1846.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL 



251 



other suitable case or box, provided with a lock or other means of safe keep- 

 ing, so that the wires may be easily accessible to the examination of parties 

 wishing to communicate intelligence by them. The ends of the individual 

 wires may also be disconnected from each other in these boxes, and the cir- 

 cuit with the corresponding wires belonging to the adjoining tube completed, 

 when required, by means ol small pinching screws, or by causing the ends of 

 the wires to dip into a hollow space, filled with mercury, or an amalgam of 

 that metal, so as to produce metallic contact, in order that the conductors 

 may be sn joined as to form a continuous length to any extent, but capable 

 of being disconnected wheu required. 



For this purpose the patentees propose to employ an apparatus, shown in 

 plan view at tig. 5, which represents the terminations of two pipes of soft 

 metal, each containing three conducting wires a, b, c. The ends of these 

 wires extend beyond the termination of the pipes, and are bent downwards 

 into cups of mercury g, h, i. By this means the connection of the conduc- 

 tors is restored through the mercurial medium ; that is, the conductor a, by 

 its end being immersed in the cup g, oonimunicates with the wire d; and the 

 wire i, in the cup h, communicates with the wire e ; and the wire c, through 

 i, with/; connection is also made with the ontsides of the pipes a, and b, 

 by thick wires /(■, and ;, soldered to the pipes, which are made to communi- 

 cate through the mercurial cup m. This apparatus, placed at any desired 

 part or parts of the line of communication, may be enclosed in a box n, and 

 locked up securely. 



The improved electric apparatus may be used not only as conductors for 

 telegraphs, either by land or water, but also for firing mines, or other pur- 

 jinses for which electric co!iductors have been or may hereafter be employed. 

 It is likewise proposed to use the leaden or other aforesaid metallic pipes or 

 tubes, as means of returning the electric currents conveyed by the metallic 

 wires enclosed in such pipes. Metallic contact is produced through the 

 whole length of these tubes, so as to complete the electric circuit, either by 

 soldering a piece of copper or other metal to each end of the leaden tubes, 

 and bringing these pieces of copper or other metal into metallic contact 

 through the mercury, or by other means, as above said. 



When the conductors are used for electric telegraphs, these ends and the 

 wires enclosed therein are attached to the wires proceeding from the clock- 

 work of such telegraphs, in the usual way ; but which may vary according 

 to the construction of such telegraphs. If the conductors are to be employed 

 for igniting gunpowder, a short piece of metalUc wire, of small diameter, 

 may be placed in any convenient situation, so as to form a part of the elec- 

 tric circuit ; and if the electric currant be sufficiently powerful, this small 

 wire will he made hot enough to ignite gunpowder, when a current of elec- 

 tricity passes along the wires. 



The patentees, in conclusion, state, that they do not intend to claim the 

 adaptation of wires, surrounded with nonconducting substances, enclosed in 

 tubes for electric conductors ; but that which they do claim is. the construc- 

 tion and manufacture of electrical conductors, by the employment of ma- 

 chinery having a tubular mandril or hollow rod, through which wires may 

 be drawn, whilst the leaden or other soft metal tube is forming, by pressure 

 between a core and die; such wires being at the same time imbedded in 

 pitch or other nonconducting material. 



PROPELLING ON RAILWAYS AND CANALS. 



William Hannis Taylor, of Piccadilly, gent., and Francis Eoobi- 

 LIAC Condor, of Birmingham, civil engineer, for *' certain improvements 

 in propelling," — Granted December 20, 1845 ; Enrolled June 20, 1846. 

 (See Engraving, Plate XII.) 



The object of this invention is to propel a train of carriages by means 

 of electro magnetism in connection with the atmospheric principle, in the 

 following manner : — A tube a is laid betwixt the rails throughout the whole 

 length of the line, having two pistons h moving within it, similar to the 

 present mode of working atmospheric railways, with this difference, that 

 in place of forming the connection between the piston and leadiijg carriage 

 by means of an arm passing through the longitudinal opening. The in- 

 ventors efTect the above by means of powerful magnets c attached to one 

 or more of the leading carriages of the train. On the top of the atmos- 

 pheric tube a, which is provided with an opening of about three inches 

 wide, there is firmly fixed a rectangular box of copper, d, projecting above 

 the tube about three inches, so that the longitudinal opening is covered as 

 it were with an inverted trough. Wiihiu this box there is a piece of soft 

 iron, f, supported from the piston by means of a wood frame and arms,/. 

