1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



155 



the mixture it will be found that the copper with a portion of silver and lead 

 will, as the mixture cools, rise to the surface, which may afterwards be taken 

 off with a pair of tonps, or other mechanical contrivance ; for instance, a 

 perforated plate somewhat less in diameter than the size of the iron vessel m 

 which the compounds are, is placed in the vessel, and near the bottom 

 thereof, so that as the metals are melted it will be found that the copper 

 with a portion of silver will rise through the (jerforations in the plate, and 

 may be lifted out of the vessel togeiher with the plate, which plate is pro- 

 vided with one or more handles for that purpose. The copper with such 

 portion of silver as it may yet contain is then broken into small pieces, and 

 separated by the process of " elequalion," which is as folio* s :— The pieces 

 of copper thus obtained, together with a quantity of charcoal, are then put 

 into a retort or retorts, constructed with an opening at one end, through 

 which the metals (" videlicet " the silver and lead contained in such pieces of 

 copper) flow when in a state of fusion. The retorts, which are fi.xed in the 

 furnace in a sloping position and closed, so as to exclude all air, are then 

 heated to such a degree as to melt the silver and lead, but not the copper, 

 which former are allowed to pass off through the oiiening at the lower end 

 of the retort into a suitable vessel, leaving the copper almost free from the 

 silver and lead, which two metals are to be afterwards separated by the or- 

 dinary process of cupellation. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS. 



Thomas Morton Jonks, of Birmingham, Warwickshire, for " Improvements 

 in heating liquids and aeriform fiorf/es."— Granted October 18, 1813 ; enrolled 

 April 18, 18M. 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 2. 



Fig. 



7 2 5 



Ann 



The first part of this specification relates to a mode of constructing a fur- 

 nace, the arrangement of which will be seen by the accompanying diagram 

 marked Fig. 1, which is a longitudinal section, a, is a shaft for feeding the 

 fire with coal or coke ; b, the fire grate ; c, the hearth leading to the flue or 

 chimney ; d, the vessel or matter to be heated, being placed ate. The shaft 

 a, is covered with a plate, so constructed as to regulate a current of air, 

 which is allowed to descend the shaft a, and pass through the upper stratum 

 of coal simultaneously with a current of air which is admitted at the bottom 

 of the shaft and allowed to pass upwards through the fire, which currents 

 meet and pass off with the products of combustion over the hearth to the 

 chimney. The patentee states that it will be desirable to build upon, and 

 over the hearth, a number of arches at convenient distances from each other, 

 under which the llame passes. The second improvement consists in the ap- 

 plication of inverted vessels (which the inventor denominates " preservers ") 

 fixed at or near the bottom of the boiler or pan, whether the same be open 

 at the top or closed. Fig. 2. shows a transverse section of a wagon boiler 

 with this improvement applied thereto ; Q Q, are plates of iron rivetted or 

 otherwise fixed to the sides of the boiler, and extending in the direction 

 shown to within about one-eighth or one-fourth of an inch from the bottom 

 of the boiler. Thus the steam generated within the preserver, that is, be- 

 tween the plate and the side of the boiler, cannot escape above the surface 

 of the water line, but is retained between the boiler and the plate until by its 

 " tension " or elasticity it is forced downwards and underneath the edge of 



the plate, which will have the effect of sweeping and carrying before it all 

 impurities held in suspension in the liquid, and thereby prevent such impuri- 

 ties from being deposited upon the bottom of the boiler. (Query, how are 

 they to be got rid of ?J Number 3, shows an hemispherical preserver ; 1, 2, 3, 

 in Fig. 3, show three preservers of the form of a cone cylinder and trun- 

 cated cone, all of which are supported by any convenient means from the 

 bottom of the boiler, so as to allow the steam, as by its elasticity it is forced 

 downwards and underneath the edge of the preservers, which preservers may 

 be of any required form. The third improvement has reference to the con- 

 struction of tubular boilers, in which the inventor states, that when tubes con- 

 taining liquids are exposed to heat, (that is if such are not surrounded by water,) 

 he prefers to make them of copper or brass, or any of the alloys of iron, and 

 insert them firmly through strong iron plates, whereby they may be removed 

 and replaced with much greater facility. When tubes are surrounded by a 

 vapour or liquid, the inventor proceeds to cover them with a suitable ineta 

 by means of the electrotype process. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN WATCHES. 



Edw-VRd MrLNE, of Albion Terrace, Canonbury Square, Islington, Mid- 

 dlesex, Watchmaker, for " Improvements in the construction of watches,"-' 

 Sealed October 21, 1843 ; enrolled April 21, ISii. 



This invention consists simply in dishing out or sinking the pillar plates of 

 watches, and inverting the fuzees, thereby obtaining what may be called full 

 framed watches much flatter than heretofore. The pillar plate of the watch 

 is made with recesses, which are turned out to receive the end of the barrel 

 containing the spring, the luzee, and also the other parts of the watch cur- 

 responding. The fuzee is constructed similar to the common fuzee, with this 

 difference, that it is inverted and cut the reverse way, or in other words, left 

 handed, and is provided with a thin circular steel cap. The upper plate of 

 the watch is made about one-third thicker than usual, the pillar plate being 

 about the usual thickness, The patentee claims the mode of constructing 

 watches whereby the fuzees are inverted. 



PETER BORRIE'S PATENT REVOLVING STEAM ENGINE. 



SiR—I observe in the April number of your Journal, that you have beeU 

 pleased to take notice of my Patent Revolving Engine, and in doing so, you 

 have stated that it differs from one for which a patent was granted to Mr, 

 Woodcock, in 1842, only, in the employment of a double acting air pump in 

 connexion with it. Now I think you have either been misinformed, or have 

 not examined the two engines sufficiently, for on doing so, you will find that 

 Mr. Woodcock's differs very materially in many respects from mine, as you 

 will see by the drawing and description I have sent you ; I would have sent 

 it sooner, but have only got the lithographic drawings finished to day. 



I have also made an analysis of the ^economy and power of my engine, 

 which I enclose ; this is quite sufficient to show its superiority over any other 

 hitherto constructed. 



I am aware that many patents have been taken out for revolving engines, 

 and have successively failed, owing chiefly to defects in their construction j 

 these failures have prejudiced the public mind against all engines on that 

 principle, but from the long experience I have had (both practically and the- 

 oretically) with steam engines of every description, I flatter myself that I 

 have entirely remedied the defects common to revolving engines ; and from 

 the lightness, compactness, small amount of wear and tear, and greater 

 economy of fuel in my engine, I have no doubt that it will surpass all others 

 hitherto in use. . ■• , 



Requesting the insertion of this letter m your valuable periodical, 



I am. Sir. 



Yburs respectfully, 



8, Princes Square, St. George's East, Petee Borrie. 



London, I5tli April, 1844. 



P.S. I may state here that Mr. Mayer Henry has no farther interest in my 

 patent. 



Description. 



Fig. 1, is a transverse section through the centre of the air pump, and 

 showing' an end elevation of the other parts of the engine ; and Fig. 2, is a, 

 transverse section throu'.;h the centre of the cylinder. 



A, is the fuundalion plate, to which all the parts of the engine are directly 

 or indirectly attached. 13, is the external cylinder fixed to the foundation 

 plate. C, is a smaller cyhnder, revolving within the external one, on a shaft 

 D, whose centre is placed so far above that of ihe external cylinder, that 

 their circumferences may touch one another at the upper point A' ; thus the 



13* 



