1844. 



THECIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECrS JOURNAL. 



197 



REVOLVIKG ENGINE. 



Pmup Walth er, of Angel Court, Throgmorton Slveet, London, for " certain 

 Improvements in tlie construction of steam engines,^' — Granted October 12, 1843; 

 Enrolled April 12, 1814. 



The class of engines to whicli tliese improvements relate, are those which 

 act by means of steam issuing into the air, so as to cause a rotary motion. 

 The basis of this revdlving engine consists of two hollow arms of equal length 

 fixed upon a horizontal axis (which is also hollow), and caused to revolve in 

 a vertical plane, the whole being supported by suitable bearings. At the 

 outer enil of each of these arms there is a square or oblong box, denominated 

 a slcain receiver, into each of which steam is alternately admitted and dis- 

 charged in sncnessive jets instead of in a continuous stream as has been the 

 practice with other reacting steam engines. To one of the arms there is fixed 

 a small steam engine, the object of which is to op'n and close the passages 

 by whitli tlie steam is admitted into and discharged from the receiver. The 

 piston rod of this engine \i elongated so as to pass through both ends of the 

 cylinder, and also through stuffing boxes, and into the square boxes or re- 

 ceivers, and to each end of the piston rod is attached a slide valve which opens 

 and shuts the apertures in the following manner. Steam being admitted 

 through the hollow axle passes into the arms, then presuming one of the 

 valves which are worked by the small steam engine to be open with the square 

 box or receiver attached to the ends of the arms, s:eani will pass through the 

 same and fill the receiver, the small steam engine being set to work, moves the 

 valve contained in the receiver, so as to close that aperture through which 

 steam was admitted into the receiver, and open an aperture for the escape of 

 steam into the atmosphere ; the reaction of which causes the whole apparatus 

 to rotate, the action upon the other valve being precisely the same, so that 

 steam is alternately admitted into the receivers and discharged therefrom into 

 the atmosphere. 



MACHINE FOR CUTTING LEAVES OF WOOD. 

 Benjamin Parsons, of York Road, Lambeth, Surrey, Engineer, and 

 EcwARi) EsnAiLE, of City Saw Mills, City Road, Middlesex. Sawyer, for " yln 

 improved machine for cutting leai'es of wood, such as tltose commonly called scale 

 ioniv/s."— Granted November 9, 1843 ; Enrolled May 8, ISW. 



This improvement consists in the multiplication of the knife or cutler of 

 the machine, and also in supplying the place of the additional i|uaniity of 

 wood removed from the block by the application of an adjusting bar. The 

 machine for cutting scale boards or leaves of wood consists of a frame sup- 

 porting a horizontal table, which is caused by certain mechanical arrange- 

 ments to move backward and forward from one end of the frame to the other i 

 o this fram.' there is attached a cutter, which at every stroke of the macliine, 

 removes or cuts from a block of wood sui)portcJ above the table, a scale 

 board or leaf of wood. The improvement is an application of two or more 

 cutters, which may be so regulated as to cut any thickness of scale board, 

 and alsoin the applicationof anadjusiingor supportbar, whichmaybeunder- 

 stood by referring to the annexed drawing, where a, a, shows a portion of the 

 table or bed plate, which is caused by certain mechanical arrangements to 

 move backwards and forwards in the direction indicated by the arrows ; b, b, h< 

 are three knives or cutters, which may be set at any height from the bed plate, 

 depeniling upon the thickness of boards to be cut Irom the block of wood ; 

 c,c, that is to siy, the first knife if required maybe set at J, of an inch, 

 above the table, the second -f^. and the third ^ of an inch, the knives being 

 secured at their ends by means of wedges 'A d, d; e, shows a portion of an 

 ailjiisting bar which can be raised or lowered by means of adjusting screws 

 according to the thickness of scale board intended to be cut. There are three 

 of these bars extending in a direction of the length of the table, the object of 

 which is to support the end of the block of wood as the wood is removed 

 therefrom, and also to prevent the other end of the block from rising up. 



The patentee claims the multiplication of knives or cutters, and the appli- 

 cation of an adjusting or support bar or bars as described. 



IMPR0VEME\'T3 IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON. 



Ari'iutr Wai.i„ of Bistern Place, Poplar, Middlesex, Surgeon, for "certain 

 Improvements ill the manufacture of iron," — Granted November 18, ISIS; En- 

 rolled May 18, 1844. 



