92 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[March^ 



Another part of the improvements consists in the combination of large 

 Tessels with air-pumps, so that such vessels, having been previously exhausted, 

 shall assist tlic pumps in the exhaustion of the traction-tuhe. The cylinder 

 of the pump njust he of such dimensions, as to be capable of restoring the 

 exhaustion of the reservoirs in the interval between tlie running of the trains 

 on the section of railroad it, is required to work. And the steam engine is to be 

 of such power as to worl; the pump, and restore such exhaustion of the re- 

 servoirs with facility, in the before-stated period, after the first reservoir 

 has been exhausted, but such exhaustion need not be continued to a very 

 high gauge; for eiample, the first reservoir may be exhausted until a baro- 

 meter gauge attached thereto shows the height of about fifteen inches of 

 mercury ; by a change of position of tlie cock Q, tlic second reservoir may 

 then be exhausted to about twenty inches of its gauge, and lastly, by a further 

 change of the cock, the third reservoir may be exhausted to about twenty- 

 five inches of its gange. 



Anotlier part of tlie improvements consists in the construction of the pis- 

 tons of large air-pumps, by making the packing of the pistons of leather cut 

 into bands, of the breadth of about one-sixth part of the diameter of the 

 cylinder of the pump. Such bands are unitid by sewing, and also with the 

 well-known cement of isinglass or fish-glue dissolved in weak S|)irit, or are 

 united by other suitable means, so as to form a continuous circle of about 

 the same diameter as the pump cylinder, but considerably conical, so as to 

 facilitate the bending hereinafter mentioned. The bands of leather, after 

 being softened by water and placed upon a block of similar siiie to the pis- 

 ton, are then bent and contracted so that about one-third part of the breadth 

 may lit the cylinder and the Oliver two-third parts may be attached to the 

 piston, and secured by plates of metal screwed to the main part of the jiiston. 



The claim is for so arranging [apparatus or gearing with the valves of air- 

 pumps, as to close the outlet valves but not to open them, the gearing leav. 

 ing such valves at liberty to open when relieved from the pressure of the air. 

 Secondly, the so combining vessels or reservoirs with air-punips in working 

 atmosplieric railways that the air may be pumped from the traction-tubes of 

 atmospheric railways into partially exhausted vessels or reservoirs, and, when 

 desired, the pressure of the air passing from such traction-tubes into sucli 

 partially exbauste<l vessels or reservoirs may be used for giviiig motion to 

 jair-pumps. And thirdly, the mode of- packing pistons of air-pumps as herein 

 described. 



William Palmer, of Clerkenwell, in the county of Middlesex, manufac- 

 turer, for " Improvemmfs in u-orkhig a/mospftrric railways, and in htbricut- 

 inff railway and other machinery." — Granted June ; Enrolled December 

 5, 1845. 



This invention consists in applying tallow, oil, or other fatty matter, or of 

 oil prepared in the form of soaji, insoluble in water, to line the tnlies and to 

 aid atmospheric railways ; and the said invention also consists in applying 

 such materials to the lubricating railway and other macliinery. Any quan- 

 tity of the tallow-oil is taken and heated in a copper or boiler to the point 

 of boiling, or nearly so, and then litharge is stirred in so long as the same 

 is taken up by the tallow-oil, and until the litharge falls to the bottom and 

 is not taken up by the tallow-oil; after stirring for half an hour from the 

 time the last quantity of litharge has been introduced, the melted matter is 

 removed into casks or other suitable receptacles. By this means a soap in- 

 soluble in water, will be produced, suitable for the purposes of the invention. 



The claim is for the application of tallow-oil or other fatty matters, or oils 

 prepared in the form of soap insoluble in water, by means of litharge or 

 other metalline matters, to line the interior surfaces of the traction-pipes of 

 atmospheric railways, and also for lubricating machinery as herein described. 



Joseph Cliff, of Wortby, Yorkshire, fire-brick manufacturer, for "/m" 

 provemcnfs in the manufaeiure of alum, and of aluvtinotis compounds, from 

 a substance 7iot hitherto used for that purpose, end in the production of an 

 improved fire-clay from the residuum thereof." — Granted June J ; Enrolled 

 Dec. 5, 1815. 



