1818.J 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



US 



innst people who have seen it) be a very neat and elegant church, unless, 

 indeed, the altar-piece, which looks like a huge portico, spoil the whole 

 etfect." 



Mr. Cole illustrates his amusing MS. by elevations of the west and south 

 fronts, and a view of the altar portico, which it was feared (and not without 

 some reason) might mar (he whole etfect. 



We find no traces of the portico at the west end, nor can I learn that the 

 pigeon-house cupola was ever carried into effect. The altar was removed 

 some few years ago. 



The bishop's throne, the pulpit, and stalls consist of an Ionic colonnade, 

 with niches at the back; they still exist in their pristine propriety and 

 beauty, and I can conscientiously recommend them to any architect about to 

 build assize courts; the pulpit and throne would form admirable judge's 

 seats, and the stalls a most dignified row of seats for the magistracy. 



I do not imagine that much was done to Mr. Wood's structure until 1840, 

 when the plaster ceiling and lead over the nave being in a very bad and un- 

 weathertight condition, a considerable sum was expended in repairing and 

 making good as it then existed. 



So much for the history of the cathedral. A very few words will describe 

 its condition when the present restorations were commenced. 



REGISTBR OP KE'W PATENTS. 



PRESERVING AND COLOURING WOOD. 



Francois Augustin Renakd, of 40, Rue du Rocher, Paris, mer- 

 chant, for " Improvements in preserving and colouring wood." — 

 Granted August 19, 1847 ; Enrolled February 19, 1848. 



This invention consists in a mode of construetino; apparatus in 

 which a vacuum can be produced, after the same has been applied 

 to one end of a log of wood; so that a preserving or colouring 

 liquid, contained in a suitable vessel or receptacle at the other 

 end, will be caused, by atmospheric pressure, to pass thro ugh the 

 log in the longitudinal direction of the fibres. 



The anne.ved engraving is a side elevation of the apparatus em- 

 ployed. A is a metal cylinder, provided with a top-piece u, from 

 which is suspended a rod, with a piece of perforated metal or wire 



gauze attached to its lower end. c is a metal disc, fixed to the 

 cylinder a, having an opening at its centre, communicating with 

 the interior of the cylinder ; and between this disc and tlie end of 

 the log of wood d, a narrow leather washer e, is interposed, so that 

 there will be a small space left between the log and the disc. The 

 position of the log upon the frame l, is to be adjusted by the chain 

 and the screw g ; f is a collar, placed around the log of wood, hav- 

 ing a chain attached to it, and by which the wood may be moved 

 to and fro, as required, upon the frame l, by means of the screw g : 

 in turning the screw, by means of the lever, the chain will act upon 

 the collar f, either to bring the block nearer or remove it farther 

 away, as may be required. The other end of the log is enclosed 

 in a bag h, of impermeable material, which is connected to the 

 cock of a vessel i, containing the preserving or colouring liquid. 

 Now if a vacuum be produced in the cylinder a, the pressure of the 

 atmosphere upon the surface of the liquid in the vessel i, will force 

 it through the log. The vacuum may be obtained by any con- 

 venient method ; hut the patentee prefers to produce it by dipping 

 the wire gauze, carried by the rod of the top-piece b, into some in- 

 flammable matter (such as alcohol), and introducing it in an ignited 

 state into the cylinder a ; the air will then escape through the 

 cock K, which is to be left open for that purpose, and is to be closed 

 as soon as the required vacuum is obtained, as indicated by a small 

 barometer m, connected by a tube with the interior of the cylinder 

 A. When the moisture of the wood, or the preserving or colouring 

 liquid, has been forced by the pressure of the atmosphere into the 

 cylinder a, the vacuum will be destroyed, as wUl be indicated by 

 the barometer m ; the cock k being then opened, the liquid will 



run into a vessel n, beneath ; after which, a vacuum is to be pro- 

 duced in the cylinder a, as before. 



