1S46.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



91 



" Improvements in the mode of preparing, apphjing. and using certain 

 fluxes for the reduction of Ores in the Blast Furnace." By Jonas Towers, 

 Madison; Lake county, Ohio, Deo. 7, 1845. 



What I claim as my inveiilion, and desire to secure by letters patent, is 

 the ajiplication of tliose earths or minerals which are dissoluhle or diffusible 

 with w.iter, and have an atUiesive nature, and can he made into a paste, 

 pap, or grout, with the above or other liquids, and can be applied as other 

 fluxes for the reduction of ores or minerals in the blast or other furnaces. 

 I claim the application of the above preparation, as herein described, to 

 other minerals as well as iron, which have a similar objectional tendencv, 

 while smelting, that is found with iron. I do not claim any special right to 

 the use of the above fluxes in a dry or natural state ; it is only after thev have 

 been mixed or ditfused with water or other liquiils, and formed into a'p.isti-, 

 pap, or grout, and apjilied as a coating or adhering substance, as herein 

 described, that I claim as U)y invention, or discovery, and desire to secure 

 by letters patent. 



" Opening and closing Waite Water Gaten." By Robert Robinson. 



The gate is provided with a chain which passes over a roller, and is 

 attached to one end of a lever, the other end having a box suspended to it. 

 When the water rises too high, it passes over a dam, and fills the hnx, 

 which, by its preponderance, sinks, and opens the gate; and the box being 

 provided with small holes, after the water has ceased to flow over the dam, 

 it runs out of the box, and thus gives the preponderance to the gate, which 

 is then closed by the pressure of the water. 



" Hydraulic Gate, for Locks, Docks, ti^-c." Bv Geo. Heath. Ante- 

 dated July 3, 1841. 



This improvemeiit consists in using for the gate, singly or in two parts, 

 the segment of a cylinder for the front of the gate, with' the radius whirli 

 cuts the centre line of the arch of the segment lying horizontally, and «ith 

 the arch next the water which is to be passed. This front of the eate rests 

 for its support against the pressure of the water, on gudgeons at the centre 

 of the cylinders, which are connected with the front, either by arms, or by 

 the sector of a circle, at the two ends of the segment. 



For a composition of matter for " lul/ricating the nibbing mrfaces o/jh«- 

 cAinfrv."— Increase S. Hill, and Joseph Dixon, the former of Boston, and 

 the latter of Taunton, Massachusetts, January 31, 1845. 



The patentees say, " our composition consists mostly of zinc, (which as is 

 well known belongs to the class of cheaper metals) hardened by being com- 

 pounded with what we denominate a. hardening composition. This latter com- 

 position is formed of the following; metal, mixed in a state of fusion in the 

 proportions hereinafter specified, viz., 15 parts of tin to 35 parts of copper. 

 This composition in a state of fusion is to be mixed with molten zinc and 

 tin, (although tin is not absolutely essential) in the proportion of the two 

 parts of the said hardening composition, of 19 parts of zinc, and from thres 

 to five parts of tin, according to the peculiar purpose for which the compo- 

 sition is to be used, the tin specified to be added last, having the tendency 

 to render the compound when cohl more or less ductile, accordinir to the 

 quantity of the same incorporated therewith. The metal formed witliout the 

 addition of the last named proportion of tin, when broken, will have the 

 appearance of cast steel of coarse quality, but the addition of tin will male 

 it stronger and cause it to be finer in grain until four parts of the same will 

 be added, when the appearance of the metal on its being broken, will be like 

 that of fine cast steel and more closely resemble the same than any other 

 metal. The great strength of the composition combined with a certain de- 

 gree of softness which it possesses, renders it highly useful in the construc- 

 tion of bearings for rubbing surfaces of machinery, as it is capable of resist. 

 mg for a great length of time, the effects of wear and attrition. The large 

 proportion of zinc used in forming the compound renders its use in the me- 

 chamcal arts, much less expensive than the metal ordinarily employed for 

 these purposes, the cost being much less than anv other composition in 

 which copper and tin are the principal metals." 



REGISTER OF NEW PATENTS. 



offiL'of this Journar""" *" '""''"'"' ^"P«""S "-y Patent, it may be oLta!D.-d at the 



ATMOSPHERIC EAIUVAYS. 



WiLHAM Sykes Wakd, of Lccds, gentleman, for " Imjwomments in ex- 

 hausting air from tubes or vessels for the purpose of working atmosplieric 

 railumys, and for other purposes.'!— Glinted June 25; Enrolled December 

 2o, 1845. 



