^mnn &A5 ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York State Colleges OF Agriculture and Home Economics Cornell University Cornell University Library TP 498.G45 How to harvest ice. 3 1924 003 618 281 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003618281 .„,„ (fOWTO Harvest "MiM^oAi^ iHovv to Harvest IFce 4^- ^-§#ia4iw^ NEW ENGLAND HEADQUARTEfiS Nos. 51-52 No. Market St. BOSTON, X-IASS. Established 1814 Factories HUDSON, N. Y. WESTERN HEADQUARTERS No. 123 No. Jefferson St. CHICAO^O, ILL. 3516611 Copyright 1912 BY GIFFORD-WOOD CO. FOREM ORD. 'T^HREE quarters of a century spans the commercial development of the natural ice industry. Once an article of luxury and used in small quantities it is now one of the most important of every day necessities. In its annual harvest and distribution it requires an invest- ment of millions of dollars and the services of hundreds of thousands of men. Extending over that entire period we have been affiliated with the iceman in all parts of the country. In no small degree his hardship and failures, as well as his prosperity, have been shared by us. With such a common interest between us, co-operation has naturally resulted and where improved tools and apparatus could be used to advantage we have always worked toward increasing the productiveness of his labor. On account of this familiarity with the methods employed in different parts of the country we each year receive many letters asking for advice. Some of these in- quires, as may be expected, are from those unacquainted with the ice business. To furnish the information desired in full and yet concise form, this pamphlet was first issued over thirty years ago. The present enlarged edition indicates some of the many improvements which have taken place during that time. As the operations vary so greatly in ditTerent sections, only a general view of the subjects is possible within the limits of these pages. It is hoped, however, that the suggestions offered may be found of interest to the reader, helping him to some degree at least in per- forming the work with system and economy. Where more extended advice is desired on any detail of harvest- ing, we are very glad to hear from our customers and thus be able to place our experience more directly at their service. The numbers, used in this book, in naming Ice Tools, are those to be found in our General Catalog of Ice Handling Machinery and Tools. The ISatural Ice Business. The conditions necessary for the formation of natnral ice are most •widely distributed. As these reqmsites are cliietl>' the .^ift of Nature, I'equiring tlie expense of but little preliminary development, the cost of the ice in its native state is almost nothing. When harvested, stored and distributed by the use of approved methods and appliances, it therefore has an immense advantage over the ice produced by mechanical refrigeration. ■^ : «t^,j|5?«:S^., ■», Fig. I. Field Scene. Competition with maimfactured ice has been most beneficial for the natural ice industry. Greater effort is now put forth to harvest the purest ice obtainable, to prevent any contamination on its way to the consumer, and to market only that which is clean in appearance and regular in form. By giving attention to these details, the most exacting requirements of the public are met, and the natural ice busi- ness in any community is placed on the firmest foundation possible. Investigations by the most competent scientists have done much to increase confidence in the purity of natural ice. It has been proven most conclusively that holding ice in storage for a number of months destroys all germs Avhich may have been present on the field. Simple as the ice business may seem, it is composed of a large number of details, and economy in obtaining a crop requires careful attention to each. The imr)ortance of suitable facilities for preparing 5 Fig. 2. Elevator Conveyor Apron. and cutting the field and for quickly and elieaply housing the ice are so well appreciated that no arguments in their favor are necessary. .•«•"»*■' '^'^'^'^ -if*" Fig. 3. Field Scene. Time is often the factor wliieli detei-mines wlietlier a crop shall be secured or lost. A Ijreaking up of the field may leave the poorly- equipped harvester with oue-half or one-fourth a crop, while his more up-to-date competitor is fully prepare(.l for another season's trade. The housing of nothing but marketable ice is now accepted by the most progressive harvesters as absolutely essential to economy. A cake of ice on the field is practically raw material with Imt little value. When placed in the house, its worth has Ijeen increased as a result of the labor expended upon it ; and when on the delivery wagon ready for the customer, it is more valuable still. As the dealer's interest is best served l)y delivering nothing Ijut regularly-shaped cakes of good ice, the elimination of all defective or unsalable pieces can be done at the smallest actual cost before it reaches the interior of the house. While this is better than to remove the waste later, the most economi- cal plan is to so conduct the field operations that the number of defective cakes is reduced to a minimum. The saving due to such a procedure will be very evident, sim/e the creation of aiiy waste material whatever represents a certain amount of laljor which is a total loss. "Z'',:^/^';^. '■ Fig. 4. Field Scene. The ice should Ije of good quahty aue the poorest kind of an investment in anotlier. We have a large assortment of "working dra^^ungs for houses of all sizes from the smallest to the largest, and these are included free of charge with the elevator drawings. Size of Ice Cakes. The size of cakes to he harvested should be selected to give the least amount of waste possilde Avhen cutting up for the trade. It is also desirable to house a cake of standard dimensions recjuiring no special tools or machinerv. The preA'ailing sizes in the United States are 1'2 x 32, 