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needle in the bundle of hay-but nevertheless, "To all whom it concern, Know ye," that the present improvements relate, firstly, to the shanks of buttons, and secondly, to the backs and faces of buttons.

And first, of shanks-there are seven different sorts described. No. 1 is "a small round, or roundish knob of metal, perforated through the centre with two holes, intersecting, or crossing each other at the centre; the said knob being applied to, and securely fastened to the centre of the back of the button, parallel to the plane of the circular edge or circumference of the front or face of the button. In attaching a button having such a shank to a garment, the sewing-thread may be passed by its needle first through one of the holes of the shank in one direction across the shank, in order to obtain one fasteningstitch, and then through the other hole to obtain another, and so on; the needle may be passed in at one orifice, and out at the next, without going right through, and by thread being so passed, buttons may be very securely attached by sewing; the orifices are to be made bell-mouthed, in order to prevent the thread cutting. That part of the knob which is to be attached to the button is flat, and to be fastened by soldering. The button may be covered with felt, cloth, or other tissue or fabric, the overlapping circumference of the cloth being gathered over all round the turned back border edge of the front shell, so as to overlap into the hollow within that border edge, and the circumference of the concave back shell being then inserted within the same turned back border edge of the front shell, and within the turned over edge of the covering. The pressure which is next exerted on that border edge, and on that of the concave shell back by the dies in the mould, is caused to compass the said edge, so as to fasten the covering, and at the same time to consolidate the front and back shells together into a covered button, made in a mould by dies with pressure, on the plan known to the manufacturers of Birmingham as "Mr. Aston's method;" or the concave shell back may be applied to a front made of mother of pearl, stone, spar, glass, or other suitable material, or porcelain or pottery, the circumference of the concave back shell being, in the last-mentioned case, inlaid into a suitable circular recess or hollow, excavated in the back surface of such front, and fastened there by cement." No. 2 consists of a small tail, divided into two pieces by a saw, and is stated to be particularly applicable to concave shell backs. The divided tail is inserted through a hole in the centre of the button back, the two pieces are then separated, and turned down in the manner called clinching: solder or cement may be ap

on.

plied over the clinched branches, to make all smooth if desirable. No. 3 has a small screwthreaded tail passed through the back of the button, and secured between the back shell and the front part of the button by a small nut. (The two shanks last described are stated to be only applicable to buttons which have "backs formed of concave metal shells," whereas that first described is also applicable to solid metallic front buttons.) No. 4 is a shank which may be cut out, or stamped out, of a piece of metal in the form of a cross; the four arms are then to be "bended" up at right angles, and cemented to the button back, offering the same advantages as the others, that the thread need not be passed straight through the shank, but may enter at one hole, and come out at that next it, and so No. 5 (a very old acquaintance) is composed of a short piece of oval, or flattened wire, bent into the form of a crescent, or staple, the two ends of which can be soldered to the back of the button. No. 6 is a shank for buttons, made of hard wood, bone, ivory, or mother of pearl; it is formed out of the same piece as the button, and has four holes which are bell-mouthed, to prevent the cotton cutting. No. 7 is a flexible shank for buttons having a concave metal shell back; it is made by perforating the back with a number of holes at equal distances arranged round its centre. Cord, or other suitable material is then passed, "a knot being first made to prevent it slipping through"!-from the inner side of the back to the outside, where it is allowed to form a small loop, and then passed through a hole opposite to that from which it came out into the inside of the back, where it is again secured by a knot, or other suitable fastening, and so on, till a cord has been passed through each hole in succession.

Secondly, of the backs and faces of buttons: The first improvement described under this head, relates to buttons made of porcelain, glass, or earthenware. "The back surface is excavated with a circular recess or hollow, which may be as large as the size of the button will admit, consistently with leaving a substantial border of material all round the outer circumference of the button, for strength, and into the hollow of that circular recess the exterior circumference of a shell back is inserted, and is fastened therein by cement; that shell back may be a concave metal shell with any kind of shank." A similar back, with a flexible shank of cord similar to that before described, may be made of porcelain or earthenware, instead of metal. The next improvement relates to that kind of buttons which are termed stud buttons, or shirt buttons, of which a description is given that

