1.16.208

Tally, Threshing Machine

1887

Threshing Machine Tally. Material: metal, glass. Size: Description: reddish colored metal; rectangular box with metal tally arm switch lever attached to box interior; glass window on front; print on top: "Pat, Nov. 22, 1887, 1 1/2 V."; two white gear wheels or counter wheels inside box. Used on a Threshing Machine for counting the number of bushels threshed.

This machine was bolted to the side of a threshing machine that was run by horse power. As the grain came out of the thresher, a man would shovel it into a bushel container. Every time it was full, he would hit this lever and the wheels would advance by one number. That was how you kept track of how much grain was harvested.