USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > Prairie Farmer's directory of Hendricks County, Indiana, 1920 > Part 3
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New Machine Failing to Start. Oc- casionally a new machine fails to start due to some part sticking or catch- ing. Throw the binder out of gear and see that the bull wheel revolves without catching. Remove the eleva- tor chain and throw in gear. This will test the sickle. Next put on ele- vator chain and throw off reel chains. This will test the rollers. Then con- nect and test the reel. This method will test one part at a time and should
locate the trouble without difficulty. In testing out head for failure to re- volve, operate head by hand at back of machine through shaft which drives head from elevator chain.
General Binder Troubles
Chains. Undue wear in chains may be caused by the chain being run too tight or backwards. Run the chain with the hooks of the links leading and with the openings of the hooks out. The use of oil or grease on chains, if the binder is being run in a sandy country or under dusty con- ditions, is not to be recommended, for the oil will collect the fine parti- cles of grit and cause excessive wear. Under such conditions use dry graph- ite. Chain jumping is caused by the chain being too loose or by the sprocket being badly worn. If a worn sprocket is the cause for the trouble a new one will have to be supplied.
Canvas Troubles. The creeping of canvases is caused by running them too loose or by the elevators not be- ing square. Test the elevators to see if they are square by means of meas- uring the diagonals, and then square by the special apparatus to be found for that purpose. Have the canvases of the same tightness on both sides.
Canvases not elevating the grain may be caused by missing slats or loose canvases. Broken slats are gen- erally caused by the elevators not be- ing square, or by the canvases not being buckled evenly and thus the slat is forced to pass over the roller at an angle to it. Chewed slats may be caused by a projecting bolt or the canvas guides being out of shape.
Heavy Draft. Heavy draft may be caused from lack of sufficient good lubricating oil, bull wheel being en- tered in quadrant wrong; chains, espe- cially main drive chain, being too tight; paint or varnish not being cut out of the bearings; or rollers binding. Apply lubricating oil to the bearings. Enter the bull wheel in the quadrant square. Have the proper tension in the chains. Coal oil will cut the paint
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PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
or varnish from bearing surfaces. When machine is empty, operator should be able to move elevators by hand on elevator chain.
Sidedraft. Sidedraft in a binder re- fers to such resistance of the platform end of the machine as to cause a "dragging" of platform, and hence re- sults in a tendency to run the ma- chine into the grain. It may be caused by (a) grain wheel bearing too light; (b) grain wheel being out of proper adjustment; (c) sickle parts not cutting properly, resulting in a pulling off of stalks rather than cut- ting; (d) very light grain may give a condition where sidedraft is more no- ticeable, and (e) a fast horse on the outside may lead the operator to be- lieve he has sidedraft.
Remedies. (a) See that grain wheel revolves freely and perfectly on axle. If axle, bearings and wheel bell are badly worn, replace. (b) The inexpe- rienced operator cannot tell whether a grain wheel is aligned properly or not. It should lead out of the grain slightly, and in case of poor align- ment here, an expert must be called. (c) Obvious. (d) Sidedraft here is an advantage rather than an objec- tion for it indicates the best construc- tion. (e) Put fast horse on inside.
If difficulty is experienced in get- ting far enough into the grain with a tongue truck attachment, make adjust- ments to increase the angle between the platform and tongue proper, i. e., without changing position of machine make adjustments to let horses away from grain slightly. If machine runs too far into grain, make adjustments to bring horses a little closer to grain line. These adjustments can be found between tongue and stub tongue on the McCormick and Milwaukee bind- ers, and in the truck axle braces on the Deering. If sufficient adjustment is not provided in the Deering to per- mit a full swath, turn the tongue over.
Badly Shaped Bundles in good grain are caused by improper manip- ulation of binder parts. Set the reel to strike straws about two inches be- low the heads. Run the butter as near at right angles to the rollers on tier shaft as possible, even if you have to sacrifice an inch or two in the position of the band on the bun- dle. Do not expect the butter to
shove the straws down under the breast plate. Adjust the position of the head to bring the straws under the breast plate and then adjust the butter to smooth the butt of the bun- dle. In uneven grain the head, but- ter and reel must be shifted often to obtain the best results. In very short grain or in down grain leaning toward the elevators we have probably the worst conditions for good bundle making, especially for eight-foot bind- ers. First, do all possible to retard the heads by running the platform as level as possible and place a rope head-retarder across the platform, ty- ing the same to the outside divided frame. A rope head-retarder is often found to give better results than the retarding strap iron sent out with the machine, but if the latter is used, the operator will find that he gets very good results in retarding heads by bending up or crinkling the end of the strap iron. Throw the head as far forward as possible and run the butter as near perpendicular to the rollers as possible to still have the bundle se- curely tied. Tighten the front grain check.
