to the vessel's course, a considerable lift of water takes place, by the paddles passing from a vertical to a horizontal position, and thus a further useless expenditure of the power of the engine occurs. When paddle-wheels, mounted in the ordinary manner, have their paddles or floats set at an angle with the axis of the wheel, the "slip" has (by reason of the oblique pressure of the paddles on the water, assisted also by the progressive motion of the vessel, which draws them from their work) been found to be so great as to counterbalance the advantage gained by their more ready entrance to and exit from the water. It has likewise been found that the screw-propeller, or its various modifications, although in some respects superior to the generality of paddle-wheels, is in other respects disadvantageous, because, by being submerged, its shaft and bearings present a considerable frictional or resisting surface to the water, and thus impede the progress

of the vessel.

In the improved propelling apparatus, which forms the subject of the present patent, the advantages of the oblique paddles are said to be retained, and a hold is taken on the water equal to that of an endless screw propeller, without the disadvantage of bringing the axle and bearings of the screw, or the arms of angular blades, in continuous contact with the

water.

The figures in Plate I., shew the mode of carrying out the invention; fig. 1, is a plan view of a vessel, with a pair of the improved paddle wheels applied thereto. A, A, is a shaft, placed horizontally across the vessel, and turning in suitable bearings, provided for the purpose; this shaft is brought into connection with the steam-engine, or other motive power machinery, by means of gearing, crank-rods, or other convenient mechanism. At either end of the shaft A, is a bevilled pinion, in gear with other bevilled pinions, mounted respectively on the shafts B, B, which carry the propelling-wheels c, c, and turn in suitable bearings, provided on each side of the vessel. These shafts are shewn in the drawing as placed parallel to the central line of the vessel; but, if thought desirable, they may be set at such an angle as will not interfere with the efficient working of the propelling

paddles or floats. The dip of the wheels should be about one-seventh of their diameter; but when the wheels are very large, say thirty feet in diameter, a dip of about one-tenth of their diameter would be sufficient to ensure a good hold on the water. The manner in which the wheels are formed will be best seen by reference to figs. 2, and 3; fig. 2, being a side view, and fig. 3, an edge view of the improved wheel. The paddles or floats a, a, of this wheel are set at an angle of about 45° to the shaft; in which position they stand up from the periphery b, of the wheel, and are sustained by arms c, c, which project radially from the bosses of the wheel ;—d, d, are stay-rods, for giving strength and firmness to the wheel. As this wheel partakes of the properties of a screw, and is intended to act in the manner of a screw-when rotating in the water, the ends of the paddles are made with a bevilled edge, to allow of their entering the water with the least possible resistance.

One mode which the inventor adopts for constructing the paddles or floats is shewn at fig. 4, and consists in making them of single plates of iron, suitably shaped, and attaching these several plates to their respective arms c; and, in order to obtain a uniform surface on each side of the paddle, and prevent any useless resistance to the water when the wheel is revolving therein, he applies, at the back of each plate of iron, filling pieces, of wood or other light substance, of a sufficient thickness to come flush with the face of the arms c; and thus the paddles or floats are made of a uniform thickness throughout, except at the edges, as before stated. But the mode preferred for making the paddles is, by enclosing the end of the radial arms c, with sheet metal, as shewn at fig. 5; by which means, a strong and efficient paddle may be economically produced. The paddle-wheels are mounted, as above stated, one on each side of the bows of the vessel, or they may be placed at any other convenient part, and at such an elevation with regard to the draught line of the vessel, as will admit of the wheels dipping in the water to the depth of the paddles or floats. It may be remarked, that when the wheels are made to revolve deeper in the water than is sufficient to immerse the paddles or floats, the economic applica

tion of the motive power, by the use of this invention, will diminish, and that in a ratio proportionate to the increased dip of the wheels.

From the foregoing it will be understood that each paddle, as it is immersed, acts as a wedge upon the water in precisely the same manner as the thread of a screw-propeller ; but the threads of the improved propelling-wheel, formed by the oblique paddle, being short, compared to the thread of an Archimedean or other similar screw-propeller, the improved propelling-wheel will not be liable to work in the water which it has itself disturbed. If then the improved propellingwheel is caused to rotate with a sufficient velocity, the water, being non-elastic, will offer a resistance somewhat resembling that of a solid body; and of this advantage is taken, for the propulsion of the vessel, to an extent that will greatly economize the motive power.

