Jav. 30, issr<.' 



. KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



97 



(9uv {iiljfntoi-G' ^Column. 



ITt- ^ive here, tceek ly xceek, a terse description of such of the many 

 inventions as ice think may he of use to our readers. Where it is 

 possible, the numher of the pateiU is quoted, to enable those who 

 desire fuller information to procure the specification from the 

 Patent Office in Cursitor-street, Chancery-lane. We shall, gene- 

 rally speaking, confine ourselres to tiie more recent inventions ; but 

 it often happens that an article comes under our notice which, 

 although not quite novel, is icorthy of mention for its utility and 

 ingenuity. In suc.'i a case ice should not hesitate to refer our 

 readers to it. And ichite ice thus increase the interest of our pages, 

 ice at the same time assist the inventors by giving greater publicity 

 to their inventions (Knowledge being a popular magazine) than 

 is accorded by the most excellent trade journals. 



COMBINED LIBRARY STEPS AXD EaSEL. 



[Patent Xo. 4S89. 1SS4.]— The accompanying illustrations 

 depict a verr simple combination (patented hv Mr. G. H . Ilutnpton), 

 completely doing away with the nsuil unsightly library step?, 



I 



J 



8 1- 



forming instead an artistic and useful adjunct to the library or 

 drawing-room. The steps are perfectly rigid, yet easily folded, and 

 are made in all woods, or covered and draped in relvet or plush. The 





figure shows at a glance how compactly the steps may be folded 

 when out of use. Their height is then six feet. 



SHIPS IX FOGGY WEATHER. 



[Patent No. 8,791. 1884.]— Mr. F. D. Torre, of Baltimoro, 

 U.S.A., has patented a device to provide ships with means for de- 

 tecting in foggy weather or at night the proximity of l.ind, ice- 

 bergs, vessels, or other solid objects. The principle made use of is 

 that of the echo, and the means empluyod consist principally of a 

 sound producer and a sound receiver. In the arrangement is a 

 bell, the sound emitted by which is reflected from any solid body 

 in the proximity of the ship, and returns to a receiver which is 

 jiivotted to a stem lixed on the tore part of the deck. .\ telephone 

 is attached directly to the receiver, or a microphone may be 

 inserted therein and connected by a wire with a telephone which 

 the signalling officer keeps to his ear. The arm of the receiver is 

 provided with a compass and a timepiece, by means of which the 

 direction and distance of the reflecting body can be readily found, 

 the time between the transmission and receiving of the sound 

 being noted. If desired, the telephone and timepiece may bo 

 removed to the cabin, and the bell worked therefrom, by which 

 arrangement the interference of extraneous noises will be obviated. 



THE ECLIPSE IXK.STAXD. 

 This very simple and ingenious inkstand is handsomely con- 

 structed of bronze, is circular, and presents a really ornamental 

 appearance. It contains three cups, one for red, one for blue, and 

 one for copying ink. The lid, which is perforated with a single 

 hole the size of the top of the cups, fits on to the disc containing 

 them by a tapered square pin dropping into a depression of the 

 same shape. By this arrangement only the kind of ink in actual 

 use is exposed, and when another sort is required the lid is simply 

 turned round. When the writer has finished, a blank part of the 

 bronze disc containing the cups is brought under the hole in the lid, 

 and all three inks are securely covered from air and dust. It is 

 patented by Messrs. E. Wolff i Sons, Great Queou-street, London, 

 W.C. 



DRAIN PKOTECTORS. 



Mk. a. T. Axoell, of Fulham, has patented a lip-syphon, the 



•J gre:it feature of which ia the 



projecting lip .\, which throws 



the water passing down the 



drain off the sides, and directly 



into the centre of the body of 



water forming the trap, thus 



securing a thorough Hush. It 



is obvious, too, that no gases 



can pass from the sewer into 



the house. The same inventor 



has patented an air-tight flap, for fixing over the " inspection 



boxes," which, in the bast forms of drainage, are built over the 



'■ j\inctions," i.e., where the tiibutary drains intersect with the 



main arteiy, and they thus form a good landmark, showing the 

 exact position of the drains, so that the pulling up of flagstones 

 and flooring, and the pernicious practice of breaking opev. the 

 drains need never be resorted to in case of a stoppage. 



construction is so simple as to obviate any necessity for farther 

 details than are afforded by the illnstrations. The top left-hanl 



The production of ma i ' ^ States during 1884 is said 



to have been greater than in any previous year. It is estimated 

 to have amounted to 1,075,0CX»,000 bushels. 



The sanitary inspector of the Xew York Board of Health reports 

 that, out of some sixty firms engaged in sugar manufactories, 

 thirteen were using chromate of lead, and five of these were also 

 employing red lead, fuchsine (a preparation of mercuiy), Prussian 

 blue, and other distinctly poisonous pigments containing lead, 

 mercury, and arsenic. 



