US813556A - Fertilizer-distributer. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED FEB. 2'7, 1906.

J. M. HESS. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

AIPLIGATION TILED JULYZS 1804.

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aaaas%maamama@ammaa EEBEBEEEEBBEEEEEEEE PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

J. M. HESS.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY25,1904.

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PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906;

J. M. HESS. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTERL APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1904.

6 SHEETSSHEET 3.

COPY

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J. M. HESS.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

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w Pow ha v3 PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906 J. M. HESS.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. HESS, OF GRUNDY CENTER, IOWA.

FERTILIZER-DISTRIBUTER.

-improved means for distributing fertilizer over the surface of the ground.

My lnvention consists in the constructlon, arrangement, and combination of the elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in chine, a

--opposite side of the machine.

my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the machine, a'portion of the tongue being broken away. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the maortion of the tongue being broken away. ig. 3 is an elevation of one side of the machine. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the Fig. 5 is an evation of the front of the machine. Fig. 6 is an .elevation of the rear of the machine. Fig.

.7 is-a lon itudinal section of the machine on line 7 7, i 2,;the trucks and other parts being omitte for clearness. Fig. 8 is a detail view of art of the mechanism. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the hand-operated lever devices for controlling the primary clutches.

In the construction of the machine as shown a bed-frame is provided and is composed of side bars 10 11, a front bolster 12, fixed to and beneath the forward end portions of said side bars, and cross-bars 13, 14,

15, and 26, fixed to said side bars intermediate of their ends. The bolster 12 is further secured to the side bars 10 11 by braces 17 18, extending rearwardly and upwardly from the end ortions of said bolster. A circular plate 19 is mounted on the central portion of the lower face of the bolster 12 and fixed thereto and is further secured to said bolster by an arched strap 20, crossing said ring diametrically and extending over the center of the bolster. Another metal ring 21 is provided and is mounted on and fixed to the centhrough said apertures and is provided with a hea on one end and a nut on the other end,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 25, 1904. Serial No. 217,952.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906'.

