Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][graphic][graphic][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][graphic][merged small][graphic][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][graphic][graphic][graphic][ocr errors][graphic][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

DIXON'S COMBINED JUCKES FURNACE AND CORNISH BOILER.

[ocr errors]

THE unquestionable advantages resulting from the use of the Juckes furnace have hitherto been denied to that class of boilers known as the Cornish. This arises from their peculiar construction, which does not admit of the ordinary application of the Juckes system. But the difficulties which have hitherto prevented its adoption in this direction have now been overcome by Mr. Thomas Dixon, the engineer of the Low Moor Ironworks, near Bradford. This gentleman has recently patented an invention which consists in the arrangement or combina. tion of a Juckes furnace or other similar furnace having endless travelling bars, and of a Cornish boiler. Immediately in front of a Cornish boiler he builds a Juckes furnace surrounded with brickwork and carries the heated gases or flame directly from the furnace through the flues of the boiler. Furnaces of this description have before been employed in combination with boilers, but the intense heat has been carried immediately from the furnace to the bottom of the boiler, where the greatest accumulation of sediment naturally exists. This accumulation has prevented the most effective absorption of heat, and the material and joints of the boiler bottom have become injuriously affected.

In practice Mr. Dixon closes the front of the ashpit with doors, and makes the brickwork surrounding the furnace hollow, so that the air required for the combustion of the fuel is conveyed through the brickwork; by this arrangement the heat from the brickwork surrounding the furnace is utilised, for the air as it passes through the hollow portion absorbs a part of the heat, and thereby facilitates the combustion. Provision is made for the expansion and contraction of the furnace by building it in a frame movable on rollers and connected to the boiler, to allow of the requisite expansion and contraction in all directions without injury to the brickwork.

In our engraving, fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a brick furnace with cavities, air passages, closed ashpit, and rollers for expansion applied to a Cornish boiler. Fig. 2 is a oross section, fig. 3 a plan, and fig. 4 a front view of the same. aa shows a portion of the front end of an ordinary Cornish steam boiler with internal flues bb; cc is the brickwork securely attached with bolts d d and framework e e to the boiler end. ƒƒ are metal plates for carrying the brick furnace on the rollers g g to provide for the motion of the furnace by the expansion and contraction of the boiler. h h are openings in the top of the furnace with regulators h h for admitting and regulating the supply of air from the atmosphere into the cavities ii of the brickwork, in which cavities the air absorbs a portion of heat from the brickwork. This air, then, moving through the passages k k, openings 11, and closed ashpit m to the underside of the grate is utilised in assisting efficient combustion of fuel on the grate. The ashpit m is provided with a wrought or castiron casing at the front end n secured to the metal frame of the movable grate, so as to make the casing, as far as practicable, air tight, and doors ni n1 are provided on the casing to supply (if necessary) air at the front of the ashpit, and to facilitate the withdrawal of the ashpan from the ashpit should the supply of air be taken through the cavities and passages before mentioned; o is the blow-off cock and pipe, p the mudhole and door, and q non-conducting material to prevent waste of heat from the furnace top; r is a water bridge with connections.

but, where preferred, the water bridge can be
riveted to the supplementary boilers, and the
ordinary connections may thereby be dispensed
with. The result of the application of Mr.
Dixon's invention is that smoke is prevented and
economy of fuel effected, two most desirable
points in connection with steam engineering.

ΑΝ

MACHINERY OILER..

N ingenious oil cup has just been patented by Mr. C. E. Brooman, of 166, Fleetstreet, being a communication from M. Victor Lieuvain, of Rouen. This invention consists of a pneumatic oil cup or apparatus, which is composed of an oil reservoir of glass, as represented at a in the annexed engraving, formed with a

neck the aperture of which is closed by a hollow stopper b. The stopper receives a moderator tube c of copper, conical internally; inside this tube an iron rod d is free to move, and the oil descends along this rod. A small projection in the interior of the tube c serves as a support to the rod d and prevents it coming entirely out of the tube, so that it may be always in contact with the oil. This projection prevents the oil descending when the rod d is not actuated by a vibratory movement which facilitates the descent of the oil. A stopper of wood is preferred because it allows the glass to expand or contract, and is not liable to break the glass like a metal stopper. Sometimes more than one rod is used, each being free to move in a small tube which fulfils the function of the projection before named. The small tubes are united in a main tube, which has an orifice in the interior of the reservoir for the passage of the oil to the rods. It is surmounted with a wooden stopper inside the reservoir, which stopper is provided with an orifice. The main tube passes through a wooden stopper in the neck of the reservoir. Fig. 5 shows a cross section of a furnace with oThese oil cups are employed as follows:-The oup is placed neck downwards, the rod then dea supplementary steam boiler applied to a scends in the tube to serve as a conductor to the Cornish or internal flued boiler. Fig. 6 is a oil, the rod receives a tremulous motion by restlongitudinal section of the same. a a are the ing on a rotating shaft or other part of ma internal flued boiler and flues, bb is the sup-chinery requiring lubricating, and the motion plementary boiler, cc brickwork with plates, rollers, and connections to ensure the motion of the supplementary boiler and furnace by the expansion and contraction of the internal flued boiler; dd are the steam pipes, and e e the feed pipes.

