286 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



I Septemdes, 



PROPELLING BLADES. 



GABDiVEn Stow, late of Kinu-street, Cheapside, now of New 

 York, {jentleiiian, for " Iniprovementx in apparatus far propelling 

 ships and other i-essets." (A communication.) — Granted January 1 1 ; 

 Enrolled July 11, 1818. 



In this invention an attempt is made to combine the screw-pro- 

 peller with the paddle-wheel. The propeller, though placed at the 

 sides of the vessel, like the paddle-wheel, is formed on the screw 

 lirinciple. Its form consists of a series of curved blades, set at an 

 anf,^le of ii° with the propeller-shaft, which is placed parallel with 

 the vessel's course, similar to the ordinary screw-propeller ; but 

 instead of beings submerp^ed, it is sustained by bearinjjs projecting 

 from the vessel's sides (there beinp^ one on each side of the vessel), 

 at such a height from the line of flotation, that sinii)ly the curved 

 blade, or about one-seventh of the whole diameter, will be immersed. 

 These curved blades are severally portions of a screw, and are sup- 

 ported from the shaft by radial arms, being further strengthened 

 by stays extending in the direction of the length of the shaft. 

 These propeller-shafts are each furnished with bevelled wheels, 

 which gear into corresponding wheels on the main or engine-shaft 

 lying across the vessel, as the ordinary paddle-shaft. As these pro- 

 pellers are caused to rotate, the curved blades will be successively 

 brought into contact with the water, one end thereof entering first, 

 the concurrent angle propelling the vessel onwards, and as it leaves 

 the water, the ne.xt blade in succession will be immersed, main- 

 taining a continuous and uninterrupted propelling power. 



MARINE STEAM-BOILERS. 



Thomas, Eakl of Dindonald, Vice-Admiral in Her Majesty's 

 Navy, for " Imjyrovcments in marine steam-hoilers, and apparatus 

 connected therewith." — Granted February 11; Enrolled August 11, 

 1818; 



The principal features of this invention are the application to 

 marine-boilers of the principle adopted for consuming the smoke 

 in other boiler-furnaces, by admitting a stream of hot air 

 behind the bridge, to burn the gaseous products, and the removal 

 of the steam-chest from the top of the boiler to the end of it, 

 thereby lessening the height. His lordship claims seven separate 

 parts, which may be thus briefly noticed. Firstly : — The more 

 jierfect combustion of the gaseous products at their entrance 

 into a tube-chamber, constructed according to a former patent 

 granted to him, by combining a stream of undecomposed hot air 

 with such products. Secondly, the constructing boilers with the 

 steam-reservoir placed below the level of the water in the boiler 

 in lieu of the steam-chest as usually constructed above the boiler. 

 Thirdly, the drying of the steam by its being exposed to a portion 

 of the iire-place, or by passing the flue or chimney through it. 

 He claims, Fourthly, a mode of preventing the priming of steam- 

 boilers by means of a plate or separator jilaced within the boiler, 

 the end being below the surface of the water in the boiler. 

 Fifthly, the right of making and using a spiral or centrifugal sepa- 

 rator ; which, however, may be made square or other shape, and 

 still retain the principle of the invention— namely, the separation 

 of the water from the steam, and the mode of carrying off such 

 separated water back to the boiler, without being obstructed by 

 a contrary current of steam, by means of a pipe or channel from 

 such spiral separator to the boiler. Sixthly, he claims a mode 

 of working the propellers of steam-vessels by means of short pro- 

 peller-shafts. And, lastly, a mode of constructing boat-boilers and 

 apparatus. 



VALVES AND PLUGS. 



John FREnERiCK Bateman, of Manchester, for '■'■certain im- 

 pn>emcnts in valves or plugs for the passage of water or other fluids." 

 — (ij-anted January 18; Enrolled July Is, 1818. 



