MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 49 



New Method of Lubricating Axles. A novel method of lubricating bearings 

 is also noticed in the French mechanical journals. The bearing is described 

 as being made rather wider than usual, and a small disk is fitted on the 

 shaft, which dips into a reservoir of oil in the base of the hanging carriage or 

 plummer block, and by its revolution raises the oil and distributes it over the 

 bearing. A tight-fitting cap may be made to cover in the whole bearing, and 

 prevent, particularly in public conveyances, the access of dust. Bearings 

 thus lubricated, it is averred, will run for more than a twelvemonth with one 

 supply of oil , 



BEAUFUME'S GAS-FLAME FUE^ACE. 



The points of novelty in this new French invention are as follows : 



Instead of burning the fuel directly below the boiler, M. Beaufume first 

 transforms it into gas in a separate apparatus ; and then conveys this gas to 

 the boiler, where its complete combustion causes the generation of the steam. 

 This separate apparatus which M. Beaufume' terms a gasifier, consists of a 

 furnace constructed very like that of a locomotive, with a water space sub- 

 stituted for the tube-plate. Coal is heaped upon the fire-bars to a consider- 

 able height, say twenty to twenty-eight inches, according to the quality of 

 the coal. The air necessary for the gasification is supplied in suitable quan- 

 tities below the fire bars by means of a blowing fan. The oxygen of the air 

 supplied causes very active combustion amongst the lower layers of coal in 

 contact with the fire bars converting the coal into carbonic acid gas ; and 

 this gas, in passing through and amongst the upper layers which ought 

 ahvays to remain black, becomes converted into carbonic oxide, and accu- 

 mulates in the upper part of the furnace, mixed with nitrogen and doubtless 

 hydrogen also. These gases, the temperature of which is but slightly ele- 

 vated, are conducted to the boiler through a wrought iron pipe, and enter the 

 boiler furnace, after having been thoroughly mixed in a chamber termed the 

 burner, with a suitable proportion of air supplied by the blowing-fan. After 

 having been once ignited in the boiler furnace, the gases continue to burn as 

 fast as they are supplied. The flames produced act on the heating surface 

 of the boiler ; and the gases remaining after combustion pass through the 

 flues and escape into the atmosphere under the pressure due to the blowing- 

 fan, no chimney being required. 



The gasifier, in consequence of the water-space with which it is surrounded, 

 is itself a small boiler, the water in it absorbing the heat developed in the 

 gasifying process, and utilizing it by forming a considerable quantity of 

 steam, which is added to that of the large boiler. The furnace of the gasifier 

 is supplied with fuel through a passage in the top of the apparatus, this pas- 

 sage crossing the steam space and opening into the furnace, whilst it is fitted 

 with doors or valves at both extremities, so that the fuel can be introduced 

 into the furnace without opening a communication with the atmosphere. 



A few simple and inexpensive alterations require to be made in the brick- 

 work setting of ordinary boilers, in order to adapt them to being heated by gas. 

 The fire bars being removed, a brickwork platform is constructed in their 

 place, and on this platform a number of brickwork passages are formed, 



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