i66 



SCIENTIFIC NEW^S. 



[Feb. 17, 1888. 



RECENT INVENTIONS. 



The following list has beai compiled especially for tlie Scientific 

 News, by Messrs. W. P. Thompson and Boult, Patent Agents, of 

 323, High Holborn, London, W.C.; Newcastle Chambers, Angel 

 Row, Nottingha7n ; Ducie Buildings, Bank Street, Manchester ; and 

 6, Lord Street, Liverpool. 



Steam Condenser. — A condenser has been patented 

 by Mr. G. Best, of Benthal-road, Stoke Newington, 

 London. The steam is passed through a perforated hollow 

 shaft into a fan with vanes of wire gauze, or similar 

 material. The rotating fan is open at the sides and is 

 fitted with inclined flaps, which deflect cold air between 

 the vanes. The condensed steam passes through an 

 opening at the bottom, the air being forced out through 

 a passage at the periphery of the drum. 



Safety Pin. — A double-pronged safety pin has been 

 patented by Mr. Oliver Goodman, of Caroline-street, 

 Birmingham. The pin is made of wire of suitable thick- 

 ness ; one end of it is passed through the barrel or clasp 

 of the hinge until an equal length projects on each side 

 of the barrel of the hinge. The two ends are then bent 

 so as to assume a position parallel with each other and 

 vertical to the barrel of the hinge. The pin is of such a 

 length that when thus bent and turned on the hinge 

 towards the cap the ends will reach well into the cap, 

 but will not project beyond it. 



Miners' Safety Lamp. — A safety lamp for mines and 

 other purposes has been patented by James Macnab, 

 Mortimer-street, London. The invention consists in 

 constructing safety lamps in which water, slightly diluted 

 with sulphuric acid to prevent evaporation of same, is 

 employed for the purpose of preventing the flame from 

 igniting the gas of the coal-mine and also for extinguish- 

 ing the light, should the glass-holder be accidentally 

 broken. The light, securely placed in a buoyant vessel, 

 floats on the surface of the water, or may be fixed, so 

 long as the vessel is in contact with the surrounding water. 



Gas Stove. — A gas stove has been patented by Mr. 

 A. J. Boult, of 323, High Holborn, London, as a com- 

 munication from J. Smith and H. J. Boyd, of Canada. 

 A metal tube is placed over the burner, rising above and 

 descending below it, so as to enclose the burner in or 

 near the centre of the opening, thus causing a current of 

 air to draw up from beneath and surround the flame, so 

 that the whole of the carbon is rendered combustible, 

 producing an intensely hot smokeless flame, and econo- 

 mising the quantity of gas consumed. The flame is de- 

 livered in this condition to a bed of lava or pumice, which 

 acts as a spreader to the flame and attains a great heat. 



Snow Plough and Gravel Distributor. — Mr. A. 

 Lockett, Horseferry-road, Westminster, has patented a 

 snow plough and gravel distributor. When the machine 

 is not required for ploughing it can be drawn over the 

 snow on its two iron-bound edges after the fashion of a 

 sledge. When required for use, a movable board is let 

 down in front, which, when presented to the snow, 

 scrapes it on one side in ridges. Two small wheels are 

 placed behind, which travel on the road, just touching, 

 and supply the motive power by means of two endless 

 chains to a spindle working in a box containing the 

 gravel at its widest end. The gravel drops on the road 

 immediately it is scraped, through an aperture in the 

 bottom of the machine. 



Improvements in Gas Burners. — Messrs. J. Torking- 

 ton and J. Ewins of Birmingham, and C. Torkington, 

 of King's Norton, have patented a means for economising 

 gas. The invention consists in arranging a heating 

 chamber in combination with the gas burner, through 

 which chamber the gas passes, and by which it is heated 

 on its way to the burner. The chamber is heated by 

 the flame from the burner. The gas is thus caused to 

 expand before issuing from the burner which together 

 with its being heated before ignition causes it to be 

 more effectually consumed and prevents smoke being 

 formed. 



Apparatus for Chlorinating Ores. — Messrs. Bough 

 and Hinksman, of Bloomsbury, London, have patented 

 an apparatus for chlorinating ores. The furnace used is 

 constructed with arches separated by narrow spaces 

 over which columns of pyrites in lumps are built, the 

 intervening spaces being filled with a mixture of ore 

 and salt. A fire is started beneath the arches, and when 

 the pyrites have ignited they complete the process ; the 

 metals are obtained as chlorides. If it be found that all 

 the gold has not been converted, free chlorine may be 

 passed through after removal to the lixiviating tanks. 



Regenerative Gas Lamp. — Mr. T. G. Marsh has 

 patented a regenerative gas lamp. In this invention the 

 gas is caused to issue laterally from holes round the gas 

 supply pipe. Immediately below these holes is placed a 

 flange having a diameter of about double the gas supply 

 pipe, so that the issuing gas passes over it. The nozzle 

 of the central air supply pipe, which is about double the 

 diameter of the flange, is preferably placed about one- 

 eighth of an inch above and around the flange. When 

 the gas is burning, the incoming air from the central 

 supply pipe causing the issuing flame to be slightly com- 

 pressed against the flange, very materially increases the 

 brilliancy of the remaining portion of the flame, the 

 interior of which is supphed with air from the central 

 supply pipe, and the exterior by a suitable quantity ot 

 air admitted into the globe. 



Folding Hoods for Vehicles. — An improvement in 

 the folding hoods of barouches and other vehicles has 

 been patented by Messrs. J. Chnch and J. Coleridge, of 

 Manchester. Instead of connecting the extremity of the 

 "joint" at each outer side of the hood to a stud affixed 

 to the body of the vehicle, the extremities of each "joint " 

 are connected to the opposite ends of a metal rod mounted 

 in suitable bearings across the back of the vehicle. 

 Branching from this rod is an arm, the end of which is 

 fitted with a nut, through which passes one end of a 

 screwed spindle, the other end of which is guided through 

 an eye rising from the elbow. This arrangement permits 

 of a coil spring being mounted upon the screwed spindle, 

 and the compression of which can be adjusted by turn- 

 ing the screwed spindle through its nut. An actuating 

 lever arm also branches from the same rod. To raise 

 the hood it is only necessary to raise the front stick, but 

 without touching the "joints" at either side, the striking 

 of these "joints" being effected by the operation of the 

 coiled springs. To lower the hood it is only requisite 

 to press down the actuating lever until the "joints" 

 strike in the opposite direction, when they fold together, 

 closing the hood at the same time. 