thus produced frees the oil in proportion to the speed of oscillation. When the movement ceases the column of air drives back the oil to the bottom of the moderator tube and the apparatus stops working. If the supply of oil is too large a larger rod may be substituted for that in the tube.

render the air of even a mile in extent explosive in a few minutes. There are very many recorded cases of sudden irruptions of fire-damp in such quantities as to far surpass the amount quoted in our recent article; but as Mr. Holland, in our last number, raised the question, and appeared to consider that such cases, even if occurring, were at all events very exceptional, we propose to give the subject a greater consideration. We quote from a paper written by Mr. John Brown

who is admittedly the most trustworthy min. ing engineer in South Yorkshire-and we think that the following cases are in point as regards Mr. Holland's communication. Speaking of an explosion which occurred at the Shipley Colliery in 1851, he says:-"It was known that the coal and the strata in connection with it yielded fire-damp, but no great quantity had manifested itself until August 8, 1851, when an explosion took place in the evening, whereby several persons were burnt, &c. In

a few minutes afterwards this was followed by an explosion at the furnace." Upon examination it was discovered that the floor in one of the stalls "had been violently upheaved; one side of the tramway which crosses the face of the workings being raised nearly 2ft. higher than the other, and fire-damp was issuing in large quantities from the fissures. It being night the gas had passed until it came in contact with a candle. After exploding here a sufficient quantity passed to the furnace to produce a second explosion." After detailing two other sudden irruptions, the writer goes on to express an opinion "that no amount of ventilation that could be produced in that mine would prevent an explosion either at a naked light, or at the furnace, or both."

Again, in speaking of the Oaks Colliery, at Barnsley, he says:-"In January, 1857, a large quantity of gas was given off suddenly in the dip works;" he thinks from the roof. He con tinues:- "The men in this district immediately retired, their lamps being extinguished. No person was working near the upcast pit, so I am unable to state in what condition the return air was when it arrived at the pit; but it must have been very much charged with fire-damp." Again:-"In August of the same year a very much larger issue of gas took place in a bank in the dip workings, coming off from the floor, which was much heaved up and broken. The noise made by the gas rushing violently was quite alarming. From the point of issue, which was in the bank nearest to the intake, to where the last man was working was about 400 yards; and along this line part of the men were working with Stephenson's and the remainder with Davy's. The whole of the former were extinguished, and the latter became red hot before the wicks could be drawn down, but most fortunately they were put out without an accident." "There can be no doubt," says Mr. Brown, "that if the return air had passed over a furnace, an accident of a frightful character must have happened." Once more, speaking of the Oaks Colliery in September, 1858, the author from whom we have so freely quoted says:-" Early in the morning the man whose duty it was to examine the pit prior to the colliers going to work discovered that a fall of roof had taken place on the south side of the pit. The gas continued to come off rapidly for four or five hours. I made some calculations at the time which convinced me that at least as much pure fire-damp came off that morning as would have filled a heading 6ft. square and a mile and a half long; probably there was much

more than this."

Such an amount of pure fire-damp diluted to the explosion point would in twenty minutes or less render a mile perfectly explosive, but, as a more recent case, Mr. Ansell has recorded that he was present in a pit when an enormous amount of gas suddenly issued, having been released by blowing out a block of coal which stood square and up to his waist-he believed considerably more than a ton-and, at a distauce exceeding 400 yards, heard this gas roaring in such a manner as to cause alarm; upon reach. ing the spot he found that the gas was issuing from a funnel-shaped opening, into which ke thrust his arm up to the shoulder. It is ad. great reservoirs under considerable pressure, but Mr. Ansell seems to have satisfied himself that it exists in a liquid state, and he has seen bable the liquid was retained.-Chemical News

Figs. 7 and 8 show a furnace applied to an internal flued boiler and with supplementary steam boilers forming the sides of the furnaces. aa shows a portion of an ordinary internal flued IRRUPTIONS OF FIRE-DAMP IN COAL mitted on all hands that the gas issues from boiler and flues, bb are the supplementary boilers, ce is the brickwork for the same with supports and connections, d d are the steam pipes, and ee the feed pipes. ƒ ƒ are water bridges, with ordinary connections to the boiler, irruptions of fire-damp to such an extent as to

MINES.

"N a notice of Mr. Ansell's ingenious indicator

IN a of Anagu, we spoke of sudden cavities in which he thinks it is more than pro

STORM WARNINGS.

THEA
HE question of storm warnings has of late
attracted considerable attention, and some
well-merited strictures have been pronounced
upon its present unsatisfactory position.
There
have also arisen contentions as to the originator
of storm warnings-as is sure to be the case with
anything when its utility stands beyond a doubt.
Having recently discussed this subject we are not
now going to reopen the question but simply to
give the substance of a recent discussion thereon,
which took place at a recent meeting of the
Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society.
The matter is so much to the point that we
refrain from comment thereon at present,
although we shall have something to say upon
the general subject hereafter. At the meeting in
question Mr. Baxendell read the following letter,
addressed by T. H. Babington, Esq., to G. V.
Vernon, F.R.A.S., and dated Langley, 13th Feb.,
1867:-"You have been kind enough to send me
a copy of a letter recently received by yourself
from Dr. Buys Ballot, of Utrecht, in which the
writer claims for himself the origination of the
system of issuing storm warnings. He says, "I
laid down my principles before the Dutch
Academy of Sciences in October, 1857; in the
Comptes Rendus de l' Academie des Sciences de
Paris in November, 1857. I made my first pro-
posal to the Dutch Government on the 14th of
November, 1859, and the system was commenced
on the 1st of June, 1860, or nine months sooner
than in England.' It is no doubt the fact that
Admiral Fitzroy did not give his first warning'
before the 5th of February, 1861, but he had
been for years engaged in organising the service
and maturing his plans. I feel it therefore
incumbent upon me, in justice to the memory of
my late chief, to offer a few remarks upon that
portion of Dr. B. Ballot's letter which I have
quoted.

