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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Mai 



pulled over, and the gate G, raised ; the water then flows on to the 

 overshot section B. On the signal being given to stop, the gate G, is 

 shut down ; and the water in the launder C, is just sufficient to drive 

 the wheel half a revolution, when it stops for want of its propelling 

 power. On the signal being given to st.irt in a reverse direction, the 

 li!ver F, is pulled over; and on the gate G, being r.iisecl, the water 

 flows on to the backshot section A, and thus alternately. Thus, nearly 

 the whole of the gravitating force of the water is applied in a direct 

 manner, and must save, independent of the cost of construction, and 

 liability of breakage in gear-work, a great amount of power, which, 

 where water is scarce, is a considerable advantage. — Mining Journal. 



REGISTER OF NEW PATENTS. 



GAS IMPROVEMENTS. 



(Jeorce Low f, of FiDsbnry Circus, civil engineer, for " Imjirovemenis 

 in the munii/acture of, anil in burning gafi, and in the manufacture of fuel." 

 f;iaiit(cU)cloher 8, 1846; Enrolled April 8, 18-17.— (Reported iu the 

 Patent Journal.) 



This invention relates firstly, to preparinj; peat in combination with resin, 

 pitch, oil, fat, or other hydro-carbonaceous maiter, and making sas there- 

 from ; secondly, to a mode of arranging apparatus for purifying gas; 

 thirdly, to improvements in making gas from coal and other matters rich in 

 carbon, by introducing steam highly heated into the retorts used fur that 

 purpose ; fourthly, to improvements in Argaud gas-burners, whereby the 

 gallery or apparatus for supporting the chimney is made to rise on a screw, 

 so as to adjust the admission of the air to the flame ; and fifihly, to cer- 

 tain means of manufacturing fuel from peat by causing dry blocks of peat 

 to be saturated with pitch or other hydro carbonaceous matter : tlie peat 

 bemg prepared and dried, is piled in a square iron vessel, about eighteen 

 inches deep, till within two or three inches of the top ; a quantity of resin, 

 lar, or other hydro-carbonaceous matter, highly healed, is run into the 

 vessel till the peat is entirely covered ; heat is also applied to the bottom 

 of this vessel, in which the peat is kept for about an hour, in order to in- 

 duce the hydro-carbonaceous matter to enter the peat ; it is then run olT, 

 and the cakes of peat thus saturated are placed on shelves or racks, and 

 allowed to drain the unabsorbed matter from the surface thereof. A method 

 which the patentee considers preferable to the foregoing is, instead of 

 placing the dry peat in an open vessel, he introduces it into a close vessel, 

 Similar to that used in the well-known method of treating wood in which 

 he forms a vacuum by steam or otherwise, and then allows the heated mat- 

 ter to ruu in, and afterwards forcing it in with considerable pressure ; the 

 peat is permitted to remain in this state for about half an iiour, when it 

 may be withdrawn, the unabsorbed matter being drained from the surface 

 as before. \\'here tar is used the patentee prefers mixing with it about 

 fruin five to ten per cent, of quicklime in a state of powder. 



The second part relates to an apparatus fur purifying gas, and which 

 consists of two chambers placed one above the other, tilled with coke, 

 through which the gas passes, in a similar manner to that which is known 

 as the scrubber : the chambers containing the coke are divided by a space 

 containing an apparatus for distributing a weak ammouiacal liquor on tlie 

 coke contained iu the lower chamber; this apparatus, which forms the 

 novelty of the invention, consists of two or more arms, placed on an axis, 

 on which it revolves horizontally, each arm being perforated with a number 

 of holes on one side, at dilferent distances from the centre or axis ; the holes 

 in one arm being on a ditl'erent side to that of the other, any liquid being 

 allowed to pass into it causes it to rotate, and thereby distribute the liquor 

 over the coke. The principle of this will at once be recognised to be the 

 same as Barker's mill, and will be readily uuderstoud. The upper cham- 

 ber is furnished with a similar apparatus, which supplies it with water, or 

 water slightly acidulated with muriatic or sulphuric acids, in a similar 

 manner to the other ; the weak ammoniacal water, or acidulated water, 

 are contained in reservoirs above the chambers, the fall propelling this ap- 

 paratus as before described. The coke in the upper and lower chambers 

 IS sustained on gratings, allowing the gas to pass freely through, which 

 enters from the condenser by a pipe at the bottom, and passing through the 

 chambers of coke, escapes from the upper chamber, partially freed from 

 ammonia. This operation may either be conducted before or after the 

 usual process of purifying gas, but he prefers that it should take place 

 after that process. 



The third improvement, for the method of introducing highly-heated 

 steam to retorts during the production of gas or other matters, rich in car- 

 bon, is as follows: — Steam being generated in a suitable boder, is allowed 

 to flow freely into the retort, at a point furthest distant from that at which 

 the gas escapes; the steam in its passage from the generator to the retort 

 IS passed through pipes, heated to a great degree, iu a similar manner 

 to that employed for obtaining the hot blast, used for smelting iron and 



other purposes ; it is well known that this method of heating steam does 

 not materially interfere with the pressure at which it may be generated, 

 und wliich should not be greater th.in that at which the gas is produced, 

 as it would cause too great a flow into the retort, neither should it be 

 allowed to flow during the whole time of one charge, and, therefore, the 

 pipes must be furnished with suitable stop-cocks, and each retort furnished 

 with a gas-burner, so as to enable the workmen to judge when the jet of 

 steam should be discontinued, which will be when tlie gas begins to lose 

 colour, the regulation being easily acquired by a little experience. 



