S50 



THE CIVIL ENGINKER AiXU ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



QNOVEMBEB, 



rpfrarlinz licit for the lens. Two of these instrunienis directed to opposite 

 points of the eiimpass would light up the whole horizon. 



Another new form of lighthiiuse apparatus was also descrihrd, hv nhieh 

 Die whole spheie of rays can he parallelized hy means of a iM-niisphcrieal 

 II llei-itir placed hehind the lieht, and an annular lens, and a series of eon- 

 renlric t taliy-rtflectinR glass zunes also placed in front, anil reeedini; from 

 the lens haek to the reflector. These zones are also new in themselves, as 

 they havetlie property of parallelizing diveigent riiys, not only in a vertical 

 )dane lilie the zones in Fresnel's fixed lights, hut also in every plane what- 

 ever. 



2. "Remarks on JVorkmen's Houses in Tovn Districts, vith PInvs, Elera- 

 lions, and Desrrip/ioris of the ' Liimsden Model Ihi-eltiiu/s for the ll'orhiur/- 

 Classes,' erected in Glasi/ow." By James Wilson, Esq. architect, Glasgow. 



The author stated that these model dwellings have heen especially calcu- 

 lated fur towns, where ground is too expensive to admit of the separate- 

 ci.itace plan heing availahle; yet, from the concentration of conver.iences 

 contained in them, and the economical arrangement of these in regard to 

 space, presenting the elements of improvement and economy applirahle to 

 cultages. The particulars are as follows: — The hnihling is four stories high; 

 tlie ground story contains a suh-factor's house, and six others; the three 

 upper stories contains eight houses each, arranged on each side of a (etitral 

 pass.ige. The latter is lit at each end; also, the floor of it is grated for 

 shout 6 feet at each end to admit of free ventilation to the roof, where 

 there are two corresponding lowered openings. At the hack, on the ground- 

 stoty, is a wash-house, with three pair of tuhs, three boilers, and a centri- 

 fugal drying machine ; aff'ording euch tenant an (jpportunity of washing 

 clothes once in ahout every ten days. There is also a halh-house, for plrrnce 

 »nd shower hathing. Each house is contained in a clear space of 18 hy I5J 

 feet. There is an entrance-lohhy to each, 4 hy 3-J feit, with waterdoset, of 

 pood size, and ventilated ; the apparatus is sinrple and strong. The main 

 apartment (which is more room than kitclierr) contains a clear space of not 

 less than 132 square feet, by 9 feet high ; besides — 



1. Two bed-closets, in corners diagorrally opposrte to each other, and con- 

 tairiiirg each a bed-bottom, 6 feet hy 4 feet, heing a frame of ancle-iron, 

 frilcd-in with iron-hooping, webbed, with dressing-space in front of same, 

 averaging 11^ square feet. One closet is enclosed with a partition 7 feet 

 liigh only; the other is enclosed to the ceiling, but with an opening over 

 tlie door from door-frame to ceiling, both thus admitting tlie free ciicolatinn 

 of the air of the main apartment over them; each has a shf'lf for band- 

 hoxes, &c. — 2. A scullery, containing a dresser with two drawers, shelves 

 a'love for dishes, &c., and rack below for cooking utensils ; a press with 

 three tier of shelves; a coal-box to contain 12 cwt. of coal; a sink with 

 water laid on; and a clear working space 5^ by 3^ feet. — 3. A larder in 

 outside wall, with window. frame tilled with perforated zinc, and door on 

 inner side. — 4. A cor king-range in 3-feet fire-place, with oven, open fire, 

 and boiler. — 5. The hearth to fire-place of cast-iron, with low stgnrerrtal 

 fender cast with it; and in the bottom an ash-box covered by a grating — 

 for the economy of fuel. — 6. The lower sash only of main window hung, lirit a 

 transotn and louvre board for ventilation above the upper sash : the lower 

 one easily brought inside to facilitate the cleaning of both. 