SPECIFICATIONS OF RECENT ENGLISH PATENTS.

is quite a curiosity in its way. Stud buttons, we are told, are "a kind of buttons which are not permanently sewed or attached to the garment; but the part of a stud button which answers to or occupies the place of a shank, is inserted into an additional button-hole in the garment, for the purpose of fastening the stud button thereto, by means of such additional button-hole, and the head or front of the stud button is inserted through the usual button-hole in the garment for effecting the intended buttoning of the garment by the stud button." The improvement in such stud buttons is the application thereto of fronts of porcelain glass or earthenware. A hollow is made in the top of a metal stud, into which is fixed by cement the porcelain, glass, or earthenware head; the outside rims of the metal are then to be turned over and pressed on to the said face, to hold it fast, or a hollow is made in the back of the porcelain, glass, or earthenware head, into which the metal part fits, the porcelain, glass, or earthenware, in such case, overlapping the metal part of the stud. Another improvement relates to what are known by the term covered buttons, with flexible shanks made in moulds by pressure, with dies, according to the Aston method, before alluded to.

Such buttons are, it seems, not commonly made by that method, with their backs as well as fronts covered with cloth or silk, or other material, being covered so as to conceal all the metal that is contained in the structure of the button; but by a peculiar mode of manufacture, for which former letters patent were granted to the present patentee, Mr. Aingworth, on the 30th August, 1931, covered buttons can have their backs as well as their fronts covered; and that mode of manufacture is now carried on under assignment of the last-mentioned patent, by Messrs. Sanders and Bromsgrove. A concave metallic shell back, of the usual kind for making common flexible shank buttons, has a hole of considerable size made through its centre, so that the said back forms, in fact, a sort of metal collet, and a circular disc of cloth, silk, or other material, has a small sized hole made in its centre. The cloth is then applied concentrically on the back or convex surface of the shell back, and is slightly fastened to that surface by a cement of shell lac.

The

central part of the cloth, around the small central hole, is pushed through the larger hole of the metallic shell, so as to protrude through that hole into the interior concavity of the shell; and the part of the cloth which is thus caused to protrude, is stuck fast to that interior with cement of shell lac, so as to overlap a little all round the circum.

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ference of the central hole of the shell back, withinside the concavity of that shell. The front and back parts of the button are then to be put together in the usual way.

The claim is-First, to the new kind of metallic shank, No. 1, "applicable to solid metal buttons and to buttons with concave metal shell backs." Secondly and thirdly are repetitions of the words of the first head, but applied to the shanks No. 2 3, 4 and 5 Fourthly, to the new kind of shk for buttons, made of hard wood, horn, bone, ivory, or mother of pearl, which shank is formed in the same piece of material. Fifthly, the new kind of flexible shanks of cord for metal shell backs, which backs are covered with cloth or silk. Sixthly, the new kind of porcelain, glass, or earthenware fronts, for buttons. Seventhly,

"the application of fronts of porcelain or earthenware to studs." (Glass, though noticed in the description, is not claimed.), And, eighthly," the application of a covering of cloth, or other material, over the convex surface of the metal shell backs of covered buttons."

WILLIAM HIRST AND JOSEPH Weight, OF LEEDS, CLOTHIERS, for certain improvements in the machinery for manufacturing woollen cloth, and cloth made from wool and other materials. Enrolment Office, April 7, 1842.

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These improvements are stated to consist "in a certain method of manufacturing woollen cloth and cloth made from wool and other materials, by a new process," of which new process the peculiar feature or result is the addition to cloth already woven, either on one or both sides, or the interposition between two pieces of woven cloth, of a layer or layers of wool (felted merely). Then follows a description of certain machinery by which bats of wool may be felted. The bats are passed between what are called Platons," (so spelt and so marked by inverted commas in the specification,) and much is said of these "Platons," how they are to be moved in opposite directions, with a 'shoggle" between whiles, and how the bats are to be conveyed to and from them, &c., &c. (No doubt platens are meant things common enough, one would have thought, to preclude the possibility of such orthographic and apostrophic blundering.) But how the layers of wool, when so felted, are to be combined with the woven cloth, the patentees do not explain. The machinery described is simply machinery for felting. Neither do the patentees specify, as they were bound to do, in what respects their machinery differs from that in common use; what parts are old and what "improvements." The claim is to, 1. The ma

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chinery described; and 2. To the addition to woven cloth of layers of wool on one or both sides, or between, &c.