20 or 22 x 2S, 22x4-2 or 44, and 44x44, the latter size being cut only in Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. A common size with the smaller harvesters is 22 x 22 inches, while some Ihn;! even smaller cakes more desiraljle. The foregoing points are preliminary to the work (jf harvesting, Avhich may be divided into three parts, A'iz. : field work; hoisting into the house, and packing and remoA'ing; each of Avhicli Avill Ijo Ijriefly described in the folloA\ing pages. Size of Field. The area laid out should be large enough, if possible, to fill the iiouse with a single cutting. The general practice is to allow one acre of field AAdth a thickness of 12 inches for ea(/li 1,000 tons of ice to lie cut. This is under favoralile conditions. It is well to make the field somewhat larger, to provide for soft weatlier, and consider- ate additional area should be ad(led for windrows if a large surface is to be scraped. Fig. g. Use of the Boston Scraper. 10 It is sc'liloiii that a licld of ice freezc,'- witliout Lavinsj' to the (Icsii-cd thickness cue or more falls of snow upon it, and as a resnlt the harvester is nearly always eaded npou to handle this snow in one way or another hefore marking- out the field. The first snow often comes \\dien the ice is too tliin to bear scraping, and if flic weight of the snow is insufficient to sink the ice, the custom of tapping, (jr wetting doAvn, is m^^v very generally practiced. This should be done Avlien all the indications are favorable for freezing the moistened snoAv solid. If the top oidy of the snow water freezes, forming a crust, and more snow should fall, there would be a space of water underneath the dry snow which Avould not i'eadil\' freeze, and scraping W(ndd be impossible. A windy day should not be chosen on account of the drifting. It is well known that a thick layer of snow on a Held greatly retards the formation of the ice. Converting this into snow ice assists in making and also prevents dust and other impurities from being melted into the surface during a spell of soft \\'('ather. Cinders pene- ti'ate sa|i ice much less readily than solid ii'C. Eight-foot Boston Scraper, No. 285. Flooding the first two or three snows is a good protection against honeycombing by warm weather, and a coating of snow ice will also make the ice tougher and less liable to fireakage through all of the subsequent operations. The liest reason for ta])])ing where ice is handled l)y an incline elevator is the economy gained. An Elevator Planer wdll easily remove any amount of sap ice, and it has Ijecm provi'u Ijy harvesters that the cost of wetting down and disposing of the chips made by the Elevator Planer is not more than 5/f of the expense of scraping. This will be referred to in later chapters. To wet down, a gang of men, each provided with a narrowdjladed chisel and spaced at regular intervals in a row, proceeds across the field punching holes in the ice as the men advance. Judgment should be used in the spacing of these holes, the distance apart varying from six to ten feet, as the conditions may warrant; the number and size of holes being such as to insure a thorough saturation of the snow. 11 A luimber of ilil¥(?reiit tools are used for this work. If a small hole is desired on thin ice, the Ring Handle Needle Bar, No. 4:84 — see Fig. 51 — is the best. For thicker ice, a chisel-shaped tool is required. Some harvesters rise the curved-bladed Starting Chisel, No. 4:65, illustrated in Fig. 6, although a better tool is the Ring Handle Tapping Bar, No. -48:2, shown in Fig. 7, which is made especially for this purpose, and cuts a smaller hole. Scraping. The operation of scraping is so costly that it should only be done when it is not feasible to wet down. The use of a horse scraper is a necessity when the ice is thick enough and the fall of snow too light for wetting down to advantage. If the ice has not reached the desired thickness, a light snow should be removed by scraper. Under these conditions it is the cheapest method available, and the field will then ice much more rapidly than while protected by a snow blanket. If the field is small all snow should be scraped to the shore. Where an extensive area is to be cleared, this is, of course, imprac- ticable, owing to the chstance that it would be necessary to draw the Fig. II. Scraping Scene. loads. The field is then divided off into sections, the snow from each being piled in dumps or ^\dndrows lietween them. "WHien this plan is followed, greater acreage must be allowed, as considerable space is covered by the dumps. These are generally run at right angles to the main canal through whicli the ice is floated to the elevator. As the weight of the snow in these piles is usually great enough to cause the ice underneath to settle below tlie general level of the field, a plow 12 g'l'oove is soiiietiines made aloii.i;' the side of tlie windrows, wliicli pre- vents flooding tlie cntting area. Tlie dnmps are located some oUO feet apart, leaving a good" 250-foot field between them. The scraper most extensively nsed is the " (hist pan," or Boston Scraper, No. 284-5. Its extreme simplicity makes it inexpensive, yet effective, and very easy to operate. One of these scrapers is shown in action in Fig. 9, the implement only being illnstrated in Fig. 10. It is made in two widths, No. 28-t being 6-foot and No. 285 8-foot. Although tlie 6-foot size is nominally a one-lnjrse scraper, two liorses should be nsed if the snows are heavv. Six-foot Clearing-off Scraper, No. 292. The Clearing--oft' Scraper — see Fig. 12 — is made in three widths, 6-foot, No. 292 ; 7-foot, No. 293, and S-foot, No. 294. It is nsed for removing light snows, plow chips, or for collecting the small fnrrows sometimes left liy the large scraper. Field Cultivating. If the means of carrying the ice from the field to the house does not permit the use of the Incline Planer, field cultivating is the only method of removing