Badly Shaped Bundles in Long Tangled Grain can be remedied by loosening all grain checks slightly and by adjusting the head to tie, a smaller, looser bundle.
Getting Grain Down to Packers. Trouble is sometimes experienced in getting light, fluffy grain down to the packers. See that the deck roller is working properly and lower the deck cover.
Choking Down. Sometimes in heavy, fluffy and tangled grain, and often in flax, the head cannot dis- charge a bundle and is stopped by "choking." Adjust the head to tie a smaller, looser bundle, loosen all grain checks and loosen the tension on the compressor spring, which is the spring attached to the compres- sor rod.
Bundles Too Loose or Too Tight. Tighten or loosen the trip spring shown in Illustration 1 and described below under "Binder Head Troubles." Do not attempt to make a tight bun- dle by tightening the twine tension on the twine can. The twine tension is not for the purpose of affecting the
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FARMERS AND BREEDERS, HENDRICKS COUNTY
TRIP SPRING
00000
STOP ARM. DOG.
tightness of bundles and if it is used for such purpose serious needle troubles will. result. The twine ten- sion should be sufficiently tight to keep back slack in the twine between the can and needle.
Bundles Too Large or Too Small. Move the compressor arm nearer or farther away from the needle. The compressor arm is that arm against which the bundle is formed and as it is moved in or out that space in which the bundle is formed is changed.
Reel Troubles. Short oats is often the cause for considerable reel trouble, especially reel breakage on those ma- chines which have no outside reel support. The operator cutting short oats will necessarily have to tilt his platform well forward and run his reel low. This means that occasion- ally the reel slats will whip down onto the guards and result in broken parts. Farmers in some localities have solved this difficulty by tacking on to each reel slat a piece of heavy linoleum about six inches wide. The reel can then be run higher, for this extra piece on the slats serves ad- mirably to force the grain over onto the platform and at the same time is sufficiently flexible to give if the reel is whipped down on the guards.
Binder Head Troubles
Before taking up binder head trou- bles let us refer to the first illustra- tion and get clearly in mind the exact function of the parts mentioned.
Every operator is aware that his packer shaft revolves continually and that at certain moments it must drive the whole binder head while the bun- dle is being tied and cast. The dog, shown in the illustration, is that mechanism which throws the head in motion with the rest of the ma- chine, or it is that mechanism which momentarily engages the head with the continuous motion of the packers while the bundle is being tied. Suf- ficient pressure by the straw on the trip arm raises the stop arm, shown in the illustration, which allows the dog to be forced into the path of the continually revolving binder head driver. A little spring attached to the dog forces the dog into the path of this driver when the dog is released, and this same spring holds the dog in this path until the stop arm can drop back into place and force the dog back out of the way of the revolving drivers of the packer shaft. When the dog is thrown back out of the path of the binder head drivers, the motion in the head ceases and the dog, if properly working, must re- main engaged with the packer shaft until the discharge arms make a com- plete revolution. The continuity of motion in the head depends upon the dog.
Discharge Arms Fail to Start or Fail to Revolve Completely. This is a dog trouble. See that the dog spring is in place and is of sufficient strength to hold the dog in the path of the binder head drivers when the dog is
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PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
released. See also that the striking faces of the dog and dog driver are not worn sufficiently to permit them to slip by one another. If the dis- charge arms revolve by jerks it is very probable that a worn condition in the striking faces is the cause.
