Grafton, Illinois
Received my issue of IRON-MEN for May-June and as usual, if I
have ample time, I start on it at once. Time is what I have at
present, as I have been very much under the weather this
winter.
However, I noticed Mr. Arndt of Noel, Missouri, has an article
on the Cape Separator, His sketch is fairly good. I owned a 24 x 44
gearless blower. Hart weightier and rotating knife self feeder.
Will say right here it was a full grown machine. I purchased it in
1940 secondhand.
Must say it sure, to my version, was a very good machine, did
good clean work and for the size plenty of it. I think that was why
it never overloaded the grain pan. As to the belt pulley, that
drove the racks, was 24′ diameter and was about the center of
the machine and used a 2′ belt, very light draft. As Mr.
Arndt’s article came out in the ALBUM and so many have read
same, I thought I would give an answer to him through the ALBUM, so
that any machine man could also see my report on the machine.
The racks or fingers were as to my sketch. Put the straw over on
B and B over on C, you can see how it would keep the straw on top
of the racks or fingers.
I also noticed where Mr. Gunderson was guessing as to the make
of engine shown on Page 11 of March-April issue. Yes, it had full
rotary racks and they were very satisfactory IP they did not get
out of line. That was mostly the cause of the overloading the
grain-pan.
My first job when I got it home was shock oats and very dry and
we started on them in the afternoon. The one Mr. Arndt had arranged
somewhat different than the ones I had as he says the racks were
driven with a sprocket chain, while mine was driven by a series of
spur gears and of course was enclosed. The one I had the rack
fingers were made of poplar and would split easily if twisted, but
while threshing, gave no trouble at all. Mine had no slated rack at
all. One set of fingers picked the straw of the set ahead. Anyway,
his guess is right, as without a doubt it is a P. H. I owned two 19
long fellows. Yes, Mr. Gunder-son, there were several 19 hp
tractions. I am close to 73 years and have been at it since 1904.
And on the same page 11 is a picture of the same kind of traction I
started out with, the Huber, a 20 hp and a very good engine, easy
to fire, easy to handle.
I enjoy the ALBUM very much.