This invention relates to fire-clays containing a great quantity of alumina, 

 especially the " Wortley fire-clay." For extracting the whole or the greater 

 part of the alumina, and converting it into alum and aluminous compounds, 

 and in using the puriiied clay, either alone or combined with other fire-clay, 

 for making fire-bricks, glass-house pots, crucibles, gas-retorts, and similar 

 articles. Any fire-clay containing alumina in excess, is first ground, then 

 calcined, and alterwards submitted to the action of sulphinic, nitric, muria- 

 tic, or other acid, diluted with water. The mass being l.xiviated with water, 

 the alumina is obtained in solution, and this solution is freed from iron by 

 the employmentof prussiate of potash, gailic acid, sulphuretted hydrogen, 

 or some other suitable agent, the solution is then evaporated by itself, to get 

 the sulphate, nitrate, or muriate of alumina, according to the acid used ; or 

 the sulphate or muriate of potash, soda or ammonia is mixed with the so- 

 lution, and evaporated or crjstallised to obtain the alum salts, and then, by 

 reaching, the alum of commerce is formed. After he whole or greater 

 part of the alumina has been extracted, as above described, the puriiied and 

 residuary earth may be employed, alone, or combined with other clay, in 

 the manufacture of fire-bricks, glass-house pots, ciuciblcfi, gas retorts,' and 

 similar articles. 



Jon.v Hopkins, of Brand-street, Greenwich, in the county of Kent, sur- 

 teyor, for '• certain improvr-menls in rails and trams for railroads and trttm- 

 riiy*."— Granted July 3, 1845 ; Enrolled Jan. 3, J846. 



The object of this invention is to employ rails, trams, or continuous sur- 

 faces of wood, upon which the wheels of engines and carriages May travel as 

 on the ordinary rails or trams, consisting of a piece of timber, placed longi- 

 tudinally and bolted between two cheeks of iron. 



HOT AIR. ENGIS-F.. 



IsRAM Baggs, of Great Percy Street, Claremont Square, engineer, for 

 * Improvements in obtaining motive power by air." — Granted June 26, 1845; 

 Enrolled January 2G, 1846. 



The first part of this invention is to cause condensed air to pass from a 

 vacuum placed within a flue, and surrounded by fire, to the cylinder of an- 

 engine, so as to give motion to the piston of the same by its clastic and 

 expansive power, the condensed air being supplied from time to time by 

 means of a double acting pump. The heated air after having worked the 

 engine is conducted by means of a pipe to the furnace or fire, for the pur- 

 pose of increasing combustion. 



The apparatus consists of a cylinder, constructed somewhat in the ordi- 

 saryimanner, having induction and eduction ports with suitable valves. This- 

 cylinder is placed vertically within a closed receiver, or strong iron vessel, 

 fixed in such_ manner that it is surrounded by a flue, and can be heated by 

 a fire for the purpose of expanding the air within it, which after having 

 worked the piston of the engine passes tbronsh the eduction port, 

 and is conducted to the fire if desired. The piston rod is atfached in 

 the ordinary manner to the crank, and upon the same shaft is a 

 second crank for working the force, or air-pump, which at every 

 stroke forces into the receiver a quantity of air equal to that 

 expended in moving the piston. The specification is accompanied with 

 three or four sheets of diagrams, showing sections of the cylinders &c., which 

 would be too elaborate to give in detail. The annexed rouijh sketch show* 

 the position of the working cylinder, receiver, and air pump, which we have 

 no doubt the reader will understand by the following description — a a is thei 



receiver or reservoir, fixed in brickwork and surrounded with a flue proceed- 

 ing from the furuace ; b is the cylinder of the engine placed within the same ; 

 c is the piston ro<l connected with the crank-shalt in the usual manner by a 

 connecting rod ; d d are the valve rods worked by means of excentrics ; e is 

 a double-acting air pump for forcing air into the receiver a; yis the piston 

 rod connected with a second crank formed on the crank-shaft, which latter 

 crank is placed about 140 degrees iu advance of the other crank, in order 

 that the resistance may not be greatest when the power is least. In 

 starting this engine atmospheric air is to he forced into the receiver equal to 

 4 atmospheres, by means of hand pumps or otherwise ; the fire is then to 

 be lighted, which will have the effect of expanding the air which is then 

 admitted into tiie cylinder, when motion will be given to the piston, and 

 crank shafts, (not shown in the diagram,) and by means of the second 

 crank such motion will be imparte<l to the piston rod f of the air-pump e, 

 which is pronded with two induction and two eduction valves, and intended 

 to force into the receiver a just as much common atmospheric air as has been 

 expended in giving motion to the piston in the cyhnder h, the slide valves of 

 which are worked expansively|; g is the eduction pipe of the air-pump, and 

 is connected to the receiver, the induction pipe being open to the atmos- 

 phere, bv closing which the engine will be stopped, in consequence of the 

 supply of air being cut off. 



HIGMTON'S SAFETY RAILAVAY CHAIRS. 



The peculiarity iu the fastening of the rails by means of the Safely Chair 

 and Key Medge, consists in making the side of the chair next to the Key 

 with a concave instead of a plane surface, and using a peculiarly shaped 