snow ice or other objectionable material from the top before packing. There are cases, however, when field cultivating is to be recommended, even though the ice may later be cleaned up on Ordinary Field Planer, No. the elevator incline. Very frequently the weather is not severe enough to make ice rapidly. At such times the removal of a cutting of snow ice does much toward securing the desired thickness. Another scheme is often yu-acticed to secure an earlier harvest. Tlie entire field is marked out with grooves running in one direction 13 as if the cutting operations were to follow. These grooves, generally made to a depth of three inches, alloAV the cold air to penetrate the body of the ice with a noticeable increase in its thickness. If the water of the pond or lake is naturally still, the motion given it by working the field also helps in the freezing. Cultivating. In the use of the Ordinary Field Planer, No. 279, shown in Fig. 13, the field is laid out with the marker ; the spacing of the grooves being an inch or so less than the width of the planer, or at least no wider than the planer. This is an inexpensive article and is very largelv used bv the smaller harvesters. Fig. 14. Perfection Field Planer, No. 270. The Perfection Field Planer, No. 270, illustrated in Fig. 14, is a larger and much more efficient tool. With it iio preliminary grooving is necessary, and a cut forty inches in width may l)e taken. With two Fig. 15. Use of Field Cultivator 14 good horses on the pole three inches of ice may Ije removed, a lesser amount Ijying obtained when so desired hy means of tlie gauge levers on both sides. The chips are run into a furrow hv the scraper attach- ment, shown in Fig. 1-1, and may afterward Ije iimiovcd from the field in the same manner as snow, the use of tlie Field (Jultivator is illus- trated in Fig. 15. Measuring Thickness. This should fie done at frequent intervals so that the harvester is at all times familiar with the conditions in any part of the field. The uDaaiKEaaoiEaaKiiEEiBBBEKmEiia!] inffjramnFffipr^ryil Fig. i6. Measuring Rod, No. 512. rapidity with which ice makes varies consideraldy in different por- tions of the field. The tools used are the Ice Auger, Xo. 510, and tlie Measuring Bod, No. 512, shown in Figs. 16 and 17. ^4$2;£l£^i;;^|^|^$I^ Fig. 17. Ice Auger, No. 510. As the thickness of the ice apprdaches the desired amount, the next step is — Lining ont the Field. To run the first line tlirough the i)roi)Osed field a stake is placed at each end as a guide. A long plank, tested as a " straight edge," is put in line with the stakes and the cutting tool run ah;ing its side, after which the ];)lank is pushed forward and the groove extended. The best tool for this work is the (3-inch Hand Plow, Xo. -109, shown in Fig. 18. Drawing the first line is well illustrated in Fig. 19, and that the groove may properly serve as a guide for the teeth of the Horse Marker it should be 14 inch to Vo inch in depth. Some simply stretch a long line and run the Hand Plow just clear of it. 6-inch, No. 409. The Line Marker, Xo. 500, shown in Fig. 20, is used as a substitute for the Hand Plow for small operations. 15 In laying out the cross lines care sliould be taken to rnu the first at right angles to the groove already made. A large wooden square shonld lie used and "will avoid marking out the diamond-shaped cakes Fig. 19. Use of Hand Plow. sometimes resulting from careless methods. Such a square can be easily made as follows : Attach two 10-foot boards with a single nail near one end of each ; mark off a distance of eight feet on the edge of i'!ms^/'S^sswfmm'>^f"v^'9imm imm Fig. 20. Line Marker, No. 500. one board and six feet on the edge of the other; then place a third board, serving as a " stay lath," diagonall}^ across the two, adjusting the latter until the two marks are diagonally ten feet apart in a straight line. The boards may then be nailed together solidly to form the desired right angle. Such a square is shown in the background of Fig. 19. " " Marking Out. After " lining out the field," the marking and plowing' is next to be done. Whether the operations are to be on the largest scale, requiring several sets of Markers and Plows, or on a scale not as large, requiring one Marker only and one or more Plows ; or small enough to be done by a combination Marker and Plow called a Swing Guide Plow; the procedure follomng the fining out is the same in all cases. The teeth of the Marker or the Plow to be used in marking out are run in the shallow groove made by the Hand Plow or the Line Marker, and the trip is made across the field either without the Guide attached, or with the Guide running loosely on the surface of the ice with its han- dle thrown out of notch. In this manner the first groove 2i/o or 3 inches deep is obtained. The first cross-groove is made in the same manner, and these iwo grooves form the basis of the subseciuent marking out. 16 The Swing Guide, A\-liethei- attached to the Marker or to a Plow, is a gauge, or spacer, for olitaiuiug uniformity in the distance between the grooves. If the cakes are to ))e square, as 44 x 44 inclies, or 22 x 22 inclies, tlie (luiile is made for one width only; liut if longer in one direc- tion tlian in the other, as 22 x o2 intdies, or 22 x 28 inches, either two separate guides are used, oi' a guide that is adjustable for both widths. Two separate guides are naturally more rigid th_an an Ailjustable Guide; but the latter is certainly very conveni(nit and is, therefore, the more popular. Fig. 21. Patent Perfection Marker, No. 330. In making the next parallel line, the Swing Guide is placed in tlie groove first nunk', and the teeth cut a new groove. At the end of tlie line the Gui(h' is swung to the opposite side by its handle and the marking out is continued in the same manner. In making each cut with the marking-out implement, particular care should Ix' taken to hold it in a vertical position, as otherwise