290 Mineralogical Journey. 



Samuel Browning of BostOHj and of which a patent has been se- 

 cured. The foHowing abstract of Mr. Richardson's description of 

 this apparatus will conclude my remarks upon the Franconia Iron 

 Works. The machine consists of a frame, four feet long, three feet 

 wide, and six feet high ] containing two cylinders, which embrace 

 nearly dn^ee thousand magnets, together with a third cylinder furnished 

 with cams to move a wire sieve placed upon friction rollers. The ore, 

 after being roasted in the kiln, Is wheeled to the pounding house, 

 which contains the machine ; here it is pounded through grates, the 

 bars of w^iich, are one quarter of an inch apart, and thence 

 conveyed to the " Hopper " of the machine, from which it runs into 

 the sieve, in required quantities, regulated by a guage. Passing 

 through the sieve,* it is conveyed by an apron or guide under the 

 first or largest cylinder, from which the magnets take up all the ore 

 they are capable of holding, leaving the remainder to pass on, regu- 

 lated by another apron to the second cylinder, wlilch attracts the bal- 

 ance ; while the residue, being siliceous matter, is suffered to drop 

 down, and Is thrown away as it accumulates, by the workmen. 

 The cylinders constantly revolve upon their axes, and the sieve is sub- 

 jected also to a slight motion. A large brush Is maintained in front 

 of each cylinder j which, as the cylinder turns, removes the ore ac- 

 cumulated during Its revolution. The ore, thus brushed from the 

 cylinders, is conveyed by a spout or trough, adjusted at a proper an- 

 gle, from the pounding house to the forge. The whole machine Is 

 kept in motion by water power. By the use of this apparatus, Mr. 

 Richardson assures me, that he saves one hundred and fifty bushels 

 of coal in the manufacture of every ton of ironj and besides, that 

 he is enabled to produce iron of superior quality and with a consid- 

 erable saving of time : — advantages, it would appear, of sufficient con- 

 sequence to Introduce the invention of Mr. Browning Into very gen- 

 eral use. 



7. While Mountain Minerals. 



In passing through the Notch of the White Mountains, we had 

 little opportunity for mineralogical observations, In consequence of ^ 

 violent storm of wind, accompanied by snow and rain. We were 



* That portion of the pounded ore which Aoqs not go through the sieve, is free from 

 foreign matters, and is therefore transferred directly to the forge without farther 

 pounding. 