1 whereby it is firmly seated and retained in place and serves as a pivotal connection for the axletree and bolster. and straps 23 constitute a fifth-wheel whereby the axletree may be connected to the bolster bythe king-bolt. A plurality of eyebol ts 2-5in this instance four in numberare mounted horizontally through the axletree 22, and a rod 26 is mounted ri idly yet detachably through the eyes of said is provided and is constructed with plates 28 on opposite sides of its rear end portion and braces or hounds 29, fixed to and divergin from its rear end portion, and said plates an are pivoted by means of said apertures on the rod 26, the hounds confined by contact with the inner surfaces of the outer eyebolts and the plates confined by contact with the inner surfaces of the inner eyebolts. An axle 30 is mounted on the lower face of the axletree 12 and is secured thereto by hook-bolts 3 1 near its end portions and by the king-bolt 24, extending through its center. Spindles of. usual form are constructed on or attached to end portions of the axle 30, and supporting-wheels port the forward end portion of the machine. Journal bearings 34 35 and 36 37 are mounted on, fixed to, and arched downwardly of the bed-frame and the seats or bearings thereof are in alinement across the machine. An axle member 38 is mounted for rotation in the journal-bearings 34 35, and an axle member 39 is mounted for rotation in the journal-bearings 36 37 in'alinement with the axle member 38. Collars 4O 41 are mounted on and fixed to the axle members 38 39, respectively, adjacent the inner faces of the journal-bearings 34 37 and serve to limit longitudinal movement of said axle members. Supporting traction-wheels 42 43 are mounted rigidly on the outer end portions of the axle members 38 39, respectively, and support the rear end portion of the machine as well as provide the motive power for the mechanism hereinafter described. The inner end portions of the axle members-.38 39 abut each other in the median line of the machine within the hub of a gear-wheel 44, but are not connected with each other or with said gear-wheel directly. Clutch members are formed on opposite end portions of the hub of the gear-wheel 44, and clutch mem- 32 33 are revolubly mounted thereon and sup- The rings 19 21 olts 1n front of said axletree. Atongue or pole 27 hounds are apertured at their rear ends and l from side bars 10 11, and the cross-bars 14-15 IIC - bers 45 46 are mounted on and feathered for sliding movement relative to theinner end ortions of the axle members-38 39 and are old normally in en agement with the clutch members on the hu of the wheel 44 by expansive co l -springs 47 48, interposed between them and the journal-bearings 35 36. It is the function of the clutch members 45 46, either separately or conjunctively, to transmit rotary motion of the axle members 38 39 to the gear-wheel 44 for the purpose of driving mechanism hereinafter described at times, and provision is made for holding said clutch members out of engagement, as follows: Yoke-arms 49 50 are pivoted attheir forward end portions on a bolt 51, seated in the central portion of the cross-bar 13. Yokes are formed on the rear end portions of the arms 49 50 and engage in annular grooves in the clutch members 45 46. Toggle-levers 52 53 are pivoted at their outer ends to the centers of theuyoke-arms 49 50, and at-the1r inner ends said toggle-levers are conjunctively pivoted to the rear end portion of an actuating-bar 54. The actuating-bar 54 extends forward within the bed-frame from its po nt of attachment to the toggle-levers to a point beneath a foot-board-55, fixed to and projecting forward from said bedframe. A crank-shaft 56 is journaled in bearings 57, fixed to the lower end portion of the footboard 55, and is provided with a crank 58 on one end portion, which crank is outturned at its extremity and extends through a slot 59 in the forward end portion of the draft-bar 54 and is secured by a nut 60. A lever-arm 61 on the crank-shaft 56 extends through a slot 62 in the foot-board and is adapted for manual actuation to move the draft-bar 54 in either direction positively. The ordinaryfunction or the lever-arm61 is to manipulate the clutch members 45 46 into engagement with the clutch on the hub of the gearwheel 44, and when so engaged sa d leverarm is retained by contact with a hook 63 on a bell-crank lever 64, fulcrumed on a seatbar 65, which seat bar crosses and is fixed to the top of the forward ends of side boards, hereinafter described. A retractile coil-spring 66 is fixed to the bolster 12 and to the crank 58 and tends to move the draft-bar 54 rearward and disengage the clutch members 45 46 from the hub of the wheel 44. An angle-iron 67 is fixed to the forward edge of the seat-bar and tends to hold the handlelever 61 against lateral movement out of the hook 63.

J ournal-bearings 68 69 are mounted on the cross-bars 15 16 and the side bar 11, respectively, of the bed-frame, and a counter-shaft 70 is mounted for rotation in said journalbearings and projects at one end outside said bedframe. A pinion 71 is mounted rigidly on the counter-shaft 70 between its journalbearings and meshes with the gear-wheel 44,

yokes.

and collars 72 limit and prevent longitudinal movement of said counter-shaft.

Track-b ars 73 74 are mounted on and spaced apart from the inner surfaces of the side bars 10 11 of the bed-frame, and rollers 75 are arranged in series in the space between said track-bars and side bars and project above the upper margin of the track-bars. It is the function of the rollers 75 to form a frictionless bed and support for the fertilizer-apron about to be described. The fertilizer-apron is formed of an angular head-piece 76, which head-piece has a bottom and front plate rigidly connected and secured together by braces 7 7 and slats 78, arranged parallel to each other and parallel to the head-piece and suitably connected. I have illustrated cables 79 80, arranged parallel with each other, fixed at their forward ends to the head-piece 76, crossing beneath said head-piece and the end ortions of the intermediate slats 78, and xed rigidly at their rear end portions to the rearmost slat, (indicated by the numeral 81.) Intermediate of its ends each cable 79 80 is secured to the slats and head-piece by hook-bolts 82, extending throu h said slats or head-piece, embracing the cables in their hooks, and secured at their upper ends by nuts 83, engaging the upper surfaces of the slats or head-piece. Through the employment of the cables constructed as described to connect the head-piece and various slats I am enabled to produce an apron which may be flexed repeatedly and at the same time provide maximum strength in resisting draft and 'erks in the operation of the machine.

