736 REPORT — 1889. 



The action of these cylinders is controlled by a wheel revolving rapidly in a 

 horizontal plane on a hall and socket bearing attached to and between the four 

 cylinders. Water at 100 lbs. pressure is pumped by a pumping-engine through 

 the gymbals, which are made hollow for the purpose, and thence through a pipe 

 on the platform to the ball and socket bearing of the wheel, which has a passage 

 through it for the water to pass to a cavity in the centre of the wheel ; from tliis 

 cavity some of the water passes to tangential jets, which cause the wheel to revolve 

 by their reaction at about 1,500 revolutions per minute. The remainder of the 

 water issues from an axial jet which projects upwards from the wheel, and has 

 opposite to it, and at a distance about equal to the jet's diameter, four porta 

 grouped close together, and each connected by a passage to one of the four 

 cylinders. 



The wheel, being hung a small distance above its centre of gravity, settles- 

 itself down to revolve in a truly horizontal plane, and to throw a truly vertical 

 jet out of the axial nozzle. This jet striking on the four ports causes a water- 

 pressure in the four cylinders, which pressure is equal in all the cylinders if tlie 

 jet is truly concentric with the four ports ; but, if it is not, one of the ports receives 

 more of the jet than the others, and the cylinder connected to it has a greater 

 pressure, and consequently pushes harder than the others, and pushes the platform 

 over till the ports and axial jet are concentric. The axial jet thus forcibly 

 compels the platform to be co-axial with it. The object and advantage of this- 

 arrangement is, that while the wheel acts powerfully on the platform it suffers no 

 reaction on itself, and no matter what disturbing forces are brought to bear on 

 the platform none of them can affect the wheel. 



The wheel, revolving in a horizontal plane, and hung a short distance above its 

 centre of gravity, is in reality a long-period conical pendulum having a period of 

 about 90 seconds, and is analogous to Mr. Froude's wheel which he used for 

 recording the rolling of ships. This was a pendulum whose period was longer 

 than that of the waves, so that it might be undisturbed by the wave forces. The 

 author has experimented with this apparatus at sea for a considerable time, and 

 has overcome the usual practical difficulties and brought the apparatus to a high 

 state of perfection. 



The apparatus is also applicable for controlling swinging-cabins, and ex- 

 perience with it seems to justify the belief that the abolition of the angular move- 

 ment alone would prove a great mitigation of sea-sickness. 



2. On the Vibration of Railway Trains. By Professor John Milne, F.B.8. 



— See Section A, p. 492. 



3. Machinery for the Manufacture of Bottles.^ By H. M. Ashlet. 



The author explained the various manipulations of glass in the old or mouth- 

 blowing process, viz. : — Gathering, marvering, blowing of the bulb, completing 

 the parison, blowing in the mould, wetting off", warming in or flashing, lapping of 

 the ring, and finishing the ring with the tools ; and he showed how the gatherer 

 g^ves quantity and solidity or plainness to the bottle ; the blower equal distribution 

 of the glass, and the final shape of the body ; the wetter-off separates the bottle 

 from the pipe, though in so doing he crizzles the neck, which the ' Maker,' as he is 

 called, repairs by flashing, and then laps and finishes the ring. He said that it 

 was a difficult matter to get a perfect weld of neck and ring by this plan, as is 

 proved by the crizzles so often seen under the ring. 



He then proceeded to explain some of the characteristics of bottle-glass under 

 varying conditions, showing that at its normal temperature it is a very slow con- 

 ductor of heat, but at 3,500° F. a very rapid conductor ; and that if brought 

 into contact with a metallic surface will instantly impart much of its heat, both 

 external and internal, to it. He also showed that the temperature of glass can ba 



' Printed in extenso in Enrjineering for October, 188P. 



