64G 



PATENTS. 



in making pipe by a hydraulic ram. The ingot 

 of tin is introduced into the cylinder over said 

 mandrel, and then melted lead is cast around 

 the tin in the cylinder and the hydraulic press 

 set to work as usual, to force out the metal be- 

 tween the mandrel and a round hole or die, to 

 make the pipe. The lead and tin come out to- 

 gether in the form of a pipe, the tin forming a 

 complete thin lining to the lead pipe, and when 

 in use no portion of the lead is exposed to the 

 action of the water, and the water remains free 

 from mineral poisons produced by the lead. 



LAMPS. The introduction of petroleum has 

 stimulated the inventive faculty to devise im- 

 provements that would allow of the universal 

 use of this material in place of sperm, lard oil, 

 camphene, etc. The large preponderance of car- 

 bon in petroleum has rendered it very difficult 

 to burn without smoke, and any sudden motion 

 of the lamp, or currents of air, cause flicker- 

 ing and smoke, and sometimes extinguish the 

 light. To construct a kerosene lamp that 

 would burn steady in a railroad car, regard- 

 less of agitation, has been the study of many 

 inventors. 



Among the largo number of patents in this 

 class may be named that granted April 14, 1863, 

 to 0. B. Lashar, of Xew York City, and which 

 has gone into extensive use on the city rail- 

 roads. The wick sets into a case made in the 

 reservoir, there being but a small hole from the 

 reservoir into this case, so that the oil shall al- 

 ways remain quiescent around the wick and not 

 be agitated by the swaying about of the oil in 

 the reservoir caused by the motion of the car ; 

 this insures steadiness of supply to the flame, 

 and prevents the motion of the oil forcing the 

 vapors in the lamp out through the wick and 

 rendering the flame unsteady. The ram action 

 of the oil as it sways about in the reservoir is 

 apt to cause leakage at the supply plug ; this is 

 prevented by the use of a stationary feeding 

 tube attached to the reservoir and passing down 

 into the oil almost to the bottom of the reser- 

 voir, so that the agitation does not reach the 

 plug that is inserted at the upper end of this 

 tube. The air hole or vent on the upper 

 part of the reservoir is formed with a conical 

 cap soldered over it, having a small hole in its 

 upper end, so that any jet driven out of the 

 vents by the swaying of the oil, will be received 

 in the conical cap and run back into the reser- 

 voir. 



Various other improvements in lamps have 

 been introduced, many of which were patented 

 prior to 1863. The cone or deflector made of 

 glass in place of metal, so as not to obstruct 

 light, is now extensively used, and burners that 

 do not require glass chimneys are manufac- 

 tured in large quantities. 



Several patents on lamps were granted during 

 1863-'4,to parties connected with Holmes, Booth, 

 and Hayden's establishment, at Waterbury,Conn. 

 One of these patents is for a lamp in which the 

 deflector is made with a long slot over a round 

 wick, so that the flame, instead of being round, 



is spread out flat and much more perfect con> 

 bustion produced. 



Hinges are now extensively employed foi 

 connecting the burner and metal ring holding 

 the chimney, so that the chimney can be turned 

 back for lighting the lamp. It is important 

 that the chimney should be sustained nearly 

 horizontal, so that its upper end may not fall 

 down against the table. L. J. Atwood, March 

 1, 18G4, obtained a patent for a small wire rod 

 or brace extending from the burner to the ring 

 holding the chimney ; this does not prevent tho 

 said ring being turned down to its place, but 

 holds the ring and chimney from turning back 

 too far when opened for lighting or trimming. 



POIXTIXG WIRE FOB PINS, NAILS, &c. It 

 has been usual heretofore, in pointing pins, 

 needles, nails, and other small articles, to grind 

 or file away the metal. This produces considera- 

 ble loss of metal, besides which the points are 

 generally soft and easily become blunt ; Messrs. 

 Grin Ilopson, and Heman P. Brooks, of Water- 

 bury, Conn., have invented a machine that com- 

 presses the points perfectly true, sharp, and 

 smooth. A revolving shaft is fitted at its end 

 with a divided die, the opening in which is of 

 the shape of the point to be formed, and is on 

 the central line or axis of said shaft ; one-half 

 of the die is stationary, the other is set in a jaw 

 that can be opened slightly ; around the end of 

 this revolving shaft is a stationary ring carrying 

 adjustable toes or cams; the wire to be pointed 

 is entered between said dies, and as the shaft 

 revolves, the dies are pressed together and re- 

 leased in rapid succession, by the moving jaw 

 taking the stationary toes or cams. The action 

 of this machinje is very rapid and accurate ; the 

 jaws coming together reduce the wire and form 

 a point ; at the same time the metal is smoothed, 

 compressed, and consolidated, so as to be much 

 stiffer, and the point more durable, and there 

 is no waste of metal. Letters patent for this 

 invention were granted Aug. 9, 1864. 



FORGE HAMMER, ATMOSPHERIC. An air cyl- 

 inder is reciprocated in slides, by means of a 

 crank and pitman ; in the cylinder is a piston, 

 the rod of which connects to the hammer mov- 

 ing also in slides over an anvil ; when moved 

 slowly, the blow is light, but when reciprocated 

 rapidly, the blow is powerful ; this arises from 

 the fact that the hammer is lifted by the air- 

 spring formed under the piston in the recipro- 

 cating cylinder, and thrown down by the air 

 cushion at the other end. If, therefore, the move- 

 ment be rapid, the momentum causes the ham- 

 mer to rise farther, and the increased compres- 

 sion of the air brings said hammer down* with 

 increased velocity and force. A small hole in 

 the reciprocating cylinder near the middle, 

 allows air to pass in and supply the place of any 

 that may have been expelled by the piston near 

 either end of its stroke in consequence of leak- 

 age. 



These atmospheric forge hammers are in 

 practical and successful operation for forging a 

 variety of wrought-iron articles, and are particu- 



