MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 23 



the total distance from the boilers to the engine upwards of 1,200 

 yards, and the perpendicular depth about 882 feet. The engine can 

 lift and force about 300 gallons per minute up the inclined plane, length 

 as stated above, the perpendicular height 342 feet. London Builder. 



GREGORIE'S PATENT EQUALIZER, OR POWER REGULATOR. 



To give the benefit of a heavy fly-wheel to a steam engine, without 

 its incmnbrance and loss, is the object and nature of this invention. It 

 consists of a small piston working within a close cylinder situated at 

 one side of the large or engine cylinder, and receiving two strokes for 

 one of the engine, either way, through the motion of a bell-crank 

 attached to and operated from the beam ; the said small piston, through 

 a branch connecting it with the main steam-pipe, being constantly 

 exposed to the steam from the boiler on its one face, and, through a 

 further branch, to the vacuum of the condenser on its other (or to 

 the external atmosphere if the engine be of the non-condensing kind). 

 The small piston, thus connected and operating, will serve to act as a 

 drag at the early part of the engine stroke when the steam is strongest, 

 and afterwards to form an auxiliary, to the same amount of effect, at 

 the closing portion of the stroke, when the steam, by expansion, has 

 become weaker, thereby equalizing, or sufficiently so, the propelling 

 power of the engine throughout its entire stroke. 



The device is equally applicable to all engines, whether high or low 

 pressure, and may be used with great advantage in every case where 

 fuel is either costly or cumbrous ; it can be worked from the main or 

 counter shaft, and so at a trifling cost be attached to any engine. 

 Farmer and Mechanic. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS. 



APPLICATION for a patent has been made by Mr. Charles Allen, of 

 Warren, Perm., for three speckled improvements in the construction 

 and arrangement of steam boilers. One is a mode of preventing 

 explosions by securing either the head or end of the boiler by springs 

 which will bear a certain pressure, but when the pressure exceeds this, 

 the end will be thrust out, and prevent the boiler from bursting to 

 pieces. 



The second improvement, applicable to revolving boilers, is applying 

 a cylinder of wire gauze in the interior of the boiler for the purpose of 

 gathering up the water on the surface, when the boiler is rotating. 



The third improvement is the placing of an alarm valve on the boiler, 

 to be opened once during every revolution by the striking of a station- 

 ary bar or other object placed in a convenient position, to call the atten- 

 tion of the engineer to the boiler. Scientific American. 



APPLICATION OF STEAM POWER ON CANALS. 



FOR many years scientific men have devoted much attention to the 

 application of steam power to the towing of boats on canals. Towing 

 by horses has been found not only exceedingly expensive, but too slow 

 and uncertain for the wants of the present age, and hence many plans 

 have been suggested and experiments tried, in the hope of finding some 



