and down on the fixed piston, and connected at the bottom with the brake levers E. The piston is packed with an india-rubber In our last impression we dealt at some length with the ring, so arranged that air can pass freely from the bottom of the “Continuous Brakes Return” for the six monthsending cylinder to the top, but not from the top to the bottom. Thepiston-„ i ^    .    ° rod is also packed with an india-rubber ring or gland.

31st December, 1882, but we by no means exhausted the Brake off, Fig. 1.—The air is exhausted from the pipes and subject. These returns show very clearly the nature of cylinders by the ejector on the engine when the train is at rest, the defects to which the various types of continuous

brakes are liable, and they consequently supply much cate the power available for stopping the train, and should show valuable instruction. For once the nature of a defect is not less than 20in. nor more than 30in. of vacuum when the train known, it becomes possible to consider whether it is ilrun?ing- The vacuum being equal on both sides of the piston, or is not inherent in the brake to which it applies, and if ^eels    Y °Wn ^

the answer is in the negative, then steps can be taken with Brake on, Fig. 2.—The moment air is admitted into the con-some prospect of success to eliminate it. We propose here, tinuous pipe, whether by the engineman or by the guard, or by the therefore, to consider what the returns of a few of the accidental severance of the couplings, it rushes through the con-principal railway companies have to tell us, and it will be Sinuous pipe down the hollow piston-rod into the upper part of the seen as we go on that not only are thete special defects    3TS £

appei taming to each brake system, but that each railway piston, so that the pressure of air in the upper part of the cylinder has also defects peculiar to itself. To what this curious fact having nothing to balance it on the other side of the piston thrusts is due it is not easy to say.    up the cylinder and presses the brake blocks against the wheels.

Beginning with the Great Northern Railway, we find Release of brake.-When the brake has been applied it will that 406 engines and 1455 coaches, besides other

vehicles, are fitted with the vacuum brake. We have under side of the piston. In practice the latter mode is generally already given an extract from the report showing the found convenient, and a small hole h is provided, through which nature of the defects which made themselves manifest with the air can slowly leak from the upper to the lower part of the this brake. It will be seen that they may be classed under cylinder, and gradually release the brake. It is therefore necessary two principal heads, namely,the pipes becoming uncoupled,

and water or ice collecting m the diaphragms and pipes. It until the train is again coupled to the engine, would seem that the brake could be improved by the • Brake setters.—In order to apply the brakes on each carriage in introduction of a better system of coupling; but the freezing up of the pipes is a radical defect, due to the deposit of moisture from the air, and the refrigerating action of a vacuum. It is not generally known that by reducing one half the pressure of air at 62 deg. in a vessel it can be cooled down to 33 deg. below zero. If the air could not obtain heat from external sources, and if the pressure was reduced to about five pounds on the square inch, the temperature would fall to 81 deg. below zero. In fact, the vacuum brake could not be worked at all unless external heat were available in some form to compensate for the loss of temperature produced by the formation of the vacuum.

The Great Western Railway Company has 421 engines and 1860 coaches, all fitted with the automatic vacuum brake. We are here introduced to a different class of defects. We find few complaints concerning the couplings, but a great many concerning the ejectors and the gear under the coaches. For example, on the 4th of July there was a delay of three minutes at Taunton, because of “the brake being tight on the wheels of a van owing to the india-rubber

gland sticking to the piston and preventing the cylinder falling.” On the 28th of October, a similar event occurred at Chester, and the train was delayed ten minutes. This brake seems to be peculiarly sensitive to dirt, a mere trifle in this way being sufficient to make it useless. Thus on the 31st of August a delay of seven minutes took place at Oxley sidings, “in consequence of the brake blocks being tight on the wheels of passenger van No. 390, owing to leakage hole being choked with dirt.” Ten delays occurred from this cause, and of four minutes at Oxford, on the 14th of October, “ owing to a small piece of twine getting into the leakage hole.”

Here we have a passenger train delayed by a little bit of string. Truly this is an admirable brake. But dirt not found in the cylinder only. On the 23rd of August a delay of three minutes took place at Albrighton, “ in consequence of part of the india-rubber of the ejector check valve of engine No. 1010 getting under the valve and preventing it from closing.” Dirt has been defined “ matter in the wrong place,” and the india-rubber check valve was evidently in the wrong place at Albrighton.

Another delay took place at Goring because “ the india-rubber seating of hand valve on engine No. 71 became displaced.” Again, a delay of six minutes occurred at Newport on the 8th of September because of “ a piece of cinder getting under the relief valve, between the chambers, and preventing the valve from closing.” On October 3rd a second delay took place at Oxley, owing to “ the brake going on and stopping the train, owing to dirt getting under the ejector check valve of engine No. 12, and preventing the valve from closing.” We fear that what may be called dirt defects are incurable, for unless device for filtering the air was adopted, it is not easy to see how small quantities of dirt can be excluded. In order to make what we have written intelligible, we give above two engravings, and the following description of the brake issued as a circular to engine drivers and others by the Great Western Company:—

, (1) The automatic vacuum brake stops the train by the application of the brake blocks to the tires, in the same way as the ordinary screw brake; but the levers which apply the blocks instead of being worked by a screw are worked by a cylinder and piston, actuated by atmospheric pressure. (2) The following are the principal parts of the apparatus on the carriages, the reference letters showing the corresponding parts on the diagrams given below:—

Continuous pipe A connected by flexible pipes between the carriages. Hollow piston-rod B connected by branch pipe to the continuous pipe. Piston C. Cylinder D capable of moving freely up

THE FAILURES OF CONTINUOUS BRAKES.

some

'I I

rr

7i

FIC I

BRAKE OFF

one

was

vacuum

)!*![

i*!

tiff

■y

'-1-4

r-A

k.

1.

%-v

₁___

twenty-five minutes delay occurred there. Brakework required adjusting.” Evidently. Those connected with the triple valve, &c., we gather from the report to have resulted from want of proper supervision, and some companies evidently take much better care of their brakes than others.

The Westinghouse brake is reported on by several companies. It would appear that nearly all the defects of this brake have now been eliminated but two. The record from all the railway companies usingit is thesame; it is little more than a list of burst hose. We have not in any previous reports met with anything like this, and it would seem to indicate that the india-rubber hose makers do not supply as good an article as they did. The statement of delays caused by failure of the triple valve, or the pump, or, indeed, anything else, is quite insignificant. We understand that steps have been taken to obviate the bursting of hose in future, and if this can be done, then the brake may be regarded as probably being as nearly perfect as any brake can be. India-rubber hose can be made which will stand a pressure of 1000 lb. on the square inch, and there ought to be no difficulty in getting a suitable material to stand . 100 lb. We understand that the result of recent experience on the Brighton line is satisfactory; and that by raising the hose pipes up between the carriages the defect is obviated.

The second defect in the brake to which we have alluded is the absence of any arrangement for telling the driver of

a train whether he is or is not coupled up properly to his train. For example, on the North British we find that the train from Glasgow to Kinross on the 8th of July overshot Bishoprigg platform.

“ Brake failed to act owing to rear cock of first vehicle being shut; mismanagement JspST³ by guard.” Here the brakes ⁵³³    throughout the rest of the

train were isolated from the engine, but the driver did not know this. Again, on the North-Eastern line, we find the 12 noon train from Newcastle to Sunderland, on the 23rd of August, overran the usual stopping place at Gateshead platform. “ It was found that the fireman had forgotten to open the cocks on the brake pipes on engine and van when he attached the engine to the train.” Such defects as these ought to be easily overcome.

We have we think said enough to prove the proposition with which we began.

It will be seen that not only has every type of brake its peculiar failings, but that the nature of the failings varies within certain limits on different roads. The weak place on one line is not the weak place on another, and we think it would be worth while to hunt the cause of this want of uniformity down.

It seems to us that it is mainly due to those who have the management, repairs, and supervision of the brakes in their hands. Thus the failures of the vacuum brake on the South-Western seem to result from bad construction, while those on the Great Northern are the result of want of competent supervision. Of course we refer only to that class of defects which appears to be removable, and not to those obviously inherent in the nature of the brake.

We may add here that a bad accident recently occurred at Farringdon-street. The 4 p.m. South-Western train from Richmond arrived at Ludgate-hill station, and having deposited its passengers, proceeded down the steep incline from Ludgate-hill to the Snow-hill sidings close to the Meat Market. In going down the hill the vacuum brake refused to act, and the train ran away. The engine tumbled into a turntable pit, two third-class coaches were wrecked, and the driver and stoker severely hurt. It has long been foreseen that a brake which frequently permits trains to overshoot stations must bring about a catastrophe some day, and that which took place at Snow-hill will not fail to convey a useful lesson.

]____

V⁻

—fn\

-j. —- -r? IX

FIC. 2

13 K A K E 0 N

\oL

AUTOMATIC VACUUM BRAKE, GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

PULL ROD

the train as nearly as possible at the same moment, it is necessary to admit the air to the continuous pipe in more than one place. For this purpose a valve or brake setter is provided in each guard’s compartment, so constructed that any sudden increase of pressure in the pipe instantly causes the valve to open automatically and a suPPly °f air> after which it closes again by its own weight. By lifting the handle attached to the brake setter the guard on an emergency, apply the brakes on the entire train.

On the Midland Railway the Sanders and Bolitho automatic vacuum brake is fitted to 417 engines and 1616 coaches, and 1134 other vehicles. The defects attending the working of this brake are, on the whole, different from any we have yet noticed. They are of two principal kinds, namely, the breaking of the copper pipe of the small ejector used continuously to maintain a vacuum, and the failure of the automatic valve—the equivalent of the triple valve of the Westinghouse brake. Ten delays were brought about by the last-mentioned defect and three by the former. There were besides numerous delays by ^ie porters coupling up the hose imperfectly. We have said that once the cause of failure is ascertained, *i.. e?omes possible to take some steps to remove it; but this brake appears to baffle inquiry in this respect, for • *e^er than three delays took place from unexplained causes. . Thus, on November 4th, the 11.22 p.m. from Birmingham was delayed two minutes.

Driver said he could not maintain vacuum after leaving Burton. No defect found.” The 7.30 a.m. train from Bradford was delayed on the 30th November five minutes at Saltaire and Steeton. “ Driver stated he could not retain a full vacuum. No defect found.” On the 21st of December the 1.55 p.m. train from Sheffield was delayed eight minutes at Swinton and Bolton-on-Dearne. “ Brake was applied at Swinton by some means unknown, and driver stopped at Bolton-on-Dearne to examine, defect found.”

Turning to the London and South-Western Railway, we find that Smith’s automatic vacuum brake is fitted to65 engines, 241 coaches, and 61 vans. The experience of the company with this brake does not seem satisfactory. Here, again, we are introduced to another class of defects. "We find nineteen delays reported notwithstanding the small amount of stock fitted, and fifteen of these were due to the fact that the brake could not be got off after it had been put on. Thus, on October 20th, “brake hard on throughout 5p.m. train to Exeter at Woking’ causing eleven minutes delay. No. 355 van had to be shunted off at Weybridge through its brake being on, and

can,

./

iCS!

no

No

ON RADIAL VALVE GEARS.

By Robert Hudson Graham, C.E.

No. III.

In Joy’s gear, the classical type of radial gears, some of the centres of motion are, within certain limits, arbitrary ; and others are derived from these arbitrary centres, once they have been definitely chosen in position. For the sake of clearness it will be better to make a division between these two classes, taking first the arbitrary centres.

Arbitrary centres of motion.—The centre A.—The practical rule adopted by Mr. Joy for fixing the position of A,,, Fig. 7, on the connecting rod, consists in placing this point where the minor axis of the ellipse path described by it may be equal, or preferably a little greater than the double stroke of the valve. Within certain limits, however, its position may be varied to suit the arrangement of other parts of the engine, such as the slide bars, brackets, &c. If the minor axis of the ellipse path of A were made less than the double stroke of the valve, the angle of cant given to the slot in full gear would require proportionate increase in order to obtain the same admission of steam. In some cases, as for instance in Fig. 8, the point A is taken a little above or below the centre line of the connecting

rod. The arrangement of other parts of the engine some- stroke of the piston is not directly or indirectly transmitted times necessitates this displacement of A ; but, as a rule, to the valve. Again, the circle described by the arm of the practice is not commendable.    the valve excentric being small, the length of the excentric

The centres M and N.—The centre N can be placed rod can be regarded as infinite, whereas the length of the either on the mid-vertical line, Fig. 7, or it can be formed connecting rod must be looked upon as finite. Hence, into the end of a small return crank M N—same figure— while the horizontal displacement of the piston is affected the extremity M being centred on the crank pin. We by the obliquity of the connecting rod, the horizontal shall have more to say about this feature presently. If displacement of the valve is practically independent of the N be placed on the mid-vertical line, as at Fig. 7, the obliquity of the excentric rod. Consequently, these two point to, must be chosen low enough down to make the horizontal motions are not harmonic, but vary relatively to angle As ?i, A₀ less than, or at most equal to, 90 deg.    each other on opposite    strokes of the piston.    But

The object in view is to avoid the end thrust and jerking    in radial    systems, such    as the Joy gear, the    valve

action which would be brought to bear upon the lever    motion is    wholly, though    indirectly, derived from the

D E if the point N were chosen too high up on the mid-    motion of    the connecting    rod ; and, therefore, the    vary-

vertical line. It is evident that for perfect action the ing displacements of the crosshead are felt by and force acting at the end D should be horizontal in direc- communicated to the valve itself. At first sight this tion ; therefore, the lower the point N is, the nearer to might be regarded as an imperfection in the gear, whereas, perfection will be the working of the gear. The centre in fact, it is its chief recommendation, insomuch that it M is best placed somewhere on the line mn₀, bisecting brings the motion of the piston and the valve into closer the chord of the arc described by N ; but it is sometimes and more intimate connection. Nevertheless, even in Joy’s placed, as in the Crewe engine, on a horizontal line passing gear differences do exist in the percentages of cut off and through 7i,, which, however, introduces a slight differential release for opposite strokes of the piston, but they do not action into the working of the gear. If the lever rod attain the same proportions as in link gears. In the M N can be transformed into a return crank, as in Fig. 7, latter, owing to the influence of the connecting rod, the then M coincides with the centre of the crank pin. In periods of admission, expressed in terms of the piston

with the principle just explained, the periods of steam admission during the backward, or stroke towards the crank shaft, are in excess ; whilst on the opposite stroke these periods approach but never attain equal percentages. The differences, however, are very small, ranging from zero to 2* per cent. Table II. gives the differences in another special case.

Table II.

Lead.

Back

ward.

For

ward.

oc]m    ccH ooH aH ctH

ttr* odIh 0Dr« otH

Suppression.

Release.

Back

ward.

For

ward.

Differ

ences.

Back

ward.

For

ward.

Differ

ences.

00    05    05    O    rH

L— lO    CO    CO    CO

92*

87

84

79

74

67*

C5 —T    00 OO CC

05 fcO ^4 tO C5 tO

to

He*

O*    i—I

FIG.7

VERTl LAL

r>di'

c$ff

PINC/

i*______I

—_^-i

mm

___A n_

@7-—

Az___

--© -—

.4

this case the point I) will partake of the elliptic motion of A, and the complete circular motion of N, instead of partaking, as in the Crewe engine, of the areal motion of w,. In one case the point N describes an arc, the chord of which ti, n% is equal to the minor axis D, D, of the irregular ellipse-path of D ; in the other case, the end N of the return crank describes a full circle, the diameter of which is equal to the major axis D₀ D₂ of the same figure. The result is exactly the same for the ends of the stroke, though in the intermediate phases of motion slight differences may arise. Another variety of form is represented in Fig. 8, where M is attached to the end of the air pump lever, partaking of the areal motion of the end The centre N is then fixed to a point

stroke, are less on the stroke from than on that towards the crank shaft. In some cases these periods differ by as much as 12 or 14 per cent, for full gear, and even by greater amounts for half gear action. But in radial gears of the type under consideration, owing to the connection between the valve and connecting rod, the tendency is to lengthen the period of admission on the stroke from the crank, though the effect is considerably modified by the countervailing action of other parts of the system. Still the valve is bound to partake of the retardation of the crosshead displacement during this particular stroke, so that the back port is closed relatively later than it would be in a link

F 1 C . 9

of that lever.

nearer to the fulcrum of the same lever, where the chord of the arc described is equal in length to the major axis of the irregular path of D. In the Crewe engine M was fixed, and the motion of N areal. In the example, Fig. 7, M is no longer a fixed point, but has the same circular motion as the crank pin, whilst the point N also describes a complete circle. In Fig. 8 the motions of M and N are

5 I i 1 n-----

pi

if it

both areal

IOC 9 5.9 0.8 5,6 0,7 5.7 0.6 5.6 0.5 5.5 fl.AlS 4 0 3 5.3 0. 5. 10. 15. £ 0 .2 5.3 0.3 5.4- 0,9- 5.3 0.5 5.6 0.E * ⁷

0 2 5.20.1

5,113 5

0.7 5.8 0.3

5 ao.sjs. i no

FlG.B

BACK PORT

Tmmm

wm

mmmmm

wm

D,

Derived dements.—The dement AD.—Mr. Joy has given an empirical rule for finding this element, which consists in making it equal to one and a third times the half minor axis of the ellipse path of A ; and then by a fitting process he deduces the correct position of the centre of the slot on the mid-vertical line. But it is far easier and more correct to follow the geometrical method developed in these papers, in order to determine the exact positions of D and H.

The angle of cant.—As to the amount of inclination to be given to the slot for working in full gear, Mr. Joy prescribes that the half-chord of the arc A, A₄, Fig. 7, described, in the act of oanting, by a point h in the slot, corresponding to the highest point touched by the movable fulcrum H, should be equal to one and a quarter times the full opening of the port required. For example, if lin. opening be required, then the chord A A, must be made equal to ljin. Under these conditions suppression will take place at about 75 per cent, of the stroke.

Rdative advantages of radial gears.—The great and essential difference between radial and excentric gears is that, in a link gear, the valve derives its motion from the revolution of the driving axle, and is independent of the horizontal motion of the crosshead. In other terms, the varying displacement of the crosshead during the double

motion. Precisely, however, as in excentric gears, where the connecting rod is not the only disturbing element, and where other causes of uneven action, such as the differential motion of the link, and the slip of the block, have to be taken into consideration, so in radial gearing the varying displacement of the crosshead is not the only element influencing the equal distribution of steam. The relative positions of the various centres of motion, and the lengths and inclinations of the different levers, contribute to a combined movement, which must be arranged so as to obtain a practically equal distribution of steam Table I.

Forward Gear.

Notch.

Travel.

Lead.

Back

ward.

For

ward.

Full ..    .

Third

Second ..

First.. .

in.

3f

2*

Lap of valve. Front port = Jin. Back port = *fin.

Opening. Suppression. Release.

Back

ward.

For

ward.

Back

ward.

For

ward.

Back

ward.

For

ward.

3* St > <*>?

Differences.

2i

equal equal equal equal

to to

The above table, with which I have been favoured by Mr. Joy, furnishes the actual percentages of cut-off and release in a special case and for different inclinations of the slot, varying from full gear forward down to nearly mid-gear forward. It will be seen that, in accordance

We now come to the advantages claimed by Mr. Joy for his particular system of radial gear. These are:—(1) Greater simplicity and a saving in the factors of cost and weight of 25 per cent.—on outside cylinders of the American pattern this first saving may reach as much as 30 per cent.; (2) more equal distributive action, both as to lead and cut-off; (3) the port is opened to steam and exhaust more rapidly, and the cut-off is more prompt than in link gears; (4) the working parts and centres of motion are more accessible for examination, oiling, and repair; (5) the maximum admission of steam, depending upon the cant of the slot, which in normal full-gear action limits the period of admission to about 75 per cent, of the stroke, can on an emergency be increased by giving a slight additional inclination to the reversing lever. After making a close study of this gear, I am pleased to add that, as far as I am competent to judge and from a theoretical point of view, the Joy gear possesses most, if not all, of the advantages enumerated. I do not state; nor do I believe that the gear cannot be improved in minor details, such as the total elimination of the slot, and the substitution in its place of something less likely to create friction. If it were possible, it would be well to replace it either by an additional lever rod, or better, perhaps, by a movable sector-plate. But, on the other hand, Mr. Joy assures us that some of his engines have run from 90,000 to 100,000 miles without showing signs of frictional wear. He also tells us that he has tried the sector-plate without obtaining much success. Looking at the gear as it is, I should like to see further proof of the saving claimed in prime cost and weight of 30 per cent, over link gears, when applied to outside cylinders of the American type. This is the only point in reference to which I see any reason to question the truth of the claims and relative advantages of the Joy gear. Since the issue of the first article of this series, I have seen a reproduction, from the pages of an American journal,* of a modification of the Joy gear, which has been designed by Mr. George H. Strong, of Philadelphia. Perhaps it would be more correct to state that the modification made by Mr. Strong affects not so much any features of the gear as the valve system moved by it. The Strong gear is simply a duplication of the Joy system ; that is to say, it is merely a double system of Joy slot links and levers ; one system working the steam and the other the exhaust valves. So far there is really no modification, but merely a duplication, which Mr. Strong adopts under arrangement with Mr. Joy. The essential difference consists in doing away with the D slide valve altogether, and applying four gridiron slide valves to each cylinder. Two of these valves are placed at its top ends, and work in conjunction with two straight ports for the admission of steam. The two others are placed at the bottom ends of the cylinder, and similarly work in conjunction with two straight ports for the exhaust of steam. These gridiron valves have their port openings cut at an angle to their length, and have a transverse instead of a longitudinal motion. The change of direction from the longitudinal motion of the valve rod to the transverse motion of the valve is effected by means of a bell crank and wiper action inside the valve box, which is so arranged as to bring each separate slide into play only when it has to perform its proper functions. The first idea derived from an inspection of the system is that it tends to complication. It is an evident departure from the unity and simplicity of the slide valve, and it would seem to be an attempt to revive the old controversy whether it be more economical to have one valve or four to perform equal duty. English engineers have long ago decided this question in favour of the D slide valve ; whilst continental practice has to a great extent given its sanction to the four-valve system. But even there the D slide valve still holds its own in the locomotive shops. The slide valve, though less perfect in the performance of each particular function, retains the great recommendations of unity and simplicity. Four valves, independent to a great extent one of the other, are liable to get out of order. It may be true that they perform each separate function better than the slide valve; but it is equally true that the danger exists of some of the four valves not performing their duty at all. Moreover, the addition of a greater number of valves adds to the weight and first cost of the engine. On the other hand, the four-valve system as applied by Mr. Strong possesses many good features. First, by means of the many parts cut in the gridiron type of valve, which multiply so many times the opening given to steam, and by of the reduction in travel due to the transformation from longitudinal to transverse motion, the traverse of the valve is restricted to its lap and opening. Secondly, as the steam valves move only when it is time to admit steam—or, in other terms—when the piston is near the end of its stroke—the pressure of steam above, and the pressure due to compression below the valve are in equilibrium. Hence the steam valve moves in perfect balance, * Mechanics (New York).

reason

same

10 s

75 -

j____j

*1 «l

120

30

15

mes

cover-

on

CLOUD OBSERVATIONS.

At a meeting of the Meteorological Society on Tuesday, last week, the Hon. F. A. Rollo Russell, M.A., read a paper upon “Cirrus and Cirro-Cumulus.” By way of preface to some of his remarks, we may state that the attention of meteorologists is now being seriously drawn to the phenomena presented by the higher clouds, it having been discovered that they often afford trustworthy clues to the nature of coming weather. As a celebrated example, it may be mentioned that the Rev. Mr. Ley, who THE INTRODUCTION OF IRRIGATION INTO NEW COUNTRIES La    ^ ^.subject, one ,flne bank holiday happened to

at “ ™Tthe rrrrrrr⁴⁰⁰- •,szust k

Ssjr.

bv Mr P O^am M⁸I^i c F ed“ North‘Eastern Colorado,” thunderstorm of the heaviest type was crashing over London.

i t i    . ,,    T„. One reason why cirrus clouds give early indications of approaching

• be objects of the paper were stated to be three-fold:—First, to changes in the weather, is that the axis of a cyclone is not vertical

N°Vhi'Eavftem buVlle upper part k inclined in the direction in which the whole rZJ+u’ set;on;¹>’ t0 lnTu!re. ’0t° the principles which should cyclone is moving, consequently it sometime affects the upper HdidlWn lntrodUCi¹⁰¹¹ f°f    Z? “eW coun,tries ’ and clouds before the influence of the cyclone is felt at certain plan's

Eastern Golovin'™    F^ds being pursued in North- on the earth below, from which these clouds are within viewP

XX? +    Z “ accord with them. Ihe development Mr. Rollo Russell said that, next to frequent readings of the

alluded to was influenced by most of the defects manifested in barometer and a knowledge of the distribution of atmospheric nf in rfintrr-’ LfCh aS m.accurat® measurement of water, growth pressure, cloud observations, especially of cirrus, were of great use of ill-defined rights, excessive waste of water, Ac., but there was in forecasting the state of the weather. Cirrus is generflly sup prospect of improvement through better legislation. The climate posed to float at heights varying from 16,G00ft. to 40 000ft. and ? ^ ⁰    'Z Je®cr)bed as such, that agriculture was all but more; but according to Mr. Glaisher’s balloon observations’ the

impossible without irrigation. Both were begun in 1860. There height may probably sometimes be more than fifteen miles ’it is

“ 1880,-fhd i<! was,estil?atad not easy to definitely describe cirrus. Its appearance suggests that m 1883 there would be 46o,000 acres, with prospects of still electrical influence in the determination of form - it is the onlv

limited brthePfmantdA-T,fewafltf10U1U°f u,riSatloa pos,s^ble would be cloud which presents angular forms and nearly parallel threads^ each unityofhftq^dd*L twater obtainable, and by the area which apparently kept apart from each other by repulsion; it is the only q 7.in nnn . ** C0UJd be made to irrigate. It would amount to cloud which is not normally rounded in outline, and which is Undel a hypothetlcal water duty of 12ln- ln dePth sometimes composed of stria nearly at right angles to each other. Tf wn„ 1„;.1 Anwn +I10+ +i 1 , r ......    ,    It is also the only cloud which sometimes appears to radiate from

•7? as₊laid d°wn that the duty of water m irrigation must, vary a point near the horizon, thus showing that the lines +0™, F1+,he cbaracter and condition of the soil; (z) the rainfall, to each other, and their real length in their apparent direction, the^kind^f^ron    3 th%If®*hod of application; (4) The speaker then proceeded to classify the cirrus clouds observed

1    P’ f d’ J ₊,SOrne CaS*,eS; ^ tile dep*b °_f tbe water- by him during the last eighteen years, chiefly in the neighbourhood

lln®below the surface of the ground. As regards (1) the influence of London and the South of England. He divided⁸them into dl ('rent s°df’ tbl.s. I”ust affect the duty of water, because, on twelve classes, and in some cases stated what kind of coming e nature of the soil depended the quantity of water it should weather the presence of one or other of the forms of cirrus indi-absoib and the rate of filtration and of evaporation from within cated. He said that “bar or ribbed cirrus,” though somewhat l . The author Dave details of experiments made by him to uncommon, is at least equal in value to the falling barometer as a ascer {iin the amounts of water, and the times required to moisten danger signal; in consists of nearly parallel bars of dense cirrus two different typical soils in the Cache La Poudre Valley, and lie separated by intervals through which the sky is visible • sometimes IZ'ff⁰¹?,6 mf.urences„fro™ them. The formation of swampy lands this form is so developed as to remind the observer of a gridiron

t^re* heM^to^ndlcateThlr+L heat °+-!0mef °f Z olcZ fal™⁸’ This kind of cirrus generally gives from twelve to forty-eight hours’’ e e held to indicate that the quantity of water required for notice of an approaching storm.

beneficial irrigation became gradually less year by year for a few Mr. Russell then argued that the Government should incur some

should^eadded    Tfi ^ 1 ‘• (²) The rai*ifa11 of tha saas°n little expense in establishing daily cirrus observations He stated

takeJdof the snr    Mcf Irrigation and account should be that a great and terrible loss of life occurred on the east coast in the

estimate,,^! Z^ i 7 ter abs.°(bed by the soil, otherwise all storm of the 14th of October, 1881, and as this storm was travelling S® ntZ™' d?ty lnUS} be mislaadinS- The use of ordinary with great rapidity, and broke upon the west coast during the ?i    ,+f temPerature and evaporation was at present vague and night, when the office was closed, a warning from London wa^ out

unsatisfactory, owing to the absence of experiments on the drying of the question. The barometer had sunk to a low point on the

important tUt ifwS^onhH.^H*¹⁰¹¹ l°f evfaporatl®P was 80 Berwickshire coast when the fishermen went out, but^his warning mportant tbat it was doubtful if any loss of irrigating power seems to have been altogether neglected on the snot The firms occurred m Colorado other than that which was due to it. (3) observed on the 13th of October gave earlier intimation than the vi7lg+n<ln methods'y’ere conducted on two antagonistic principles, barometer of the coming storm, and with a regular system all the mi inti tv of Cwfltt0 th<3 TZ profitable extent> the one case, the ports might have received warning on the afternoo/ of the 13th IZ irY / J?ter s.upPlied to a given area, and in the other the It may be states! generally, he said, that cirrus of a long straight’ area irrigated by a given volume of water. The “Marcite” cultiva- feathery kind, with soft edges and outli^V or with Lf’t SSr’ tionof Italy and the “asbestine sub-irrigation method” of Cali- colours at sunset and sunrise, is aS of fine weather Curfv oima, weie cited as instances of these. Methods of irrigation wisps and blown back pieces are not a bad sign but their exact

trSutil»Tthr^“fiSLi^:d^B^,JI^hnfJ bVi!°°diLS’ by dis' aPPe₁aran.ce should be noted, the rapidity of their movement, and drains^Underground    b{ dls^ibuting through pipes or the definiteness of their outlines. When the tails are turned down

cl a nderground. Sprinkling had been tried in Scotland on wards, fan- weather or slight showers often follow Mistv mn seven acres of land by the Duke of Sutherland. The methods of fused, and curdled cirrusshouldbeeawfSynoted but does not

alTyS “bad weather. The

compartments as nractised l!,    '⁶ “ethod ,of flooding without outline, and the more particular forms are repeated, the

opt ts, as practised in Colorado. This was characterised worse the result. Long, hard, greasy-lookine streaks with

StoSe ilTed to thllS “h<T fro"5 «P™t. on dry rounded edges or knobs, Jbether *JL7Z,ZZSJ^’.ndei so ,bet re alluded to, that 6in. or 8in. in depth, instead of 42⁻84in. or not, are a sign of storms; but the storm mav pass at some-

The <n⁸l"nCf lrom .I¹® point of observation. Cotton^dlfmU^’eiibetoby exper ence 1 Professor Blount, of the State Agricultural College, was themselves or detached from a long streak, rounded and clear m 9U.° cd 0tbat excellent crops of whent could be grown with a outline, something between cirrus and cirro-cumulus indicate rainfall of 44,11. only without irrigation. As regards (4) the water- dangerous disturbances. Regular wavy fts S or without duty for different crops, it was the degree of moisture required in cross-lines, are bad, especially If the tuftLndn’otln fibres but the soil around its roots and not the absolute quantity which the rounded knobs. Feathery drrus in thick patches at equal dis

J^rifVTtaEL’fom at₄be„f°7?d?ed-uT!’C.“,‘hor ‘""c“ t""¹ “ ⁰    »' »to™. « <»y 7fq“L1to

turmsfied, in a tabular lorm, a list of statistics, derived from waves of alternate sky and cloud. So is any regular renetition of various sources in which he had endeavoured to include the the same form. Slightly undulatinriines of cfrrus occur in finc ?fse“tu elements. He considered it, however, to be nothing more weather, but anything like a deeply indented outline precedes Sa"T4^PPr03raA°Ln’ be.caase of *be incompleteness of almost heavy rain or wind. Cirrus simply twisted or in zigzag lines of a e\eiy statement of the kind. In the column of “totals” the fibrous character often appears in fine weather, and if not hard or iTfilllt water-duty appeared much narrower, because of the knottedorclearlymarkedofffromaserenesky,doesnotoftenpre-rainfall being added to the irrigation depth, than they would be cede any important change; but detached ^patches like little otherwise. Countries where good crops were grown without irriga- masses of wool or knotted feathers, in a clear sky and’ of unusual tion were included in the table, being considered to furnish a figure, moving at more than the average rate precede disturbances natural duty of water,” which should be useful for comparison * of great magnitude.    average laie, precede disturbances

and the wear of its surfaces due to friction is reduced to a minimum. Thirdly, the waste spaces occupied by the steam canals leading to the ends of the cylinder are done away with, the clearances are diminished, and the steam works under better conditions than with a slide valve. In spite, however, of all these recommendations, it is not easy to accept this new complication of the locomotive valve system until the experiment, which is now being tried, and an enlarged practice have decided something definite in its favour. Fig. 9 is a very good valve diagram, drawn for an actual engine, from which it will be seen that, though the port opening on the backward stroke is greater than that on the forward stroke, the smaller port opening is adequately large. This diagram also shows that, when the cut-off takes place at 75 per cent, of the stroke towards the crank shaft, it occurs earlier by only 1 per cent, on the stroke from the crank shaft. The same diagram witnesses also to the exceedingly rapid opening of the ports to steam, the maximum being attained at about 20 per cent, of the stroke. Fig. 9 and Table II. refer to the

FIG 10

LINK GEAR DIAGRAM

\l

_/Z

co

30

INITIAL PRESSURE.Ill LBS E..MEAN PRESSURE.A.A4. 7 B. 43

FIC .11

JOY-GEAR DIAGRAM (SISTER ENCINE)

105 so 75 50 45

p:

3"    6"    9”    12"    |5»    |8"    21"    24"

INITIAL PRESSURE.110 LGS E.MEAN PRESS URE. A. 52,18,,

B. 51.56,,

engine. Figs. 10 and 11 form a very interesting comparison of the performances of two sister Canadian engines, one fitted with the ordinary link, the other with a Joy radial gear. These diagrams speak for themselves, and serve to explain why the Joy gear is coming so largely into favour.

Before concluding this notice of the J oy gear I wish to acknowledge the courteous and obliging attention of the inventor, who has kindly furnished me with drawings and particulars from which Figs. 7, 8,9, 10, and 11, and Tables I. and II., have been prepared.