"What the nature of the system of warnings which Dr. B. Ballot claims to have introduced at Utrecht in 1860 may have been I do not know; but Holland must, at that period, have been mainly or entirely dependent upon observations made at her own stations, that is, over an area not larger than Wales, and forming part of a great continent. It will be clear to you and to every meteorologist that forecasts founded upon barometrical differences over an area so limited, and geographically so situated, could not be of much practical value, and that for purposes of forecasting, Dr. B. Ballot could at that period have had but little advantage over any individual and isolated observer. But however that may be, I will, with your permission, relate as simply as possible what I know with respect to the origination of the storm-signals-observing that any knowledge I may possess on the subject is derived from the fact that I was Admiral Fitzroy's assistant from the first establishment of the Meteorological Department in January, 1855, that I was in daily personal communication with him, and, I believe, saw the whole of his correspondence.

Association for the Advancement of Science met never to have occurred to the scientific committée
at Aberdeen under the presidency of the Prince nor to the Board of Trade that it would require
Consort, and, the question being brought before scientific meteorologists at all the ports and
them, it was then resolved by their Council that stations to interpret the indications afforded by
application should be made to her Majesty's this crude and undigested information, men, in
Government for an organisation and trial of a fact, with ability to do that which the scientific
plan by which the approach of storms might be committed shrink from attempting themselves.
At two meet. But such men are not to be found at many of the
telegraphed to distant localities.
ings in Buckingham Palace early the following outports, and especially at the fishing stations;
year (1860), minutes were authorised on this and even if they were, it is not to be expected
subject, and correspondence ensued which re- that they would voluntarily undertake onerous
sulted in establishing a telegraphic communica- duties which ought to be discharged by a com-
tion of meteorological facts between twenty home petent public officer appointed by the Board of
stations, besides foreign ones.
Trade. The scientific committee are unwilling
"When the British Association met at Oxford in to issue storm warnings because they are not
July, 1860, a paper was read by Admiral Fitzroy prepared with a system of forecasting founded on
on the measures proposed for meteorological a strictly scientific basis; but this is no valid
telegraphy, which obtained approval without reason for allowing them to abolish the late
eliciting any opposition. Advancing gradually, system, which was working so well for the
the first cautionary or storm-warning signals interests of science, commerce, and navigation,
were made early in 1861-on the 5th and 6th of until they are prepared with something better fo
And it must be borne in mind that
February. In further confirmation of the replace it.
hitherto undisputed fact that it is to the zeal and
energy of Admiral Fitzroy (and those only who
had the advantage of his intimate acquaintance
know how great and vexatious was the opposition
that his plans encountered from certain quarters)
that England, and to a great extent Europe
generally, is or was indebted for her system of
cautionary signals, I will merely quote the follow-
ing paragraph from Sir Henry James's Instruc
tions for taking Meteorological Observations,
published in 1860. Sir Henry James observes
It is unnecessary to point out the vast import-
ance of being able to foretell the advent of a
storm many hours before it could arrive at any of
our ports, and Admiral Fitzroy, impressed with
the idea that this can be done by the aid of the
telegraph, has for some years past urged upon
the Government the desirability of establishing
telegraphic communications daily between our
most distant ports, and especially from those in
the south of Ireland.'

"I have no desire to detract in any way from
the important services rendered to meteorology
by Dr. B. Ballot. When, however, Admiral
Fitzroy at length succeeded in extorting from
those in authority a reluctant consent to the issue
of storm warnings in England, he was distinctly
told that the cautions must be given on his sole
responsibility, and that upon him must rest the
responsibility of their failure. He did not
shrink from that responsibility. The storm
signals are generally admitted to have been a
great public benefit. Had it been otherwise
upon Admiral Fitzroy would have fallen the
discredit which usually attaches to failure. It
behoves his friends, therefore, to take care that
his name be not deprived of any of the credit
which belongs to success."

Mr. Baxendell explained the construction and mode of using the weather signal recently invented by Dr. Buys Ballot, and also stated that the Doctor had lately found that the discovery of the fact that the direction of the wind was generally at right angles to that of a line joining the areas of high and low barometer was due to Dr. Lloyd, of Dublin; but he still claimed to have been the first to make practical application of this discovery.

Dr. Joule, F.R.S., suggested the desirability of adding to Dr. Ballot's instrument an arrow fixed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the indicating board, with the view to prevent the possibility of any mistake being made as to the direction in which the wind might be expected to come.