MATHIAS NICHOLAS LA ROCHE BARRÉ, OF SAINT MARTIN'S LANE, MIDDLESEX, MANUFACTURER OF COTTON, for an improvement in the manufacture of a fabric applicable to sails and other purposes. Enrolment Office, April 7, 1842.

The improvement which is the subject of this patent, consists in forming each warp thread of two or more yarns of cotton, (Nos. 3 to 30 are the sizes of yarn preferred, the thickness and strength, as well as the cost, increasing with the size of the yarn,) twisted together, and each shoot of the weft of four or more yarns of cotton. To make sail cloth, No. 3 yarn is used, and both the warp and weft threads are of two yarns twisted together; for, in this case, it is considered important that both the weft and web should be of the same size and strength. The warp may be worked into any pattern that may be desired. The patentee prefers producing the fabric by raising and lowering equal quantities of the warp thread at each time of forming a shed for the passage of the shuttle, and usually makes the fabric by causing each shoot of the weft to float alternately under and over two warp threads. He is thus, he says, enabled to produce a strong and lasting fabric of cotton, suitable for the making of sails, rick cloths, and such like articles, capable of sustaining the different degrees of heat and moisture to which they are likely to be exposed. If greater strength and thickness are required, a larger number of yarns twisted together, with the same number of warp threads to each inch of the warp, will answer the purpose; if greater strength, without increasing the thickness, more than two yarns twisted together of a larger size of yarn than No. 3, are used. By varying the number of yarns used, and the number of yarns combined in each warp thread, the thickness and strength may be varied as required.

The claim is "the mode of manufacturing a fabric of cotton suitable for sails and other purposes, by applying warp threads, each composed of two or more yarns of cotton twisted together, when combined with the use of weft composed of four or more yarns for each shoot."

ALPHONSE RENE LE MIRE DE NORMANDY, OF REDCROSS-SQUARE, CRIPPLEGATE, DOCTOR OF MEDICINE, for certain improvements in the manufacture of soap. Enrolment Office, March, 1842.

This invention is stated by our contemporary of the London Journal to consist in introducing into soap, manufactured in the usual

way, the salts of potash or soda, generally, but more particularly the sulphate and carbonates of potash and soda. These substances are introduced into the soap (when the saponifying process is complete, and it is ready to be cleansed) either in the solid state, in pulverized masses, in the state of crystals, or in the state of crystals melted in their water of crystallization, or else dissolved in steam or water. The quantities of the salts of potash or soda used to every eighty pounds of soap, are 28lbs. of sulphate of soda, and 4 lbs. of carbonate of soda or potash, or 2lbs. of each of these last substances; if the substances are used singly, then the quantities are 32 lbs. of sulphate of soda, or 15 lbs. of sulphate or carbonate of potash, or 10 lbs. of carbonate of soda. When the process of saponification is complete, and the soap in a hot and liquid state, is turned over into the cleansing copper, the salts, in the proportions above mentioned, are thrown into it, and the whole thoroughly mixed together; the soap is then removed from the copper and poured into the frames to cool. If the salts are used in a liquid state, they are dissolved in their own water of crystallization, or in steam, or by boiling water, and are the then mixed with the soap, as before mentioned. The patentee claims the introducing into soap, already manufactured, or in process of manufacture, the salts and compounds of potash and soda before mentioned.

COUPLAND'S IMPROVMENT IN FURNACES.

Sir, I beg to state that Mr. Coupland's principal claim for his improvements in furnaces, consists in the admission of atmospheric air through the grate bars, or perforated plate, after the fuel has been placed upon them, and not to the mere depression and elevation of the grate-bars, as stated in the Mechanics' Magazine of the 9th instant, and that the auxiliary apparatus in its present improved state is simple in its construction, and efficient in its operation. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, J. RHODES. Pond Yard, New Park-street, Borough, April 13, 1842.