Side boards 84 85 are mounted on, fixed to, and rise from the side bars 1O 11 of the bedframe. The rear end portions of the side boards 84 85 are bifurcated, and yoke-bars 86 87 are mounted across the bifurcations thereof. The yoke-bars 86 87 are of identical construction, and each consists of circular yokes formed with aliningstems extending in oppositedirections, the upper stem confined by an angle-plate 88 on the upper portion of a side board and the lower stem extending through the rear end portion of the side bars 10 11 and arranged for vertical adjustment by means of nuts 89 90 above and below said side bars. Adjusting-screws 9192 are mounted radially of the circular yokes and are adapted to engage, center, and support journal-bearings 93 94 within said A rake-shaft 95 is mounted for rotation in the journal-bearings 93 94, and circular rake-heads 96 97 are mounted rigidly on said shaft and are connected by and support rake-bars 98, which rake-bars extend across the machine and are provided with rake-teeth 99, arranged in staggered relation thereon.

A sprocket-wheel 100 on the shaft 70 is connected by a sprocket-chain 101 to a sprocket-wheel 102 on one end portion of the rake-shaft 95. A drum-shaft 103 is journaled in bearings at the rear end portions of side bars 10 11, and a drum 104 is mounted loosely thereon between said bearings. A clutch member is formed on one end portion of the drum 104 and mates at times with a clutch member 105, feathered on the shaft' 103. A cable 106 is fixed at one end to the drum 104 and is adapted to be wound thereon, and the 0 posite end of said cable is fixed to the lower ace of the central portion of the head-piece 76. A bell-crank lever 107 is fulcrumed on the upper face of the cross-bar 16, and the shorter arm of said lever en 'ages in an annular groove in the clutch mem er 105. The longer arm of the bell-crank lever 107 is connected by a rod 108 to one end of a pedallever 109, which pedal lever is mounted through the slot in the foot-board and is j ournaled for pedal oscillation. A retractile coil-spring 110 connects the free end of the bell-crank lever 107 to the cross-bar 15 and applies a strain to said lever, which tends to ho ds the clutch member 105 in engagement with the clutch member of the drum 104. A lug 111 is mounted on the forward face of the cross-bar 16 and tends to limit and determine oscillation of the bell-crank lever 107 in opposition to the resilience of the spring 1 10.

A drum-shaft 112 is mounted for rotation in bearin s fixed to the forward end portions of the si e bars 10 11 of the bed-frame. A cable 113 is fixed at one end to and normally is wound on a drum 114, fixed to the drum shaft 112, and the opposite end portion of said cable is fixed to the central portion of the bottom of the head-piece 76. This cable 113 is shown in Fig. 7. A cable 115 is fixed at one end to the rearmost slat 81 of the fertilizer-aprcn and extends forward beneath the machine and is fixed to the drum 114 and is adapted to be wound on said drum oppositely to the cable 113. A skeleton casing or frame 116 is fixed to and depends from the cross-bars 14 16 or the journal-bearings attached thereto and protects the gear-wheel 44 and pinion 71 from the entangling engagement with the cable 115. Cables 117 118 are fixed at their forward ends to the drumshaft' 112 and are adapted to be wound on said drum-shaft oppositely to the cable 1.13.

The rear end portions of the cables 117 118 are attached to the forward end portions-of retractile coil-springs 119 120, and the rear end portions of said springs are attached to end portions of the cross-bar 16 of the frame.

