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♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Dec. o, 18H. 



(Bnv Jnfafntorsf* Column. 



So great is the number of inventions now patented that many good 

 things are comparatively lost in the crowd. A succinct account, 

 therefore, hy an Expert, of all inventions of really popular interest 

 and utility must be advantageous both to the public and the 

 Inventor, enabling persons to hear of inventions already desiderated 

 hy them, and thus acting reciprocally as a stimulant on supply 

 and demand. 



A XEW SAFETY CASH-TILL. 



A CASH-TILL designed to show the general takings, and yet keep 

 them safe from any frand, and so constructed that it cannot bo 

 run off with, is surely a desideratum to thousands engaged in 

 various forms of ready-money operations. Mr. A. J. Johnstone, of 

 140, Mill-street, Liverpool, has, we note, invented a cash-till which 

 is a decided preventive to fraud, is never in the way, and can 

 bo seen from any part of the shop. The invention consists of 

 a long, narrow box, having two drawers, the long one moving 

 at right angles to the counter, and the other, which is kept 

 locked, at right angles to the first or parallel to the counter. The 

 first drawer has two compartments for copper and silver respec- 

 tively. The top is of plate-glass. The small drawer runs below a 

 sliding platform attached to a handle at the side, which takes all 

 gold, notes, or surplus silver passed through the aperture in the 

 plate-glass forming the top of the whole till. Money put in this 

 compartment can remain for the customer to see, and then, by 

 moving the handle, it falls into the locked drawer beneath. On 

 drawing out the larger drawer containing the silver and copper a 

 bell rings, and this effectually prevents any secret tampering with 

 the till. The key of the gold compartment is kept by the 

 principal, who may from time to time transfer the surplus silver 

 from the compartment in which it lies into the dr.-iwer, and 

 thus the whole takings of the day need never be at the 

 mercy of any one in the shop. Another special advantage 

 of this improved till is the manner in which it is attached to the 

 counter. Two iron hooks are screwed into the under end of the 

 till below the handle door, so that the hooked part of the iron can 

 run under the edge of the counter. Through these hooks there 

 passes an iron cross rod, as long or short as the requirements of the 

 particular shop may need, and this is fastened to the supports of 

 the counter as far as the length of the rod allows. These tills can 

 be made in any style that may be desired. 



DECORTICATING RICE, WHEAT, &c. 



Veey few persons, comparatively speaking, know how much 

 inventive genius has been expended in the endeavours to remove the 

 outer cuticle of the wheat beny without at the same time depriving 

 it of any of its nutritious properties. Mr. J. H. C. Martin, of " The 

 Drive," Walthamstow, and of 16, Mark-lane, E.C., has invented a 

 machine for thoroughly decorticating rice, wheat, and other grains, 

 which is claimed to possess very great advantages. An emery 

 drum is employed, and made to revolve rapidly within a cylindrical 

 case and set obliquely, and bo adjusted that for wheat the machine 

 not only cleans thoroughly, and especially the ends of the grain, 

 but produces the condition needed for roller-milling, the skin in the 

 crease being left thicker than in any other portions, and thence 

 being more easily separated. It is contended that flour made from 

 wheat thus treated would be in preferential demand. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDOWS. 



The window has long, we think, presented a prominent field for 

 the inventor, and now we observe that Messrs. Verity Brothers, 

 the well-known manufacturers and patentees of sundry special 

 ironmongery appliances for the building and other trades, of 5i, 

 Call-lane, Leeds, have patented several important improvements in 

 sash and other windows, whereby perfect ventilation and com- 

 plete security are secured. The windows, can be cleaned on 

 both sides from the inside, and are rendered perfectly safe by 

 means of Messrs. Verity Brothers' double-locking sash-bolt or 

 fastener. The following are some of the advantages explained : — 

 1. The window can be opened for ventilation without being 

 unlocked or rendered insecure if so left. 2. The strength and 

 safety of the swinging pivots are secured in all positions from the 

 fact that — through the protection and steadiness of the outer sash 

 frame — no undue strain can be put upon them. 3. The above, in 

 combination with the rebate arrangement, renders it impossible for 

 the swinging sash to " tumble bodily into the street," as other con- 

 structions have been liable to allow. 4. The construction can bo 

 varied, so that the upper sash swings only, without sliding ; the 

 bottom sash alone being made to both slide and swing upon pivots. 



or any other variation architects may suggest, or require. 5. The 

 chain opener and fastener has no notched bar or other overhanging 

 projection to become unsightly and objectionable when the window 

 is closed, and can be fixed at the side instead of centre. 