[The abstract we gave was quite correct; the bars are lowered, solely and exclusively "to enable a fresh supply of fuel to be placed thereon" as wanted. "Without interfering," it is true, "with the draught necessary for the combustion of the fuel;" hut not interfering with, and actually contributing to, the supply of air, are two different things. To prevent any further cavil on the subject, we subjoin the ipsissima verba of Mr. Coupland's claim." What

NOTES AND NOTICES.

I claim is, the lowering at pleasure, and in a horizontal position by any suitable apparatus, (though I prefer that hereinbefore described,) a portion of the open fire-bars of a furnace to a position sufficiently below the fire, to enable a fresh supply of fuel to be placed thereon, and then raising them again to their former position in the furnace, and retaining them there till the fuel is consumed, and a fresh supply required, without interfering with the draught necessary for the combustion of the said fuel while being so consumed, as aforesaid, and thereby I am enabled to do away with all feeders, hoppers, pushers, plunges, pistons, and inclined planes, and other the like objectionable apparatus, which have hitherto impeded the successful application of inventions for feeding furnaces from below upwards."-ED. M. M.]

NOTES AND NOTICES.

Mr. Williams's Argand Furnace.-At the monthly meeting of the Commissioners of the Birmingham Street Act, held on Monday last, the committee appointed to consider the best means of effecting an abatement of the smoke nuisance, reported that they had inspected the steam chimney of Mr. Clifford's mill, in Fazeley-street, to which the patent of Mr. Williams, of Liverpool, had been applied with the view of consuming the smoke from the furnace, and they were perfectly satisfied of the utility of the plan, and its efficacy in accomplishing all that was required. The committee also referred to two letters which they had received, in reference to Mr. Williams's invention, from Messrs. Sharp, Roberts, and Co., of Manchester, and Mr. Nicholas Knight, of Liverpool, which stated that the plan had been adopted with the most complete success, diminishing the consumption of coal, increasing the quantity of steam, and, at the same time, reducing the amount of manual labour. Midland Counties Herald. Atmospheric Pressure-Engine.-The Toulonnais has the following:-"M. Lewinsky, a Pole by birth, but naturalised in France, will in a few days make trial of an atmospheric pressure-engine, in a small boat which Admiral Baudin has placed at his command. We have before us a certificate by Captain Durbac, of the port of Marseilles, affirming that M. Lewinsky in the course of last year made a trial of his engine, which is of wood, in a flat-bottomed boat, which he was thereby enabled to take out of the port of Marseilles, and reach the fourth buoy, at the rate of between three and four knots an hour, although the sea was very boisterous. He had previously made an experiment at Rome, in the presence of numerous spectators; this attracted the notice of the English consular agents, and induced them to communicate an account of it to their government. The Lords of the Admiralty in consequence wrote to M. Lewinsky, inviting him to bring his invention to England, promising him every protection and encouragement; but M. Lewinsky, wishing to present his discovery to his adopted country, declined accepting the flattering offer."Fudge!

A total Eclip e of the Sun takes place on the 7th of July next, during which the moon's shadow will pass over Spain, the South of France, the north of Italy and part of Germany. To assist parties desirous of observing this remarkable phenomenon, the Astronomical Society have compiled a Table, (copies of which may be had on application at the Society's Rooms,) by which the path of the moon's

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shadow may be traced with very considerable ac

curacy.

Steam Navigation on the Volga.-Although an isolated steam-boat was licensed to navigate the Volga in 1817, no spirit of enterprise was roused until the year 1827. The line between Nishegorod and Astrachan now employs nine steamers, whose engines vary from 69 to 97 horses power. They not only convey passengers and goods, but act as tug boats, and draw after them a barge containing wood as fuel for the machines. The length of the voyage from Nishegorod to Astrachan is between twelve and fourteen days, including their stay at Casan and Saratof; but they are from twenty-five to twenty-eight days on the return voyage, the current of the stream, and violent winds impeding their progress. The passage money is from 80 to 120 roubles (£6 138. to £5 10s.) for the voyage to Astrachan, but about 50 per cent. dearer for that from Astrachan to Nishegorod, and the passengers feed themselves. During the last two years, a new description of passage vessel, worked by machines driven by horses, has been introduced. The steamboats are private property, and all of them are manufactured by engineering establishments in the province of Vladimir. The cost is from 45,000 to 75,000 roubles, or from £2,065 to £3,430. The iron boats, which are coming into use, cost from 100,000, to 120,000 roubles, or from £4,585, to £5,500; they are dearer, it is true, but are much more durable than vessels of timber, more flat-bottomed, and draw less water.-United Service Journal.