A sleeve 121 is feathered on one end portion of the rake-shaft 95, and a friction-wheel 122 or brush-wheel is mounted rigidly on said sleeve. A bell-crank lever 123 is fulcrumed on a bracket 124, fixed to the side board 84 and is formed with a yoke on its rear end, engaging in an annular groove in the sleeve 121. The shorter arm of the bellcrank lever 123 is connected by a rod 124* to a hand-lever 125, pivoted on the forward end portion of the side board 84. A segmental rack 126 is fixed to the side board 84, and a detent 127, slidingly mounted on the lever 125, engages saidrack. The detent 127 is provided With integral. wings 128 129, leading in opposite directions therefrom and folded around and slidin ly engaging the lever 125, and the upper en portion 0 the detent extends through an car 130 on the lever and is provided with an eye connected by'a rod 131 to a tripping-lever 132, mounted on the upper end portion of the hand-lever and adaptedfor manual compression thereto. An expansive coil-spring 133 is interposed between the wings on the detent 127 and the ear 130 and surrounds the upper portion of the detent and tends to depress the detent normally into engagement with the rack 126. It is the function of the hand-lever 132 to oscillate the bellcrank lever 123 and move the sleeve 121 and brush-wheel 122 longitudinally of the shaft 95. A bracket 134 is'mounted on and projects laterally from the rear end portion of the side board 84, and a counter-shaft 135 is mounted for rotation in a journal-bearing on said bracket. A disk 136 is mounted rigidly on one end portion of the counter-shaft at right angles to the brush-wheel 122, and the upper surface of said disk is adapted to be engaged by 9 5 said brush-wheel. Any adjustment of the brush-wheel longitudinally of the shaft 95 moves said brush-wheel radially of the disk 136 and changes the speed at which said disk is rotated by the brush-wheel. Abevel-gear 137 is mounted rigidly on the lower end portion of the counter-shaft'135 and meshes with a bevel-gear 138, rigidly mounted on a stubaxle 139, seated in a rear end portion of the side bar 10 of the bed-frame. A socket 140 is mounted on the outer end portion of the stub-axle 139 and receives the lower end portion of the counter-shaft 135, and an expansive coil-spring 141 is mounted on said counter-shaft and impinges said socket and the bevel-gear 137, respectively. Thus is provision made for longitudinal movement of the counter-shaft 135 to compensate for vertical adjustment of the rake-shaft 95 or for Wear of the brush-wheel and disk, at the same time insuring a yielding pressure of the disk against the brush-wheel. shaft 139, however, is not sufficient to remove the gears 137 and 138 from mesh. A pinion 142 is rigidly attached to the shaft of the bevel-gear 138 and meshes with a pinion 143 of materially greater diameter than the gear, which pinion is mounted rigidly on the drumshaft 103.

A bell-crank lever 144 is fulcrumed on the lower face of the crossbar 13, and one arm of said lever is connected by a rod 145 to the extremity of the longer arm of the bell-crank lever 64. A retractile coil-spring 146 is connected at one end to the lower margin of the This movement of side bar 11 and at its other end to the bellcrank lever 144, and the strain of said spring tends to hold the lever 64 in such position that the hook 63 thereon will engage and retain the hand-lever 61. A rod 147 is slidingly mounted in a bearing 148 on the cross-bar 15, and the forward end of said rod is connected to one arm of the bell-crank lever 144. A hook is formed on the rear end portion of the rod 147 and projects upward across the rear margin of the cross-bar 15 and into the path of travel of a loop 149, fixed to and projecting downwardly from the lower face of the headpiece 76.

Brackets 150 151 are fixed to and project above the forward portions of the side boards 84 85, and arms 152 153 are pivoted in the upper ends of said brackets and project rearwardly and downwardly therefrom to points of attachment to opposite end portions of a clearer-bar 154. The arms 152 153 are formed with lugs 155 156, projecting outward therefrom and engaging the upper margins of the side boards 84 85. Retractile coil-springs 157 158 further connect the arms 152 153 to the brackets 150 151 and tend to hold the lugs on said arms in contact with the upper mar ins of the side boards. The clearer-hea 154 is provided with teeth 159, projecting rearwardly and downwardly into v spaces between the teeth 99 on the rake-bars 98 and just out of contact with said rakebars.