The chief object of this invention is to make a valve suitable 

 for the water-pipes, the valve being made of smaller specific 

 gravity than water, and being opened by being forced down by a 

 plug. The claims of the patentee will sufiiciently explain the 

 structure of the valve. He claims, first, the application for the 

 passage of water and other liquids, of a globular valve, of a 

 lighter specific gravity than water, constructed of a coating of 

 vulcanised india-rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable clastic 

 substance, so that the valve shall be closed by the pressure of the 

 liquid. Secondly, the use and application of a globular valve of 

 the same or a greater specific gravity than the fluid, constructed 

 with a coating of vulcanised india-rubber or other elastic substance, 

 so that the valve shall be closed without the aid of machinery, by 



the pressure of the liquid. Thirdly, the opening of the valve 

 against the pressure of the liipiid, by means of a plug or key, 

 through which the liquid will flow from the valve, the plug or key 

 being attached to the fixed part, without the aid of any screw or 

 thread. 



PREPARATION OF BAR-IRON. 



William Russell, of Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, iron-master, 

 for "rtn improvement in the preparation of such bar-iron as is vsed 

 in the manufacture of certain kinds of rod-iron." — Granted January 

 29; EnroUed July 29, 1848. 



This invention may be very briefly described. The object is to 

 remove from the surface of ordinary bar-iron the spill or scale, 

 which is found to be very injurious in making the billets from which 

 wire-rod-iron and horse-shoe-nail rod-iron are manufactured. 

 The scale is removed by passing the bar-iron through a kind of 

 draw-plate called a " cleanser," composed of grooves formed in the 

 shape of the letter " V." In conducting the operation, the iron is 

 first made into lumps of about one hundredweight and a quarter. 

 It is then removed to the hammer, where it is reduced by hammer- 

 ing to short bars of five or six inches square. It is next passed 

 through the rolls in the usual manner, and reduced to bars of 

 about one inch and a quarter square. In passing through the two 

 last and finishing grooves in the rolls, opposite which the cleanser 

 is placed, the lower half is slightly lowered in order to admit of 

 the entrance of the bar to the rolls which draw the bar through. 

 During this finishing operation, pressure is exerted to bring up 

 the cleanser by means of the lever and shaft, thereby scraping 

 the iron on all its four sides, and eff'ectually removing all the spill 

 and scale from the surface. The bar is then passed over the upper 

 roll, and is introduced through a smaller groove in the rolls, when 

 the operation of scraping is repeated, as before. 



THE GRESHAM PROFESSORSHIP. 



AVe have seen with great regret the decision as to the Professor- 

 ship of Geometry in Gresham College, because it is an indication 

 of a return to the old system, which it was held forth should be 

 abandoned, and the College restored to its former eflSciency and 

 rank in the scientific world. A decision more lamentable than 

 that now made could hardly have been come to, for it is a total 

 abnegation of scientific attainment and exertion as a qualification 

 for the Professorship. 



Among the candidates were Professor Moseley, the Rev. Morgan 

 Cowie, Mr. Potts, the Re\'. Pelham Dale, and Mr. Edkin. 



Professor Moseley took high honours in mathematics at Cam- 

 bridge, is the author of a work on the " Mechanical Principles of 

 Engineering," and is a professor in King's College, London, 



The Rev. Morgan Cowie took higher honours, and was the 

 senior wrangler of his year. He was afterwards elected Fellow of 

 St. John's College, and Moderator of the Examinations in the 

 University of Cambridge. He now holds the appointment of 

 Principal in the College for Civil Engineers. 



IMr. Potts and the Rev. Pelham Dale have devoted themselves 

 to mathematical studies, and have published papers on scientific 

 subjects. 



Mr. Edkin took a low degree at Cambridge, and has since been 

 a teacher in the City of London School. 



The Gresham Committee have appointed Mr. Edkin to the va- 

 cant Professorship. 



It is not attempted to be put forward that Mr. Edkin is entitled 

 on the ground of his scientific superiority, but he is said to have 

 given satisfaction as a master in the School. It may be added, 

 that he is related to an influential member of the Common- 

 Council 



It may happen, albeit Mr. Edkin has as yet given no proof of 

 his competency, that he may make as good a professor as Mr. 

 Moseley or Mr. Cowie ; but whether he do or not, the appointment 

 is equally unjustifiable. 



TJiese professorships are not simply appointments of men com- 

 petent to discharge the duties, but they are rewards for previous 

 exertion ; and when properly awarded, their beneficial influence is 

 great, because, as all candidates must comply with the condition of 

 having given practical and public proofs of competency and dis- 

 tinction, a powerful stimulus is given to the industry of those who 

 are enterprising, and tliere is a curb on the indolent. 



In University College, the way in which the appointments are 



