154 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[April, 



small coal, (ar, pilch, or olher bituminous matter to a high temperature in a 

 retort. Secondly, the peculiar construction of retorts for effecting the same ; 

 and lastly, the application of an exhausting apparatus to such retorts, toge- 

 ther «ith the introduction of air into re'.orts where fuel of the above de- 

 scription is undergoing the process of drying. The patentee commences by 

 staling that it is not necessary to enter into any description of the manufac- 

 ture, or mode of combining pilch, coal, tar, and other matter into fuel, as 

 the invention does not apply to the compounding of such fuel ; at the same 

 time the inventor states that he prefers the compound of coal and bituminous 

 matter to be as follows ; 15 per cent, of pilch and coal tar and 90 of small 

 coal, in which may be employed a little "heavy oil" to the extent of from 

 2 to 5 per cent. ; and in order to prevent smoke when such fuel is being 

 consumed, about the same quantity of common salt may be added or alum 

 dissolved in water. The mixture after being moulded into convenient sizes 

 IS placed in a retort for six or eight hours, and subjected to a heat of from' 

 400° Fahr. and upwards, by uhich means gases and certain other matters are 

 driven off, which, if permitted to remain, would produce prejudicial effects to 

 Hhich sui-h fuel is said lo be subjected. 



The retorts, which are of the D form, are built of brick, and are provided 

 with an aperture for the escape of gases, which pass off in the same manner 

 as in the manufacture of gas into an hydraulic main, to which is connected 

 a pipe leading to an exhausting apparatus, which consists of two cylindrical 

 vessels suspended at each end of a beam, and inverted in a tank containiii" 

 water, so that by raising and depressing the vessels in the water tank, the 

 gases and vapours are exhausted from the retort or retorts, which gases pass 

 off' into the atmosphere. At the lower part of the retorts there are a number 

 of apertures which admit a current of warm air, which previous to entering 

 the retort passes through the furnace, so that as the gases are exhausted by 

 the apparatus above described a fresh supply of hot air is continually ad- 

 mitted, which efleclually drives off the damp and vapours from the pieces of 

 fuel, which appears to be the object of this invention. The inventor claims 

 the su'jmitlmg manufactured fuel, containing bituminous matter to a hi»h 

 degree of temperature ; also the introduction of highly heated air, togetirer 

 with the exhausting the products from retorts when applying heat to manu- 

 factured fuel, which is placed and inclosed in the same. 



ORNAMENTAL POTTERY AND MOSAIC WORE. 

 Richard Boote, of Burslem, Slaffordshire, Manufacturer's Clerk, for " Im- 

 provements in pottery mid mosaic wort."— Granted October 5, 1843 • enrolled 

 April 4, 1844. 



The specification described several methods of impressing devices on pot- 

 tery, which are as follows. First, in order to produce a coloured desi-n 

 upon a ground of different colours; the device is first made in a mould°of 

 the form required, "commonly called figuring:" the devices or impressions 

 thus obtained are then to be put into the mould m which the ware is to be 

 made: the material of the ware when poured into the mould will be found 

 to adhere very closely round the edges of the device, and the same will be 

 imbedded therein. The second method consists in cutting the device in 

 pieces of paper or parchment, which are then to be put in the mould • the 

 two halves of the mould are then fastened together, and the matter which is 

 to form the ground of the ware is poured in ; after having stood the neces- 

 sary time, the parchment or paper forming the device is to be removed and 

 the colour intended for the device poured in, which will fill up the spaces 

 previously occupied by the paper device. Thirdly, in order to produce raised 

 figures of a different colour from the ground, the figures are first of all en 

 graved or otherwise formed in low relief in a plaster mould : this being done 

 the colour intended for the raised figures is poured into those parts of the 

 mould which form the figures; the halves of the mould are then put toBe- 

 ther. and the slop intended for the ground pcuied in and allowed to stand a 

 sufficient time to form the body cf the ware. If the slop is of an expensive 

 nature it will only be necessary to let the slop remain a sufficient time to 

 form a thin coating, after which it may be withdrawn and the substratum 

 tilled in with a commoner slop. 



Lastly, in producing devices of a mosaic character, the designs are fixed on 

 the halves of the moulds with a composition of the required colour; the 

 halves of the mould are then fastened together, and the slop intended for the 

 body of the ware poured in: after having stood a short time, and the slop 

 adhered the required thickness, the remaining liquor can be withdrawn. 



AXLES FOR WHEELS. 



John George BRinos, Of Leicester, Coach Proprietor, for - Improveme„ts 

 «i axles. -Granted Octolwr 5, 1843 ; enrolled April 4, 1844. 



solT,i*L'lT"™/°"i'"!f "f ^°™''"e '^' ^^'« of two parts or shafts, one 

 ^ aka^e is 1 7 , ""', "'""^^ «"^'" ^"™8tl'. and less liability to 

 breakage is obtained, in order to carry out this invention the patentee pro- 



vides a tubular or hollow axle sufficiently long to pass through the bosses 

 of each of the wheels when at the required distance from each other, the 

 calibre or bore of this tube being sufficient to admit the solid axle passing 

 through It, which axle consists of a solid shaft having bearings turned at. 

 each end to fit the steps or journals In the frame side of the carriage The 

 wheels are firmly fixed upon the ends of the hollow axle by means of keys j 

 the solid axle is then passed through the tubular or hollow one, and fixed 

 therein in like manner, by means of keys. When the bearings are withiri 

 the wheels it will be found necessary in forming the journals to weld two 

 collars upon the hollow axle, so as to obtain greater strength. The claim is 

 for the construciion of axles, by combining together solid and hollow shafts 

 one within the other, as described. 



SLATE COVERING. 



William North, of Stangate, Lambeth, Surrey, Slater, for '• Improvemen 



m covering roofs and flats of buildings with slate. "-<ira.niei October 5 1843 ■ 



enrolled April 4, 1844. ' ' 



This invention consists in the application of battens of slate in combination 

 with slates for covering roofs and flals of buildings, which is effected without 

 fixing the slates to the rafters or joists, whereby the joints it is said are not 

 liable to get defective from warping or vibration. 



Kg. 1. 



Fig. 2. 



Fig. 1, shows a plan of a roof or flat, and Fig. 2, section ; a a, are the 

 joists or rafters constructed in the ordinary manner ; b b, are battens of slate 

 which fit into recesses, formed by cutting a partition of wood from the edge 

 of each rafter; c, the slabs of slate, which are supported by the battens and 

 rafters ; the ends of the slabs rest upon the battens and are imbedded in 

 putty ; d d, are fillets of slate ; and e e, screws, which screws bind the fillets 

 to the slates, and the slates tc the battens, the whole being supported by the 

 rafters a a: the fillets may if requiiedj be placed on the underside instead of 

 the top of the roof or flat. 



The patentee claims the application of slate battens with slate for covering 

 the roof of a building, as described. 



SEPARATION OF METALS. 



RiCHARnjANioN Nevill, of Langennech, Carmarthen, Esq., for "An im- 

 proved mode of separating certain metals when in certain states of combination 

 with each other."— Granted October 18, 1843; enrolled April 18, 1844, 



The inventor takes copper, in which silver is in combination, and melts it 

 in the usual manner ; he then pours it in an iron vessel containing lead 

 melted to a red heat or nearly so, and thereby mixes the argentiferous copper 

 with the lead in proportion to the quantity of silver in combination. After 



