122 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[April, 



they have oxcavated the earth, the buckets will, as they descend, dis- 

 ciiarg*^ t1:c cuiilents into a series of buckets on an endless band, and 

 then discharge them on to a trongli ; and ag.iin the eai th is transferred 

 from the trough on another series of endless buckets to a moveable 

 skid or wagon. The machine appears to be complex; but, if the 

 principle was found to answer, might, we think, be siinplifi -d. 



The following description, by retVrence to the engravings, will ex- 

 plain tlie machine, a, is a wooden frame supported on flange wheels 

 6, that run on iron rails c; on the fore part of the frame is bolted 

 another frame of iron (/, for carrying a shaft c, upon, which the re- 

 volving armsyl are tixed side by side of each other, and on the ends 

 of these arms are fixed the cutting instruments if. For working this 

 machine, steam or other power is applied to a crank //, keyed on to a 

 driving shaft /, upon which is a bevelled wheel for giving motion to a 

 corresponding bevelled wheel k, and connecting rod /, thence by 

 another corresponding bevelled wheel to a bevelled wheel keyed on 

 the shaft m, which carries a chain wheel ;;, for tranferring the motion 

 by an endless pin chain o, to another chain wheel jj, keyed on to the 

 shafts, before explained; q, is an endless chain of buckets revolving 

 round the rollers 0,0', to receive the earth from the cutting instruments 

 when in the position g', and carries it on to the trough r, from which 

 the earth is again removed by another series of endless buckets s, that 

 pass round the rollers /, and 0', and discharge it into the hopper u. 

 These endless chains are set in motion by au eccentrics, keyed on the 

 driving shaft 1, from which motion is transferred by the connecting 

 rod !•', to a crank or crank-pin on t!ie wheel /, fixed on the shaft that 

 turjis with the roller over which tlie endless buckets s, revolve, and 

 thence motion is given to the lower roller 0', that sets in motion the 

 first endless bucket q. There is one other motion on the driving shaft 

 »', which causes the connecting spindle w, to revolve, and with it the 

 endless screw x, that takes into a pinion y, fixed on the axle of the 

 flanged wheels for propelling the carriage as the work advances, and 

 which may he regulated to any desired speed. The hopper or wagon 

 n, is either tilted over by turning the handle z, or removed on to a 

 platform for conveying it away. 



FURNACES FOR COPPERS, &c. 



Joseph Morelaxd, of Old-street, Middlesex, copper and still ma- 

 nufacturer, for '^Improvements in setting andjtxmg coppers, stills, and 

 boilers, and in the construction of furnaces." — Granted June 29 ; En- 

 rolled Dec. 29, 184G. (With Engraving, Plate IX.) 



The improvements relate to the arranging the side and bottom air 

 passages of the furnaces, and the application of hollow fire lumps. 

 a a, shows a copper, still, or boiler. L, fire-place under same, c, fur- 

 nace bars, d, bearing bars supporting same, e, ashpit. /, line of 

 stokehole, g, furnace door and frame, h, apron plate or mouth 

 plate, i, l)ridge of furnace. ;', opening parallel with end of furnace 

 bars at bridge, through which the heated air passes, and meets the 

 vapour or gases arising from the burning fuel, and whereby a supply 

 of oxygen in a rarified state being given it, or them, combustion 

 takes place. A', valve or slide with handle to the same, and commu- 

 nicating with the front at door-frame for regulating the necessary 

 amount of rarified air to be admitted in at the bridge of the furnace, 

 which must be opened immediately after the fuel is thrown on the 

 furnace, and to be closed when the combustion of the coal has taken 

 place; holes or pins to he provided in the handle of the same, to pre- 

 vent its being opeued any wider than is absolutely necessary for the 

 combustion of the fuel. /, fiame bed or butt formed of fire-tiles or 

 other incombustible materials, to cover the air-flue or oven, through 

 which, by flame passing from the furnace, heat is communicated, m, 

 door and frame, through which the dust and cinders may be removed, 

 which will necessarily fall through the air o[)ening,j. n, cast iron 

 plates at bottom of ashpit, covering the air-flues, upon which the 

 heat from the furnace and fire-place is reflect<Ml, and communicated 

 through the same to air passing through flues underneath, and which 

 plates are to be kept free from accumulating ashes. 0000, air-flues 

 lor the atmospheric air first passing under anil along the centre of 

 ashpit, and dividing itself right and left under same, then passing on 

 each side of, and in, the ashpit wall, and continuing on through the 

 hollow fire lumps which line the furnace ; after which, continuing on 

 right and left under flame bed or butt, where it then meets and de- 

 scends to the valve or slide at k, and passing through which, it then 

 enters the furnace in a heated and rarified state at the ojiening at 

 bridge of same,;, p p, bellow fire lumps for the lining of furnace, 

 through which the air is continued from the flues of ashpit, r, en- 

 trance for the admission of the atmospheric air to flues, which is to 

 be assisted and increased by the use of a fan or blower attached to 

 same. 