"By continued and consecutive series of charts constructed on the synoptic or synchronous principle during the winter of 1856-57, it appeared to Admiral Fitzroy that a light was thrown on the atmospheric changes over the British Isles and their vicinity which had been unattainable previously. Those charts were prepared by myself under Admiral Fitzroy's direction, with the express view (as I know from frequent conversations with him on the subject) of gaining by their intercomparison an insight into the laws of our atmosphere which might enable us to know Mr. Baxendell, referring to the statement what weather was likely to prevail during the made by the President of the Board of Trade in next two or three days, and, as a corollary, when the House of Commons on the 15th ult. in reply a storm was likely to occur. Those charts, how-to the questions put by Colonel Sykes respecting ever, were not found sufficient by themselves, and storm signals, remarked that a concession had led to subsequent arrangements and correspond- certainly been made by the Government, but unfortunately it had this very objectionable fea"In the Report of the Meteorological Depart-ture, that while it would be far less useful than ment in March, 1857, Admiral Fitzroy wrote the thing asked for, it would involve a very much "It has been desired that a great many observa- greater current expense. "The information tions should be compared throughout the British which was collected daily by the scientific comIsles (with their neighbouring coasts and seas) at mittee would be telegraphed as heretofore to the certain remarkable periods, to obtain the means different ports and stations throughout the kingof delineating or mapping the atmosphere at dom in time to allow of forecasts to be made in successive times; and thence to deduce the order any place where there was a disposition to make of those changes of wind and weather which affect them." But the cost of daily telegraphing all navigation and fisheries especially." In Septem- this information to the various outports and ber, 1859-or two months before Dr. Buys Ballot stations would obviously vastly exceed that of appears to have made his first proposal on the occasionally transmitting telegraphic notices of subject to the Dutch Government-the British approaching storms; and moreover, it seems

ence.

it will not in the end conduce to the interests of science, if the public find that a body of scientific men, invested with an unusual power, are either unable or unwilling to use it for the public good.

INFLUENCE OF THE TIDAL WAVE ON
THE MOTION OF THE MOON.*
BY JAMES CROLL.
Na paper Influence of the Tidal
war on the Motion of the Moon," which
appeared in the Philosophical Magazine for August
last, I inadvertently represented Professor Wil
liam Thomson as having come to the conclusion
that the earth, regarded as a time-keeper, is
actually losing about four seconds in a year.
This, however, is incorrect. In Professor Thom.
son's paper on the subject a certain state of eir-
cumstances as to the tides is specified, not aga
probable hypothesis, but as
one on which a
superior limit of the amount of tidsl influence
on the earth's rotation may be estimated. On
that hypothesis the earth would, one hundred
years hence, be rotating so much slower than at
present as to be then losing four seconds a year
on a perfectly accurate chronometer regulated
according to the earth's present rate.

In my two former papers on the influence of the tides, I endeavoured to show that the solar wave must exercise a retarding effect on the earth's motion round the common centre of gravity of the earth and moon, similar to what the lunar wave exercises upon the earth's rotation or motion round its own centre of gravity. This, as was pointed out, follows as a direct consequence from the fact that, supposing the earth to have no rotation, still the waters of the ocean would have to rise and fall in order to maintain the solar wave, which in this case would more round the earth, not once in twenty-four hours as at present, but once in a month. And as this motion of the waters, slow as it no doubt would be, could not take place without heat being gene rated by friction and dissipated into space, the vis viva thus lost must be at the expense of the earth's motion round the common centre of gra. vity of the earth and moon; for, by supposition, there is no other motion from which it could be derived. It can be easily proved that this would tend to bring the earth nearer to the moon, thus increase the moon's angular motion.

and

It has been shown by Professor William Thomson, and also by the Astronomer Royal, that, owing to the position of the tidal wave, the moon is drawn not exactly in the direction of the earth's centre of gravity, but a little to the east of that centre, and that in consequence of this, she is made to recede from the earth. Her orbit is enlarged, and her angular motion diminished. It would, therefore, seem that the tides produce two distinct classes of effects, the one to a certain extent neutralizing the other. The effect pointed out by Professor Thomson and the Astronomer Royal does not, however, in the least degree prevent the consumption of the vis viva of the earth's motion round the common centre of gravity, although to a certain extent, at least, it must prevent this consumption from diminishing the moon's distance and increasing her angular motion. But as this consumption of is viva will go on throughout indefinite ages, if the present order of things remains unchanged, the earth and the moon must therefore ultimately come together.

Magazine.
Communicated by the author to the Philosophick!

COAL IN AMERICA.

THE reports recently presented to Parliament Tby her Majesty' Becretaries of Embaeny

sulation according to the number of years in
which it has been immersed. Its superiority in
lightness of weight and in diminished bulk will
render the task of submersion infinitely less

and Legation in reference to coal possess con-
siderable interest. A statistician who believed
in Mr. Jevons, and held that coal was of the
essence of civilisation, might derive from them
conclusions as to the probable duration of certain
European nations. But what is most striking to
the reader of these reports is the enormous
wealth of coal existing in the United States. It
really seems as if America were more fertile in
all material products than the elder continent;
as if, in the old age of the world, there were re-
vealed an opulence more immense than any
previous era knew. Rightly so, doubtless; since
science, though productive, is always extrava-
gant, freely using the resources of nature to
compass her end. Acting Consul Wilkins reports
that the Great Illinois Coal Field contains 55,000
square miles of coal, which would on an average
yield 5,000 tons of bituminous coal per acre.
This would give 176,000,000,000 tons as the car-
bonaceous wealth of the district. But a few
pages earlier the same coal measures are esti-
mated, on the authority of Professor Rogers, at
rather more than 1 billion tons-about seven
times the former quantity. Whom, says the
Globe, shall we believe, Consul or Professor ?
The latter holds that the Illinois coal fields are
good for a thousand centuries to come. The
immense difference in the two estimates-both,
we assume, carefully calculated-may at least
teach us how untrustworthy are such specula- (Before VICE-CHANCELLOR SIR W. P. WOOD.)
tions. However, that the United States possess
a prodigious wealth of coal of the very finest
quality is clear enough; and as yet they raise
annually about twenty million tons only, a fifth
of the produce of Great Britain. The prophets
of the exhaustion of coal, and consequent ex-
tinction of men, will have some time to wait in
America.

