199 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOITRNAL. 



I JUN 



ia the relative weights of equal volumes than the ditTerent degrees of Iieat 

 above and below. I\l. iiabiuet, indeed, seems to admit ihis, as the expan- 

 sion of the humid air he supposes lo be caused by ihe rarer state of tlie 

 upper atmosphere, and yet he seems to iiave forgotten to take into consi- 

 that the denser and heavier air would not rise into the lighter. 



Analysis of Phosphates. — Messrs. Dumas and Pelouze have reported 

 ▼ery favourably of the process adopted by I\I. Raewsky, to ascertain the 

 proportions of phosphoric acid contained in phosphates. The process con- 

 sists in brinj^ing the phosphoric acid to the state of phosphate of the per- 

 oxide of iron, and then to ascertain the quantity of iron which it contains. 

 As the pliosphate of the peroxide of iron is insoluble in acetic acid, in 

 precipitating; the phosphoric acid from an acid liquor by means of the 

 acetate of the peroxide of iron, the salt will be precipitated pure, and cnu 

 consequently be collected in a tilter. After a careful washin;;, if it be dis- 

 solved in nitric acid, and reduced to the minimuin state of oxidation by 

 the acid of a suitable addition of sulpliate of soda, thnre will remain only 

 to saturate the iron restored to Ihis state by means of the proportionate 

 quantity of permanganic acid necessarj to convert it again into peroxide. 



Rotary Hvcls. — A patent has been taken out for rotary heels to boots 

 and shoes, so that, however unevenly a person may tread, the lieel may be 

 regularly worn by giving it a turn daily, to expose a fresh surface at the 

 part most trodden on. 



Invisible jVusiciuns. — Mr. A. Bain, the inf;enions inventor of electric 

 telegraphs and clocks, has obtained a patent fur an invention, part of 

 which consists in causing musical instruments to be played by electro-mag- 

 nelisiu, without the apparent a^^eucy of any musician. He eflects this by 

 placing electro-magnets under the keys of the instrument, and these mag- 

 nets are connected by wires witli some other similar instrument in another 

 room, or it may be in some oilier part of the same town. Whenever one of 

 the keys of the original instrument is pressed down by the performer, it 

 completes the electric circuit, and induces magnetism in the temporary 

 magnet undtr the corresponding key of the distant instrument, and that is 

 instantly drawn down and sounds the uote. This arrangement might be 

 continued tlirough several instruments, every one of which would be 

 played at the same time by one performer, who would be touching the keys 

 of only one instrument, and that, perhaps, a mile apart from the others. 

 lo another part of iMr. JJain's invention, he proposes to dispense with 

 performers altogether, and to make the printed music play itself. This is 

 done by perforating holes in a sheet uf paper, which is to be drawn over 

 tlie openings of wind instruments. Wlienever the perforated holes co- 

 iacide with the orilices in tlie inslrntnent, the notes are sounded ; and by 

 arranging the perforations at their proper distances, the tune is played ! 



Manufacture of White Lead. — Some improvements in the manufacture 

 of carbonate of lead have recently been patented by M. .Jean Marie 

 Fournienlin, of New Bridge-street, Blackfriars. In this process, the 

 carbonate of lead is produced by the decomposition of oxichloride of lead 

 ^obtained by the action of sea salt upon protoxide of lead), by means of 

 carbonic acid, which decomposes tlie oxichloride ; an insoluble carbonate of 

 ]tiad being produced, and a solution of chloride of sodium remaining. 



Triple Railivaij Jireak.—X model of a triple railway break, invented by 

 M. Laignet, has been submitted to the Paris Academy of Sciences. Each 

 part of the break must be successively destroyed before any material 

 damage can be done, and the resistance ollered is calculated to be sutti- 

 cient completely to overcome the momentum of the train. The action of 

 the break is independent of the engine-driver, and it is constantly ready 

 to act when occasion requires. The name given to this break is Pararhoc 



New Pife- Barrel. — A new mode of forming the spiral -inside rifle-barrels 

 has been registered by Mv. Lancaster. Instead of making the spiral of a 

 regular helical form throughout, that form is adopted only in the tirst half 

 of the barrel, commencing at the breech ; the other portion being on an 

 uniformly accelerating geometric curve. Tlie advantages said to be gained 

 by this method are— diminution of the recoil, a sustamed spiral motion 

 without the present liability in rifles of stripping the ball, and a larger 

 range with the same charge of powder. 



