and other fibrous substances. Sealed 14th March-6 months for inrolment. Frederick William Michael Collins and Alfred Reynolds, both of Charterhouse-square, Middlesex, engravers and printers, for improvements in the art of ornamenting china, earthenware, and glass. Sealed 14th March-6 months for inrolment. John Hosmer, of New-cross, Surrey, surveyor, for improvements in apparatus for supplying water, and for cleansing drains and sewers. Sealed 16th March-6 months for inrolment. George Ellins, of Droitwich, Worcestershire, salt manufacturer, for certain improvements in manufacturing salt, and in apparatus for manufacturing salt. Sealed 22nd March-6 months for inrolment.

William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery-lane, Middlesex, civil engineer, for an improvement or improvements in coupling joints for pipes, nozzles, stopcocks, still and cylinder heads, and other apparatus,-being a communication. Sealed 22nd March-6 months for inrolment. Henry Bessemer, of Saint Pancras-road, Middlesex, engineer, for improvements in the manufacture of glass. Sealed 22nd March-6 months for inrolment.

Sealed

William Henderson, of Park Head, Lanarkshire, Scotland, chemist, for improvements in treating lead and other ores. 22nd March-6 months for inrolment.

Joseph Orsi, of Guildhall Chambers, Gent., for certain improvements in the manufacture of artificial stone, cements, ornamental tiles, bricks, and quarries,-being a communication. Sealed 22nd March-6 months for inrolment.

William James Dailey, of Lambeth, Surrey, lithographer, for certain improvements in machinery for propelling. Sealed 22nd March—6 months for inrolment.

John Lawes Cole, of Lucas-street, Middlesex, engineer, for certain improvements in steam-engines. Sealed 22nd March—6 months for inrolment.

Benjamin Grey Babington, of George-street, Hanover-square, Middlesex, M.D., and John Spurgin, of Guildford-street, Middlesex, M.D., for improvements in the manufacture of metalSealed 27th March-6 months for inrolment.

lic pens.

CELESTIAL PHENOMENA FOR APRIL, 1848.

in conj. with the D diff. of dec. 21 7 51 's fourth sat. will em.

THE

LONDON JOURNAL,

AND

REPERTORY

OF

Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures.

CONJOINED SERIES.

No. CXCVII.

RECENT PATENTS.

TO JOHN PLATT, of Oldham, in the county of Lancaster, machine-maker, for certain improvements in the method of consuming smoke and economizing fuel.-[Sealed 11th January, 1847.]

THIS invention of improvements in the method of consuming smoke and economizing fuel is applicable, principally, to the furnaces of steam-boilers, and consists, firstly, in the application of a valve or damper, to admit air into the main flue between the furnace and the chimney at proper intervals, so as to stop the great draft through the furnace; which damper is opened or closed by the action of the steam-gauge, in connection with the boiler; secondly, in admitting a current of air into the ash-pit when necessary, which is also regulated by the steam-gauge aforesaid; thirdly, in causing the said steam-gauge to stop or start the feeding apparatus when required; and fourthly, in so forming and arranging the fire-bars as to keep a thin red fire at that end of the furnace nearest the bridge, for the purpose of consuming the smoke as it passes over from the fresh fuel.

In Plate X. the improvements are shewn as applied to the furnace of an ordinary tubular steam-boiler. Fig. 1, represents a side elevation of the apparatus, and fig. 2, a front view of the same. a, a, is the main framing, supporting the

VOL. XXXII.

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cylindrical casing b, b, of the steam-gauge; and c, c, is an inner cylinder, closed at its upper end, and suspended by the pressure of the steam: it is counterbalanced by the lever and weight d, d. The space between the two cylinders is packed with water or other suitable fluid; and steam is admitted from the boiler to the interior of the inner cylinder c, c, by the pipe e. Any variation in the pressure of the steam will, owing to the cylinder being evenly balanced, cause the cylinder c, to rise or fall, and, by means of the upright rod f, actuate the bent lever g, and thus slightly alter the position of the excentric rod h. The excentric rim or clip i, i*, of this rod is so formed (see the sectional view, fig. 3,) that only one edge at a time can be in gear with the excentrick, which it embraces. This excentric revolves by means of the worm-wheel 7, on its shaft, being actuated by the worm m, upon the upright shaft n; which shaft is driven by a band, from the feeding apparatus, passing around a pulley at its upper end, or in any other convenient manner. The excentric rod

h, is suspended from the ceiling by a chain or cord h*, and, being connected to the shaft o, by the lever p, rod q, and lever r, as the excentric k, revolves, it will cause the shaft o, to perform part of a revolution, either in one direction or the other (according to which side of the rim i, i*, is in contact with the excentric), and vibrate the lever s, which, being connected by the rod t, to the valve in the main flue, will open or close that valve as required.

The connection of the apparatus with the boiler, furnace, and flues, is shewn at figs. 4, and 5; fig. 4, being a longitudinal section, and fig. 5, a plan view of a tubular boiler and furnace, with the apparatus attached thereto. A, is the brickwork, supporting the boiler B; and c, is the main flue, leading to the chimney. This flue communicates with the atmosphere by the upright flue D, which is opened or closed by a valve or damper E, connected by the rods and levers t, to the screw s. u, (figs. 1, and 2,) is an overflow pipe, to convey off the superfluous water from the steam-gauge; and v, is a pipe for blowing the steam through to clear the passages. It will be seen, that when the inner cylinder c, of the steamgauge rises (owing to the increased pressure of the steam),

the lever g, will throw the side i*, of the excentric clip or rim into gear with the excentric k; and thus, by means of the rods and levers aforesaid, open the valve E, and allow the draft of the chimney to draw the air down the flue D, and, consequently, diminish the draft through the furnace. When the steam is too low, the valve E, is closed by the action of the steam-gauge, and the second part of the invention comes into operation. The ash-pit F, is closed, and has a flue G, connecting it with the fan or blower н, or with any convenient apparatus for creating a current of air. The flue G, is furnished with a valve 1, which is opened or closed by the vibration of the shaft o, it being connected therewith by the lever w, and rod K; or the rod K, may be made to stop the fan н, instead of closing a valve in the flue G. The vibration of the shaft o, (consequent upon the rising and falling of the cylinder c, of the steam-gauge) also throws the strap, which drives the feeding apparatus, on to the fast or loose pulley, so as to stop and start the feeding at proper intervals, by means of the lever x, upon the shaft o, which carries the strap-fork or guide y., is the driving-shaft of the feeding apparatus; and 1, 2, are the fast and loose pulleys.

The peculiar form and arrangement of the fire-bars is seen at fig. 4. L, M, are the fire-bars; the end м, being raised, so that there is always a thin red fire at that end, which will consume the smoke that passes over it from the fresh fuel.

The patentee claims, Firstly, the method of causing the increased pressure of the steam to admit air into the main flue between the furnace and the chimney, thereby, in a great measure, stopping the draft of the furnace. Secondly,—the method of admitting a current of air into the ash-pit, when necessary, by the action of the steam-gauge. Thirdly, the method of causing the said steam-gauge to stop and start the fuel feeding apparatus when necessary. And, Fourthly,the peculiar form or construction of the fire-bars, as shewn in the drawings, and above described, for the purposes of consuming smoke and economizing fuel.-[Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, July, 1847.]

Specification drawn by Messrs. Newton and Son.

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