ICO 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL 



[May, 



Gutta Percha Tubing. — This tuUitiif is such an extraordinary condu«tor of 



sound, that its value, not only to deaf persona, but to the public genemlly, will speedily 

 lifj appreciated. It bus already been titled up in dwelling-houses, in lieu of bells,— as 

 speaking tubes for giving and receiving messages In mines, railway statlous, prisoiia, 

 workhouses, hotels, and all large establishments, it is invaluable. 



Neto Motive Power.— Count de Werdinsky has communicated to the 

 * Mining Journal' a discovery which he believes he has made, by which a convenient, in- 

 expensive, and highly. effective motive poiver can be obtained from xyloidine, or gun 

 cotton. He says :—" I have been engaged in constructing an engme and locomotive, to 

 be worked on common roads by xyloidine, on the follinving plan:— Small quantities of 

 xyloidine are exploded successively into a copper recipient of a spheroidal form, of 

 i.'l inches diameter, and ^ inch strong in metal. Each separate explosion is adequate to 

 produce, by means of double cylinders, a complete revolution of the crank. The object 

 i»f the copper recipient is merely to allow the intense gases thrown into it room enough 

 to expand, and thus to change their percussive iutensity into a mora gentle dynamic 

 power, without in any way losing any of the quantity of that power. I can, therefore, 

 let out from that copper recipient as much of the gases, through a stop-cock, as would 

 l)roduce a pressure of from ,'{0 to tld, or 1211 lb. upon the squiire inch of the piston; more- 

 over, by the very heat accumulated in the metal of the recipient, the gases are kept up to 

 their original strength, so that, the longer the engine continues to work, the greater the 

 fiimparative economy of xyloMine, on account of the heat of the recipient and of the 

 machinery, which serve to keep up great expansion, and consequeetly great power in the 

 giises. My experiments with a steam engine of about 2^ horse-power, on the above prin- 

 ciplo, answered admirably; but while these experiments were going on, I made a further 

 riscovery.and this Ust one is verging almost on a miracle. The most prominent features 

 of my last discovery are— that the propulsion of carriages on railways, and on common 

 joads, will b« now eflecti'd without engines, steam, fire, water, magnetism, air, or animal 

 power, and propelling of ships without either of the above means, sails, or paddles, or 

 any propellers whatever." 



The Spanish War-Steamer 'Cohn.'—A very fine steam-frigate, built by 



IHessrs. Wigram, for the Spanish government, anl fitted with engines of ;{50-horse 

 jiower, by Messrs. Penn, of (jreenwich, was tried down the river on the l.'5th ult., to ascer- 

 tain her speed, and the working of her engines. She lett Blackwall at 12 o'clock noon, 

 havintf onboard Gen. Viogdet, of the Spanish army, Messrs. de Zulueta, Capt. Halstead,of 

 Her Britannic Majesty's Royal Navy, Mr. Wigram, and the Messrs. Penn, and proceeded 

 (iown the river to Long Reach, where the measured mile was tried once down and once up 

 the river, and the speed against the tide found to be H'-MH, and l;i'4;i8 with the tide, 

 making an average of 10'83-t knots per hour, a very excellent result considering the size 

 vt the vessel and the power of her engines, which made from 23 to '2i^ revolutions per 

 minute with a five feel stroke, and the common paddle-wheels, which were preferred, as 

 a serviceable description of works not liable to become deranged during service. The 

 length of the vessel is 190 feet, with a breadth of beam of 31 tt. U in., and a fine sweep- 

 ing deck, admirably constructed for thii facility of working her guns. Her depth of hold 

 is 20 feet, with ample room for the engines; the whole space around them is very clear, 

 and every person cwnnected with them and with the boilers is under the immediate super- 

 intendence of the engineer in charge of the working of the engines. The engines work 

 remarkably steadily, and during the trial gave the greatest satisfaction, as there was not 

 the least appearance of a hot bearing, or delay on any account whatever. The armament 

 of the *' Colon" is to consist of two fi.-t. pounder guns on traversing platforms, and four 

 32.pounders. She will carry I'l days' fuel at full speed, or 400 tons of coal, with three 

 months' provisions, and shot and shells for ser:,ice. Her jirincipal cabins are neatly fitted 

 up, and the whole arrangements are highly p;.?ditable to Messrs. Wigram, who have pro- 

 duced a war-steamer of a really serviceable a'liscription. 



liZST OF NEVr PATENTS. 



GRANTEH IN ENGLAND FROM MaRCH 20, TO APRIL 19. 1849. 



SijT Months alloyed for Enrolment , v.itless otherwise expressed. 



William Henry Balmain, and Edward Andrew Parnell, both of St. Helen's. Lancaster, 

 innnufacturing chemists, tor inipiovements in the manufacture of p'.ass, and in the prepa- 

 ration oi certain materials to be used therein, parts of which improvements are also ap- 

 j.Ilcable to the manufacture of alkalies.— March 5. [This patent was accideotully omitted 

 in last month's list.] 