Discharge Arms Revolve Continu- ally. Before discussing this trouble a word should be said regarding timing. It will be noticed that every part of the binder head except the packers works at a certain moment in rela- tion to other parts The dog makes a certain number of revolutions before the stop arm is allowed to drop back into place to throw the dog out of engagement with the binder head drivers. Hence the relation between the stop arm and the dog is a set relation maintained through beveled gears. If for any reason these gears are separated and not put back in the original definite relation to each other, the head is said to be out of time. This means that the stop arm would not be in place at the proper moment to throw the dog out of en- gagement and a second revolution of the discharge arm immediately fol- lows the first. The timing principle holds true in all makes of heads and is obtained in a way more or less common in all types, though the mechanism will vary to some degree in its shape and position. If the dis- charge arms revolve continually the head may be out of time or the ston arm face may be so badly worn that it allows the dog to slip by when the two come together. If the machine is out of time, i. e., if the stop arm is not in place to throw the dog out in the proper time, time the head by properly meshing the beveled gears between the packer shaft and the binder head counter shaft which runs up to drive the tier shaft. If the striking faces between the dog and the stop arm are so worn that they slip by one another, file the faces to their original form. If this allows too much play or looseness in the dog (which can be tested by taking hold of the discharge arms to deter- mine whether they are tight or loose) a new dog or perhaps a new stop arm must be purchased. Some ma- chines permit lengthening of the stop arm. Look for such adjustment and use same to hold the dog back tighter.
Casting Very Small Bundles. There are two causes for this trouble. The dog may not be thrown out at the proper time, and the remedy for such a condition has been just stated above. Small bundles often appear in badly tangled grain when the case bundle is not cleaned from the machine and its weight trips the head again immedi- ately and a small bundle is cast which seems to be really a part of the first. Manipulate the machine to make a clean bundle, loosen the grain checks, adjust the trip spring to tie a looser bundle and adjust the compressor arm to tie a smaller bundle.
Discharge Arms Not Set Tight, or Dog Drive Strikes Dog. Usually these two conditions accompany one another and are due to extreme wear in gears and dog, or tier shaft lock may have become loosened. The tier shaft lock is usually a little dog working behind the tier shaft cam wheel at the end of the tier shaft. It holds the discharge arms in place when they are at rest. Examine your binder head for this mechanism and if it can be adjusted usually the trouble can be remedied by such ad- justment. If the cam track in tier shaft cam wheel acts as the lock, new parts may have to be added to relicve badly worn conditions, but this will not necessarily remedy the striking between dog and driver. If head is very badly worn and all gear- ing has considerable play, the dog may be advanced one cog which will bring the head into better time. Great care must be used in doing this, how- ever, for it often happens that a head so treated will work perfectly when operated by hand, but when driven by the packer shaft under actual con- ditions the tier shaft is not compelled to complete its revolution and this is not "driven home" and locked. This will then result in the discharge arms dropping down and in greater inter- ference between dog and driver. It is sometimes found necessary to re- place badly worn gears, in order to entirely eliminate this trouble.
Knotter Head Troubles
All binders are very similar. They combine the same principles, and al- though the detail of the mechanism may differ somewhat, still for every vital part on one make of machine
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FARMERS AND BREEDERS, HENDRICKS COUNTY
KNOTTER BILLS
DISC
there can be found on each other machine a part similar in function, very similar in shape, and often very similar in position. This is particu- larly true in the knotter head or that portion of the binder head which ties the knot. In discussing these troubles then, let us bear in mind that every make of binder has in some form each part shown in the second illus- tration, and that the functions of these parts are the same though the position and shape may vary slightly.
The disc is that part which holds the end of the twine while the bundle is being formed. The bills, also shown in the illustration, are those parts which tie the knot. It is the function of the needle to bring up the needle end of the band, place it over the bills and into the disc where the disc catches it and securely holds both ends. The bills then revolve, forming a loop about themselves, and after revolving part way they open, seize both ends of the band, as shown in
the illustration, and hold the ends of the band while the stripper arm pulls the loop off the bills-hence the ends of the band are pulled through the loop and the knot is tied. If these operations are kept clearly in mind the operator will find his tying trou- bles greatly simplified.
Each operator should be able to tell just where his trouble lies by ex- amining the failing band and noting where it is found.
In the third illustration, Figure 1 found clinging to the bills with the simple knot tied around the bills and the loose end cut square and smooth, indicates that the disc spring is too loose and the twine tension is too tight.