The object of these improvements relates to the arranging and working of 

 the valves of air-pumps for the purpose of exhausting the air from the trac- 

 tmn-tubes of atmospheric railways, and also for the purpose of exhausting 

 air from any vessels or tubes upon a large scale. In using air-pumps as 



hitherto practised for working atmospheric railways, power is lost in openiuff 

 the inlet and outlet valves, by the act;on of the air enterin.' into, and ex- 

 pelled from the cylinder of the pump, and the violence with which such 

 valves close is objectionable. 



The inventor's mode of constructing air-pumps is such, that the power re- 

 qmred for opening and shutting the valves is supplied bv gearing or me- 

 clianical movements, from the engine, or other source of po'w-r by which the 

 air-pump IS actuated, so that the inlet valves are opened and shut altcrnatelT 

 almost immediately after the commencement of the stroke of the piston of 

 the pump, and the outlet valves are respectivelv closed, or pushed home at 

 the end or conclusion of the stroke of the piston. The gearing afterwards 

 releases the valve, which is retained on its seat by the pressure of the exter- 

 nal air, until the air witliin the cylinder of the pump becomes nearly of the 

 same density as the external air, when the valve (if the lower outici) falls 

 by its own weight, or (if the upper outlet) is raised by ,i oonntrrpnise of 

 greater weight than the valve, or by a spring, thus moving rather in advance 

 or as though in anticipation of the current of expelled air, and aflbrdine a 

 free passage for it. ° 



Fig. 1, A, represents the cylinder of the pump, B, the piston, C, the piston- 

 rod, D, D, D, pipes communicating between the main, or vessel to be ex- 

 hausted, and the upper inlet valve-box, E, and the lower inlet valve-box, F. 

 G, represents the upper inlet valve, and H, the lower inlet valve, which 

 valves, G, and H, are attached to the rods. I, and I, at V, and V, by joints, 

 allowing a slight motion, so that the valves may the better close on their 

 respective seats. The rods I, move air tight, in stuffing-boxes K, in guides, 

 by levers L, and connected by the rod T. part of which only is shown. M 

 represents the upper, and N the lower outlet valve, attached to the rods 0, 

 and O, moving in guides, and which valves, M and N, may be respectively 

 closed by the levers P, fixed and acting upon the tappets" Q, so as to close 

 the valves M and N alternately, but not to open tlicm. The upper valve M 

 is counterpoised, and somewhat overweighted by the lever K R, and the 

 weight S. The lower valve N opens by its own gr'avifv, when not closed by 

 the lower lever P, or supported by the 'pressure of the'atmosphere against a 

 partial vacuum in the lower part of the cylinder A. The levers P are con- 

 nected with an excentric by the rod W, pait of which only is shown. 



The mode of action is as follows: — Suppose ihe pump has already ex- 

 hausted the main, or vessel connected therewith, to half vacuum, a'nd is 

 making the down stroke ; the air from tlie main, therefore, enters at the 

 upper valve, which was opened by tlio lever L, immediately afler the com- 

 mencement of the down stroke, and the lower valve H, was closed at the 

 same time. The upper outlet valve M, was closed simultaneously with the 

 conclusion of the ascending stroke, and remains closed diiniig'the down 

 stroke; and, at the same time, the end, P a, of the lower lever P, released 

 the stud, or tappet Q, leaving the lower valve N, at liberty to op<;n by its 

 gravity; but the air in the cylinder of the puni)) having'had, at the com- 

 mencement of the stroke, only half the density of the external air, the valve 

 N, will have been supported until the piston descended to about the middle 

 of the stroke. The gravity of the valve N, will then overcome the cohesion 

 of its surface, and of the valve-seat, and open, leaving a free passage for the 

 air to be expelled from the bottom of the cylinder. When the piston ap- 

 proaches the bottom of the cylinder, the valv'e N, will begin to be raised by 

 the lower lever P, the motion of the piston, from its connexion with the 

 crank of the engine actuating or driving it, will liave become slower, so that 

 the aperture will, nevsrtheless, be adequate for the expulsion of the air; but, 

 at the turn of the stroke, the last-mentioned lever P, will close the valve N, 

 quietly, so as to avoid any detrimental concussion consequent on the change 

 ot the stroke. The upper inlet valve G, will be closed, and the lower inlet 

 valve H, will be opened. The upper outlet valve M, will be left free, lint, as 

 before explained, will remain closed, until the density of the air above and 

 below it are nearly equal, when it will be raised by the counterpoise or 

 weight S. 