The fourth improvement consists in constructing the gallery which 

 carries the chimney, so that it shall be adjustable, in order to regulate 

 from time to time the heiglit of the point at wliich the air supplied for com- 

 bustion shall be made to impinge on the exterior of the flame : the method 

 shown in the dratvings attached to the speciticalion, is by cutting a screw 

 oil tlie inside ring of the gallery, and on the outside of the burners ; it will, 

 therefore be apparent that on turning the gallery round it will eitlier raise 

 or lower it, and at the same time the contracted part of which for deflecting 

 the air will either be brought nearer to or farther from the jet of the burner, 

 according to that which may be considered the best position, and will be 

 regulated in some measure by the extent of flame required ; when the air 

 is defleclcd by a cone iuside the chimney, it is attached to the gallery and 

 moves up and down with it; other means besides the screw may be era- 

 ployed for raising and lowering the gallery, and thereby regulating the ad- 

 mission of air as before explained. 



Fifth and lastly, this invention relates to the treating of dry peat and 

 hydro-carbonaceous maiter for fuel, in the same way as that described 

 under the lirst head of this speciBcation. Having described the nature of 

 bis invention, and that which he considers the best means of carrying the 

 same into elTect, he wishes it to be understood that he does not confine 

 himself to the precise details herein described, so long as the principle of 

 either part of his inventiou be retained ; but what he claims is — first, the 

 mode of treating blocks of dried peat for the manufacture of gas by placing 

 them in an open vessel and immersing them in highly-heated resin, pilch, 

 oil, fat, or other hydro-carbonaceous matter, aud also the saturating blocks 

 of dry peat, by placing them in closed vessels. Second, the application of 

 revolving perforated pipes to distribute the purifying liquor in apparatus, 

 such as before described. Third, tlie application of highly-heated steam 

 introduced into retorts when making gas from coal or other matters. 

 Fourlli, adjusting the admission of air to the outer flame of.\rgand burners 

 by means of a Si rew or otherwise. Fifth and lastly, the saturating blocks 

 of dry peat, for the purposes of fuel, with resin, pitch, oil, fat, or other 

 hydro-carbonaceous matter, by means of an open vessel aud heat, and also 

 by means of a closed vessel, as hereinbefore described. 



GUN COTTON. 



John Taylor, of the Adelphi,- gentleman, for " Improvement.^ in the 

 manufacture of explosive compounds." — Granted October 8, 184G ; Kurolled 

 April 8, 18-17. (A coniuiuoication.) 



This improvement relates to manufaeturing an explosive substance, by 

 the application of nitric acid or nitric aud sulphuric acids to vegetable 

 matters. The specification describes the converting of cotton into an ex- 

 plosive substance, as the patentee considers cotton the most available sub- 

 stance. 



In preparing cotton, take nitric acid ofsp.gr. from r45 to 1-50, and sul- 

 phuric acid of sp. gr. 1'85, and mix the acids in the proportious of three 

 parts sulphuric acid, and one part nitric acid ; they are then allowed to 

 cool down to between 50"^ and 00° Fah. and then rough cotton, previously 

 freed from all extraneous matters, is to be immersed in the mixed acids, 

 in a suitable vessel of glazed earthenware, in as open a state as possible, 

 occassionally stirring it with a glass rod ; the excess of acid is to be drawn 

 or poured oil', and the cotton pressed with an earthen presser, lighlly, so as 

 to separate the principal part of the acid. The cotton is tlien covered and 

 allowed to remain for one hour; it is then pressed, and thoioiigldy washed 

 in running water, to divest it from all free acid until it docs not in the least 

 alfect litmus-paper ; afterwards it is to be partially dried by pressure, and^ 

 to insure its Ireedoni Irom free acid, it is to be washed in a dilute solution 

 of carbonate of potass, made by dissolving one ounce of carbonate of potass 

 iu a gallon of water, and put under a press, and the excess of carbonate of 

 potass solution pressed out, which at the same time renders the cotton 

 nearly dry. It is then washed in a solution consisting of one ounce of 

 pure nitrate of potass in a gallon of water, pressed and dried in a stove or 

 room heated by steam or hot waier to the temperature of from 150° to 170° 

 Fah. The nitrate of potass seems to increase the explosive force of the 

 cotton, but it is not absolutely necessary. In using cotton prepared as 

 above, it must be borne iu mind that to produce the same elfect, mucli less 

 must be used than of gunpowder, that is, in about the proportion of three 

 parts of the prepared cotton to eight parts of Tower proof gunpowder. 



Explosive cotton may be prepared by using nitric acid only, but the 

 patentee prefers using the above mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids. Iu 

 using cotton prepared as above for the purpose of propulsion, as it is of 

 a fibrous nature, it may be rammed at once into the gun, or if made slightly 

 moist and pressed into a mould, it will, when dry, retain its form, and thus 

 may be made into cartridges. 