the groove is started on an angle and will l)e so continued liy the following trips, resulting in Fig. 22. Four-inch Marker with Swing Guide No. 355. ill-shaped cakes. Fig. 22 illustrates the Solid-tooth Marker with 22-inch Swing Guide attached. No. 355, and Fig. 21 the style we call the Perfection Marker, which is fitted ^^'ith inserted teeth, by the use of which the depth of the Marker is not reduced by filing. Tins latter feature will l)e described more fully under paragraph " Perfection Markers and Plows." Plo^vill^ Do-w^n. For largest o])erations, one or more com])lete sets of grooving implements is a necessity. Each set should include one or two Markers for the first cuts. Plows with increasing depth depending upon the thickest ice which can be anticipated. The deepest tool should 17 be able to cut fully tAvo-tliirds tlie tliiekuess of the ice without bringing the PloAV-back down to the groove. The importance of deep plowing is fully recognized In' the experienced harvester, as it is one of the first I'oquisitcs in obtaining regular cakes ; otherwise, in barring off, <^^ Fig. 23. Six-inch g-tooth Plow, No. 371. the seams may break unevenly, and thus produce cakes having " lips " or " flanges." If, for instance, the ice is ll! to 14 inches thick, each set of machines employed should contain, besides its one or two Markers, a (3-inch Fig. 24. Eiglit-inch Patent Perfection Plow, 8-tooth, No. 338. 9-tooth Plow, No. 337 or Xo. 371, the No. 371 is shown in Fig. 23 ; an 8-inch 8-tooth Plow, No. 338 or No. 374, see Fig. 24 for 338 and Fig. 25 for No. 374, and a 10-inch 6-tooth Plow, No. 339 or No. 377, Fig. 26 illustrates No. 377. For ice 15 inches thick, add to each set a 12-inch Fig. 25. Eight-inch Plow, 8-tooth, No. 374. IS O-tooth Plow, No. 340 or No. 371), No. 379 is shown in Fig. 27. Fourteen- iiicli and IG-incli Plows, No. 381 and No. 382, are used for still thicker ice, and we also make an 18-incli, No. 383. A view on the field in which a good nnmlicr of these tools is in use is given in Fig. 28. Market teeth are gangci.l to cut a widtli of gro()\'c of iv. of an inch; the teeth of 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch. Plows are each sUghtly narrower, and on a 12-inch Plow the wiilth is but f^ of an inch. Plows must, therefore, always he run in the order of their depths. Fig. 26. Ten-inch Plov/, 6-tooth, No. 377. The feed given to ice-plow teeth is such that each tooth makes a cut of 14 inch. Thus, one trip with an 11-toothed Marker vdll cut a groove 21^ or 3 inches deep; a 9-toothed Plow, 214 inches at each trip; an 8-toothed Plow, 2 inches, etc. Perfection IMarkers and Plows. A style of Markers and Plows, very popular with many advanced liarvesters, is the Patent Perfection, or inserted tooth variety, shown by Figs. 21 and 21. This line is made in all sizes from Marker to 3 2-inch Plow. 0^\'ing to its construction, this type is somewhat more expensive than the solid tooth kind, tint its advantages more than Fig. 27. Twelve-inch Plow, 5-tooth, No. 379. outweigh the extra cost with the mechanically inclined operator. Each looth is made in two pieces, the larger part being firmly bolted to the PloAV-back while the other is adjustable and carries the cutting edge; yet, when locked, they are as solid as if one piece. A broken point on 19 any tootli is easily reuieilied liy regriiidiiig- tliis piece and readjusting; whereas with the solid tooth Plow, either a new tooth would be .it ,^'.y.^ ■,- /!«S^. Fig. 28. Plowing and Marking Scene. required or it would be necessary to do a large amount of tiling to level the points properly. Another great advantage is that the implements always retain their full depth. Smaller Operations. Where a full set of Markers and Plows are not needed for the amount of ice to be harvested, a good combination would include a Marker, 8-incli 8-tooth, and 10-inch 6-tooth Plows, and in this case it would be well to have the S-inch 8-tootli Plow supplied with a Swing (ruide, to lie used only when the regular Marker may become tempo- Fig. 29. Use of the Plow. rarilj^ dulled by stones. Of, if two plows in addition to the Marker are not needed, a 9-inch 7-tooth Plow, No. 376, will answer well for 12 or 13-incli ice. All our plows are made to follow themselves in successive cuts without binding, although naturally a succession of graded plows mil run rather more easily. Figure 29 shows a single plow in operation. Marking and PloM'ing >vith One Tool. For harvesting a small crop, the ice man will find a single Plow mth Swing Guide entirely practicable. Although Guides are some- times attached to Plows as deep as 12 inches, we do not recommend Fig. 30. Eight-inch Plow with Swing Guide, y-tooth. No. 388. the Swing Guide comliination for a Plow deeper than 9 inches. ]\Jarking out cannot be done as straight with a deep Plow and Guide, and a long tooth mil naturally cut more slowly than a short and more rigid one. Although the cutting as done in this way is a little slower than with a full complement of tools, it is incomparaljly superior to the old stjde method of sawing, as a horse and plow will do work equivalent to what a large number of men can accomplish at sawing. No one who cuts 100 tons of ice can afford to l)e without a good ice jilow. Plow Rope, No. 412. For those who want the liest for long, continued service, the high- grade style of Plow and Guide shown in Fig. 30 is to be most highly recommended, as it is of the finest quality in all respects. Plow Ropes for use on Markers and all Plows should be at least 8 feet long between wliiffletree and Plow in order to prevent the front teeth being lifted from their work hj the draft. One end at least should be provided with patent sister hooks, as illustrated in Fig. 31. We alwa>'s carry a stock of these for the convenience of our customers. 