The passage of the liquid through the log may he accelerated 

 by a force-pump or other suitable means. Although the log is 

 shown in a horizontal position, yet it may he operated upon in a 

 similar manner when in a vertical position, by substituting for the 

 bag H, and vessel i, a vessel with a suitable opening in the bottom 

 of it to receive the end of the log. When the log or piece of wood 

 is square, then, instead of the bag h, and vessel i, a trough is used 

 to contain the preserving or colouring liquid, and the whole of the 

 log is immersed therein, excepting the end to which tlie metal disc 

 is applied. 



REFINING SILVER AND LEAD. 



Arthur Harry Johnson, of Gresham street, City, assayer, for 

 " Improvements in refining silver and lead, by effecting a saving in one 

 of the materials used." — Granted September 23, 1847 ; Enrolled 

 March 23, 1848. 



The improvements consist in restoring after use, and rendering 

 again available, the phosphate of lime or bone-ash, whereof the 

 cupel or test used by refiners of silver lead is composed, and in the 

 process saturated with lead, and a portion of silver. For extract- 

 ing this lead and siher, the course usually ado]>ted is to return the 

 used cupel to the furnace, by which means the whole of the satu- 

 rated bone-ash is destroyed ; while portions of the lead and silver, 

 combining with the phosphoric acid of the bone, pass off, and are 

 lost. By the improved method, little or no waste occurs of either 

 the bone-ash, silver, or lead. 



To carry out the invention, a solvent of the oxide of lead is used 

 in the following manner : — First reduce the used cupel to a fine 

 powder ; then add a sufficient quantity of pyroligneous or acetic 

 acid, varying from 1-009 to 1-048 specific gravity, according to the 

 per-centage of lead contained, to render it of a thin consistence, 

 that it may be thoroughly stirred in a dolly-tub, or some such con- 

 venient machine, or by allowing the acid to percolate through the 

 powdered test. After allowing the powdered cupel and acid to 

 remain together for two days (during whicli time occasionally stir 

 them well together), the bulk of the lead becomes dissolved. The 

 mixture is next put into cloth or fiannel filters, or other percola- 

 tors, to allow the lead solution to drain off ; this done, remove the 

 remaining soluble salt of lead, by washing it with water and by the 

 application of pressure, previous to drying the resulting bone-ash. 



After the above process, the silver, and some lead, still remain 

 in the bone-ash, though not sufficient lead to materially interfere 

 with its absorbent powers, on again using, provided it has been 

 properly freed from the lead solution. If, however, it be wislied 

 to extract the lead more perfectly, add a second portion of the 

 acid to the filtered or drained bone-ash, and again thoroughly stir 

 it in tliis second acid — tlie washing and pressing, as before described, 

 following this second operation. To bring the lead, contained in 

 the solution, into a marketable form, after due saturation, either 

 simply evaporate it in proper pans to make sugar of lead, or by 

 means of the several re-agents commonly employed, form respec- 

 tively the carbonate, the sulphate, the sulphuret, or other com- 

 pounds of lead that may be desired. 



Instead of pjToligneous acid, a solution of caustic potash may be 

 used, or soda, containing about 20 per cent, of the pure alkali ; 

 but this has not been found so useful in practice. 



GAS STOVE. 



William Brockedon, of Devonshire-street, Queen-square, Mid- 

 dlesex, for " Improvements in heating rooms or apartments." — Granted 

 September 9, 1847 ; Enrolled March 9, 1848. 



This invention relates to heating rooms with gas. It consists 

 in so constructing stoves or fire-places which are open in front 

 that gas may be burned therein, and the decomposed air and pro- 

 ducts of combustion pass into chimneys, as fioni open fire-places 

 or stoves when burning coal. The stove or fire-place may be con- 

 structed as nearly as may be like those now used with open fire- 

 bars, and may have a bottom grate similar to what are used for 

 burning coal, and they may be made to fit the fire-places as at pre- 

 sent constructed, or the stoves and fire-places may be greatly 

 varied in design, so long as the stoves or fire-places are capable of 

 consuming gas in an open fire-place communicating with a chimney 

 or flue. 



In order to give a gas stove constructed according to this inven- 



