1845.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



161 



guided and kept steady in rotating by means of rollers that embrace a flanch 

 projecting from the outer periphery of the permanent ring, and others which 

 bear against the inner periphery of the ring — the central shaft having its 

 njiper bearing in the centre of this cap plate. 



Claim. — What 1 claim as my invention, is the method of sustaining the 

 upper end of the centre shaft.'and guiding the pilch of the planet wheel 

 pinions by means of the cap, as described, which is guided by rollers on the 

 studs of the cap, under the planet wheels, bearing and rolling on the inner 

 periphery of the planet ring, by means of which a stationary centre is dis- 

 pensed with, and the wheels arc protected. 



Jehu Hatfield, Glenn's Falls, Warren county, New York, for " on Im- 

 provement on the machine fnr computinij interest, measuring lumlier, and for 

 otiier similar pur jmscs." — May G. 



This machine consists of a vertical revolving cylinder, having on its outer 

 surface vertical parallel columns of figures, or signs, representing the interest 

 on the several sums shown in a stationary column on a surrounding case. 

 There is also a circular scale, or dial, placed in front of the case in a vertical 

 position, to indicate the days of the month, with an index hand, or pointer, 

 which is operated by the cylinder — the two being connected together by 

 luitre wheels. 



Claim. — In the old revolving interest tables, says the patentee, there was 

 a cylinder containing the interest, having the days and months stated at the 

 head of each column, (instead of a dial and pointer,) enclosed in a round 

 pasteboard case, or box, having an opening in front with the principal pasted 

 on one side ; the cylinder being made to revolve by turning the shaft at the 

 lower end with the fingers; and, therefore, t wibli it understood that 1 make 

 no claim to any part of this arrangement, hut what 1 do claim as my inven- 

 tion, and which I desire to secure by letters patent, is the before described 

 combination of the revolving cylinder, containing the vertical columns of 

 numbers indicating the interest, with the permanent vertical scale showing 

 the principal, and the dial representing the days and months, for which the 

 interest is to be ascertained, and the pointer operated in the manner and for 

 the purpose set forth, or in any other mode substantially the same, by which 

 analogous results are produced. 



Charles Ross, Piqua, Miamia county, Ohio, for " a revolving rule, for 

 measuring surfaces, and particularly applicable to lumler." — May 17. 



A wheel, of one foot in circumference, is so arranged in a ease, as to have 

 a portion of its periphery project beyond the case, and a portion of its face 

 visible through a hole, the edge of which is graduated to correspond with 

 concentric circles on the face of the wheel, graduated in the manner of the 

 common lumber rule. The shaft of this wheel is geared with the shaft of a 

 cylinder, so that the latter will make one revolution to thirty-six of the 

 former, there being thirty-six divisions to indicate the number of revolutions 

 made by the wheel ; and the shaft of this cyliuder is geared with another 

 cylinder, which makes twelve revolutions to one, to mark the number of re- 

 volutions made by the first cylinder. The scales on the wheel and cylinders 

 are so arranged as to give the superficial as well as the running measure. 



Claim. — What I claim as lay invention, is the combination of the common 

 hoard rule with the self-calcidating cylinders, and their combined application 

 to the measurement of plane surfaces in general, but more particularly to the 

 measurement of the superficial contents of boards, plank, and lumber. 



Elisiia Reid, Columbus, Georgia, for " an Improvement in oil boxes for 

 preventing journals from lieatingy — May 25. 



Claim. — What 1 claim as my invention, is the prevention of heating jour- 

 nals and boxes, by surrounding the boxes with a reservoir of water, in such 

 manner as to prevent the access of water to the oil box and journals, as de- 

 scribed, thereby preventing heat, and, consequently, the drying away of oil, 

 and wear of the rubbing surfaces, and the necessity of frequent oiling, using 

 for the reservoir any material suitable, and any composition of metal for the 

 hearings. 



Stuart Pbrry, New Port, Herkimer county, New York, for " Improve, 

 menta in the engine, to be actuated by inflammable gas, or vapour." — May 2.'). 



" In my inflammable gas, or vapour, engine, says the patentee, the 

 power which is to be obtained from it for the driving of machinery, is to be 

 produced by the expansion consequent upon the combustion of vapour of 

 spirits of turpentine, or of other evaporable inflammable liquids, or of gas, or 

 vapour, or gas and vapour combined, obtained from undistilled turpentine, 

 or from rosin, or such other substance as will produce inflammable vapour, 

 carburetted hydrogen, or other infiammable gas, by the aid of atmospheric 

 air, within a cylinder similar to that used in the steam engine. It is well 

 known to engineers, that various attempts have been made to generate power 

 by the combustion of explosive compounds within a cylinder ; the expansive 

 force of such compounds, when ignited, being in some cases allowed to act 

 directly upon a piston, whilst in other cases, the compounds have been ex- 

 ploded for the purpose of obtaining a vacuum, into which the piston might 

 be forced, by pressure iiuluced on the other side of it ; hut such attempts 

 have not resulted in the production of a machine which could be practically 

 Used with advantage. 