21 Dairymen's Plo^^s. The great demand for a Plow for ^\ide serviceability for small harvesters has resulted in a complete and less expensive line known as the " Ice King." This popnlar type is made in three depths, 8, 10 and 12-inch, each pro^iided with a clearing and 5 cutting teeth, blued, and made ■«ith or without guides, and with guides of both non-adjust- Fig. 32. Dairymen's " Ice King " Plow with Adjustable Swing Guide, No. 320. able and of adjustable patterns. We supply these in large numbers to dairymen, farmers, and others harvesting from 50 to 1,000 tons. The suljstantial construction is well shown in Fig. 32, illustrating No. 320 Plow with ^Vdjustalile Guide. Send for special circulars of this line. Ice Sa>vin^ Machine. We occasionally have inquiries as to the economy of cutting ice with a circular saw driven l:)y some form of motor, such as a gasoline engine. Where experiments on this class of apparatus have been made we have investigated the results carefully, but the machines up to this time have not been commercially practical)le. The cost of such a power-driven outfit at the present stage of development would be well-nigh prohibiti^'e, amounting to several times that of a full set of Marker and Horse Plows, which latter would cut fully as much ice in a given period. Simplicity in all details of his harvesting equipment is required by the ice man, and unless the work can he done much more cheaply lie will not find it to his advantage to use a far more compli- cated and expensive tool. Outline of Cutting. A little system in laying out the various cutting operations will not only greatly increase the ease of harvesting, but will much more than pjay for itself in the economy secured. The ice is detached from ihe field in pieces usually known as floats, which are made of suitable size for convenience in iiandhng. If the field is at considerable dis- tance from the house, the floats are niaile of large size, as the ice in this form may be more easily drawn to the point where it is to be divided into strips and sulidivided again into single cakes. The main channel through the field should he of ample size for llie passage of these floats, and the liest arrangement for cutting up is secured if this main channel and the single-cake or house channel are at rigid angles to one anotlier. The advantages of these condi- tions will lie mentioned later. Tiie houye fliaiiiiel tsliduld l)e opened up ou the dnj preceding the running of iee up the incline, and after a considerable surface has been marked and plowed. The channel should ))e at least eight inches wider than the single cakes. To cut this out, plow the two grooves on either side as deep as possible, slanting the grooves slightly so the strip will be a little wider at the l)ottoni than at the top, saw both grooves through, Iff Fig. 33. Opening the Channel. and then sink the strip after breaking it into pieces of suitable size. Some dealers harvest these cakes, but time is gained Ijy making ready for a faster run. Figure 33 well illustrates opening the channel and sinking the pieces. Sinking the Header. This is really the same process as oi)ening the channel, but as the extension of the house channel becomes the end, or head, of the main channel, which is at a rigiit angle to it, the i)ieces which are sunk are called " the header." Then too, another header, at a right angle to the house clianel, has to be sunk on the shore side of the main channel, which is plowed, sawed on a slight taper perpendicularly so it can be sunk without binding, and the pieces pushed under the edge of the field which is not to be harvested. Cutting out the header referred to is shown at A B G D in Fig. 34. All of the deep plowing near the header should lie completed Ijefore breaking it out, so that it will not lie necessary to bring the horses near open water. The Saws used vary in length from 4 feet to SVo feet, but tlie 5-foot, No. 422, shown in Fig. 35, is most commonly used. 2:i Fig. 34. Sinking the Header. Fig- 35- Five-foot Saw, No. 427. Calking. Before exposing any plowed seams to open water, even in tlie work of ojjening chan- nels and sinking headers, the work of calking, shown in Fig. 36, is a most important detail of harvesting, as care and thoroughness at this point will save an immense amount of labor in subsequent operations. If the plow grooves are left open, water readih' enters and may run throughout the field. Cold weather at this time would freeze the grooves up again, making replowing necessary. To avoid the possiljihty of this additional work all grooves on the field exposed to the water as well as those on all sides of every float should l)e properly calked before the floats are detached. The Hollow Handle Calking Bar, No. 457, sliown in Fig. 37, is generally used. The grooves should be cleaned out to till' bottom liy giving the bar a side motion, before any tamping of the eliiiis is done, as otherwise an opening may exist at the Ijottom through wliich the water will pass. Thoroughness in this detail is very important; and as a further empliasis it may 24 Fig. 36. Use of Calking Bar. liere bo inciitioiicd that incomi)lete calkins- is responsible for a very large part of the poor ice which is placed in storage. This shonld be very carefully watched throughout the entire harvest whenever freez- ing weather exists. Calking Bar, Hollow Handle, No. 457. Barring off the Kloats. With the two headers on one end and on one side of a float open, the third side is sawed, as shown at AB in Fig. .'JS. The only operation then necessary to separate the float from the held is to bar off on the line BC in Fig. 38. This float groove along which the break is to be Fig. 38. Sawing at End of Float. made and also the grooves to be sawed should be plowed one or two cuts deeper than other parts of the field. The best tool for Ijarring off is the Two-tined Splitting Fork, one form of which, No. 443, is shown in Fig. 39. It is made in different weights and with either knob or ring handle. The tines are so shaped as to wedge at the top of the gro'ove, at the