costly and hazardous than in the case of the two
cables already linking the two hemispheres.
But in addition it possesses a qualification which
surprised the Government electrician, who says
he could not kink it, though he tried by every
means which suggested itself to men of ex-
perience, acquainted with submarine telegraphy,
who assisted him in coiling it more
or less
rapidly. Now this fortunate freedom from a
contingency which involves a terrible chance of
fracture during the process of paying out the
cable is another and wonderful guarantee for
the success of the operation, in addition to those
already made public in the company's prospectus.
With the benefit of the experience of past efforts
in submerging Atlantic cables, and with improve-
ments in construction and facility of handling,
there seems to be a certainty that the first effort
of laying down the new cable will be a complete

BEET ROOT SUGAR IN ILLINOIS.

of

success.

Legal Intelligence.

VICE.CHANCELLOR'S COURT.
March 20.

TORR v. BRINJES.

This was a trial before his Honour without a

jury for an issue for the purpose of determining
whether the defendant, by his patent, which was
subsequent in point of date, had infringed the
patent for "improvements in, and an improved
apparatus for, manufacturing and reburning
animal charcoal" obtained by the plaintiff in
1862.

The question resolved itself in effect into a
comparison of the two specifications with the aid

as above described."

By his complete specification filed on

[blocks in formation]

MON.-Royal Institution.-Monthly Meeting, 2.

Royal United Service Institution.-"The Eco-
nomy of Fuel, comprising Mineral Oils," by
Professor W. J. M. Rankine, 8.30.
Society of Engineers.-"Pumping Engines for
Town Water Supply," by Mr. H. Davey, 7.30.
TUES.-Institution of Civil Engineers.-"Memoir on the
River Tyne," by Mr. W. A. Brooks, 8.

Royal Institution.-"On Botany," by Rev. G.
Henslow, 3.

WED.-Geological Society, 8.

THURS.-Royal Institution. -"On the Antiquity of
Man," by Mr. W. Pengelly, 3.
Chemical Society, 8.

Linnean Society, 8.

FRI.-Royal Institution.-"On St. Michael's Mount,
Cornwall," by Mr. W. Pengelly, 8.

SAT.-Royal Institution.-"On the Antiquity of Man,"
by Mr. W. Pengelly, 3.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The MECHANICS' MAGAZINE is sent post-free to sub. scribers of £1 1s. 8d. yearly, or 10s. 10d. half-yearly, pay. able in advance.

Advertisements are inserted in the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE at the rate of 6d. per line, or 5d. per line for 13 insists of about 10 words. Woodcuts are charged at the same rate as type. Special arrangements made for large adver

sertions, or 4d. a line for 26 insertions. Each line con

tisements.

All communications should be addressed to the EDITOR,

166, Fleet-street.

To insure insertion in the following number, advertisements should reach the office not later than 5 o'ccolk on Thursday evening.

We must absolutely decline attending to communications unaccompanied by the name and address of the good faith.—ED. M. M.

writer, not necessarily for insertion, but as a proof of

W. W. S.-M. J. R.-E. W.-Messrs. R. and W. C.-J. H.
J. B.-W. H.-T. S.-W. P.-J.T. B.-E. H.-P.A.
G. C.-W. T. F.-Messrs. S. M. and Co.-G. W. H.—
W. P.-R. J.-D. B. C.-T. F.—R. F. S.

RECEIVED.-E. W. Y.-R. B. P.-Messrs. H. and B.-
-M. G.-E. S.-Messrs. A. F. and Co.-E. M.-S. S.-
J. L. H.-R. I.-J. H.-J. S.-R. F. D.-J. C.-T. B. M.

W. W. S. Should write to the editor of the French

journal in which the description of the aerial machine

The State of Maine, in the United States, builds more than one-half the ships in the country.