The College at Pulneij. — The Admiralty experiments on coals for the steam 

 navy, are continued at Putney College, in the buildings erected there by 

 government for the purpose. Dr. Lyon Playfair has recently constructed 

 for this College, the largest magnet that has hitherto been made. 



Mammoth Machine. — The Renfrewshire 7iV/brmer notices tlie manufacture 

 by Messrs. T. Shanks, of Johnstone, an immense sloting machine for cutting- 

 and dressing up, by self-action, the cranks and cross-heads of the larges"t 

 marine steam-engines, finishing them throughout, from the rough block as 

 they come from the forge. 'I'he machine is erecting for Messsrs. Fulton 

 and Neilson, of Lancetield Forge, and the weight of the single casting 

 which forms its base is 2H Ions. This cast was executed by Messrs. John 

 Goldie andCo., of the Hayfield Foundry, and took four months in the 

 moulding. 



Manual Poiver Locomotive. — A Manchester paper states, that Mr. Archi- 

 bald Farrie, an ingenious mechanic of that town, has invented a locomotive 

 to be propelled by manual labour, which was successfully tried along 

 Beveral of the streets of Manchester. The carriage was stopped every now 



and then, to allow parlies to inspect the movement of the machine the 



■working of which appeared to cause the driver only a slight muscular 

 effort, aided by manual dexterity. The machine weighs 8 cwt., has no 

 cranks, and has been worked by one man up au incline of 3 feet in the 

 "TOrd, while twelve persona were in it. 



LIST or NE'W PATENTS. 



GRANTED IN ENGLAND FROM ApBII. 2", TO MaY 2G, 1848. 



Six Months allowed for Enrolment, unless othenvise expressed. 



William Newton, of Chancery-lane, Middlesex, civil engineer, for ** Improvenients in 

 machinery for burrinp, ginning, and tarditiK wool and cotton ur similar fibrous materials 

 requiring those processes." (A communication. )—i:5ealed April L'7. 



Kdward M'alnisley, of Heaton Norris. Lancashire, cotton spinner, for "certain Im- 

 proved apparatus tor preventing the explosion of steam boilers." — Apri 'J17. 



William Henry Banow. of Derby, civil engineer, and Thomas Forster, of Streatham 

 Ciimmon, Surrey, pentlenian. for '* Improvements in electric telegraphs and in apparatus 

 connected therewith." — April *'7. 



Thomas Edmondson, of iMnnchester, machinist, for "Improvements in marking and 

 numbering railway and other tickets or surfaces, and in arranging and distribuliog 

 tickets."— April 27. 



Daniel Tlice Pratt, of Worcester, in the Stata of Massachusetts, America, for ''ma- 

 chinery for connecting railway carriages." — April '27. 



James K. Howe, of the city of New York, in the United States of America, for " Im- 

 p rovementB in building ships and other vessels." — April -'7- 



Roger George Salter, of Birkenhead, in the county of Chester, surveyor, for "certain 

 Improvements in carts for the distribution of liquid substances, and in the construction 

 of drains, sewers, and cesspools, and in the cleansing uf the same." — April 27. 



Charles Fielding Palmer, of Birmingham, for " a new or improved chalybeate water." 

 — April 27. 



Alexander Partes, of Birmingham, experimental chemist, for "Improvements in the 

 manufacture of metals and in coating metals." — April 27. 



William John Normanville, of Park Village, Middlesex, gentleman, for "certain Im- 

 provements in railway or other carriages, partly consisting of new modes of constructing 

 the axle-boxes and journals of wheels; also an improved method of lubricating the said 

 journals or other portions of machinery, by the introduction of aqueous, alkaline, olead 

 ginous, or saponaceous solutions." — May 2. 



Isaac Harles, of Kosedale Abbey, Yorkshire, farmer, for " certain Improvements in 

 machines or machinery foharrowing, sowing, and manuring land." — May 2. 



Isaiah Davies, of Birmingham, engineer, for *' Improvements in steam-engines and 

 locomotive carriages, parts of which are also applicable to other motive machinery." — 

 May 2. 



