Instrument to prevent the injurious effects of sudden jerks in towing ships, &c. BY MR. JOHN TREVELYAN, CAMBORNE. THE inventor of the instrument represented by fig. 24, Plate III., proposes by its use to prevent accidents similar to that which occurred on board H.M.S. London, when the recoil of a cable, which snapped by a sudden jerk, caused the death of eight seamen; but it may probably be found useful in other cases where injury is likely to arise from a sudden strain. The apparatus consists of as many tubes as may be found requisite, inside which are placed suitable pieces of vulcanized india-rubber, a, a, separated by disks of iron, b, b. Through the centre of both these, in each tube, passes a rod with a piston, c, at the end. The tubes are secured to a sort of capping-piece, d, and the rods, after passing through the plate, e, are secured to a similar cap, f. Any strain which tends to separate d and f will be resisted by the elasticity of the vulcanized rubber. In the figure one of the tubes is represented as removed, so as to show the internal arrangement and the spaces left to allow of the compression of the rubber springs. Shifting Joint and Set-off. BY MR. WILLIAM BURALL, HAYLE. THE shifting joint represented by fig. 25, Plate III., is proposed as a firm and useful connexion for iron rods, such as the main rods of large engines, and as much less expensive than any now in use, from the circumstance that no turning or boring is required, the smith being able to complete it at the forge. It has a large bearing-surface, and in case of waste, from the corroding action of the mine-water, the joint can be readily made tight and firm the spring, a, in the hanging part being intended to yield as the couplings, b, b, are driven down. The model which was sent to the exhibition also showed how a set-off might be attached to the rod: this is also represented in the figure. W., for the year 1853, Cistern 106 feet above mean sea level. Meteorological Summary of the Weather at Helston, in Lat. 50° 7′ N, Long. 5′′ 18′′ from Registers kept by M. P. Moyle, Esq. MONTHLY MEANS OF THE BAROMETER. 1853. March 29.860 29.830 29-846 29-845 0.007 29-838 0.241 April 29-851 22.864 29.883 29.866 0.004 29.862 0-286 in. in. in. in. in. in. in. in. in. in. in. in. January February. 29-645 29-629 29-648 29.641 0.003 29.638 0.199 29-626 29.614 29.651 29.631 0.00429-627 0.280 29-347 30-160 23 29-002 16 29-576 30-354 9 29-073 22 1.281 29.833 29.832 29-854 29.840 0.002 29.838 0.309 29-529 30-062 10 29.532 16 0.430 29.831 29.827 29-842 29.832 0.001 29.831 0.401 29.430 30.063 3 29-525 28 0.538 in. 0.395 17 0.697 24 & 25 0.210 0-120 0.291 24 0-471 2 & 3 0.171 0.086 0.546 31 0.607 30 & 31 0.145 0.094 0.413 22 *0.797 22 & 23 0.141 0.073 0.140 9 0.329 6 & 7 0.103 0.041 0.103 26 0.224 18 & 19 0.062 0.511 in. in. 12 & 13 0.125 15 & 16 0.109 0.438 2*0-551 25 & 26 0.132 29.826 29.834 29.870 29.843 0.002 29.841 0.450 29-391 30-223 3 29-228 14 0.995 0.088 0.256 22 August.. 