The same band found cast with the bundle instead of clinging to the bills would indicate that the disc is but slightly loose, yet too loose. The band indicating such trouble is shown in Fig 2.
Fig. 3 found clinging to the bills
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PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
FOUND JILLS
FOUND ! BUNDLE"
FOUND OM BILLS
FOUND WITH BUNDLE
FOURD CONCLE
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
.. Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 2.
Fig.3
D
Fig. 10
- AROUND BUNDLE
Fix. 9
TO NEEDLE
but with the free end crushed and ragged indicates that the disc is too tight and that the twine tension is also too tight.
Fig. 4 found cast with the bundle instead of on the bills indicates that the twine tension is perfect but that the disc is slightly too tight.
Fig. 5 found with the cast bundle and with both ends crushed and ragged indicates that the disc is very tight.
Notice the bent crinkled ends in Fig. 6 and that the band is formed with the bundle. The ends have been in the knot but have pulled out. The bills may be too loose or the "hump" on the underside of the upper bill may be worn away sufficiently so that the bills cannot hold the ends of the band securely enough when the loop is pulled off. This probably has caused a loose knot which pulled out when the bundle spread. If the bills are too loose tighten the bills spring. If the little "hump" is worn away file away a little of the stock behind the hump, using a rat-tail file.
Fig. 8 is the familiar band which seems to be tied perfectly when the bundle is first cast, but when the shocker grasps the bundle the band gives way and appears as shown. If the disc is at the proper tension, then the trouble is probably that the bills do not open wide enough to grasp both ends of the twine in the disc. If the bills cam roller on the back of
the upper bill is worn one-sided, sup- ply new parts. If the whole bills shaft has dropped down due to wear below the bills, pinion gear, place a very thin washer under pinion to bring the bills up against the knotter head frame where they belong. It sometimes happens that a very loose twine tension allows sufficient slack in the twine to arch slightly over the bills instead of being pulled down tightly over them. The upper bill will then nose in between the bands' ends instead of grasping both of them and a simple slip knot is tied instead of a hard knot.
Fig. 9 indicates a needle trouble. For some reason the needle has not placed the twine in the disc. Most likely the needle has carried up some green stuff of some kind which mo- mentarily clogs the disc. If this band occurs frequently, however, then prob- ably the eye of the needle has be- come so badly worn back, due to too tight a tension, that the needle can not advance far enough to place the twine in the disc. The needle should advance until it just barely touches the stripper or breast plate. If it does not advance that far it is prob- ably slow and the needle pitman should be shortened slightly.
Make all binder head and knotter head adjustments gradually. A quar- ter of a turn of the studs on the disc and knotter bills springs is ample to remedy most troubles in those parts.
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FARMERS AND BREEDERS, HENDRICKS COUNTY
HOME
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PHONE 36
Lumber of All Kinds
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Cement Lime Plaster
Hay Tools Barn Door Track
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GOODS Recommend Triple-G Goods:
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Can't Sag Gates Carey Asphalt Roofing
Lehigh Portland Cement Beaver Board Hunt, Helm & Ferris Hay Tools
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Everything to Build Anything
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DANVILLE : : INDIANA
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PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
OFFICERS:
B. W. ANDERSON, President
CHESTER G. PIKE, Cashier
JOS. E. PREWITT, Vice President
RALPH BLY, Assistant Cashier
DIRECTORS:
B. W. ANDERSON JOS. E. PREWITT W. H. MATTERN C. M. HAVENS CHESTER G. PIKE
First National Bank
Capital, Surplus, Undivided Profits $63,000.00 Total Resources $375,000.00
The service this bank renders you is of the highest and most satisfactory character. No matter what your banking requirements are we can meet them.
Checking and Commercial Accounts, Savings
:
4% on Certificates of Deposit If Left Six Months :
Let us explain the Joint Stock Land Bank plan of long time loans on farm land. No commission to pay. Forty years to pay principal if desired.