Magnetic Binnacle.-We understand that Mr. Payne, optician, South Castle-street, after a series of experiments, which, altogether, have occupied eighteen months, has succeeded in producing a binnacle so loaded with magnetism as to counteract the local attraction of the compass in iron vessels. It is pretty generally known that hitherto the mariner's compass has been useless in iron-built vessels, unless they have undergone a process, invented by Professor Airey, to "compensate" their magnetism. This compensation, for which the vessel under process is to be continually turned and moored, unmoored and turned again, is very tedious, and, consequently, expensive. It consists in placing large magnets at such a distance from the binnacle, or other compass, that their attraction is equal to the deviation occasioned by the magnetic influence of the vessel. Mr. Payne's plan allows the whole arrangement to be executed in the workshop, and the invention comprises an entirely new method for the circulation of the magnetic fluid. The exact process is to be kept a secret until a patent be secured; but from the explanation the inventor volunteers, it appears that he collects and fixes a vast quantity of magnetism in his binnacle, and causes its influence to ascend in a conical direction towards the centre of the compass needle. The magnetism of the iron vessel is attracted to this magnetic arrangement, which cuts off a direct communication between the needle and the vessel, and leaves the needle as free to act correctly on board the vessel as on shore. The magnetic binnacle swings on substantial gimbals within an outer binnacle, covered with the usual brass top, lamp, &c. The saving of expense by this new plan will be considerable, and it will not be liable to an objection, which is advanced against Professor Airey's plan, that the compensation is not lasting. It has been found that a variation in compasses, compensated on the Professor's plan, arises by the iron of the vessel losing some of its magnetic strength by gradual oxydation, paint, &c.; while the large compensating magnets remain in preservation, and, after having been exactly powerful enough, become too powerful. The compensating power of the

magnetic binnacle," on the contrary, cannot be too powerful, but may be not sufficiently so, a defect which is soon seen, and can, of course, be easily remedied. The first binnacle constructed on this plan is now on board the Mersey, iron steamer, plying between Birkenhead and George's Pier,

and occasionally employed as a tug-boat at the entrance of the river.-Liverpool Albion.

Blasting by Galvanism.-Mr. Robert's mode of blasting was for the first time in the neighbourhood of Glasgow carried into practical operation in Mr. M'Callum's quarry, adjoining the Necropolis, on the evening of Saturday last. The operations were directed by Mr. Wilson, of the Mechanics' Institution, and the successful result in every instance gave a most convincing proof of the practicability of the application. Some hundred tons of rock were detached; and several practical men who were present, and who previously were sceptical on the matter, expressed their complete conviction that the adoption of this mode of discharge would be more efficient and economical than the common one.-Caledonian Mercury.

Iron Steam Frigates. - Yesterday afternoon, a steam frigate, 800 tons burden, was launched from the iron ship-building yard of Mr. J. Laird, North Birkenhead. This is the only large vessel of war which has been built at this port since 1809, when the Havannah frigate was built. She will carry 68-pounders pivot-guns, and will be fitted up in all respects like Her Majesty's steam frigates. Her machinery and armament will be completed without delay. The East Indies is said to be her destination. She will make the eighth iron vessel of war which Mr. Laird has built; they all carry pivot-guns fore and aft. Four of them are now in the Chinese seas, namely, the Nemesis and the Phlegethon, carrying two 32-pounders, and the Adriane and the Medusa, two 24-pounders. The other three are in the Persian Gulph.-Liverpool Paper.