John Macintosh, of Bedford-square, for improvements in furnaces and machinery for 

 obtaining motive power, and in regulating, measuring, and registering the fluw ot fluids 

 and liquids. — Sealed March 24. 



David Henderson, of the London Works, Scotland, engineer, for improvements in the 

 manufacture of metal castings.— March 2t;. 



Alexander Parkes, of Harborne, Stafford, chemist, for improvements in the deposition 

 and manufacture of certcin metals, and alloys of metals, and improved modes of treating 

 and working certain metals, and aUoys of metals, and in the application of the same to 

 various useful purposes. — March 2(5, 



Stephen White, of Victoria-place, Bury New-road, Manchester, gas engineer, for im 

 ITOvwmentb in the manufacture of gases, and in the application thereof to the purposes 

 cf heating and consumiig smoke; also improvements in furnaces for economising heat, 

 and in apparatus for the consumption of gases.— March 2li. 



John Mason, ot Rochdale. Lancaster, machine-maker, and George Collier of Barnsley, 

 York, manager, for certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for preparing and 

 spinning cotton and other fibrous materials, and also improvements in the preparation of 

 yarns or threads, and in the machinery or apparatus for weaving the same.— March 26. 



George Thomson, of Camden-road, cabinet-maker, and James Elms, of the New-road, 

 gentleman, for improvements in the machinery for cutting and tying-up firewood.— 

 March 2H. 



William Buckwell, of the Artificial Granite Works, Battersea, Surrey, civil engineer, 

 for improvements in compressing or solidifying fuel and other materials.— March 2H. 



Richard Satchell. ot Rockingl>am. Northampton, for improvements in machinery for 

 depositing seeds, and hoeing and working land. — March 2H. 



Pierre Reii6 Guerin, of Havre, for improvements in steering ships and other vessels.— 

 Uarch 28. 



Charles Green, of BirmJneham, patent brass tube manufacturer, and James Newman, 

 of Birmini?ham, manufacturer, for improvements in the manufacture of railway wheels. 

 —March 28. 



George Henry Manton, of Dover-street, Piccadilly, gunmaker, and Joslah Harrington, 

 of Regent's -circus, gunmaker, for improvements in priming, and in apparatus for dis- 

 charging fire-arms. — March 2a. 



Francis Voulllon, of Princes-street, Hanover-square, manufacturer, for improvements 

 in making bats, caps, and bonnets. — March 28. 



William Hartley, of Bury, Lancaster, engineer, for certain improvements in steam- 

 engines. —Blarch 28. 



Frederick William Norton, of Lascellea Hall. York, fancy cloth manufacturer, for cer- 

 tain improvemenia in the production of figured fabrics. ~31aich 2d. 



Osborne Reynolds, of Dedham, Essex, clerk, for certain improvements in railways. — 

 March :?8. 



Thomas Harrison, of Liverpool, merchant, for certain improvements in the construc- 

 tion of baking ovens, and also in certain machinery for working or using the same. — 

 March 2rt. 



James Thomson Wilson, of Glasgow, for improvements in the manufacture of sulphu- 

 ric acid anrl alum. — March 28. 



James Fletcher, of Salford, Lancaster, manager, and Thomas Fuller, of the same 

 place, machinist and tonlmiiker, fur certain improvements in nuichinery, tools, or appara- 

 tus for turning, boring, planing, and cutting metal and other materials. — March 28. 



James Lawrence, the elder, of Colnbrook, .'iliddlesex, brewer, for an improvement or 

 improvements in brewinK worts for ale, porter, and other liquors, oud in storing ale, por- 

 ter, and other liquors. — March 2H. 



John Britten, of Birmingham, manufacturer, for certain imp''ovement8 in the means, 

 appiiratus, and appliances for cooking, preserving, prepai'ing, and storing drinks and arti- 

 cles of food, and in preparing materials for constructing the same ; also in constructing 

 vertical rousting jacks and chains for the same, a|»plicable to other chains, parts of which 

 improvements are applicable to other similar purposes. — March 28. 



William Beckett, of Northwich, Cheshire, draper, and Samuel Powell, of Witton, 

 Northwich, Cheshire, foreman, for certain improvements in the manufacture, making, or 

 construction, of certain articles of wearing a[iparel.— March 2d. 



Henry Howard, of Raihvay-place, Fenchurch-street, for certain improvements In the 

 manufacture of glass; also in the construction of furnaces for melting and fining the 

 same. — March 2H. 



William M'Bride. jun., of Sligo, Ireland, but now of Havre, France, merchant, for im" 

 provpments in tlie up|>aralus and process for couveiting salt water into fresh water, and 

 iu oxygenating water. — April 2. 



Alfred Vincent Newton, of Chancery-lane, mechanical draughtsman, tor improvements 

 in SL-parating and assorting solid materials or substances ot different specific gravities. 

 (A communication. J — April 2. 



Samuel Alfred Carpenter, of Birmingham, Warwick, manufacturer, (or a certain im- 

 provement in, or substitute for buckles. — April .'J. 