This invention may be divided into two classes, the first is the addition of 

 certain mixtures or substances to the iron when in a slate of fusion ; and 

 secondly, in submiting the iron to the action or influence of electricity. With 

 regard to the first part of the invention, the compositions which are of two 

 kinds, consist first of a mixture of steel or wrought iron in a comminuted 

 state, such as filings, &c , and resin, which are to be mi.xed together in the 

 proportion of about 2 lb. of iron or steel filings to about 5 lb. of rosin, this 

 mixture is made into balls of about ."J lb. weight each, which balls are to be 

 thrown upon the surface of the iron when in a state of fusion, in the cupola 

 or other furnace, one ball being used to about every 5 cwt. of iron. 



The second composition consists of a mixture of common salt, resin and 

 charcoal, or other carbonaceous matter. Although the inventor prefers the 

 above, other fluxes may be used, such as borax, nitre. !tc. in place of common 

 salt; the above being made into balls are to be used when the metal is in a 

 state of fusion, and after the first mixture has been added in the proportion 

 of 1 lb, to about every 100 lb. of iron. 



The second part of these improvements consists in subjecting the iron to 

 the action or influence of electricity. In carrying out this part of the inven- 

 tion, Mr. Wall causes a current of electric fluid to pass through the iron in 

 every possible direction, by stretching or extending copper wires across the 

 mould in wdiich the casting is to be made, and by means of a galvanic or 

 voltaic battery, causes the electric current to pass through the metal whilst 

 in a fluid state, and also whilst approaching and when in a solid state, more 

 especially when casting ordnance, in which case the patentee recommends 

 that the electric current shouM be passed through the piece after it has be- 

 come solidified, care being taken not to continue it so long as to entirely 

 decarburate the iron, and bring it into a m.alleable state. The in\cntor also 

 proposes to pass the electric current through the iron when in the furnace or 

 cupola, by inserting a piece of iron into the top hole so as to touch the 

 smelted metal, and another piece of iron or other conductor into one of the 

 tuyre holes, which piece may be moved about on the surface of the metal, so 

 as to pass the electric current through the same in every possible direction. 



SELF-ACTING AEROMETER OR DRY GAS METER. 

 Stephen Hutchison, of the London Gas Works, Vauxhall, Engineer, for 

 "Improvements in gas meters." — Granted October 12, 1843; Enrolled April 

 12, 1844. 



The necessity which has long existed for an instrument of the description 

 now introduced, and recommended to the notice of the public, and by which 

 an accurate and intelligible mode of registration of the gas consumed could 

 be obtained, has long occupied the attention of scientific men. The incon- 

 veniences that result from the peculiar construction of tlie wet meter, as well 

 as the unsatisfactory manner in which it registers the consumption of gas, 

 both called for the introduction and adoption of some superior plan by which 

 consumers might be supplied with more uniformity, and that lliey might also 

 comprehend the registration of the quantity which has passed through the 

 meter, and with which they became chargeable. 



Mr. Hutchison's improvements in gas meters is an apjiaratus which he has 

 named " An Aerometer," it consists of a cast iron plate and box with passages 

 leadinginto 4 compartments, and thence into the upper part cast in the same, 

 anil fitted with 4 lower cup valves, which are sealed with quicksilver; i tin- 

 plate compartments fixed into the cast-iron pipes ; four flexible leather tags 

 saturated with tar, naptha, and oil, are attached to the compartments witli 

 heads, rods, beams, connecting rods, cranks, carriages, &c., to communicate 

 motion to the valves and shaft, which revolving communicates with the index. 

 An index with dial five inches square is inclosed in a box and external casing 

 with brass unions for the inlet and outlet pipes ; the hands of the index revolve 

 similar to those of a clock, the short or hour hand denoting thousands of 

 cubic feet, and the long or minute hand indicating tens of cubic feet. The 

 possibility of escape of one atom of gas without it being duly registered by 

 the index, the inventor states is entirely obviated by the quicksilver in the 

 cups. Attached to the shaft is a catch to prevent its revolving the reverse 

 way . 



The Aeromoter not only works without the slightest resistance to the flow 

 of gas, but assists its current to the burners; it requires the least possible 

 pressure in the mains to work it, and afl'ords a steady uniform light without 

 any interference, and tlie construction is of so simple a nature that its de- 

 rangement by ordinary means is an impossibility. The valves and the other 

 mechanical contrivances are made of a metallic compound, which resists the 

 action of sulphuretted hydrogen or aramoniacal gases, its duration may 

 therefore be considered to be secured for a very long period. There are like- 

 I wise not any stufling boxes to get corroded. 



17 