 The magnets e are bent of such a form that the two ends or poles approach 

 the sides of the copper box. or covering to the longitudinal opening, and 

 fixed to the underside of the carriage ; then being charged with the mag- 

 netic inSuence, by a galvanic battery, are attracted by the piece of irou e, 

 attached in the manner before described to the piston, so that the connec- 

 tion between the carriai;e and the piston is effected by means of powerful 

 magnets, in place of an arm passing through the longitudinal openiog as 

 heretofore.* 



* The application of the above principle will be fouod in the ipecifivatlon of a patent 

 (ranted to lUr. Heorir finliui, in the ytar 1834- 



CONNECTING OF BOILERS. 



James Garporth, of Dunkinfield, Chester, engineer, for "certain im- 

 provements in machinery, or apparatus for connecting of boilers, and oilier 

 pur/joses "—Granted December 10, 1845; Enrolled Ju'ue 10, 1S46. ( Wiili 

 Engravings, see Plate XII. ) 



These improvements for connecting metallic plates fur the construction 

 of steam boilers consist in the direct application of the expansive force of 

 sleam to the dies for rivetting the plates together, and in the inachinerv or 

 apparatus, whereby such force is brought into action. Fig. 1 is a side 

 view of an arrangement of machinery for rivetting metallic plates for the 

 construction of sleam boilers, and fin. 2 is a vertical section of the cylinder ; 

 a, a. is the frame work supporling the steam cylinder A, b, in which a 

 steam-tight metallic piston c, is mounted upon the rod d, d. which passes 

 through stuffing boxes e, e, at each end of the cylinder A ; in the end of the 

 piston-rod the die/ is fixed, the other die g, being rarnin^ed in the pillar /i, 

 which is firmly secured to the frame-work. Steam being admitted through 

 the entrance or feed-pipe i, it passes onwards through u common slide 

 or other valve A:, to the cjl.nder, and after having performed its office, is 

 allowed to pass out through the pipe (, the slide valve k, being worked by 

 hand by means of the lever m, so as to admit (he steam on either side of 

 the piston, as required. 



The operation of the apparatus is as follows :— steam of sufficient pres- 

 sure being admilled by means of the slide vnlve k, on the left hand side of 

 the piston c, it will force it, together with the piston rod </ (to which is at- 

 tached the die/), against the head g, which forms the end of the rivet n, 

 between ihe dies / and g ; thus firmly connecting the plates p, thereby 

 producing a perfectly steam, air, or water-tight joint. The head of the 

 rivet being formed at one or more blows as required, the intensity of Ihe 

 blow depending upon the area of the piston, the length of the stroke, and 

 the pressure of Ihe steam employed. The valve k, is then reversed, the 

 steam admitted on the other side of the piston, which movement will with- 

 draw the die/, when another rivet may be introduced and the operation 

 proceed as before. 



The inventor does not confine himself to the use of steam pressure, as 

 Ihe direct action of water, air, or auy other elaslic;medium, may be similarly 

 employed without departing from the principle of his invention. He does 

 not claim as his invention the exclusive use of the several parts of the 

 above machine, except it be employed for Ihe purposes of his invention, 

 which consists in rivetting metal plates by dies driven by the elastic force 

 of steam, water, or other clastic medium as above described. 



CHIMNEY DRAUGHT. 



Henry Watson, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, brass-founder, for '* /m. 

 prorements in withdiauing air and vapours from furnaces or other appara- 

 tus, and in condensing and employing such vapours." — Granted January 6 ; 

 Enrolled July 6, 1846. 



This invention relates to introducing a jet of steam through a cone fixed 

 in a chimney, to create a draught and for withdrawing the air and vapours. 

 Fig. 1, a is a section of a floe, with a cone A fitted inside, and made to 



~» -J^^W.-.^^.^'^.'V'^-^^^'.' v' .-^^ j 



A;r-m»»;" 



slide, 90 as to regulate Ihe proper position for preventing a back dianght. 

 c is a pipe for introducing a jet of steam through the aperture of the cone, 

 and for producing a partial vacuum below the opening ; the inventor also 

 shows how a chamber, D, to be used as a condenser, may be connected 

 with the apparatus when a draught is employed for the purpose of reducing 

 ores, such as lead, e is the flue, leading from the furnace. D, the cham- 

 ber, half filled with water, and divided into compartments by partilioug 

 alternately dipping into the water. As the vapour passes from the flue « 

 it will, the inventor states, on account of the partial vacuum created in the 

 cone A, be made to pass through the water, and thereby be condensed and 

 absorbed by the water. 



