Aug. 10, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



14; 



RECENT INVENTIONS. 



The follcwing list has been compiled especially/or the Scientific 

 News by Messrs. W. P. Thompson and Boult, Patent Agents, 5/ 

 323, High Holborn, London, IV. C- ; Newcastle Chambers, Angel 

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

 and 6, Lord Street, Liverpool. 



Batteries. — Plates for secondary batteries have been 

 patented by Mr. J. S. Stevenson. According to this in- 

 dention, between the active material and the face of the 

 mould is interposed a material which, whilst capable of 

 withstanding the heat of the casting process, is preferably 

 a comparatively slow conductor of heat and of a yielding 

 character so that when the parts of the mould are forced 

 together the active material is retained in place in the 

 mould without fracturing or disintegrating the said 

 material. 



Telephones. — An electrical telephone has been 

 patented by Messrs. J. S. Ross and H. Baines. In this 

 invention sheets of india-rubber are used for coating the 

 surfaces of electrical diaphragms for protection irom 

 damp, and the adherence of the diaphragm to the mag- 

 net is avoided by arranging an electrical circuit, so that 

 should the diaphragm be drawn on to its magnet the 

 magnetising coil is cut out momentarily. The diaph- 

 ragm will then keep vibrating, and by making a noise 

 and by the use of an indicator, draw attention to the 

 fact that the telephone requires adjustment. 



Fire-escape. — A fire-escape has been patented by 

 M. Aug. de Waele. This invention embraces a movable 

 step ladder applied to the front of a house between two 

 windows or their balconies. The two spring-boards of 

 this ladder form, with the hand-rails, a folding frame, 

 in the form of a parallelogram, turning on two fixed 

 pivots with which it is connected by means of rods. 

 This step-ladder, when folded against the wall and 

 fastened thereto, projects but a little way from it ; when 

 the fastening is undone it is easily opened out, thus 

 forming a secure and easy exit from the building. 



ductors of a cable a socket is used, fitted on the centra 

 conducting wires of the cable, and provided with a 

 pinching screw for connecting a conductor thereto. 



Making Incisions. — An apparatus for making incisions 

 without pain has been patented by Mr. A. J. Boult on 

 behalf of Mr. J. F. de Silva. Theapparatus consists essen- 

 tially of a rectangular box which the operator holds with 

 one hand, and containing multiplying gear wheels which 

 he turns by means of a key held in the other hand. 

 These gear wheels actuate by means of rods and cranks, 

 a fly wheel and slide, the latter carrying a working catch 

 which at a determined moment falls into a recess of a 

 slide bar, and imparts to it and the knife a single rapid 

 to and fro movement which makes the incision with such 

 rapidity that no pain is felt as the exciting cause is 

 immediately withdrawn. 



Conducting Cables. — Means for making and insula- 

 ting the joints of electrical conducting cables have been 

 patented by Mr. C. D. Abel, on behalf of Messrs. 

 Siemens and Halske. This invention consists essentially 

 in the use of a flanged metal sleeve fitted on the cable, 

 between the flange of which sleeve and the flange of a 

 second sleeve the turned-up ends of the conducting wires 

 are clamped so as to be in conducting contact therewith, 

 the flanged sleeves serving for effecting the electrical 

 connection to the second cable or conductor. In com- 

 bination with this connecting device for the outer con- 



Electrical Current Meter. — An instrument foi* 

 measuring electric currents and for regulating electric 

 machines ha? hcsn patented by Messrs. W. Lowrie, 

 C J. Hall, and H. W. Kolle. In order to obtain a more 

 sensitive instrument with a moderate length of wire, a 

 wire is used suspended between two rigid supports, and 

 has applied to it, midway between the supports, a weight 

 of such power as to compel the wire, when heated by 

 the current, to form an obtuse angle. The wire on 

 either side of the weight may be considered as the 

 radius of a circle, having one of the supports as a fixed 

 centre, and any variation in length ot the wire allows the 

 weight to move along the apex of the angle to the point 

 where two circles struck from the fixed centres with the 

 altered radii would intersect. A maximum of deflec- 

 tion from the straight line is thus obtained, which 

 deflection is caused to act on suitable multiplying and 

 indicating mechanism, or mechanism for regulating 

 electric machines. 



Electric Signalling. — An electrical signalling appara- 

 tus for railways has been patented by Mr. A. E. Nicholl. 

 On the permanent way of a railway insulated wires are 

 laid down, in connection with which are projecting bars 

 placed at suitable distances from one another and 

 arranged so as to be normally out of contact when laid 

 down, but can be brought into contact when a locomotive 

 passes over them. Every locomotive is provided with a 

 metal plate for making contact with the bars, which are 

 in connection with a galvanic battery, and also with 

 electro-magnets on the locomotive, to which are attached 

 signals for indicating to the driver that the circuit is 

 completed. The insulated wires are laid down in pre- 

 determined lengths, and are so arranged that when a 

 locomotive runs along the metals it will be connected 

 with the laid wire. Should two locomotives come 

 within the certain predetermined distance of one another 

 their proximity will be notified to the driver by the 

 magnetic signals being actuated on the locomotives. 



Musical Instruments. — A musical instrument has 

 been patented by Mr. E. Parr. The invention relates to 

 musical boxes, but instead of being played by means of 

 a roller with pins projecting from it which strike 

 against vibrating tongues and thus produce the tune as 

 the roller is revolved, it is operated by keys similar to 

 pianos, which sound the vibrating tongues. A keyboard, 

 carrying keys equal to the number of musical tongues, 

 is employed, and opposite each tongue are arranged 

 light levers, consisting of a star-shaped wheel turning on 

 an axis, and having pointed arms the extremities of which, 

 when the wheel is turned, press upon and force back 

 the point of the tongue and then release it, the arm 

 then passing on. In order that the wheel may be turned 

 through a sufficient space by the pressure of the key 

 connected with it, a lever connected with the latter is 

 made to press upon one of the other arms of the wheel 

 when the key is depressed. The end of the key or lever 

 which so operates the wheel is hinged so that when the 

 key is released it passes back and is ready again to 

 sound the tongue when the key is struck by the player. 

 Upon this instrument any tune may be played, and a 

 considerable amount of expression given to it. 



