency of the entire ms
chine. ~
Since this is so important, th
thrasherman should be sure that hi
,, engine will not only develop sufacien
power to drive the machine at th
: proper speed with the ordinary LOAD
; but that it also has enough resery
power to maintain normal speed for
few seconds under a heavy load. Eve
> with the most careful feeding, oec:
siona1 choking will occur, and, If th
engine cannot maintain it's reguls
speed with slight overload, more c
less loss of grain will be unavoidabl
Don't Guess at Speed.
The operator should not guess at th
speed of the machine, for a variatio
Of 5 per cent may reduce its efficienc,
The only way to determine the spec
satisfactorily as closely as this is
use a speed indicator. If a speed ind
Gator was not furnished with the M
= chine, a good one can be purchased fl
> So or less. One Of these will last fl
> years, and viii enable the thrasherma
= to determine at any time the speeds
= which his machine is running.
A GhraShlng macnlne cannon De
pected to do good work unless the be-
ing and pulieys are kept in good cond
tiop- The speed at which the differel
=. parts should run and the power r
- qrtrea to drive them are carefully &c
cula&ad.
The puileys must be kept In line
that the entire surface Of the belt W
run On them If all the power is to
transmitted. Also the strain on be
:, is rrueh greater if it is allowed to pr
- 1ect over one side Of pulley, al
= thus be pulled across the rim. A be
:. will not stay on the pulleys unless t
SHIFTS a:e parallel. If a belt is t
. loose, tEsre will be constant te
4 dency f0s Il to slip on the pulleys al
- the parts which it drives will not ha
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