128 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVEKY. 



is one of ingenuity and importance. The quality of work it turns out is said 

 to be better than that done by the ordinary process. Scientific American. 



IMPROVED CLOCK ESCAPEMENT. 



An improved escapement, patented by E. K. Reynolds, of New York City, 

 is more particularly designed for clocks and other time-keepers, which are in- 

 tended to run a long time without winding; on account of its very slow 

 movement it is particularly suited to year clocks. It consists in an escape- 

 ment lever, whose point works in a spiral groove or screw thread, in or upon 

 the staff of the balance ; the latter is arranged perpendicularly to the arbors 

 of the lever and escapement wheel. It is a very ingenious but simple improve- 

 ment, adding but very little to the expense of a time-piece, although greatly 

 increasing its convenience. Applied to a common one-day clock, the latter 

 will run a week without winding ; while an eight-day piece will only require 

 to be wound once a month. Year clocks, we are told, can be produced with 

 equal facility. Scientific American. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 



Improved Pianoforte Action. In all pianoforte movements, one of the most 

 important requisites is such an arrangement and connection of the keys with 

 the hammers as will permit an easy and perfect repetition of the same rate. 

 An invention recently patented by Mr. John S. Merlin, of New York, de- 

 signed to effect most perfectly this desired end, consists in the peculiar appli- 

 cation of a lever to the jack, in combination with a block attached to the 

 hammer, whereby, after the hammer escapes, it is caught at a short distance 

 below the string, and held in readiness for a free and rapid repeat ; whereby 

 also, the return of the point of the jack into the notch of the hammer butt is 

 facilitated. 



Wind Regulator for Organ Pipes. In church, and other organs, the throats 

 or lower parts of the music-pipes rest on a box called an air-chest, into which 

 the air from the bellows first flows. Holes are made through the air-chest, 

 and into them the pipes are placed to receive wind. The tone of each pipe is 

 set or tuned by altering the size of its throat. If the sound is too low, the 

 throat is jammed together a little with a hammer ; if too shrill, it is enlarged 

 with a mandrel. An invention, recently patented by Daniel George, of Naza- 

 reth, Pa,, consists in simply placing a common stop-cock in the throat of each 

 tube an improvement which permits the tuning of the pipes with the utmost 

 convenience and perfection. 



Driggs's Improved Pianos. Mr. S. B. Briggs, of New York, who has occu- 

 pied himself many years in considering the structure and capabilities of the 

 pianoforte, claims to have made several improvements, as follows : 



1. To have arranged the strings so as to secure a tone clear of harmonic 

 vanish! ngs, and hence purer. 



2. To have added an attachment in this case metallic forks which, subject 

 to the action of a third pedal, affords a new and agreeable sound. This is not 