THE PREVENTION OF FIRE RISKS FROM ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

The Society of Telegraph Engineers and of Electricians have issued the following amended rules and regulations for the prevention of fire risks arising from electric lighting, recommended by the council in accordance with the report of the committee appointed by them on May 11th, 1882, to consider the subject. The committee consisted of Professor W. G. Adams. F.R.S., Vice-President, Sir Charles T. Bright, T. Russell Crampton, R, E. Crompton, W. Crookes, F.R.S., Warren De la Rue, D.C.L., F.R.S., Professor G. C. Foster, F.R.S., Past President, Edward Graves, J. E. H. Gordon, Dr. J. Hopkinson, F.R.S., Professor D. E. Hughes, F.R.S., Vice-President, W. H. Preece, F.R.S., Past President, Alexander Siemens, C. E. Spagnoletti, Vice-President, Ja N. Shoolbred, Augustus Stroh, Sir William Thomson, F.R.S., Past President, Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Webber, R.E., Past President. These rules and regulations are drawn up for the reduction to a minimum, in the case of electric lighting, of those risks of fire which are inherent in every system of artificial illumination, and also for the guidance and instruction of those who have, or who contemplate having, electric lighting apparatus installed in their premises. The difficulties that beset the electrical engineer are chiefly internal and invisible, and they can only be effectually guarded against by “testing,” or probing with electric currents. They depend chiefly on leakage, undue resistance in the conductor, and bad joints, which lead to waste of energy and the dangerous production of heat. These defects can only be detected by measuring, by means of special apparatus, the currents that are either ordinarily or for the purpose of testing passed through the circuit. Should wires become perceptibly warmed by the ordinary current, it is an indication that they are too small for the work they have to do, and that they should be replaced by larger wires. Bare or exposed conductors should always be within visual inspec-tion, and as far out of reach as possible, since the accidental falling on to, or the thoughtless placing of other conducting bodies upon such conductors would lead to “short circuiting,” and the consequent sudden generation of heat due to an increased current in conductors not adapted to carry it with safety. The necessity cannot be too strongly urged for guarding against the presence of moisture and the use of “ earth” as part of the ’ Moisture leads to loss of current and to the destruction of the conductor by electrolytic corrosion, and the injudicious use of earth ” as a part of the circuit tends to magnify every other source of difficulty and danger. The chief dangers of ©very new application of electricity arise from ignorance and inexperience on the part of those who supply and fit up the requisite p.an Ihe greatest element of safety is therefore the employment of skilled and experienced electricians to supervise the work.

L dynamo machine. (1) The dynamo machine should be fixed in a dry pHpb- (2) It should not be exposed to dust or fly-“S'"A H should be kept perfectly clean, and its bearings well oiled. (4) The insulation of its coils and conductors should be

practically perfect. (5) All conductors in the dynamo room should be firmly supported, well insulated, conveniently arranged for inspection, and marked or numbered.

2. The wires.—(6) Every switch or commutator used for turning the current on or off should be constructed so that when it is moved and left it cannot permit of a permanent arc or of heating. (7) Every part of the circuit should be so determined that the gauge of wire to be used is properly proportioned to the currents it will have to carry, and all junctions with a smaller conductor should be fitted with a suitable safety fuse or protector, so that no portion of the conductor should ever be allowed to attain a temperature exceeding 150 deg. Fah. (8) Under ordinary circumstances, complete metallic circuits should be used ; the employment of gas or water pipes as conductors for the purpose of completing the circuit should not in any case be allowed. (9) Bare wires passing over the tops of houses should never be less than 7ft. clear of any part of the roof, and all wires crossing thoroughfares should invariably be high enough to allow fire-escapes to pass under them. (10) It is most essential that joints should be electrically and mechanically perfect, and united by solder. (11) The position of wires when underground should be clearly indicated, and they should be laid down so as to be easily inspected and repaired. (12) All wires used for indoor purposes should be efficiently insulated, either by being covered throughout by some insulating medium, or, if bare, by resting on insulated supports. (13) When these wires pass through roofs, floors, walls, or partitions, or where they cross or are liable to touch metallic masses, like iron girders or pipes, they should be thoroughly protected by suitable additional ing ; and where they are liable to abrasion from any cause, or to the depredations of rats or mice, they should be efficiently encased in some hard material. (14) When indoor wires are put out of sight, as beneath flooring, they should be thoroughly protected from mechanical injury, and their position should be indicated. The value of frequently testing the apparatus and circuits cannot be too strongly urged. The escape of electricity cannot be detected by the sense of smell, as can gas, butdt can be detected by apparatus far more certain and delicate. Leakage not only means waste, but in the presence of moisture it means destruction of the conductor and its insulating covering by electric action.

3.    Arc lamps.—(15) Arc lamps should always be guarded by proper lanterns, to prevent danger from falling incandescent pieces of carbon, and from ascending sparks. Their globes should be protected with wire netting. (16) The lanterns and all parts which are to be handled should be insulated from the circuit.

4.    Danger to person.—(17) Where bare wire out of doors rests insulating supports it should be coated with insulating material,

such as india-rubber tape or tube, for at least 2ft. on each side of the support. (18) To secure persons from danger inside buildings, it is essential so to arrange and protect the conductors and fittings that no one can be exposed to the shocks of alternating currents of a mean electro-motive force exceeding 100 volts, or to continuous currents of 200 volts. (19) If the difference of potential within any house exceeds 200 volts, the house should be provided with a “switch,” so arranged that the supply of electricity can be at once cut off.

THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

with water duties in places where irrigation was practised. Some remarks followed with respect to the peculiarities of certain crops, viz., rice, alfalfa, sugar-cane, summer meadows, potatoes, cereals, and tea. The author then discussed the sources and works of supply, and the legislation of irrigation. The sources were stated to be two, viz., springs and rivers. The supplies were made available for direct irrigation by canals, and for indirect irrigation, after storage, by reservoirs. The works of the North Poudre Irrigation Canal, of a capacity of about 300 cubic feet per second, which had been carried out under the author’s charge, were described. Those most worthy of remark were a crib dam, 30ft. 6in. high, some shelf-work, tunnels, and “ gulch ” bridges. Details were also given of a larger canal, the Northern Colorado. These works showed a considerable departure from the practice of older countries, owing to the abundance of timber, and to the preference of Americans for economy and rapidity in construction over durability. The principal supplies of water in Colorado came from the snows of the Rocky Mountains. The rivers rose, reached their maximum and fell again, frequently before the end of the irrigation season. Hence measurements of the snow remaining on the mountains were of importance to agriculturists. The construction of reservoirs was dealt with as a means of reducing risk in cultivation in countries where the rivers failed in the crop season. Reservoirs were distinguished as of three kinds:—“River-bed” reservoirs for equalising the flow, “ main ” reservoirs which received the entire volume of a canal, and “detached” reservoirs which received a portion only. A serious error in the construction of some reservoirs in Colorado was pointed out. The gauge first used for measuring water in Colorado was the Max Clark’s gauge, and the improved system at present in use, with the formula of Francis:—Q = 3‘33 (l — 0'lnh) A f, were described and commented on. A short account of the legislation affecting irrigation in Coloiado followed. The legal definition of an “ inch of water” was given in full. Those laws were such, that any holder of land in the State was entitled to take and use the waters of the rivers, and any one could construct reservoirs and store unappropriated water. A fruitful crop of litigation had, as a matter of course, been developed in the State; and some cases were still pending. A series of laws were passed in 1879 to determine the order and priority of existing and future claims, to fix the price of water, and to control its distribution. The author finally directed attention to the report of the State Engineer of California on similar laws, concurring generally with the principles advocated therein, and suggesting a free exchange of water rights, and the condemnation of such reservoir sites as were used for direct irrigation only.

THE METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY.

parallel

it

:4

r.

SURREY

Iff

CPI

ts*

L?

mm

rs³

«|lii

fit I

I

/til

HOLLAND ST

BRIDGE OVER THE THAMES AT BLACKFRIARS.

ENGINEERS.

"i

it

IL ' ■

BLACKFHtARS HOAD

*__tro-.;

WS3

r\

m\

r. i

Hi

kv

Wmk

Tnptmnng Wk

ij . Nr—,

I:

g®

IK

Ik

U fc-'

!.v-

-a

r*“-

TTL-t

iff

«r.

IT

$

<1

JOHN WOLFE BARRY, AND MR. H. M. BRUNEL, MM.I.C.E.,

{For description see page 327-)

ELEVATION.

:V!

jii

;\

Sk

IP X fJ . k? .

II

<1

3>

BRIDGE

BLA CKFft/ARS

RJVEft THAMES

PLAN

te>

PH

Ph

MR. W. MILLS, MR.

ki

CVX*

ii

yjt

V.k

iH

5z5

m mm

Hi¹ mmr

mmi

13

rWt

§?

iH

ai /

Ml

m- mfki

■-

/S

IHffi

s)

IP

iH*.

-'I

sH

.//5rc-r//» ⁸⁷

a*::

ri

MIDDLESEX

..

-kit'r-z2m

WATER LANS

i-

W$M

NEW BWDCE ST

tJ:

Lri

■M

C>

.J

6SH

PLAY

q .t

m

ELECTRICAL EXHIBITS AT THE WESTMINSTER AQUARIUM.

tip

/I

'A

s'M

'i

ii

f,

FV=*

mm

i'"

3D

Kl

hm

Ml

mm

)Ji

L,,rO>

V.

IN

mi!!!

lllltll

w,

Fig. 5.—LUMLEY'S LAMP

-"ITT

hi'.

:......^

..........

i';

Ik

liii

-•sms

-ovur

:: ii    ;:;;:; |

•j

mm

Fig, I.- SIEMENS’ ELECTROLIER

Fig. 4.—SECTION OF LUMLEY DYNAMO

r,

Qyfi

LliSfSyO

||||EV5/ ^

EH

v-i

Pw__TL_lf| '-fss?

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE.

Head, and Co., of Middlesbrough, to the Dutch Inte

This relates to forming the treading surface of bl

Leading Articles—

Pw__TL_lf| '-fss?

. -■ '

Villi¹

S'

Fig. 3.—SECTION OF ARMATURE

III

I;

IWIIIlWIIIHIIIIiMllllllllHHBBMIirllllllWLMIIIliillllllillllllllinillillllllliilllilliliMi^i^MIMlillMllliP

Pig. 2.—LUMLEY DYNAMO, SIDE VIEW

Concerning recent inventions little new is to be chronicled    sparking when    turned the other    way.    Sparking very    tanjdhwinaeb^ \    J co^ree,in the construc-

so far as electrical apparatus is concerned, and what there is new destructive to the contact pieces, and mart, Jer^r® ^ §?^liairity ofttns    ,    discs are cut

is not of startling importance. Several new lamps claim to be    avoided. It is    more destructive    with    the high potential    tioot Urn armature    A n^ber at    projecting beyond the rim,

improvements over those generally known, but the improvement currents used m arc lighting than m the currents of lower m the iomi ot a wheeb it p    P J    g ^ also inter.

is generally so small that only extended use can decide as to its potential used m incandescent lighting. A knowledge of or they^ ^    The core is built

merits. One suggestive feature, not only of the exhibitions now the principles o, electricity is not requir ed 'to in;y great    end ff the spokes fitting into

being held, but in electric lighting work generally, is in the extent_ from those who wish to enter mto competition    ri which f’t upon the shaft

attention that is being paid to details. The manufacture of gas in designing such parts of the electrical apparatus asiw |»    The core is wound longitudinally

fittings is a large trade; the manufacture of electric light fittings    have just now    referred to. The    “ J*e machines    withTnsTtedudreas    shown each    section being separated by

turersof the^ne" arelaking up'thVother.⁶ “o^ofthVfimtXnde-    The room for increased electrical efficiency    is    here so smallthat    the spokes and these    equidistant the quanOty of^rem

si rriSSSSSSaftSssr*

tote7seVanddvSouseSgl;f^    therefore, we must restrict ourselves to the description^ of fi iows^f^n^Slmp.& AringduSon the upper

known as switches, some of these switches being comparatively construction. The machine shown is compac .    x£-    8    i’ , "    •. ■ Huhtened or loosened bv the differential action of

simple, others mo’re complicated, yet all aiming at the same side view Figs. 3 and 4 sectional views of the machine The    JlS?    moderated by

thing, viz., to make good electrical contact on being turned one weight of the small machines shown is somewhat less than the solenoids A A and B, excessive    g

way, and to break contact with the least amount or tendency to 4& flwt, The field magnet cores are of cast iron of flattish sec- I the use of a dash-pot D.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

S'.'

un-

London, April 23rd.

[We publish our correspondent’s letter, not because we think his scheme possesses any merit, but because we wish to see all the questions raised by the new patent law fully threshed out. We are quite at a loss to understand on what basis the proposed are to work, for the income derived from any patent worth prolonging must be out of all proportion to the fees. Cases would arise again in which an income of, say, £10,000 a year was derived from one patent, while £50 a year was drawn from another. If the first patentee paid £30, the second ought to pay but three shillings. Does our correspondent mean this ? —Ed. E,]

ove

Honesty.

was

1/

■K"

ii

i!

!>

mam cause

on

C. H. Romanes.

on

names.

no

ove

STRAINS ON SCREW-SHAFTS.

Sir,—Your short criticism upon my remarks in the discussion Professor Greenhill’s paper appears to invite a reply. I may, perhaps, take a future opportunity of expressing my views on the whole subject at greater length, and I hope more clearly than is possible in the short time available at these meetings, when all that can be done is rapidly to state leading facts and ideas upon one side of a question, and therefore certainly in a more dogmatic style than might be expected if unlimited time, and previous knowledge that the subject would arise, had been at my command— although I guessed that theoretical investigation would certainly

lead to an advocacy of hollow shafts—against which I have, in the    SAVED BY THE COLLISION BULKHEAD,

opinion of some of my good friends, a craze—and I therefore Sir,—There was launched from Pointhouse Slip Dock one day brought with me the results of my latest experiments.    last week, after extensive repairs, the screw steamer Ardandhu, of

■■I propose to confine myself here to pointing out that, after all, 1190 tons gross, belonging to Messrs. M’Laren, Crum, and Co the sole question is whether my views are practical— i.e., correct. Glasgow. This vessel, it may be remembered, while on a voyage I cannot even accept the position so happily expressed by my from Tarragona to Liverpool, came into collision with the Kron-fnend, Professor Kennedy, to the effect that failures were evidence prinz, a large German screw steamer, on the 1st March last. The °\ waat of scientific knowledge, and that a proper application of collision occurred during a fog, near Cape Sines, about fifty miles scientific principles would avoid failure, as, in my opinion, there is from Lisbon, and was of so violent a character that the Kronprinz a hard-and-fast line between science and practice—viz., in our sank in a short time after the occurrence. All the crew, however, knowledge, which is purely experimental, of the strength and were fortunate in getting on board the Ardandhu, which was only capacity for endurance of materials generally—the latter being the preserved from a similar fate by the presence of her water-tight question here.    collision bulkhead. This part of her structure behaved most

i-wPt apS mayi mentlon> as tiie reverse appears to be implied, admirably under what would appear to have been most trying and that I am not only competent to perform the schoolboy calcula- momentous circumstances. The damage being mostly under water, tions necessary to show that for all static strains the hollow form the extent of it was not at the time known; but when the vessel is generally preferable, but probably no one is more careful than I had safely reached Lisbon, it was found on beaching her that the am to check by figures every detail of my work, even in repeating whole of the forefoot back almost as far as the peak bulkhead and old and successful work. I only decline to ignore the results of up to the water-line, had been virtually carried away, thus laying

W. M. O.

[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our correspondents. ]

PATENT LAW.

Sir,—The general consensus of opinion with which I, on the whole, agree, appears to be that the Government Patent Bill is an important advance upon anything which has been heretofore proposed; but it is marred by one great defect—the retention of the heavy renewal taxes of fifty and hundred pounds. Evidently the Government are not prepared to surrender the income which is anticipated from the payments, and equally evidently inventors and patentees will not be satisfied with a system which exacts so heavy payments upon patents for all inventions, be they important or trivial, profitable or not. More than one device has been suggested for avoiding the evil of this unequal incidence, such, for instance, as the proposal to grant patents for different periods, according to their merit, to be determined by examiners; but to this there seem to be insuperable objections, especially in the certainty that anyapplicant who did not receive a grantfor the maximum term for his invention would always remain a dissatisfied man, convinced that he had been unjustly used. There seems to me, however, to be another possible system, to which I do not, on the face of it, any valid objection, and which is, briefly, this : Let every applicant receive his patent for four years, at the cost, and on the conditions, and in the manner proposed by the Government Bill now being discussed; and with the same amount, and no more, of preliminary examination. This being, in my opinion, one of the strongest points in favour of the Bill.

In, say, three years and nine months, let the patentee give notice of his intention to prolong his patent, paying with such notice a fee of, say, £2. During the following three months his application would be considered by a staff of sufficiently capable examiners— whom it should not be difficult to obtain—and who would determine the amount which he should pay for the extension of his patent to seven years. Such payment should in no case exceed £50, and the amount determined would be proportioned to the character, importance, and value—present and prospective—of the invention. Should the applicant consider the amount so fixed to be too high, he should be at liberty to abandon the proposed extension ; but his patent should, in such case, remain in force for, say, six or twelve months longer in consideration of the fee paid by him in applying for its extension. If he make no such application, of course the patent would lapse at the expiration of the four years of its original grant. As the seventh year approached its termination, of course the same course would be adopted, the maximum limit of payment demanded from the patentee being one hundred instead of fifty pounds.

Now, Sir, it seems to me that some such system as that indicated would possess the inestimable advantage of pleasing everyone. The Government, whilst reducing in most cases the amount of the fees paid at the end of the third and seventh years, would lose nothing, for the reduction would be more than recouped to them by the very much larger number of patents than at present, which would be continued, if at a lower cost, but which would questionably be dropped were the present payment of £50 insisted

. The patentees, on the whole, would also be satisfied. He who was allowed the renewal of his patent for, say, £5, would have a consolation for the apparent slight put upon his invention in the smallness of the amount which he would have to pay; whilst he who was assessed at the maximum amount of £50 would have the satisfaction of knowing that his invention stood so well the examination of the assessors that they put the highest value in their power upon it; whilst even if he declined to pay the sum fixed, as being larger than he expected, he would at least have some short extension of his term in return for the fee paid by him.

_ Of course, I assume that the patentee has a right to the extension of time sought by payment of the amounts fixed. The examiners and assessors should have the power, though not, perhaps, the right, of taking information from the applicant as to the present and prospective value of his invention before fixing the amount of his tax.

If you think, Sir, that my scheme has any merit, I should be glad to see it inserted in your paper, and I enclose my card, from which you will see that I am not without considerable experience as a    Patent Agent and Engineer.

assessors

PATENT AGENTS.

SIR,—It was fondly hoped by the promoters of the Institute of Patent Agents that amongst other improvements a higher tone would be infused into the profession, and that we should hear of no more “scandals.” I remember that some letters appeared in your columns a few months back, the writers of which rather laughed at the whole affair, and predicted that it would not pr particularly useful. The Council has now a grand opportunity of showing whether their zeal for the honour of the profession is real or simulated. Permit me to ask what course they intend to adopt with regard to the patent agent who went the other day to the Patent-office search room, armed with a shilling and a pen-knife, and made a surreptitious erasure in a specification to hide one of his own blunders? I do not mention his name, but I suppose the faots are pretty well known in Chancery-lane by this time. He was detected, and is now, of course, deeply penitent. He always looked upon as a most respectable man.

Chancery-lane, April 24th.

on

experience. You have aptly summarised the position in the words, “ way of proving the value of a structure never intended to be subjected to such a strain.” It is true that the shaft of a screw steamer is not intended to bear transverse strains, but unfortunately they have to be borne, and I have obtained distinct evidence by treatment with acid of large shafts from long ships that the transverse strains which are probably far within the elastic limit at first, have at length taken the form of often-repeated actual flexure. This is probably the ordinary course of deterioration of any elastic body which, like a spring, ultimately fails if its work is severe.

Now I must “ dogmatise ” a little by stating that I consider that experience has amply shown that the only form of test which shows within available limits of time whether the material or form of it is of a nature to endure this kind of distress more or less well, is the test by transverse flexure produced by shock, as merely static tests, though taking extension, &c., most carefully into account, would certainly indicate the use of not only the hollow form, but of a much harder material than that which experience has shown to be most suitable for the purpose. Sheffield, April 24th.    Edward Reynolds.

ON THE LOSS OP USEFUL EFFECT BY FRICTION IN HYDRAULIC PRESSES.

Sir,—By most experimenters with hydraulic presses it seems to be tacitly assumed that the only or principal loss of useful effect in such machines is that due to the friction of the leather collars. Now I cannot but think that this assumption must be erroneous.

The frictional loss, as determined by Messrs. More and by Eankine, was about 20 per cent, of loss; but Mr. Hick, of Bolton, obtained results very much less than this. As the result of sixteen experiments under dif-erent pressures, he found the amount of frictional loss to be only about 1£ per cent., and this is now generally allowed to be a fairly accurate representation. Hick’s experiments show pretty clearly that the extent of the collar “bearing” on the plunger does not affect the amount of friction. By “ bearing ” on plunger is presumably meant the area “intended to bear,” for whether it does or does not bear cannot of course be observed.

Now we know that so very small a percentage of loss as 1^ per cent, does not account for the loss of useful effect so often observed in hydraulic presses, and I have come to the conclusion that the of the loss arises from the friction generated by reason of the excentricity of the resultant of the pressure the outer end of the plunger. This may be shown as in the figure. Let P be the resultant of the load on the plunger acting parallel to the axis of the cylinder, and let Q represent the resultant of the pressure of the water on the plunger. The direction of Q is parallel to the axis of the cylinder. Let r and s be points in the respective directions of P and Q. When Q is equal to P there will be a couple whose moment is (P or Q) x rs, and being left-handed, the plunger will be pressed against the cylinder at the points a and c. For this couple substitute another couple acting as at c n and an normal to the axis of the plunger. Now let the pressure of water on the plunger be increased so that the plunger may be in a state bordering on motion. The whole of the friction at a and c will then be developed, as well as that of the leather collar. The direction of the resistances at a and c will be inclined to the normals respectively at the limiting angle of resistance, r a and r c being each the resultant of the normal force na n c, and of the tangential force of friction/. The resultant of the friction at a and c will be equal in amount to 2 rn, and its direction will be that of the arrows //, and its line of action will be along the axis of the plunger. _ The resultant of the friction of the collar will also act in the direction of /, and have its line of action in the axis of the plunger.

London, April 13th.

THE IRISH MAIL CONTRACT.

Sir,—I have read with some amusement a letter signed “ J. G. B.” in your paper of the 20th inst., in re the Holyhead mail contract. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and he has evidently been “ crammed.” It may be true that the. four express boats have made each a selected passage in the time he named, choosing perfectly calm days, favourable tides, and fired with hand-picked Welsh coal; but on the occasion of the Lily’s trial, at any rate, the mail boat Munster, with a dirty bottom, her ordinary day trip, beat the Lily by several minutes; and in the case in which he says the Violet beat the Connaught, “ in a strong head wind and heavy sea,” he has simply transposed the By the bye, how the Violet, crossing to and from Holyhead on the same day, could have a strong head wind and heavy sea both ways, I leave him to explain. There is nothing wonderful in a big boat beating a small one in heavy weather; and the tonnage of the express boats is, as your correspondent says, 1137, that of the mail boats 2039 tons. No engineer now reckons by nominal horsepower. The express boats’ cylinders are 78in.; the mail boats are, two of them 96in., and two 98in. All have common engines and jet condensers; and it is in bad weather that people want to the Channel with comfort and regularity. In such weather practical man will expect, e.g., Britannic, with her 5400 I.H.P., to compete with Alaska, which is 2000 tons larger, and indicates abc 10,000-H.P.; and so with the express mail boats. As to “extortionate fares” vid Kingstown, it is quite true that the North-Western Railway Company did exact extortionate fares for the railway journey until the Railway Commissioners compelled a reduction. The difference of sea fare between Dublin and Kingstown and Holyhead is only 2s. I may add also that the railway company admit that during the past two years their boats have nine times failed either to start or to enter Dublin river; in twenty years no such thing has occurred to the mail boats. On Monday night fortnight the mail boat Leinster, on the night passage in a

S.W. gale, beat Violet more than an hour.

Let me add that I have no pecuniary interest of any kind in either the railway or steamboat company, but am a lover of

Fair Play.

the peak compartment completely open to the sea, and rendering pumping useless.

After lightening the vessel forward by jettisoning part of the cargo—about 100 tons — the vessel proceeded towards Lisbon, steaming at the rate of seven knots an hour in order to overcome a strong current. When beached it was found that the damage to the bows was of an exceptionally severe character. The rounded portion of the keel, together with three or four of the strakes of plating above it, were wholly carried away. The twisting and curvature of the portions of plating left on the vessel showed that the iron used in the construction must have been of first-class quality. Indeed, in this respect the material more resembles steel than the iron generally employed in ships’ hulls. It is also noteworthy that the bulkhead, although exceptionally far back from the stem, and therefore less rigid owing to the greater breadth, remained perfectly waterproof throughout the ordeal of the collision and the subsequent steaming to Lisbon. Although the pressure must have been excessive, we are assured that not a single rivet in the whole bulkhead was as much as disturbed. This and other like facts reflect the highest credit on the original workmanship of the vessel—which was built in 1879, by Messrs. Henry Murray and Co., of Port Glasgow, her dimensions being 235ft. x 31ft. x 17ft. Temporary repairs were effected in Lisbon by native workmen, under the superintendence of Mr. .lames Donaldson, consulting engineer for the owners, and on the 25th March she left Lisbon, and arrived safely on the Clyde on the 31st. Very heavy weather was experienced on the passage, but on the vessel’s arrival the whole of the repair work was found on examination to be perfectly intact. Messrs. A. and J. Inglis, of Pointhouse, on whose slip dock the permanent repairs have been executed, have large experience in rectifying the damage done to vessels through collision and stranding. Their officials point to this case of the Ardandhu as one of the most interesting illustrations of the value of collision bulkheads, backed by good workmanship, that they _ have ever had to do with.    Dumbarton.

April 23rd.    -

THE REMOVAL OP REFUSE BY TRACTION ENGINES.

Sir,—I venture to trouble you with this letter to address an. inquiry to your readers, the answer to which, if satisfactory, may lead to the development of a branch of engineering manufacture in a new direction.

In Birmingham the refuse is collected by vans, the excretal portion in galvanised iron pails, and the dry household rubbish in a bin at the back of each van. These vans are drawn by horses, but we think that the work ought to be done much cheaper and better by traction engines, if we can find the right sort. The vans make their rounds between 9.30 p.m. and 10 a.m. It would be intolerable to have night made hideous by such noises as are usually uttered by these engines. Silence is an absolute essential, both as to the exhaust, the wheels, and the working parts.

At present our vans each hold eighteen pans, and nearly a ton of rubbish. They weigh when loaded about 3 tons. But to work economically the engine should draw a much larger van, weighing, when full, 10 to 12 tons. Some of our streets are very hilly, with rises of about 1 in 20. The engine would have to go along some rather narrow streets.

If any of your readers can tell me of an engine which is simple in construction, easy in driving, silent in motion, and economical in working, and can let us see it in operation, it may lead to business.    R. F. Martineau,

Chairman Interception Sub-Committee.

Montague-street Wharf, Birmingham, April 23rd.

CONVICT EMPLOYMENT.

Sir,—To sixteen projects for employing convict labour which were before the recent committee, one may add the construction of head reservoirs for rivers.

Darns; of the type given in your number of 13th inst. are much wanted in our hill gorges to equalise the flow of streams, reducing floods, and increasing water power. The massive, concentrated work required, seems well suited for the prolonged, employment of slow, unskilled labour, under close supervision.

A convict barrack might easily become a factory on the completion of the dam, and the rental which Government might be empowered to charge mill owners whose coal bills were reduced, might tend to recoup the original cost of convict maintenance. In dealing with such a general scheme, the State would be able to still the raging of petty local interests, and preclude litigation. The rivers to be first chosen would be those whose efficiency could be most increased by source-damming. Your readers will know them. Such employment, unlike harbour work, would be almost uninterrupted. Tidal hours are apt to clash with convict routine, and a seldom-recurring spring tide may thus be missed.

The chief reason for carrying out sea work by convicts seems to be that, if harbours were not made thus, they would probably remain unmade.

Edinburgh, April 20th.

Wolverhampton Sewage.—In further reference to the paragraph which appeared in The Engineer a short time since as to the appointment of an engineer for the purpose of reporting upon the subject, we understand that the Sewage Committee of the Corporation of Wolverhampton, after having had before them the names of several eminent sanitary engineers, have finely decided upon the selection of Mr. Edward Pritchard, C.E.,of Westminster and Birmingham, and that gentleman has been instructed to make a personal inspection of the district, and also of the sewage farm, for the purpose of reporting generally upon the sewage and also of the disposal of sewage.

Glasgow Inventors and the Patent Bills.—An influential meeting of patentees and inventors was held in Glasgow on Tuesday afternoon—Sir William Thomson presiding—for the purpose of considering the Patent Bills now before Parliament. It was unanimously agreed to petition Parliament in favour of Mr. Anderson’s Patents for Inventions Bill. With reference to the Government measure the following memorial was adopted:—“That your petitioners have carefully considered the Patents for Invent tions Bill brought before your honourable House by the Righ-Hon. the President of the Board of Trade. Your petitioners believe that the passing of a sound measure of reform of the laws relating to patents for inventions would not only be welcomed by inventors and patentees, but would prove most beneficial to the nation at large. Your petitioners, however, are of opinion that many of the provisions of the Patents for Inventions Bill (No. 1) are most unsatisfactory, and they respectfully suggest that the Bill should be so amended as to provide for (1), the appointment of three or more paid Commissioners in lieu of a Comptroller-General to manage the business of the Patent-office; (2) the extension of the term of patents to seventeen years at least; (3) greater facilities for securing prolongations of the term of patent rights for meritorious inventions; (4) a substantial reduction of the amounts payable for continuation of patents and extension of the time for payment of the stamp duties to the fifth and tenth years respectively. Your petitioners respectfully suggest that the examination of applications for patents should be confined to questions of novelty or priority of invention, but that the examining body should not have the power to refuse applications either on the ground of questionable novelty, or on the ground that the applicant’s inventions do not form matter for patents. The proposals to enforce the making of a statement of claims in the provisional specification, and to open the specification to public inspection before the grant of the patent, your petitioners consider most objectionable.” It was also resolved that a deputation should wait upon the President of the Board of Trade, and impress upon him the necessity of amending the Bill in accordance with the above regulation.

April 27, 1883.

THE ENGINEER.

321

RAILWAY MATTERS.

NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

MISCELLANEA.

Several new lines of railway from Chicago to the Atlantic now in course of execution; six of them are to be opened for traffic during the present year, while the rest are to be ready by January, 1884.

A New Franco-Belgian railway is projected between Athus and the French Ardennes, the route by Florenville and Messemprd having been preferred by the French military authorities. _ The fourteen kilometres in Belgium are estimated to cost four million francs.

A Bill promoted by the Great Eastern Railway Company was on Tuesday before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, proposing to authorise the company to use a depot or market in Bishopsgate for the sale of fruit, meat, vegetables, and fish delivered from the Great Eastern lines. The Committee determined not to sanction the use of the market.

In the House of Commons, on the second reading on Tuesday of a Bill promoted by the Metropolitan District Railway Company, instruction to the Committee to which it will be referred was carried by a majority of 200 to 110, giving them power to insert in it a clause making it compulsory upon the company to pull down the ventilators, and to reinstate the streets, and gardens upon terms that might seem reasonable to the Committee.

The Select Committee of the House of Commons on Monday considered the Bill to authorise the London and North-Western Railway Company to make new railways at Birmingham, called the Soho, Hamisworth, and Perry Bar Junctions; a railway, from Goldborne to Springbranch Junction; the Platt-bridge Junction at Wigan; and the Hindley Junctions at Wigan; and to vest in the company the undertaking of the Lancashire Union Railway Company. After a short hearing the Court decided that the preamble was proved.

The Federal Council has reported strongly against the proposed acquisition of the railways by the Government. The working expenses of Swiss railways, managed as they now are, do not exceed 55 per cent, of the gross receipts, while the State lines of Germany swallow up 59, those of Austria 73, of Belgium 63, of Norway 74, and of Denmark 71 per cent, of their revenues in working expenses. In view of these facts the Federal Council are of opinion that to purchase the railways would neither profit the State nor benefit the people, but they support a Bill for subjecting the accounts of railway companies to Government control, with power to limit the dividend.

The report of the Railway Commissioners for the year 1882 has just been issued. It describes the twelve cases that came before the Commissioners during the year. The judgments they delivered are given in an appendix, and other appendices contain a list of five applications made to the Commissioners in 1882 for. the approval of working agreements with the results, and the judgment of Mr. Justice Denman and Mr. Baron Pollock stated by the Railway Commissioners in the matter of the “ Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Company, Limited, v.. the London and North-Western Railway Company” for the opinion of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice.

It is stated that one of the palace cars belonging to the United States Fish Commission started recently for California with a passenger list of young fish numbering 18,000. The middle part had an aisle running through the centre, and, in place of the seats on each side, were wooden ledges about 3ft. high, on which were placed the tin fish tanks. The fish were not placed in the tanks filled with water, as the motion of the train would dash the water about and destroy many lives among the young passengers. But, instead, about twenty fish were placed in gallon tin pails, and these pails were put in the tanks, and then the latter filled with water. With the carp, however, the water in the pails was sufficient, and the motion of the car tended to the circulation of air in the water, keeping it fresh. The attendants renewed the water every eight hours, and kept a careful watch to remove any fish that might have died. The percentage of fish loss by death, however, was very small.

The Hounslow and Metropolitan Railway was inspected by Colonel Yolland, C.B., on Monday, April 23rd, on behalf of the Board of Trade, and will be opened very shortly. It by a junction with the Ealing extension of the District Railway at Mill Hill-park station, passes near Gunnersbury Park, through South Ealing, north of Brentford, crossing the Grand Junction Canal, and the Great-Western Brentford branch by a brick and iron viaduct, thence near Osterley Park and through the northern part of Spring-grove to the High-street of Hounslow, where.for the present it terminates. There are stations at South Ealing, Broton-road—for North Brentford and Hanwell—Spring-grove, and High-street, Hounslow. The line will be worked by the District Company, who will run through trains from the Mansion House to Hounslow. The engineers are Messrs. Wells-0wen and Elwes, MM. Inst. C.E.; and the contractors, Messrs. Eckersley and Bayliss.

The accidents on American railways in February last are given as follows by the Railroad Gazette:—Collisions: Rear collisions, 32; butting collisions, 17; crossing collisions, 3. Derailments: Broken rail, 24; broken frog, 1; broken switch-rod, 1; broken bridge, 5; spreading of rails, 4; broken wheel, 5; broken axle, 6; broken truck, 2; wash-out, 8; land slide, 2; snow, 5; accidental obstruction, 5; misplaced switch, 4; cattle on track, 2; flying switch, 1; runaway engine, 1; running off end of siding, 1; plained 36. Broken connecting-rod, 8; broken truck not causing derailment, 1; broken wheel not causing derailment, 1; broken tire not causing derailment, 1; broken axle not causing derailment, 3; broken piston-rod, 1; runaway engine, 1; cylinder head blown out, 1; cars burned while running, 2; total, 184. Three collisions were caused by the wrecking of other trains, three by misplaced switches, three by fog, two by trains breaking in two, one each by mistakes in orders, by a flying switch and by lessly left on the main track. The proportion of collisions to the total number of accidents is unusually small. Of the accidents given 112 are recorded as taking place in daylight and 60 at night, while in 12 cases the time is not definitely fixed.