Safety Deposit Boxes for Rent
Our Vaults Are Protected by Cannon Ball Alarm System
Member Federal Reserve System
PLAINFIELD : : INDIANA
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FARMERS AND BREEDERS, HENDRICKS COUNTY
The Hendricks County Federation of Farmers
By RALPH E. ARNETT
Perhaps the thing of most vital importance to farmers at the present time is the development of an organ- ization for the purpose of enabling farmers as a class to more economic- ally market their products, to de- velop better sys- tems of managing their business, and last but not least, to obtain a reason- able amount of influence in the preparation and enforcement of RALPH E. ARNETT laws. The pro- gress along this line has been so great during the past year that the eyes of the world are focused upon the American farmer, some, it is true, with jealousy but, for the most part with a feeling of satisfac- tion that the destiny of our nation will be improved by the influence of such a broad-minded and conserva- tive class of men.
Hendricks County was one of the first counties in Indiana to take an active part in this movement, and is recognized as being the first to make an effort toward the formation of a state federation.
As in other counties attempts had been made toward organization for educational purposes. It was one of the first group of counties in the state to secure the services of a county agricultural agent. This was done in 1914. The first agent, Mr. A. W. Orr
remained until 1916. After his resigna- tion the position was ably filled by Mr. M. O. Pence, who resigned the following year to become county agent leader in Delaware. The present agent has been in the county since that time.
This county is fortunate in having 14 farmers' institutes. Every township except one has its local institute and three townships have two each.
The Hendricks County Federation of Farmers was organized in 1918. It developed from plans that had been prepared by committees of several of the most progressive farmers of the county. From the beginning this organzation has been very active. The first piece of work undertaken by it was an effort to relieve the con- gestion in the Indianapolis hog market in December 1918. Through its president a hearing was obtained with the governor and the state food administrator. This resulted in a complete investigation of conditions. The trouble was located and the situ- ation relieved.
Two other very important things were accomplished. A wool pool was formed and an increase of 61/2 cents per pound obtained over the best price paid up to this time and an increase of 121/2 cents over the price received for the major part of the wool that had been sold previously. The other feature mentioned was with regard to the purchase of potatoes by which members were saved 30 cents per bushel. Both of these business trans-
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PRAIRIE FARMER'S RELIABLE DIRECTORY
actions were conducted though local dealers.
In the fall of 1919 the Federation was reorganized on a three-year basis. A provision was made whereby town- ship organizations might be formed. A campaign for new members is now being conducted. There are at present over 1,000 members. Eleven townships are organized and the other township will hold its organization meeting soon.
In addition to the Federation of Farmers there are two county live- stock breeders' associations and a milk producers' association. The Duroc Breeders' Association held a sale in November 1919. Both the Duroc breeders and the Big Type Poland China breeders will have association sales next year. The Spotted Poland China breeders are soon to form a county association and committees from the three are to make plans for a livestock show to
be held this coming fall. The milk producers are at present devoting their attention toward assisting the Central Indiana Milk Producers Association secure a milk commission for Indianapolis.
The leaders in these organization activities deserve a great deal of credit. They have sacrificed valuable time and effort toward making the work a success. They can justly feel proud of the results as can also the other members, without whose assistance nothing could have been accomplished.
When you do not know what merchant sells the merchandise or machinery you are in the market for, consult the "Buyers Guide Index" of this directory. In nearly all cases you will be able to locate the merchant in your county who sells what you want.
Danville Hardware Co.
"SERVING YOU BETTER"
Telephone 28
DANVILLE, INDIANA
We Sell and the following
Recommend Triple G Goods
Your Dealer
DeLaval Separators John Deere Implements Oliver Plows
Perfection Oil Stoves
Alamo Light Plants Mobiloils
Caloric Furnaces
Eagle Fertilizers Malleable Ranges
Burgess Batteries New Idea Straw Spreaders
Ideal Hog Waterers
Black Silk Stove Polish
Hercules Gasoline Engines
Quality Brand Aluminum Ware Bradley & Vrooman Paints
2-in-1 Washers
Elgin Half-a-Horse Gas Motors
Myers Pumps
Simplicity Incubators
Clauss Cutlery
Pearl Wire Cloth
Red Star Gasoline and Oil Stoves
Hood Tires
Favorite Heaters and Ranges
32
FARMERS AND BREEDERS, HENDRICKS COUNTY
DELCO-LIGHT ELECTRICITY FOR EVERY FARM
F. E. SANDY, Dealer
64 West Main Street, DANVILLE, IND. IS YOUR NAME HERE? Users of Delco-Light in Hendricks County
Walter Hadley
Danville
Frank Arnold
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