structing and arranging the weft-forks or protectors of powerlooms, for the prevention of fracture and derangement. And, Secondly, the application and use of weft-forks or protectors, with hinged or jointed prongs, for the purpose hereinbefore described.

TO JOSEPH BURCH, of Crag Hall, near Macclesfield, in the county of Chester, carpet manufacturer, for certain improvements in baths and bathing.-[Sealed 15th October, 1852.]

THIS invention consists, first, in the use of cisterns and service-pipes, having flexible tubes, and bathing apparatus attached thereto; secondly, in conveying water from cisterns or service-pipes, through moveable brushes, friction-gloves, belts, sponges, and towels, by means of flexible water-tubes, for the purposes of bathing, scrubbing, rubbing, cleansing, and washing the human body; and, thirdly, in the construction and use of portable expanding chamber-baths.

The object of this invention is to apply moisture and friction at the same time; and also to afford the comfort of an invigorating friction-bath, where the supply of water is too small for the ordinary mode of bathing. In houses where baths are required in several bed-rooms, they are fitted up and used in the following manner :-The hot and cold watercisterns being fixed in the upper part of the house, so as to be above the level of the bather, are made to communicate with the different bed-rooms by means of a service-pipe c, shewn at Plate VIII., fig. 1. Connected with this pipe are union branches d, and the supply of water thereto is regulated by a stop-cock e. Each union branch-pipe has several small flexible branch-tubes g, g, g, which are provided with cocks f,f,f; and attached to the loose extremities of these flexible tubes are the bathing, friction, and scrubbing apparatus. The articles used for this purpose will be brushes h, one of which is shewn, in section, at fig. 2; gloves i, fig. 3; belts j, fig. 4; and sponge k, fig. 5; which are to be so constructed and fixed to the flexible tubes, that the water will pass through them, and escape in small quantities through those parts only which come in contact with the bather, or to the articles to be cleansed. The brush is made hollow and filled with water from the flexible tube, and, being perforated with small holes among the bristles, the water will escape through such holes in small quantities. The glove is made

double, and of a waterproof material in the palm thereof: the case or bag, thus formed, is filled with water by means of the flexible tube; and, being perforated about the palm, will permit the water to escape at that part. The belt is constructed in a similar manner. When either of these articles is applied to the body, the impurities on the surface of the skin will be removed by the combined action of friction and rinsing,-a continuous supply of warm or cold water flowing through the friction surfaces during the operation; and thus, by combining the processes of rubbing and washing, a comforting and refreshing bath will be produced; which, by its frequent use, will tend to strengthen and invigorate the system.

This bath, besides being applied to the human body, may be used for washing and cleansing horses and other animals, and likewise for many manufacturing purposes. In large towns, where the supply of water is limited, it will be found of great service as a bath; and in ships, where the supply is still more scarce, a quart of water, economically used, will be found to yield a comfortable and refreshing bath to every part of the body.

It is preferred that the flexible tubes should be made of vulcanized India-rubber,-that material being very soft and yielding; and that a preparation of the same substance should be used for the gloves, belts, &c.

Fig. 6, is a front elevation of the portable expanding chamber-bath, shewing the internal arrangements; and fig. 7, is a sectional plan view of the same. This bath may be used either as a bath, when raised up to its full height, or a table when down. It is fitted, at top, with a hot and cold watercistern a, and b; and the pedestal legs are fitted on the telescope slide principle. When required to be used as a bath, the upper part is raised by means of the handle 1, which, being turned, sets the bevil-wheels m, and radial shafts n, in motion; and these, by means of external bevil-wheels o, communicate motion to slide-screws p, inside the pedestal legs; by which means the top of the bath is raised to its proper height; and, by reversing the motion of the handle, it can again be reduced; when it may be used as a table.

The patentee claims, First, the mode of constructing bathing and cleansing apparatus upon the principle, style, or manner, and for such like purposes, as are herein described. Secondly, the mode of using bathing and cleansing apparatus, consisting of hollow moveable perforated friction brushes, belts, gloves, and rubbers, in connection with flexible tubes,

stop-cocks or valves, service-pipes, and water-cisterns; and also for supplying sponges, towels, and other cleansers, with moisture, by the same means and for such like purposes as are herein described. And, Thirdly,-the mode of constructing portable expanding baths, upon the principle and manner, and for such like purposes, as are herein described.

TO RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of Fleet-street, for improvements in vices.-[Sealed 18th October, 1852.] THIS invention consists in constructing vices in such a manner that one of the jaws shall exert an equable pressure or holding power throughout its length, upon a wedge-shaped or other irregularly-formed article, when placed betwen the said jaw and the other jaw of the vice,—the latter being of the usual construction. In the usual method of constructing vices the gripping surfaces of the jaws are parallel; and by this arrangement, although an article of a regular form, possessing parallel sides, is securely held, an irregular or wedge-shaped object does not receive an equal pressure on its sides, and therefore cannot be firmly clamped in the vice. Now, the object of the present invention is to obviate this difficulty, which is overcome by making the vice with an oscillatory jaw, which may be varied in form to suit particular circumstances.

