Dec. 7, 1888.] 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



59' 



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. 



Telephonic Apparatus. — Messrs. G. L. Anders, J. S. 

 Sawrey, and H. Collet have patented improvements in 

 telephonic apparatus. By this invention a support for 

 a telephone is combined with an automatic switch. A 

 horse-shoe receives the edge of the mouthpiece of the 

 telephone which is cut to a suitable shape to slide into 

 the horse- shoe. The telephone when placed on the base 

 and within the horse-shoe presses down one or more 

 contact springs or switches by the weight of the tele- 

 phone, thus being automatic and reliable. 



Bridges. — E. W. Ives has patented an improved 

 bridge. It consists in placing trussed triangular girders, 

 parallel to each other, encased with iron to float them, 

 across the waterway at such a height and with such 

 openings as to allow small craft to pass through the 

 bridge when placed on its bearings in position to carry 

 traffic. To move the bridge for the passage of large 

 vessels, it is lifted or lowered from its bearings by move- 

 able pontoons, after which the bridge is connected by lock- 

 ing bolts to radial arms working freely on a vertical post. 



Electrical Fuses. — Mr. W. E. Hayne has patented a 

 safety fuse for electrical circuits. A short piece of 

 fusible material is placed in the circuit, the fuse being 

 acted upon by springs which exert a pulling or pushing 

 force upon it. When the strength of the current is in 

 excess, the fusible material becomes plastic and is broken 

 by the spring force, the circuit being thus broken. The 

 breaking of the fuse is utilised to bring into circuit, 

 automatically, a second fuse to take the place of the one 

 broken, so that the circuit may be again completed with- 

 out loss of time. 



Distance Recorder. — Mr. R. M. Lowne has patented 

 means for indicating the distance run by cycles or 

 velocipedes. The object is to obviate the disadvantages 

 of ordinary automatic indicators, and to provide one that 

 will revolve with the crank of the cycle, and notwith- 

 standing the machine being geared up, such as in safety 

 machines, it will register the distance travelled at any 

 speed correctly. This automatic indicator is of a very 

 flat construction, its thickness not much exceeding the 

 thickness of the cycle crank, and attached to this indicator 

 is a strong clip of gun metal with projecting lugs and a 

 screw to firmly grip the cycle crank. 



Electric Regulators. — Mr. N. Benardos has patented 

 an improvement in electric regulators. The object is to 

 regulate currents by introducing electric resistances in 

 the circuit. A metal cylindrical tube is provided, having 

 an internal lining of insulating material. It is charged 

 with a mass of granulated carbonaceous material which 

 can be more or less compressed by screwing up metallic 

 end plates, the screwed stems of which pass through 

 end covers of insulating material and engage in forked 

 brackets fixed on an insulating base. The brackets can 

 be electrically connected by inserting metallic plugs 

 between them. The whole set of resistances may be 

 enclosed in a casing. 



Heliograph.— Mr. J. L. Watkins has patented a 

 heliograph. The invention consists entirely in the 

 arrangement for operating and deflecting the signalling 

 mirror. The movement is obtained by a continuation 

 of the axle ot the signalling mirror working within a 

 hollow bearing, fitted into a slide rest fixed on the side 

 of the U frame, carrying the mirror frame. The regu- 

 lating slide is fitted on a solid block with an endless 

 traversing screw fixed in bearings at each end with a 

 suitable knob to turn the screw by. The desired length 

 of stroke is accomplished by a milled-headed screw fixed 

 on the slide, and the tension of the spring is regulated 

 by an eyebolt and travelling set nut. 



Electrolysing Chlorides. — Mr.W. Spiker has patented 

 a method of electrolysing chlorides, bromides, and iodides. 

 This method consists essentially as follows : The sup- 

 pression of the polarisation of the chlorine is obtained by 

 the introduction of slaked lime into the anode compart- 

 ment, which is separated from the cathode compartment 

 by a diaphragm of porous clay. By this way the chlorates 

 are obtained, and by an analogous method the bromates 

 and iodates are obtained. The polarisation of the 

 hydrogen is suppressed by a continuous current of steam 

 or air, or both, blown over the surface of the cathode. 

 A current of the same is passed into the anode and 

 cathode compartments in such a way that an intense 

 motion of the electrolyte is obtained. 



Steam Engines. —Mr; D. Purves has patented an in- 

 vention relating to the construction of cylinders of steam 

 engines. In applying it to- a double pressure steam 

 cylinder the outer cylinder terminates at each end in a 

 cylindrical steam chest having internal ports, the steam 

 supply pipe being branched so that the chests form prac- 

 tically the ends of the pipe. The cylinder between these 

 ends is recessed, leaving a cylindrical space between the 

 outer cylinder and the inner lining, which forms the piston 

 cylinder and slide valve, which is caused totravelover the 

 steam ports of the chests. These are similar to those 

 employed in ordinary slide valves, the inner cylinder 

 having ports corresponding with those in the chests, and 

 when it is suitably moved they open into the cylindrical 

 space between the cylinders and thence to the ex- 

 haust. 



Electrical Propulsion. — Mr. F. Wynne has patented 

 an apparatus to be employed in applying electricity to 

 propel vehicles. In order that the armature of each con- 

 tact maker may act in a stronger and more certain 

 manner than heretofore, it is caused to be polarised, when 

 its attracting core of magnetic material is polarised. This 

 is effected by winding the armature with a solenoid that 

 may be in electrical connection with the solenoid that 

 polarises its attracting core, and with the auxiliary 

 electric conductor which is electrically connected with 

 the latter solenoid, and is placed in connection with the 

 main conductor by a contact maker in rear. Flexible 

 connecting wires are used to permit movement of the 

 armature. The coil surrounding the armature is pro- 

 vided with an exposed contact placed in electrical con- 

 nection with the main conductor when the contact maker 

 is closed. This connection is effected by a contact strip 

 carried by the adjacent end of a forward auxiliary con- 

 ductor. 