The rent (which is payable quarterly, in advance) is (il. 10s., including gas, 

 water, and all other rates, excepting the poor's rate. The gas is supplied in 

 the evenings till eleven o'clock, throughout the year. Notice is given by 

 turning it Iralf-off five minutes before eleven, the meter being in the sub- 

 factors house. A jet is burned all night in the central passage on each 

 floor. 



3. "Jn Improvement in the Expansive Steam-Engine." By Mr. J. C. 

 rEAKCE, of Manchester. 



The improvement contemplated by the author is stated to consist in the 

 jpplicaliiin of two self-acting valves, in addition to the expansive regulator, 

 rne to each end of the steam cylinder — fixed in suitable passages, which 

 conmiunicate with the waste steam or cxbaust-pipe. He states that the use 

 of these valves is to prevent the pressure upon the working side of the 

 piston ftonr falling below the resistance or back pressure upon the opposite 

 side — a very common occurrence in carrying out the expansive prrnciple, 

 although attended with very considerable loss of power; and that the pro- 

 posed inrprovement is chiefly adapted to locomotives and other non-condens- 

 ing expansive engines where the power is extreiuely variable. 



4. **^ln Air- 'IrojU or Stink- Trap, for preventive noxious rjjttivia proceed- 

 ing f rim Drains and Common Seuers." By Mr. James Kubd, Gas-works, 



Haddington. 



Ihe model is a box, wider at the top than at the bottom, and having a 

 strip of leather fixed round the lower edge, to assist in making an air-tight 

 joint with the valve. The valve is a flat piece of iron, made large enough 

 to cover the hottonr of the box, to which it is attached by a hinge on one 

 side, which also forms a lever, on which is hung a balance-weight, for the 

 purpose of bringing it into close contact with the bottom of the box. When 

 fitted into the mouth of the drain or common sewer, and covered with an 

 iron grating, the author stated that it becomes an efficient protector in all 

 weathers, especially as it does not depend ,on water for preveirling the foul 

 air from blowing through. 



5. "A Self Acting Water-Meter." By A. Cabbick, Esq., of Glasgow. 

 The author stated that this meter is a close vessel of any size; that the 



water is iutiuduced through a valve, aud when it reaches up to the bend of 



a fixed syphon, it is discharged into a receiver below ; that the valve is 

 closed while the discliarge ciirrlinries by means rrf a beam on a fuli'ru'u 

 inside tlie meter; to the ends of tliis beam a chain connection is nijih-, so 

 that the valve is drawn up by the superior weight of water flowing tbrcniKh 

 the syphon into a perfonited bucket. The number <<f discbarges is indicated 

 by wheel-work sinrilar to a gas meter, the rocivement beirrg obtained from 

 the arbor that carries the beam. The end of this arbor comes out throuiih 

 the meter, arrd works a ratchet-wheel, with a pinion of ten leaves on its axia. 



6. " On a New Valve NoscCoch." By Mr. Daniel Erskine, plumber. 

 The author slated that this valve cock is superior to tire common cocks 



either for steam or hot ^ ater-. It is fitted with a valve that ne.uly fits the 

 case; the spindle is fitted with a spiral spring, which makes it self-shutling, 

 and the sjiindle passes thrnugh a stuffing-box. 



7. " Time Piece moved bij a Spring of Vulcanised Caoutchouc." By 

 Mr. William Smith, clockruaker. 



The author stated that he conceives the superiority of this spring to con- 

 sist in its perfect invariabilit; , from the absence of friction, and the sim- 

 plicity of its application, heing in the form of a ring, one end of v\hich is 

 passed through a piece of steel with an eye, to wlrrch is attached a honk 

 connecting it with a pulley, both ends being fixed at the bottom of the 

 column by a steel pin passed over them. 



8. " Description and Drawing of a Glass-BIouing Appnrntns " " De- 

 scription at'd Drauivg of a Aew Furnace for Melting Class." By Mr. 

 William Cooper, gla>s manufacturer, Aberdeen. 