A experiment host for thy been made afforded by other existing patents relating to the
growing beet-root manufacture
same subject matter. The claim of the plaintiff,
Bagar in Illinois. About 400 acres of fresh as stated in his specification, was "the combina-
prairie were planted, and 4,000 tons of beet tion, as above described, of two or more cylinders,
raised, which is in course of being worked up each having the thread of an archimedean screw
and is expected to reach nearly 400,000lb. of re-attached to its interior, and also the combination
fined sugar.
The United States have been like in one cylinder of an inner and outer cylinder,
ourselves, the most important consumers of each furnished with an archimedean screw, as set
cane-grown sugar, the continent generally forth in the foregoing description of the lower
having long accepted the beet as the raw mate-
rial of their supply. But if the Americans and cylinder, and I also claim as my invention a
the Germans and French can grow their own rotary cooling box in the form of a double drum, appeared.
sugar, why should not we do so? Beet-root is
not like sugar-cane, an article only to be reared
in tropical or semi-tropical countries. We raise
it in England of excellent quality, and not only
do we raise the crop, but of the sugar we con-
sume, about one-sixth part-according to the
Produce Markets Review-is beet-root sugar im-
ported from the continent. There seems no
reason why this additional branch of industry
should not be added to the many enterprises of
the country.
While the beet has been planted
for purposes of sugar-making on the prairies of
the West, the cane is being vigorously culti-
vated in the colony of Queensland. It is esti-
mated that upwards of a thousand miles of allu-
vial soil on the coast line of that colony is in
every way adapted to the cultivation of the cane.
The attention of all countries seems to be di-
rected more and more to the supply of sugar.
We used to be dependent for our supply upon
the West Indies, just as we were upon America
for our cotton; but every day the sugar question
is becoming better understood, and in spite of
our scale of duties, the West Indians will be
compelled to feel more and more the influence of
competition, and the necessity for exerting them.
selves accordingly.

[blocks in formation]

ber 22, 1864, the defendant claimed as his inven-abal,
ber 22, 1864, the defendant claimed as his inven- Naval, Military, and Gunnery Items.
tion:-1, the application and use to and in the
reburning of animal charcoal of cylinders or
retorts, provided with a series of internal rings
or flanges, in combination with a series of doors
or vanes operating substantially as and for the
Arrangements are being made at Woolwich
purpose herein before described; 2, the applica- Arsenal for the erection of an additional shipping
tion and use to and in machinery or apparatus pier to extend 300ft. into the river beyond the quay
for reburning animal charcoal of a rotating cool- facing the Royal gun factories. The new pier will
ing drum or chamber provided with an inner or be built on the plan already adopted with success,
on designs submitted by Mr. Anderson. The pier
outer skin, and supplied with water for the pur-will be fitted with a crane worked by hydraulic
pose of more readily cooling its contents, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described." Models of power, capable of lifting about 35 tons weight.
the processes used by plaintiff and defendant
respectively were produced in court, and were,
in fact, absolutely necessary for arriving at any.
thing like a clear apprehension of the mechanical
bearings of the question.

Mr. Giffard, Q.C., and Mr. Drewry were for the plaintiff: Mr. Grove, Q.C., Mr. Druce, Q.C., and Mr G. N. Colt were for the defendant.

The Vice-Chancellor held that the defendant had not infringed the plaintiff's patent.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
March 27.

(Before MR. COMMISSIONER GOULBURN.)

IN RE DAVID GRAHAM HOPE.

The bankrupt was an engineer and contractor
of Grove Hall, Northfleet, Kent. His debts are
returned at £7,353, the sum of £5,698 being due
to usecured creditors; against assets returned at
£1,147, but only £180 had been realised.
Mr. Brough, on behalf of the assignees, did
not oppose.

The Gazette du Midi publishes a communication from Toulon, announcing that the French squadron is about to have its artillery completely changed. Sixty enormous breech-loaders, on improved carri ages, are now ready, and are to be substituted for the guns at present in use. The operation will commence with the "Solferino" and "Couronne," which will land their numerous artillery in order to receive the guns of the new type; there will be fewer pieces, but they will be of greater power, and quantity will be advantageously replaced by quality. The other ironclads will in turn be similarly sup plied.

The "Great Eastern" left the Mersey for New York at noon on Tuesday. It is to be regretted that her departure has been marked by another fatal disaster. Twelve of the crew were manning her bow capstan and raising the slack of the port anchor. They had just got the strain of the 9-ton anchor on them when the donkey engine was put on to assist them. It had worked a few moments when one of the cap. stan pins snapped, and the full weight of the anchor was suddenly thrown on the men, and of round, throwing the men right and left, and the course overpowered them. The capstan was whirled bars flying out, struck and wounded five men. One of them died immediately, and another was not ex. pected to live.

A number of gun carriages, slides, platforms, It is stated that a French physician has composed transporting carriages, wheels, &c., manufactured a liquid which he calls gazeol, and which is said to of teak wood, known to resist the ravages of the produce remarkable and certain cures in cases of red ant, were yesterday despatched from Woolwich whooping cough. A tea-spoonful of it is placed in Arsenal for shipment on board the chartered vessel an open phial, which is put into a water bath al"Victory," about to sail from the East India Docks ways kept at the same temperature. Children suffor Calcutta. They are intended as patterns to en-fering from the whooping cough are taken into the able the manufacture of those materials to be car-room, and are cured by inhaling the emanations ried out in the Indian Presidencies as required.

Five thousand stand of arms have been sent from the Armoury, Chatham, for conversion to Snider breech-loaders, at the Royal Small Arms Factory, about 40,000 remaining at Chatham to be so con. verted.

The 40-ton steam-hammer at Chatham Dockyard, which broke down a short time since while forging the sternpost for the "Hercules," having been repaired, the post was forged at the smithey yesterday.

from the gazeol as it mixes with the air of the room.
It evaporates very rapidly. The remedy is said to
have been used with complete success at the Orphan
Asylum at Paris.

The line of railway between Mirzapore and Jub.
bulpore is to be opened by June next. When this
section is complete there will be through railway
communication between Bombay and Calcutta,
with the exception of 180 miles from Nagpore to
Jubbulpore.