In practical operation of this machine the parts are assembled as shown in the drawings and above described, except that the brush-wheel 122 may be positioned or adjusted wherever desired relative to the disk 136. The machine then is moved across the field with the apron loaded with fertilizer. The traction-wheels 42 43 transmit rotary motion through the clutch members 45 46 to the gear-wheel 44, and said gear-wheel in turn rotates the pinion 71, counter-shaft 70, and sprocket-wheel 100. The sprocketwheel 100, acting through the chain 101, rotates the sprocket-wheel 102 and rake-shaft 95, thus revolving the rake in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. In the rotation of the rake-shaft the brush-wheel 122 engages and rotates the disk 136, counter-shaft 135, and bevel-gear 137, and the motion of the bevel-gear is transmitted, through the bevelgear 138, to the spur-gear 142. The spurgear 142 rotates the pinion 143 and drumshaft 103, and since the clutch member is in engagement with the drum 104 such rotation of the drum-shaft rotates the drum. and winds the cable 106 thereon. Since the cable 106 is attached to the head-piece 76 of the apron, it follows that the winding of said cable on the drum 104 draws said apron rearward. The rearward movement of the apron effects an unwinding of the cable 113 from the drum 114, and such unwinding effects a sis/55c rotation of said drum 114 and winds the ca bles 117 118 on the shaft 112 and stretches the springs 119 120 to the end of storing power in said springs. The rearward movement of the apron also causes the cable to travel forwardly around the drum 114 and in so doing insure the forward movement of the tail end of the apron beneath the bedframe and sustains or supports said tail end of the apron clear of the ground. When the apron has reached its rearmost limit of move ment, the loop 149 on the head-piece 76 engages the hook on the rod 147 and moves said rod rearward a distance suflicient to oscillate the bell-crank levers 144 and 64 and release the hand-lever 61 from the hook 63, whereupon said hand-lever moves forward under strain of the spring 66 and effects an operation of the yoke-arms 49 5O sufficient to disengage the clutch members 45 46 from the gearwheel 44 and prevent further operation of the mechanism by cutting off the supply of traction-power therefrom. Further forward movement of the machine has no effect whatever on the mechanism which moves the rake and apron. Since the rake rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4, it has a tendency to impede the delivery of fertilizer by the apron beneath the rake, the teeth 99 moving the fertilizer back and insuring the delivery of a thin and uniform sheet of fertilizer in more or less pulverized condition from the apron. It sometimes occurs that portions of the fertilizer will adhere to rake-bars 98 and teeth 99, and to clear said teeth the 100 clearer-head 154 and teeth 159 are provided, yieldingly mounted, as described, and adapted to comb the rake and clear a maximum amount of substance therefrom. The yielding mounting of the clearer-bar 154 avoids I05 breaking the teeth or arms thereof or the teeth of the rake when a superior resistance is met with, such as frozen fertilizer or min eral chunks carried by the rake. When the apron has been unloaded through the opera- 1 10 tion above described, foot-power may be applied to depress the pedal 109 and apply draft to the rod 108 sulficient to move the bell-crank lever 107 against the resilience of the spring 110 and disengage the clutch 105 II 5 from the drum 104, whereupon the resilience of the springs 119 unwinds the cables 117 118 from the drum-shaft 112 and in so doing rotates said drum-shaft and the drum 11 4 and rewinds the cable 113 on said 120 drum. The rewinding of the cable 113 on the drum 114 draws the apron into the initial position shown in the drawings and first described, the cable 115 traveling rearward around the drum and at all times sustaining an apron driven by said rake in one direction, 1 0

813,556 I i I yielding pressure devices for returning the apron to its initial position and mechanism operated by the apron, to suspend the operation of its driving mechanism.

2. A fertilizer-distributer comprising a traction-truck, a revolving rake, driving connections between said truck and rake, manuallyoperated devices for establishing said driving connections, automatically-operated IO devices for suspending said driving connections, an apron driven in one direction by said rake, and yielding pressure devices for returning said apron to its initial position.

3. A fertilizer distributer comprising a traction-truck, a re o lyin rake, suspendable driving connections between the truck and rake, an apron mounted for travel beneath said ra liefsuspendable driving connections between the apron and rake, and means exerting a yielding pressure upon the apron to retard its movement from and automatically return it to its normal position.

4. A. fertilizer distributer comprising a traction-truck, a revolving rake, suspendable driving connections between said tractiontruck and rake, an apron mounted for travel beneath said rake, friction-gearing connecting said rake and, apron, means for suspending travel of the apron independently of the movement of the rake, and springs for reversing the travel of the apron to return it to its normal position.

