isig.l 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



81 



made a revolution, they shall be caused to approach each other, so 

 as to maintain a constant and proper relation to each other for the 

 production of a continuous light. 



Fig. 5. 



Fig. 5 is an elevation of the apparatus employed in carrying out 

 tliis part of the invention, a, a, are two electrodes of gas-retort 

 carbon, which are first cut into the form of discs, and then purified 

 by immersion in a solution of nitric and muriatic acid for twelve 

 hours, and afterwards in a solution of fluoric acid for twelve hours. 

 A slow uniform motion may be communicated to the discs by any 

 suitable mechanism; but the patentee prefers to employ that 

 shown in fig. 5, wherein the motion is derived from suitable clock- 

 work, the axis 6, of which only is shown. The two discs turn on 

 pivots or axes at the upper ends of the arms c, c; these arms are 

 mounted, at their lower ends, upon an axis d, so as to move freely 

 thereon; and the upper ends of the arms are continually drawn 

 towards each other by a spring e, but are prevented from approach- 

 ing too closely by the pieces./^ /, which bear against the periphery 

 of the eccentric or step-wheel g. The two discs are caused to 

 rotate by means of two endless chains or bands, passing around 

 the pulleys A, A, on the axes of the discs, and around a pulley ;, 

 fixed to a toothed-wheel k, which gears into another toothed-wheel 

 j, on the axis 6. Rotary motion is also given to the eccentric or 

 step-wheel g, by means of the train of wheels /, k, /, m, n; so that, 

 when the discs have made a complete revolution, the wheel g, may 

 jiresent a deeper step or depression to each of the pieces y^/^ and 

 thus permit the arms c, c, to approach nearer to each other, in 

 order to compensate for the wear of the two electrodes. o,p, are 

 the wires connected with the battery. The part marked with a* 

 is made of some non-conducting material; and the other parts are 

 made of metal. It is not essential that the two electrodes should 

 rotate in the same plane, as they may rotate in planes at right 

 angles to each other. The patentee states that he does not con- 

 fine himself to the use of Uvo discs, as a single disc may be em- 

 ployed with another form of electrode. 



The patentee claims — Firstly, the application of that description 

 or quality of caibon obtained by the destructive distillation of 

 coal and other matters, such as are used in the manufacture of 

 gas, as one of the elements of an electric pile; also the employ- 

 ment of carbon moulded and subjected to pressure and manufac- 

 tured as above described; also the electrotyping the ends of 

 carbon used as elements in electric-piles; also the connecting of 

 carbon elements of an electric pile with other elements used, by 

 soldering, or by other permanent fixture. Secondly, the so apply- 

 ing two discs of carbon as electrodes that they shall (when they 

 have completed a revolution) be caused by the mechanism to ap- 

 proach to each other, and thus obtain a continuous light by elec- 

 tricity. 



BRICK AND TILE KILN. 



AViLLiAM SwAiNE, of Pcmbridge, Hereford, brick-maker, for 

 " improvements in kilns for burning bricks, tiles, and other earthen 

 substances." — Granted July 18, 1848; Enrolled January 18, 1849. 



The improvement relates to the construction of a kiln, as shown 

 in the annexed engraving, which is a transverse section, a, is the 

 kiln; b, the feeding-places, kept closed excepting when fuel is in- 

 troduced; c, furnace-doors, formed with an opening for the intro- 

 duction of a rake, to rake the fire without opening the doors, the 

 opening is closed at other times by a small door d; e, air-pipes; /, 

 ash-pit doors; g, fire-boxes, built of fire-bricks, with holes between 

 tlie bricks, similar to those heretofore used in some kilns; h, brick 

 ledges, for throwing olf the coals as they pass through the feeding- 

 pipes; and /, chimneys, of which there are nine. The doors must 

 be made to fit closely, in order that the passage of air into the fire- 

 places and kiln may be partially or entirely stopped, so that the 

 fires may be regulated with great nicety, and, when necessary, may 

 prevent combustion, by stopping the supply of air. 



SHIPS AND PADDLE-WHEELS. 



James Taylor, of Furnival's-inn, gentleman, for "improve- 

 ments in propelling ships and other ve^'sels." — Granted December 2, 

 ]848; Enrolled January 27, 1849. [Reported in the Patent 

 Journal.^ 



The specification describes, in addition to a mode of propelling 

 vessels, a form of construction of vessels generally ; the first part 

 of the specification describing the mode of forming the mould or 

 model of the vessel ; the second, the construction of a paddle or 

 propelling wheel; and the third, the constructing the parts of the 

 vessel for the reception of this paddle-wheel. The patentee gives 

 rather a vague rule for the moulds or models of ships and vessels. 

 He proposes to form the 'midship section of the vessel of an ellipse, 

 the longest diameter being the horizontal one, and the shortest the 

 vertical. As the cross sections approach the stem and stern posts, 

 the horizontal diameters become gradually less, while the vertical 

 diameter remains the same until a certain point between the 'mid- 

 ship section and the stem or stern, where the horizontal diameter 

 becomes equal to the vertical ; or, in other words, the cross section 

 of the vessel is a circle ; from this ]>oint to the stem or stern posts, 

 the order of the ellipses forming the cross sections are reversed — 

 that is, the vertical diameter remains precisely the same as before, 

 but is now the longest, and the horizontal diameter the shorter, 

 and gradually becoming less as it approaches the stem and stern 

 posts, to whose shape it at last resolves itself; thus, the patentee 

 states that either obtuse or acute forms of vessels may be con- 

 structed, the degrees of acuteness depending upon the proportion 

 the longest diameter of the ellipse at the 'midship section bears to 

 the extreme length of the vessel ; the vessel thus constructed, is 

 provided with a keel, the sides of which are concave, so as to agree 

 in contour with tlie convex form of the hull of tlie vessel, and is 

 to give the necessary strength as well as to prevent lee-way. The 

 patentee proposes, in the case of sea-going sliips and vessels ex- 



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