1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



423 



proci-'ss ol sleamin;; and r;n)iil air licalin),'is cimlimieil until the water (if con - 

 deiisalion oumes ofT colourless or nearly so ; llie rapid current of heated air 

 which IS last introduced being kepi U[i for a considerably K nger time than in 

 any of the precedinjj; instances. 



The purification of wood and other ai tides of wood by this combination of 

 the action of steam and rapid air healing, is eflected in much less time and 

 much more effectually than by any other method known to the patentees as 

 bein;; heretofore in use. 



The claim is for the employment, as hereinbefore described, of rapid cur- 

 rents of heated air to eflect llie drying, seasoning, and hardening of wood 

 and other articles, and the application, as hereinbefore exemplified, to the 

 desiccation of vegetable substances generally of so much of our invention as 

 is applicable thereto. 



SLATE COVERING. 

 Thomas Martin, of Withybush, Haverfordwest, Pembroke, for "certain 



Itnprovcments in the coiisl ruction of slated roofs or floors, tanks or cisterns or re- 

 servoirs for water, and in pipes, tubes or channels of the same materials for the 

 conveyance of wafer. "—Granted May 22 ; Enrolled Nov. 22, 1844. 



This invention consists firstly in the construction of roofs, flats or floors, by 

 combining squares or slabs of slate togelher, and attaching them to the 

 boards or rafters in such a manner that the contraction of the timber will 

 have no eflect in disturijing the joints or junctions of the slate ; and secondly 

 in combining slabs, and other forms of slate hereafter described, for tlie pur- 

 pose of holding water and other fluids, and also for conducting the same 

 from one place to another. The first claim consists of three methods of com- 

 bining slabs or squares of slate together, by which means the contraction of 

 the planks and rafters of a roof or floor is prevented from affecting the slate 

 covering. The first method is by fastening on to the boarded roof square 

 slabs or blocks of slate from i inch to J inch thick. In the centre of these 

 blocks a pin or trannel is cemented which projects out from the under side of 

 the block, fcjr the purpose of being inserted in a hole in the boards of the 

 roof, this hole is of a rather largerdiamefer than the I'in to allow of the con- 

 traction and e.xpansion of the wood. A series of squares of slate cemented 

 together are then so placed on the boarded roof (after the blocks are inserted 

 in the boards) that one corner of the four adjoining slates comes immediately 

 over the block of slate, and are there attached by pins or trannels which enter 

 holes made about two-thirds of the way through the thickness of the block 

 to receive them. The holes which pass from the upper to the under square 

 of slale must be larger in diameter than the pins or trannels by a .J or | of 

 an inch, and previously to placing the squares of slate upon the boarded rcof 

 these holes must be luted ; the pins or trannels are likewise luted, and when 

 inserted into the holes a cement or composition in a fluid state is poured down 

 the holes, and uniting with the composition at the joints of the squares a per- 

 fect and indestructible mass is formed. Blocks and squares of slate arranged 

 and cemented together as above described may he applied directly to the 

 rafters of roofs, without using boards, and likewise to the joists and framing of 

 flats or floors. By the second method a roof is constructed of rows of square 

 slates cemented together, with each row lapping over that which is below it, 

 and the junctions of the slates arranged so as to break joint. The rows of 

 slate arc united together by pins or trannels passing through the laps of the 

 slates into holes in the boards of the roof, as before explained. By the third 

 modification longitudinal slabs of slale are laid with square blocks attached 

 thereto by pin or trannels and cement. These slabs are affixed to the roofs 

 by the pins or trannels which pass through the square blocks of slate and the 

 slabs and enter the wood as above explained. 



The second claim relates to the construction of tanks and reservoirs for 

 holding water, and pipes or channels for conveying the same, in the following 

 manner. A number of square slabs of slate (cut to any required sizej are 

 connected together at their edges as before mentioned, and upon them are 

 cemented other slabs of slate in such a manner as to break joint; four such 

 combinations of slate being made form the sides of the reservoir or cistern, 

 and a similar one is to form the bottom. Around the bottom of the tank or 

 cistern are grooves in which the sides are cemented. To the vertical edges of 

 the bides upright grooved pieces of slate are afli.xed by trannels and cement, 

 and the other sides of the tank are secured thereto in like manner. Leaden 

 rivets are passed through the bottom at the outside of the grooves to prevent 

 the lamina from splitting. Continuous lines of trough, the sides of which 

 form an obtuse angle to each other, are constructed on the same principle as 

 the tank. 