H.M.S. "Wasp" proceeded, on January 2, to Quiloa, with Dr. Sewerd, her Majesty's Consul at report that Dr. Livingstone had been murdered by the Zulu Tribe near Lake Nyassa.

Patents for Inventions.

ABRIDGED SPECIFICATIONS OF
PATENTS.

Tas Abridged Specifications of Patents given below are
classified, according to the subjects to which the respective
of classification adopted, the numerical and chronological
inventions refer, in the following Table. By the system
order of the specifications is preserved, and combined with
all the advantages of a division into classes. It should be
sively for this Magazine from official copies supplied by
understood that these abridgements are prepared exclu
the Government, and are therefore the property of the
Proprietors of this Magazine. Other papers are hereby
warned not to produce them without an acknowledge
BOILERS AND FURNACES,-2247, 2259, 2263, 2278
BUILDINGS AND BUILDING MATERIALS,-2235, 2238, 2245,
2256, 2281
CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY-2273

ment:

ments and machines,-2254, 2268, 2274 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS,- none

52 cwt, each, supplied for the "Pallas," which a few Zanzibar, to endeavour to ascertain the truth of the CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL, including agricultural impleThe two Martin's patent self-canting anchors, of days since sustained under the hydraulic machine at Portsmouth doekyard a testing strain equal to that given to an ordinary Admiralty pattern anchor of 95 cwt. without exhibiting the slightest permanent deflection, have since been submitted to the severest possible form of "fire" proof, with results equally satisfactory to those which attended their hydraulic tests.

Miscellanea.

ment of accidents and emergencies has been issued A sheet of instructions for the prompt treatby the Accident Assurance Company, Limited, Bank-buildings, Old Jewry, London, and published by W. H. Collingridge, of the City Press. The instructions were prepared expressly for the company by Mr. Alfred Smee, the surgeon to the Bank of England, and may be regarded as the science of surgery in its most profound truths described in popular language, intelligible to the ordinary reader. No less than fifty-two distinct subjects are clearly and graphically described, and instructions A strong blast of air, discharged from a pipe are given as to what patients may safely do, and within a short distance from a flat surface, will not what they may not do, without medical aid; and repel, but will attract any object placed in the in- we are informed when we may bide our time and tervening space. A blast of air once made to dis- when we should make all speed to secure the aid of charge against a wall in the late Mr. Robert's a surgeon. The sheet is surrounded by thirty wood. Works at Manchester, would not repel a board cuts of accidents, so well drawn that the most inwhich had been applied as a valve, but, on the con- experienced eye may in many cases immediately trary, attracted it to the pipe. It has been sug-recognise the true character of an injury. gested that safety-valves are sometimes attracted to their seats in the same way when a thin annular discharge of steam is going on under their edges. To make a cast-iron magnet, take a smooth bar of cast iron, place the middle of it to the north pole of a magnet and draw it to the end, repeating the stroke always from the middle to the end, and rubbing in the same way each time. Then place the middle of the bar to the south pole of the magnet, and rub towards the opposite end of the bar, repeating as before. Magnets can be made in this way of steel as well as of cast iron, and may be in the form of a horse-shoe or star as well as a straight

bar.

[blocks in formation]

At the meeting of the Nottingham Town Council, on Monday, a large committee was appointed for the purpose of inquiring into the desirableness of forming a Free Library and Museum for that town. The opinion of the council was unanimously in

favour of such an institution.

At a meeting of the shareholders in Martin's Patent Anchor Company (Limited), held at the company's offices recently, it was resolved that the company should be wound up voluntarily.

A frightful railway accident occurred on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, near Bhosawul, on February 17. A number of natives wandered on to a railway bridge, which was only of just sufficient width to allow the trains to pass along, when a train coming up, four of them were instantly dashed to pieces, and the two others died on the second day after the accident. The extension of the above railway from Sindee to Nagpore was opened on February 20, by the Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces.

A reliquary of exceeding beauty, embellished with precious stones, has been lately discovered buried beneath an old wall adjoining the Cathedral of Poitiers, but the inscription, enamelled on the gold setting, describes the nature of the holy relic to be such that the bishop has refused to allow it to be sent to the Exhibition.

exported last year was £317,988, as compared with
The value of the telegraphic wire and apparatus
£148,677 in 1865, £218,464 in 1864, £317,214 in
1863, £320,897 in 1862, £214 441 in 1861, £251,712
in 1860, £742,306 in 1859, £224,708 in 1858, and
£302,246 in 1857. Last year's exports would thus
appear to have been about an average of the ten
years. It will be observed, however, that it was in
1859 that this branch of our export trade attained
its greatest development.

It is estimated that upwards of 10,000,000 tons
of anthracite coal will be mined in Pennsylvania.
Last year the quantity was under 7,000,000 tons.

Advices from St. Michael (Savoy) state that the works for piercing Mont Cenis have reached the limit of the bed of hard quartz, which has been so difficult to penetrate. The workmen have now come upon softer ground, and hope to be able to bore 1,000 metres in a year.

In order that Russian railways shall no longer be dependent upon foreign enterprise, the Imperial Government proposes to guarantee to Russian contractors orders for the manufacture of railway plant for a period of several years, and at the same time to advance them one-half of the amount of the

annual contract.

alloy for bells as well as for hammers, hard tools,
Mr. Micolan, of Paris, proposes the following
&c.:-20 parts of iron turnings or tin waste, 80
parts of steel, 4 parts of manganese, and 4 parts of
borax, but these proportions may be varied, and two
or three parts of wolfram may be added to increase
the tenacity of the alloy.