The patentee claims, Firstly,—the modes of constructing the paddles or floats, as above described; and, Secondly,—the mode of mounting paddle-wheels, possessing the properties of a screw, at such a height, with regard to the draught of the vessel to which they are applied, that when in action in calmı water, their paddles or floats only shall be in contact with the water, and in such a position with respect to the length of the vessel, that their shafts shall either be in a line parallel with the vessel's course, or, when placed at an angle, they shall verge towards the line of the vessel's course.-[Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, July, 1848.]

TO FELIX EDWARDS PRATT, of Fenton Potteries, in the county of Stafford, earthenware manufacturer, for improvements in manufacturing articles composed of earthenware or china.-[Sealed 31st December, 1847.]

THIS invention of improvements in manufacturing articles composed of earthenware or china applies to that class of articles which are cylindrical, or nearly so, on their outer circumference, and are formed on the "throw-wheel" or jigger." According to the ordinary mode of manufacturing

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these articles, a ball of clay or other suitable plastic material is placed upon the throw-wheel or jigger, and brought, by the workman's fingers, into an embryo shape of the jar, box, pot, or lid, required to be formed; a gauge, or rib, or profile, is then applied to the outer circumference and the top edge of the article, to shape the outside correctly; while, at the same time, the workman, either with his fingers or with a chamfered edge tool, shapes the interior of the article; after which, it is removed from the wheel. When it has been left some time to dry, the box or other article is carried to a lathe, where it is turned down to its proper dimensions by a cutting tool or chisel, and smoothed and finished fit for undergoing the firing process. Now, the object of this invention is, to effect the manufacture of jars, pots, boxes, lids, and other similar articles, whose outer circumference is cylindrical (or whose outer and inner diameter is capable of being determined by the means hereafter described), in such a manner, that the clay or plastic material, while in a soft state, shall be so perfectly manipulated, as to assume the desired shape and proportions, and require no turning on the lathe to bring the article to the proper state for undergoing the operation of firing. The patentee remarks, that he is aware this object has been proposed, and in some degree carried out, by the employment of moulds, to form either the outside or the inside of the box, or pot, or lid, and of a rib, profile, or scraper, to complete its formation; but, although articles. of uniform proportions may be thus produced, the cost of new moulds, when a change in the form or size of the article is required, must prevent their general adoption for lowpriced wares, such as those which he intends generally to manufacture under the present patent.

In manufacturing jars, boxes, pots, and other similar articles, upon the throw-wheel or jigger, so as to economize the labor of the workman and the cost of moulds, while, at the same time, the articles under manufacture shall be made of uniform size, a cap-piece or mould, as shewn in Plate II., at ^, ^, fig. 1, is employed (it being suitably formed on its upper surface to recess the bottom of the pot, box, jar, or other article). This mould A, is placed upon the throw-wheel

or jigger, and caused to rotate as usual; while upon it is laid a bat or disc of plastic clay or other material, formed to the proper size, and above this a ball, of the same material, is placed. The workman then, as the clay is rotating, shapes it into the embryo pot, jar, box, or other article; and, when so shaped, he applies thereto a gauge, of an improved construction, in a vertical, or nearly vertical, position, over the centre of the rotating throw-wheel or jigger; whereby the clay or other plastic material is quickly brought to the required shape, and is then ready to be removed, together with the mould A, from the throw-wheel or jigger.

The improved construction of gauge, which, by its action, effects the improvements above set forth, is thus described :At fig. 1, the improved gauge, intended to form a "pastebox," is shewn, as applied to the mould a; and at figs. 2, and 3, it is shewn detached; fig. 2, being a view taken at the opposite side to that shewn at fig. 1; and fig. 3, being an edge view of the gauge inverted. This gauge is formed, by preference, of earthenware or porcelain, or of glass, or metal, and those of its edges which come into contact with the clay, to form the box or other article, are chamfered off, as shewn in the figures, so that but a thin edge shall act upon the clay, and all unnecessary contact therewith is avoided. It will be seen that the gauge embraces both sides of the box; it may, therefore, be properly termed a double-gauge. The centre part a, forms the interior, and the edge b, b, of the recess c, completes the outside of the box. By doubling the gauge, and enabling it to embrace the opposite sides of the box, it is intended to prevent the possibility of the workman producing varying sizes of box with the same tool; a result which he could not prevent if the gauge or tool had not a second recess to regulate the diameter of the box, and a bearing upon the mould, at the opposite side of the box, whereby to ensure the proper position of the gauge, with regard to the mould, and prevent the edge b, from being tipped out of a line parallel with the centre of motion. d, is a recess, which embraces the side of the box opposite to that of the recess c its object and action is to cut away the clay, or destroy the work performed by the recess e, when the gauge is improperly