Nov. 1, 1885.] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



35 



reduced the friction to one-ninetieth part of the amount in the ordi- 

 nary clock. He has produced a more durable, accurate, and less 

 expensive time-piece, which has also the merit of being silent in 

 action and simple in its parts, requiring no expert to use it. If a 

 large number of clocks are in use in one building, they can all be 

 controlled and regulated by one clock, the battery necessary to 

 wind up this one clock being sufficient to wind up any number of 

 clocks in the building. The possible applications of this principle 

 are almost innumerable. It is calculated that in the City of London 

 alone there are 7,000 clocks wound by hand under a contract of a 

 guinea a year per clock. The saving ensuing on the adoption of the 

 new timepiece is apparent. The introduction of the invention to the 

 English market has been entrusted to Mr. B. F. Watkins, of Room 29, 

 LeadenhaU-buildings. 



TIN'NE'S COMBINED PROTRACTOE AXD SCALE. 



In plotting a survey, traverse, or in similar work, it is ordinarily 

 necessary to use several instruments in succession. First, a pro- 

 tractor to set off the bearing or angle ; then a ruler to draw the in- 

 tended line ; then a scale laid along the line for the distance ; and 

 then, most probably, india-rubber to erase the part of the line 

 which has been drawn in excess of what is necessary. In each of 

 these several settings of protractor, ruler, and scale, not only is 

 there considerable loss of time, but also a liability to a succession 

 of inaccuracies, in spite of wearying care in setting each instru- 

 ment with exactness as regards lateral and longitudinal position 

 and angle. 



In the instrument of which we here give an illustration these 

 sources of error and loss of time are minimised. A small stock like 

 an inverted T slides against the edge of a 

 T square or parallel ruler, and has pivoted 

 to it a protractor, on the edge of which is 

 attached by two thumb-screws one of a 

 set of ivory part-scales. By revolving 

 the protractor against a vernier the edge 

 of the part-scale can be set to any angle 

 with the base of the stock, and there 

 clamped by a binding-screw. The whole 

 instrument (being now virtually a set 

 square of the exact angle needed) is slid 

 along the parallel ruler, and the ruler 

 run too and fro, till the zero at one or other end of the scale of 

 parts coincides with the points from which it is desired to draw a 

 line. A pencil is then run along the edge of the scale exactly the 

 distance required (and, of course, at the correct angle), and the 

 point at which it stops becomes in its turn the point of departure 

 for the next line, after the protractor has been set to the new 

 bearing. As both protractor and scales are numbered to read from 

 each end, bearings can be got at any angle " all round tlie com- 

 pass,' and distances counted off E., W., X., or S., and this without the 

 slightest necessity of considering the whereabouts of the centre of 

 the protractor. 



This instrument is the invention of, and is patented by, Mr. 

 Theodore F. S. Tinne, formerly o£ .Auckland, X.Z-, and is made and 

 exhibited by Mr. William Stanley, mathematical instrument maker, 

 of Great Turnstile, Holborn. 



FIRE-E8CAPE. 



[Patent, No. lo,-763. 1884.]— This invention, by Mr. E. H. Bayley, 

 of 42, Newington-canseway, is one which, notwithstanding its recent 

 introduction, has already established itself. It is based on the 

 telescopic principle, and consists of three ladders, whicli, when 

 occasion requires, are drawn by ropes and pulleys one above the 

 other until a great altitude is attained. It has the advantage of 

 being adjusted to any height within the extreme limits. In order 

 to impart the necessary strength and rigidity, a specially-made steel 

 wire rope is used above and below, while the stability is ensured 

 by increasing the distance usually allowed between the carriage and 

 the springs. Should any ladder-round be damaged, it can be re- 

 placed very readily, without taking the ladder apart. The apparatus 

 is likely to prove quite as useful as a scaling-ladder as a fire-escape. 



DIVING BELTS. 



[Patent No. 135S3, 1884].— Mr. J. K. Tullis, of John-street, 

 Bridgeton, Glasgow, has taken out a patent tor an improvement in 

 link-belting. In one class of the improved tj-pe the links are 

 thinner in the centre than at the edges, an arched belt being thereby 

 produced to suit the curve of the pulley. According to this manu- 

 facture, the entire face of the belt comes in equal contact with the 

 entire face of the pulley. No unequal strain comes upon the rivets 



as they have a level bed to lie upon. It may be made to suit any 

 curve of pulley. This class of belt transmits, it is said, 25 per cent, 

 more horse-power than a fiat belt of the same width. A Hat belt 

 always retains a cushion of air between itself and the pulley, which 

 prevents perfect grip. This air escapes through the spaces in the 

 chain belt, and the edge leather takes fidl charge of the power 

 which it has to turn. 