The author remarks, that owing to the manufacture of glass having been 

 so long chiefly in the banrls of monopolists, and coupled with stringent 

 excise restrictions, the principle of the crown and plate giass melting fur- 

 naces have uridergnrre little alteration or improvtment for the last half 

 century. During the decrimpositirm of the ingredieirts used in the manu- 

 facture of crown, sheet, and plate glass, the application of heat to the 

 crucibles or pots, by the present system, is deleclive and objectionable. 

 The present mode of melting is in a square furnace, with the jints plai-ed at 

 each side, and the fire in the middle of the furnace : the flame and heat 

 acting on one side of the pots, and passing over the lop of the pots to the 

 working holes, the furnace being fed at each end. By this method there is 

 a great waste of fuel and beat, and the heat heing more immediately on the 

 side of the pots, the decomposition and fusing of tlie nraterials begin at the 

 ceirtre or middle of the pot, and is not carried on recnlarly, which is the 

 means of causing seed and other defects in the glass metal. 



1. By the new method the heat is brought to act on the bottom of the 

 pots, where the decomposition and fusing of the materials ought to com- 

 mence, uniform and regular in its progress towards the top of the crucible, 

 and by this means expelling more effectually the various gases during the 

 process of melting, which, if they be retained, are irrjnrious to the mttal. 

 — 2. The construction of the tease hole is such, that the carlmnaceous 

 matter contained in the fuel is consumed in passing through the grate 

 room, leaving a solid pure body of heat in the furnace, under and arouird 

 the pots, and thereby preventing the carbonaceous matter from acting upon 

 and discolouring the metal. — 3. From the subdivision of the tease holes, and 

 the retention of the heat, the metal is fused in a shorter space of time. 



9. " On the Manufacture of Kelp-Glass, and on the best Kinds of Glass 

 for Staining and Enamelling." By Mr. William Cooper, glass manufac- 

 turer, Aberdeen. 



The author in his communication remarks, that the glass stainer and etra- 

 meller is subject to frequent disappointments and losses, owing to the va- 

 riety and difl'erent proportions of ingredients used in the manufacture of 

 glass since the use of kelp was abandoned ; each kind requiring a diflferent 

 degree of heat, and piorlucing different results, when passed through the 

 enamelling and staining kilns. English crown glass stands a greater heat 

 than sheet glass, even although of the same composition ; and this is owing 

 to the peculiar method of manufacturing it. Glass made from Orkney kelp 

 produces the most brilliant red colour, and which has a remarkable property 

 of transmitting red rays of light at a great distance, and on that account it 

 is preferred for lighthouses. The French ruby glass, though of a rich and 

 beautiful colour, has not the same reflecting power. The author gives the 

 following recipe for making kelp glass for staining purposes, as successfully 

 practised by him for a number of years: — Good Orkney kelp well-ground 

 and sifted, 308 ; Lynn sand, 224 = 532 pounds, well fritted together in the 

 calcar arch; a due mixture of cullet to be added while founding. If it is 

 required to improve the colour, reduce the 532 pounds to powder, and add 

 maganese 2 to 4, nitre 8, and arsenic 4 pounds. The whole to be intimately 

 mixed before founding. Cullet may be added or not, at the discretion of Ihe 

 founder. If properly treated, either mixture will be found to produce an 

 excellent red colour in crown or sheet glass, by means of the oxides of silver 

 and antimony, in the usual way of applying them. The author states that 

 kelp is now almost entirely out of use in making glass; and that a spurious 

 article is now made to resemble kelp glass in appearance, called ' dark sheet 

 glass,' and sold at double price, as kelp glass. It is made from sand, chalk, 

 common sea salt, and broken glass, and sometimes the usual sheet glass metal 

 is tinged with the oxides of iron and maganese, or smithy coals, to counter- 

 feit kelp glass. This " dark sheet glass," when the staining magma ia 

 applied to it, gives a 'dingy red colour' with a slow heat, but when fired 

 with other (oUiurs, with a smart heat, it produces an 'opaque brown colour,' 

 instead of the biilliaut tiausjiarent red expected, ard the artist's work is 



