218 



hnprovement in Artificial Legs. 



Vol. XI. 



covering, when closed, a hole in the upper 

 surface of the pipe. G is another valve 

 opening- inwards and upwards into the air 

 vessel E, from the lower part of which a 

 and escaping- from it, drives up and closes 

 smaller pipe, K J, conducts to the place to 

 which the water is to be raised. The force 

 of the current descending the pipe B D H, 

 the valve H. The escape of the water at 

 H being thus checked, it is compelled to re- 

 coil and find an issue by raising the valve 

 G, and forcing its way into the air vessel E. 

 Meantime the valve H, relieved for a mo- 

 ment of the rush and pressure of the water, 

 is forced downward by its own weight and 

 re-opens the hole. But the compression of 

 the air occasioned by the water rushing into 

 the vessel E, quickly shuts down the valve 

 G, and forces a portion of the water in the 

 vessel up the pipe K J, the only escape that 

 it can have. The water rushing down from 

 B, is thus driven again to seek egress at the 

 valve H, until that valve is forced up by the 

 current and closes the aperture, when the 

 water again recoils and enters the air ves- 

 sel through G; and is once more, when G is 

 shut down by the compression of the air, 

 driven to escape at H, which has re-opened 

 by its own weight, while a part of the water 

 left in the air vessel is forced by the expan- 

 sion of the air up the pipe K J, in a contin- 

 ual stream to its destination. This process 

 continues until accident or wear stops the 

 working of the valves. The valves make 

 from 25 to 80 regular and measured strokes 

 per minute, and are set in motion by press- 

 ing down the valve at H. 



My first machine was made entirely of 

 wood, including the air vessel, and worked 

 well. But when the syphon was applied 

 and the descending current set the valves 

 in motion, so great was the power obtained 

 that the machine burst with an explosion 

 like that of a swivel. The perpendicular 

 height of the syphon when this experiment 

 was tried, might have been about ]0 or 12 

 feet. Another put together more strongly, 

 with cross-bolts and rivets of iron, withstood 

 the pressure, although the water was forced 

 through the pores of the wood and stood like 

 dew on the outside. 



I believe that Hydraulic Rams are now 



manufactured of cast iron by Reeves, 



who had seen my wooden machine at work 

 in 1843 or '44, and afterwards took out a 

 patent. He has the credit, and I hope, the 

 profit, of first introducing it into general 

 use. 



This invention dates from 1796, and 

 due to one of the brothers Montgolfier, who 

 invented the air balloon. My adaptation of 



the syphon — a device entirely my own — 

 merely renders it more eflTective, and en- 

 ables it to be used in almost any situation, 

 avoiding the expense of high dams and large 

 ponds to create a head of water. The height 

 to which the machine can raise fluids, is 

 probably limited only by the power of valves 

 and pipes to resist the pressure. A mode- 

 rate sized one has been made to send water 

 to a perpendicular height of 300 feet. 



H. H. Strawbridge. 



New Orleans, Jan. ]st, 1847. 



Improvement in Artificial Legs. 



This is the title of a most ingenious in- 

 vention, for which letters patent were grant- 

 ed to Benjamin F. Palmer, of Meredith, New 

 Hampshire, November 4th, 1846. Mr. Palm- 

 er's Artificial Leg cannot be spoken of in 

 terms of too high praise, it has received the 

 unqualified admiration of gentlemen of the 

 medical profession, and of every skilful ma- 

 chinist who has examined it, for the simpli- 

 city of its construction, and the perfection of 

 its movements. The inventor having had 

 the misfortune to lose one of his legs, — am- 

 putated above the knee — made use of vari- 

 ous artificial substitutes therefor, and finding 

 how very imperfect they were — the joints 

 clumsy in their articulation — inclined to 

 creak and get rickety — presenting an un- 

 natural and unseemly contour, as they were 

 operated, with gaps and rough edges for the 

 destruction of the clothing encasing them : 

 he resolved on trying to invent something 

 better and more perfect. 



His mechanical ingenuity, aided by ex- 

 perimental tests, produced the artificial leg 

 and foot for which he has obtained a patent. 

 To give an idea of its perfection, I would 

 remark that Mr. Palmer visited Washington 

 during the sitting of the great "National 

 Fair," last spring, wearing one of his own 

 artificial legs; and that no one had the least 

 suspicion of his being supported and walk- 

 ing on other than natural and handsomely 

 proportioned limbs : the articulation of the 

 joints was so perfect, and he managed his 

 artificial limb with such freedom, that only 

 a slight limp could be detected in his gait. 

 The joints preserve a smooth and natural 

 contour in all positions — not straining or in- 

 juring a silk stocking at the toe or ankle 

 joints; they make no noise in their move- 

 ments, and can be used for years without re- 

 quiring repair. A foot and leg, to be applied 

 above the knee, is composed of only seven 

 parts: it will therefore be perceived that its 

 mechanical construction is remarkably sim- 

 ple. — Eureka, 