same time striking at the bottom if tlie groove is of c: ■ ^g" Fig. 39. Splitting Fork, Ring Handle, No. 443. average deijth. The Ijlow starts a seam at the bottom, and f)y repeat- ing these thrusts at spaces of a few feet the groove will soon opjen and the float separate from the field. A little experience will enal)le one to ouickly determine liy the dull cracking sound at what intervals the blows should be made. This operation is well illustrated in Fig. 40. The Lvnn Splittiiio- Bar, No. 446, see Fig. 41, is preferred by some to the T^vo^iiied Sphftiiig Bar. If the ice is not thick, however, so that tlie o-rooves are plowed to a depth of about six inches only, the Barring off the Floats. Four-tined Fork Bar, No. 449, see Fig. 4-2, may be successfully employed as the tines are made of the proper taper for shallow u'rooves. & Fig. 41. Splitting Bar, Lynn Type, No. 446. The size of floats vary with different harvesters. The object of floating sheets of ice from the lield to the elevator channel instead of towing single strips or cakes is merely because it saves men, is there- fore cheai^er, and makes more rapid housing possil^le. The floats are now drawn toward the house channel or slip to be separated into strips. This work is often done by men using 12, 14, ]() or 18-fo(.it Ice Hooks, as shown in Figs. 4o and 44. Some harvesters. ^1^ ^r" Fig. 42. Fork Bar, Ring Handle, 4-tined, No. 449. however, prefer to use horses for tliis work, in whicli case tiie No. 438 Towing Hook, Fig. 45, is used, as it can be applied to the surface of the t!oat at any desired point. This is attached at tlic end of a long rope, the length being sufficient to allow the horse to walk some distance back from the edge of the channel. In some cases small steam or gasoline launclies are used, t(.)wiiig several floats together. To prevent wavi'S Avashing over floats in rough water some harvesters place corner ^^^SL Fig. 45. Towing Hook, No. 438. lioards along tlieir weather sides. Figure 44 well shows the right angle relation between the main channel and the honse channel, and the way the latter is provided with a temporary ]ilatform. ^fe& ,% Fig. 43. Bringing Floats to Elevator. Fig. 44. Main Channel with House Channel at Right Angles. 27 Barring off the Strips. As the floats approach the house, or elevator channel, strips extending across the full width of the floats are hroken off, which operation is shown in Fig. 46. The tool best adapted for this work is Fig. 46. Barring off Strips. the Three-tined Xeedlc Bar, Xo. -iSn, Fig. 47, although some use the older-fashioned, Xo. 451, Three-tined Fork Bar, Fig. 48. The strips Fig. 47. Three-tined Needle Bar, Ring Handle, No. 486. Fig. 48. Three-tined Fork Bar, Ring Handle, No. 451. are now run into the house channel or elevator slip, ordinary Ice Hooks, 5, 6 or S-foot long. Fig. 49, being used for their handling. r^) Fig. 49. Ice Hooks, No. 520 or 520 1-2. Tlie ln'st harvesters, taking ice from lakes, have wooden platforms built i;>n eitlicr side of the elevator channel, as shown in Fig. 50. 28 Dividing into Cakes. Feeding the strips into tlie ele^'ato^ eliaiiiiel is illustrated in Fig. 50, but Fig. 51 shows nineh better the iletail oT tireaking up into the individual cakes. The shortness of the i;roo\e makes a light tool W' Fig. 50. Feeding Ice to the House Channel. desirable, and there are several which nia\' be used to advaiitage, depjendiug upon the condition of the ice. If tfie groo^'es are frozen up, the Xo. 4Sti Three-tined Needle Bar, Fig. 47, is the Ix'st tool. For groo\'es frozen less har" to be removed from tlie Avater and run into the lious<', or to a loading platf(_)rm for transportation. The Xo. Fig. 50. Scoop Net, No, 505 502 Elevator Fork, Fig. 57, is designed (-specially for feeding the cakes to tlie (dcA-ator, the tAvo pushing points giAung better control of the ice than the ordinarv Ice Hook. Elevating Apparatus. Success in the rapid and economical harvesting of a crop of ice depends to a very great extent upon the means of handling it Ixdween sQ Fig. 57. Elevator Fork, No. 502. the single cake canal and the iKuise. Energetic and systematic methoils on tlie lield are gO(_Hl so far as they go, Ijut the l:n:'St results can only be olitaiiUMl by continning these nntil tlie ice is i)laced in storage. This articit' is intended to refer more especiallj^ to the field operations and the tools commonly nsed, anii\'enient appliances, as they will handle a suflicient 31 iiinount of ice. ami no }io\ver utluT than that of horses is ueecssary. As many as .-i'\"i'ii caki'S a niiimtc may be raised liy the Donhh;' Gig Elevator, and a little estimating \vill sho^v that a fair-sized house may be quickly filled by its aid. A machine very popular with the smaller harvester is the Per- pendicular Elevator, Fi.o-. 63. This may be operated by a gasoline engine and Avill lift twcdve cakes per minute to any height desired. It is es])ecially popular vitli the dairying firms, several of the largest in the ci>uut]-y luu'ing one at each of tlieir Avidely separated plants. Fig. 62. Double Gig Elevator. _^Vhen the house capacity is greater, the elevator should be of the Incline variety. ^More ice may be handled in a given time, and there are also other advantages which recouunend it for consideration. Tlie Incline Elevator uuikes the use of an Elevator Planer possible, which cannot be adapted to any vertical-lift machine. The low cost of mak- ing the snow intd snow ice and planing off on the incline has alreadv been referred to under the heading of " AYettiug Down," pa^-e 11. Some of tlio advaiita,i;-es of the planing will be mentioned in the next section. The elevators ave varionsly designated as Side Feed, Undershot and ( )versliot, depending npon the method of deUvering the ice cakes Fig. 63. Perpendicular Elevator. to the feeding end or " apron." With the smaller houses the ice may l)e run l)v "-ravitv dii'eet from such an incline into storage. Fig. 64. Incline Elevator and Gallery Conveyor 33 Larger Harvesters. "Whore the Luux- r-onsists of a number of rooms A^itli doors m a row, an adjustable gallery conveys the ice from tlie elevator along the side of the house, a portion being switched into each door. This gallery IS raised as the rooms are tilled. If the length exceeds 100 feet it is generall}' provided with a conveyor chain for insuring a uniform delivery of the ice. The largest houses arc- usually equipped Avith the Elevator C'ouvevor, Avhich has the advantage of a continuous double Mk^ :^m^^mm&. ii-i i M HotraKt. a;ajj.