Alfred Woollett, of Liverpool, artist, fur certain improvements in gun cariiages. — 

 April 3. 



William Parry, of Plymouth, Devon, gentleman, for certuin improvements in shoeing 

 horses, and in horse shoes. — April 'i. 



Henry Dunington, of Nottingham, manufacturer, for improvements in the manufacture 

 of looped labrics, and in the making of gloves and hat bands.— April 3. 



James Godfrey Wilson, of Chelsea, engineer, and William Pidding, of Elizabeth-strest, 

 Piuilico, for improvements in obtaining perfect combustion, and in apparatus relating 

 thereto, tbe same being applicable t > every description of furnace and fireplace, as also to 

 other purposes where inflammable matter or material Is made use of.— April 3. 



A grant of an extension of an invention for the term of four years from the 4th day of 

 April, for a certain improvement or certain improvements in the making and manufac- 

 tuiing of axlelrc'-s, for carriages and other cyliudriial and lonicul shaita. To Chailes 

 Geach and Thomas Walker, assignees of James Hardy, the original inventor. 



Gaspard Brandt, of Little Gray's-inn-lane, Middlesex, machinist, for improvements in 

 the construction of tbe bearings of railway engines, and railway and other carriages now 

 in use. — April 13. * 



James Childs, of Earl's-court, Old Brompton, Middlesex, wax bleacher, for improve- 

 ments in the manufacture of candles, night lights, and caniiie lamps. — April 1(>. 



Thomas Cocksey, of Little Bolton, Lancaster, millwright, and James Nightingale, of 

 Brightines, Lancaster, bleacher, for certain machinery to facilitate the washiiiy and ciean- 

 in" of cotton and other fabrics, which machinery is applicable to certain upermiuus ia 

 bleaching, dyeing, printuie, and sizeing warps and piece goods. — April 1(>. 



Louis Prosper Nicolas Uuval Piron. engineer, of Paris, tor certain improvements in 

 tubes, pipes, flags, and kerbs for pavement and tram-roads.— April i(>. 



Charles Shepherd, of Leadenhall-street, city of London, chronometer maker, for cer- 

 tain improvements in working clocks and other time-kaepers, telegraphs, and machluery, 

 by electricity.— April ItJ. 



Robert Clegg, Joseph Henderson, and James Calvert, of Blackburn, Lancaster, manu- 

 facturers, ior certain improvements in looms tor weaving.— April l(i. 



John Ruthven, of Kdir.burgh, engineer, for improvements in preserving lives and pro- 

 perty from water and fire, aud in producing pressure for various useful purposes.— 

 April Iti. 



William Henry Phillips, of York-terrace. Camberwell New-road, Surrey, engineer, for 

 improvements in extinguishing fire, in the preparation of materials to be used for that 

 purpose, and improvements to assist in saving life and property. — Aprd 16. 



William Little, of the Strand, Middlesex, for improvements iu the manufacture of 

 materials for lubricating machinery. (A communication.)— April 1(». 



William Edward Newton, of Chancery-lane, civil engineer, for improvements in ma- 

 chinery for tbe manufacture of net Uce or other similar fabrics. t,A communication. J — 

 April 16. 



William Hyde Knapp, of Long-lane, Southwark, chemist, for improvements in pre- 

 paring Wood tor the purposes of matches and firewood. — April 17. 



Thomas Nicholas Greening, of the firm of Messrs. Burdekins and Greening, of Shef- 

 field, cutlery manufacturers, for improvements in knives aud lorks. — April 17. 



Alexander AllioU, of Lenton Works, Nottingham, bleacher, for improvements in appa- 

 ratus for ascertaining and for marking or registering the force or pressure of wind, of 

 water, and of steam ; the weight of goods or substances ; and the velocity of carriages ; 

 also in apparatus for ascertaining, under certain circumstances, the length of time elapsed 

 alter carriages have passed any given piacci and for enabling the place or direction of 

 floating bodies to be ascertained. 



George Remington, of Warkworth, Northumberland, civil engineer, for certain im- 

 provements in locomotive, marine, aud stationary steiim-engines, and in hydraulic and 

 pneumatic engines. — April 17. 



William Edward Newton, of Chancery-lane, civil eigineer, for improvements in boilers 

 or steam generators. (A communication.)— April 17. 



Henry Bessemer, of Baxter-house, Middlesex, for improvements in the methods of 

 extracting saccharine juices from the sugar cane, and in the manufacture of sugar, as also 

 in the machinery or apparatus employed therein. — April 17. 



John Ormerod, of Holt Holme Mill, near Newchureh, Lancaster, spinner, fur certain 

 improvements in carding cotton and other fibrous substances.- April ly. 



Robert Gordon, of Heaton Norris, Lancaster, engineer, for certain improvements in 

 tbe ventilation of mines. — April 11*. [This patent was not sealed till the ll>th, but bears 

 date the 4th day of April, per order of the Lord Chancellor, being opposed at the Great 

 Seal.] 



