98 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



advantage of with the most perfect confidence, as the indentations on 

 the metal do not appear to suffer thereby. Elegantly formed tea 

 services, salvers, cruet-frames, dish covers, drinking cups, urns, and 

 other objects produced in electro-plated and gilt metals, are so many 

 evidences of the utility, economy, and ornamental character of the 

 invention as applied to the art of the worker in electro-plate and 

 Britannia metal goods. The process illustrates a philosophical truth, 

 viz., the compressibility, yet indestructibility of matter, in connection 

 with the cohesion of the several particles, forming the substances out 

 of which the patterns are made. London Art Journal. 



CHRONOMETRIC LOCK. 



A contrivance has been invented by Mr. W. L. Bass, of Boston, for 

 locking the doors of bank vaults, &c., in such a manner that they can- 

 not be opened before an hour fixed upon beforehand. The apparatus is 

 extremely simple, but appears to be entirely sufficient for the purpose 

 designed. There is no key-hole to the door, the bolt of the lock being 

 turned by means of a handle upon the outside. Upon the inside there 

 is a catch which holds the bolt fast, except when withdrawn by the 

 operation of a simple clock-work, which can be set, like an alarm-clock 

 for any hour. The absence of a key-hole precludes attempts to blow 

 up or pick the lock. 



Lest there should be any fear that the disarrangement of the works 

 at some time might prevent the opening of the lock, even at the pre- 

 scribed hour, there is attached an additional piece of apparatus, con- 

 trived with much ingenuity, by means of which, in case of the stop- 

 page of the works, the catch upon the bolt may be lifted by turning for 

 some time a key at the side of the door ; but this is powerless except 

 in case of the stoppage of the works. As the clockwork is without dial 

 or hands, there is, however, much less danger of stoppage than in a 

 common clock. 



DESCHAMP'S OMNIBUS REGISTER. 



THE following description of a new omnibus register, invented by 

 Mr. F. O. Deschamps, is taken from a report of a committtee of the 

 Franklin Institute : 



The instrument is placed in front of the omnibus, between the lamp 

 and the hole by which the fare is passed up to the driver. It resembles 

 in appearance the dial of a common clock with a single index. 



It is the duty of the driver upon the receipt of each fare, to pull a 

 handle, which rings a bell inside the instrument, and at the same time 

 causes the index to move forward on the dial one division, while a 

 similar record is made by a second dial, which is placed upon the same 

 arbor as the center wheel and the hand or pointer, and is concealed 

 behind the face of the first dial. When the index in the first dial, and 

 consequently the index in the second dial, have made an entire revo- 

 lution, by -means of a toothed wheel, notched cylinder and click, a 