- :S"._;-t-==j^^^;b-^J Fig. 65. Elevator Conveyor. chain carryinu' each cake from the water to the A'arious doors. Both Inchne Elevator and Elevator L'ouveyor are shown in Figs 64 and 65. Almost any kind of power may lie used on these elcA'ators, pro- viding it is reliable. In the earlier days steam was almost universal, as there was scarcely ever any other power availalile. The electric motor is UdW often employed, and the extensive use of electricity has led to its application in many cases. AVlieji the combinations are favoraljle, it has nmcli to reconnnend it iA'tn' any other power. The lirst cost of the machinery needed is mncli less, no licensed engineer is required, Avhile the actual cost of the power itself is in most cases no jnore than with steam. Planinsi on the Incline. This has already lieen nientionecl on yiage 13 as the most inexjjen- sIa'c means of taking care of snow whicli may fall on the field. There a.re other reasons in addition which are of much greater importance to the harvester, and some of which Avould reconnnend planing even ^\dien there has lieeu no snoAvfall. Cleanliness in harvesting methods is one of the most valuable assets the iceman can have. The public appreciates a superior article in ice as Avidl as in any other line. Where there is an opportunity of making a choice, ice taken from good water, cleaned of any surface impurities and deliA^ei'ed in a satisfactory shayte will take preference over ice lacking these qualities. Even if the field lias no snow-ice whatever, the surface nuist contain im]jurities of one form or another before it readies the house. 34 Fig. 66. Eureka Elevator Planer, Movable Carriage Style, No. 252. The removal of one-half or one inch \\ill take this olijectiouable matter with it and will accomplish nineli in faAniralily advertising the prodnet. Fig. 67. Eureka Elevator Planer, Stationary Style (Adjustable), No. 254C. 35 The point ^vlliell may appeal most strongly to the practical iceman is the ease in ijackini;'. Ice that is taken at the same time from dif- ferent parts of tlu' tielcl may vary considerably in thickness. By making- this nniform, level floors are secured in the house and the storing is done much more rapidly. The corrugations separate the blocks, the smooth bottom of one resting on the points of the one below. This treatment makes it easy to take the ice out, and greatly reduces the cost from getting out un|)laned ice which has become frozen together. Fig. 68. Suspension Type Chip Conveyor. By far the greater advantage to be gained from the use of a good, solid Planer with pjlenty of kuifedoars is the storing of cakes of uniform thickness and weight. In deciding upon the size of cake, the trade to be supplied should, of course, be considered. By so doing a length, width and also thickness may be selected winch will allow the necessary retail cutting and still give the least amount of waste possible. Atten- tion to this point followed by equal care in thro^^ing out all defective cakes before tliey reach storage -wdll greatly increase the value of the house contents, as the sales records will show. The most common thickness desired in different parts of the country is 121/2 or 13 inches, and to obtain the advantages referred to the Phmer is set for this at the beginning of the season. Filling a large house generally requires two or three weeks, and the field rnay increase in thickness 6 inches during that time. This means that dur- ing the latter part of the harvest 5 or 6 inches must be removed from all tlie ice, and to take off 8 or 10 inches is not uncommon. .30 Fig. 69. Handling Chips with Water. There are two general types of Planers at present in use : the Movable Carriage and the Stationary Knife type. The former, as the name indicates, is so arranged tliat the cut may tie varied instantly and is generallv used where the ice is to lie corrugated onlv. Observe Fig. 66. Fig. 70. Use of House Runs. The Stationary Knifo Planer is a natural result of the praetice ot ])lanino- an entii-e croii to one thickness, and indeed is to lie lienerally recommended, vvtm if frequently readjusted for changes in thickness. In very cold sections of the country wliere the field may reach a thick- ness of 20 or 24 inches before the houses are tilled, eight or ten knife- hars are necessary. A Four Knifediar Planer is shown in Fig. 67. The large amount of chips made by the Planer must Ije (juickly and cheaply removed. A small cut Avill result in but few chips and these can be readily handled by a horse Scra|:ier, Init in tlie coui'se of a large liarvest, .j,()0() or 10,000 tons, or even a greater amount of chips is not unconriuon. It needs no argument to show that an army of men with horse 8crai)ers Avould be necessary to handle this, the cost of which work AVduld ])(' enormous. To reiluce this e?^pense to a minimum, any one of a nnmlier of pOAver a.pphances may be used. Th^ Chip CouA'eyor, dri\'en either inclependentl}' or from the main elevatoi', is very generally employed, and a Suspension type of Conveyor is shown in Fig'. 