The following is given by a correspondent in the Railroad Gazette for finding how many cut rails to order, or how many will be required on a given curve, so that sleepers may remain parallel and joints opposite. Let g = gauge of track, let R = radius of inner rail, then R 4- g = radius of outer rail. Then for a whole circle ‘ of 360 deg.: 2 7r (R + g) — length of outer rail, 2 rr R = length of inner rail. Let d ----- difference in length of inner and outer rails, then d — 2 7r (R + g)—2 ttR =2 rG. For standard gauge g = 4ft. 8Mn. and d - - 29'58ft. But an ordinary curve is only part of a circle. For a curve whose central angle is m degrees

d --- m- 29'58ft. Make m — 1 and we have d =    =B‘986in.

360    360

are

an

on a case

commences

The metrical system is made compulsory in Havanna from July next.

There were 2607 births and 1755 deaths registered in London last week, or 15 '5 and 10’4 per hour respectively.

From a recently printed list of members of the Institution of Civil Engineers it appears that there are now on the books 1347 members, 1671 associate members, 524 associates, twenty-one honorary members, and 774 students ; together 4337 of all classes.

The Guardians of the Birmingham Proof House report that the number of barrels proved in 1882 was 771,597, which is a con-siderable increase upon each of the preceding two years. The number of barrels proved during the same period in Belgium was 1,081,936.

At Cobham Hall, near Rochester, workmen a few days ago came upon a large earthenware jar, which was found to contain between 800 and 900 Roman coins in bronze, mostly of the fourth century, or about 100 years before the Romans left Britain, and are chiefly of the reigns of the Emperors Constantine, Constans, and Con-stantius. The spot where the coins were discovered was near the old Roman Watling-street, which ran through Cobham Wood towards London and the interior of the island.

The report on the Smoke Abatement Exhibition experiments on different coals burned in the grate of a Lancashire boiler shows that 11 -69 lb. of water at 83 deg. Fah. were evaporated with 1 lb. good Welsh steam coal burned at the rate of 11'82 lb. per square foot of grate per hour. With feed at 84 deg. best round North-country steam coal consumed on a reduced grate at the ra,te of 20⁻87 lb. per square foot of grate surface per hour, llT41b. are given as evaporated per lb. of the coal, evaporation in both cases taking place at atmospheric pressure.

A lacquer of great elasticity, perfectly supple and not liable to peal off, is made in the following manner :—About 1201b. of oil nish is heated in one vessel, and 331b. of quicklime is put into 221b. of water in another. As soon as the lime causes an effervesence, 551b. of melted india-rubber are added. This mixture is stirred and then poured into the vessel of hot varnish. The whole is then stirred so as to be thoroughly mixed, then strained and allowed to cool, when it has the appearance of lead. When required for use it is thinned with the necessary quantity of varnish and applied with a brush, hot or cold, preferably the former. This lacquer is useful for wood or iron and for walls; it will also render waterproof cloth, paper, &c.

Before the Academie des Sciences, M. G. Lippman recently proposed to measure the resistance of a column of mercury by opposing the current induced by a rotating magnet to another

2«mK; where

var

current measured by a galvanometer. Then r =

K' H tan. a

K is a constant of the electro-magnetic apparatus, m the moment of the magnet, n its velocity of rotation, K' the galvanometer constant, and H the horizontal resultant of local magnetic forces.

— is determined by Gauss’s method. In a resistance of one to five

cars care-

For all practical purposes, it is correct to allow one inch for each degree of central angle. It will be noticed that R immediately disappears from the equation. That is? it is immaterial whether our curve is a ldeg. or a 6 deg. curve, a simple or compound curve. The total central angle will show us how much the joints will run. For instance, if we have 870ft. of 4 deg. curve, the eentral angle subtended by this curve is 8'70 x 4 deg. = 34'0 deg. Hence the outer rail will be 34‘Sin. longer than the inner one. To correct this we shall require eleven rails 29ft'. 9in. long, and one rail 29ft. lO^in. long. The latter can be cut from a 30ft. rail. The 870ft. of curve will require twenty-nine 30ft. rails on the outer side, and have twelve cut rails to put in the inner side, leaving seventeen whole rails for the inner side, or one cut rail to one and a-half whole rails for the inside. These should be arranged in ones and two alternately. To ascertain how many cut rails will be required on a given section of railroad, find the total amount of curvature on the section, then allow one inch to a degree. If the cut rails are to be 3in. shorter than the standard rail, we shall require one-third as many cut rails as there are degrees of curvature on the road.

we

ohms the fractional error would be, the author says, within one-tenth of 1 per cent.

The following velocities for wood-working tools are given by the Builder cend Woodworker -.—Circular saws, periphery of, 6000ft. to 7000ft. per minute ; band saws, 2500ft.; gang saws, 20in. stroke, 120 strokes per minute ; planing machine cutters at periphery, 4000ft to 6000ft. Work under planing machine ^jin. for each cut. Moulding machine cutters, 3500ft. to 4000ft.; squaring-up machine cutters, 7000ft. to 8000ft.; wood-carving drills, 5000 revolutions; machine augers, l£in. diameter, 900 revolutions; do., fm. diameter, 1200 revolutions; gang saws require for 45 superficial feet of pine per hour, 1-horse power; circular saws require 75 superficial feet per hour, 1-horse power. In oak or hard wood three-fourths of the above quantity require 1-horse power. Sharpening angles of machine cutters—adzing soft wood across the orain, 30 deg.; planing machines, ordinary soft wood, 30deg.; gauge’s and ploughing machines, 40deg.; hardwood tool-cutters, 50deg. to 55 deg.

In their monthly report on the London water supplied by the companies during March, Mr. William Crookes, F.R.S., Dr. William Odling, and Dr. C. Meymott Tidy, say: “ In respect to the proportion of organic matter, as indicated by the determinations of organic carbon, it is interesting to compare the results afforded by the past month’s analyses with those obtained before and during the recent period of quite exceptional river floods. Confining attention to the five companies taking their supply exclusively from the Thames, the average amount of organic carbon during the past month was 0152 part in 100,000 parts of water; the average during the month of October, when the influence of the floods began to be felt, being 0158 part. The average for the four months, preceding October and the floods, was 0117 part; while the average for the four succeeding months, when the floods were at their highest, was 0'244 part—this last and highest average, corresponding to less than half a grain of organic matter per gallon of water, with a maximum in any individual sample, out of the sixty-eight averaged, falling short of three-quarters of a grain.”

Taking the consumption of coke in the production of pig iron in the United Kingdom in 1882, at 23 cwt. per ton of iron made, it is estimated that Cleveland used 3,091,947 tons, West Cumberland used 1,151,358 tons, South Wales used 1,015,801 tons, North Wales used 56,020 tons, South Staffordshire used 458,209 tons, North Staffordshire used 364,684 tons, Lincolnshire used 231,795 tons, Lancashire used 900,150 tons, Northamptonshire used 220,932 tons, West and South Yorkshire used 321,141 tons, Derbyshire and Notts used 512,595 tons, Shropshire used 92,546 tons, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, &c., used 55,200 tons; total of coke, 8,472,378 tons, representing about 14,120,627 tons of coal, to which must be added coal consumed in Scotland, say, 2,300,000 tons, or a total of coal, 16,420,627 tons. The British iron trade report, however, adds that it is probable that the average yield of the United Kingdom will be nearer 56 to 57 per cent, of coke per 100 of coal, 60 per cent, being, indeed, about the best average result that is obtained in the coke manufacture. It is probable also that the average consumption of coke per ton of pig made will, in the country generally, be nearer 25 than 23 cwt. . The foregoing figures are, therefore, subject to these two modifications.

A new method of bleaching paraffine is described by M. de Molon in the Corps Gras Industriels. It is said to be more rapid and less expensive than the older methods and incurs no waste. It consists in the filtration of the rough paraffine, which is subjected in a boiler to the action of lime, there being added about five per cent, of its own weight of sulphide of sodium and water. The mixture is let cool in order to allow of the solidification of the layer of paraffine; it is then washed with boiling water and then pressed. The sulphide of sodium may be replaced by 10 per cent, of lime in powder. After boiling for an hour the mixture is filtered, and is treated as above with amylic alcohol. The residues from these operations are preserved in order to be treated subsequently by an acid—for instance, hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid. The action of these acids is to form with the base a salt, and consequently to liberate the carburetted oily substances. The paraffine and the amylic alcohol are then set free by the process of distillation. The inventor remarks that in place of sulphide of sodium and lime other sulphurous combinations could be used. It is further stated that after the performance of the operations which have been described, the action in a suitable apparatus of sulphuret of carbon, of amylic alcohol, or other dissolvents, can be substituted for the filtration by means of animal charcoal, which has hitherto been customary. Care should be taken that the liquid intended to be used in the filtering process should be made as cool as possible. After this treatment has been carried put the paraffine has only to be filtered and pressed.

The re-opening of the Parkes Museum of Hygiene by the Dube of Albany takes place on Saturday, May 26th, in new premises, 74a, Margaret-street, W.

The prizes and diplomas awarded to exhibitors at the Crystal Palace Electrical Exhibition of 1882 were distributed on Wednesday by the Duke of Teck.

The work of altering French lighthouses for the adoption of the electric light has been begun with those which guide into the principal ports, and those which give warning of the most dangerous rocks.

On Saturday last Messrs. Oswald Mordaunt and Co, Southampton, launched a fine iron sailing ship of 2100 tons register, named the Albyn—length, 284ft.; breadth, 40ft. 3in,; depth of hold, 24ft.

On the 19th inst., Messrs. Earles’ Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, launched from their yard the steamship Bolama, built for the Empreza Nacional West African line of steamers— length p.p., 180ft.; breadth, 26ft.; depth of hold, 13ft. 6in.

The Yellatta, a new steel barque of about 900 tons register, launched on the 9th inst. from Messrs. John Reid and Co. s yard, Port Glasgow, while coming up the Clyde on Monday in ballast, under tow, capsized about seven miles below Glasgow. The crew were saved.

It is stated that one Edison dynamo-electric machine supplying 250 Edison A lamps, and one Ferranti machine, which is driven at about 2000 revolutions, and supplying about 370 Swan lamps of normal size in the Aquarium Exhibition, consume over 90 indi* cated horse-power.

According to official information received by the Commissioners of the Exhibition, the Imperial German Government—who invited by the k.k. Austrian-Hungarian Ministry on Foreign Affairs —have consented to exhibit at the Vienna Electrical Exhibition, and arrangements are being made accordingly.

On Saturday, 21st inst., the King of the Belgians opened the new Mus^e Commercial, Brussels, where are, or are to be, deposited samples of the indigenous produce of other countries, and of articles suitable for export, as well as documents relating to contracts in the capital, the country, and abroad.

On Friday last, James Scott, who is employed at the shipbuilding works of Messrs. Wigham, Richardson, and Co., Low "Walker, was presented with a diploma and medal from the Royal Humane Society, together with a purse of gold subscribed by those in the works, as a mark of appreciation of the courage and bravery displayed by Scott on six different occasions and in saving seven lives from drowning.

On Wednesday, 2nd May, the representative of the Belgian Minister of Public Works will receive offers for the supply of bar iron and articles in wrought and cast iron in exchange for scrap. On the same day at noon, tenders will be received at the State Railway Works, Mechlin, for the supply of parts of wagons in any oak, not American. Particulars of both may be obtained at the Ministry of Public Works, Brussels.

A new floating grain elevator, with two sets of boilers of 100-horse power each, was inaugurated at Bordeaux on the 7th inst. by M. Fargue, engineer, representing the French Minister of Public Works. Fifty tons of wheat were unloaded, weighed, screened, cleaned, and loaded on to a lighter in twenty minutes; and 25tons were transferred from a vessel to the second floor of the warehouse in ten minutes, besides being screened and weighed.

On Tuesday a Select Committee of the House of Commons passed a Bill, promoted by the Metropolitan Board of Works, authorising that body to carry out such alterations in the existing bridge across the Thames at Hammersmith as will practically amount to its re-construction. The Bill empowers the Board to construct a wooden bridge across the river for the use of traffic during the time necessary for the completion of the proposed works.

Two competing schemes in Parliament this session, for the supply of water to a large part of Flintshire, have been before a Committee of the House of Lords last week and this. One scheme was the Flintshire Gas and Water—the engineer being Mr. Bateman, C.E.; and the other the Hawarden and District Water—the engineer being Mr. Robinson, C.E. The Committee decided to pass the scheme of the Hawarden Company, and threw out that of the Flintshire Company.

The Belgian Chamber of Representatives has taken into consideration the report of the Permanent Committee of Industry, embodying the votes passed at the Liege Congress of 1881. All these votes have been rejected as involving the Government in too great expense, excepting one, the adoption of a uniform toll on canals. At present these dues press heavily on Belgian coal-masters and manufacturers, while English goods arriving by the Scheldt and canals pay next to nothing, French and German products also entering with little expense.

On Sunday afternoon a cyclone passed over Beauregard and Wesson, Mississippi. In Wesson, 200 dwellings, mostly inhabited by factory operatives, were wrecked, 12 persons were killed, 75 were injured, and three children are missing. Beauregard was entirely destroyed; not one building remains standing, 23 persons were killed outright, 17 were mortally wounded, and 90 more seriously hurt. Tillman was also destroyed, and West Point much damaged, several persons being killed and injured. Medical assistance was sent from the neighbouring towns.

On the 20th February last the vertical boiler of a steam digger, or navvy, burst while at work in a railway cutting now being made to connect High Blantyre with East Kilbride. The fire-box and the outer part of the boiler were connected by a 2in. stay bolt. The head of this came off ; hence the explosion. When there is anything remarkable or noteworthy in the cause of a boiler explosion, it is well to have a proper and full report upon it; but nobody on earth, other than the Marine Department of the Board of Trade, could tell why it was necessary to have a two-colour 24in. x 18in. sheet of lithograph drawings of the boiler, and full-size views of the bolt, in this ludicrously simple case.

It is announced that it has been decided to extend the electric lighting plant established in the salt mines of Maros-Ujvor —Hungary. There are at present installed fourteen arc lamps, to which there will now be added fourteen more arc lamps of 600-candle power each. The arrangement will be carried out in such a manner that the new lighting plant will be fed by a separate electric machine for alternate currents, but both the old and new machine will be driven by a common steam engine. The installation is to be carried out by the electro-technical establishment of Messrs. Ganz and Co., of Budapest, with their own electric machines and lamps—system Zipernowsky. The same firm has signed a contract for the electric lighting of the telegraph offices, at Budapest, with 200 Swan lamps, for ten years.

The watch committee of the Corporation of Nottingham have instructed the National Telephone Company to institute a system of electric fire alarms throughout the borough. An iron box with a glass face is fixed into a wall, and inside the box is an apparatus which is connected by wire with the central police and fire stations; to raise an alarm the glass in front of the iron box has to be broken. This breakage causes a strong spring to plunge forward, completing an electric circuit, which releases an armature carrying a red disc, indicating at the station where the alarm has been given, at the same time a bell rings in connection with all the firemen’s houses, and the central station, so that the men receive the alarm at the same moment. The whole arrangement works automatically, and only from three to four seconds are lost from the time the alarm is given. The company have already placed boxes in fifteen busy thoroughfares, and several more will shortly be put i in operation.    .    .    - *>•

were

new

mm

Li:iil r

Bffii

it

■a™

.ft A

mates

a^i

M

Wsm

P LAN

x<x=i=

ft

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVEE EAILWAY.—NEW BRIDGE OVEE THE THAMES AT BLACKFEIAES.

ft

LO

tt

£K

1,1

I)

~to

ME. W. MILLS, MR. J. WOLFE BARRY, AND MR. H. M. BEUNEL, MM.I.C.E., ENGINEERS.

(For desci'iption see page 327.)

•;

i'J

rZl

ft

ftf

i!X

ft

I'

FEET

Lu

SCALE

co

ft

:^rrrr:

'XXG'Vftx x-'. ,^wl

ft

Lr;

pi

!S

|gfcft;.....ft

■rS

FI C . 1

FI C . ! 0

4,5

C Eft

C]

,Gft

cr

US

Ll

p-"lj

•£

DC

Cj

- a.

ix£

ct-

19

in j z<

-fts

i_HQ

yE

L'J X

5*

C2<

- ft

ftVi" "ft.........z]ftft

/I

r:-

ei

|i

o-

r*

Q __

END ELEVATION

If

pm

i;S

If

l(l

ft

Sli

ft:

if

ft

Ll!

l!

[s

EXISTING PIERS

::

C|

ffi

CD

lli

CM

FRONT ELEVATION

11

DETAILS OF SPRINGERS

Bf®

Jgi=|

ft -

_v=

Ms

11

fii::

ft

Hi

⁼«

ft --■ ft ' •'

fftji

ft

'Ecft

ft

IT

■«—

I!!!!!ii _

HR

fj=l=i=i^^=lsii=;=!i lllllllllllllll', '.. '..

i-=i=i='gi!

ft -

■&

mi

ft',

ftfc.

ii

If:

•I-

4 -ft; i

■i

I:!

si

==

' ft

V : •

;    . r

ft ft" ftd4 ft *4. .' ft

■ppn|

■all

LxJ

ftr

Sift ft

ii§fc-

ill

"ft'-’’

11

~co

ft

,j jj

ft

SIDE ELEVATION

-ft ft:

—n^/\ Q 't 9—

SHEWING POSITION OF CHASES TO BE CUT FC3

IZ

ft

2", S

ft

~i

FIC.7

UJ

ID

is

Ipi

B

LLU'ft

■1

W=

r«HII

ft

cc

TRINITY

¹ zs

i;

*i

i?

ii¹

II

5=|

BOTTOM

LJ

CL

ft

ml

PLAN BELOW SPRINCINC

CO

h-

tc

in

cu

UJ

Jl

-k

SCALE OF FEET

FOR DETAILS OF HOLD INC

D O WN EARS

ft?¹

p;m

pi

->

WATER

Ull

UJI

J!

TtCTyEETOP OF PERMANENT CAI500N

OIS

ft

Bpp

ill

is?

Hi

iftiii.......r~:

:s

o'ni

DETAILS OF HOLD INC

DOWN EARS

FIC. 3

ft ft 'ft

-W

to

C° ■    .‘u

will

SXO’fXPT' // / // /

’1

:-

ftftft!

mi

m.

iKWHHHBI

ii¹    !

w/s,

CROSS SECTION

FI C. 8

ft

PLAN OF

SPRINGERS

L,

FIC ,5

* CD

in

tc

bottom of

BOTTOM OF CAI SO ON

FIC. 4

Sy3Q>M0 JO S3NI1 ayiM3 D

PLAN ABOVE

SPRIN C INC

■

' *:

r

S

"

:

iii j

'

!

'

\

. '

.

. ^    ! v s

■

■y

>

>1

'

■

J

_____

Supplement to Tk i

tv April 27, 1883.

GRASSHOPPER ENGINES OS i II E TUG-BOAT HENRIETTA.

MESSES.

KINCAID AND CO., CLYI

FOUNDRY, GEEENOCK, ENGINEERS.,

ftOtp

(For Jm ■■ page 325.)

IP

<=m

Scale -

ia

.9    __

-----1

-¥

•ft-------

If-

t: >:

S_J

/ruc/ves

■j—

Feet

TD

y=

ft

S

T2j

iL._ft

ft

li:

• - — - ‘ -.-------"Til"----------

,_J_____L-_

nfr

; ! i :__7'W'

by

277

v;:

L.

wwh

TSLBtn >

---—- - - - rr_--A-.--------j.--

x~rr

itXI!

Hi

WM

ft

JR

□Mtn

-----L_____

ft

k/'“

Pi

Co

°L

ft

5^CVXVXXX^VVXVV»XVVV'VVVVVVVVVVVVVV«>5^CW

XS

«■

ft:

rf

■fit

jj&\ lb

fi

o'

!U>.

ft

it

ft

1 eft Top

ffl iff

XI

:©

fit

si

0(0

u[i

r ft

V7Z

pj

i Ift

id

-r

Hj

.L

0.

ft

Cq

ft

Ttlft

ft

m—'

3

-ft

WA-

r£T

ft

Tlf=

a i

si

■B

lii

HP

JL.„.

Si

ifli

O'

<2>1

I®

led

IB

vb

i! rf i wpi i

...........at

LU

ft⁻'

§i

v v y

lA

IV \    /    / Zj

ibsfti

£—r—iv • \ ...... ■ > i.

ftfo

CPI

P\1

ft

(o

—*-

n?"

401=.

u II ° ir o I r

jji

iLB

4A

/

t

i

-

'•

.

J

■

t

\

:

%

FOREIGN AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE ENGINEER.

PARIS.—Madame Boyveau, Rue de la Banque.

BERLIN.—Asher and Co., 5, Unter den Linden.

VIENNA.—Messrs. Gerold and Co., Booksellers.

LEIPSIC.—A. Twietmeyer, Bookseller.

NEW YORK.—The Willmer and Rogers News Company, 31, Beekman-street.

£0 14s.    6d.

£1 9s. 0 d.

practical regularity, but regularity cannot be guaranteed in any such All except weekly advertisements are taken subject to this condition.

Advertisements cannot be inserted unless Delivered before Six o'clock on Thursday Evening in each Week.

Letters relating to Advertisements and the Publishing Department of the paper are to be addressed to the Publisher, Mr. George Leopold Riche ; all other letters to be addressed to the Editor of The Engineer, 163, Strand.

heard Sir Edward Watkin, we were not aware of how little can be said in favour of the construction of the tunnel. Apart from considerations of the aggrandisement of a public company, the only argument worth naming that he had to urge in its favour from the national point of view, was that if we lost command of the sea and had our ports blockaded, we could get food and supplies of all kinds through the tunnel. That is, of course, if France were on good terms with us. Now, not to mince matters, it so happens that France is the only Power that could possibly blockade our ports. Neither Italy, Germany, nor Russia could do it; and as for the United States, they having no navy, are out of the question altogether. Sir Edward Watkin’s fancy sketch of England being fed through the Channel tunnel while her foes lurk round her coasts, reminds us of the old tales of prisoners condemned to starvation, and fed by faithful friends through a straw thrust in at the keyhole. Sir Edward did not hesitate to push his arguments. He cited the cotton famine as an example of what might happen. Cotton rose during the American Civil War from 6d. to 2s. 6d. per lb. “ That was the effect of the blockade of one article.” The illustration was no doubt forcible ; but he wasted his opportunities by not going on to point out that if we had had a Channel tunnel cotton could not have risen 2s. a pound. We hasten to supply a further want in Sir Edward’s evidence, and add that if there had been a tunnel under the Atlantic between Liverpool and New Orleans, the chances are that cotton would have been cheap in spite of the war.

Sir Edward Watkin dealing with traffic was not less amusing than Sir Edward Watkin dealing with our international relations. The tunnel is to be lighted throughout by electricity, and well ventilated. Two hundred and fifty trains only per day will be run through the tunnel, and the speed of passenger and goods trains alike will be 45 miles an hour. But he did not say a syllable as to how the trains are to be drawn or the tuunel ventilated. On these points he was, as he always has been, discreetly silent. Like Mr. Micawber, he hopes no doubt that something will turn up before the tunnel is finished. There are compressed air, and electricity, and fireless locomotives, and rope traction. It cannot, he probably argues, be possible that none of these things will do what has to be done. We have, over and over again, pointed out that the absence of any proper scheme for working the traffic of the tunnel ought to be fatal to it. It ought to prevent the extraction of a single shilling from the pockets of the public. Concerning the military aspect of the question, Sir Edward has somewhat peculiar notions. He proposes that 500,000 yards of concrete shall be made out of the chalk taken out of the tunnel, and that a fort shall be constructed out of this. We have heard it said that anything will do for a locomotive, and Sir Edward evidently thinks that anything will do for concrete. But what about Mr. Crampton’s plan 1 We understood that the chalk was to be pumped as “ milk ” out of the tunnel. Is this milk good for concrete ? The cost of the concrete fort would be ,£250,000. Sir Edward did not say who was to pay this sum; but hehastenedtoassure the committee that in his opinion the railway companies would not be willing to pay the cost of maintaining a garrison in the fort. He also explained that although a private company ought to make the tunnel, because such a company would do the work quicker and better than the nation, yet the nation would be expected to buy the tunnel when it was finished. As to other Channel tunnels, he saw no objection to their construction, and he wound up by asking the committee to visit the works at both ends of the tunnel, which means two of those underground champagne luncheons for which Sir Edward has acquired considerable celebrity. They may be regarded as a specialty of his own invention. Taken as

THE SMOKE ABATEMENT COMMITTEE ON STEAM COAL.

It formed part of the duty of the Smoke Abatement Committee to test fuels and boilers employed in raising steam. The investigation was carried out by Mr. D. K. Clark, who prepared a special report to be found in the volume recently issued by the Smoke Abatement Committee. We propose to say here something concerning this report, which, as it stands, requires elucidation on several points. No doubt Mr. Clark did all that could be done under the circumstances to secure trustworthy results; but the figures he gives are so startling in some respects

The

accuracy of

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE.

*** With this week's number is issued as a supplement, a Two-pa<jc Engraving of the Grasshopper Engines of the Tug-boat Henrietta. Every copy as issued by the Publisher contains this Supplement, and subscribers are requested to notify the fact should they not receive it.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

*** In order to avoid trouble and confusion, we find it necessary to inform correspondents that letters of inquiry addressed to the public, and intended for insertion in this column, must, in all cases, be accompanied by a large envelope legibly directed by the writer to himself, and bearing a Id. postage stamp, in order that answers received by us may be forwarded to their destination. No notice will be taken of communications which do not comply with these instructions.

*** We cannot undertake to return drawings or manuscripts; we must therefore request correspondents to keep copies.

*** All letters intended for insertion in The Engineer, or containing questions, must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publication, but as a proof of good faith. No notice whatever will be taken of anonymous communications.

Nil.—There is no standard work on railway carriages and wagons.

T. H. 8. (Pittsburgh).—There is no treatise dealing fully with bar and guide mill roiling.

Dynamo.—Paget-Higgs “ On Electric Lighting," published by Messrs. E. and F. N. Span; and “Electric Light,” by J. IF. Urquhart, published by Messrs. Crosby Lockwood and Co.

W. W.—There is little or no information published concerning the manufacture of paper car wheels. The process of manufacture is a speciality, and as such is in some respects a secret.

W. M. P.— JVe have no experience of gas cooking stoves to guide us. You can ha ve a stove oj almost any pattern from the gas company supplying your house for 2s. 6d. a quarter, or 10s. per annum; so it will not cost you much to try which of the stoves you name is the best.

SUBSCRIPTIONS.

The Engineer can be had, by order, from any newsagent in town or country at the various railway stations; or it can, if preferred, be supplied direct *rom the office on the following terms (paid in advance):—

Half-yearly (including double numbers)

Yearly (including two double numbers)

If credit occur, an extra charge of two shillings and sixpence per annum will be made. The Engineer is registered for transmission abroad.

Cloth cases for binding The Engineer Volume, price 2s. 6d. each.

A complete set of The Engineer can be had on application.

Foreign Subscriptions for Thin Paper Copies will, until further notice, be received at the rales given below;—Foreign Subscribers paying in advance at the published rates will receive The Engineer weekly and post-free. Subscriptions s nt by Post-office order must be accompanied by letter of advice to the Publisher. Thick Paper Copies may be had, if preferred, at increased rates.

" emittance by Post-office order. — Australia, Belgium, Brazil, British Columbia, British Guiana, Canada, Cape of Good Hope, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Italy, Malta, Natal, Netherlands, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, New South Wales, New Zealand, Portugal, Roumania, Switzerland, Tasmania, Turkey, United States, West Coast of Africa, West Indies, Cyprus, £1 16s. China, Japan, India, £2 0s. 6d.

Remittance by Bill in London.—Austria, Buenos Ayres and Algeria, Greece, Ionian Islands, Norway, Panama, Peru, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Chili, £1 16s. Borneo, Ceylon, Java, and Singapore, £2 0s. 6d. Manilla, Mauritius, Sandwich Isles, £2 6s.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

*** The charge for Advertisements of four lines and under is three shillings ; for every two lines afterwards one shilling and sixpence; odd lines charged one shilling. The line averages seven words. When an advertisement measures an inch or more the charge is ten shillings per inch. All single advertisements from the country must be accompanied by a post-office order in payment. Alternate advertisements will be inserted with all

case.

MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.

The Institution of Civil Engineers.—Tuesday, May 1st, at 8 p.m.: Ordinary meeting. Paper to be discussed, “Resistance on Railway Curves as an Element of Danger,” by Mr. John Mackenzie, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E. Thursday, May 3rd, at 8 p.m.: Special meeting. Concluding lecture “ On the Applications of Electricity ”—“ Electrical Units of Measurement,” by Sir William Thomson, P.R.S., M. Inst. C.E.

Chemical Society.—Thursday, May 3rd, at 8pm.: Papers to be read, “ On a New Oxide of Tellurium, Tellurium Sulphoxide, a New Reaction of Tellurium Compounds,” by Mr. Edward Divers, M.D., and Mr. M. Shimose. “ A Simple Modification of the Ordinary Method for Effecting the Combustion of Volatile Liquids by Glaser’s Method with Open Tubes,” by Mr. Watson Smith. “ On Acenapthene,” by Mr. W. R. Hodgkinson, Ph.D.

Society of Arts.—Monday, April 30th, at 8 p.m.: Cantor Lectures, “ The Transmission of Energy,” by Professor Osborne Reynolds, M.A., F.R.S. Lecture II.—The storage of and conveyance of stored energy in forms available for power; the limited capacity of all reservoirs of energy; the limits to the possible distance througii which power may be transmitted by mechanical means. Wednesday, May 2nd, at 8 p.m.: Twentieth ordinary meeting, “Electricity as a Motive Power,” by Professor George Forbes.

DEATHS.

On the 21st inst., at Tempest-road, Beeston-hill, Leeds, Robert McIntyre, for 25 years Manager of the Boyne Engine Works, Leeds.

On the 2Lstinst, at Bonehurch, I. of W., Thomas William Rumble, F.R.S.E., F.G.S , M.I.M.E., &c., aged 50.

On the 22nd inst., at Whithorn Villa, Pollokshields, in his 71st year, Robert H\rvey, sen., engineer. Friends will please accept of this intimation.

THE ENGINEER.

APRIL 27, 1883.

THE CHANNEL TUNNEL.

The Select Committee of the Houses of Lords and Commons, consisting of Lords Lansdowne, Camperdown, Aberdare, Devon, and Barrington, and Messrs. Baxter, Peel, and Harcourt, and Sir Hussey Vivian and Sir Massey Lopes, met for the first time on Tuesday at Westminster, to consider whether Parliamentary sanction should or should not be given for the construction of the Channel tunnel. But two witnesses were examined—Sir Edward Watkiu and Sir Frederick Bramwell. The evidence of these gentlemen was, we suppose, meant to be taken seriously, but it was very amusing. Indeed, until we

a whole, Sir Edward’s evidence was, as might be expected, that of the advocate; but we did not expect that it would contain so many absurd and weak arguments. Indeed, Sir Edward Watkin paid but a poor compliment to the intelligence of the committee, or to his own, when he said many things better left unsaid.

He was followed by Sir F. Bramwell, who was, as be always is, attractive, interesting, ready, and amusing. He endorsed all that Sir Edward Watkin had said to begin with, a statement which promised well. Nor did the rest of bis evidence belie this statement. He proposes to keep us safe from invasion by constructing a gigantic shot-pouch arrangement at the end of the tunnel. There are to be two steel portcullises, each weighing 100 tons, and a train on its arrival is to pass under the first raised by hydraulic power. Next the train is to be examined by Custom House officers to see that there are no foreign soldiers in it. The first-mentioned portcullis is then to be dropped and the second raised, and the train is to be passed on into England. This work is to go on all day, and the portcullises are to be so coupled that when one opens the other shuts, and so on. We are not quite clear what the portcullises are intended to do; but Sir Frederick is of opinion that as a matter “ of course, allowing for human fallibility, if the machinery was in good order such a plan as this would reduce the danger of constructing the tunnel to a minimum.” Nothing would give us more pleasure than to see Sir Frederick working two hundred and fifty trains per day, through his portcullises, and the Custom House officers searching the carriages for suspected soldiers. We fear that no traffic manager now alive would be found to undertake the work. A man will have to be specially trained to fill the post.

that it is much to be regretted he has supplied no data which will enable his readers to check his statements for accuracy. For the moment we shall confine our attention to the chapter which begins on page 134 of the volume. It is headed, “ Report on Tests of Fuels,” and it commences by describing the boiler with which the work was carried out. Twenty-nine varieties of anthracites and Welsh coals, with three samples of artificial fuel and three samples of Newcastle coal, were tried. These Mr. Clark classifies as—Anthracites, 10; Welsh steam coals, 13 ; Northumberland steam coals, 3; patent fuel, 3. The tests were made with the short Lancashire boiler, set on Livet’s system, at Messrs. Clay, Sons, and Taylor’s printing works, Bread-street-hill, Queen Victoria-street. We ourselves tested this boiler for evaporative efficiency in 1880, and drawings of it will be found in The Engineer for May 28th in that year. The trials made by Mr. Clark extended over three months. Each test was made in one day of about 7| hours, and the water was drawn from a large rectangular tank on an upper floor. The essence of Mr. Livet’s invention lies in setting the boiler with very wide and deep flues, so as to give the heated products of combustion time to part with their heat to the water in the boiler.

