ilAKcn 13, 18S5] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



(Pur I-nbrntarC* (Column. 



TTij giie here, irceJt ^y iivft, a terse description of such of the many 

 invenlioTts as tee think may be of use to our readers. Where it is 

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

 dciira fuller information to procure the specification from the 

 Patent OJUce in Cursitor-street, Chancery-lane. M'c shall, gene- 

 rally speaking, confine ourseUes to the more recent inienlions; but 

 it often happens that an article con'cs under our notice which, 

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

 ingenuity. In such a case we should not hesitate to refer our 

 readers to it. And tchile ire thus increase the interest of our pngis, 

 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 ezcellent trade j'lunials 



STEAM-COOKING APPAUATUS. 



[Patent No. 3,S0G. ISSl.]— This apparatus, patented by Mr. W. 

 Pavne, and denominated the "Patent International Steam-Cooker," 



is very simple and bandy. 



m 



The upper figure illustrates 

 the form designed for cooking 

 potatoes and suchlike vege- 

 tables, the lower figure de- 

 picting the form for cooking 

 fish, ic. The apparatus con- 

 sists of three parts, the lower 

 or outer vessel, in which water 

 is placed sufficient to reach, 

 bui not cover, the strainer, 

 on which the fish, vegetables, 

 &c., are placed. The upper 

 or inner vessel is simply a 

 cover with a venthole in 

 the top. It encloses the 

 strainer and its contents, and dips into the water. Placed on 

 the fire, the water is converted into steam, which speedily cooks 

 whatever may be on the 

 strainer. The apparatus is 

 particularly useful, and cer- 

 tainly conduces very mate- 

 rially to the retention of the 

 natural flavour of the food. 

 At the same time, the fact 

 of the parts being separate 

 permits of the fish, or what- 

 ever it may be, being re- 

 moved whole, a great point 

 in the minds of cooks. The 

 steam pressure may, within 



certain limits, be varied by altering the size of the steam-vent in 

 the cover, while at the same time the looseness of the cover is a 

 perfect safeguard against explosion in the event of the steam- 

 pressnre becoming excessive through reducing too much the size 

 of the vent. Altogether our experience of Mr. Payne's cooker is a 

 happy one, and we may safeh' commend it. Messrs. Moreton a- 

 Co., 23, Slaney-street, Birmingham, are the manufacturers. 



LAPSABLE BOTTLE STAND. 



[Patent No. 7,414. lS8i.] — The subject of this patent, taken 

 out by Mr. A. Watson, is a device for locking-up bottles containing 



Arms, hinged to these ends, are connected by metallic bars, which, 

 to lock up the bottles, are brought together and locked in tlio 



spirits, scent, and such like liquids. The bott'es are place 1 on a 

 base provided with ends formed into handles (see " open " figure). 



Closed. 



centre. A handle is formed on the top by this moans. The two 

 figures will make this arrangement apparent. It will be seen that 

 the bottles can be taken out without fear of chipping them, as the 

 bars fall quite out of the way when unlocked. The manufacture 

 has been entrusted to Messrs. Fairbairns & Sons, Co, St. Mary-axe, 

 E.G. 



MECHANICAL GLOBE. 



[Patent No. 7,011-. 18H4.]— This apparatus, patented by Mr. W. 

 It ice, is designed to illustrate the varying lengths of day and night, 



the succession of the seasons, 

 and other phenomena arising 

 from "the inclination of the 

 axis of the earth to the plane 

 of its orbit." It consists essen- 

 tially of an ordinary terres- 

 trial globe, set at an angle of 

 23i' within a ring, in which 

 it is free to be rotated, the 

 ring itself being mounted on 

 a vertical axis in a circular 

 aperture in a black board or 

 disc. By means of a simple 

 appliance this ring can be ro- 

 tated on its own axis, such ro- 

 tation bringing successively to 

 view every variation of the illu- 

 minated hemisphere caused 

 by the earth's inclination 

 during its annual revolution. 

 The board, or disc, marks the 

 boundary between the illu- 

 minated and dark hemis- 

 pheres («'";/ and night), and 

 a fixed brass ball indicates 

 the centre of the illumination, i.e., the exact position of the sun's 

 vertical rays. By rotating the ring in which the globe is 

 suspended, it will "be found that the dividing line is constantly 

 changing within certain fixed limits, and the central point of 

 illumination :,ppears to travel across the equator from tropic to 

 tropic. When the North Pole is thrown forward to its utmost 

 extent (23|°), the position represented is that of the summer sol- 

 stice (June 21), when the centre of illumination is on the northern 

 tropic (Cancer). If this position be reversed, and the North Pole 

 thrown back to its greatest extent (23) ), the winter solstice 

 (Dec. 21) is represented, and the vertical rays of the sun now fall 

 on the southern tropic (Capricorn). The two intermediate posi- 

 tions, with the sun exactly over the equator, are respectively 

 the vernal and atumnal equinoxes (March 22 and Sept. 22). At 

 the two equinoctial positions it will bo seen that the sunlight 

 extends from pole to pole, and during the rotation on its axis (from 

 west to east) the earth has day and night of equal lengths in everj- 

 part. This apparatus also shows clearly the distribution of solar 

 light and heat throughout the year. By showing the two motions 

 of the earth in combination — i.e., by rapidly rotating the glebe on 

 its axis, and at the same time slowly turning it, by means of the 

 ring, through the different phases — a very striking impression will 

 be conveyed of the actual appearance of the earth in space ; and 

 the apparent path of the sun from tropic to tropic will be clearly 

 demonstrated. The apparatus is made by Messrs. G. Philip & 

 Son, Fleet-ttreet, E.C. 



