William Henry Bailey Webster, of Ipswich, surgeon, for improvements in preparing skins and other animal matters, for the purpose of tanning; and in the manufacture of gelatine.-Sealed 25th November-6 months for inrol

ment.

Oliver Louis Reynolds, of King-street, Ceeapside, merchant, for certain improvements in machinery for producing stocking fabric, or frame-work knitting,-being a communication.-Sealed 25th November-6 months for inrolment.

Nathaniel Batho, of Manchester, engineer, for certain improvements in machinery, tools, or apparatus, for planeing turning, boring, or cutting metals and other substances.-Sealed 25th November-6 months for inrolment.

Frederic Theodore Philippi, of Bellfield Hall, calico printer, for certain improvements in the art of printing cotton, silk, and other woven fabrics.-Sealed 25th November-6 months for inrolment.

James Lee Hannah, of Brighton, Doctor of Medicine, for an improvement or improvements in fire escapes.Sealed 25th November-6 months for inrolment.

Robert Roberts, of the Township of Bradford, blacksmith, for a new method or process for case-hardening iron. -Sealed 25th November-6 months for inrolment.

Henry Walker Wood, of Chester-square, gentleman, for an improvement in producing an uneven surface in wood and other substances,-being a communication.-Sealed 25th November-6 months for inrolment.

THE

London

JOURNAL AND REPERTORY

OF

Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures.

CONJOINED SERIES.

No. CVIII.

Recent Patents.

TO JOHN MELLING, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, engineer, for his invention of certain improvements in locomotive steam-engines, to be used upon railways, or other roads, part of which improvements are also applicable to stationary steam-engines, and to machinery in general.-[Sealed 26th July, 1837.]

THESE improvements in locomotive steam-engines, to be used upon railways and other roads, part or parts of which improvements are applicable to stationary steam-engines, and to machinery in general, consist, firstly, in a new mode of coupling those wheels of locomotive engines, which are fixed upon the crank axles, and made to revolve, by the direct power of the engine, with the ordinary running wheels of the carriage, mounted upon independent axles, in order that all the wheels may be made to move simultaneously, and prevent the possibility of any of them slipping upon the rails, to which locomotive engines are now generally

VOL. XVII.

X

subject, when any portion of the rails are wet or greasy, and in snowy or frosty weather; which slipping causes the engine to perform a much longer journey than the actual length of the line of railway, and consequently, to consume a greater quantity of fuel than is necessary, as well as very materially injuring the surfaces of the rails, and causing very irregular wear upon the periphery, or tire of the engine carriage wheels. It is well known that the carriage wheels of locomotive engines have previously been coupled together, in order to obviate this defect; but it has been done with a very inconvenient arrangement of outside cranks and connecting rods; and as to this method, many practical objections belong, which although not of sufficient importance to prevent its adaptation to engines used to transmit heavy loads, have nevertheless much limited its application to those constructed to run at greater velocities.

My improved method of coupling the engine wheels, is effected by the application of a pair of friction wheels or rollers, of any suitable diameter, placed between the peripheries of the driving wheels and the running wheels of the locomotive carriage. This assistance is however only required in those instances where the weight upon all the wheels is not uniform or sufficient to prevent some of them slipping upon the rails;—the quantity or degree of fiction being readily accommodated to circumstances, and the connection or coupling between any two wheels, whatever their respective diameters, may be produced or removed at pleasure.

This contrivance is very advantageous in comparison with the old mode of coupling, as, if the rails are dry and the adhesion is sufficient, the coupling or friction wheels may be lifted off and remain idle; but in the present system of coupling by cranks and connecting rods, they must always continue working, and thus, at certain times, only act as an incumbrance.

Another important feature in this improved mode of coupling the wheels, is the smoothness with which the engine works when the cranks are passing their centres, instead of being subjected to the sudden blows and jerks which occur to engines coupled in the ordinary manner. This improvement is effected by transmitting a considerable portion of the weight from the cranked or driving axle to the straight or independent axle, and entirely prevents the tremulous lateral motion of ordinary locomotive engines; and when passing over inequalities in the surface of the road, tending greatly to prevent the destruction of the engine springs, and the beating of the rails, usually attendant upon such occurrences.

Secondly, my improvements consist in the application of an apparatus to the running wheels of locomotive engines, tenders, or passenger or luggage carriages, to act as a "drag" or retarder to the revolution of the wheels, for the purpose of causing the carriage to stop immediately, in case of accident, or under any other circumstance, requiring the use of a brake. The ordinary mode of applying the brake to the running wheels, is by expanding two pointed pieces of timber by means of a wedge and screw, and thereby bringing their surfaces in contact with the peripheries of the running wheels, in order to produce sufficient friction to impede their progress. Such modes are not only expensive, owing to the rapid wear of the wood, but in wet weather have been found to be exceedingly unsafe, as sufficient friction is not to be obtained to hold the wheels.

My third improvement consists in a combination of apparatus for working the slide valves of locomotive steamengines; by which apparatus I am enabled entirely to dispense with the imperfect mode of working them by excentrics, as hitherto practised; and this part of my improvements is equally applicable to marine and stationary steam