1847.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



295 



signals llie letters of the alpliabet are designated by single or repeated 

 motions of either of two indicators (right and left hand), or both in 

 conjunction. Thns the Utter A, which is placed opposite to fig. 1, is 

 indicated by one motion of the left-hand indicator; the letter B, 

 which comes opposite to fig. 2, by two motions of the same indicator; 

 the letter E by four motions, two left and two right; and so on. 



Fourth Claim. — "We claim, as an improvement in electric tele- 

 graphs, the working /«:» indicators, so as to give the requisite mo- 

 tions by means of a single handle coustructed and arranged as de- 

 scribed." 



Fi/lh Claim. — "We claim, as an improvement in electric tele- 

 graphs for giving audible signals, the use of a ring or piece of metal, 

 partially magnetised, in combination with a reel or coil of wire, as 

 above described, whereby and wherein the electric current so acts 

 that the motions take |)lace in a direction transverse to the axis of 

 the coil, and parallel, or nearly so, to the planes in which the wire, 

 constituting the roil, lies, and actuate suitable apparatus for giving 

 such audible signals." 



A bell or gong is substituted for the dial-plate and indicators, and 

 the signals expressed by striking one, two, or more successive blows 

 on the bell or gong, which is elfected by wheelwork, for which no 

 separate claim is made. 



Sixth Claim. — "We claim, as an improvement in electric tele- 

 graphs, the use of an apparatus for conducting the atmospheric elec- 

 tricity to the earth, in which the two semi-spheres of the lightning- 

 conductor, as usually constructed for that purpose, may be adjusted to 

 or from each other, as circumstances may require." 



In lightning-conductors, as ordinarily constructed, there are two 

 inelal plates (say A, A'), which are fixed to and kept apart by blocks 

 of ivory, and two semi-spheres (c and c'), which are made fast, one to 

 each plate. The improvement here consists in making the serai- 

 sphere c fast to the plate A (as usual), but attaching the other by a 

 screw to the plate A', " by which means, and by the aid of a regu- 

 lating screw-nut, the serai-sphere of metal may be brought either 

 closer or farther distant from the semi-sphere c, as may be rendered 

 necessary by the expansion or contraction of the instrument, or other 

 circumstances." 



Sertn/h Claim. — "We claim, as an improvement in electric tele- 

 graphs, the insulator, and stretching of tiie long circuit wires upon 

 and by means of an insulator, bell-shaped in the interior, so as to pre- 

 vent the rain establishidg a circuit for the electricity from the wire to 

 the support upon which the insulator is affixed, and so shaped on the 

 exterior as to admit of a stretcher, constructed as described, being 

 applied at pleasure, to stretch tlie long circuit wires from insulator to 

 insulator." 



These insulators are to be made of glass, earthenware, porcelain, 

 or metal. 



Eighth C/am.—" We claim, as an improvement in electric tele- 

 graphs, a deflector, constructed and arranged as described, in combi- 

 nation with an earth-plate to each instrument, whertby the electric 

 current may be diverted, and the instruments insulated in such man- 

 ner as to allow the instruments at two or more stations on a long 

 line to communicate with each other, independently of the other 

 stations." 



Ni?!th Claim. — We claim, as an improvement in electric telegraplis, 

 tlie use of the apparatus called 'the hydraulic battery,' in which the 

 acid to the sand, c r other retainer of moisture, is supplied from above, 

 drop by drop, and escapes from below, drop by drop, so as thereby to 

 keep up continuously a percolation through the sand, or other retainer 

 of moisture, and, by such percolation, carry off' the sulphate of zinc, 

 and prevent its becoming crystallized on the plate ; and we claim the 

 said hydraulic battery, both as an improvement in the vvorking of 

 electric telegraphs, and as applicable to the working of time-keepers 

 or clocks, where electricity is employed as a motive power, and for 

 other purposes in which a steady uuiform current of galvanic electri- 

 city is required." 



Tttith Claim. — "We claim for time-keepers, in which electricity is 

 a moving power, the use of a ring or piece of metal, partially magne- 

 tised, in combination with a reel or coil of wire, as above described, 

 whereby and wherein the electric current so acts that the motions 

 take place in a direction transverse to the axis of the coil, and parallel, 

 or nearly so, to the planes in which the wire, constituting the coil, lies, 

 and are adapted to suitable apparatus for measuring and indicating 

 time." 



As electric time-keepers require but a small power for keeping 

 their pendulums in motion, "a sufficient current may be obtained 

 trom two series of any one kind of metal (for which purpose zinc 



or iron is the most economical), buried in the earth ;" and "when 

 zinc is used for the series, the supply of electriciiy may be aug- 

 mented by surrounding one set of the plates of the series so em- 

 ployed with a solution of ammonia." 



IMPROVED EXPANDING DIE 



FOR MAKING DraIN-TiLES, CoNDtJlTS, TuBES, ChIMNEY-POTS, 

 AND OTHER ARTICLES MOULDED IN ClaY. 



Registered by Joseph Salt, Brick-Maker, Uxbridse-Common, 

 Middlesex. 



The advantages of the improved die are, that with the same ma- 

 chine, much larger pipes and tubes may be made than heretofore. 

 The improvement is shown in the section, fig. 1, which consists of 



Fig. 1. 



Kg. . 



three parts : A, the centre piece, B the expanding tube, and C the 

 die, to be made of iron, brass, or other suitable material. 



The centre piece, A, is secured to the plate D by a spindle, and the 

 external expanding tube B is also secured to the plate D by screws or 

 bolts, and the die C is secured to the expanding tube by' screws or 

 bolts. 



The clay to be moulded is forced through the aperture, d, of the 

 plate D, and then between the centre piece A, and the expanding 

 tube B, and out at the aperture C. 



Fig. 2 shows the application of the expanding die for making 

 circular tubes or pipes. 



NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



Railway Lift Bridge. — In last iS'ohtli's Journal we gave Mr. Rastrick as 

 the engineer who designed the bridge ; we have since been informed that it 

 was designed by Mr. Hood, the resident engineer of the Brighton railway, 

 and that some alterations have been made in the design. 



An "Architects', Builders', and General Fire and Life Insurance, &c.. 

 Company" is about being established ; already a preliminary meeting has 

 been held, and an " ad-interim committee" formed. Among the names 

 we see Mr. George Smith, Mr. Donaldson, Mr. Salvin, Mr. Sidney Smirke, 

 and several other architects and builders. 