We shall take the most noteworthy result obtained first. Mr. Clark is responsible for the statement that in the twenty-ninth experiment, Aberdare Rhondda steam coal being used, he obtained an actual evaporation of 12‘25lb of water per pound of coal, the temperature of the feed-water being 60 deg., and the average pressure 61 deg. He gives the equivalent evaporation from and at 212 deg. at 14'53 lb. We do not say that this result was not really obtained, but we do say that such an evaporative efficiency was never obtained before; and the more carefully we consider what it means the more reason do we find for making this statement. The work done by the fuel in any steam boiler is divided into two principal portions, viz., first, heating the air required for combustion, and secondly, making steam. No information is supplied by the report as to the quantity of air passed through the grates; but inasmuch as the combustion was very complete, we may rest assured that it was not less than 20 lb. per pound of coal. The air had to be heated from 60 deg. to that at which the products of combustion ceased to be in contact with the boiler. Unfortunately this temperature is not stated for the particular trial we are considering, but on another occasion we find that with the same coal and the same boiler it was 318'2 deg. We shall assume, then, that on the 22nd September, 1881—the day named—the temperature was 318 deg. The specific heat of air we shall take at '23 deg. Then (318 — 60) •23 = 59 34 units carried away by each pound of air, or per pound of coal, 20 x 59'34 = 1186 units. We have besides this, loss by radiation from the boiler front and its setting; but this we shall neglect. Now each pound of steam from and at 212 deg. represents 966 units in round numbers, and 966 x 14,53 = 14.036 units. Adding to this the heat carried off in the products of combustion, we have 15,222 units per pound of coal. The value of the coal cannot possibly have been less than this, and must, if Mr. Clark’s statement is true, have been considerably more, for no allowance is here made for any waste. The total quantity of coal consumed was 833⁻28 lb., and there were 201b. of ashes, representing 2‘4 per cent. Now the coal being smokeless, is very nearly pure carbon; the quantity of hydrogen in it must of necessity be very small; but the theoretical value of pure carbon as a fuel is but 14,500 units. Rankine gives, as the result of elaborate calorimeter laboratory experiments, the maximum efficiency of caking coal as 15,837 units, and for a dry bituminous coal 15,370 units, these statements has never been impugned. Putting things together, we find then that the boiler at Messrs. Clay’s works was so efficient that at least 15,219 units of heat out of a possible 15,370 were utilised; and deducting the heat expended in warming the air, it would appear that the coefficient of efficiency of this boiler is not less than, in round numbers, ‘92. This is certainly the most marvellous result ever obtained with any steam boiler, and assuming it to be true, it would place Mr. Livet’s system of setting far in advance of anything of the kind ever invented. It may be worth while to add that in our own experience with steam boilers—which is not limited—we have not met with anything approaching this efficiency; and furthermore, it is noteworthy that with a similar trial of the same coal burned in the same boiler carried out on December 6 th, 1881, the evaporation was not 14'53 lb., but 13'07 lb. from and at 212 deg. The difference—nearly U> lb. of water per lb. of coal—is very great; how is it to be accounted for ? The rate at which the fuel was burned on the 22nd September was extremely slow, averaging only 7‘31 lb. per square foot of grate per hour, and the rate of evaporation was only 26'30 cubic feet, or 1643'7 lb. per hour. The heating surface of the boiler is not given by Mr. Clark; we supply the omission. The boiler is 18ft. long and 7ft. in diameter, the tubes being 2ft. 9in. in diameter at the furnaces and 2ft. 4in. at the far end. Making a deduction for the bottom of the flues, the total heating surface is about 390 square feet, and the rate of evaporation was therefore only 4‘21 lb. per square foot of heating surface per hour, or less than one-half a usual rate for Lancashire boilers; and lastly, we may say that our own experiment with Welsh coal gave a very indifferent result, the rate of evaporation being only 6'66 lb. of water per lb. of coal, the temperature of the feed being about 60 deg. In a succeeding experiment with coke we evaporated 842 lb. of water per lb., from 60deg. It is a great defect in Mr. Clark’s report that he supplies no information as to the way in which the trials with this boiler were carried out; whether he was present himself or acted by deputy is not stated. Neither Mr. Li vet nor any of his representatives were present. Again, Mr. Clark speaks of cold feed-water, but during the trials we carried out the boiler was fed by an inspirator, and the feed was delivered hot. Of c aj.oc the steam used was drawn from the boiler, and the advantage gained was not as though the feed had been heated by waste heat; but even after this allow'

direction to flexure in the other direction are never sufficiently rapid to impart a strain of the nature of a vibrating flexure of short range. The shaft, however does revolve, and this wholly changes the character of the strains visited upon it. If, for instance, we suppose a shaft to revolve a hundred times per minute, then it will be seen that any flexure brought about by the bending of the ship will be changed in sign at the rate of two hundred times per minute, and it is questionable whether this would not gradually destroy a shaft, even though the range of bending may always remain within the range of elastic flexure of the material of the shaft.. The peculiar action on the material to which this rotation under a bending stress gives rise, may be said to partake of a kneading character, and it may safely be said that if ordinary cart and wagon axles were subject to stresses of the same complicated sort, they would not long

relieved of the severity

Oil

ever

are

was over

looked.

was a

are

The discussion which took place on the paper which was read before the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on the 11th inst. by Professor Greenhill, and printed in ouy last impression, was brief, but it was sufficient to direct attention to a question of some interest. The paper leaned most distinctly on the side of hollow shafts, and as far as the disposition of the material from a mechanical point of view is concerned, the argument is indisputably in favour of the hollow shaft. Experience, however, indicates that for shafts employed in steamships, which are themselves far from being rigid, stiffness is an undesirable characteristic.

There are ceitain not easily-definable qualities which must be included in a calculation having reference to the strength of large screw shafts, and which indicate that the application of mechanical theory must be guided by physical considerations.

If a shaft is to be employed in transmitting power to distance over which it is to be supported on unyielding foundations, the argument in favour of the hollow form is almost as great as for the mechanically economical distribution of the material in a girder. Seeing that a hollow shaft with a hole of one-half the exterior diameter will have over 60 per cent, greater stiffness than the solid shaft of the same weight, the advantage in this respect is questionable. Very heavy shafting is, however, seldom employed on land as compared with its use at sea, and it

is for the latter that some information more than at TH-E great mathematical prize of the french present exists is required. On the other hand, if the    academy.

heavy shafts used in ships transmitted power without giNcE the death of the much-lamented Professor H. J. S. revolution, then there would be nothing to urge against gmith of 0xford, the French Academy have awarded to him the stiffness secured by the hollow form, for, of whatever ^ gl.’at mathematical prize for his dissertation on the reprematerial, the shaft might be expected to remain free from 8entaqon 0f a number as the sum of five squares. The subject fracture caused by flexure of the ship, the latter being |or ^he prize was announced in the Comptes rendus of the external to the shaft, and therefore having its material Academy in February last year, and according to custom the disposed to obtain stiffness without any view to, and essays were to be sent in before .lune 1st. 1 here were thiee at the expense of, flexibility. The flexure which the candidates, and the value of the prize is 3000f. The complete ship would experience with safety could, it follows, be solution of the important problem proposed by the French imposed on the¹ shaft, for the changes from flexure in one Academy had been obtained by Professor Smith sixteen yea .

seem

stand their work, though they are

of the impact strains to which they are subject, by the springs between them and their load. Such axles are, strained almost wholly in one direction, otherwise it would undoubtedly ‘become necessary to give them greater sectional area until there came to be as great an apparent or seeming disparity between tlje static strength of the axle and the work to be done by it, as in the case of railwav axle. The greater the stiffness of a screw shaft the greater will be the tendency to locate the destructive bending near the bearings, where the diameter is what lessened, and in the case of the hollow shaft, as shown by Professor Greenhill, the rigidity of such a shaft carried in bearings at frequent intervals is such that flexure could not take place with sufficient freedom to produce an elastic curve. Under the enormously heavy torsional strains to which a screw shaft is subjected when a ship is pitching, and the screw one minute deeply buried and the next half or wholly out of the water, it may be questioned whether there is not added to the destructive action brought about by rapid rotation under simultaneous bending stress, another source of destruction of a peculiar character, namely, the tendency to an epicycloidal rotation of the material of the shaft upon itself—just in the same way as the tendency is set up in a rod rigidly fixed at one end, while the other end is caused to describe a circular path, a torsional strain being put on the rod at the same time. This tendency will of course be wholly absent so long as the shaft remains free from bending stress, but being bent, the tendency will be proportional to the torsional stress and some function of angle of flexure.    . .

When it is admitted that the bending of a steamship is often sufficient to throw very considerable bending stress on its screw shaft, it appears to be a question whether the use of hollow shafts is not a step in the wrong direction for it would be undesirable to impose upon the shaft the duty of relieving the ship; and yet if the shaft is not made heavy and strong enough for this, it must itself submit to more or less destructive flexure. Rigidity, short of absolute rigidity, would thus seem to be an undesirable quality.; and even with hollow shafts this could not be obtained without great weight, and would be accompanied by very numerous and important objections as a shaft to be driven at a high speed by steam engines coupled direct. Experience with hollow ‘shafts has not yet been sufficiently extended to prove their value, and it would be rash to agree with the statement made by Mr. Reynolds in the discussion above referred to, that “the history of hollow screw-shafts tale of disasterbut sufficient failures have taken place to show that hollow shafts do not afford a complete solution of the most costly steamship trouble.” An ideally perfect, and possibly practicable, shaft would consist of a perfectly flexible core, of small diameter, carrying a number of annular rings freely interlocked, and capable of transmitting torsional stress only. With this shaft the action due to simultaneous rotation and bending would be expended in sliding the interlocking surfaces of the annular rings, instead of molecular distortion of. the material of the shaft. From this point of view it might be argued that the solid shaft provides the flexible itself capable of transmitting torsional stress—and the annular rings; for these shafts often do good service long after a crack or cracks appear on the surface ; the core holding the shaft together and the cracked outer parts, with some assistance from the core, transmitting the power. It is probably impossible to obtain it, but if the necessary flexure could be obtained partly by surface sliding instead of molecular disturbance, immunity from breakage might be secured ; just as a long range of flexure is obtained in carriage springs by making them in several leaves free to slide on each other instead of in one piece, which to give the same range of flexure under the same loads would have to submit to much greater molecular distortion within its elastic range.

That the large shafts of our big steamers do not fail from want of original strength to transmit the power of the engines seems sufficiently recognised ; and this being the case, the question for consideration is whether the failure a is due to the development of flaws or whether it is due to the complicated stresses and workings herein dwelt upon. If the latter, then the resort to either hollow or very

to be the proper method of

some-

an

core—

heavy sections does not    .    _    _

getting out of the difficulty, and it may .be asked : Are the objections to a universal joint connection or coupling as great as usually supposed, or so dangerous as the frequent failure of the shafts themselves! Practice in the French Marine seems to give an answer in the negative.

ance has been made there was an advantage gained. It is impossible to make a report of this kind too precise.

Leaving this extraordinary performance—one which stands without a parallel in Mr. Clark’s report—we may go to consider some of the results obtained with other coals, and inasmuch as the temperature of the feed-water did not vary, we shall take the actual evaporation. The best result got with anthracite coal was obtained from that supplied by the Anthracite Coal Company, the actual evaporation being given at 11'89 lb. The rate of evaporation was yet slower than that stated above ; the least evaporation was at the rate of 6 '84 lb. The best result got with Welsh steam coal was that about which we have said so much. The worst coal of the kind tested evaporated (J'88lb. of water per pound. Nixon’s Navigation evaporated at Brixton pumping station 11 '69 lb. The particulars of the boiler supplied are inadequate; we are only told that it was a Lancashire boiler, 28|ft. long, with two 33in. flues. Northumberland steam coal at its best did but 8'90 lb., while the patent fuel was by far worst of all, evaporating only 7 '87 lb. of water per pound of coal.

The report as it stands is interesting, and no doubt represents a great deal of hard work, but we cannot see that it possesses much value. It shows that, burned under certain conditions of slow combustion and very moderate draught, such and such results were obtained; but it is a hardly necessary to say that in practice coals hardly

burned under similar conditions. Instead of burning 7 lb. to 10 lb. of coal per square foot of grate per hour, the usual rate is 15 lb. to as much as 20 lb., and sometimes in marine boilers even more than this. The conditions would be entirely altered under such circumstances, and the results would also be changed. Again, no pains seem to have been taken to bum the coal really to the best advantage, the one object had in view being to burn it as slowly possible, with the view to obtain the highest possible evaporative efficiency, while the quick steaming power of the coal, a matter of great importance,

Mr. Clark has seen this, and supplements his table with certain deductions, pointing out, for example, that when the fire-grate was reduced in area and the rate of combustion augmented, the evaporative efficiency rose; and although his table shows Northumberland coal in a very unfavourable light, he says, “ It may, therefore, warrantably be concluded from the evidence of these tests that when the coals are treated according to their respective natures, and under the circumstances of the tests, the Northumberland steam coal was substantially of equal evaporative power, efficiency, and smokelessness with Nixon’s Navigation coal.” We give credit to the Smoke Abatement Committee for a praiseworthy endeavour to add to our knowledge of the value of various fuels ; but we can assure them that the time has long passed since such experiments as those carried out by Mr. Clark were of value. He could only go over old ground. . It is, indeed, difficult to imagine how any set of experiments could be carried out with coal which would supply the steam user with information he does not now possess. Mr. Clark of course carried out the work intrusted to him with skill and care, as far as the means at his disposal would let him; but the following passage from his own report shows the precise value which Mr. Clark himself sets on his own figures :—“ In conclusion, on the Clay boiler tests it may be remarked that the fuel which may give the greatest degree of satisfaction to the intelligent stoker is not necessarily the most efficient for evaporation. A stoker places a high value on handiness, free burning, scarcity of clinker and ash, and on clinker, if there be clinker, that does not •cling. For these reasons the Welsh steam coals as a class are preferred to the anthracites. ” We may add that no one knows more about the relative value of coals than a thoroughly well-trained, intelligent fireman. There many such, and it is to be regretted that they are seldom appreciated as they deserve; and that so little is done by .steam users to raise up and encourage a class of men who have more power in their bands of saving or wasting coal than that with which they are credited.

HOLLOW AND SOLID SCREW SHAFTS.

Ull-

aero as part of a far more general investigation, and the results were published by him in the “ Proceedings of the Royal Society, in 1868, but without demonstration. The researches seem, however, to have escaped the notice of the French mathematicians. When the subject of the prize was announced last year, Processor Smith extracted from his manuscript books the demonstration ot the propositions relating to the five-square problem, and it is o the dissertation so formed that the prize has been awarde . n 1868, Professor Smith won the Steiner prize of the Rerim Academy, so that had he lived till now he would have ee^

“ laureate ” of both the Academies of Paris and Berlin. Ox or will feel a genuine pride, not unmixed with sadness, at t e posthumous honour paid by the French Academy to the la e Professor Smith, in according him its great mathematical pvize. The essays—of which Professor Smith’s has been adjudged the best—were sent up last year, as already stated, but it is only now that the award has been published, and Professor Smith s name has been added to the long list of great mathematicians who have been distinguished by the “ Grand Prix,” and is the first English name on the list. Had he lived a few months longer he would have had the satisfaction of adding another, and the greatest, to the acknowledgments of his brilliant services to science which he has received from foreign learned bodies. As it is, his success will be a great though sorrowful satisfaction to the friends of one who, profoundly as he was esteemed and valued by those who knew him, had not attained, in his own country at least, that general fame, which, on the Continent, is so readily accorded to first-rate men of learning. But this is not the end of the story. 11 now appears that the Academy of Sciences has got itself intq an awkward mess. When the prize was awarded, as already set forth, two were in reality awarded; one to Professor Smith, and one to M. Hermann Minkowsky, a student at the University of Konigsberg, for having also solved the problem propounded by the Academy. But the problem was solved by Professor Smith in 1870, and published in England while Paris was besieged, an extenuating circumstance for the blunder of the Academy; and it is now proved that the young Konigsberg student only appropriated the solution published m the journal of the Royal Society. He even copied a slight error in it. The Academy, therefore, at a recent session, has annulled its original decision and decreed that the whole prize had been gained by the English professor. When awarding the prize the Academy did not know that Professor Smith died last February. Wonderful indeed is the whole thing for an Academy of Sciences. Still, we have heard of a worse case than this. Some ye^ars ago the Academy of Sciences of Berlin determined to confer the very distinguished order of “ Pour le Merite ” on Professor Stokes, ot Cambridge, the secretary of the Royal Society, and by awkward blunder it was given instead to Dr. Stokes, an eminent Dublin physician.

CRYSTAL PALACE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING.

On Saturday last the certificates awarded to the students of the Crystal Palace School of Engineering were distributed by Mr. J. F. Bateman, past president and honorary councillor of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The examiners, Mr. . Ridley and Mr. Ewing Matheson, MM.I.C.E, in their report, expressed satisfaction at the result of the efforts of^ the students for the Easter Term. They stated that in the civil engineering division a high state of proficiency had been attained. In the mechanical course, the work in the drawing office and the fitting shop had been well done. Considering the. short time available, and many different examples of work submitted to them, it displayed a quality of workmanship that indicated more than average skill and attention. The system adopted in the school afforded an admirable preparation for actual professional work, and the colonial section appeared to give an excellent training lor work in India and the colonies. Mr. Bateman, before awarding the certificates, pointed out how difficult it was for a parent to know, when a lad was about sixteen years of age, what profession or business he would have a taste for. The boy might go m for the Bar or the Church. But no matter what profession was adopted, a knowledge of engineering, would always be useful. A lad studying engineering acquired a vast. amount ot information which was most beneficial to him in after life. The position which the Palace school should assume in the education of engineers was well defined by Mr. Bateman. He said that a youth may spend a year or two to the greatest advantage in such a school, because he would obtain an intimate knowledge of materials and methods which would enable him to make the best possible use of his time when he was. subsequently placed under a civil or mechanical engineer, or in engineering works with a view to acquiring that practical knowledge and experience of real work of the kind that makes an engineer. Ihe school could not be expected to make engineers, but it would and plainly did give the students that sort of applied theoretical knowledge which they should have when they enter their apprenticeship under an engineer engaged in actual work. The school training prevented their wasting their opportunities when undei an engineer, and enabled them to derive benefit from, and appreciate what passed before them from the time of the commencement of apprenticeship ; and hence a much sounder engineering education could be obtained in a comparatively shot period, than could be the case when youths have not had such a training previous to apprenticeship. The school may be admitted to take the place and perform the work here referred to, but the principals wish it to be understood as an engineering school, and not as a place in which any pretension is made to the complete education of an engineer. When young fellows go into works they usually learn as best they can, and find out what tney need to study as best they can. They are not taught, and in works where repetition work is the rule, they are hardly allowed to teach themselves. With the preliminary education given them at the Crystal Palace, the first two out of the four or five years usually spent in an apprenticeship could be dispensed with, and better engineering knowledge obtained, because the student has been taught to see and know what he wants to know and to look for.

ENGINE BUILDING IN ITALY.

The Italian Government is doing its best to foster native industry, and for this purpose gives orders to native marine engine builders for the machinery of its ships of war. Hitherto, it would seem that the result has been unsatisfactory, the Italian firms apparently being unable or unwilling to respond to the demands of their Government. The truth has only recently been made public. Signor Boselli, an uncompromising Protectionist, attacked in the Chamber of Deputies, Admiral Acton, the Minister of Marine, who has replied and defended, himseit, showing that he had done all he could to help Italian industry, with the most unsatisfactory results. He pointed out that, though animated by the best intentions towards native industry, the Government must see that the public money was spent usefully and that they procured efficacious instruments of war within good time. When they could do so, as in the case of the Lepanto, they gladly applied to Italian establishments. But,

more. But

were

con-

more

as £13 9s. 2d

. .    _    per month; whilst

similarly the salary of the second engineer is given as £7 3s. 9d. for the year 1850, and for the year 1882 £8 17s. lid. per month. Somewhat singularly, in vessels between 500 tons and 1000 tons there has been a reverse

■ ii

risen to £11.

I Vi'

means

as we

an

London:

unfortunately, there was a great want in the country of firms devoted to some special branch of engineering industry, and keeping well abreast of all the latest improvements in it. He tpld his hearers that he had twice hesitated as to whether he might not order the 100-ton guns for the warships of the first line in Italy, but at last, like his predecessors, he had had to decide in favour of the El.swick gun. Then the Italian firms seemed to have no idea that despatch or punctuality was necessary. The cruiser Savoia, though ready to be launched since last September, was still waiting for her engines, to manufacture which the firm of Ansaldo, of Venice, had asked and obtained twenty months’ time. The term was now nearly up, but there was no certainty of the engines being forthcoming. The engines of the Vespucci should have been ready, acccording to contract, thirteen months and a-half ago. For want of them the launch fixed for the 31st July had to be put oft'. The engines were only now beginning to be erected in Venice. For the Andrea Doria’s engines the Messrs. Ansaldo had required thirty months to run from the acceptance of the tender, making a total of thirty-eight or forty months. The English constructors undertook to deliver them within fifteen months. Four Italian firms, Messrs. Orlando, Odero, Guppy, and Pattison, had received order’s for as many torpedo boats, and had been engaged during the last eighteen months in copying a first-class torpedo boat, such as Messrs. Yarrow or Thorny croft would deliver finished in six or eight months. Not satisfied with this he had, as soon as he was assured that these trial torpedo boats were in a fair way to succeed, given the same firms orders for four boats the extraordinary improvements introduced meanwhile by Messrs. Yarrow and Thornycroft had obliged him to address himself again to them. It appears, too, that the commercial firms of Italy understand their countrymen too well to have much to do with them, buying their ships in Scotland. Oneof the offenders,the Society Generale dei Transporti, had “caused its steamers to be built exclusively in Scotland,” to wit, the Iniziativa, the Persevere, the Risveglio, the Scrivia, and others still on the stocks. Up to the present at least it would appear that we have little to fear from our somewhat torpid Italian rivals.

ORDERS IN COUNCIL RESPECTING STORAGE OF EXPLOSIVES.

At a Court, held at Osborne on Thursday, the 19th inst., three Orders in Council dealing with the possession of explosives made, and they are published in the Gazette of the 20th. These orders, which materially extend the scope of the Explosives Act, are to come into operation in ten days. The first revokes the Order in Council of November, 1875, for the keeping of explosives for private use without a certificate; and directs that except for industrial, agricultural, or sporting purposes, for which certificates may be obtained, “ there shall not be kept for private use any authorised explosive other than such amounts of gunpowder and of safety cartridges made into gunpowder, and such percussion caps, safety fuses for blasting, and railway fog-signals, as are authorised by the Act, and such amount as hereinafter mentioned of the following explosives, that is to say : —(a) Cartridges for small at ms which are not safety cartridges, and are made with gunpowder, if containing not more than 5 lb. of gunpowder. (b) Cartridges for cannon or blasting, made with gunpowder, and not containing their own means of ignition, if taining no larger amount of gunpowder than is for the time being allowed to be kept for private use. (c) Fireworks, if not than 5 lb. in weight, or to an unlimited amount if obtained for immediate use and kept for a period not exceeding fourteen days in a safe and suitable place and with all due precautions for the public safety.” The amount of explosives to be kept for private purposes, for which certificates may be obtained, is restricted to 10 lb., besides 100 detonators. The second order, directs “that there shall not be kept on any premises registered for mixed explosives any explosive other than gunpowder, safety cartridges made with gunpowder, cartridges or charges for cannon or blasting? made with gunpowder and not containing within themselves their own means of ignition ; percussion caps, safety fuses, or fireworks, except in pursuance of a certificate under this Order, that the occupier of the registered premises is a fit person to keep them.” The third Order similarly restricts the storage of explosives.

THE PAY OF BRITISH MARINE ENGINEERS.

Amongst a series of tables ordered to be printed by the House of Commons, and showing the “ Progress of British Merchant Shipping, are several tables that deal with the pay of engineers in merchant ships. The first of these relates to engineers in vessels under 500 tons. Summarised, it shows that the salary of the first engineer in such a steamship was in the year 1850 £11 4s. 4d. per month, and after a little fluctuation it rose until for the year 1882 it is given

movement, according to these tables. The first engineer had in 1850 £15 17s. 3d. per month; the second engineer, £11 7s. 5d.; and the third, £8 6s. 8d. per month; and last year these amounts were less by 17s. 3d., 17s. 5d., and £1 8s. 8d. respectively. Similarly, in vessels of between 1000 and 15C 0 tons the salary of the first engineer is reported to have fallen in the period referred to about £1 10s.; that of the second engineer over 11s,; and that of the third engineer, £1 16s. The salaries of engineers of vessels between 1500 tons and 2000 tons given only from the year 1855, but between that time and 1882 there was a declension of £3 in that of the first engineer; of over £1 13s. in that of the second; and of nearly £2 10s. in that of the third. In vessels of 2000 tons and above we have tables for the same period as that just referred to. The salary of the first engineer was £21 11s. 4d. per month in 1855, according to the tables, and in 1882 it had fallen to £18 7s.; that of the second engineer wa3 at the earlier date £14, and at the later £13 17s.; and that of.the third, £10 19s., and at the close it had I here is no explanation given of any of the causes that have conduced to these fluctuations, but the fact that they are given in a parliamentary paper makes them of some interest, and also makes it desirable that some attempt should be made to ascertain the reasons for the very remarkable movement upwards and downwards as recorded above.

THE PATENT BILL.

Mr. Hinde Palmer has given notice of a very extensive series of amendments to be brought forward in committee. The law officers disappear altogether, their place being filled by th paid Commissioners appointed under Royal Warrant, one to be recommended by the Lord Chancellor, and the other two by the Board of Trade. He proposes that the provisional specification shall end with a “ general statement ” instead of a “ claim,” and the Controller is required to hear the applicant before refusing a patent. In an application to amend, the party seeking relief is to state the nature of the amendment as well as his reasons for wishing to amend. As regards legal proceedings, the Judge is empowered to dispense with a jury if both sides consent, and

one of the Commissioners may be required to act as assessor. The defendant will not be allowed to plead that a patent is bad as not being subject-matter for protection, this point having been settled for once and for all by the Examiner before the letters patent were issued. The following important new clause relating to Crown rights is proposed to be added to the Bill :— “ A patent shall have the like effect against her Majesty, her heirs and successors, as it has against a subject, but the Secretary of State, or the president or chief officer at the head of any public department, may, with the consent of the Treasury, require the patentee to grant a licence or licences for the use for the public service of a patented invention, or any part thereof, on such terms as may be agreed on with Fuch patentee, or, failing such agreement, as may be settled by the Board of Trade after hearing all parties interested.” The only other alterations of moment refer to the fees. Mr. Hinde Palmer proposes that the fee payable at the end of the fourth year shall be £30 instead of £50, whilst that payable at the end of the seventh year shall be reduced from £100 to £70.

LITERATURE.

Professional Papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers. 1882.

London : Edward Stanford, Charing-cross.

This volume is of an exceptional character, dealing entirely with the question of permanent fortification. The reasons for this are explained in the preface, in which Major Vetch very truly says that the difficulty in obtaining information such as would bring this subject up to date at the present time is very great, so that the idea was conceived of publishing a complete course of lectures on the subject, which were delivered by Captain J. E. Lewis, R.E., of the Fortification Branch of the War-ofifice. The very valuable paper read by Colonel Inglis at the Royal Artillery Institution in 1881 “ On Armoured Defences,” is printed at the end to complete the whole. This, then, is an admirable publication for reference on the subject of modern fortifications, and we think it is wise to keep it as such, unmixed with other matter. To an engineer it has its maximum value; probably any military engineer who does not receive these professional papers would do well to buy it, if, as we suppose, it can be bought at the publishers. To other officers it is very valuable for reference. It deals with the following subjects:—Lecture I.: Land fortification, and its defence and attack generally. Lecture II.: Heavy guns mounted, mines, passages, communications, &c. Lecture III.: Magazines. Lecture IV.: Coast defence—ships and their attack, and effect of projectiles. Lecture V.: General arrangement of coast batteries. Lecture VI.: Details’asto casemates andbatteries. Lecture VII.: Artillery stores, and questions of rangefinding, blast of discharge, and other questions as to works; what foreign nations are doing, and tables of guns and armour. After these comes Colonel Inglis’s paper. It would be difficult to review this work fully to any purpose. There appears to be a great deal of information collected on most subjects. On the defence of harbours, high command is of course advocated for batteries, and the advantage which the breech-loading system affords in enabling curved low shields is pointed out. We do not think the short paragraph on the possibility of using howitzers—which is well as far as it goes—at all represents the importance of the subject of the attack of decks by of vertical fire, which is a feature now fully recognised abroad as a formidable measure when vessels are driven to engage at anchor, as may often be the case in dangerous water when mines are in use. The author contemplates vessels anchoring under some circumstances. This being so, the very formidable attack furnished by a comparatively insignificant battery of rifled mortars or howitzers is surely an important matter to keep in view. “ What foreign nations are doing” is interesting, but we should have hoped that more information might have come from such a source on this head. We trust that the War-ofifice authorities have more than is here published, and we do not think any foreign nation is likely to complain of breach of confidence. We confess there are points we should have wished to have read more about, such, for example, as the advantages of Griison’s cupolas employed as forts d‘arret, an d the employment of iron on land forts; also the possible powers of muzzle-pivotting guns, like EAupp’s ball-and-socket gun, might have been dealt with, as well as his guns, pivotting, carrying shields on them, &c. In fact, on what many would call fancy matters, and also on new foreign questions, we do not find as much information should expect; but all the essential matter required for authoritative text-book appears to be well supplied.

All this must be read carefully to be appreciated. For example, we have a record of the application of as sound and good a device as can well be found—that is, the employment of a breech-loading smooth-bore gun to defend ditches by firing case. Case is the one thing that is discharged much better from smooth bores than rifles. A ditch or flank is the one place where case only is required. The application of breech-loading to a smooth bore under these conditions, although unambitious, is so admirable a thought, that we could wish the name of the man who devised it was supplied.

Colonel Inglis’s paper we reviewed at considerable length in The Engineer of May Gth, 1881.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

The Materials of Engineering. In three Parts. Part I.: Eon-metallic Materials, Stone, Timber, Fuels, Lubricants, Ac. By R. H. Thurston, A.M.C.E. New York: John Wiley.

Triibner and Co. 1883.

Transactions of the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science. Nottingha n Meeting, 1882. London : Longmans, Green, and Co. 1883.

Through-booking of Goods between India and the United Kingdom. By Sir W. Andrew, C.I.E. London: W. H. Allen and Co. 1883.

Elements for the Construction of Electro-magnets. By Count Th. Du Moncel. Translated from the French by C. J. Wharton. London: E. and F. N. Spon. 1883.

Journal of the Society of Telegraph Engineers. No. 46. Yol. xii. London: E. and F. N. Spon. 1883.

Useful Suggestions in Cases of Accident or Illness for the Use of the Employes of Messrs. Lucas and Aird. By A. H. Robinson M.D., Hull. >

Saw Filing; a Practical Treatise, in Popular Form. By Robert Grimshaw. London: Triibner and Co. 1883.

Professional Papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers. Edited by Major R. H. Vetch, R.E. Royal Engineers’ Institute Occasional Papers. Vol. vii., 1882. London: Edward Stanford.

Economy of Coal in House Fires, or How to Convert an Ordinary Fire-grate into a Slow Combustion Stove at Small Cost. By T. Pridgin-Teale, M.A. London: J. and A. Churchill.

An Account of the Duties on Coal and the London Coal and Mine Duties. By Theo. Wood Bunning, Secretary to the Northumberland and Durham Coal Trades. Newcastle: Andrew Reid.

The Gas Manager's Hand-book; consisting of Tables, Rules, and Useful Information for Gas Engineers, Managers, and Others. By Thos. Newbigging, M.I.C.E. Third edition. London: Walter King. 1883.

Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Vol. lxxi. Edited by James Forrest, A.I.C.E., Secretary. London : The Institution.

Dictionnaire Technologique dans le langues Fraw'aise, Anglaise et Allemande. Redige par M. Alexandre Tolhausen. Revu par M. Louis Tolhausen. Third edition. Supplement to the above. Leipzig : Bernhard Tauchnitz. 1883.

GRASSHOPPER ENGINES.

We publish as a supplement this week, engravings of a pair of disconnecting surface condensing grasshopper paddle engines, which were fitted on board the tug steamer Henrietta in the autumn of last year, to the order of Messrs. Raylton Dixon and Co., Cleveland Dock and Shipbuilding Yard, Middlesbrough, the hull of the vessel being built by them. Her length between perpendiculars is 92ft., breadth of beam 18ft. 9in., depth to top> of floors 8ft. 9in., and moulded depth 9ft. 9in. The light draught of the vessel is about 5ft. from the bottom of the keel. The engines were constructed at Greenock by Messrs. Kincaid and Co., of the Clyde Foundry there, and fitted on board at Middlesbrough. They consist of two cylinders 24in. in diameter by 36in. length of stroke of piston, each cylinder being fitted with a separate surface condenser, air, circulating, and feed, and bilge pumps. There is a disconnecting clutch in the centre of the crank shaft worked from the starting platform by a strong lever, the separate reversing gears for each engine being also worked by levers situated in close proximity to the disconnecting lever. The valve gear is on the ordinary link principle with double excentrics. Steam is supplied by a horizontal tubular boiler, having two furnaces, of the ordinary marine type. The boiler was tested by hydraulic pressure to 100 lb. per square inch. The paddle-wheels are on the feathering principle, brass bushed throughout, and of strong construction, having inner and outer rings. On the trial trip on the Tees the machinery worked very satisfactorily, a speed of 10.j knots having been obtained against a strong wind and tide. The Henrietta left Middlesbrough in November last, her destination being Samarung, Java, where she is to be employed in the towing trade. The engines, it will be seen, are of the grasshopper type, which appears to be the best ever put into a tug boat, and apparently possessing very considerable advantages for all paddle boats. Its defect is that it is slightly heavier and take3 up more room than oscillating engines, but on the other hand the cost of repair is very small, and it will work well when very much out of order. The system has been admirably carried out by Messrs. Kincaid, and the adoption of the surface condenser may be said to give the system a new lease of life.

Ship Launch at Middlesbrough.—On Tuesday afternoon Messrs. Raylton Dixon and Co. launched a large iron screw steamer, which has been built to the order of the Greenock Steamship Company. This vessel, one of the largest turned out by her builders, is of the following dimensions:—Length over all, 340ft.; breadth, 42ft. 3in.; depth moulded, 28ft. 4in., and she will carry over 4500 tons dead weight. She is built on the spar-decked rule, having cellular bottom throughout.

The Royal Institution.—On Friday evening last Professor Bayley Balfour delivered a lecture at the Royal Institution on “ The Island of Socotra and its Recent Revelations.” Socotra, an island in the Indian Ocean, to the south of the entrance to the Red Sea, has, said the lecturer, but two mammals, the bat and the civet cat; its snakes are of Asiatic affinity. He spoke chiefly of the botanical characteristics of the island. The dragon’s blood tree grows in Socotra. In ancient times dragon’s blood was used as a panacea; it is now replaced by art. It is a gum resin exuding from the bark of the tree, and is used by the inhabitants for painting pottery. The original dragon’s blood tree is in the Canary Islands, but some trees in Nubia and in Somali Land also exude the gum resin. The number of frankincense trees in Socotra is exceedingly large; four species of them are entirely new; four or five species of myrrh are also found on the island. The true aloe grows in Socotra. The natives are lazy in collecting true aloeS; when they do anything in that way they place a goat’s skin on the ground, then cut the leaves of the plant; in two or three hours the juice trickles into • the centre of the skin and gradually solidifies. Small box trees grow on the island. Of all the plants in Socotra about one in three is endemic. The endemic flora are many of them unique in type. Sir Frederick Pollock presided at this lecture, and among those present were Sir J. D. Hooker, of Kew Gardens, the Rev.