Dollond's New Barometer.-At the last meeting of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Mr. George Dollond, of St. Paul's Churchyard, submitted to the inspection of the council an improved barometer for ascertaining the changes of atmospheric pressure. The improvement effected by Mr. Dollond in this important meteorological instrument, not only obviates many of the common difficulties incidental to mountain-barometers, and when out of use and packed up, becomes as firm and secure as a walking-stick, but it embraces in its construction many of the advantages of the stationary barometer or weather-glass, as an indicator of changes taking place in the weight of the atmosphere. This improvement is chiefly attained by a most ingenious contrivance in the arrangement of the mercurial cistern, and the application, for the first time, of an air-tight stop-cock, for regulating the passage of the mercury into the cistern, or enclosing it securely within the tube. Mr. Dollond states the following as the principal advantages resulting from this arrangement:-1. A true and certain state of altitude in the column of the mercury from the highest to the lowest situation on the globe, without the necessity of applying the uncertain and tedious corrections required in ordinary barometers. 2. The uniformity of the observations, arising from the free and unobstructed condition of the mercury; all the advantages of the open cistern barometer being thus attained without the attendant difficulty of arranging the starting point of measure. 3. The entire exclusion of air from the inner tube or cistern, and the consequent preservation of the surface of the mercury from oxidation. 4. The application of this new arrangement is capable of application to barometers of any diameter, and with exclusive advantages obtained by no other mode. 5. The perfect security in carriage, when the barometer is either out of use, or required to be conveyed from place to place. The council

ordered their best thanks to Mr. Dollond for the favour of this inspection.

Steam Ploughing.-The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland have again offered a premium of 5001. for the first successful application of steam to the cultivation of the soil. No premium was awarded last year, and the committee announce their intention of withdrawing the notice after the present year. The particulars with reference to the premium may perhaps be interesting to some of our readers, and we therefore subjoin them :-" A premium of five hundred sovereigns, or such other sum as the directors may see proper in the circumstances, will be awarded for the first successful application of steam power to the cultivation of the soil. By the cultivation of the soil are to be understood the operations of ploughing and harrowing, or preparing the soil in an equally efficient manner, and the other purposes for which animal power is now used; and the success of the invention will be judged of in relation to its applicability to the above purposes in the ordinary situations of farms in this country, and to the saving în time, labour, and outlay, which it may possess over animal power, as now generally employed in the cultivation of the soil."

Liverpool Mechanics' Institution.-This institution appears to be by far the most extensive and prosperous establishment of the kind in the kingdom, and is effecting an immensity of good in the large and important community in which its opera tions are carried on. The buildings devoted to the purposes of the institution cost 15,000/.; it contains upwards of 3,300 members, with 850 pupils in three day schools, and 600 pupils in fifteen or sixteen evening classes. There are fifty teachers regularly employed, whose salaries amount to 5,0001. a year; a library of 9,000 volumes with 1,600 readers, and a daily distribution of 200 books. The public lectures are delivered twice a-week, and are attended by audiences varying from 600 to 1,300. The total receipts for carrying on this extensive machinery, amounted last year to 6,9391. 18s. 6d. The evening schools afford instruction in English, writing, arichmetic, mathematics, mechanical philosophy, navigation, astronomy, botany, naval architecture, mechanical, landscape, architectural, and ornamental drawing and painting, together with modelling and practical perspective. At the last exhibition of the Liverpool Academy, there were eight paintings by teachers in the institution, and twenty one by artists who were formerly pupils within its walls. There are also day schools in connexion with the institution, in which a comprehensive system of education is carried on, adapted to the age, capacities, and pursuits of the pupils. The extra classes comprise instruction in chemistry, natural philosophy, the French and German languages, classics, vocal music, &c.—Midland Counties Herald. [The Liverpool is what the London Institution-the older of the two-might have been and would have been, had the views of the founders not been most unfor tunately thwarted.]

Intending Patentees may be supplied gratis with Instructions, by application (postpaid) to Messrs. J. C. Robertson and Co., 166, Fleet-street, by whom is kept the only COMPLETE REGISTRY OF PATENTS EXTANT (from 1617 to the present time). Patents, both British and Foreign, solicited. Specifications prepared or revised, and all other Patent business transacted.

LONDON: Edited, Printed, and Published by J. C. Robertson, at the Mechanics' Magazine Office,
No. 166, Fleet-street.-Sold by W. and A. Galignani, Rue Vivienne, Paris;
Machin and Co., Dublin; and W. C. Campbell and Co., Hamburgh.

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