Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/174

152]  used in Sweden, and Russia, for tanning leather; and, in combination with iron or its preparations, for striking a  colour. When dried and pulverized, they have been advantageously given in doses of from a scruple to a dram, repeated two or three times every day, in calculous and nephritic complaints.

The berries of both the last-mentioned species of the Strawberry-tree, have been recommended by, as useful substitutes for grain, in the process of making : on account of their bitter taste, however, they ought to be bruised, macerated in different cold waters, and then baked or dried in an oven, before they are fit to be mixed with any other flour. But, even in this improved state, we conceive, they would reward the trouble of the housewife, only in times of great scarcity.  STRAW-CUTTER, or, as it is commonly termed, denotes a machine for the purpose of cutting straw, with a view to feed horses and cattle to greater advantage.

In the year 1797, the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, &c. conferred a reward of 30 guineas on Mr., for his improved machine for cutting straw, of which we have given an engraving.

Fig. 1, A, A, are two knives, fixed on the inside of the fellies of two wheels B, B, which are firmly connected; the edges of such knives being at an angle of about 45 degrees from the plane of the wheels' motion. Farther, these knives are directed in such manner, that they are acted upon by the springs C, C; the latter being so adjusted, as to give them the requisite degree of pressure against the box for cutting the straw: to prevent them from coming too forward, and thus occasioning an unnecessary friction, wedges are placed under the staples a, a, which must be drawn out as the knives wear, so as to facilitate their progress; a contrivance, by which new knives may occasionally be substituted, as they will always be duly regulated by the springs.

D, is a round wooden block, fixed to one side of the wheel, having four holes, and a moveable screw: to this block is attached, by means of screws, one end of the feeding-arm E, which runs in a direction nearly horizontal to the cross-bar F, at the end of the box G. Such end is fixed to the cross-bar, by the pin b, which may be shifted to five different holes in F: so that, by means of these, and of the four holes in the block D, twenty changes may be obtained in the length of the chaff.

The straw is brought forward by two rollers in the box G, delineated in Fig. 2, which are turned from the outside by the ratch-wheels H, (one being on each side of the box), and move with greater or less velocity, accordingly as the stroke is given to the cross-bar by the feeding-arm and wheel. Thus, when the knife cuts, the straw remains at rest; and, on removing the pin from the cross-bar, the supply immediately ceases; though the motion of the knives may continue.

I, is a pressing weight, suspended beneath the box, which may be rendered more or less powerful, by shifting it on the bearer K, whence it depends: such weight may also be inclined to either side, according to circumstances; and will contribute to force the straw  wards