Oct. 19, 1S88.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



423 



RECENT INVENTIONS. 



Tke following list has been compiled especially for the Scientific 



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



} 234, High Holborn, London, W.C ; Newcastle Chambers, Angel 



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



) and 6, Lord Street, Liverpool. 



1 Food for Cattle. — A food iot cattle has been patented 



by M. J. A. F. Feucheres, Paris. For horses it consists 

 of" an admixture of sawdust or wood powder with 

 leguminous plants and cereals, and for horned cattle and 

 sheep it consists of an admixture of wood powder with 

 oil-cake. 



Music. — A method of teaching music has been patented 

 by Mr. A. Adamson. This system of teaching music 

 consists in raising cards having marked on them the 

 visible signs of the notes, by means of the movement of 

 rods and levers from a portable hand key-board or key- 

 board instrument placed in front of the teacher and facing 

 the pupils. 



Electric Meter. — -An electric meter has been patented 

 by Mr. G. Forbes. This method of measuring electric 



I currents is founded on the fact that an electric current 

 passing through a conductor generates heat. This heat 



j is applied to evaporate a liquid, and from the quantity of 

 liquid so evaporated the quantity of electricity which has 



! passed through the conductor is estimated. 



Drawing Apparatus. — A drawing apparatus has been 

 patented by Mr. H. Marie. It consists of a vertical 

 blackboard ruled in squares of convenient size for dis- 

 playing the contour of the model, and has an arrange- 

 ment for supporting the model in front of the squares, 

 consisting of an adjustable joint, projecting at right 

 angles from the centre of the board, and having means 

 to support the model. 



Fire Extinguisher. — An apparatus for subduing or 

 checking fires has been patented by Mr. T. R. Douse. 

 The invention consists in the employment of a tank con- 

 taining an alkali liquor and a small vessel containing an 

 acid. When a fire occurs the small vessel is overturned 

 automatically, and its contents mixing with the alkali 

 forms carbonic acid gas, which is forced out from the tank 

 into the building, which it fills and thus subdues the fire. 



Marking Device. — A marking device for use in scor- 

 ing at cricket has been patented by Mr. C. E. Clowes. 

 This device consists of a small case resembling a watch- 

 case, which may be carried in the pocket ; this case con- 

 tains dials and hands or indicators, moved by suitable 

 train of wheels for showing upon the dials the scores or_ 

 numbers. In the case are suitable projections which are 

 pressed by the finger for the movement of the indicators. 

 A gong may also be provided to be struck at certain in- 

 tervals, to indicate the completion of an over. 



Vehicles. — An improvement in the means of commu- 

 nication between drivers and passengers in vehicles has 

 been patented by Mr. J. Sax. This invention is appli- 

 cable to cabs and the like, and provides an efficient 

 means of communication independent of mechanical 

 locking and releasing. The apparatus is operated solely 

 by electricity, and the moving parts are by magnetic 

 attraction maintained in the positions to which they are 



brought. The moving part is a disc having upon it such 

 expressions as " Stop," " Left," " Right," and " Speak," 

 or such like indications, which may be used as required. 



Watches. — A compensating balance-wheel for watches 

 and clocks has been patented by Mr. E. Golay. The in- 

 vention consists in the combination of two alloys, which 

 produces a non-magnetic and unoxidisable compensating 

 balance-wheel, which produces perfect regulation. The 

 interior ring of the balance-wheel is formed of an alloy 

 composed of about 40 per cent, platinum, 35 per cent, 

 copper, and 25 per cent, nickel ; the external ring is 

 formed of an alloy consisting of about 55 per cent, 

 silver, 35 per cent, zinc, and 10 per cent, copper. 



Razors. — Mr. W. S. Simpson has patented a razor 

 sharpener. The object is to provide a sharpener whereby 

 the blade is laid comparatively flat, and the edge 

 sharpened with a long incline, thus producing a better 

 cutting edge. Between two shoulders on a stem are 

 arranged a couple of parallel surfaces, between which is 

 formed a roughened surface as a sharpening medium, 

 against which the flat side edge of the blade is brought 

 into contact during a to and fro movement, the back of 

 the blade bearing against the shoulder on either side as 

 a guide. 



Plant Supports. — Mr. W. Hopwood has patented 

 a plant support. This device is made of stout metal 

 wire, bent to form a main leg constituting the vertical 

 portion, while the upper end is curved horizontally in 

 the shape of a semicircular arm. At the angle formed 

 the wire is bent to form a circular eye, and at the end 

 the wire forms a catch. The main leg is fixed in the 

 ground to the required depth, as is also a similar ap- 

 pliance, the catch of the first one being inserted into the 

 eye of the second, and the catch of the second into the 

 eye of the first. Thus connected the two form a hoop, 

 having two legs, and thus support the plant 



Safes. — An improvement in safes or strong-rooms has 

 been patented by Mr. D. R. Ratcliffe. The object is to 

 protect them from being broken into by means of 

 wedges applied at the angles or joints. Bars of angle 

 metal are cut into lengths of the width, length, and 

 height of the safe or strong-room. The angles of these 

 bars fit together and form a cubical frame, the sides of 

 which lap over each of the angles of the safe, and form 

 a continuous metal covering, making the safe proof 

 against the insertion of wedges. The sides of the safe 

 may be flush with the inner sides of the angle bars, or 

 they may have grooves into which the edges of the sides 

 of the safe are inserted. 



Artificial Marble. — An improvement in producing 

 inlaid designs in artificial marble has been patented by 

 Messrs. J. B. Rottenstein and H. A. Cousins. Sufficient 

 plastic material is placed in the proper position in a 

 mould as will cover the design it is desired to produce. 

 While still soft a templet of the design is placed thereon, 

 and a cutter passed around the templet. When the 

 material has partially set, the superfluous pieces are re- 

 moved, leaving the designs alone in the mould. If the 

 designs are to be bordered or shaded, the chosen 

 material is filled in around them, and cut in the same 

 manner, after which the ground is filled in, and the slab 

 finished in the ordinary way. 