The Bombay papers mention the transmission to
England last mail by letter post of the celebrated
Sancy diamond. "This diamond," says the Pall
Mall Gazette, "was found on the body of Charles the
Bold, Duke of Burgundy, after his defeat at Gran-
1479 by the King of Portugal, and ten years later
son, in 1476, by the Swiss. It was purchased in
it was sold by him to Nicholas de Baily, Baron de
Sancy, from whom it derives its name. The Baron
de Sancy sent it as a present to the King of France,
and the servant who had charge of the gift, being
attacked by robbers, proved himself equal to the
occasion, and swallowed the diamond. According
to the story, the stone was found in his body. It
afterwards came into the possession of James II.
of England, by whom it was sold for £25,000 to
Louis XIV. During the French Revolution the
Sancy diamond disappeared. It was purchased by
Napoleon I., by whom it was afterwards sold to
Prince Paul Demidoff. It is valued at from
£20,000 to £30,000, is pear-shaped, and weighs

534 carats."

The Government of Ticino has cancelled the con

cession granted to the European Central Company
for the construction of railroads in that canton, in
consequence of the stipulated deposit-money of
400,000f. not having been forthcoming.

FIBROUS FABRICS, including machinery for treating fibres,
pulp, paper, &c.,-2220, 2221, 2228, 2229, 2236, 2246,
2249, 2258, 2266, 2269, 2275
FOOD AND BEVERAGES, including apparatus for preparing
food for men and animals,-2930, 2241, 2242, 2255
FURNITURE AND APPAREL, including household utensils,
time-keepers, jewellery, musical instruments, &e.,-
2232, 2251, 2260, 2264, 2276, 2284

GENERAL MACHINERY, 2233, 2234, 2244, 2248, 2250, 9253,
LIGHTING, HEATING, AND VENTILATING,-2271, 2277, 2280
METALS, including apparatus for their manufacture,→

2252

[blocks in formation]

2219 J. H. JOHNSON. Improvements in railway brakes parts of which improvements are applicable as shaf couplings. (A communication.) Dated August 28, 1868. This invention relates to a peculiar construction and ar rangement of self-acting railway brake mechanism, whereby the whole of the carriages of a train may be braked simultaneously; and is also partly applicable to the coupling of driving or other revolving shafts or spindles of machinery pleted. wherein such appliances are found requisite. Patent com.

menting lace and other like fabrics, and also in imitations 2220 W. OLARK. Improvements in perfecting or ornaof the same. (A communication.) Dated August 28, 1866.

Provisional protection has not been allowed for this invention.

2221 H. CARRIER and W. V. COPELAND. Improvementi warp lace machines, and in the machinery or apparatus em in the manufacture or production of looped fabrics made on ployed therein. Dated August 28, 1866.

This invention consists in forming upon a warp lace ground threads lie loose on the face of the lace ground, and between or grounds, spots or sprigs, by the employment of additional threads to form such spots or sprige. These additional the spots or sprigs, in such manner that those portions of may be cut or clipped away from the lace ground or grounds, threads which are not used in producing the spots or sprigs so that the threads are not seen except in those places employed in forming the ground or grounds, and for pro where they have formed the spots or sprigs. The threads ducing the spots or sprigs the inventors enter through guides may be soldered to the bars, or be cast in leads, and ordinary guides in any required number of bars; these such leads may be screwed or otherwise secured to the bars. of ordinary construction; the cut of such wheels, however, in warp lace machines, and they are moved by wheels also These bars are of the usual construction of those employed varies according to the ground required to be made, aud the spots, sprigs, or other patterns to be produced thereon.

Or the bars may be moved by means of one or more jacquard apparatus. The combined movements of the various parts of the machinery or apparatus are effected by means of cams, levers, and connecting links, or by equivalent mechanical contrivance. Patent abandoned.

2222 W. T. ELEY. Improvements in machinery employed in the manufacture of "Boxer" or other central-Aire our tridge cases. This invention is not described apart from the drawings.

Dated August 29, 1866.

Patent completed."

of war and other structures required to be rendered shot2223 T. WHITBY. Improvements in constructing vessel's proof. Dated August 29, 1866.

In constructing vessels of war according to this invention parts of the outer skin of the vessel that are required to be the patentee attaches armour-plates to the exterior of those rendered shot proof, and outside the armor plating he at taches metal plates formed into loops, or otherwise formed to present inclined or curved surfaces to projectiles, in order that the projectiles may he deflected by these surfaces and so turned out of their course before striking against the armour plating; the projectiles will thus be prevented from striking plating will be better able to offer resistance to them. The fairly against the armour plating, and therefore the armour curved plates are by preference of steel, in order that, when struck by a projectile, they may act as springs, and take away from the velocity of the projectile. A thin skin q plating is placed outside the curved or angular plates to enclose them watertight, and form the exterior of the vessel. If desired, armour-plating may be dispensed with, and the curved or other plates be alone employed to protect the by preference secured in such a manner that they can outer skin of the vessel; the curved or angular plates are readily be removed and replaced. curved plates may be employed, one exterior of the other. If desired two sets of

Patent completed.

« EelmineJätka »