Alexander Southwood Stocker, of York-]ilace, City-road, Middlesex, gentleman, for 

 " certain Improvements in time teachers and boxes, show cards, or holders for matches, 

 pens, pins, needles, and other articles, and in the mode or modes of manufacturing the 

 samB." — May 2. 



Felicity Iltiison Selligne. of fi, Roulevart Beaumarchois, Paris* for "certain Improve- 

 ments in propulling. and the machinery employed therein." (A communication Irom 

 her late husband.)— May 2. 



Henry William Schwartz, of Great Saint Helen's, London, merchant, for " Improve- 

 ments in steam engines." (A communication.)- May 2. 



Lewis Dunbar Brodie Gordon, of Abingdon-street, City, for "an Improvement or im- 

 provements in railways " — May '.i. 



H William McLardy, of Salford, Lancashire, manager, and Joseph Lewis, of the same 

 place, machine-maker, for " certain Improvements in machinery or apparatus applicable 

 to the prei>aration aud spinning of cotton, wool, silk, flax, and other fibrous substances.' 

 — MayH. 



Richard Laming, of Clichy la flaronne, in the republic of France, for "an Improve- 

 ment 01- improvements in the manufacture of oxalic acid."- May 'J. 



Edward Haiph, of Wakefield, plumber, for " an invention for measuring water or any 

 other fluid."— May it. 



Vincent Price, of Wardour-street, Soho, liliddlesex, machinist, for "certain new or 

 improved mechanical airangements for obtainipg and applying motive power."'— May 11, 

 "Charles Hancock, of Brompton, Middlesex, gentleman, for "certain Improved prepar- 

 ations and compounds of gutta pwrcha, and certain improvements in the manufacture of 

 articles and fabrics composed of gutta percha aloue, aud iu combination with other sub- 

 stances."— May 11. 



Thomas Restell. of Tooting. Surrey, watch-maker; and Richard Clark, of the Strand, 

 Westminster, lamp-manufacturer, for " Improvements in chronometers, clocks, watches, 

 and other time-keepers. "—May 11. 



George Armstrong, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, engineer, for " an Improved water-pres- 

 sure engine." — May 11. 



Mark Smith, of Heyivood, Lancashire, power-loom maker, for " certain Improvements 

 in looms for weaving."— May 11. 



William Taylor, of Birmingham, mechanist, for " an Improved mode of turning up or 

 bending Hat plates of malleable metals, or mixture ot metals, by aid of machinery, into 

 tubes."— May IH. 



George Henry Bursill, of Albany. place. Hornsey-road, James Paterson. of Baldwin 

 street. City-road, and John Mathews, of Norman*s-buildings, Old. street, engineers, 

 Middlesex, for "a certain Improved method or methods of treating malt liquors and 

 other liquids or fluids, and certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for effecting 

 such improved method or methods of treatment."— May 22. 



Abraham Solomons, of London, merchant, and Bondy Azulay, of Kotherhithe, Surrey, 

 printer, for " Improvements in the manufacture of gas, tar, charcoal, and certain acids.'* 

 —May 2(1. 



Matthew Hague, of Waterhead Mills, Lancashire, machine maker, and Joseph Firth 

 of H udders field. Voikshire, cotton doubler, tor "certain Improvements in machinery fo 

 twisting and doubling cotton yarns and other fibrous materials."— May 2(1. 



Moses Poole, of I>ondon, gentleman, for "Improvements in propelling vessels." fA 

 communication.) — Rlay 2l.i. 



James Parker Percy, of Clarendon-place, Nottlng-hill, gentleman^ for "certain Im- 

 provements in obtaining copper fiom copper ores."— May 2(i. 



James Remington, of Warkworth, Northumberland, civil engineer, for " Improvements 

 in locomotive engines, and in marine and stationary engines." — May 2t>. 



Thomas Richardson, of Newcastle upon-Tyne, chemist, for *' Improvements in the 

 manufacture of manBre."~May 2i!. 



Felix Hyacinthe Folliet Louis, of Southwark, Surrey, gentleman, for "an IraproT d 

 method or process of preserving certain animal products."— May 2(j, 