W. W. Newbould, as well as others interested in botany and geography.

Peter Cooper.—The death of Peter Cooper removes one of the American railroad pioneers—the first man to build a locomotive in America. His machine was of little direct importance, it is true, and Mr. Cooper’s connection with railroads was not long nor intimate; but his services were characteristic of the man—always ready to give time, labour, and money for the good of his fellow men. In 1829, when the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad had been opened for thirteen miles to Ellicott”s Mills, it was still a question whether it should eventually be worked with horses or by steam power, and it was feared that a locomotive could not be made to work on so crooked a road. Mr. Cooper, largely to prove that the road could be worked by steam, constructed on his own account a . little engine of about 1-horse power, which on Saturday, August 28th, 1830, was tested on the road, and ran the thirteen miles and back, with one passenger car, carrying twenty-four persons, in two hours and ten minutes. The late Ross Winans, whose judgment in such matters carried great weight, and who had seen the “Rocket” win the prize at Liverpool the October previous, the very day of the trial wrote to the president of the Baltimore and Ohio Company, saying : “ To-day’s experiments must, I think, establish beyond a doubt the practicability of using locomotive steam power on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for the conveyance of passengers and goods at such speed and with such safety— when compared with other modes—as will be perfectly satisfactory to all parties concerned.” Some years ago, at a meeting of the American Master Mechanics’ Association in New York, the venerable Mr. Cooper told the story of his tiny engine and the trial of it to the men who then had charge of more than 14,000 locomotives, by which 70,000 miles of railroad were worked in the United Siates, which, at the time of his death, had increased to 22,000 locomotives and 113,500 miles of railroad—represented at this trial by his litfle “Tom Thumb” and about twenty miles of track worked by horse power. Railroad men, remarks the Railroad Gazette, will be glad through this to connect with the beginning of American railroads the great philanthropist who seemed always aglow with a fine enthusiasm to help struggling mortals forward in the world.

m m mi

ELEPHANT BOILERS.

Eggljgwwvvv. v:

:v.•.

si

SvI^WWW-l

\\

til

I’:.

the dressing of magnetic iron ores, and sands containing that ore, and in this direction the greatest progress has been made in this country. It may be of interest, however, here, to recall the fact that, at a number of places abroad, magnetic separation has been extended to other classes of ores, notably close mixture of spathic iron ore, or iron pyrites and blende, previously roasted, as it is possible that by this remain similar ores, now useless, may be made available here. The principal field of magnetic separation will, however, always remain the dressing of magnetic iron, sands, and ores. In the case of the former, drying in a suitable revolving cylinder is resorted to, while with the latter class of material a system of crushing, pulverising, and Mr. C. G. Buchanan, of this city, the

sizing is necessary, inventor of the machine we are about to describe, has shown us a sketch of mill for this purpose, in which he has, by suitable exhaust arrangements, provided for the removal of the dust made during the crushing and screening, which would prove objectionable in the latter separation. The principal market for fine magnetic ore, obtained by this system of dressing, is, .of course, for forge fires and puddling furnace fix, the quantity which could be used in blast furnaces being limited by the inconvenience which raw material of such fineness would entail in the

working of the furnace.

UK

Wk illustrate herewith a type of boiler manufactured almost exclusively by Messrs. Hall, of Dartford. The elephant boiler at one time enjoyed much favour in this country, and under various modifications it is preferred on the Continent to any other. It possesses many advantages. It is safe, economical, and when well made, extremely durable. We know one which has worked steadily for over forty years and required but few repairs, a result due in a great measure to the care with which it has been kept clean. It is possible that the type may again come into favour, and of this there are some recent indications we are happy to say. ___

now

WORSSAM’S CASK LIFT.

Tim annexed engraving illustrates one of the forms of cask lift, as exhibited by Messrs. G. .1. Worssam and Sons, of Wenloek-road, City-road, at the Brewing Exhibition. The chain and projecting bars, by which the casks are raised, are of wrought

The manipulations in the preparation of the camphor followsThe cylindrical vessel B is filled,, after removing the cover G, with chips of camphor wood; the lid is then luted on, and a definite quantity of water poured in through the hole K, which moistens the chips and collects in the pan h. It is now heated gently for twelve hours, a small fire being kept up as the water in the pan begins to boil. The ascending vapours, passing through the chips, carry off all the camphor and oil in the wood, and both are deposited on the surface of the water in the condenser H. At the end of twelve hours the exhausted chips are removed through the square hole D, and fresh chips and fresh water put in. At the expiration of twenty-four hours the process is interrupted, the whole apparatus cleaned, and the camphor collected in H is placed in barrels. Here it is very

are as

as soon

ffr>

POS.

NEC.

I-"

Ha

1!

i !    ________

Jgp--

mr

.

pr a--

IS-

IS

ii ii1111pi

j iiii!

I ’:i

: . .

up -sr

The Buchanan magnetic separator, which we illustrate this

on sands at

|p.

"y:"

□ ~[mI

lightly pressed, and the oil, which amounts to at least 25 per cent., and is as clear as water, is poured off from the solid camphor, and both products are sent to market. At certain places the crude camphor is again pressed somewhat harder, when quite a good deal more oil runs through the crevices in the vessels. The tolerably dry product is sent mostly to Osaka, the chief export town for this important article of commerce. The camphor oil, called by the Japanese shono abura, is used by very poor people only as an illuminating oil : and in spite of its strong \ smell and smoke, it is burned in open lamps. Perfectly pure 5 camphor is not exported, but the crude country product is first freed from the still adherent oil by further distillation in Europe. The exhausted chips are dried on the scaffold I by fhe side of the furnace, and are then used as fuel.—Dingier s Poly-teelinisclies Journal.

week, has been at work for upwards of two years Block Island, and possesses features of special interest. A and B represent the two cast iron rolls, provided with heavy wrought iron shafts or journals. In section these rolls have an oval core, so that the surface of the rolls is uniformly magnetic. The distance between the surface of the two rolls is 2in. C C represent the iron standards supporting the rolls, and having journals in which they revolve. The rolls are provided with brass collars b ft¹, intended to prevent the ore from dropping outside of them. D represents the wooden frame to which the stands are bolted, and it also supports the hopper E and the chutes F and G. The standards C are first insulated and then closely wound with

iron, the chain having a speed sufficient to raise 600 casks an hour if required. The top and bottom plates are attached, to the side frames, so that the whole lift is independent and requires but four bolts to fix it.

PICHLER’S ELASTIC WHEEL.

The wheel illustrated by the accompanying engraving has been invented by Mr. J. F. Pichler, lb2, Great Portland-street, W., with the object of securing a wheel that is really elastic in direction at the same time. Many so-called elastic or

every

THE MANUFACTURE OF CAMPHOR IN .JAPAN.

The camphor tree is very widely distributed in Japan, being equally common on the three islands Niphon, Ivinshin, and Sikok; but it thrives best in the southern portion of the kingdom, namely, in the provinces of Tosa and Sikok. The sea coast, with its mild, damp air, agrees with it best, and hence the chief production of camphor is in these provinces.

Dr. A. von Boretz, of Otanyama, Japan, states that the only tree which yields the commercial camphor of Japan and I ormosa is the laurus camphoratus, which the natives call tsunoki. Camphor is collected the whole year through, but the best results obtained in winter. When the camphor collectors find a. spot with several camphor trees in the vicinity, they migrate thither, build a hut to live in, and construct a furnace for making the crude camphor. W hen that place is exhausted, the hut is torn dowrn and carried to another place. The method observed in obtaining camphor is very simple. The workmen select a tree, and with a hollow-ground short-handled instrument begin to chop off regular chips. As soon as the huge tree falls, the trunk, large roots, and branches are chopped up in the same way, and the chips carried to the furnace in baskets. The furnaces are mostly built on the side of a hill near a stream of water, and serve for the wet distillation of the chips. The furnace.is of very simple construction. A small circular foundation A is built of stone, and upon this is placed a shallow iron pan F 2ft. in diameter, covered with a perforated cover E luted on with clay. This cover forms the bottom of a cylindrical vessel B 40in. high, and tapering to 18in. at the top. Near the bottom of this vessel is a square opening D, which can be tightly closed with a board. The whole vessel is covered with a thick coating of clay C, held in place by strips of bamboo. The cover of this vessel G, which is also luted on with clay, has an opening K closed with a plug. Passing through the side of the vessel near the top is. a bamboo tube L leading to the condenser H. This condenser is merely a quadrangular box, open below and divided up by four partitions into five compartments communicating with each other. The open side of this box dips into water and is kept cool by water drizzling over it,

i§

/1 =5^1

I I"--!

oV

ai

1^1

heavy insulated copper wire, and the two ends of the wire are connected with the poles of a dynamo machine. It is evident that if a strong current of electricity is passed through the wires, the standard C will become powerful electromagnets, and that, if they are properly wound, each end of the same standard will be of opposite polarity, as indicated by the wires marked positive and negative. It is also evident that the rolls will be charged by induction, and that one roll will be of north polarity and the other south. The peculiarity of this arrangement is, that a powerful magnetic field is formed between the rolls, and they are capable, while charged, of holding a weight of 500 lb. or 600 lb., if it is placed between them, while on their opposite side they are practically non-magnetic, and will not hold a tack.

The variations needed in dressing ores of different grades and sizes are controlled by regulating the power of the current of the dynamo-electric machine. The latter is of a special pattern, producing a current of a low electro-motive force, the wire being heavier and larger electro-magnets being chosen. It is built by the well-known Weston Electric Light Company. The operation of the machine is as follows:—The rolls are rotated toward each other, at a circumference speed of 150ft. per minute, and the hoppers opened so that the ore falls upon the top of the rolls. In passing over the rolls, it is carried through the gnetic field, and all that is magnetic is attracted and attached to the faces of the two rolls, and carried around by them to a point where they lose their magnetic effect, and the ore falls into the chutes F F. The rock being acted upon by gravity alone, falls directly into the chute G, and a nearly perfect separation is thus effected.—The Engineering and Mining Journal.

ma

(7)

flexible wheels have been made’which are not really, flexible in the plane of the wheel at all, for rigidity injone direction prevents flexure in the other. This, however, is not the case with the wheel of which] the above is an illustration of the principle. This engraving explains itself.

BUCHANAN’S MAGNETIC SEPARATOR.

Among the many recent applications of electricity to the arts, one of the most interesting to those engaged in mining and metallurgy is that of concentrating ores. Though repeatedly attempted, particularly for magnetic iron ores., by the use of permanent magnets, it was not until the perfection of dynamo-electric machines permitted the economical generation of electric currents that any work worthy of serious attention was done. Naturally, the first field in which any effort was made was in

Naval Engineer Appointments.—The following appointments have been made at the Admiralty:—James Jessop, chief engineer, to the Hibernia, additional, for service in the Thunderer, Ingledew; Henry Coller, engineer, to the Raven, when commissioned ; and Thomas Hughes, engineer, to the Indus, for service in the Watchful.

National Mining and Industrial Exhibition at Denver, Colorado.—We have received through the Science and Art Department a communication to the effect that an Act has been passed by the United States Government admitting free of duty articles intended for the Denver National Mining and Industrial Exposition, and that this Exposition will open on 17th July and close on 30th September, 1883.

Lighting The Suez Canal by Gas.—After a trial of some months, we learn that the Suez Canal Company has finally decided upon an extensive application of Pintsch’s system of lighting harbours and rivers by means of gas-containing buoys and fixed lights, given by compressed oil gas. The Pintsch Patent Lighting Company has received instructions to erect a gasworks for the purpose at Port Said, and eight spherical buoys 9ft. in diameter, and to burn for two months without re-filling, are at once to be sent out for lighting the canal approaches. Three fixed lights to burn two months are also to be erected, and three large holders for storing the gas are to be erected on suitable sites. The system will probably be used throughout the canal. The same system is also to be adopted at Port Philip, Victoria,

vice

and lower end of the flue. Six neck pieces with broad flanges, bloom8 obtained from South Wales and the Sheffield district, as top and bottom, for double rivetting, such as are used lor wed as from Staffordshire Steelworks, view with dissatisfaction the marine boilers, each made out of one piece of iron. Six wrought new cana(jian tariff proposals. That a duty of five dollars per ton iron boiler manholes, one flange being broad for double rivetting, sboupj} after July 1st, be imposed on steel sheets, bars, and ingots, and the other being frin. thicker than the body of the forging, -which have hitherto been admitted free, is unwelcome news.

THE LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY NEW BRIDGE AT BLACKFRIARS.

The enormous traffic on the London, Chatham, and Dover Company’s mainlines, Crystal Palace lines, and Metropolitan Lxten-sion lines, has long, as most Londoners are aware, made it necessary that increased accommodation should be provided at Ludgate Hill, where a most inconvenient and unfinished station, with only two platforms, has long had to do duty as an important terminus, though the real terminus is at Holborn. It is really remarkable that it has been possible to conduct so much traffic with so much regularity as has been noticeable, in the past year or two, especially when it is considered that the inadequacy of the Ludgate Station has made so much crossing necessary. To avoid this, and to get the extra station room required, it became necessary to widen the existing or build another bridge at Blackfriars, and for the latter purpose an Act was obtained in 1881. This bridge we illustrate by the engravings on pages 318 and 322, from which it will be seen to be quite different in design from the existing parallel lattice girder structure, and will be a few feet to the east of it. Granting that a Separate structure must be built, the necessity for placing it so close to the other is unfortunate, and whatever beauty the Blackfriars-road bridge may have is marred by the proximity of the existing railway tracks. The new bridge will be so close to the railway, and its piers will so correspond with those of the present railway bridge, that it will be hardly visible from Blackfriars-road, but from some distance down the river its design will be well shown, as its breadth will be sufficient to keep the high iron girders of the existing railway bridge out of sight. The bridge will consist of five arches, three of which will be of 185ft. span, and two of 175ft. each. The height from high-water line to soffit will be 26ft. The arch girders are of wrought iron, and the spandrel filling is also of wrought angle iron, formed shown at Fig. 3, so as to produce a spandrel free to “ breathe,” but at the same time of great strength. At the third pier from the Surrey side the new bridge, which will carry four lines of railway, commences to widen out to receive the five platforms of the station, as shown in the plan, page 318. Messrs. Lucas and Aird, the contractors, who are represented on the works by Mr.

H. Turner, are now busily at work, and will commence sinking large caissons through the superstrata in to the London clay in a day or two. These caissons will extend to a depth of 46ft. below T.H.W., and the excavations to about 9ft. below the caissons. When this is reached, the caissons will be filled with concrete, and will form the foundations for the piers. The permanent caissons will be surmounted by temporary caissons to 3ft. above T.H.W., the wrought ironwork for which, and for the rest of the bridge, will be made by the Thames Iron Company. Unless any unforeseen events should occur, there seems no reason to doubt that the work will be ready well within the stipulated two years. The estimated cost of the works of the bridge and station is £300,000.

The whole of the masonry in the piers and abutments is to be of granite. The minimum width on the bed of all stones is to be 2ft. 3in. The courses may vary in height, but no course may be less than 2ft. high, and the thickest courses must be in the bottom of the pier. The height of any course, including the joint, must be a multiple of 3in. The two footing courses are to be rough-hammer dressed on the face, but the remainder of the exposed surfaces up to the belt, as well as all beds, will be fine picked. Every third stone up to the belt is to be a header, and the minimum dimensions on the bed to be, stretchers 4ft. 6in. by 2ft. 3in., headers 2ft. 3in. by 3ft. 6in. In the circular cutwater every alternate stone is to be a header, and the joints are to be truly radial, the stretchers being checked into the headers as shown at Fig. 7; they are to be dowelled together with wrought iron dowels 12in. long, 3in. wide, fin. thick, with cogs 14in. deep, which are to be let in flush with the top of the stone and run in with neat cement. The belt is to be fine-axed on all exposed faces, and to be of the size shown. It will be a stretcher course throughout except in the cutwater. Checks are to be cut in the intervals between the ribs for the reception of the filling in course lft. 44in. thick. The springers are to be of an uniform depth of 5ft. 6in., and lft. lOin. wide on face. Chaces are to be cut on each side of the stone 7ft. by 2in. for the reception of the holding-down rods. The course immediately above the springers and filling-in course is to be composed of stones all 5ft. 6in. long by 3ft. 6in. on the beds. The joints of this course are to come over the centre of the stones in the filling-in course. Above this last-named course the stones in the face of the pier may be of reduced size, 2ft. on the bed being allowed.

The new station will have a frontage of 130ft. on Queen Victoria-street, immediately opposite the Times office, and will adjoin and communicate with the present Blackfriars station of the District Company. It will stand on the east side of. the Chatham Company’s main line, and will extend back to the river, the platforms, however, running some little distance on to the bridge, which will be carried within a few feet of the eastern side of the present structure. A leading feature of the design, which, like that of the bridge, has been prepared by Mr. John Wolfe Barry, is the arrangement by which the streams of arriving and departing passengers will be kept entirely distinct. There will be five platforms. From Queen Victoria-street the entrance will be by a fine flight of twelve steps from a central hall, which will contain the booking-offices, refreshment, waiting, and other From this hall staircases will lead to the platforms by of wide corridors, which will be sufficiently long to allow of the breaking up of the large press of passengers which arrive by the morning trains from the southern suburbs. From Ludgate-hill and the District Company’s Blackfriars station, covered ways will be built, so that the whole will practically form one large depot. Owing to the position of the station, ordinary foundations could not be made, and the expense of providing the requisite supports adjoining the District line, and arranging for the abutments of the bridge, have consequently been very heavy; but, on the other hand, the company has not had to purchase much expensive land or property, as a portion of the bridge serves for a part of the station.

The engineers are Mr. W. Mills, of the London, Chatham, and Dover Company, Mr. John Wolfe Barry, and Mr. H. M. Brunei, Mr. E. Crutwell being the resident engineer.

Two boiler plates 6ft 6in. diameter. Twelve uptakes, in three Makers of iron sheets, however, who now have to sell against a sizes, for vertical donkey boilers, welded throughout, and flanged Canadian duty of 174 Per fen*;., seem likely, according to the at the lower end. Two boiler plate* 5ft. 7in. finished diameter present limited informationt to^benefit by the^changes with a Sill, flange .11 round. Twelve conical tubes, welded, and

to be accepting.

The drop in Earl Dudley’s coal will leave furnace sorts at 10s. and forge 9s. Slack will fall 6d. The colliers are agitating for another conference with the masters before consenting to the reduction in wages, urging that last week’s meeting was not sufficiently representative on the employers’ side.

As ’Change closed in Birmingham this afternoon it became known that it is practically arranged for a meeting of coalmasters to be held at Wolverhampton next Wednesday to again consider the miners’ wages question, and the men will be asked to continue work subject to the decicion of the meeting. It was reported on ’Change that the Cannock Chase coalowners will not reduce quotations on May 1st.    . „ ,, D, „    ,

On Saturday the coal and ironstone masters of North Statiord-shire will give their men fourteen days, notice for a reduction of

1}To obtain more definite information concerning the precise effect of the new American duties, a few hardware firms, who already do some business with the States, and who seem likely to do more, are sending out representat: ves to make inquiries on the spot. The new classifications impart to the tariff an amount of uncertainty which it is desirable should be cleared up.

flanged at the lower end only, as usually required for exporta- makers ^Qte £U per ton *at 0utPorts and others £13. But this tion. Three domes for boilers, in diminishing sizes. _ me rop ^ fi„ure is not the minimum which certain new firms are reported piece, in which are inserted the flagstaff's, is a small iron vase.    °

At either side of the domes is a circular plate 4ft. finished

pi

NOTES FROM LANCASHIRE.

ii'if

10

llllllll 1 iiimill'9 nl'HIM

kf

E''l

nil |

fill

_ =J

iHl

_5J

iiliH

(From, our own Correspondent.)

new

Manchester— There is still an absence of any weight of new busi-ness coming forward in the iron market of this district, and this applies both to pig and manufactured iron. For the most part con-sumers are not actually in want of pig iron for their present require-ments, and even where they have orders to give out they hold back as long as possible in the expectation that prices will have to give way and to effect sales inducements in the way of concessions upon present rates have to be offered to buyers. Where, however, iron can be bought at low figures consumers only give out orders for small lots unless they can obtain long forward deliveries, which makers are not at present disposed to entertain. Pig iron makers still delivering fairly large quantities against old contracts, and are, therefore, not actually pressing sales, but as they are gradually getting nearer the end of their order books with little or no new business coming in, there is an evident growing anxiety to secure orders which, although quoted rates do not give way to any material extent, causes an under current of weakness in the market which operates in the favour of buyers. Manufacturers of finished iron are scarcely so well off for orders as the pig iron makers; it is exceptional where they are able to keep their woiks fully going, and they are in the position that prices are already so low that they have no legitimate margin upon which they can give way to meet buyers, and they are, therefore, under the necessity of making a strong effort to resist any further downward movement in prices.

WO

There was an extremely flat market at Manchester on Tuesday, with a want of firmness in prices. For Lancashire pig iron delivered equal to Manchester, the prices quoted were 46s. for forge and 47s. for foundry, less 24 per cent.; but these figures were out of the market, and Is. per ton less would have to be taken to do business. Local makers, however, although they are getting no new orders of any weight, and stocks are now beginning to accumulate at the rks, at present show no disposition to come down to the level ol buyers’ prices. Some of the district brands come nearer to buyers views as to values—Lincolnshire forge iron being quoted at 4os. and foundry qualities at about 46s. 6d., less 24, delivered equal to Manchester; but at these figures only a few odd sales of small lots

In hematites the tendency of prices continues downwards, but diameter, made of Cleveland mild steel, flanged externally and I buyer8 are still below the prices wanted by makers, internally. All the other articles are made of iron.    Finished iron continues very dull, and merchants are still lo

The edees and flanges of each of the above pieces have been sellers; but makers hold for £6 5s. as their minimum figure turned upg in Se fath? An inspection of the* trophy will, we bars,, and about £6 15s. for hoops, delivered equal to Manchester

the treble best iron or steel boiler plate used is about £9 10s. per A standar(i. It is said that the agents commissioned to place ton for ordinary sizes.    the contracts for the Rosario and Candelaria section of the Western

Santa Fe Railway, who have given out the orders for the locomotives in England, called upon thirteen of the best engineering firms; TTTF. TRON COAL AND GENERAL TRADES aU of those firms declared that their works were full of orders up

T o! BIRMINGHAM, WOLVERHAMPTON,

OTHER DISTRICTS.    cost,” induced a leading English firm to take up the contract.

(From our own Correspondent.)    Bolton machinists in the district are only moderately employed on

new

Thk uncertainties as to the early future of iron prices „-not    fStS££    JS2f3

lessened this week. The decision of the coaimasters to reduce bin to the United States, which has hitherto been a very

rates Is. per ton on the 1st prox., gives rise to an expectation by some    antitem In machine tools also, in which a fairly large

buyers that a fall in iron will follow. Hence, they are this week ZZess hL Zen done Ttl America, the new tariff will place purchasing sparingly.    qvo I Tiano&sbire engineers in a decidedly worse position. The injurious

Makers strongly discourage the expectation Prices are    is, in fact, already being felt. There is a

they declare, already so low that it will be impossible to ma eia y    to complete orders in hand, for delivery before the end of

further concessions. Such a reduction as 5s. per ton m all-mine push ori to compieteoraers    q{ new Qrd'rs coming in.

pigs and 10s. per ton in marked bars, which in a time of norm    y, thit    d annual report of the Amalgamated Society of

rooms.

means

trade often ensues when Earl Dudley’s coal is dropped Is., iron- -    week to the members. In review-

masters state is at this time out of the question.    • ^t.lie s+ate 0f trade Mr. John Burnet, the general secretary,

All-mine pig makers are especially emphatic. I    tft that the hopeful anticipations of the previous year have been

they assert, leave no profit, and rather than reduce they willblow »“f^tfeaUBed. It was almost certain that in no pre-out. They quote 85s for cold blast    bl ’ viousgyear had Great Britain sent abroad so large a quantity of the

Second-class pigs are 50s. to 4os., and cinder sorts 40s.    easy.    various kinds of articles and commodities which they produced for

A quiet trade did not prevent agents of    pig    makers    outside this various    R might safely be asserted that never

district being very firm this—Thursday—afternoon in Birmingham.    tbe engineers of Britain called upon to produce so

Best Derbyshires were quoted 49s. at stations, and Lmcoimhmes ^fo^ ^ work|Q meet the requirements of foreign countries ; 50s. delivered. Northampton pigs were 47s. 6d. upwards. Hema    doubt that so far as the engineering trade

tites were slow of sale at 62s. 6d. to 6os. nominal for Welsh and and    to-day in a better position in the mar-

Cumberland brands.    y.ovc, TPnrl kets of tbe world tban ever they did before. But good, as

Marked bars were tame, but the demand for the bars of Ear    o^npral trade had been it was in marine engineering

Dudley, Wm. Barrows and Sons, and Noah Hingley and Sons will,    ghad begn most succe8Sful. Shipbuilding had been carried

Alxeady'smffi^mrsgoTo America to some Extent, in much part ^ on during ^jastjwo

TROPHY OF BOILER PLATES AND FLANGED WORK FOR THE AMSTERDAM EXHIBITION.

T-iron: .iU, best, £10 10s.;    ^    g*Zl to frS, year.Vgo.d trade.

.....    ....    ,,    £14. Bound oak angles were £8 12s.    f.d,    £10, ill 10»„    With regard to the position ot the society, the report states that at

The annexed engraving represents an exhibit    of    boiler    plates    £13 10s., according to quality.    ,    +bp riOSp of 1881 thev had 412 branches on the roll. In the course

and flanged work, which haSe just been sent by Messrs. Fos Hoop and strip makers, as also the firms    *₀?S“heyhad opLed new ones at Stockton-on-Tees, Newton

Head, and Co., of Middlesbrough, to the Dutch International and tin-plates, are loo ing    mittine forth efforts to get Heath, Sunderland, Colchester, Gainsborough, Openshaw,

Industrial Exhibition, to be opened at Amsterdam on the 1st duties, and certain of them are no p g    Glasgow, and Woolston at home, and in America at Plainfield,

May next. All the articles shown were manufactured by the ^anShoops and strips were quoted this afternoon at £7 10s. Denver, Launton and Erie. Branches bapddp^re?ea^®B_eJhe^ above-named firm from plates rolled by them at Middlesbrough t £g bvd comrnon qualities were plentiful at £6 15s. to £6 10s. Inverness, Constantinople, Port Jervis, a <    8 > b .

of iron produced in the Cleveland distnet.    'were quoted 16.., and nail „trip, of 12i„.    ?* loT-VoiSS    3; tofrX! £

Beginnmg atthe bottom and ascending—nearly consecutively— to 24in. wide and of 14 w.g. to 12 w.g., £6 10s. Common angle    ₇ A d 4. Queensland 1; India, 1; United

the articles comprising the trophy consist of the following, viz.: iron, of from 14in. to 44in., was £6 10s. to £7, while superior Cana ,    >    ,    j^jafta p anj France 1. These 420

—Two boiler plates, 6ft. 6in. square. Four sections of a vertical angle bars, to 8 united inches, were £7 15s., £8 15s., and £f los.,    > ’tai d ’ aggregate of 48,388 members. The total

puddling furnace boiler flue, welded and flanged at both ends, according to quality. Ordinary T-iron, from gin. to 2*m., was branches contained an aogregate

Ml mmmmmiimmzii iiiiiii

H    III!Jfi« 5II!

Sfi fl sf ifsj4&|ij!ffj-.ft§ If! &g Mjfli!

f f Hi?    Hi n *|J dlji ifJ £*?**$* faJ

!i slt^f! sS-llp!!! !2f!! I ||!a^i JIJJs

f Ifflf 1! |1131 -=1 Hfl; li |i! 111 iMffilJIKiK ll 1 Ullfllllil !"il |1f!! ifSiSpHii-la    1 ijifii* ititffi.ii ii iffilffihhijffifliiliiiSi

ifli-1 i|1fes !i ,f|i il    Hi h* P^f f    l^lt?J:4:ii:!||1 U aj i

o-sa „ g-i rs 11    i-s §    j    Pilp 83 § s*g spg£ § | z    g ^ § gfO* s ofsoro! si a*

g*    si "is I §:s*-    ^Z ||-s ors'i g i 1§£33    p's    as    1=2    pS'-g ° J §3| *.3 .3 s-H jf

¹ ^ ** a    W*    fr* g Ni-S* 1 g S3 g ll •S utu SJh    Is si ll sill III ll* sll M’s

S*SS..<°S,ga.g-g

S.K-8    ® IsrjfigJ-w -

III 111:    i?f! ?jti iff I i V*

••■ii-ssfg||ifrljriji It U. if#t*»E?li*rjai822«? *>«•    *<•

ifff II

ftfi if J>i!pU: illlt!|l-afllK-li-fffill It fll trfl!

IIPIi    \\\\ i Sri hi 1

S <?<£ 8-S S a* ? 8,cg Fg S,S-'<£(g g-gs-    S-&

now

conces-

are

now 13,896 members, with a revenue of £9798, being an increase of £1611 on the year. During 1882 there were 2312 cases of minor injuries, in which members were admitted to benefits, or 403 more than in the preceding year; and the entire number of non-fatal accidents for the six years of the fund’s existence was augmented to 7859. There were twenty-five fatal cases during the year, causing fifteen widows to be placed on the list, increasing the number to fifty; thirty-one children had become chargeable to the society.

The Sheffield Town Council are now fairly launched on a scheme of sewerage. They have obtained their Improvement Bill—unless a hitch takes place in the Lords, which is not expected—and Mr. John Thornhill Harrison, M.I.C.E., has been appointed to make an inquiry on the 3rd day of May into the Corporation’s application to the Local Government Board for sanction to borrow £150,000 for the scheme. The Corporation further ask for £12,000 to construct a new road across Crooksmoor Valley, connecting Winter-street with the hilly region of Walkley.

The Gas Appliances Exhibition, promoted by the Sheffield Gas Company, has been a greater success than was anticipated. Some 10,000 people have visited the Corn Exchange, where it was held, and the gas company have orders to lease some 200 gas cooking stoves.

Mr. Chamberlain’s Patents Bill includes a provision for trade marks, which seems to aim at extinguishing the Cutlers’ Company’s privileges, and substituting a Sheffield register. It is proposed that at the expiration of five years from the commencement of this Act the Cutlers’ Company shall close the Cutler’s register of corporate trade marks, “ and thereupon all marks entered therein shall, unless entered in the Sheffield register, be deemed to have been abandoned.” These proposals in the Bill are certain to receive a great deal of attention from the company and the local Chamber of Commerce as well.

men

one

one

of the rnanu-

on

was

at a

The blacksmiths in the

THE SHEFFIELD DISTRICT.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Though the weather is now variable, and generally very cold— the 23rd being one of the coldest days of the year, with frequent showers of hail and sleet—the colliery companies seem disposed to anticipate the usual drop of prices in May. The Nunnery Company, which does a very large business in the district, has lowered quotations by Is. per ton, the rates now ruling at depots being— hand-picked Silkstone branch, 14s.; best Silkstone hards, 12s. Id.; best Silkstone screened, 11s. 3d.; second ditto, 10s.; screened Silkstone nuts, 7s. lid. per ton. Messrs. Newton, Chambers, and Co., of Thorncliffe, who send the largest quantity of Silkstone coals to London, have also reduced their quotations by about Is. per ton. Manufacturing fuel of all sorts, as well as steam coal, is in continued request, and values are slightly better where any change has taken place.

Iron keeps languid, the business done being limited to immediate requirements. Marked Staffordshire bars are still quoted at £710s., and on this basis very great reluctance is shown to do business beyond what is absolutely necessary.

Work is plentiful in most of the heavy branches, particularly in armour plates and ordnance. Steel rails are not so freely ordered as at the corresponding period last year. Engineering establishments are generally well employed, and a large amount of work is being turned out for plant and machinery, which will have the effect of taking business from Sheffield, as the orders are for machines which can only be employed in manufacturing articles which were at one time the extensive speciality of our manufacturers.

The dispute in the file trade has now assumed serious dimensions, so serious that the men have offered to submit the matter to arbitration, and with that view they have named several gentlemen from whom it was thought the manufacturers might make a selection. These names will be submitted to the employers. The strike in the razor trade still continues, but the call from foreign markets is rather lighter, and this will have the effect of preventing other employers from making the sion sought by the workmen.

Mr. C. E. Rhodes, of Aldwarke Main Colliery—Messrs. John Brown and Co., Limited—has been communicating to the Midland Institute of Mining, Civil, and Mechanical Engineers the results of experiments made in the Swallow Wood and Parkgate Seams at Aldwarke Main, with the newly-invented lime cartridges. The practical outcome appeared to be that in some instances the lime would not take the place of gunpowder, which is generally felt to be a matter of regret, as some less perilous explosive than gunpowder is much needed. A discussion which followed the reading of the paper was adjourned, in order that Colonel Smith, who was unavoidably absent from the meeting, might be present when it was considered.

Earl Fitzwilliam presided on Monday at the annual meeting of

the West Riding Miners’ Permanent Relief Society. There

THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

(From our own Correspondent.)

There is little new to report with respect to the Cleveland iron trade. At the market held at Middlesbrough on Tuesday last only a small amount of business was transacted, and the prices of the previous week were fully maintained. Makers have recently booked a few good orders, and being somewhat sanguine as to the future, they are not pressing their iron on the market. For prompt delivery of No. 3 g.m.b. they will not take less than 40s. per ton, and for forward delivery they demand 3d. per ton more. Merchants have only small quantities to offer, and are not taking less than the prices quoted by producers.

The stock of Cleveland iron in Messrs. Connal’s Middlesbrough store declined 1135 tons during last week.

The shipments of pig iron from Middlesbrough are remarkably good this month. Up to Monday night the total had reached 69,550 tons, of which 23,410 tons were sent to Scotland, and 16,820 tons to Germany and Holland.

Business is very quiet in the manufactured iron trade. Inquiries are not so numerous as they were, and some makers complain that they have difficulty in obtaining specifications. Prices remain about the same as before, viz.Ship plates, £6 5s. to £6 10s.; shipbuilding angles, £5 15s.; engineering angles, £6; and common bars, £6 per ton, free on trucks at makers’ works, less 2£ per cent. Puddled bars are £3 15s. per ton net.

Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co., Limited, have given a fortnight’s notice to leave to the moulders, boilersmiths, and fitters employed at their Middlesbrough works. It is understood that the general manager intends to reduce the wages of these 5 per cent.

The restrictions in the Cleveland pig and the finished iron trades is beginning to be felt at the ironstone mines, and steps are being taken to reduce the output at several of them. Last week between forty and fifty men were discharged at Boosbeck, and at Craggs Hall and Skinningrove only five days per week will be worked for the present.