Claim. — What I claim is the manner in which I have combined and ar- 

 ranged the air-pump, the reservoir, the retort, the air regulator, ami the cocks 



which govern the admission of atmospheric air into the valve box, and their 

 appendages, as described ; by which arrangement I am enabled to supply the 

 inflammable ga«, or vapour, in regulated proportions, and to produce a pres- 

 sure within the cylinder slightly exceeding that of the atmosphere, at the 

 niometit of opet'ing one of the ignition orifices, which outward pressure is to 

 be immediately succeeded by a draught inwards, this being eil'cctcd in the 

 manner and for the purpose described. I claim also the manner set forth, of 

 Iieating the retort, by employing the heated air which escapes through the 

 eduction tube», »o as to render such air effective in converting the combus- 

 tible fluid employed into vapour. 



rKTER VoN Schmidt, Washington, District of Columbia, for " on Itn- 

 provement in pmpelling steam ships and oilier vessels." — May 30. 



A wheel having naves in manner similar to a rotary fan blower, and a top 

 and bottom plate attached to and moving with them, and extending from the 

 ends of the naves to within such a distance of the shaft as to admit water to 

 enter, is placed and works within a case in a recess in the vessel below the 

 water line, and provided with tangent pipes leading and extending to the 

 stern, bow, and sides of the vessel ; these pipes are provided with shutters 

 which can be dnsed and opened at pleasure. The rotation of this wheel 

 produces a current of water, by centrifugal action, in, through the hollow 

 centre, and out, through the tangent pipes of the case, so that by closing any 

 of the pipes the vessel will be impelled in any desired direction. 



Claim. — What I claim as my invention, is the employment of a wheel en- 

 closed in a case, as described, having tangent pipes leading forward, back, 

 and out at the sides of the vessel, in the manner and fur the purpose set 

 forth, the whole being submerged in a recess in the vessel, and acting in any 

 direction at the will of the engineer, without reversing the motion of the 

 wheel, or in any way checking the engine by means of shutters, or gates, ar- 

 ranged as described. 



L. A. Stewart, Cross Plains, Robertson county, Tennessee, for " Im. 

 pavements in rotary steam engines."- — October 11. 



This is for improvements on Murdock's rotary engine, patented in England 

 some forty years since, in which the steam acts against the cogs of two 

 wheels. The improvements are pointed out with sufficient clearness in the 

 claims. 



Claim. — What I claim is the manner of constructing, combining, and ar. 

 ranging the cap and cheek pieces, so as to embrace under the cap but a small 

 portion of each wheel, employing the cap and cheek pieces, in lieu of the 

 close case, or cases, hitherto used in such machines, and introducing the 

 steam through the caps between each pair of wheels. I claim the combining 

 with these caps the weiglited levers for pressing them down on the teeth of 

 the wheels, thus preserving them in close contact, without the necessity of 

 any elastic packing. I claim the manner of preventing binding, or cramping, 

 in said pairs of wheels, by the combined operation of the end play of the 

 axles of two of them, and of the play of one of them in the direction of its 

 revolution. I claim the using of the steam on a second pair of wheels, by 

 conducting it from the first pair through the cap of the second pair, in tho 

 manner set forth. 



Joseph Jones, Newton, Gloucester county. New Jersey, for " Improve, 

 ments in the machine for planting sfcih." — October 1 1 . 



We have here alleged improvements on that kind of planting machines in 

 which the seeds are carried into the dropping tube from the hopper by means 

 of a slide ; and the first improvement consists in placing the rest board, on 

 which the slide works, directly under the aperture in the hojiper, so as to 

 leave a passage into the dropping tube on each side of the rest hoard, that 

 seed may be discharged on either side at each back and forward movement 

 of the dropping slide. The covering roller has its bearings in two arms 

 jointed to the frame, and to two segments provided with a set screw, by 

 means of which the depth of the machine may be regulated. 



Claim. — What I claim is, first, the method of combining the rest board 

 with the spout and slide, by arranging the rest board over the centre of the 

 spout under the slide, so as to leave a passage at either side of the board 

 for admitting the seed into the spout on both the forward and backward 

 motion of the slide ; and in combination with said arrangement the method 

 of adjusting the rest board by means of screws ; second, the combination of 

 the arms, segments, and screws, for adjusting the height of the roller for 

 causing the plough to enter more, or less, as well as for rolling, as described. 



Imsiense Blast Kngine.— There is now erecting at Newmains Iron-Works 

 tlR- property of tlie Caltness Iron Company, an engine of tlie bigh pressure kind, of the 

 liirgest dimensions, we beli«ve, in tlie eouiitry. The pedestals on whiell it stands are 

 composed of 1900 tons of solid mason-worlt ; it has a higli.pressure cyliuder, .'i4 Inches 

 diameter. 9 feet stiolie, wltli nozzles, anil weighs 10 Ions ; uith blowing cylinder, 122 

 inclies diameter, 9 feet strolie, with lop and bottom nozzles, and weighs ;« tons. The 

 beam weighs 31 tons, and measures aG feet long, with G feet hroad in centres ; tile con- 

 necting rod works from the end of the beam, and gives a stroke of 12 feet, and M strokes 

 pirminiite. The working part is supported on two columns and entabbiuire, weighing 

 L'L'j tons. The fly-wheel is ai) feet diameter, crank shaft, I6i inches at journals, and 

 weighs 35 tons, works at double beat valves, with sleam pipes 21 Inches diameter. All 

 the jiarts are made to sustain GO lb. on each square inch of the piston ; it is intended to 

 blow ten furnaces. It was made by BlesBrj. Murdock, Ailkeu, and Co,, H.ill-tti6e( 

 foundry, Glasgow.—' Mining Journal.' 