The darts or arrows show the direction which the atmospheric air 

 takes in its progress to the opening at bridge of furnace at i. Also, 

 til- faint lines on ground plan show the constniclion of air-flues under 

 the line of stokehole and ashpit. Also, the letters/" to 6, and 6 toy, 

 shown in the cross section, mean respectively front to back, and back 

 to front. And also, the dark dotted circle shown on the ground plan, 

 is the bottom of copper, still, or boiler. 



IRON AND BRASS MOULDS. 



David Yoolow Stewakt, of Montrose, Scotland, iron-founder, for 

 " Improvements in moulding iron and brass." — Granted Julv 14, 1S4G; 

 Enrolled Jan. 14, 1S4G. (With Engraving, Plate IX.) 



Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machinery and apparatus, and fig. 2 a 

 vertical section of some of the parts; a, cylindrical mould box, pre- 

 ferred to be made in two parts and connected together, as sliown by 

 bolts passing through the straps i, and keyed up by wedges. At the 

 lower end is a step to receive the lower end of the pattern c, which 

 is preferred to be of metal, d a presser, to press the sand into the 

 mould-box a, around the pattern c. The presser consists of a tube of 

 thin sheet metal, with a projecting flange d', or portion of a screw ; 

 the worm or flange not passing completely round, but it leaves an in- 

 terval between the two ends, /ha projection, there being a similar 

 one on the other side. These projections loosen the sand al)ove d'. 

 The tube d revolves round the pattern c, and keeps it upright; and 

 as the presser d revolves, it rises by the inclined surface d', that sur- 

 face continually feeding in the sand, and pressing it down upon that 

 immediately below it, thus causing the sand to be compactly pressed 

 into a mould. On the upper end of the tube d, is fixed a cog-wheel 

 t ; and the upper end of the tube d revolves in an opening formed in 

 the cross-head g', such cross-head being guided in its upward move- 

 ment by llie guule-bar/i, and the revolving square-bar or axis i, which 

 turns in bearings at _/_;. On the upper end of the axis (', is fixed a 

 bevelled toothed wheel A, which receives motion from the axis I, by 

 means of a bevulled toothed wheel fixed thereon ; and such axis /, 

 receives motion from a steam engine or other power, by a strap act- 

 ing on a fixed drum m, as is well understood, or by other convenient 

 means, n is a pinion which slides on the revolving-bar or axis ;, but 

 turns therewith. 



procb£:dings of scientific societies. 



SOCIETY OF ARTS, LONDON. 



On the evenings of the 3rd and 10th ult., this Society, for the first time, 

 attempted to establish an Exhibition of British Manufactures : although it 

 was not very extensive, it contained several interesting objects of art. The 

 specimens of Carving by Machinery attracted attention. Those by Irving's 

 patent were distinguished for clearness and precision of form: especially in 

 mouldings, for which, indeed, this process seems best adapted. There were 

 also some productions by means of heated moulds, which, though good, 

 were ecli|)sed by those from Jurriais's patent, which ^vi-re very fine. A 

 Bunch of Hops and Brace of Partridges were worthy to hang by the side 

 of Grinling Gibbons's works. A portion of the Ghiberti Florentine Gates 

 was also very successful. The machinery employed accomplishes precisely 

 the task assii^ned to the sculptor's assistant. It clears away all the super- 

 fluities and prepares the object for the final touches of the artist, — no mat- 

 ter how high the relief, or how low and intricate the undercutting. Another 

 feature connected with it, is that simultaneously several copies can be exe- 

 cuted. The impetus which this machinery is calculated to give to internal 

 decoration cannot be too highly estimated. It multiplies artistic power 

 without limit ; only stojiping short of that perfection which makes the 

 artist's last touch and approval necessary. This machinery is applicable 

 alike to marble, alabaster, and wood. 



The exhibition of (J lass was not extensive. The specimens by Messrs 

 Richardson, of Stourbridge, proved that we are already chemists enough 

 to paint what colours we please on glass, as on china. This is quite a 

 novelty. Some of the forms of the vases are very elegant — chiefly based on 

 ancient examples. 



The specimens of ^letals were few and not very satisfactory. The Coal- 

 biookdale Ironworks, tbongh they have executed some pretty good castings, 

 sent iiotliing to this Exhibition. Mr. Smith's specimen of chasing on sheet 

 silver was interesting ; it supersedes casting, and economises two-thirds of 

 the precious metal. There was only one specimen of electro-gilding. 



The show of Pottery and Porcelain illustrated that branch of English 

 manufactures, and enabled any one so disposed to become acquainted with 

 its rise and progress. The specimens were classed chronologically, — begin- 