Messrs. Allhusen and Co., of Newcastle-on-Tyne, have just made contracts for the sinking of two brine wells, and the erection of evaporating pans, on land recently purchased by them near Middlesbrough on the Durham side of the Tees. Mr. John Vivian, C.E., of Whitehaven, has undertaken to sink the wells, and the work will be commenced immediately.

The members of the Cleveland Institution of Engineers paid a visit to Messrs. Bell Bros’, salt works at Port Clarence on Saturday last. Mr. F. H. Bell conducted the visitors over the works, and pointed out everything of interest. The brine reservoir was first inspected. It is capable of holding 500,000 gallons of brine, which is equivalent to from five to six hundred tons of salt. The reservoir is about a mile from the bore-hole. Near the bore-hole were seen the actual cores obtained whilst boring down to the salt. They were cut out by a cylindrical drill studded on its lower edge with diamonds, and were drawn to the surface in pieces as they happened to break off. The rock salt lies some 1100ft. from the surface, and is over 70ft. thick. The pumping engine was seen at work, and Mr. Bell tested a sample of the brine with a salin-ometer, showing it to contain 23 per cent, of salt. The nine evaporating pans were then seen in operation, and an explanation given as to how they were worked! The salt settles in crystals the top of the water, and forms a covering. This, on being broken, allows the vapour to escape and the salt falls to the bottom of the pan. Thence it is at intervals of forty-eight hours shovelled into trucks. Messrs. Bell Bros, are now arranging to erect chemical works for the manufacture of soda ash, or anhydrous carbonate of soda (Na₂ C 0:j) by the new ammonia process, the brine being treated as it comes from the bore-hole with bi-carbonate of ammonia, N H₃ 2 (C 0₂).

An important case under the Employers’ Liability Act was tried at the Stockton county-court on Thursday last. A puddler named Saunders, in the employment of Messrs. Fox, Head, and Co., Middlesbrough, was kneeling down marking off a piece of iron to be afterwards cut at the shears. He was not at the time exactly on the spot usually occupied by him when at work, but three or four yards from it. Looking up when be had finished what he was doing, a “ flash” or drop of molten cinder from a shingling hammer 70ft. distant struck one of his eyes and instantly blinded it. Saunders now sued his employers for £300, on the ground that had the locality in question been sufficiently screened from the hammer the accident could not have occurred. After a hearing of four hours, Judge Turner decided in favour of the plaintiff, and gave a verdict of £100 damages and costs. The firm are insured with the Employers’ Liability Assurance Corporation, of King 'William-street, and will not themselves suffer any loss.

A similar action is proceeding against Messrs. B. Samuelson and Co. for compensation to the widow of a mine filler employed at their furnaces. A piece of coke accidentally fell from the lift cage when at the top and struck the man in question, killing him on the spot. The result of the action is not yet known.

NOTES FROM SCOTLAND.

(From our own Correspondent.)

There was considerable strength in the warrant market on Friday last, when the quotations advanced to 47s. 61d. per ton. This movement was attributed to rumours put in circulation to the effect that a Scotch pig iron producing company was about to stop the manufacture of pigs, and devote itself to the raising and sale of coals. These reports having become discredited early in the present week, the former buyers became sellers, and the quotations were quickly brought down to the point from which they had started. There is, however, a rather more hopeful feeling in the market, arising chiefly from the fact that the past week’s shipments have been larger than of late. The reduction in the stocks in Messrs. Connal and Co.’s Glasgow stores is about 900 tons for the week, which is less than was anticipated. There is a notable improvement in the demand for Cleveland pigs for consumption in Scotland.

Business was done in the warrant market on Friday morning at 47s. 3d. to 47s. 4id. and back to 47s. 2^d. cash, and from 47s. 5d. to 47s. 6gd. and 47s. 5d. one month, the afternoon quotations being 47s. 3d. to 47s. 6|d. cash, and 47s. 7d. to 47s. 9d. and 47s. 8id. month. On Monday business took place between 47s. 3.1d. and 47s. 4^d. cash, and at 4?s. 6d. one month, while on Tuesday there were transactions done at 47s. Id. cash. Business was done on V ednesday from 42s. to 42s. Id. cash. To-day—Thursday—transactions took place at 47s. 1-Jd. to 47s. cash, and 47s. 2id. month.

The values of makers’ iron, which do not exhibit much change, are as follows Gartsherrie, f.o.b. at Glasgow, per ton, No. 1, 60s. 6d.; No. 3, 54s. 6d.; Coltness, 63s. and 54s. 6d.; Langloan, 63s. 6d. and 54s. 6d.; Summerlee, 61s. and 51s. 6d.; Chapelhall, 59s. and 53s. 6d.; Calder, 61s. and 52s.; Carnbroe, 55s. and 49s. 6d.; Clyde, 51s. and 49s.; Monkland, 48s. 6d. and 46s. 6d.; Quarter, 48s. 3d. and 46s. 3d.; Govan, at Broomielaw, 48s. 6d. and 46s. 6d.; Shotts, at Leith, 63s. 6d. and 56s.; Carron, at Grangemouth, 50s. and 48s.; Kinneil, at Bo’ness, 48s. and 47s.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, 54s. 6d. and 48s. 6d.; Eglinton, 49s. and 46s. 6d.; Dalmellington, 49s. 6d. and 48s. 6d.

There is much activity in the different branches factured iron and engineering trades. Large quantities of machinery and other iron and steel goods are being exported from Glasgow to the colonies, and to other countries. The past week’s shipments included £23,336 worth of machinery, £2753 sewing machines, £5920 steel goods, and £37,315 iron manufactures, exclusive of pig iron.

Two very large castings were made in the Glasgow district Saturday last. At the works of the Govan Forge and Steel Company, Limited, which are situated in Helen-street, Govan, a monster anvil block, 160 tons in weight, was cast for the new 12-ton hammer of the firm. The operation commenced at five o’clock in the morning, and occupied about fourteen hours. The block was cast in two portions, the lower one weighing 140 and the upper 40 tons. The anvil was cast in its seat, which consists of a large concrete bed, over which was laid about 36in. of log timber to diminish the effect of the blow from the hammer, which bas been supplied by Messrs. Thwaites Brothers, of Bradford. A 40-ton travelling crane by Messrs. Jas. Taylor and Co., of Birkenhead, is about to be erected to convey the ingots and forgings between the heating furnaces and the hammer. The other casting, which was of a similar nature, and also for a 12-ton hammer, made at Mr. David Colville’s Dalziel Iron and Steel Works, at Motherwell. The quantity of metal run into the mould for this anvil was 170 tons. The block was cast upside down with trunnions in the centre, so that when the plant was removed it would cant over to its place by its own gravity. The hammer, which will exert a power of about 400 tons, is to be used in slabbing steel ingots. Performed by Mr. Colville’s regular workmen, the operation of casting was quite successful. These works have lately been much extended and improved, and their capacity is now equal to the production of a large amount of work.

It is reported that a new company is about to re-open the coalfield on the estate of Gartsherrie, in Lanarkshire. The field is a very extensive one, and will give employment to a large number of miners.

The coal trade in the West of Scotland is yet quite active for the season, the shipping department being especially brisk. In main coal there is now, in certain localities, a slight reduction in price, but the other sorts of coals are without material alteration. At Leith there is as yet not much improvement in the coal shipments, a number of vessels having left to load at other ports. In the course of the week 3740 tons of coal were shipped at Grangemouth, and about 3000 at Bo’ness.

Boring operations conducted for some time on Mr. D. S. Ireland’s estate of Denork, in Fife, have disclosed a valuable mineral field. A seam of good coal, 3ft. lin. thick, has been found depth of 16 fathoms. In another part of the field seams of 3ft. Sin. at 26 fathoms, 3ft. Sin. at 32 fathoms, and 5ft. lin. at 37 fathoms have been got; and the discovery has given much satisfaction in the locality. It is believed that the strata also contains iron ore.

Rapid progress is being made with the preliminary operations for the construction of the Forth Bridge, and the railway between South Queensferry and Dalmeny has been doubled to admit of the more expeditious transmission of materials. There are now about a thousand workmen employed on both sides of the Forth.

employment of the Clyde shipbuilders have asked for an advance of Id. per hour on time, and 7f, per cent, on piece work. They expect an answer to their request at the close of the present week.

The Town Council of Renfrew has agreed to widen and improve the harbour at that port. They are to purchase ground for the purpose adjoining the present basin, and they will require to borrow money to meet a portion of the expense.

WALES AND ADJOINING COUNTIES (From our own Correspondent.)

Mr. W. T. Lewis is at length getting that co-operation from the mineral landlords which is now the only thing needed for the Miners’ Provident Fund to become a great success. He has issued a letter to them, and responses are coming in favourably, Lord Windsor in particular subscribing £50 per annum. The need of the fund is daily brought home in the district, as fatalities are common. Three men were killed by a fall in Rhondda Junction Colliery last Saturday.

The Barry Dock question is dragging its slow length along, the promoters having done their part to pile up a “ big ” case. I must now, however, forbear to comment until the issue is known. The question has been removed from the field of conjecture and intention into the courts, virtually, the committee being the judges and the promoters witnesses. Hence it is sub judice; but this I may say, that if the promoters get the Bill they will “ gain a loss.” The prophets of the district are pretty unanimous in the saying that if the Bill is passed by the House of Commons it will be thrown out in the Lords.

The iron and steel works are kept in tolerable activity. At the scene of business there is not much to complain about; the only tangible complaint is that prices are too low and prospects of a change not very well defined. 6000 tons of iron and steel left the Welsh ports last week, the principal cargoes being for Baltimore and Algoa Bay. Indian business is satisfactory and prospects assuring, and the same may apply to the Cape in the event of a peaceful settlement of existing difficulties. At present, judging from the fact that the railways there, which are under Government direction, are reducing their employes considerably, things are not quite so good as one would wish.

The coal trade is as animated as ever, and full average at all ports has been maintained ; prices firm. One failure is reported from the Rhondda Valley.

The purchase by the Messrs. Crawshay of a colliery at Pontypridd still hangs fire, owing, I hear, to a “ difference ” between the partners who had offered it for sale.

I note that Morlais Tin-plate Works are to be re-started. Trade dull, but better.

Mr. David Morgan, colliers’ delegate, has retired from his position.

Deep Sea Lighthouses.—On the 2nd inst. Mr. Chris. Anderson, of Leeds, read a paper, on “ Deep Sea Lighthouses,” before the Society of Engineers. These he proposes chiefly as meteorological stations to be anchored out at sea, so that thirty-six hours’ notice of approaching storms could be given to vessels instead of twelve. They would also be used as postal and telegraph stations. He described a design which he had completed for such lighthouses.

2010. Cutting or Storing Fodder, 6c., J. H. Johnson.

2011 Cataloguing or Filing Memoranda, E. Magnus-son, Cambridge.    „    ,

2012.    Manufacture of Fluxes, H. F. Taylor, Glamorgan, and G. Leyshon, Tividale.

2013.    Barrels, 6c., J. H. Hedley, Liverpool.

2014 Looms for Weaving, J. B. Greenhalgh, Whitefield

2015.    Furnaces, W. McG. Greaves, Manchester, and J. Lund, St. Anne’s-on-the-Sea.

2016.    Grooving Metal, 6e , Rolls, A. B. Wilson, Holywood.

2017.    Velocipedes, G. G. Tandy, Clapham.

2018.    Rabbit Butches, G. F. Morant, Dulverton.

2619. Locking the Nuts upon the Bolts by which Fishplates are Secured to Railway Rails, G. Grover, Clapham.

2020 Telephone, 6c., Call Apparatus, H. A. C. Saunders and A. C. Brown, London.

2021.    Stop Valves, W. R. Lake.—(R. Beaumont, U.S.)

2022.    Lever Cork-screw3, R. Dolberg.—(C. F. A. Wienke. Germany )

2023.    Supplying. 6c. , Electrical Force for Battery Charging, R P. Sellon, Surbiton.

2024.    Side Saddles, T. G. Smith, Easton Grey, and B. Brook, Sherston Magna.

21st April, 1883.

ConXensed from

name

17th April, 1883,

1929.    Metallic Springs, J. Pring, Sandbach, Chester.

1930.    Hinges or Movable Joints, J. D. Sprague, Upper Norwood.

1931.    Sewing. 6c., Fabrics, J. H. Johnson.—(C. H. Wilcox, New York.)

1932.    Galvanic Batteries, C. L. Clarke, Manchester.

1933.    Preparing Gum Tragacanth, A. C. Duncan, MaD Chester.

1934.    Tramways, A. E. Adlard, London.

1935.    Vessels for Holding Liquids, G. A. J. Schott, Bradford.

1936.    Centrifugal Machines, A. G. Brookes.—(D. McC. Weston, Boston.)

1937.    Centrifugal Machines, A. G. Brookes.—(D. McC. Weston, Boston.)

1938.    Lifeboats, N. Hamblin, jun., London.

1939.    Boxes, 6c., A. G. Speight, London.

1940.    Saddles for Bicycles, 6c., J. Redpath and F. H. Anderton, Sheffield.

1941.    Apparatus for Indicating the Names of Stations to Passengers in Railway Trains, E. Collier, London.

1942.    Stoppers for Bottles, N. Thompson, London.

1943.    Albums, R. Moser, Berlin.

Detecting Leaks in Pipes, J. J. Tylor, London. Pile Fabrics, W. R. Lake.—(C. Coupland, U. S.)

(G. Hoyer et Cie.,

Birmingham.

2043.    Rifled Tubes, H. Pieper, Belgium.

2044.    Dynamo-electric Machines, A. M. Clark.—(La Sociiti Solignac et Cie., Paris.)

PELLER

6c., J •

21 sf April, 1876.

2025. Apparatus to be Used in Telephonic Systems for putting any of the Instruments Connected with a Central Station in Communication with each other, W. R Lake.—(H. T. Cedergren and L. M. I j^₀ticea of Intention to Proceed with Ericsson, Stockholm.)    Applications.

S:a**,*'**"***-,»»**•«*> „

Rogiers, Brussels.)    5982. Supports for Curtain Rods, 6c., T. Smith and

2028.    Generating, &c., Electric Currents, Sir W. J. Drewitt, London.—lith December, 1882.

Thompson, Glasgow.    5992. Stove Grates, H. Hoyles, Sheffield.—15th Decern-

2029.    Locking Bricks Together, C. E. Davis, Bath. her, 1882.

2030.    Compressing, 6c., Aeriform Fluids, H. Lane, 6010. Coverings for Cables, E. A Brydges, Berlin.—

London.    A com. from C. Klauke.—16th December, 1882.

2031 Primary Voltaic Batteries, P. Jensen.—(Dr. | 6022. Producing Monalcoholised Hydric-bases, W.

A. Barlow, London.—A communication from A. Bohringer.—16th December, 1882.

6025. Sewing Machines, T. Chadwick and T. Sugden,

A. Prins, W. Wenzel, and J. Kahn, Vienna )

2032.    Refrigerating Apparatus, A. S Haslam, Derby.

2033.    Delivering Prepaid Goods, J. G. Sandeman and

P. Everitt, London.    I Oldham.—18th December, 1882.

2034.    Elastic Sets of Teeth, I. Beutelrock, Germany. 6029. Coupling Vehicles, H. P. Hoghton, Manchester.

2035.    Concentrating Sulphuric Acid, S. B. Bowen,    —18th December, 1882.

Llanelly.    6037. Finishing Textile Fabrics, L. E. Luzeau-Cou-

2036.    Attachment for Sewing Shuttle Machines, H. drais, London.—18t/i December, 1882.

J. Haddan.-(/. Gutmann, Berlin.)    6045. Coupling Apparatus for Shafts, H. Lake, Lon-

2937. Propellers for Vessels, A. Figge, London.    don.—Com. from J Johnson.—18t/i December, 1882.

2038.    Washing Clothes, J. H. Johnson.—((f. Bozerian, 6049. Water-closets, R. H. Leask, Dublin.—19t/t

Paris.)    December, 1882.

2039.    Fish-plates, G. Robson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 6051. Screwing Machines, S. Dixon, Salford.—19th

2040.    Regulating, 6c., the Pressure of Fluids, J. H. December, 1882.

Johnson.—(77. L. J. Parenty, France.)    6052. Making Paper Bags, E. K. Dutton, Manchester.

2041.    Indicating the Velocities of Air Currents, —A communication from F. W. Leinbach and C. A.

J Thompson, Bolton-le-Moors.    I Wolle.—19tA December, 1882.

2042.    Magneto-electric Machines, 6c., G. Hookham, | 6061. Treating Fibrous Materials, T. Routledge,

Sunderland.—19th December, 1882.

6064. Calcination of Regulus, 6c., J. W. Chenhall, Morriston.—191A December, 1882.

6089 Treating Fermented Liquors, A. G. Salamon, London.—20th December, 1882.

23rd April, 1883.    1 6092. Vessels for Preserving Liquids, W. R. Lake,

2045.    Gun Carriages, W. R. Lake.—(H. Gruson, I    London.—Com. from A. Gay.—20th December, 1882.

Germany.)    6115. Coupling, 6c., Vehicles, J. Anderson and J.

2046.    Horizontal Steam Engines, T. A. Adamson, Darling, Glasgow.—22nd December, 1882.

Belfast.    6126. Warming Apparatus, E. Hopgood, Ryde, and E.

2047 Separating Sugar from Molasses, 6c., C. Jenner, London.—22nd December, 1882.

Pieper.—(C. Scheibler, Berlin.)    6215. Apparatus for Registering the Mileage of

2048.    Permanent Anchor, E. C. G. Thomas, London.    Vehicles, J. Imray, London.—A communication

2049.    Automatic Dredger, E. C. G. Thomas, London.    from F. Bisson.—29th December, 1882.

2050    Model of Glass Lamp Chimney, P. Bayle, Paris. 6236. Making Screws, W. R. Lake London.—A corn-

2051    Sectional Boiler and Feed-water Regulator, munication from A. Faugier.—30th December, 1882.

H. J. Haddan.— (B. Schmidt, Leipzig. Saxony.)    67. Governors for Steam-Engines, R. E. Crompton,

2052    Metallic Roofing, 6c., R. Hudson, Gildersome. London, and J. W. Kempster, Chelmsford. 4th

2053.    Steam Generators, H. F. Phillips, London.    January, 1883.    .. .

2054.    Cleaning, 6c., Boots, J. Hargrave, Leeds.    125. Electrical Fire-arms, E. A. Monfort, New York,

2055.    Manufacturing Metallic Oxides or Bases, H. U.S. —9th January, 1883.

A. Bonneville.—(L. C. E Faucheux, France.)    290 Fastenings for Blind Cords, J. D. Sprague,

2056.    Working Brakes, J. Armstrong, New Swindon. Upper Norwood.—18tA January, 1883.

2057.    Electric Lamps, 6c., W. Hochhausen, New York. 450 Rope Traction Tramways, G. J. Chapman,

2058- Magneto and Dynamo-electric Machines, W.    Enfield.—27t7i. January, 1883.

Hochhausen, New York.    688. Devices to be Attached to Driving Reins. W. R.

Lake, London.—A communication from L. Neviere. —7th February, 1883.

Inventions Protected for Six Months on 691. Combing Wool, E. Fairbank and J. Robertshaw, Deposit of Complete Speciflcatiohs. | Allerton.—8th February, 1883

838. Cleaning Brushes, C. Hinksman, London.—Ihth February, 1883.

968. Measuring, 6c., Movements of Liquids, J. Tylor, London.—22nd February, 1883.

Making Crape, N. Kumagaya, Blackburn.— 2Uh February, 1883.

1027. Steam Engines, I. W. Boulton, Ashton-under-Lyne.—29th February, 1883.

1102. Fur Clipping, 6c., Machine, A. M. Clark, I-on-don.—A communication from T. Rasmus and L. H. Lewis.—1st March, 1883.

1314. Dynamo, 6c., Machines, C. W. Vincent, Holloway.—12th March, 1883.

1352. Velocipedes, 6c., W. Morgan, Birmingham.-13*6. March, 1883.

1395. Transferring Coal in Wagons, G. Taylor, Penarth.—1626. March, 1883.

1397. Loading Vessels with Coal, G. Taylor, Penarth. —1626. March, 1883.

1443 Pen-holder, C. E. Orrell, Kidsgrove. — 1926.

1907. Protecting Firemen, W. R. Lake, London.—A communication from S. Richards, Philadelphia, U.S. —14t6 April, 1883.

1910. Screw-cutting Machines, A. M. Clark, London. —A communication from L. E. Lepine, Paris.—14th April, 1883.

1936.    Centrifugal Machines, A. G. Brookes,!London. —A communication from D. McC. Weston, Boston.— 1726 April, 1883.

1937.    Centrifugal Machines, A. G. Brookes, London. —A communication from D. McC. Weston, Boston.— 17t6 April., 1883.

1945. Pile Fabrics, W. R. Lake, London.—A communication from C. Coupland, Seymour, U.S.—1726 April, 1883.

1983. Subterranean Electric Cables, H. J. Allison, London.—A communication from S. F. Shelbourne, New York.—\9th April, 1883.

Patents on    Pnty of «.

1650. Buckets, Cans, 6c., R. R. Gray, Liverpool.—    -1475 Voltaic Batteries, J. Gray, Gateshead.—21st

22nd April, 1880.

1557. Indicators for Prime Movers, J. Casartelli,

Manchester, and W. Potter, Lower Broughton.—1626 April, 1880.

1573. Facilitating Repairs, 6c., upon a Screw Pro-whilst the Vessel is Afloat, J. B. D’A.

Boulton, London.—16tA April, 1880.

1579. Railway Buffers, W. Tijou, London.—1726 April, 1880.

1586. Chronometric Motor Apparatus, W. R. Lake,

London.—1726 April, 1880.

1588. Reducing Friction of Axles, 6c., J. G. Wilson,

Manchester.—1726 April, 1880.

1844. Manufacture of Enemas, 6c., J. Burbridge, R.

C. Thorpe, and T. Oakley, London.— 5th May, 1880.

1673. Bicycles, 6c., E. C. F. Otto, Peckham.—23rd April, 1880.

1752. Producing Refrigeration in Ice-making, 6c.,

Machines, C. C. Palmer, Oakland.— 29th April, 1880.

1597. Rolling Metallic Rods or Bars, A. Berry,

Tinsley, near Rotherham. —19t7i April, 1880.

1632. Artificial Fuel, W. R. W. Smith, Glasgow, and J. F. M. Pollock, Leeds.—21st April, 1880.

1726 Ships’ Berths, A. M. Clark, London.—27th April, 1880.

1603. Combined Pencil Sharpeners, 6c., M. C. Stone,

Baltimore.—19f6 April, 1880.

1670. Shaping, 6c., Hats, E. Edmonds, London.—22nd April, 1880.

1622. Hoisting Apparatus, F. R. Ellis, Liverpool.—

20fA April, 1880.

1643. Locks and Latches, J. Kaye, Kirkstall, near Leeds.—21st April, 1880.

1657. Steam Pumps, C. P. Deane, Springfield, U.S.—

22nd April, 1880.

1659. Lamps, M. Marichenski, London.—22nd April,

1880.

1679. New Fabric for Making Horse Cloths, W.

Jenkinson, London, and J. F. Mayman, Dewsbury.

—23rd April, 1880.

1692. Atmospheric Air, 6c., Engines, H. Williams and J. Malam, Liverpool.—21th Avrit, 1880.

1749. Preventing Explosions in Steam Boilers, A.

M. Clark, London.—28th April, 1880.

1634. Tramways, J. Gowans, Edinburgh.—21st April,

1880.

1649. Electric Lighting Apparatus, W. R. Lake,

London.—21st April, 1880.

1655. Knife-cleaning Machines, E. M. Knight, Manchester.—22nd April, 1880.

March, 1883.

1504.    Generating Gases, J. McEwen, Manchester.— 22nd March. 1883.

1505.    Fan for Mines, 6c., F. L. Jeyes, London.—22nd March, 1883.

1527. Knitting Machinery, F. and S. Key wood, Nottingham.—2426 March, 1883.

1535. Window-frames, 6c., J. Booth, Bolton.—24t7i March, 1883.

1910. Screw-cutting Machines, A. M. Clark, London. —A com. from L. E. Lepine.— 11th April, 1883.

(Last day for filing opposition, 15th May, 1883.)

6031. Pianofortes, W. Thomas, London.—1826 Decern-

6040.’ Wagons, H. C. Bull, Brooklyn, U.S.—18tt December, 1882.

6054. Saddle-bar, J. Pearse, Cheltenham.—19tA December, 1882.    .    .    ,

6063. Velocipedes, E. Marshall, Birmingham.—19th December, 1882.    •

6069. Safety-valve, J. Williams, London.—‘20th Decem-

6075. Incandescent Electric Lamps, L. Groth, London. —A com from A. Bernstein.—20tA December, 1882.

6077.    Tips for Boots, L. Groth, London.—A com. from L. Loeser and J. Kyeser.—20t7i December, 1882.

6078.    Window-blinds, L. A. Groth, London.—A communication from H. Olausen.—20tA December, 1882.

6079.    Ships, F. H. F. Engel, Hamburg.—A communication from G. de Laval.—2026 December, 1882.

6082. Hand Shears, E. Nunan, London. — 20th December, 1882.

6084. Regulators for Steam Engines, E. Edwards, London.—A com from A. Zalm.—20th December, 1882.

6091. Furnaces, E. Bennis, Bolton.—20t7i December 1882.

6106.    Clutches, J. S. Taylor and S. W. Cliallen, Birmingham.—21st December, 1882.

6107.    Making Hat Linings, W. H. Knowles and J. Faulkner, Denton, and R. I. Metcalfe and W. N. Raines, Dukinfield.—21.st December, 1882.

6114. Photometric Apparatus, S. H. Emmens, London, and J. Munro, West Croydon. — 22nd December, 1882.

6116.    Steering Apparatus, J. Imray, London.—A com. from J. C. Lake.—22nd December. 1882.

6117.    Apparatus for Cutting Pearls, J. Imray, London.—A com. from E. Roads.—22nd December, 1882.

com-

1377.

(List of Letters Patent which passed the Great Seal on the 20th April, 1883.)

5012. Ploughs, E. Edwards, London.—21st October) 1882.

5037. Governors for Steam Engines, W. P. Thompson, London.—23nt October, 1882.

5041 Sewage-traps, 6c., E. Green, Halifax.—23rd October, 1882.

5045.    Brushes for Painting, J. Culmer, London.—23rd October, 1882.

5046.    Carriage Bodies, J. S. G. F. Horscher, Altona. —23rd October, 1882.

5051. Automatic Registering Apparatus for Car* riages, W. H. Beck, London.—23rd October, 1882. Generating Electricity, E. H. Varley, London.

THE PATENT J0UKNAL.

the Journal of the Commissioners of Patents.

* * it has come to our notice that some applicants of the Patent-office Sales Department, for Patent Spew/cations, have caused much unnecessary trouble md annoyance,

*&," “X“/£    Z

which the Specification they require is referred to, instead of giving the proper number of the Specification, lhe mistake has been made by looking at The Engineer Index, and giving the numbers there found, which only refer to the pages, in place of turning to those pages ana finding the numbers of the Specification.

Applications for Letters Patent.

*** When patents have been “communicated.” the and address of the communicating party are printed in italics.

1944.

1945.

1946.    Cutting Cloth, A. J. Boult Germany.)

1947.    Hand Weaving Devices, E. Wernicke, Berlin.

1948.    Lawn Tennis Poles, 6c., J. Mellor, Corwen.

1949.    Unhairing Hides or Skins, A. Galwey.—(A. Depierre, Brussels.)

1950.    Pumps for Extinguishing Fire, E. J. C. Welsh, London.

1951.    Swing Looking Glasses, C. I. Bell, Greenwich.

1952.    Transmitting Electrical Signals at a Distance, C. D. Abel.—(B. Abdank-Abakanowicz. Paris.)

1953.    Bread, J. H. Johnson.— (Geneste Herscher and Co.)

1954.    Type Cases, J. H. Johnson.—(La Societe de typographic par procedes rapides, Paris.)

18th April, 1883.

1955.    Door Furniture, E. V. Bailey, Birmingham.

1956.    Telegraphic Apparatus, E. J. Houghton, Peck-ham.

1957.    Bottles, 6c., J. Edwards, London.

1958.    Padding, 6c., Apparatus Used in Printing Fabrics, C. A. Paterson, Lennoxtown.

1959.    Surfacing Lithographic Stones, G. Cochrane, Edinburgh.

1960.    Enamelling Photographs, G. Robey, London.

1961.    Slide Valves, J. F. Johnstone, Belvedere.

1962.    Furnaces for the Manufacture of Coke, P. C. Glaser.—(H. Stier, Germany.)

1963.    Paring the Brims of Silk, 6c., Hats, L. F. March, Bristol, aDd J. Cree, Denton.

1964.    Producing a Yellow Dye, G. A. Bang.—(G. A., E.,andR Dahl, Germany.)

1965.    Oil Lamps, H. E Philipson, Dublin.

1966.    Raising Steam, 6c , E Thornton, Bradford.

1967.    Galvanising Sheet Iron, J. Tinn, Bristol.

■ 1968. Stopping Holes in Ships, J. B. Wilkie, North Shields.

1969.    Receptacles for Secondary Batteries, G. Bins-wanger and T. S. Sarney, London.

1970.    Carding Engines, A. C. Henderson.—(£. A. Perin Paris.)

1971.    Automatically Exposing Bodies, &c., to the Action of the Sun’s Rays, W. Cooke.—(R. Schlotter-hoss, Vienna.)

1972.    Cartridges, H. Simon.—(Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft, Switzerland )

1973.    Cartridges, J. H. Dunn, London.

1974.    Decorticating Flax, 6c., W. R. Lake.—(T. Burrows, Paris.)

1926 April, 1883.

1975.    Reversing Valve Mechanism for Engines, A. Paul, Dumbarton.

1976.    Felt Hats, J. Eaton, Stockport.

1977.    Self-adjusting Saw Handle, B. Goulton, Kaeo Wangaroa.

1978.    Printing Fabrics, W. Mather, Manchester.

1979.    Self-acting Sight-feed Lubricators, J. Clyne, Aberdeen.

1980.    Regulative Gearing, W. O. Aves and G. Moss, London.

1981.    Tires, W. O Aves and G. Moss, London.

1982.    Conveying Oil to the Surface of the Sea, 6c., J Bowman, Huntley.

1983.    Subterranean Electric Cables, H. J. Allison. (S. F. Shelbourne. New York.)

1984.    Mercurial Air Pumps, J. Barrett, London.

1985.    Rotary Engines, J. C. Mewburn.—(E. Genty and J. Deschamps, Paris.)

1986.    Solid Leather Buttons, T. E. Finch, A. L. Finch, and J. Finch, Worcester.

1987.    Burner for Oil Lamps, A. Rettich.—(Messrs. Schwintzer and Griijf, Berlin.)

1988.    Tramcars, 6c., J. H. Johnson.—(Messrs. Husard and Eude, France.)

1989.    Sewing Machines, J. Fox, London.

1990.    Velocipedes, H. B. Crawford and J. King, Nottingham.

1991.    Dynamo-electric Machines, W. P. Thompson.— (M. VInginieur Bartolomeo Cabella, Milan.)

1992.    Engines, 6c., for Electric Machines, R. Brown, Gainsborough.

1993.    Apparatus for the Reception, 6c. , of Cigarettes, F. Hipgrave, London.

1994.    Stamp-box Charm, 6c.. C. Halford, London.

1995.    Obtaining Aluminium from its Ore, H. A. Gadsden.—(E Foote, New York.)

1996.    Carded Wool for Weaving, H. J. Haddan.—(J. Benozet, Lavelanet. France.)

1997.    Doors, 6c., for Furnaces, J. Shepherd, Manchester.

1998.    Electric Batteries, B. W. Webb, H. P. F. Jensen, and J. Jensen, London.

1999.    Preparing Machinery for Flax Reynolds, Belfast.

2000.    Colouring Oil, A. M. Clark.— (H. R. Burk, Brooklyn.)

20t6 April, 1883.

2001.    Drilling Boiler Shells, 6c., S. Borland, Manchester.

2002.    Fire - extinguishing Apparatus, W. Miller, Glasgow.

2003.    Preventing the Corrosion, 6c,, of Wooden Ships, J. B. Hannay, Glasgow.

2004.    Stentering, 6c., Woven Fabrics, J. Smith, Thomliebank.

2005.    Knife-cleaning Machines, T, Ashmore and F. W. McDonnell, Liverpool.

2006.    Friction Clutches, H. Simon. — (Berlin-Anhaltische Maschinenbau-Actien Gesellschaft, Berlin.)

2007.    Cutting Labels, L. Alderson, Bradford.

2008.    Lawn Tennis Register, E. J. C. Baird, Ripple House, near Deal.

2009.    Manufacture of Ulmin-brown, H. J. Haddan. —(La Banque Industrielle de Belgique, Paris.)

1662. Gas Cooking Apparatus, F. W. Hartley, London.—22nd April, 1880.

Patents on which, the Stamp Duty of £100 has been paid.

1638. Building, 6c., the Heels of Boots, J. Blakey, Leeds.—19t/i April, 1876.

1707. Mining Machines, H. J. Haddan, London.—22nd April, 1876.

1613. Breaking, 6c., Stones, C. E. Hall, Leeds.—18w April, 1876.    _ _    „

1692. Winding, 6c., Paper for Printing, E. E. Colley, Kennington—21st April, 1876.

1675. Weaving, S. O’Neill, Strand

1651. Screening, 6c., Coals, J. D. Thorp, Leeds.—20m April, 1876.

1696 Coating Metals, E. Morewood, Llanelly.—21sf April. 1876.    ,

1703. Machine Guns, W. R. Lake, London. 21st April, 1876.

1863. Candles, G. H. Spicer, Battersea.—3rd May, 1876.

1874. Transmitting, 6c., Musical Impressions or Sounds Telegraphically, E. Chabot, South Norwood.—ZOth July, 1876.

1903. Ship, 6c., Compasses, W. Clark, London.—5th May, 1S76.

1697. Filtering Water, J. H. Porter, Lavenham.—21st April, 1876.

1011.

6137. Machinery for Printing on both sides of a Moving Web, W. Conquest, London.—A com. from Messrs. Hoe and Co.—23rd December, 1882.

6161. Hygrometers, P. H. F. Engel, Hamburg—A com. from W. Klinkerfues.—23rd December, 1882.

6163. Carrying Off Smoke, 6c., from Tunnels, D.

C. Green, Brooklyn, U.S.—23rd December, 1882.

6190. Kneading Dough, R. Alexander, Glasgow.—28f/i December, 1882.

6196. Insulating Conductors, W. Smith, London.—

28th December, 1882.

6213. Match boxes, J. Darling and J. Long, Glasgow.

—29th December, 1882.

