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Frederick Nishwitz, of Williamsburgh, N. Y., has taken measures to secure a patent for improvements in Reapers or Harvesting Ma chines. These improvements consist in a pe culiar construction and arrangement of the cutters and in the manner by which the grain is laid in proper order upon the ground after being cut. The cutters are placed in pairs in a spiral curve round a shait, being set at right angles to it, and are carried round as the shaft rotates, cutting the grain in their revolution. Directly behind the shaft is the front board of the machine, on the upper part of which are affixed a series of pointed fingers, which are slotted to receive the cutters as the shaft re volves, and are set at such an angle that the grass or grain is bent in a suitable direction for the cutters to operate with the greatest ease and certainty. The grass or grain on be ing cut falls against a number of belts provi ded with spikes, for the purpose of retaining it, and which pass around pulleys having a flange on each side. As they are carried along the grass or grain is thrown from the spikes and falls upon curved guides, by which the butt of the straw or grass is placed towards the machine as it falls upon the ground.