68. ^Vnotlier efficient metliod is to float the chips l:»y means of a stream of water delivered to a trough beneath the Planer. This is illustrated in Fig. 69. In some cases the location of the elevator is such that the natural 1low of a stream may be utilizeil f(ir this purpose, Ijut tlie conditions making this possible are extremely rare. Hon sins. Figure 70 illustrates the interior of a house wliei: nearly fille(l with 4-4 X ii-inch ice. Wooden Buns and Skids, as shown in Figs. 71 and 72, convey tlie ice from the Elevator or Gallery outside the door as far as possilile in the house, sufficient slope Ijeing given for running to any p)art of the room A\uth little effort Ijy the men. For this Avork ordinary Ice Hooks constitute the larger part of the tool eciuipment, and S(nne use the Xo. .36.j Drag, or Stowing Tongs with long handles, see Fig. Fig. 71. Wooden Run, with Sides, No. 730. 77, in housing operations as Avell as in taking ice out. The Gallery, if an Adjustable one, should be only enougli higher than the floor level in the room for keeping the ice on the move A^dthout using Scratchers. With fixed Galleries, Scratchers are needed for reducing the speed, and considerable backdiauling of tlie ice Avill ]>(■ necessarA- in packing the end nearer the doors. The chips made liy Scratcliers in the house should be frequently shoA'eled out of doors. Packing on tlie Flat. The most connnon practice of packing is to store the ice on the flat, and tlie cakes Avlien so placetration of most excellent packing on the fiat. •\i ■i^v-.~-^-(,-. Fig. 73. Interior of House Showing Corrugation by Elevator Planer. To prevent shifting following meltage, tlie tiers shouhl l)e tied together once every sixth or eigiith layer hy Itreaking joints. Where the cakes are oljlong in form, some harvesters reverse the arrangement in each laver, thus breaking joints on each tier. ^ Fig. 74. Patent Floor Shaver, No. 470. .Vfter completing each layer, and before starting another, the sur- face is dressed down, if the cakes are of uneven thickness, by using either the Xo. 470 Floor Shaver, shown in Fig. 71, or the 470K, Floor 39 Leveler, Fig. 75. The latter, however, is such a rapid cutter that it is more useful in evening the ragged surface of layers of ice when packed on edge. Fig. 75. Floor Leveler. No. 470 1-2. Packing on Ed^e. In parts of the country where ice harvested in winter is thin, or when the cakes must necessarilv he housed in thicknesses of wide varia- Fig. 76. Eastern Edging-up Tongs, No. 561. Fig. 77. Drag or Stowing Tongs, No. 565. Fig. 78. Utah Edging-up Tongs, No. 562. tion, it is a common practice to pack the ice on edge. By this means the floors are kept level, and in case this ice is taken out in the summer at a slow rate, the meltage takes place on the edges of the cakes instead of on their flat surfaces. Tools used for edging ice are usually the 40 >Jo. 561 or 5611/2 Eastern Edgiiig-np Tongs, wliick span the entire cake, Fig. 76, or the Utali Edging-up Tongs with less span, which grasp the cake on the side with one point and on the top with the otlier. Pig. 78. 'J'he No. 470V-2 Floor Leveler, Fig. 75, aliove referred to, is adapted to =a Fig. 8o. Bar Chisel, No. 458. rapid work in smoothing off lips, or fiangers, cairsed by imperfect breaking in the process of harvesting, and which will make a very rough floor unless trimmed down. Fig. 81. Summer Bar, Curved Blade, Heavy, No. 460. As most of the meltage in a house is at the top, the ice should be thoroughly covered as soon as filled. Any one of a variety of materials is used. Hay, straw, sawdust and wood shavings are the most common, hay being generally preferred. Whatever covering is used, it should be dry to serve well as an insulator. Taking out in Summer. In locating the house due attention is given to removal of the ice in the summer time. The doors and platform should be so placed that Fig. 82. Separating Chisel, Knob Handle, No. 495. the ice may he conveniently lowered and loaded either to wagons or cars. '"""' 1 III iiiiiiiiiniiiiltthriiii"'-' Fig. 83. House Ice Ax, No. 602. *^l^~ \ ; ._:!"" V ■■ ==== ^ irt^ . s:.' \ c — ' f^rr: r.^- ^ '-"-"'^^^T^; — -r^SK yj— - _ - . . — _ . ,_ — — — _. >.k _V:i.> V ■__ — — "^•- "^ ' "\-., — r — — \. \ > r^\ V^- . .; **-l_^^' ^ Fig. 84. Wooden Flat Skid, No. 740, 41 The Xo. 458 Bar Chisel, Fig. 80, or one of the styles of Summer Bars, Fig. 79, is used in cutting around the cakes to thorougldy clear the spaces left in packing, such as are shown in Fig. 73. The Xo. 465 or X^o.^lGG Starting Chisel, see Fig. 6, now comes in for the use for Avhich it was originally made, in the operation of " striking up," by which the blocks of ice are " started " or separated Fig. 85. Half Oval Iron, No. 754. from the layer Ijeneath. Some icemen use the Summer Bar, see Fig. 81, for Ijotli cutting around and striking up, as one of the styles has a curved lilade. AVhen ice is packed in Ijlocks 44 x 44 inches, it is necessary that thev Ije divided into cakes of '22 x 22 inches before loading cars or £ Fig. 86. Patent V Run Iron, No. 750. wagons. To make this sulidivision the X^'o. 409 6-inch Hand Plow, see Fig. 18, is used. In fact, the Hand Plow was originally invented, over Fig. 87. Gig Lowering Machine. 42 sisty years ago, for tlii.s use, and its enipluyiuent on the ice Held in harvesting operations was secondarj'. The No. 495 Separating Chisel, Fig. 82 (also made vnth a ring handle), which has a long, thin blade, is used in breaking down cakes Fig. 88. Endless Chain Lowering Machine. of ice when stored on edge. The No. 601 or No. 602 House Axe, Fig. S3, is also used largely for this work. The same Skids and Runs, see Figs 71 and 72, used in storing the ice may again be employed in dinting it from any part of the house 43 to the k)-\v('riiig' dcvico outside the door. Large companies usually have a lighter set of Euns for summer use than those used in storing. Wooden Flat Skids, see Fig. 84, are popular as a Euu for both pur- poses, as having no sides, the ice can be pulled off at any point. For Kuns liaving sides, fdalf ( )val Iron, Fig. 85, is used ; and for Runs with- out sides, two of tlie tracks are ironed with Patent V Run Iron, Fig. 86. The (tig Lowering Machine shown in Fig. 87 is much use