MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 97 



or gelatinous substance, such as gelatine, or size, or with aluminous salts. 

 Pure albumen extracted from eggs, blood, &c., is preferred for the purpose of 

 the invention. The method of manufacturing the improved composition is as 

 follows: The patentee first soaks the sawdust (mixed with other powders or 

 not) in pure albumen, slightly diluted and liquefied by water or otherwise. 

 He then dries it well, and subjects it to pressure in an hydraulic press, or by 

 any suitable means. He next places the substance hi a mould of the required 

 shape (preferring a mould made of steel) hi such quantity that after forcing it 

 into the mould it may exactly fill it, neither more nor less. While the pres- 

 sure is being effected, heat is applied to the mould until the moulding is com- 

 pleted, by a steam jacket, hot plates, surrounding it with hot bars, by direct 

 or radiated heat, or otherwise. As soon as the moulding is completed the 

 mould is suddenly cooled by being immersed in cold water, by pouring water 

 over it, or in any other suitable manner. Coloring or other substances may, 

 if desired, be added to the sawdust and albumen. Metal castings or orna- 

 ments hi relief hi metal or other material may be applied on the composition 

 before pressure, or the articles may be ornamented by engraving the inner 

 surfaces of the moulds in which they are shaped. The new composition may 

 be applied to the manufacture of a variety of articles for which wood, ivory, 

 gutta percha, and other hard and plastic substances are now employed, such, 

 for example, as pipes, chess men, picture frames, boxes, cornices, furniture, 

 combs, knife and other handles, book covers, brooches, and various ornamental 

 articles. 



IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTUEE OF SHIRRED INDIA 



RUBBER GOODS. 



In manufacturing common shirred goods the rubber is cut up into threads 

 by a machine which causes much waste of stock at the sides and ends of the 

 sheet from which the threads are cut ; much time is also lost in examining the 

 threads, to see that none but perfect ones are used, and much labor is 

 expended in the frequent sharpening required by the cutters. The threads 

 produced by the machine are placed in a stretched state at a short distance 

 apart between the cemented surfaces of two sheets of cambric or other cloth, 

 and the whole is then passed through rollers, which cause the two sheets of 

 cloth to adhere together hi the spaces between the threads of rubber ; but 

 there is little or no adhesion of the rubber and the cloth, and the consequence 

 is, that the durability of the goods is much less than it would be if all the 

 parts of the rubber adhered to the cloth. 



Mr. Richard McMullen, of Xew Brunswick. N". J., has recently invented an 

 improved process whereby he is enabled to produce shirred goods with a sheet 

 of india rubber lining the entire surface of the cloth, thereby obviating waste, 

 and employing a much less weight of rubber to produce a fabric of greater 

 strength, elasticity, and durability. This object has long been sought after, 

 but all attempts to make every part of a sheet of rubber adhere between two 

 sheets of woven fabric have failed. 



The improved process is as follows : In the first place both sides of the 



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