TRIAL OF A "DRAUGHT POLE STEADIER."

Temuka Leader, Issue 2151, 17 January 1891, Page 2

TRIAL OF A "DRAUGHT POLE STEADIER."

A public trial of the invention patented by Mr C. Squire, of Gapes's Valley, for steadying; tbe pole of reapers and binders and similar farm implements was held at his fatro, Gapes's Valley, on Wednesday evening. The ground chosen for the trial could hardly be excelled for giving the invention an exhaustive test. There was scarcely & level piece in the whole block. It was all sidelings and hills, with two watercourses to cross. It had been grass land ploughed once and sown with oats, and was fairly hollow underneath, consequently when the weight wai upon the small wheel there was considerable side draft. Mr Squire proceeded to cut round the block, occasionally using his invention and ah other times driving the machine without it. The result demonstrated as clearly as anything could be shown that the patent will answer admirably its intended purpose. \Vhen it was not attaohed, the pole, as usual, swayed considerably, and when crossing the vater courses or cutting on a sideling with the Bmall wheel of the machine down the hill the pole inflicted severe punishment on the near horse, so much in fact that the animal occasionally swerved considerably to keep clear of it. When the patent was attached Mr Squire drove with impunity over the roughest part of the grocud and along the sidelings, the pole keeping quite steady. Not content with this test Mr Squire had six furrows 14in wide by Bin deep dug out. He then drove the machine so that the small wheel passed aver the furrows. Before passing over three of these be unhitched the attachment, and before passing over the remaining three he hitched it on agdin. The spectators stood it> front of the horses so as to watch the effect, and w<are more than ever convinced that tbe invention is one that will save the fore arms of the horses a deil of battering. The contrivance consists simply of an iron b'ir about sixteen inches long, which is fastened to the end of the pole by two iron bands, through oua of which passes a screw which screws into the wood, and holds the rod firmly. A hole, or eye, is made at tbe outer end of tba rod large enough for a light chain to run through. The chain is fitted at each end with a spring hook. One hook is fastened to the licks at tbe bottom of tbe hames, tbe oiher end of tbe chain passes thtough the eye in the end of the attached rod, is brought back, and booked into the chain. By this means tbe chain can of course be shortened or lengthened, aB may be found necessary. The whole thing only costs a few shillings, and there is little doubt but that in n short time very few reapers will | ba driven without one. |