July 27, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



95 



RECENT INVENTIONS. 



The following list has been compiled especially for the Scientific 

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

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

 Row, Nottingham ; Ducie Buildings, Bank Street, Manchester; 

 and 6, Lord Street, Liverpool. 



Testing Force. — A device for testing the force of pro- 

 jectiles has been patented by Mr. A. Harrison. It con- 

 sists essentially of a disc mounted upon one end of a 

 rearvvardly directed and counterpoised bar encircled by 

 a spring, and supported upon anti-friction rollers carried 

 by a fixed framing, and having the force of impact 

 indicated by a pointer worked from the bar. 



Magnetic Appliances. — A magnetic appliance for 

 medical purposes has been patented by Mr. R. Lonsdale. 

 The invention consists in employing strips of magnetised 

 soft iron and of magnetised steel. These strips are 

 formed into a compound magnet by fixing at each side 

 of a strip of magnetised soft iron a very thin strip of 

 plated hard magnetised steel. When not connected as 

 thus described, the strips of iron and steel are arranged 

 alternately within the case. 



Electric Batteries. — Porous pots for electric batteries 

 have been patented by Messrs. E. L. Mayer and H. Liep- 

 mann. The object is to so make them that they will always 

 offer a constant resistance to the passage through them 

 of the electrolytes with which they are employed, and it 

 consists in impregnating them with a chemical reagent, 

 and causing this to act upon another chemical reagent, so 

 that a body, which shall not itself enter into any'chemical 

 action with the electrolytes detrimental to the action of 

 the battery, may be separated and deposited in the pores 

 of the porous pots. 



Pin Pliers. — Mr. J. C. Young has patented an inven- 

 tion relating to securing the punches in the one jaw and 

 enabling a broken punch to be replaced in pin pliers 

 used for punching holes at varying distance apart. The 

 punches are formed with a head at one end so as to pass 

 through the back of the perforated jaw, and then secured 

 by a plate clamped across the jaw by set screws. The 

 other jaw is formed with a slot into which the article to 

 be punched is placed and held there during the opera- 

 tion. By this arrangement the punches can be more 

 easily replaced when broken. 



Fruit. — A method for preserving fruit has been 

 patented by Mr. W. F. Reid. The invention consists in 

 placing the fruit, which must be perfectly sound, in a 

 layer upon a level surface covered with a layer of 

 mould in a well drained spot. Upon this layer of fruit 

 is placed uniformly sifted mould about two inches in 

 depth for apples or pears. On top of this earth is 

 another layer of fruit, and so on till sufficient has been 

 stored. The sides and top of the heap thus formed is 

 covered with mould about six inches deep, to protect the 

 fruit from atmospheric influences. 



Rackets. — A lawn-tennis racket has been patented by 

 Messrs. F. II. Ayres and A. Foster. The object is to pre- 

 vent the racket from breaking at the shoulder while in 

 use. Between theiframe and wedge piece is placed a piece 

 of elastic materipl properly coated with glue, and the 

 whole is then put under pressure to set. The holes to 

 receive the strings are made single, and central for a 



certain distance on each side of the wedge piece ; these 

 holes are bushed with metal, so as to increase the 

 strength of the frame by limiting the extent of the 

 material weakened by these perforations, and to lessen 

 the tendency of the stringing to split the wood. 



Torpedo. — Messrs. J. O'Kelly and B. A. Collins have 

 patented a torpedo which is self-steering. To render a 

 torpedo self-steering in any previously determined direc- 

 tion, a fish-shaped one is used, divided into air-tight 

 compartments as usual for containing the explosive charge, 

 the propelling charge, and the engine, and, according to 

 this invention, provided with another air-tight compart- 

 ment for containing the automatic steering gear. In con- 

 structing this gear a compass is employed, together with 

 storage batteries, electrical contacts, electro-magnets, and 

 armature levers operating upon the rudder by suitable 

 gearing and connections to ensure the travel of the torpedo 

 in the direction required. 



Parallel Ruler. — -A parallel ruler has been patented 

 by Mr. H. H. Lake on behalf of M. B. L. Aguettant. A 

 ruler and cylinder are united at their ends by connecting 

 pieces through which pass screws attaching them to the 

 cylinder and ruler, and which serve as axes for the 

 cylinder and ruler to turn upon. At one end of the 

 ruler is attached a scale whereby the distance between 

 each line to be ruled is obtained. When not required 

 for use this scale is folded and passes under the rule. 

 When a sheet is to be ruled, the ruler is placed parallel 

 to the head of the sheet, a rotary motion is then imparted 

 to the cylinder with the left hand, the ruler follows the 

 cylinder, and when stopped is always parallel with the 

 head of the paper. 



Distributing Oil. — Mr. S. Wilding, on behalf of Mr. 

 C. Boye, has patented apparatus for distributing oil over 

 the sea. The invention consists of a bag which is 

 stiffened by bands, and to which are attached rings for 

 convenience of handling the bag. The mouth of the bag 

 is provided with a metal face having perforations through 

 which the oil is intended to flow. Over the inner surface 

 of the perforations slides a correspondingly perforated 

 plate. The travel of the plate is controlled from the 

 outside by means of a suitable handle turning a worm 

 engaging with a rack upon the plate, and the size of the 

 orifices may thus be regulated for the quantity of oil 

 required to flow. The opposite end of the bag has a 

 removable lid through which the bag is filled. 



Safety Lamp. —A safety lamp has been patented by 

 Mr. G. Smith. Over the wick-holders of a duplex lamp is 

 placed a pair of loosely-fitting tubes provided with the 

 usual shutter, and connected together by a suitable con- 

 necting-piece. To a place resting on the body of the 

 lamp-burner between the wick tubes is secured a pair of 

 standards, each carrying a lever, the inner ends of which 

 are connected together, and to a weight by a chain while 

 the outer ends take under the connecting piece. A hole 

 is made in the centre of the body to allow a small 

 threaded conical tube to pass through and be screwed to 

 the plate between the wick tubes. Pendant from this tube 

 is a support carrying the weight, to which is secured a wire 

 bridge-piece, and to this piece is attached the chain 

 operating the lever arms. If the weight be caused to 

 swing the levers raise the extinguisher tubes and puts 

 out the light. 



