NEW INVENTIONS. 77 
whilst the light will be stopped from being seen at the third or back side of 
the lantern. 
Reflectors. — Mr. M. Hachforth, patentee . — This invention relates to 
manufacturing shades or reflectors for lamps or lights of all kinds of 
porcelain or china. These materials afford an economical reflector, which 
can be cleaned by simply washing with water. 
Revolving Shutters. — Mr. W. Frauds, patentee. — These improvements 
consist in so constructing the laths or plates of revolving shutters, that 
they may revolve in either direction round the roller to which they are 
attached. The patentee forms a groove in the bottom or lower edge of each 
lath or plate, and along the entire length of each lath or plate of which the 
shutter is composed (except the bottom lath of each shutter), and he 
constructs the upper edge of such lath or plate thinner than the lower edge 
thereof, to fit into the groove in the lower edge of the lath or plate imme- 
diately above it. He then unites the several laths or plates by belts, webs, 
chains, cords, or wires, passed through holes or mortises in the breadth of 
each lath or plate in the usual way. 
Cannon and Projectiles. — Mr. B. F. Bates , patentee. — Cannon 
constructed according to this invention have a hole formed through the 
breech smaller than the bore, and parallel and concentric with it. Each 
projectile is provided with a long rod or bar which, in loading the cannon, 
is passed through the hole in its breech. At the front end of the rod there 
is an enlargement or head, which, however, is smaller than the bore ; this 
head may be solid or otherwise ; and behind this enlargement a loose disc 
is placed, which fits the bore accurately. The periphery of this disc 
may be made of soft metal, and may have lubricating material combined 
with it. The rod at the rear end of the projectile is, by preference, poly- 
gonal in section, with each of the sides winding spirally around the rod 
from end to end of its length, as though the rod were twisted. The hole 
in the breech end of the cannon is formed to fit and correspond with the 
bar, so that, when the piece is fired, the projectile, in addition to being pro- 
pelled forward, will, at the same time, be caused to revolve on its axis. 
The loose disc behind the head of the projectile, by preference, does not 
rotate with the projectile ; but the rod of a projectile turns in a hole in the 
disc. As soon as the projectile leaves the gun, the resistance of the gun 
will cause the disc to slip off the bar at its near end ; or the disc may be 
madeto separate into two or more pieces assoonasitleaves the gun. If desired, 
the hole through the breech end of the gun may be closed as soon as the 
rear end of the projectile passes out of it, by means of a sliding piece 
pressed forward for that purpose by a spring. The hole in the breech end 
of the gun may be provided with a close-fitting plug ; the'gun can then be 
used either to propel a shot, such as above described, or, when the plug is 
fixed in the hole, the gun may be used as an ordinary smooth-bore gun. 
Breech-loading Firearms. — Mr. A. Albini, patentee. — This invention 
consists in the arrangements hereafter described for opening the breech- 
end of breech-loading firearms, for the introduction of the charge and for 
securely closing the discharge. For this purpose the patentee prolongs 
the breech-end of the barrel beyond the discharge-chamber, to a length 
somewhat greater than that of an ordinary cartridge. The upper side of 