91.    Cooling Air, A. B. Wilson, Holywood, and J. Sturgeon, London. —6th January, 1883.

92.    Carpet Looms, G. W. Grosvenor and J. Bedford, Kidderminster.—6th January, 1883.

284. Making Sugar, A. Fryer and J. B. Alliott, Nottingham.—17th January, 1883.

387. Ventilating Sewers, G. F. Harrington, Ryde.— —24th January, 1883.

439. Mechanism for Clocks, A. M. Clark, London.—A com. from D. Roussialle.—26th January, 1883.

464. Indices for Meters, S. Grey, Chelsea.—27th January, 1883.

538. Cable-stoppers, A. M. Clark, London.—A 'munication from J. B. Lynch.—31st January, 1883.

554 Coke Ovens. H. Simon, Manchester.—A communication from F. Carves.—1st February, 1883.

822. Coupling Apparatus, W. R. Lake, London.—A com from C. C. Mark.—14th February, 1883.

1100. Bar for Excluding Rain from Doors, 6c., C. A.

Wheeler, Swindon.—1st March, 1883.

1155. Producing “Guipure d’Art” Lace, A. Mosley, Nottingham.—3rd March, 1883.

1225. Straightening Bars, W. F. Gilmer, Gosforth.—

7th March, 1883.

1238. Telephonic Apparatus, S. P. Thompson, Bristol. —7th March, 1883.

1296. Crushing Sugar Canes, A. S. Brindley, New Radford, 6 J. Worsnop, London.—12t7i March, 1883.

Spanners, J. Robson and J. W. Tingle, Sheffield. —15th March, 1883.

1434. Screw Propellers, G. E. Vaughan, London.— A com. from C. H. MacDonald.—19th March, 1883. 1457. Portable Conservatories, &c., E. H. Harris, London.— 20th March, 1883.

1506. Staying Windows. 6e., E. and J. M. Verity, Leeds.—22nd March, 1883.

1555. Extracting Cobalt and Manganese from their Ores, J. Imray, London.—A com. from H. Herren-schmidt and M. Constable.—27th March, 1883.

1561. Fluid Meters, W. R. Lake, London.—Com. from J. Thomson and C. C. Barton.—‘17th March, 1883. 1567. Preventing Down Draught in Chimneys, W.

Lord, Middlesbrough.— 2Sth March, 1883.

1573. Shuttles, T. Brooks and T. Tweedale, Rawten-stall.—28th March, 1883.

1583. Double-ribbed Warp Looms, J. D. Harris and A.

Shuttlewood, Leicester.—29 th March, 1883.

1586. Dating Tickets, J. B. Edmondson and J. Carson, Manchester.—29tA March, 1883.

1601. Tanning Hides, W. R. Lake, London.—Com. from B. D. Hyam and W. H. Howell.—‘29th March, 1883. 1623. Electric Arc Lamps, F. M. Newton, Belfast.— 31st March, 1883.

1983. Subterranean Electric Cables, H. J. Allison, London.—Com. from S. Shelboume.—19th April, 1883.

Patents Sealed.

5055.

— 24th October, 1882.

5056.    Stands for Scent Bottles, J. Hall, Sheffield.—

24th October, 1882.

5059. Applying Electricity to Brushes, N. J. Holmes, London.—2426 October, 1882.

5064 Parallel Vices, H. F. Read, Brooklyn, U.S.— 24th October, 1882.

5069. Combination Shoe-horn and Button-hook, S.

Pulzer, London.—24th October, 1882.

5074. Steering Vessels, W. M. Walters, Bristol.—24th October, 1882.

5082. Bit Stocks, G. F. Redfern, London.—2426 October, 1882.

5090. Discharging Oil upon Waves, R. Rose, London. —25th October, 1882.

5123. Drilling, 6c., Machines, J. Morris, Poplar.— 27th October, 1882.

5150. Drawing Corks from Bottles, A. Olsson, Sand-viken, Sweden.—3026 October, 1882.

5175. Bobbins, E. Tweedale, Accrington.—31st October, 1882.

5198. Production of Bi-sulphide of Carbon Vapour, W. R Lake, London.—31st October, 1882.

5206. Retention Springs for Umbrellas, 6c., W. H.

Belknap, London.—1st November, 1882.

5222. Spinning, 6c., Fibrous Substances, E. Rush-worth. Leeds.—1st November, 1882.

5245. Machinery for Spinning, H. B. Barlow, Manchester.—3rd November, 1882.

5249. Preparing Wicks of Lamps, H. Defries, London. —3rd November, 1882.

5253. Toy Locomotive, W. H. Hall, Beckenham.—3rd November, 1882.

5286. Machinery for Making Bobbins, J. Clayton, Bradford.—9th November, 1882.

5303. Purifying Sewage. F. Petri, Berlin. — 626 November, 1882.

5312. Gas Stove, J. Bartlett, London.—7th November, 1882.

5322. Compound Plates, S. and S. R. Chatwood, Bolton.—7th November. 1882.

5385. Raising Sunken Vessels, A. M. Clark, London. —11 tli November. 1882.

5290. Obtaining Zinc, 6c., from Ores, W. R. Lake, London.—1126 November, 1882.

5428. Steam Packing, H. W. Johns, New York, U.S.— 14th November, 1882.

5462. Chucks for Machines, W. R. Lake, London.—

19th November, 1882.

5480. Tipping Trucks, P. G. B. Westmacott, Newcastle. —1727s. November, 1882.

5493. Bulking, 6c., Tea, B. Tydeman, Erith.—18272

November, 1882.

5498. Treating Duff Coal, 6c., J. Jameson, Newcastle —1826 November, 1882.

5541. Rotary Engines, A. M. Clark, London.—21st November, 1882.

5627. Portable Railways, H. A. Spalding, Prussia.— 27th November, 1882.

5682. Screens for Seeds, R. Boby and T. Stevens, Bury St. Edmunds.—29th November, 1882.

5792. Digging Machines, J. Parker, Stevenage.—527s. December, 1882.

,    6083. Electro motors, L. Milne and L. B. Miller, Lon

don.—20th December, 1882.

6170. Bar-rolling Mills, J. Imray, London.—27th December, 1882.

6183. Electrical Generators, T. J. Handford, Lon-don — 27t6 December, 1882.

6199. Distributing Electrical Energy, T. J. Hand-ford, London.—2826 December, 1882.

6206. Incandescing Conductors, T. J. Handford, London.—2926 December, 1882.

182.    Preventing Radiation of Heat, C. Toope, London.—1127s. January, 1883.

183.    Electric Arc Lamps, J. G. Lorrain, London.— 1126 January, 1883.

362. Producing Aluminium, &c., G. B. de Overbeck, London.—22nd January, 1883.

498. Cultivating Soil, J. Cooke, Richmond.— 29th January, 1883.

516. Building Arches, <fcc., W. R. Lake, London.— 30th January, 1883.

637. Rendering Walls Damp Proof, W. White, London —6th February, 1883.

639. Electric Lamps, J. G. Lorrain, London.—6th February, 1883.

C67. Furnaces, T. Robinson, Preston.—7th February, 1883.

680.

ABSTRACTS OF SPECIFICATIONS.

tough flexible sheet. The filaments are punched out of this sheet, and then carbonised by heat under strain and pressure. Other methods of manufacture are also described.

3995. Underground Conductors for Electrical Distribution, T. J. Handford, Southampton-buildings.—2,1st August, 1882.—(A communication from T. A. Edison, Menlo Park, New Jersey, U.S)

This invention relates to the arrangement and connection of underground conductors at the intersection of streets, so that they may be more readily accessible for repairs and the replacement of “ safety catches,” and is an improvement on the previous arrangement adopted by the inventor. According to the present improvement one junction box is used at the intersection of eight conductors, in place of four as heretofore. 4003. Safety Devices for use with Electric Apparatus or Conductors, <fec., S. P. Thompson, Bristol. —21st August, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.) id.

This relates to improvements in the ordinary lead fusible safety plugs.

4015. Appliances for Working Gates at Railway Crossings, C. II. Lea, Stafford.— 22nd August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to means for ensuring that the gates may hang in a proper position, and to allow any deviation from such position to be readily corrected.

4025. Improvements in the Working Gear and Appliances Used in Electric Lighting, K. W. Hedges, Westminster.—22nd August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to a method for controlling the motor driving the generator at any distance away. The inventor uses a ’separate wire, either connected with the earth or with the main return wire, and through this wire he passes either a portion of the current from the generator as a shunt or current obtained from batteries. The current Is brought into action by a switch placed in the building to be lighted. It actuates an electro-magnetic apparatus connected either with the regulator or throttle valve of the motor, or it throws into and cuts out of the circuit suitable resistances in the main circuit or magnetic field of the generator. The invention further relates to improvements in switches and safety plugs.

4028. Filters and Apparatus for Cleansing Same, E. Perrett, Westminster.—22nd August, 1882.

an air

6d.

an arc lamp in which the upper carbon holder passes through two coils, one in shunt, the other in the main circuit. The arc is regulated by means of these coils and armatures acting on the carbon rod.

4067- Revolving Paper-cutting Machines, P. Jensen, London.—25th August, 1882.—(A communication from E. Dietz, Berlin.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d. The object is to avoid the use of deep naves, while at

sur-

canvas or

id.

arc

sheet of

serve as

CONTAINING

car

1882.

4093. Harvesting Machines, /. Howard and E. T.

Bousfield, Bedford.—26th August, 1882. 8d.

This relates to improvements on patent No. 4092, a. d. 1881, and it consists, First, in the combination with the frame supporting the binder table of a rocking segmental bearing, so as to enable the driver to adjust the table without leaving his seat; Secondly, in the combination with the binding mechanism and gathering reel of a jointed connector, to allow the mechanism and reel to be moved independently of each other, whilst an efficient driving connection is always maintained; Thirdly, in forming the back of the binding arm with

id.

4108. Preparation and Use of Porous Siliceous Materials for Filtering Acid and other Liquids, &c., C. F. Claus, Mark-lane.—28 th August, 18S2. id.

This consists, First, in the manufacture of a spongy or porous acid-resisting material, by combining or mixing ganister or infusorial earth with a silicate of more than one base, either with or without alumina ; and Secondly, in the utilisation of such material in the construction of filters, acid towers, and similar apparatus.

Multiple Cylinder Compound Engines, R. Matthews, Hyde.—7th February, 1883.

704. Collecting Dust from Air, W. R. Lake, London. __ —8th February, 1883.

742. Compressing Air, J. Imray, London.—10th February, 1883.

764. Making Carbon Filaments, G. Bowron and W.

Hibbert, London—12th February, 1883.

784. Governing Steam Engines, W. Knowles, Bolton. —12th February, 1883.

811. Making Nickel, 6c., Alloys, F. Lotter, Altona, Prussia.—14</i February, 1883.

1051. Separating Starch, S. Pitt, Sutton.—27th February, 1883.

1053. Button-hole Linings, A. J. Boult, London.— 27th February, 1883.

(List of Letters Patent which passed the Great Seal on the 24th April, 1883.)

1618. Electric Lamp, J. B. Rogers, London.—3rd April, 1882.

4906 Steam Engines, W. Crook, Preston.—16th October, 1882.

5066. Ratchet Wrenches, L. Bagger, Washington, U S. — 2ith October, 1882.

5095.    Regulating Supply of Gas, H. and T. A. Greene, London.—26th October, 1882.

5096.    Cutting Cigars, G. Weston, Sheffield.—26th October, 1882.

5110. Making, 6c., Blanks for Boxes, S. Cropper, London.—27th October, 1882.

5114. Tilting Casks, E. Hogg, Gateshead.—27th October, 1882.

5117. Couplings for Carriages, T. Smith, London.— 27th October, 1882.

5120.    Getting Potatoes, T. Hodgkinson, Huddersfield.— 27th October, 1882.

5121.    Winding Thread, J. H. Pickles, Burnley.—27th

October, 1882.

5122.    Electric Current Generators, S. P. Thompson, Bristol.—27lh October, 1882.

5134. Admitting Air in Cupolas, 6c. , C. Landreth and and I. Renis, Valencia.—27th October. 1882.

5155. Butt Hinges, J. Dyer, Birmingham.—20th October, 1882.

5160. Roller Mills, E. Fiechter, Liverpool.—26th October 1882.

OUL^Furnaces, T. Layton, Redditch.—31st October,

5183. Secondary Voltaic Batteries, R. H. Woodley, and H. F. Joel, London.—31s{ October, 1882.

5194. Fastenings for Bracelets, 6c., E. Jones, London.—31st October, 1882.

5196. Soap, J. T. Armstrong, Nowcastle, and W. Bos-tock, Liverpool —31st October, 1882.

5215. Method of Moulding for Casting Metals, E. Peyton and C. Burley, Birmingham.—1st November, 1882.

5220. Safety-valves, D. Cockburn, Glasgow.—1st November, 1882.

5240. Facilitating the Stopping, 6c., of Machinery, W. R. Lake, London.—2nd November, 1882.

5313. Regulating Steam Supply, C. D. Abel, London. —7th November, 1882.

5382. Making Lace, L. Marceuil, Paris.—11th November, 1882.

5525. Making Sugar in Lumps, 6c., H. H. Lake, London.— 21st November, 1882.

5711. Conductors for Electric Currents, W. R. Lake, London.—30th November, 1882.

5813. Drying Corn in Ricks, J. E. Fox, Gloucester.— 6th December, 1882.

6104. Cocks, 6c., G. Teideman, London.—21st December, 1882.

51. Automatic Apparatus for Feeding Horses, J. P. Milbourne, Manchester.—4th January, 1883.

424. Ditching Machines, R. Fowler, Leeds.—25th January, 1883.

747. Treating Iron Ores, A. Adair and W. Thomlin-son, Seaton Carew, Durham.—lOtA February, 1883.

List of Specifications published during the wee* ending April 2lst, 1883.

86, 8d.; 134, 6d.; 150, 6d.

*** Specifications will be forwarded by post from the Patent-office on receipt of the amount of price and postage. Sums exceeding Is. must be remitted by Post-office order, made payable at the Post-oflfice, 5, High Holbom, to Mr. H. Reader Lack, her Majesty’s Patent-office, Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, London.

Prepared by ourselves expressly for The Engineer at the office of Her Majesty's Commissioners of Patents.

3428. Shoes for Horses, &c., T. H. Baker (Executor of A. Laird) and T. Wilson, London.—19th July, 1882. 6d.

This relates to forming the treading surface of blocks of hard wood or other suitable material, which will not wear smooth, and which can be easily renewed when worn out.

3857- Correspondence Paper and Envelopes, G. W-Simmons, London.—12th August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to a memorandum paper combined with and secured by a closing flap.

3980. Insulation of Wires and other Electric Conductors, J. H. Johnson, Lincoln's-inn-fields, London.—19th August, 1882.— (A communication from I. M. Hirsch, Chicago, U.S.)-(Not proceeded with.) 4 d.

Relates to the insulation of wires by covering them with a mineral gelatine, the object being to enable such insulation to resist heat.

3991. Incandescing Conductors for Electric Lamps, T. J. Handford, Southampton-buildings.— 19th August, 1882.—(A communication from T. A. Edison, Menlo Park, New Jersey, U.S.) id.

This relates to the manufacture of carbon filaments by baking “drying oil,” or a mixture thereof, into

6d.

This consists partly in the mode or method of cleansing a filtering medium, preferably whilst in a free, loose, or expanded condition, inside the filtering or containing vessel, by causing a body of water to be moved by any suitable displacer through the said medium to and fro or in opposite directions alternately, whereby the impurities are disturbed and the cleansing of the medium is effected.

4033. Carburetting Illuminating Gas, C. Crozat, Eastcheap.—22nd August, 1882.—(Void.) 2d.

This relates to the employment for carburetting or enriching illuminating gas of such hydrocarbons, which, being homogeneous, practically maintain a fixed point of ebullition whilst giving off vapour, that the same hydrocarbons do not become sensibly impoverished as they are used.

4036. Apparatus for Winding Coils of Wire upon the Armatures of Dynamo-electrical Machines, W. B. Espeut, Jamaica, West Indies.-23rd August, 1882. 6d.

This consists of a rotating ring driven by cogs, which carries a reel of wire and a series of pulleys, over which the wire passes to the armature to be wound. The pulleys are fitted on long spindles to change their positions in accordance with the position of the wire on the reel. The inventor claims to be able to wind any kind of armature, round or otherwise.

4051. Preserving Meat, Making Ice, 6c., W. H. Northcott, London.—2ith August, 1882. 8d.

The machine for producing cold air is constructed with one or more single-acting compressing cylinders, and one or more single-acting expansion cylinders bolted to a bed-plate in which are generally placed the cooling tubes. The invention relates to improvements in the general construction of the machine.

4052.    Phaeton Gig, H. Lloyd, Liverpool. — 24th August, 1882. id.

The object is to construct a carriage capable of being rapidly and easily converted from a phaeton or double to a gig or single-seated carriage.

4053.    Sleeper Chairs for Railways, J. Mac L. Blair, Glasgow.—2ith August, 1882. 6d.

This refers to wrought iron or united steel sleeper chairs formed more or less hollow on one side and rounded on the other.

4056.    Apparatus Employed in Spinning, Twisting, or Doubling Worsted, &c., H. Illingworth, Bradford.—2ith August, 1882. id.

This relates to improvements in apparatus employed in spinning, twisting, and doubling worsted or other fibres in what is called cap spinning or twisting, whereby twisting in the opposite direction desired is prevented by the caps being formed with saw teeth or notches at the edge thereof.

4057.    Manufacture of Ammonia and Bone-black, E. P. Alexander, London.— 244ft, August, 1882.—(A communication from H. Y. and E. B. Castner, New York.) 6d.

The process consists essentially in first passing crushed bone continuously through a closed heated vessel or carbonising cylinder, thereby charring the bone; then conducting it without exposure to air in •tight receptacle; in drawing the gaseous products from the cylinder, combining them with air, passing the combined gases through heated pipes, then over slacked lime, and finally cooling the gases and bringing them into intimate contact with acid, thereby forming salt of ammonia in solution.

4058.    Lace Boots and Shoes, &c., A. C. Andrews, Birmingham.—2ith August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The inventor employs long narrow eyelets in the fronts, sides, or other openings of lace boots and shoes, in place of the usual circular eyelets, and a broad, flat lace or strap is used of a width corresponding to the length of the eyelets.

4061. Covers or Lids for Provision Cans, &c., II. J. Haddan, Kensington.—2ith August, 1882.—(A communication from Schreider and Lemp, Leipzig.)

This consists in providing the can on its inner side, a little below the upper edge, with a circular or ring-shaped platform or edge, soldered air-tight to the can, and in placing on the same a pad or layer of discs of paper treated so as to be oil, air and water-tight.

4062.    Sewing Machines, H. J. Haddan, Kensington. 2ith August, 1882.—(A communication from J. A.

Doering, Leipzig.) 6d.

This relates to the construction of shuttles for sewing machines.

4063.    Apparatus for Retaining Heat, Warming Food, and Smoothing Fabrics, &c. , /. Cavargna, Manchester.—2ith August, 1882. 6cl

This consists in constructing receptacles for keeping food warm, with a chamber at bottom in which fuel is caused to burn slowly, such fuel consisting of granulated charcoal, nitrate of potash, and gum water, or other matter which will cause the particles to cohere. The fuel can also be used for heating smoothing irons. 4065. Electric Lamps, C. S. Snell, Hackney.—2ith August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to

the same time to retain the elastic contact between the cutting edges.

4068. Moulding Tobacco and other Articles into Packets, H. Clarke, Shoreditch.—25th August, 1882.

Round a circular revolving table eight open-ended cylinders are arranged, and corresponding to the position of one of them a pair of pistons are provided, one below and one above the cylinder, while corresponding to the position of each of the four next cylinders a pair of fingers are arranged To the next cylinder a pair of pistons, and to the next a single top piston provided.

4069. Breaking Down Coal, E. G. Robinson, Barns-ley.—25th August, 1882. 6d.

A hydraulic cylinder is divided longitudinally into two parts, one of which contains a number of ram cylinders all in connection with each other through a waterway, the other half containing a corresponding number of projections equal to and which enter the ram cylinders. The complete ram cylinder is mounted upon the end of a hollow rod, and on being inserted in the drill hole formed in the coal, and water forced into the ram cylinders, the halves of the cylinder are forced apart, breaking down the coal.

4070. Looms for Weaving, J. Williams and H. Burnes, Burnley.—25th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to apparatus whereby lengths of cloth with a heading and a fringe at one or both ends may be woven continuously without stopping the loom, and it consists of an arrangement of levers or cams actuated so as to raise the catch out of contact with the pattern cylinder, and thus render the pattern face inoperative.

4072. Filtering Apparatus, J. F. C. Farquhar and W. Oldham, Long Acre.—25th August, 1882. 6d.

In patent No. 1051, a.d. 1879, the top of the filter bed is scraped to remove the dirt deposited, and box is provided to receive such dirt. In order to be able to abolish this box, the shaft carrying the scraper is made hollow, and the fluid to be filtered is introduced through it, so that it enters beneath the material removed by the scraper from the upper part of the filter bed. The invention further relates to the mechanism for actuating the scraper, the method of supporting the bed upon a domed grid, and of drawing off the filtered liquid.

4074.    Heating Baths, D. Jones, near Liverpool.—2ith August, 1882. id.

This relates to the use of a hand pump in the bathroom, a pipe from which dips into the kitchen boiler.

4075.    Manufacture of Clogs, G. Glover, Liverpool.— 25th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

To obviate noise, to the sole or heel is attached a layer of india-rubber; the tops are made of stout cloth suitably prepared.

4076.    Rotary Steam Engines, W. B. Espeut, Jamaica.—25th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.)

This consists of a circular plate fixed on the engine shaft and formed with two or more pockets (in which balls are placed) and faced against a plane surface of a fixed head, having a short circular channel into which the balls drop, and successively constitute the piston heads of the engine. The invention further consists of valve mechanism whereby the steam may be used expansively, and also of a compound arrangement of the engine.

4077- Gas Stoves, J. F. and G. E. Wright, Birmingham.—25th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the arrangement of chambers and tubes.

4079.    Secondary Batteries, L. H. M. Somzee, Brussels.—25th August, 1882. 6d.

The inventor coats thin sheets of lead, perforated or not on both sides, with a slight layer of minium, rendered adherent by mixing with starch or other agglutinative substance. Several of these plates connected at convenient distances by insulating cross pieces, and the whole surrounded by a thick lead. The inventor claims the following composition for application to the plates, viz., a mixture of pulverised coke or similar substance and a first oxide or salt of lead, impregnated with sugar or syrup, and with an acid added if required.

4080.    Electric Measuring, Recording, and Regulating Apparatus, S. H. Emmens, Argyll-street.— 25th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to apparatus for measuring the quantity and intensity of a current, and the resistance of a circuit, also for recording the quantity of electricity traversing a circuit and regulating the production of the current.

4081.    Friction Couplings for Shafts, Pulleys, and Toothed Wheels, F. C. Glaser, Berlin—26th August, 1882.—(A communication from T. Braun and A. Stackfleth, Berlin.) 8d.

A casing is fixed on the shaft to be driven, and on the shaft is fixed a cross-shaped piece, carrying in slots toothed wheels fixed on screws with right and left-handed threads. Two, arms of the cross piece guides for brake blocks, containing nuts, in which the right and left-handed screws work. A second casing is loose on the shaft, and has spiral ribs on its front side and an internal toothed ring on the shaft. A lever extends equally on either side, and through its ends pins pass, and carry small pinions on one side and larger pinions on the other, the former gearing with a toothed ring inside a third casing, while the latter gear with the internal ring of the second casing. The second and third casings are acted upon by brake rings.

4083.    Apparatus for Opening Bottles Aerated Liquids, D. Cole, Swindon.—26th August, 1882.—(Notproceeded with.) 2d.

This consists of a metallic vessel in the form of a sugarloaf, open at the wide end, and having in the centre of the bottom a thumb or conical extension projecting inside the vessel, and having grooves for the escape of gas. The bottom has a circular border to fit over the neck of the bottom, the projection acting upon the stopper and pushing it inwards.

4084.    Arc Electric Lamps, P. R. Allen, Lambeth.— 26th August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to means for keeping dust, 6c., out of the mechanism of arc lamps, and consists in covering the regulating, parts by an air-tight box. The upper carbon holder is also covered as far as the carbon with an electric air-tight covering which reaches up and is attached to the above-mentioned box.

4086. Railway Carriages, 6c., W. J. Bennett and C. H. Rosher, London.—26th August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to constructing railway and other riages with splinter-proof compartments of cylindrical or approximately cylindrical form, and mounting the compartments on their platforms in such a way that they shall become detached from the said platforms in the event of a collision, and shall be free to rise up and occupy less area.

4088.    Apparatus for Regulating, Controlling, Indicating, and Registering Flow of Fluids, J. C. Stevenson, Liverpool.—26th August, 1882. 6d.

The flow of fluid takes place through or past a double valve or opening, controlled by apparatus subject to the action of the fluid in the main or receptacle whose pressure is to be regulated. This pressure acts upon a floating body, which can be more or less weighted as required.

4089.    Hammerless Guns and Rifles, W. Anson, Warwick.—26th August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to means for securing guns against accidental discharge, and consists, First, in the use of a spring in the mechanism for locking the triggers, such spring bearing on the tails of the sears so long as the gun is at “safety,” but rising clear of them when the safety bolt is moved; and Secondly, in the application of a secondary sear to each tumbler, and arranging it so that it will hold the tumbler if the sear proper should get injured.

4090 Means and Appliances for Heating and Warming, W. Thornburn, Boroughbridge.—26th August, 1882. Gd,

The object is to form heating stoves so that the products of combustion will be free from smoke and smell, and that the heat may be applied, by means of a large metallic heating surface, to the heating of air, or air may be heated by hot-water tubes, the water of which is heated by such stoves. The stove consists of two concentric cylinders with an intermediate space, into which open tubes arranged at an angle within the inner cylinder, and through which air or water is caused to circulate.

4092. Drilling Braces and Drilling Machines, &c., J. Rettie, Hatton Garden.—26th August,

—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the employment of a combination of gearing, whereby the drill is driveu at a greater speed to that part of the tool to which the power is applied by the hand.

.    groove of semicircular

form, and which, in combination with a fixed string guide, enables the string to be retained in place without the use of rollers. The invention further relates to means for preventing undue wear of the automatic trip lever actuated by the sheaf compressor, and which acts on a clutch.

4096. Gas Burners, W. N. Lake, London.—26th August, 1882.—(A communication from E. Z. I. Teterger, Paris.) 6d.

This relates to a burner which spreads the gas in a thin sheet of ring form round the circumference of the burner. A tube is closed at top, where openings are formed through the sides to allow the gas to pass into an annular space enclosed by a cup below and a disc above, a narrow passage being left all round between the cup and disc, through which the gas issues in the form of a thin ring.

4097- Wheels, J. Fry, Lisson Grove.—26th August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to the method of fixing the spok os and forming the hub of metal wheels, and it consists in bending the inner ends of the spokes at right angles alternately in opposite directions, and inserting them into two metal rings which can slide on the hollow axle-box so as to adjust their distance apart and so regulate the tension. The rings and the spokes are then arranged in a mould and the hub cast round them.

4098. Balloons, J. A. Fisher, Queen Victoria-street, and C. G. Spencer, Holloway.—28th August, 1882.

This relates to Montgolfier balloons, in which the inflating agent is rarified heated air, and the object is to so construct such balloons that there shall be no danger of them being set on fire. For this purpose the lower part of the balloon around or near the heat producer is made of asbestos cloth or fibre, while the upper part may be of any suitable fabric rendered fireproof by a solution of silicate of soda, asbestos paint, or other non-inflammable compound.

4099.    Safety Guard for Chaff or Hay-cutting Machines, E. Rigby, Liverpool.—26th August, 1882. —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in providing that part of the feeding-box or trough nearest to the machine with a guard.

4100.    Manufacture of Horseshoe Nails, W. J. Bingham, Sheffield.—28th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in completing by the aid of machinery the operations that in ordinary hand-made nails are done by the farrier or shoeing smith, namely, stiffening and setting and pointing.

4101.    Ploughs, W. Swootman, Diss.—28th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

A screw is provided whereby the position of the breast may be altered so that the land can be put down sharp or left at any desired pitch. A wheel-cutter is adapted to the plough and fixed in front of the skim coulter of the plough.

4104.    Portable Folding or Collapsible Boats, L. W. Jelf, Piccadilly.—28th August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to a special construction of hinged wooden frame covered with waterproof canvas.

4105.    Looms for Weaving, J. Dawson, Laioiston, U.S. —28th August, 1882. 6d.

This relates to that class of weft stop mechanism employed in fancy looms having rising and falling shuttle boxes, and where the apparatus for detecting the absence of weft is fixed about the middle of the slay board. The needles or feelers are attached to a rocking shaft with teeth gearing with a rack on the top of a vertical rod hinged at bottom to a counterbalanced lever serving to raise and lower it. A series of three adjustable cams are fixed under the breast beam, so that as the slay moves to and fro the forward point of the lever will be operated by the cams. The lever has two points, one to raise and depress the needles, and the other to stop the loom.

4106.    Printing Ink, 6c., C. F. Claus, Marlc-lane.— 28th August, 1882. id.

This consists, First, in the manufacture of black paint or pigment by a process in which the precipitate formed by the action of a salt of iron upon a sulphide of an alkali, or of an alkaline earth, is enveloped in oil, resin, _ or gum, or in fused or melted sulphur; Secondly, in obtaining chloride of barium or of strontium simultaneously with such pigment, when it is produced by the action of a solution of sulphide of barium or of strontium upon a solution of chloride of iron; and Thirdly, the production of ochre from the black precipitate by exposing it to atmospheric air. 4107- White Pigments, Alkalies, 6c., C. F. Claus, Mark-lane.—28th August, 1882. id.

This consists, First, in the manufacture of a white pigment by dissolving carbonate of zinc in caustic ammonia liquor, and precipitating with a solution of sulphide of an alkali, or of an alkaline earth; Secondly, in the manufacture of a white pigment by dissolving oxide of zinc in carbonate of ammonia or in a mixture of the carbonate and caustic ammonia, and precipitating with a solution of sulphide of an alkali, or of an alkaline earth; Thirdly, the manufacture of the carbonates of alkalies from their sulphides by either of the above processes; and Fourthly, in the manufacture of sulphide of zinc by dissolving flux skimmings in ammonia without previously removing the chloride contained in the same.

4109. Gas Lamps, F. H. Wenham, Shepherd's Bush.— 28th August, 1882. 6d.

This consists of a gas lamp in which an inverted Argand burner is arranged at the lower end of an airheating chamber, the space between the chamber and the burner, and also the central orifice in the burner,

rack bars attached to the said shieldand plug: respectively, whereby an aperture through the vessel s bottom be opened and closed.

4211. Construction of

operated by the flanges of the wheel.

4.91 o Production and Treatment of Carbonised Material to be used for Filtration and in the Construction of Electrical Batteries, 6c., J. H. Johnson, Lincoln's-inn-Jields. — 5th September, lgg2._(A communication from A. Caron, fans.)

Clocks, &c., H. Robert, ClerJcenwell, and Theobald's-road.—Slst August,

beam, and by a nut to the hook having a screw thread. 4154. Chime

SESKSk’"" p”“    “⁸ 7 ^sjscssisa'.V'tr -s

4134. Spinning Frames, St. J. V. Day, Glasgow.—30th into a ciock that will play a tune at each Hour, and

spindles, whether solid or hollow, than hitherto used,    . KT> OTher Velocipedes, IF. L.

and in placing the driving pulleys or wharves above 4157.R'™^® °™fust> 1882. 10d. the flyers instead of below as hitherto.    Tbis relates, First, to the driving gear; Secondly, to

4136. Indicator for Cabs, 6c., J. Finney, -Man' the steering apparatus.

Chester.—30th August, 1882. 6d.    .. co measuring and Registering Electric Cur-

The object is to enable the passenger in a cab to 4100.    L Lineff, WUmmgton-square.—31st

.    !i1- il~-    wioon« nf a. visible    Auaus’t 1882 —(Void.) 2d.    tLp inventor takes vegetable fibres, such as hemp,

This relates to apparatus for indicating the strength,    been woven into a fabric, and places this

and measuring the quantity of electricity passing t“^ubpee%ordlayers with pulverised wood char-through a circuit, which the inventor calls a hydiau c ^ interposedAietween the layers. The whole Is then electric dynamometer.    . placed in a muffle and carbonised, care being taken to

-----41 c,Q Telephonic Apparatus, J. H. Johnson, Lin- preserve the form of the fabric.

S,tv I ™i^^fiMs.-3lstAuguU,18M.-(Ac^muni-_ I *    AppARATUS rou Loading and Unloading

ii    ASSuC^Zr.to.ltoroon.ta«t.

1882.—-(A communication from C. H. Wilcox, New    lowered at pleasure whereby the rollers    that one pole is a solid cylinder encircled oJ^tconS of “removable framework of pecu-

ThSSto^Fu.t, to ,h. uso of .    to ‘^“^rtt^u^Sf“|Stto°g 5b. required %]%£££» ££££££!.$£d.*.3ES»£

advance of an over-seaming sewing _ ^chanism, so^s    Qr withdrawn therefrom.    onahffllow core attached to a diaphragm.    ndenendentiv S k downwardly extensible

employmentSofl“guiddf.o^guides in the formation of 4140. Spinning Flax and Hemp, A S. Coey and J. 41Q0 Telephone instruments, J. D. Husbands, gectiPns of framework, which may be wefts or    'to thl    T^tS—are proved

“g over-seaming sewing mechanism.    OverTim^ both 3

■29th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    ₀n the upper surface of each roller, so as to remove the 4161. File for H    August,1882.—(A commu- 4914 Apparatus used in the Manufacture of

This consists in an arrangement of grooved carnage ^ ther$rom.    Farnngdon-sbret.-:31st August,* ^    ⁴²a mmoni a^a ™ndother Chemical Salts, J. Forbes,

UUdted 4142    tS;    Th“Sstoto ttttSSon'oi .ppa»ta. tor

cESr&&*—“•—: £*

a Corliss valve, or governing    the Manu- 4143. Diving Apparatus, E. Fasthope, Wolverhampton. which the disc is clamped. The water enters the lower    Apparatus for Rolling Wire Rods, IF. Morris,

4116. Treatment of Materials Used in the Manu    _30tfi August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    and passing through the disc, leaves by an 421 .    Salop.—5th September, 1882. 6d.

ssrasr-asisuss itTsn±dzz , m Day, r. a. ^

«?M^2SSSSA3SJSiffiH£

6c., A. T. Openshaw, Birmingham.—29th August, dr beU, ₀r boat, is, together with the air con- £>r £al    d struction of the accumulator usually ^p at 5, and back through the bottom at 6, and a-round

1882. 6d.    tained within such dress, bell, or boat, circulated and in a novel    ^ ^ abovc apparatus ^ ^ E, and through the top at 7 then into the

This relates to a machine consisting of a cylindrical purificd.    emptoyen isin of the load is effected by a much tot^ rolls at 9j when it then leaves the bolting rolls ,

acAgisssifassusfatfissu:    ^7    '¹¹—,to “*tht” “st '

*41^0^ B.™,. t.    ."Ss-Sfc SUPffiSaifSaSS a^v —3““    * r-⁵‘-

4St±r/.«,».-—

steSs^ERasffiisnswsic ⁶ gss^assr*' “d **■“*

4120. Self-indicating Tea or Coffee Urn, Heating    Marink and Fluvial Structures to serve ™ ev8 8team to a building, and returns the condensed

Feed Kettle Combined, R. IV.    Foundations for Forts, Piers, &c., J. G. . V. a generator; improvements in registering

Tongue, London.—30th August, 1882.—(A communi- ₍j-ces in connection with such meters ; lmprove-cationfrom C. J. Keenan. Paris.) 6d.    ments in devices for signalling defects m c heating

This relates to the arrangement, application, and use stem . improvements in devices for controlling the of coffers, caissons, or any other floating bodies what- Movement of the condensed water in return pipes

ever, held down under the surface of the water by ties conaiderably inclined, and a special arrangement of

or other fastenings holding on to the bottom by means ^ boilers and engine.

of suctions, weights, or any other means, so as to con-    apparatus to Facilitate the Impregnation

stitute a hydrostatic basis for supporting any requic 41    •    Vapour with Antiseptic Matters,/.

superstructure, such as a raft, platform, bridge, land- of Am    September, im.-(Not pro-

ing stage, or other similar structures.