In Plate IX., fig. 1, represents a perspective view of the improved vice. a, is the back or stationary jaw of the vice, to which is secured a clamp b, by means of a screw c. a*, is an additional jaw, which is connected with the clamp b, by means of a pivot or step d, upon which it has a vibratory motion. The back of the jaw a*, is enlarged at the centre, so as to bear against the face of the back or stationary jaw a, at a single point only; and thus it is capable of shifting, so as to adjust itself to hold an article of an irregular or wedgeshape, as shewn in plan at fig. 2; whereby the act of closing the jaws adapts the compound back jaw to the form of the object embraced. It is not essentially necessary that the additional jaw a*, should be attached to the clamp b, as it may be continued downwards, and be supported by clasping the screw-case f; which would admit of its being more readily removed when it is desired to be used as a vice of the ordinary construction.

A modification of the above is shewn, in perspective, at fig. 3; in which the usual back or stationary jaw, instead of

being constructed in the ordinary manner, is replaced by a vibratory jaw e, which works in a vertical pivot, fitted into a socket in the solid metal of the vice above the screw-case. The jaw is capable of turning on this pivot as a centre; and, by this means, adjusting itself so as to embrace an irregularshaped article firmly, when the moving jaw is brought up to it. The patentee claims the construction of vices with an oscillatory jaw, so as to adapt the same to the holding of articles of irregular form.

TO JOHN GOODMAN, of Hazel-grove, in the county of Chester, Doctor of Medicine, for an improved fountain pen.— [Sealed 19th October, 1852.]

THIS invention relates to an improved portable fountain pen or pen-holder, which may be conveniently carried in the pocket, and is capable of containing a plentiful supply of ink; the flow of which can readily be increased, or diminished, or stopped instantaneously, when required. The body of this pen is formed of a hollow metallic cylinder, perfectly true or parallel throughout its entire length. A piston, suitably packed, and capable of moving from end to end, is fitted into this cylinder, and a central screw also extends the entire length of the same, passing through a tapped orifice in the centre of the piston. The upper end of the screw is secured to a thimble or ferrule, which revolves in or upon the upper end of the cylinder, and keeps that end of the screw always central. The lower end of the screw is firmly screwed into a revolving tube, which is suitably packed, and passes out through the lower end of the cylinder. In order to compel the screw to turn with the tube, and to maintain the screw and tube in their respective places, the lower end of the screw and the upper end of the tube are squared or flattened, and a small cap, uniting the two, is fitted thereon, and secured by a nut. The revolving tube is furnished, at or near its centre, with a boss; the periphery of which is milled, in order to facilitate its being turned by hand. The lower end of the tube, which is chased with a left-handed screw, is also suitably packed, and screwed into a small cylinder, at the lower end of which is an orifice, leading to a small bent tube, which supplies the pen with ink. The lower end of the revolving tube is formed solid; the orifice for the ink being at the sides, and nearly touching the bottom of the small cylinder; so that, when the cylinder is screwed up or down in the slightest degree, by means of the

milled boss, the end of the tube closes or opens the orifice of the small bent tube that supplies the pen with ink.

In Plate IX., is a section of the improved pen. a, a, is the cylinder or reservoir for containing the ink; b, b, is the piston, which is packed both inside and outside, and through a tapped orifice in the centre of which the screw c, passes. The upper end of the screw is attached to a thimble or ferrule d, d, which is fitted into the upper end of the cylinder a, a, and thus keeps that end of the screw central. The lower end of the screw is squared and screwed into the revolving tube e, e. The small cap ff, unites the squared end of the screw and the squared end of the tube, and thus compels them to turn together, and is secured by the nut g. It will be seen that there are diagonal holes or openings drilled in a lateral direction through the cap and tube, forming a communication for the flow of ink from the cylinder to the interior of the tube. h, h, is the milled boss, by means of which the tube e, e, may be turned. i, i, is a small cylinder, which is attached by means of a left-handed screw to the lower end of the tube e, e, and is also furnished with a milled boss, for the convenience of turning. The lower end of the cylinder i, i, is provided with a small bent tube k, k, for supplying ink to the pen, and also with either a fixed metallic pen or socket for holding metallic or quill nibs. The cap or ferrule 1, 7, at the upper end of the pen-holder, is provided with a seal or stamp, which is to be withdrawn and placed upon the other end of the pen when not in use, or carried in the pocket. The method of using the pen is as follows:-In order to supply the cylinder with ink, the caps or ferrules 1, 1, and d, d, are first removed, and, by means of the milled boss h, the piston is screwed on to the upper extremity of the screw, and the cylinder is then filled with ink. The patentee remarks, that, owing to the greater amount of friction upon the outside of the piston than upon the inside, the piston will have no tendency to turn with the screw, and therefore no groove or other contrivance to prevent its revolving is necessary. The pen being now charged with ink, is ready for use, and as the supply becomes deficient, the screw c, must be turned to the right, which will bring down the piston and feed the pen with a fresh supply; but when it is required to stop the flow of ink altogether, the small cylinder i, i, must be turned to the left; whereby the orifice of the small bent tube k, k, will be closed. The cylinder i, i, is connected to the tube e, e, by a pin and slot, in such a manner as only to allow of its turning upon the tube e, e, to the right, a sufficient distance to open the