Another class introduced is for half-twist belting. In using 

 ordinary fiat belts for this class of drive, it will be observed that 

 a large portion of the belt assumes a slack appearance on the 

 inside of the twist which leaves the pullej- and does no wiu'k. 

 Several plans have been tried to overcome this ditficulty, such as 

 splitting the belt up into two or three widths and securing them 

 with cross connecting straps. But the most successful is the patent 

 thick-sided and tapered chain belt. The links may be 1 inch deep 

 at the one side, tapering to | inch deep at the other. By this for- 

 mation a twist belt can be made to any width. It comes in contact 

 with everj' inch of the pulle_v. The strain is taken up by the hea\")' 

 side, the slackness is taken out, and the belt seems to work as well 

 as if there were no twist to contend with. 



AUTOMATIC PEESSrRE-CHAN'GIKG GAS GOVERNOR. 



[Patent No. 188.]— The principal object of this invention (by Mr. 

 Caink, of 2, Westbourne-terrace, Malvern Link,) is to secure a 

 means by which the pressure of gas in the mains issuing from the 

 gas governor may be increased and diminished automatically, at 

 such times and to such extent as the consumption of gas supplied 

 therefrom requires, and thus prevent what frequently happens— an 

 excess or deficiency of pressure, arising from the impossibility of 

 the man in charge at the gas-works being able always to anticipate 

 the precise time and extent the pressure is required, consequent on 

 the variation of the consumption which takes place in a town from 

 time to time. 



The apparatus may be applied to any of the usual forms of 

 governors, which are generally constructed for the purpose of main- 

 taining a uniform outlet pressure with a variable inlet pressure and 

 consumption. 



The gas-holder of the Governor is usually provided with an air- 

 vessel, which counteracts the weight of the holder and valve, giving 

 buoyancy thereto. In this Governor the air-vessel is divided into a 

 series of chambers A A', annular and concentric ; the divisions 

 which separate the chambers extend from the top to within a short 

 distance (about j inch) of the bottom, the openings at the bottom 

 being the only communication between the various chambers. 

 From the top of each of the chambers rises a tube B B, e-xtending, 

 gas tight, through the gas-holder, and provided with a screwed plug 

 or cap for the purpose of rendering the upper portion of the air- 

 chamber air-tight when required. One of the legs of a syphon-pipe 

 C C, which has the lower end of each leg turned upwards or 

 otherwise " sealed,'' extends from the bottom of one of the cham- 

 bers through the top of holder ; the other leg -extends downwards, 

 outside gas-holder tank, and terminates with its open end on a level 

 with the open end of the other leg of the syphon. This arrangement 

 enables the syphon, when once charged, to remain charged indefinitely, 

 even though neither leg may be immersed in the water. A plug maybe 

 provided at the upper end of the syphon for the purpose of charging 

 it, or it may be charged through any of the tubes B B, &c. An 

 annular tank D D, in which the outer leg of syphon ascends and 

 descends, surrounds the gas-holder tank of the Governor, but is 

 separated water-tight from it. The annular tank is charged with 

 water to near the level of bottom of air-chamber or float in holder, 

 when valve is in its highest position, or closed. 



The adjustment aiid action of the apparatus are as follows: — 

 Screw the caps on the tubes rising from air-chambers, and charge 

 syphon. Weight the Governor so as to give the minimum day pres- 

 sure desired, then charge with water the outer tank B up to the level 

 of mouth of syphon. Remove the plugs from the tubes of such of 

 the chambers as shall, when charged with water to the required 

 height, add such weight to the holder as shall give the night 

 pressure required. This will be determined by observing what depth 

 the Governor-holder descends under the usual night pressure with 

 an average night consumption. .-Vs the consumption ofgas increases 

 the pressure in the mains is thereby lowered, and (as is also the 

 case in an ordinary gas governor) the holder and valve descend. 

 The descent of the holder brings down with it the syphon, the 

 outer leg of which becomes immersed below the level of the 

 water in outer annular tank. The effect of this is to transmit 

 water through syphon into such of the chambers as, by the 

 removal of the plugs from the tubes, are in communication 

 with the external atmosphere. The water continues to rise in 

 the chambers until it attains the same level as that in the 

 outer tank. Hence the greater the draught upon the mains the 

 greater the descent of the holder, and consequently the greater 

 the depth of water transmitted to the chambers and the greater 



