54 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Febhuaby, 



here it escapes l)y an aperture in the hottimi to a channel CDnimon 

 to all these cells, and from thence carrieil away by it at a heijflit 

 suitahle for maintainliii; tlie proper level in the cells. 



The second part of the invention alludes to an apparatus for 

 rejrulatinir the supply of the excitiuf< fluids to galvanic batteries. 

 The liquid is coutaiued in a cask or other suitable cistern, enclosed 

 at top to prevent the pressure of the atmosphere actinu; on 

 the surface of tlie liquid, which is drawn ofl' at an opening at the 

 bottom, and received into a small open cistern, the level of the 

 liquid in which, when above the openiui; in the cask, prevents any 

 further escape ; from this small cistern tlie liquid is drawn by 

 means of a syphon; the end pendant thereon is a flexilile hose: 

 while the other; or lona; end, is a metal tube, which delivers the 

 liquid into a glass tul)e or vessel, from which it escapes by a small 

 aperture at the bottom, which is regulated to pass about the neces- 

 sary quantity ; when the liquid rises to a higher level in the glass 

 tube, and consequently covering the long end of the syphon, which 

 passes down to the bottom, the flow will be diminished, at the same 

 time the higher level attained will indicate a greater outflow at the 

 bottom ; the outer side of the glass being graduated accordingly. 

 The syphon is suspended by a cord, by wliich the relative propor- 

 tion of the legs may be varied by elevating or depressing the level 

 thereof, the long end always remaining the same, while the flexiljle 

 material of the other adapts itself to the required height at which 

 the ap]iaratus may be suspended. 



Thirdly, this invention relates to combination of lead as the 

 positive element with nitric or acetic acids, instead of zinc, and 

 having any suitable negative element ; the plates for whicli pur- 

 pose may advantageously consist of surfaces of platinum. 



Fourthly, to the employment of an amalgam of zinc, inclosed in 

 a bag, as a substitute for the amalgamated zinc plates or rods used 

 in galvanic batteries. For this purpose he employs a bag of linen, 

 hair, cloth, or any finely reticulated fabric not metallic, in whicli 

 the amalgam (in a liquid state) is placed, in which state it is used 

 in lieu of the plates before mentioned. 



Fifthly, to improvements in the formation of magnets, which 

 consist— first, in the hardening such articles by heating them in a 

 bath of hot metal, instead of subjecting the magnet to the heat 

 of a furnace, and afterwards plunging them in water — lead being 

 emjiloyed as the heating medium. 



The' metal he uses in the formation of magnets for electrical 

 purposes he prepares as follows : — he takes the best Swedish iron, 

 and, instead of converting the whole into steel, as usual, he only 

 partially converts it to the thickness of the scale on the outside ; 

 this scale is removed, and afterwards fused and the ingot obtained, 

 and then rolled out into thick sheets, from which the magnets are 

 cut. 



The sixth part relates to an improved galvanometer ; in the 

 galvanometers liitherto employed, they have been useless when the 

 electrical apparatus has been in action, as they cannot be used 

 during that time, while the present improved galvanometer is in- 

 cluded in the circuit, and shows at all times the intensity of elec- 

 tricity passing. It consists of a thick wire coiled round a hollow 

 wood centre, in which a glass tube is fixed, in the centre of which 

 is placed a rod of soft iron, so as to slide freely up and down in 

 the centre. This is surmounted by a small stem of brass ; tlie 

 passage of the current through the coil tends to draw the soft iron 

 rod upwards, the height to which it is elevated depending on the 

 intensity of the current; the glass tube is graduated to show 

 in units the number of grains of pure zinc consumed, which may 

 be effected by the actual experiment, or it may be graduated ac- 

 cording to one of Petrie's galvanometers. 



The seventh part relates to an amalgam consisting of zinc .and 

 mercury, in the propiu-ti(m of five parts of the former to one of 

 the latter, when employed as plates or rods in galvanic batteries. 



The eighth part of this invention has reference to improve- 

 ments in eft'ecting the motion of the electrodes in electric lamps, 

 employed for tlie purpose of producing a continuous light for 

 illuminating purposes, or for the jn-oduction of a regular inter- 

 mittent light, aiiplicable to lightluuises. The improvements in 

 this p,irticular consist of an apparatus for elevating the electrode 

 as it is consumed or transferred to the o|)posing electrode by the 

 passage of tlie electricity, and is an improvement on a former 

 patent, dated July .'{, 1817, and described in the Joiirnn/, Vol. XL, 

 p. iO, In tliis case, the supporting stem of the lower electrode 

 terminates at the lower end in a rack, which gears into a pinion, 

 on the axis of wliicli is jilaced an escapement-wheel, worked by 

 means of a double pall, one of which drives the wheel in one direc- 

 tion, wliile the other pnqiels it in the opposite direction. 



