3.3G 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[Nov. 



carriage?, and can be moved backwards and forwards by tlie screws g, g. 

 The discs are made to rotate slowly by means of an endless band, 

 with pulleys and wlieelwork, actuated by a weight or other prime 

 mover; a current of electricity being then passed through the series 

 of discs, a brilliant light will be produced at those edges of the discs 

 that are adjacent to each other. A current of electricity may be caused 

 to pass through tlie discs, bv connecting one wire of a galvanic battery 

 with the axis of the disc 6, and the other wire with the axis of the 

 disc/; but, in order to economize the power, the patentee prefers to 

 separate the battery into four parts, and transmit a separate and dis- 

 tinct current to each pair of discs, by means of the wires Zi', h-, A=, h', 

 and i', i", i", i*. In order to produce the desired elfect, the discs c, e, 

 are to be brought into contact with the discs 6, rf, /, by turning the 

 screws g-.g; and as soon as the electric current is esiablished, and 

 the points of contact sufficiently ignUed, the discs c, e, are to be 

 moved out of contact with the otlier discs, when a brilliant and per- 

 manent l.ght will continue to be evolved at the adjacent parts of the 

 discs, so long as the discs are kept rotating, and the electric current 

 continues to pass. In order that the electric light may be uniformly 

 diflused, the apparatus is enclosed in a ground glass globe j. 



SLUB CHAINS. 

 William B.^tlis, of Bilston, Stafiord, chain-maker, for "a machine 

 fur Jtnllening and inrnhig iron li'ilm for fat-rcood alub-chauis."— 

 "Granted February 20; Enrolled August 20, 1847. 



In forming the links of flat-wood or slub-chains the sides are flatten- 

 ed while the ends at the connexion of the adjoining links are cylindri- 

 cal. .Such formation has hitherto been accomplished by hand forgii g. 

 In order to the well working of such ch lins, it is necessary that con- 

 siderable uniformitv should exist between the separate links, which 

 require much 'kill and consequent expense in their manufacture. 



Now the object of the present invention is to produce the required 

 flattening to parts of lengths of iron, and partial bending of the same 

 hv mechanical means, so as to facilitate the formation of the links, 

 and lessen the cost of the manufacture. 



The annexed engravings show a machine for making the links. Fig. 

 1, is a side view; fig. 2, a plan; and fig. 3, an end view, a, the 

 framing of the machine; fc, the drivirg axis, to which motion is 



Fig. 



Fig. 3. 



^^Nvvvf 



d\ 



m\my<ki i j>im 



'i^rnQiorg|ci 



m. 



^£ 



!qi_ loi oig jc) 

 o^ S I 



D(^ 



Fig. 2. 



given by a steam engine or other power; on the axis b, is a pinion c, 

 wliich takes into and drives the cog-wheel d,on the craiik axis, e, and 

 gives motion to the arm/, by the link g, and carrying the \i|>per face 

 plate /(. /, is tlie lowLM face plate, upon which a length of iron A, for 

 the intended link and heated to a nn derate heat, is to be held so as 

 that by the descent of the arm /, a flattened part, as shov;n at B, is 

 produced, and then the length ol metal A, is to be put end to end, s» 

 as to produce another fl.ittened part U, as shown at B, C. The 

 lengths thus formed are then to be placed against the rollers A:, when 

 liy the coming forward of the forcer, /, they will be bent into the 

 shape shown at D. Motion is given to the forcer, /, in the fol- 



lowing manner: m,m, are arms which at the upper ends are connected 

 to the connecting-rods, n, v, which receive a to and fro motion from 

 the shaft ; the lower ends of the arms, m, m, are affixed to the sh.ift, 

 to which IS also aflix'd the arrn,^, which by means of a link gives 

 motion to the forcer, /. The links produced, as shown at D, are alter- 

 wards to be welded togetlier in the ordinary way. 



STEAM ENGINE IMPROVEMENTS. 



William Knowelden, of Great Guildford-sfreet, Soutliwark, en- 

 gineer, for " tmprovemtim in steam tngines." — Granted December 31, 

 ia4G ; Enrolled June 30, 1847. 



1 his invention relates to obtaining two revolutions of a shaft of a 

 reciprocatingsteam-engine for each complete stroke of the piston. 



Figs. 1 and 2, are an elevation and a plan of a reciprocati.ig steam- 



f:Fig. 1. 



^^ 



±M: 





Si- 



Fig. 2. 

 engine, showing the improvements, a, a, is the framing, b, the 

 steam cylinder, c, the piston rod. e, the cross head ; and/", the 

 side connecting rods which are at one end in connexion with the cross 

 bead f, and at the other end in connexion with the connecting rod g, 

 which is forked so as partly to embrace the cylinder and to allow of 

 its being in connexion with both of the rods /, and this connecting rod 

 is at the end,^', in connexion with the beam or lever i', moving on an 

 axis in the centre, by which the end, g', of the lever, g, is controlled 

 to move to and fro in nearly a straight line, which is one peculiarity 

 of the invention, and such beam or lever at one end moves on an axis 

 at g', its other end by a connecting rod, i, gives motion to the crank, 

 y, on the main shaft k, of the engine; thus will the crank shaft be 

 caused to make a complete revolution each time the piston moves 

 from end to end of the cylinder, and therefore two revolutions for each 

 complete stroke of the piston. /, /, are two arms from the axis, i', one 

 on each side of the cylinder, in order that they may be in connexion 

 with the two side connecting rods,/. Tliese am s are for the purpose 

 of controlling the working of the parts, and to ensure the end g', (.f 

 the connecting rorl g, making a uniform to and fro movement each 

 time the piston passes from one end to the other of the cylinder; but 

 it is obvious that the same result would be obtained if the ends of the 

 rods,/, g, viere controlled by guides to move in the same direction. 



The claim is fur combining the parts /,g,i, with a crank shaft 

 or axis so as to obtain two revolutions of such shaft or aKis for eacli 

 complete stroke of a reciprocating steam-engine. 