4146 Extracting Juice or Liquid from buGAR ddlc object is to apply dry sprays

Cane, 6c,, H. H. Grierson, Manchester. — 30th nentralising the evil effects of noxious vapours or August, 1882.—(A communication from C. Hughes, exbaiations, or the production of agreeable odours m Matanzas, Cuba.)—(Not proceeded vjith.) 2d.    hospital wards, &e.

This consists in expressing juice or liquid from    Carbonisation and Preparation of a ,

A,nil.    Zm‘ SSSir?«X.-ui k“Z    !;3d “Si”3b¹"'¹

Tbt3ira^Skfi.S<Airo.ta«t.,y^,

and to novel combination of elements for use therein. wllich it is carbonised and ready for use.    ’ through severalfets of two high rolls until it is

The plates are composed of zinc and carbon separated    Paddle Wheels, P. M. Crause, Eastbourne.— “ i in order that some idea may be formed

by a porous pot. The carbon is placed m liquid arsen    • September, 1882 —{Not proceeded with.) 2d.    ₀f the reduction in the original shape, the inventor

acid, whilst dilute acid is used as the exciting ag , Thc 0hjgCt is to lessen the vibration, reduce the slip, hfts ghown in pig. 3 the shape of the rod as it would or the inventor places the carbon in nitric acid.    and economise fuel in vessels driven by paddle wheels, ^me out of hole 11 in the first two high rolls. It

4148.    Generating, Intensifying, and Accumulating The floats of the wheels are of helical form, and they WQuld then pags through a hole which would be m t

or Storing Electrical Energy, P. de    Vilhers,    are placed in pairs, one forming a portion of a right-    next gecond high rolls, when its section would    be

Lancaster-road.—30th August, 1882.    6d.    handed screw, and the other of a left-hanae scr .    approximately that shown by Fig. 4.

This relates to a generator consisting of a.revolving 417Q_ RoCKING chairs, J. HopeutU, Salford.-lst ₄₂₁₇_ Ltjbr₁Cators, H. J. Haddan, Kensington drum containing metals and chemicals, which generate    Sevtember, 1882.—{Not proceeded with.) 2d.    September, 1882.— (A communication from F. R. P.

a current, an exciter—whereby the current when    platform supported on castors carries the rockers,    jpuvernay, Cluny, France.)—(Not proceeded with.)

generated is intensified—and an accumulator to store wy₍^aare connected thereto by springy or other J^vuvemay,

such current.    means, so that the chair cannot be turned right over. 71lis congjsts chiefly in constructing the lubricators

4149.    Apparatus for Hanging Electric and other A\n\ Safety Couplings for Wagons, 6c., G. R. Gf a vertical glass cylinder, held aM?pVlf“mlt>erial Lamps, 6c„ A. M. Clark, Chomcery-lane.-SOIA. ¹⁷|a0“deHj Bradford.-lst September, 1882.-(Ao4 pro- by a flanged disc of metal or other suitably^ mate > h

August, 1882.-(A communication from H. G. Fiske, \    ^    M    and provided with a central screw, winch is screwe

Springfield, Mass., V.S.-{Not proceeded with.) 2d.    Tbis relates to a construction and arrangement of with its lower end into a boss of the    ho¹ de:r, a:Dd

This relates to portable suspension tackle for electric    couplings for wagons and other railway rolling penetrates through the uPPer d48C °l f,® d™* cvlin-

and other lamps.    stock! whereby the operation of_ coupling and un-    hold the latter tight against the top of the glass cylin^

4150.    Steering Gear, J. Granroth, Greenock, N.B.—    C0Upling can be automatically, rapidly, and easily per-    der between which and ^The central boss of    the

3UtAuaust, 1882. 8d.    .    , formed, and with absolute certainty from either side packing discs are inserted. Thecentraioossoii-

This consists of steering gear, in which a pair of lf the wagon or vehicle.    lower bolder.which projects^ f^tiic escape of oil’,

ST “SS" JT&SS''milAd ecraw 4173. »■■»;»_« Bl!SIFj.fc p«rpo» too    m£l1««?tadS5

SSS SqfTnSiMdlS¹ to!SL“i«I°&i to™ *    rrnM »tt.) JPS'gSdSSy wtomo'd tSrd. too Bottom,

in the rudder head, the said screw and feather blocks    Th7 invention consists mainly in forming in the 42la ApPaRatus for Separating Dust from Air.

being connected together by feathers and grooved    the bows on each side of the stem two recesses    w_ B_ Dell> London.—5th September, 1882.-^I com

parts on each other or partly on fixed guide bars.    in^which are placed paddle-wheels rotating on vertical munication from the George T. Smith Middlings

Kean, LaUn, JMU.-H1.1 Av.gM, 1882. <»1 tMthym    I t adva,|d„ „„el c„,„ them lmpur,ties from tor, of h.erle. of oleotnded omto.

at the centre with an arm hinged to link attached to a to the press V    . . bafts may he utilised tb t nracticallv the whole of the dust or impurities is

second rocking axle above the former, and secured to    ,tou^ and W. T. Scott, Stratford.-2nd September 4319. Decorating Bricks, Tiles &c., I. B. Sh

it,. nf 4-v.p wacron bv which means the link or ,009 ad    ,    Walstanton.—5th September, 1882. fa.

coupling can b, ,«»rod ...her „h,n up or dowm    T;g ri«to. toimpm— too

- Supplying Ink to Pens G. R. Hughes and T. in tue^ ^ meangI’or preventing the too rapid oxida- or other 8Uoh suitable gum or vehicle.

Carwardme, Hampstead.—31st August, 1882. bd. J? ’ consumption of the zinc electrodes in such    Apparatus for Steering Vessels, 6c., W*

rwaffiSSSstl aaa&ss“

required.    ®,°->    >    circular valve which is so constructed that it will

4153. Carpet Fastener, E. Edwards, London.-Slst w.    consists of a shallow pan, the lower admit gteam ’ag desired to the cylinders, of win*

August, 1882.-{A communication from J. A.    ^oh forms a jacket for holding the drying tbere are tw0; 8UCh valve being controlled by the

Wilmot, Nets Brunswick.) 6d.    * ao-PTit emnloved ; it is provided with an opening at the steersman.

The object is a device for the purpose of holdlHg the ag ^ow the waste¹ material to be operated upon I edge of carpets, by means of a fastening secured to the top . ^ia the pan. The waste material is kept floor in proper position to receive such edge. The he m^t?₀7during the drying process by agitators fixed device consists of a clasp fastening composed of two ^ upright shaft, so as to come as near as possible jaw plates connected together by a hinge joint, and    bottom of the pan ; a series of flat springs are

having their inner surfaces provided with teeth or    to the agitators, so as to completely

spikes.    scrape the bottom of the pan.

ItoS/SV¹vmJU to—n. cord,,, mmrny

tSSS    <« intooductog 5—;

chlorine, and potash m a gaseous form into *^e ®a . ’ gbiejdg₀r deflector⁸fitting into the said opening, and such gases being obtained by heat from sal-ammonia,    covering plate attached to its lower end, a

and potash lye with red phosphorus, and are led y t‘ rcd plug seat placed within the said opening and

A;um- SStiSU.Ji*, «m totbthetod .e«, -

for distributing and con-

being covered with gauze trolling the supply of heated air to the flame.

4110.    Telephonic Apparatus, G. L. Anders, Queen Victoria-street.—28th August, 1882.— {Not proceeded

This relates to looso contact instruments and to the employment of tellurium as the contact surface.

4111.    Dynamo-electric Machines, H. H. Lake, London.— 29th August, 1882.—(A communication from S. F. van Choate, New York.) 8d.

This relates to improvements in dynamo machines, the object of which is to produce a more simple, compact, economic, efficient, and durable machine than usual. The inventor uses compound U -shaped magnets encompassing the armature, and constructs ins commutator so that the field magnets may be supplied with unipolar or continuous currents, while tne currents sent to line may he either bipolar—alternate —or unipolar-direct. Many other improvements “ described, and there are twenty-three claims.

can

Railway Signals, P. Loft-

communicate with the driver by means of a visible signal or indicator.

4139. Machinery Employed for Pressing Woollen and measuring the quantity of    hvdTauhc

Fabrics, 6c., J. Burras and W. Renton, Leeds.— [ tbrougll a circuit, which the inventor calls a hydraulic

Within^suitable framework is mounted a roller, and in suitable bearings on a table or carriage corresponding rollers below and round the periphery thereof, such table or carriage being so arranged that

age

the

case of a

steam beat and power

FIC I.

Jacket, and Raphael, Ballymoney, Ireland.—29th August, 1882.

This relates to the combination formed by the arrangement of an outer and inner cylindrical vessel, provided with a water kettle or reservoir at the top.

4121. Fastenings for Scythes, A. J. Boult, London. —29th August, 1882.—(A communication from A. Hagedorn, Osnabrilck.) 6d.

A circular plate or ferrule is jilaecd upon the end ot the handle, being strengthened by an additional thickness if necessary. A T-headed or similar bolt passes through the ferrule and handle, and a slot is provided in the T-head, into which the tang or heel of the blade is inserted, and the nut being screwed up tight holds the blade firm. To prevent side play a second plate is fastened upon the handle higher up, and having a slot at an angle of about 45 deg. with the centre line of the handle; a projection upon the tang fits into this slot, so that when the scythe is in use the side play of the blade tends to drive the projection down the slot and holds the blade all the firmer.

4122.    Safety Stirrups, A. J. Boult, London.—29th August, 1882.—(A communication from F. Lehmann, near Magdeburg.) 6d.

Tlie object is to cause the stirrup to become detached from the stirrup strap should the rider fall from the horse.

4123.    Filters, M. Richards, Brierley Hill.—29th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to open the filters, so as to examine the internal parts in a very short space of time, and to seal the said parts up again just as quickly.

4124.    Metallic Boxes or Cases, S. Rosse, Brixton.— 29th August, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the manner of stamping the metal and to the means of folding it.

4125.    Apparatus for Roasting Coffee, W. T. Sugg,

Westminster.—29th August, 1882.    6d.

The apparatus consists of a roaster, a small steam generator and engine for driving the same, and a condenser to condense the steam from the steam engine. The roaster and steam engine are heated by gas.

4126.    Speed-accelerating Driving Mechanism, W.

R. Lake, London.— 29th August, 1882.—(A communication from L. S. Fithian, New Jersey, U.S.)

This relates to the arrangement of toothed wheeled gearing.

4127.    Electric Controller and Indicator for Clocks, 6c., T. Wright, Malta.—29th August, 1882. Gd.

This relates t» a method of obtaining rotary movement by means of a circuit closer and duplicate levers working in combination with electro-magnets and a battery, which rotary movement is communicated to indicating hands, so as to cause them to indicate hours and minutes by means of ratchet wheels, 6c.

4128.    Reducing Tin Stuff and other Partially Pulverised Ores to Extract the Metal therefrom, 6e., J. Joy, Helston, and S. H. Stephens, Sithney, Cornwall.—29th August, 1882. 8<f.

This relates to improvements on patent No. 677, a.d. 1872, and consists, First, in forming the bottom of the pan of a concave ring form, and with a flat bottom well; Secondly, in introducing the feed near the centre of the machine, and conveying it preferably by several branch pipes under the shoes or rubbers , Thirdly, in making the periphery of the shoe in the form of an involute curve, and securing the shoes to the arm of the muller by means of a dovetail catch top of the shoe taking into a slot on the arm; and Fourthly, in taking off the weight from the grinding surfaces by means of a lever acting upon the muller shaft.

4130. Manufacture of Boxes from Paper, Cardboard, 6c., H. J. Haddan, Kensington. — 29£A August, 1882.—(A communication from B. B. and H. S. Munson, New York.) Gd.

This consists in simultaneously cutting the lines, dividing the material into proper form, and embossing their lines of ultimate folding, by pressing the same die composed of sharp cutting and blunt embossing rules and a co-acting counter die.

between a

4132. Apparatus for Letting-off Motion for Weaving Looms, E. G. Swann, Burgess Hill, Sussex. —29(ft. August, 1882.—(A communication from M. Parser, Holland.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in the use of a steel friction band lined with leather, and fastened by eye and hook to a steel spring, which is fastened by a bolt on the cross

FIC.3

4152

as a

means of

FIC 4

10.

-5th

Omnibuses, 6c., C. P. Evans, September, 1882.—(Not proceeded

4222. Tram-cars and Birmingham.—5th

Thisfeonsist's of a covering or shelter over the out-and which is capable of being folded back

side seats, out of use.

4223.    Apparatus for Elevating Grain, 6c., G. J. Howe, Poplar.—5th September, 1882.-(Not proceeded

Tliis*consists in the arrangement of skip or bucket which may be worked from an ordinary derrick or hoist.

4224.    Manufacture of Starch, IF. R. Lake, London. —5th September, 1882.—(A communication from J. H.

The° object wto extract the starch from the liquid

holding it in suspension, and to separate the starch from the gluten and other accompanying impurities in a simple and expeditious manner. 1'he invention comprises the employment of one or more centrifugal machines having imperforate baskets, against which the starch is driven by centrifugal force, and which are provided with a discharge tube having its m nith located in the upper portion of the basket, so that 'he liquid is driven into the mouth of the tube and through the latter by centrifugal force, while the starch remains in the basket.

4225. Pitch Chains, S. Pitt, Sutton.— bth September, 1882.—(A communication, from J. M. Dodge, Chicago.)

The chains are made with oval links, and stocks of cast iron or malleable cast iron are inserted into the links.

4220 Manufacture and Treatment of Soaps, W. Green, St. Lawrence, Kent.—bth September, 1882. 4d. This relates

to a process or processes whereby a large percentage of petroleum, shale oil, or other mineral oil, grease, or fat may be made to enter into the composition of soaps

4227- Fire Escapes, A. M. Clark, London —5th September, 1882 — (A communication f ont G. IV. Smith, Harlansburgh, U S.) 6d.

This consists of a pair of hollow guide ways, made of metal tubes erected vertically in front of and projecting a little from the building, and coupled by an arch at the top, to each of which tubes a balcony is fitted, so as to slide up and down, being connected through a flit with a suspending and operating rope within the tube, the two balconies balancing each other, so that persons in one or the other may command their own descent by means of a lever brake in the balcony.

4228. Shuttle-box Shifting Mechanism for Looms, D. Anderson, Glasgow.—6th September, 1882    6d.

This relates to the employment of a cam lever with its knife edge for the greatest shift, and with the smaller levers or bars jointed to it and to radius rods, and having knife edges for the smaller shifts.

4229 Ventilating Railway, Tramway,

Wheeled Vi-hicles, J. Leather, Liver pool.-6th September, 1882. fid.

This relates partly to ventilating railway coaches and vehicles by inward and upward currents. Other improvements are described.

4230.    Manufacture of Cigarettes, Cigarette Tubes, Briar Wood Pipes, Ac., E. L. Delaney, London.—6th September, 1882.—(Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

This relates to the employment of a tube of pipeclay or other plastic substance.

4231.    Protecting Trees and Shrubs, J. 11. Johnson, London.—6th September, 1882.— (A communication from F. Kettinger and N. Ott, Vienna.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Four upright posts are driven into the ground and provided with lateral webs or flanges presenting slots engaging with corresponding headed studs or catches at the edges of plates or panels. The connection between the four uprights or between the opposite sides of the parallelupipedon formed by the tree protector, is effected by keying or screwing fast a transverse grating at the upper and lower part.

4232.    Apparatus for Holding and Releasing Cords

for Venetian and Roller Blinds, be., J. Hudson, Bolton —6th September. 1882.    6d.

This relates to the arrangement of a kedge and pulleys.

4233.    Machines for Packing, Moulding, and Compressing Flour, Tea, <Src., J. Joyce, Edmonton, —6th September, 1882.—(Complete) Is.

This consists in improvements in the general construction of the machine, part of the improvements being applicable for the manufacture of paper bags.

4236 Metallic Fencing, R. J. George, Swansea.— 6th September, 1882.—(Partly a communication from E. M. George, Sutna, India. 8d.)

This relates to a metallic fencing, consisting in the combination of fixed (perforated or slotted) tubular standards having their ends bent and flattened or fitted in base plates, with separate wedges down such, and driven by a bar, rammer, or the like, to secure the wires.

a re

are

a non-

I!

i!

iO

the rope to be stopped. B is a lever with an excentric side as shown, so as when it is in an inclined position it is clear of the rope, and when it is in a vertical posi-

to maintaiuff'inits vertica^oritiom¹¹"⁶'¹ ’ ° lsa catch 435L Utilising Steam and Heated Air as Motive Purifying S,..„ Bo™, Fifo-™ S,™

IK •?'    SpoThe taventor claims, Flint, the process of returning

pie nicer, 1882. fid.    to the boiler the exhaust steam of steam en trine a

obJect to cause a continuous movement of the in order to restore to the said exhaust steam its llcluld by aPP¹/¹“F firo or heat to the boiler or initial pressure, and to render it fit for further use other vessel and thus to force the water or other liquid Also the application of the said process to annaratus through a tube or tubes into an inner for heating air and caloric or hot airengines • Secondly °m Cf¹!eCtnr-placed iPBlde ftf the boiler or outer the combination of two boilers worlfing at different easel, and by this means causing the substances or pressures, and of the parts connected therewith

matter to separate from the water or liquids, and to precipitate, deposit, and collect in the inner vessel.

4717- Disc Dynamo and Magneto-electric Machines, be., J. Gordon and J. Gray, New Broad-street —4th October, 1882.    6d.

This relates to an electric generator consisting of two or more discs rotating on parallel axes and having their peripheries in contact, so that the one may drive the other by friction. This will be readily understood from the drawing, in which disc A drives disc B. The discs are made of thin sheets of copper or other con ductor surrounded by a broad flaDge at the periphery"

14-7 j 7 j

4242.    Manufacture of Strainers, &c., G. Tidcombe, jun., Watford,. - 6 th September, 1882. id.

This consists, First, in the soldering under pressure of the crown plate of strainer plates to the strengthening or supporting framework; Secondly, in the construction of double bottoms for brewers’ vats or tuns, and for strainers generally with slitted strainer plates in combination with a perforated plate.

4243.    Sprit Sails, W. Rowden, Whitstable, and C. E. Doughty, Margate.—6th September, 1882. 6d.

The sail is divided into two parts, so that either one or both can be set or reefed at pleasure.

4244.    Drying and Conditioning Grain and other Cereai s in Bulk, &c., G. M. Capell, Passenham. —6th September, 1882. 6d.

This consists of an apparatus contrived to pass atmospheric air, or air dried in a specially constructed heating stove, or through a chamber containing chemical substances to absorb moisture through grain in bulk, by means of the suction of an exhaust fan or by the fall of a column of water through a tube of larger diameter than the pipe which conveys the water to the centre of the tube exhausting the air.

4245.    Kotary Engines, W. R. Lake, London.—6t.h September, 1882. — (A communication from J. Lojda, New York.) 6d.

The inventor claims

stationary wheels or cams having grooves, in combina-«iiWith. a stationary casing enclosing the upper half of the said wheel, and provided with abutments and passages or ports in the central abutment closed by suitable valve.

are con-

commu-

or more gas or at any con-

con-

From the United States’ Patent Office Official Gazlte.

274 427. Incandescent Lamp Holder, Edward Weston, Newark, N.J.—Filed July 19th, 1882 Claim.—(1) The combination of a base or support and an incandescent lamp, connections from the base to the conductors of the lamp, and a spring acting to

wj|

l.jsr

fPlr

7C

J_X

%•

page

317

317

319

320

320

320

. 320

320

320

320

321

.    .. 321

321

323

323

324

324

325

325

325

325

325

326

327

327

328

328

328

332

320

.    .. 320

325

325

326

326

326

fid.

AND OTHER

and other

4237.    Tachymeters, II. J. Haddan, Kensington.—6th September, 1882.—(A communication from E. Lo.m-binet, Rochfort, France )—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The apparatus is constructed of two principal parts, viz., First, a turbine or paddle-wheel moving in a closed chamber, and communicating with a closed air chamber; and Secondly, a pressure indicator, which indicates at every moment the pressure of the air contained in the said air chamber.

4238.    Incandescent Lamps. &c., W. Crookes, F.R.S., London. — 6th September, 1882. fid.

This relates to improvements in the manufacture of incandescent lamps. The inventor stretches threads on a metal frame, and immerses the whole in a bath of cuprammonia to make them horn-like in texture. They are then dried, dipped in acid, and washed with water. After this they are removed from the frame and hung on glass rods with weights attached to them to allow them to dry and harden. Subsequently they carbonised by a special process, and then immersed in benzol or similar liquid to displace occluded gas from the pores. Before being mounted in their globes the filaments are subjected to a special process, by which carbon is deposited on them until their resistances reach the proper standard, which process and the apparatus used forms part of the invention. Claims also made for new methods of fixing the filaments in the globes, &e.

4239.    Holders for Wire Rope, T. Archer, jun.,

Gateshead. —6th September, 1882.    6d.

In the drawings an elevation and section of revolving drum of cast iron or other convenient material is shown with a spiral groove cast in its periphery, in the convolutions of which spiral is coiled

I 4539 I

I Ccal

rB

Vi

y 'V>'. J

)\

4241.

a wheel having projecting flanges and hinged valves arranged to be operated in opposite directions by means of levers, rods, and

14545'!

Vit

4246. Electric Signalling Apparatus, chiffly Designed for Telephonic Purposes, W. It Lake, London.—6th September, 1882. — (4 communication from J. H. Cary, Boston, Mass, US) 6d.

This relates to that class of signalling apparatus known as “ individual signals,” arranged to be operated from a central station, and to improvements whereby each signal in the circuit is operated positively and accurately, also to devices for bringing all the signals to unison when desired.

4250.    Dynamo-Magnetic Electric Machines, Ac.,

T. Donnithorne, Gracechurch-street.-Qth September, 1882.    4d.

This relates to the construction of magnets for use in dynamo machines and for other purposes. The inventor makes them of soft iron tubes, open at one end, and this he fills with magnetic oxide of iron, and stops the tube with a soft iron stopper.

4251.    Obtaining and Applying Electric Currents, T. Slater, Notting-hill.—6th September, 1882.— (Not proceeded with ) 2d.

This relates to improvements on the inventor’s patent No. 2272, for the 3rd June, 1880, and consists in certain alterations in the details of the machine for generating electric currents therein described.

4254. Voltaic Batteries, F. W. Durham, New Barnet.—7th September, 1882. 2d.

To prevent leakage in batteries through the bubbling of the eases evolved, the inventor pours a coatiDg of paraffin oil on the top of the exciting liquid, and shapes the cell so as to prevent the oil from spilling. 4266. Storing Electrical Energy, T. Slater, Notting-hill.—7th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with ) 2d.

This relates to a secondary battery formed of perforated iron plates, one covered with sulphate of magnesia and caustic soda, and the other with a mixture of caustic soda and calcined magnesia.

4273. Casting Metals or Alloys of Metals for the Manufacture of Electrodes for Batteries, be., H. Woodward, Shepherd’s Bush.-8th September, 1882. 4d.

According to this invention porous or spongymetallic plates arc formed by bringing the metal in a molten state into contact with granulated salt, so as to embed the latter in the metal; it is afterwards dissolved out. The inventor also claims the use of such spongy plates m the manufacture of white lead.

4282. Axle Blocks for Carriages, R. Palmer, Manchester.—ith September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.)

This consists in the construction and arrangement of an elastic axle block, which is interposed between the spnng and the axle, with the object of still further softening or neutralising the shocks arising from the inequalities of the road.

4286. Electric Bell and Signal Apparatus T R Brailsford, London.- 8th September, 1882. fid.

This relates to means whereby one electro-magnet is made to ring a bell, and also to cause the indicator of the particular room from which the bell has been rung to drop, there being a number of indicators, all of which can be operated by this one electro-magnet. The object of the invention is to do away with the necessity for a separate electro magnet for each indicator.

4289 Needle Instruments for Speaking Tele-®RAPH8'/ J- Houghton, Peckham.— 8th September,

1882.    6a.

• consists in attaching a piece of resonant material to the needle of telegraph instruments, so as to cause them to give out distinct sounds when the stop pegs are struck, these latter being of two different materials, to render the sounds distinctive. The inventor s object is to render needle instruments, capable of being read by sounds.

4303. Electrical Storage Butteries, E. Frank-land, F.R.S, Reigate Hill—9th September. 1882. id.

This relates to the construction of plates for secondary batteries. The inventor employs minium or red lead and applies it to the plates, either on their surface or in perforations in them ; he then hardens this minium by applying to it or mixing with it sulphuric, phosphoric, or other acid, which forms au insoluble, or nearly so, salt of lead. The acid is very dilute.    J

f/ai

'fe==E=

The discs are divided into a number of sections insulated from each other, but not from the central boss. An electro, or permanent, magnet is placed over the discs so that its pole pieces shall cover two sections of each disc lying about, the line of centres The current passes from the axis of one disc through their point of contact to the other disc. The magnet coils nected in a shunt circuit to the bearings. The main external circuit is also connected to the bearings, from which the current can betaken.

5048. Fastening Umbrellas, &c., II. II. Lake, London.—23rd October, 1882.—(A communication from A. Jehl. France.)— (Complete.) id.

The runner of the umbrella is combined with a safety lock consisting of a series of rings which when twisted engage with pins on the runner, so as to lock it in position and prevent the umbrella being opened. 5051. Rolling or Forming Grooves or Indentations in Railway Rails, <fte , C. H. Halcomb, Sheffield.— 18th November, 1881. — (Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

This relates to apparatus for forming a groove in the angle of the head and foot of the rail.

5089. Man-holes and Mud-holes in Steam Boilers, iSic., A. Watkins, Greenwich.—25th October, 1882.— (Complete) id.

This relates to the mode of constructing and strengthening man-holes and mud-holes by turning or flanging the plates of steam boilers or other vessels for confining steam or gases or liquids.

5119. Cable Traction Railways and Tramways, be., J. Wright, London.—27th October, 1882.—(A nication from C. F. Findley, Chicago.) 8d.

The First part relates to apparatus for taking up the slack, and to regulate the tension upon a cable or cables in motion. Another part relates to the forms and arrangements of pulleys for guiding the cables. Another part relates to a method of raising a cable. 5144. Cocks or Valves, IF. H. Moseley, Derby.—36th October, 1882. 6d.

The inventor claims the construction of stop valves with the valve proper (opening and closing the passage or passages) made of a metallic ring held by its own elasticity against the facing or bore of the shell in which it slides.

5188. Gas Motor Enginfs, T. Ashbury, H. Sumner, W. Lees, and R. IF. B. Sanderson, Manchester.—31st October, 1882.--(Complete.) id.

This relates to the combination of two motor engines with cranks equidistant, venient angle in the circles of traverse.

5235. Increasing the Draught in Chimneys, &c., P. A. Bayle, Paris.—2nd November, 1882. fid.

The sides of the chimney are lined with a series of vertical metal tubes of variable length.

5486 Compound for Rendering Animal and Vegetable Fibres and Fabrics Water Repellent, be , C. B. Warner, London.—18<A November, 1882.— (Complete.) 2d.

The process consists in taking a solution of caoutchouc or other elastic gum, and solid paraffine or other solid hydrocarbon in benzoline, petroleum, or coal tar, naphtha, or any other light hydrocarbon solvent. Into this solution is introduced hydrochloric acid gas or chlorine. The solution is then filtered, and the clear supematent liquid is drawn off from that taining the im purities. This liquid is distilled and about nine-tenths of the liquid remaining in the still is then drawn off, which is free from acids, alkalies, or other impurities.

5922. Brushes, S. Pitt, Sut‘on.—\2th December, 1882-—(A communication from G. Inibach, New York.— (Complete.) 6 d.

This relates to means for facilitating the piercing of holes to receive the tufts in the stocks of brushes at an inclination to each other, and consists in the use of a swivelling holder and a back pattern and index, in combination with a drill carried by a revolving mandril capable of sliding towards and away from the swivelling holder.

0055. Car Couplings, A. J. Boult, London.—\9th December, 1882.—(A communication from C.E. Mark, Flint. U.S.)—(Complete.) 6d.

The object is to provide for direct draft on the car, accuracy and positiveness in coupling, and the vibration of the rear end of the draw bar to couple and uncouple.

6085. Telephonic Apparatus, W. R. Lake, South-amp ton-buildings.—26th December, 1882.—(A munication Jrom M. F. Tyler, New Haven, Conn., U.S.) 6d.

The object of this invention is to construct a transmitter which shall obviate the necessity for speaking so loud as to be heard by other persons present in the same room as the talker. The apparatus consists of a box-like chamber outside the transmitter, having an opening formed to receive the mouth and cheeks of the speaker opposite the diaphragm, so that the voice will be confined to the said chamber.

17. Electric Lighting and Power Distributing Systems, S. Pitt, Sutton, Surrey.—1*< January, 1883.—(A communication from E. T. Starr, Philadelphia, and W. J. Peyton, Washington, U.S.) 6d.

This invention relates to a system for the distribution of electric energy on the following basis. A dynamo machine generates current which charges the main circuit From the main circuit are led shunts containing secondary batteries. These shunt circuits each provided with a switch connected with a clock, and so arranged as to automatically throw the batteries in any particular shunt circuit into or out of the charging circuit, at predetermined times. For this purpose the switch is usually mounted on tbe clock face. The inventor proposes as above described in houses, the inhabitants drawing their current from the batteries.

SELECTED AMERICAN PATENTS.

force the lamp away from the base, whereby it is held in position, substantially as hereinbefore set forth. (2) The combination of a base or support and au incandescent lamp, wire connections between tin* conductors of the lamp and the base, and a spira

|S74 427 |

v/

spring surrounding the connecting wires, and arranged to f. -rce the lamp away from the base, whereby it is held in position, as set forth. (3) The combination, with a base or support and hooked rods or wires, secured thereto, of an incandescent lamp having con -ducting wires provided with rings or eyes, and a coiled or spirai spring placed upon the base, and arranged to exert a pressure upon the lamp when in position, as described.

274,530. Cut-off Valve for Steam Engines, John M. sweeney, Wheeling, W. Va.—Filed November 2 ist, 1882.

Claim.—(1) The combination, with the cylinder and steam chest, of a puppet valve chamber P, located within the steam chest, and having an opening for the admission of steam above the valve seat, and a lower opening communicating with the interior of the steam chest, a slide valve T, and mechanism, substantially as described, mounted upon the steam cylinder for operating the said slide and puppet valves, substantially as described. (2) The coin bu.it-

I a74.53Q~l

JL

,o.

31

Un/l!

tion of the cylinder K, the steam-chest 8, tbe slide and puppet valves, with connected mechanism for operating both of such valves, mounted directly upon the cylinder, substantially as described. (3) The combination of the cylinder K, standards N] N² N;i, rock shaft G. arms A B D, lever R, lifter C, slide valves I, and puppet valves X, arranged substantially as herein shown, and for the purposes set forth.

CONTENTS.

The Engineer, April 27th, 1883.

Failure of Continuous Brakes On Radial Valve Gear. No. III. (Illustrated.).. 315 Prevention of Fire Risks from Electric Lighting

Irrigation in New Countries and Colorado .. 317

Cloud Observations ..............

Electrical Exhibits at the Westminster

Aquarium. (Illustrated.)............

Letters to the Editor—

Patent Law..................

Convict Employment..............

Patent Agents ........ ........

Strains on Screw Shafts .........

Loss of Useful Effect by Friction in

Hydraulic Presses ............

The Irish Mail Contract ..........

Saved by the Collision Bulkhead......

Removal of Refuse by Traction Engines .. 320 Railway Matters ..    .

Notes and Memoranda Miscellanea ..    ..    .

Leading Articles—

The Channel Tunnel

The Smoke Abatement Committee on Steam

Coals ...................

Hollow and Solid Screw Shafts ..    ..    ..

The Great Mathematical Prize of the French

Academy ................ ..

Crystal Palace School of Engineering.. .. 324

Engine-building in Italy ..........

Orders in Council Respecting Storage of

Explosives..................

British Marine Engineers..........

The Patent Bill ..............

Literature ..................

Books Received ................

Grasshopper Engines. No. I. (Illustrated.) .. 325 Hall’s Elephant Boilers. (Illustrated.) ..    .. 326

Worssam’s Cask Lift. (Illustrated.)

Manufacture of Camphor in Japan. (Illustrated.) 326 Pichler’s Elastic Wheel. (Illustrated.) ..    .. 326

Buchanan’s Magnetic Separator. (Illustrated.) 326 New Railway Bridge at Blackfriars. (Illus.) 327 Trophy of Boiler Plates and Flanged Work

for Amsterdam Exhibition..........

The Iron, Coal, and General Trades of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and District .. .. 327

Notes from Lancashire ......

Notes from Sheffield ......

Notes from the North of England

Notes from Scotland........

Notes from Wales and Adjoining Counties .. 328 The Patent Journal Abstracts of Patent Specifications. (Illus.) .. 330 Abstracts of Patent American Specifications.

(Illustrated.).......... ..    .

Paragraphs—

Wolverhampton Sewerage.,.....

Glasgow Inventors and the Patent Bill

The Royal Institution .......

Peter Cooper.............

Naval Engineer Appointments ...... ..

National Mining and Industrial Exhibition in

Colorado ..................

Lighting Suez Canal by Gas ..........