CORK-DRAWING. 



Although in many quarters screw-stoppers are coming into nsc 

 for most bottled drinks, the cork is very far from being dises- 

 tablished yet. Meanwhile, cork-drawing is often attended with 

 much trouble, not the least being the breaking off of pieces, which 

 crumble into the contents of the bottle. Mr. A. Muir, of 2, Wal- 

 brook, London, E.C., has, we believe, perfected a machine specially 

 designed for drawing corks with amazing rapidity, certainty, and 

 that by a single operation of the hand. The screw is constructed 

 upon the simplest mechanical principles, and being devoid of com- 

 plicated arrangements, cannot possibly get out of order, while the 

 leverage power is such that any lady, if need arise, can draw out 

 the tightest cork without effort. Another advantage is that the 

 contents of the bottle remain undisturbed. 



THE "CARMICHAEL" PORTABLE BOOT-TREE. 



There can be no doubt but that for those who study appearances 

 the boot-tree is an indispensable part of personal impedimenta 

 during a round of visits, &c. Boot-trees, however, are cumbroos 

 things, and some time since a cavalry officer conceived the idea of 

 making an india-rubber boot-tree capable of being carried in the 

 pocket, and, when put inside the boot, needing only to be inflated 

 to fill any boot out tightly and render shrinkage, however wet 

 the leather, impossible. This invention has obviously many special 

 advantages over the rigid wooden tree, and should come into very 

 general use. The sole agents for this invention are Messrs. W. 

 Sparkes &, Hall & Co., 308, Regent-street, London, W. 



A NEW WATCH-KEY. 



Stemwinding watches have not yet quite disestablished the old- 

 fashioned watch with its separate key. Many endeavours have 

 been made to produce that obvious desideratum, a key adjustable 

 to any watch without any trouble or preparation, and this is now 

 claimed to be accomplished by an invention of Messrs. Vale & Sons. 

 All that the person \vishing to wind a watch has to do is to press 

 the key into the winding-square of the watch, which it will at once 

 fit, no matter what the make or size of the watch. We understand 

 that Messrs. Vale & Sons were the very first inventors of a key to 

 wind any watch when, twenty years ago, they produced their screw- 

 adjustable key, and thus a special importance attaches to their new 

 self-adjustable watch-key. This will enable those watchmakers 

 who hold a stock of old-style watches to compete more readily vrith 

 the keyless variety. 



THE NEW BOLANACHI CHOCOLATE. 



The invention of a new food-drink, if we may use such a phrase, 

 is surely a matter of no small importance to the community. Some 

 time since M. Bolanachi, a Turkish gentleman, conceived the idea of 

 utilising the ceratonia bean, hitherto used only for cattle-food, and 

 after much labour he succeeded in producing thence a sweet, clear, 

 honey-like extract, the saccharine property of the plant. He next 

 proceeded to try this with chocolate in place of sugar, and as a result of 

 experiments, has now a manufactory of chocolate at Spa-road, Ber- 

 mondsey, where the cocoa bean, without husk and without flour or 

 starch, is used only with the syrup of the ceratonia bean for making 

 fine chocolates, which do not need boiling, and are claimed to be finer 

 and cheaper far than the ordinary kinds even of the best. The 

 Bolanachi chocolate is a very nourishing and pleasant beverage, and 

 won the highest award in its class at the late International Health 

 Exhibition. The city offices of the company are in St. Clement's 

 House, Clement's-lane, E.C. The new chocolate is a food-drink 

 equally good for the strong and the weak, and is particularly 

 digestive, while its flavour is delicious. 



IMPROVED STAIR-ROD "EYES." 



Stair-rod eyes of the common sort are often very troublesome, 

 continually coming out and frequently breaking. What is known 

 as Emery's New Patent Stamped Stair-rod Eye appears to be a 

 useful improvement on the old-fashioned cast stair-rod eyes. This 

 eye is fastened by two nails, and, being stamped out of rolled 

 brass, is stronger and cheaper than the ordinary kind. The eyes 

 are at the same time more ornamental. It is obvious that the 

 fixing is much simplified, and the liability to work loose is 

 minimised. Samples of these eyes may be obtained on application 

 to the patentee and manufacturer, Mr. S. C. Emery, 389, Lichfield- 

 road, Aston, near Birmingham. 