5. A fertilizer distributer, comprising a traction-truck, arevolvin rake driving con- -3 5 nections between said truck and rake, manually-operated devices for establishing said driving connections, automatically-operated devices for suspendin sau r1 ngnconne ions, an apron mounted for travel beneath tome, driving connections between said rake and apron, pedall '-o erated releasing mechanism for suspen mg the oriviiig connec ions 'etween the rake and apron, and yielding pressure devices for returning said apron to its initial position.

6. A fertilizer-distributer comprising a tractiontruck, a rake, driving connections between the truck and rake, manually-operated devices for establishing said connections,

means for automatically suspending said connections, an apron movably mounted beneath the rake, driving connections between the rake and one end of the apron, and a spring for automatically returning the apron to its initial position.

7. In a machine of the class described, an

ron a drum-shaft mounted for rotation be- I neath the rear end of saidapron, a drum loosely mounted on said shaft, a cable connected to the forward end of said apron and adapted to be wound on said drum and clutch connections between said drum-shaft and drum.

8. In a machine of the class described, an

6 5 W mounted for rotation beneath the rear end of said apron, a drum on said shaft, a cable attached at one end to the forward end of said apron and adapted to be wound on said drum, another drum-shaft, a cable attached to the forward end of said apron and adapted to be wound on the second drum-shaft, and spring-resisted cables adapted to be wound on the second drum shaft in opposition to the second cable.

9. In a machine of the class described, an apron, drum-shafts at either end of said apron, cables attached to the forward end of the apron and ad apted to be wound on said drumshafts oppositely, springreturning cables adapted to be wound on one drum-shaft in opposition to the other cable wound thereon, and a cable sustaining the tail end of said apron at times.

10. In a machine of the class described, an apron, means for driving said apron in one di- 8 5 rection, springs for returning said apron to its initial position and mechanism, operated by the apron, to suspend the driving mechan ism.

11. In a machine of the class described, an 0 apron, mechanism for driving said apron in one direction, springs for returning said apron to its initial position, and pedal-operated mechanism for suspending the driving mechanism and establishing the spring-returning 5 I function.

12. In manure-spreader, the combination of a main driving-shaft, beater a series of gears adapted to connect sai mainshaft with said beater, a conve er, a second series too of gears for connec ing sai beater to said conveyer, means for moving said connectinggears, a spring adapted to be put under tension when said first-mentioned gears are thrown into mesh with the beater a holding I05 device for holding same connected, grid means connected with said conveyer for re easing sa1 sp 0 or 1e pur oses eci e l3. erti 1zer- Iistri uter comprism a traction-truck, a revolving rake, suspenda ble I I0 connections between saidtruck and rake, an apron mounted for travel beneath, and operated in one direction by, said rake, yielding pressure devices for returning the apron to its initial position, a drum-shaft beneath said apron, 'gear connections between said rake and drum-shaft, and clutch mechanism on said drum-shaft for suspending the movement of the apron independent of the movement of the rake. 12::

14. A fertilizer-distributer comprising a frame, journal-bearings on said frame, axle members mounted in said journal-bearings, traction-wheels supporting said axle mem bers, a rake mounted on said frame, gear con- I 2 5 nections between said rake and aXle members, clutch mechanism between said gear connections and axle members, an apron mounted for travel beneath, and adapted to be moved in one direction by, the rake, yielding pressure devices for returning the apron and adapted to be moved in one direction by, 10 to its initial position, and a steering-truck the rake, and yielding pressure devices for carrying the forward end of said frame e. returning the apron to its initial position.

15. In amachineof thecharacterdescribed, Signed by me at Grundy Center, Iowa, traction mechanism, a counter-shaft, si1sthis 23d day of April, 1904. pendable connections between the traction 1 JOHN M. HESS. mechanism and counter shaft, a rake, Witnesses: sprocket-and-chain connections between said E. A. LILLIBRIDGE, counter-shaft and rake, an apron beneath, R. M. F'I'NLAYSON.

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