The third claim is for the construction of pipes, tubes, or channels for con- 

 ducting water from one place to another, in the following manner. Any suit- 

 able number of blocks of slate are hollowed into a semi-cylindrical form, and 

 two of them are first joined together by means of cement and pins or trannels 

 which run through both blocks. In the ends of the pipe thus formed a 

 circular hollow is made and has an opening to the outside of the pipe, with 

 vertical holes leading down to horizontal holes which are made to receive 



lialf the length of an iron rod or wire. Anolher couple of blocks being simi- 

 larly prepared and joined together as above mentioned are ready to be con- 

 nected lo the former couple ; this isellecteil by inserting the iron rods or wires 

 into corresponding holes, and by pushing one part until it up comes flush with 

 the other, by which means tlie junction is effected; a fluid cement is than 

 poured into the opening, and flowing round the circle the joint is made air 

 tight and impervious to the escape of water. Into ihe pin holes melted lead 

 is poured, which flowing into the holes firmly secures the pins in their place, 

 and thus connects the pipes firmly together. 



The composition which the patentee prefers fur uniting the sections of slate 

 employed for all the above described pur|ioses, consists of equal portions of 

 carbonized coal tar and resin, and a ninth part of linseed oil melted and mixed 

 together. 



LIGHTING MINES BY GAS. 



James Murray, of the Garnkirk Coal Company, Gadder, Lanarkshire; 



Scotland, for " a new method of nsinf; and applying artificial gas made from 

 coal, oil, or other substances, for lighting and ventilating caverns, pits or mines, 

 or other pits where minerals or metals are worked or ej<roc/«rf.— Granted April 

 10; Enrolled Oct. 10,1841. 



The patentee has two claims— firstly, for lighting ; and, secondly, for ven- 

 tilating pits, mines, 8cc , where minerals or metals are worked, by means of 

 ariificial gas. The first claim the patentee proposes to accomplish as fol- 

 lows ;— The gas may be made above ground, from coal, oil, or other sub- 

 stances from which gas can be produced, and conveyed through pipes 

 into the mines and into the different workings ; or it maybe made be- 

 low ground, and conveyeil through pipes .as aforesaid, along the workings 

 at convenient distances ; jets or burners may be used for burning the gas 

 which may be uncovered should the state of the mines or workings admit of 

 this being done with safety, otherwise the flame may be covered in the 

 manner in which lamps or lights in mines have heretofore been covered, or 

 in any other suitable manner. 



The second claim is for ventilating. The patentee states that the gas burn- 

 ing as above stated, will also have the eflect, in whole or in part, of venti- 

 lating the minis, by gradually consuming fire-damp, foul air, or other 

 noxious vapours. A current of air will also be created, by which the fire- 

 damp, foul air, or other noxious vapours will be carried off, either in whole or 

 in part, and replaced by a supply of pure air from ihe mouth of the mine, 

 or from any other communication of the mine, with the pure atmosphere. 

 By this mode of ventilating, the accumulation in large quantities of fire- 

 damp, or other noxious vapours, will be eiilier in whole or in part prevented, 

 and the workers will be secure, or at least more so than at present, Irom the 

 fatal or injurious effects ol these noxious vapours, by instantaneous explo- 

 sion or suffocation, or the fatal or injurious effects produced from inhaling 

 such vapours. 



SURFACE FOR PAINTING. 

 Elijah Galloway, of Nelson-square, Blackfriars-road, in the county of 

 Surrey, for" certain combinations of materials, to be used as a substitute for 

 canvass and other surfaces employed as grounds /or painting ; some of which com- 

 binations are applicable to other purposes. — [Granted Feb. 14; enrolled Au''. 14 

 1844, reported in the London Journal,] 



This invention consists in the application of certain mixtures or compo- 

 sitions to canvass or other woven materials, to be used as grounds for paint- 

 ing, and to the surfaces of walls, &c., as hereafier described. 



The mixtures consist of India-rubber, combined with earthy, woody, or 

 fibrous matter, and any insoluble substance capable of being reduced to 

 fragments not coarser than sand or sawdust, and, in some instances, to a fine 

 powder. The India-rubber is prepared by a well-knonn process (t'ully de- 

 scribed in the specifications of other patents,) of grinding or crushing, in a 

 vessel heated by steam, so as to bring it to a plastic or pasty state; the pul- 

 verized matters are then mixed with it, by a process resembling kneading or 

 rolling, and the mass is reduced to a uniform thickness, by being passed 

 between cast-iron rollers. 



The mixtures, prepared in this manner, are to be attached to some other 

 body, by India-rubber cement or other adhesive material; that is to say 

 if intended fo remain fixed, l:ke cartoons or other decorations of walls, they 

 are to be cemented to the walls, ceilings, floors, or other surfaces ; but if 

 they are to be moveable, like a painting, they are cemented to canvass, net- 

 work, or other coarse fibrous fabric. For large paintings, the particles of 

 pulverized matter may be of the coarser kind above mentioned ; but for small 

 works, chalk, dried clay, or similar materials, capable of being reduced to 

 fine powder, are employed. When the mixtures are used for covering floors 

 and are to have ornamental designs painted upon them, finely-powdered cork 

 is mixed with the plastic India-rubber. In cases where they are employed 

 out-of-doors, and exposed to moisture, mouldincss is prevented by the addi- 



37* 



