WIRE IN WHEAT.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 146, 17 May 1879, Page 3

WIRE IN WHEAT.

(From the ' Scientific American'.) The difficulty with regard to the presence of bits of iron wire in wheat after it reaches the mill, due to the use of harvesters binding with wire, seems to be in a fair way to satisfactory solution. At the late meeting of the Millers' Association at St. Paul, a method _of extracting wire from wheat was tried ■with encouraging success. Two gangs of common horseshoe magnets were placed in a spout, through which wheat was passed after having been mixed with particles of wire, varying from the size of a pin head to pieces an inch m length, .tin every trial all the pieces (which had been counted) were found upon the magnets. The committee appointed to test the matter more thoroughly have reported that magnets had been placed in the Pillsbury, Washburn, Arctic, and Holly mills, and used for several days. The opinion of the committee was that the wire was chiefly, if not wholly, removed by the magnets, and that by their use the evil attending wire bands can be lessened. The resolution of the millers against wire binding has been substantially withdrawn. The device employed in the tests at St. Paul and Minneapolis _ was not patented. A patented invention for the same work is described as consisting _ of a revolving iron cylinder, through which the wheat is passed. During each revolving of the cylinder, it is twice, automatically, connected with and disconnected from an electric battery. Inside this cylinder an endless apron is run lengthwise. Each time the " circuit " is broken, the cylinder is, for a moment, demagnetized, and the particles of iron it has picked up drop upon the endless apron and are carried out. There would appear to be an attractive t field here for the exercise of inventive 1 skill.