704 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
Geo. G. Groff, M. D., 8vo., pp. loo, Science Publishing Co., Lewisburgh, Pa., 
30c. U. S. Consular Reports, No. 36, December, 1883. 
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY. 
RECENTLY PATEiNTED IMPROVEMENTS. 
J. C. HIGDON, M. E., KANSAS CITY, MO. 
Automatic Closer for Electric Circuits. — This simple attachment 
for telegraph keys, etc., consists of a spring lever so arranged as to always keep 
the circuit closed when the instrument is not in use. The button-end of the lever 
rests, nominally, directly over the button of the key. The operator in the mere 
mechanical act of grasping the button of the instrument, presses down the button- 
end of the attachment, and so breaks the circuit that it may be rapidly closed 
and broken by means of the key, as is usual in telegraphing. This attachment 
has been perfected by Mr. S. J. Spurgeon, of Houstonia, 
Automatic Damper for Stoves and Furnaces. — Every one realizes the 
necessity and understands the operation of the common rotary damper, that is, 
it is presumed so, still for the benefit of those who may not understand that when 
a large stove is placed in a small room, the temperature must be regulated in some 
way. The usual method is to open or close the room-doors, or if the stove-pipe 
has a damper, to leave off whatever important subject you may be engaged with 
and to close this damper, then after again becoming absorbed, to be aroused and 
find the temperature of the room, probably, near zero, and the room full of smoke, 
then the fire is replenished after the damper is opened, and the whole operation 
is repeated. 
These are the well known characteristics of the hand-damper, and especially 
when it is used in connection with a soft-coal stove or a cooking-range. A 
damper has been recently patented, that has after a severe test of several months 
duration, not only overcome all of the disadvantages connected with the old 
hand-damper, but it has, by using wood or anthracite coal, cut down the quantity 
of fuel fully one-half. 
The device is a very simple affair, and consists ol a hollow circular cast- or 
sheet-iron chamber, having a pipe flange or collar upon each side. Now within 
this chamber, a damper is very nearly balanced, and it has a lever or handle 
attached to it, this lever extends outside of the damper-box, and upon it slides 
an adjustable balancing weight. 
The weight may be set nearer to or further from the point of equilibrium, 
according to the temperature at which it is desired to hold the room. By a com- 