29.877 29.872 29.888 29.879 0.004 29.875 0.435 29-440 30-238 10 29-083 16 1.055 0.072 0-247 25 Sept. 5 29-312 25 1.025 0.082 0.242 October 29.608 29-597 29.654 29-619 0.006 29.613 0-370 29.243 30.081 19 29-105 17 0.976 0.110 0.541 18 *0-730 17 & 18 0.177 November 29.958 29.934 29-953 29.948 0.004 29.944 0.304 29.640 30.508 9 29-471 1 1.137 0.099 0.225 12 *0-460 1& 2 0.134 December 29.828 29-794 29.825 29.816 0.003 29-813 0.235 29-578 30.337 9 29-013 14 1.324 0.099 0.288 19 0-532 25 & 26 0.159 Means.. 29.807 29-796 29.822 29.808 0.003 29.805 0.326 29.479 30.226 29.177 1.049 0.096 0.307 0.139 0.529 2nd day's observation. Remarks.-0-121 in. should be added to all the readings of the Barometer for its elevation of 106 feet above mean sea level. The Barometer is a standard with 0-6 in. bore, having a glass cistern 3 ins. in diameter, whereby the ivory point of the brass scale can, by sight, be brought accurately to the surface of the mercury; the open end of the tube has a ring of platina foil, as recommended by Daniell, and the tube was filled in vacuo with mercury of specific gravity 13.5. 0 Jan. 457 43.8 47.9 45.5 45.6 43.7 46.4 0.4 46.0 44.2 0.1 44.1 1.9 41.6 4.4 14.0 12.0 51.9 40.3 46.0 Feb. 37.0 34.9 40.4 37.3 36.6 34.8 38.0 0.6 37.4 35.7 0.4 35.3 2.1-32.2 5.2 Mar. 42.6 40.4 45.8 42.5 41.0 38.6 43.2 1.5 41.7 40.6 0.7 39.9 1.8 37.4 3.2 9.0 10.0 45.8 32.3 39.0 0.4 38.6 13.5 57.0 24 23.0 20 40.0 33.0 9.0 11.0 50.5 36.8 43.7 1.0 42.7 13-6 59.0 2 23-0 18 41.0 36.0 4.6 9.0 7.0 56.1 44.3 50.1 1.5 48.6 11.8 60.0 30 34-0 26 47.0 26.0 May 57.1 52.1 59.8 53.0 53.0 49.6 56.6 9.8 13.0 12.0 64.2 47.4 55.9 1.7 54.2 17.0 72.0 thrice 35.0 10 54.0 37.0 June 60.5 56.7 63.0 58.1 57.8 55.2 60.4 3.0 57.4 53.9 2.0 51.9 5.5 52.1 5.3 12.0 10.0 67.2 51.9 59.5 1.8 57.7 15.3 78.0 April 50.5 47.1 52.8 48.3 48.0 45.6 50.4 2.2 48.2 46.9 1.4 45.5 2.3 54.3 51.5 2.1 49.4 1.4 42.3 4.9 44.5 1 44.0 10 61.0 34.0 July 61.2 58.3 64.0 59.8 60.1 57.6 61.7 2.2 59.5 58.6 1.3 57.3 2.2 55.5 4.0 Aug. 63.0 59.0 66.0 60.1 61.1 57.7 63.3 2.1 61.2 58.9 1.4 57.5 3.7 54.5 9.0 10.0 68.1 54.8 61.4 1.0 60.4 13.3 77.0 6.7 10.0 7.0 71.7 53.0 62.4 1.7 60.7 18.0 80.0 1.7 57.4 55.8 1.2 54-6 2.8 52-4 5.0 11.0 10.0 66-4 50.5 58.4 1.3 57.1 15.8 75.0 6 43.0 23 59.0 32.0 0.8 53.9 52.5 0.7 51.8 2.1 49.7 4.2 9.0 7.0 60.8 48.2 54.5 1.0 53.5 12.4 68.0 10 38.0 2 53.0 30.0 0.5 49.2 47.3 0.5 46.8 2-3 44.0 5.1 12.0 13.0 56.5 41.9 49.1 0.4 48.7 14.6 62.0 thrice 30-0 17 46.0 32.0 0.2 41.6 39.6 0.1 39.5 2.2 36.6 5.3 12.0 13.0 47.9 35.7 41.7 0.0 41.7 12.2 57.0 29 44.0 31.0 1-4 50.7 48.8 1.0 47.8 2.7 45.2 6.2 10.7 10.2 58-9 44-7 51.8 1.0 50.8 14.2 66.9 January 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 3 1 10 5 9 8 10 3 12 3 February 21 21 000 100 1 2 3 0 1 3 4 3 15 15 14 4 6 6 4 3 p.m. 6 4 5 8 45 9 p.m. 1853. E. S.E. S. S.W. W. 9 a.m. March 5 6 5 2 2 1 4 3 3 2 4 4 5 1 3 3 6 734 6 6 2-0 2-2 1-71-9 22-02-21-41-8 5 5 5 5 4 4 2 3 4 1-8 2-2 1-3 1-7 Severe gale on the 26th. 3 2.1 2.0 1.3 1.8 .... 6 6 8 1000001-82-1 1-6 1-8 3 3 5 1 1 0 2 2 1 4 7 7 5 6 7 4 2 3 6 6 4 5 3 3 1.8 2.2 1.6 1.9 Squally on 11th & 26th. 5 5 5 2 1 1 4 2 2 6 11 9 4 5 8 5 3 4 3 3 1 2 1 1 2-3 2-5 2-0 2-3 Squally on the 4th, 17th, 21st, & 31st. 7 8 10 1 3 2 2 3 1 3 4 5 2 0 0 1 2 3 10 7 6 4 3 3 1-7 2-0 1-7 1-8 The force of the wind is estimated from 0 to 6: 0, representing a calm; 6, its greatest possible force, or a hurricane. |