Feb. 27, 18S5.] 



♦ KNOWT.FDGE ♦ 



183 



Our {-nbrntorC'' JToliimn. 



We ifive here, tceek by iecek, a terse description of such of the many 

 inventions as ire think may be of use to our readers. Where it is 

 possible, the number of the patent is quoted, to enable those tcho 

 desira fuller information to procure the specification from the 

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

 rally speaking, confine ourselves to the more recent inventions; but 

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

 nlthough not quite novel, is worthy of mention for its utility and 

 ingenuity. In sitch a case wo should not hesitate to refer our 

 readers to it. And while we thus increase the interest of our pages, 

 we at the same time assist the inventors b'j giving greater publicity 

 to their inventions (KNOwtEDGE being a popular magazine) than 

 is accorded by the most excellent trade journals. 



READING STAND. 



1 Patented 1S84.] — This is a simple, secure, and convenient sup- 

 (HTt for newspapers, magazines, books, &c., while being read at 

 table, or by invalids in bed. Patented by Jlajor-Gcneral Davis, 

 i'he weight of the base is such as to ensure stability, even at the 

 rxtreme edge of a table. A wire cord with a weight at the left 

 side is so arranged as to lie over the margin of a book, and keep 

 the leaves open. The right side of the wire cord, being lighter, is 

 • asilv raised with the leaf in tnrning over, and tlius onlv one hand 



need be used. The weight can, however, be moved on tlic cord if 

 desired. The upper surface of the base is covered with Utrecht 

 velvet, which prevents the newspaper or book from slipping. The 

 wire frame is also made to fold down ilat for convenience of 

 packing, and to slope back so as to be adapted for various sizes of 

 books. The stand is also useful for supporting music, drawings, 

 documents, &c., while being read or copied. 



VENTILATOR AND WARMER. 

 ' Patent No. 3,725, 188-1.] — Mr. George Crapper, of Chelsea, 

 -Middlesex, has patented an invention relating to a simple means for 

 utilising the otherwise waste heat from kitchen-ranges or other fire- 

 places for the purpose of ventilating house-drains and soil-pipes or 

 for warming and ventilating apartments. The ordinary system of 

 soil-pipes is retained, and continued up above the parapet or eaves 

 of the roof of the house as heretofore, but the cowl on the top is 

 dispensed with. A cast-iron air heating chamber is fixed in the 

 flue at the back of the range or fireplace, and from the bottom of 

 such chamber a wrought-iron pipe is connected with the nearest 

 point in the drain. From the top of the said chamber a ventilating 

 or np-cast pipe is carried to a sufiBcient height in the flue through 

 the side of the chimney jamb or otherwise to the external wall, 

 whence it is carried up above the parapet or eaves of the roof. The 

 action of the heat in the flue raises the temperature of the chamber, 

 and thereby causes a powerful current of air to pass down the soil- 

 pipe, along the drains, and up the up-cast pipe or shaft. The direct 

 communication of the drain with the sewer is cut off as usual bj- 

 means of a syphon trap with inspection chamber, which chamber 

 is provided with an inlet for frcsli air fitted with a mica or other 

 suitable valve opening inwards, so as to be closed by the internal 

 pressure. It will also be readily understood that, by carrying the 

 pipe which communicates with the lower part of the heating 

 chamber out into the open air in lieu of into the house-drains, a 



constant supply of jiuro air may bo drawn into the said chanibor> 

 and directed in n more <n- loss heated condition by pi|)os lending 

 therefrom to any part of tlio buikling, thereby effectually warming 

 and ventilating it. 



DOOU-MATS. 



[Patent No. 5,9;>1. 1S81.] .\ new form of mat lias been 

 patented by Messrs. Bates & Co., in which strips of vulcanized 

 iiulia-rubber are arranged between bars of wood, metal, &c., these 

 being kept apart by small washers, and tlio whole secured together 

 bv rigid or flexible fastenings as may bo required. The india- 

 rubber jfrotrudes above the wooden strip i. 



INDICATING DOOK-FASTENEU. 

 Tuis is a very ingenious piece of furniture, patented by Mr. 

 .\shwcU (who has entrusted its numufacture to Messrs. U. & E. J. 

 Dale, Ludgato-hill, E.C.) The i'astenor is fixed in any convenient 

 part of the door of the a]mrtnient to which it is to bo applied. 

 The illustrations may almost be left to explain themselves. 15y 



Inside view of bolt, half actual size. 



simply bolting the door, the word " Engaged" is shown up on the 

 outside of the door, and when the bolt is withdi-awn, a white space 

 ajjpears in the place nf the word ■' Engaged." This invention is 



External view of bolt, half the actual size. 



partieularl}- useful for the doors of consulting-rooms, photographic 

 studios, passenger siiips, hotels, &c. They are extremely neat in 

 appearance, durable, and can bo easily fixed upon doors of any 

 thickness, only requiring a small hole for the spindle to pass 

 through the door. Its actual size is but three inches in diameter. 



The Electkk Lii.iit in Ixdcstrial Est-IBLIshment.-;. — It is now 

 universally conceded that the value of electric illumination in in- 

 dustrial establishments is measured by its intrinsic worth in 

 several particulars, each tending to increase or improve the pro- 

 ducti<jn manufactured under artificial illumination rather than its 

 cost in comparison with other methods of lighting. An unexpected 

 merit in electric illumination was recently forced upon the atten- 

 tion of the agent of a textile mill corporation in the Uinted States, 

 engaged in manufacturing fine sheetings, who introduced an incan- 

 descent electric lighting plant, which lighted about half of the mills, 

 the remainder being lighted as before by gas produced from the 

 destructive distillation of petroleum. lie received a letter a short 

 time later from the bleachery where the goods were finished, 

 stating that for some unknown reason about one-half of their goods 

 appeared dead and lustreless in comparison with the extra finish 

 obtained upon the remainder of the goods, which had been sub- 

 jected to the same processes. The result of a very careful investi- 

 gation showed that the unsatisfactorj' appearance of the cloth was 

 due to the small motes of carbon deposited by the burning gas, 

 and that the freedom from such carbonaceous matter in the mill 

 where the electric light was used rendered possible the more 

 brilliant finish to the goods. — Engineering, 