This double ])m11 is ])ivoted in the centre (the opposite ends being 

 the parts that fall into tlie teeth) to a lever, one end of which has 



a slow oscillatory motion communicated to it from a crank, ac- 

 tuaterl by a train of wheel-work, the motion of which is main- 

 tained by springs, or smne suitable maintaining power, and the 

 direction of motion given to the wheel will depend upon the ]iall 

 in gear; this is determined by what he terms a regulator-coil; tliis 

 regulator-coil is placed in the circuit producing the light. A rod 

 of soft iron is placed in a vertical position in the coil, the upper 

 part of which terminates in a wooden top attaclied to a long lever, 

 which is elevated or depressed by the vertical rod, according to 

 the intensity of the current of electricity. The long le\er has 

 near its fulcrum a small stirrup, embracing one of the palls, so 

 that when it is elevated, it withdraws that pall from the wheel, 

 and throws the other into gear; this will take effect when the 

 lower electrode has been elevated too far, or brought into too close 

 contact with the opposing electrode, and will, consequently, re- 

 verse the direction of motion of the wheels, and lower the elec- 

 trode; and, again, when it sinlvs too low, the palls will be reversed, 

 and thereby raising the electrode to a position more compatible 

 with the production of light. When the electrodes are in a posi- 

 tion the best suited for the production of light, a small catch on 

 the regulator-rod lever comes in contact with the crank-movement, 

 and prevents the further action thereof; but so soon as this lever 

 is elevated or depressed by the regulator-coil, so will an upward 

 or downward motion be imparted to the electrode. Suitable 

 counter-balances are attached to the several parts, to ensure their 

 proper action. By this means, a continuous and uniform light is 

 obtained, applicable for general purposes of illumination. The 

 upper electrode is secured in a tripod, one of the legs of which 

 forms the conducting-link, and is immediately connected with the 

 regulator-coil before-mentioned, and forming the eduction for the 

 electric current, the induction being eff'ected through the rack to 

 the lower electrode. 



In the production of an intermittent light, the supporting stem 

 of the electrode is furnished with a rack, gearing into a pinion, in 

 connection with a train of %vheel-work and a suitable flyer, to 

 regulate the motion; this pinion is so fitted as to have about one- 

 tenth of an inch of back-lash, and is free to receive an impulse 

 from the rack. The lower end of the stem terminates in a rod of 

 soft iron, surrounded by a helix-coil contained in the electric cir- 

 cuit. This is influenced by the current so as to draw down tlie 

 electrode, the wheel-work before-mentioned giving way thereto, 

 and allowing it to be slowly withdrawn, so that when the electrodes 

 are at too great a distance apart, the light becomes extinguished, 

 and the influence of the coil ceases. A weight hung over a pulley 

 is suspended by a cord from the rack or support-bar of the elec- 

 trode, which — so soon as the influence of the coil ceases — begins 

 to elevate the lower electrode, until it comes in contact with the 

 upper electrode, and thereby establishing the electric circuit ; and 

 the influence of the coil being again brought into action, the rack- 

 bar is slowly drawn downwards, as before explained, till the light 

 becomes extinct — the flyer in gear with the rack limiting the speed 

 of either movement, producing thereby a regularly intermittent 

 light, the duration of the light and the succeeding intervals of 

 darkness depending upon the apparatus employed. A chain is at- 

 tached to the raising weight, one end of which rests on the pedes- 

 tal of the apparatus ; and as the electrode is reduced, a greater 

 portion thereof is deposited on the resting place, and so keeps the 

 whole in a proper state of equilibrium. Other arrangements are 

 represented for producing an intermittent light, in which the rack 

 and wheel-work is omitted, thereby allowing the flashes of light to 

 be produced in rapid succession; but this may be readily arranged 

 to limit the duration of light or darkness, as may be required. In 

 one of the lamps shown the upper electrode consists of a rotating 

 disc, having an angular periphery, the apex of which forms, as it 

 were, the point of the electrode. This is connected with suitable 

 wheel-work, which causes it to rotate slowly, or about one re\ olu- 

 tion an hour. A scraper is placed in contact with the periphery of 

 this disc, which removes at each revolution the particles of matter 

 transferred from the lower electrode, and by this means maintain- 

 ing a permanent point to the electrode. 



The eighth part has reference to the making of electrodes of 

 electric lamps of iridium, the hardest of all known metals ; or of 

 alloys thereof. For this [uirpose he fuses the oxide iridium by en- 

 closing it in a cupel of bone-ash under the influence of the voltaic 

 arc, which produces the most intense heat known. The resulting 

 ingot is afterwards subjected to heat for a considerable time, and 

 hammered for the purpose of annealing it and forming as near the 

 shape as possible, when it is completed in tlie manner of cutting 

 precious stones by the lapidary's wheel. These electrodes are 

 shown in a shape assimilated to that of a horse-shoe, and mounted 

 on two glass supports from the base of the lamp, with which the 



