"soluble prussiate," or "any other analogous salt," may be used, either with or without a galvanic current, as for coating with silver. In these two last-mentioned improvements the article may either be of metal or coated with metal.

4th. Iron is prepared "for receiving a coating of copper," &c., by immersing it, connected with a strip of zinc, in dilute sulphuric acid, thus causing it to be "electro-negative" whilst cleaning. It is then placed in a "brass vessel" containing an acid solution of sulphate of copper, and having thus received "a thin film," is ready to be covered with any metal by a galvanic arrangement similar to that described for silvering, or "by other known means.”

[Printed, 5d. See Repertory of Arts, vol. 16 (new series), p. 239; London Journal (Newton's), vol. 19 (conjoined series), p. 83; Mechanics' Magazine, vol. 33, p. 397; and Inventors' Advocate, vol. 3, p. 228.]

A.D. 1840, May 7.-No 8499,

GROVER, HENRY MONTAGUE.-"An improved method of retarding and stopping railway trains.”

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This invention consists "in the application of the powers of an "electro-magnet, or of electro-magnets, or of magnetism gene"rally, whether applied directly or indirectly to any wheel or "wheels upon which a train or any portion of a train of carriages

or other vehicles upon any railway moves, or in any other man"ner." The Specification and Drawings describe and show an electro-magnet "applied to the face of the tire of one wheel of a "railway carriage, called a truck." An electro-magnet is fitted into a wooden block or box, covered with a lid, and is suspended from a transverse rod at the bottom of the truck, so as to hang within "half an inch, more or less, according to the power of the " magnet from the tire of the wheel." On the connection of the wires from the battery, which is placed in the truck, the adhesion of the electro-magnet to the tyre of the wheel "will impede or totally prevent its turning round, and thus retard or stop the "train of which the carriage, the wheel of which is thus acted upon, forms a part. Any number of the wheels of a carriage or "train may, of course, have these magnets applied to them, and "the retarding of each such wheel will be in proportion to the power of the magnetism so elicited and applied."

[Printed, 6d. See Mechanics' Magazine, vol. 33, p. 479; Inventors' Advocate, vol. 3, p. 307; and Engineers' and Architects' Journal, vol. 3, p. 429.]

A.D. 1840, August 27.--N° 8610.

LOCKETT, JOSEPH.-" Certain improvements in manufacturing, "preparing, and engraving cylinders, rollers, or other surfaces for "printing or embossing calicoes or other fabrics," relating to :

1st. The application of galvanic electricity to "recoating, "covering, or thickening" the cylinders, &c., used for calico printing; or to make new cylinders. This is done by taking a "mould or shaft," which may either be a conductor of electricity and "retained as a portion of the cylinder," or a non-conductor "subsequently rendered a conductor" by any of the usual means, and then removed from the cylinder when it has attained the requisite thickness." The "mould" is then covered with copper by the ordinary process of electro-deposition.

2nd. A “method of preparing surfaces by galvanic or voltaic electricity, applicable to cylinders, plates, or blocks for printing "or embossing calicoes and other fabrics." When any of the engraved ground is required to be obliterated or "rendered plain," those portions are left exposed, whereas the rest of the surface is coated with varnish; the exposed part is then coated with copper by galvanic agency in the usual manner.

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3rd. A "mechanical contrivance" for "cleaning, filing, or "turning off the superfluous portions of the copper thus deposited upon rollers or cylinders." This consists of a "rotary cutting "or filing tool" applied "either to the ordinary slide lathe or the " engraving machine commonly used for cylindrical engraving" and acting upon the cylinder, the cylinder being properly “sup'ported by and revolving on the mandril" of the lathe. The filing tool" is carried "from end to end of the roller" by a screw extending the whole length of the lathe, "or it may be slidden to any part of the bed by hand or otherwise," and has proper adjustments for regulating its speed and depth of cut.

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[Printed, 10d. See London Journal (Newton's), vol. 19 (conjoined series), p. 8; Mechanics' Magazine, vol. 34, p. 221; and Inventors' Advocate, vol. 4. p. 150.]

A.D. 1840, September 10.-N° 8625.

DENT, EDWARD JOHN.-" Certain improvements in clocks and "other timekeepers," consisting:

1st. "In giving the impulse to the pendulum of a clock at the "centre of percussion, or as near as practicable to that centre."

2nd. "In producing a compensation for the expansion and con"traction of the length of the pendulum arising from changes of temperature, by causing the arcs of oscillation to vary in an "inverse ratio to the variations of the length of the pendlum [pendulum?].

3rd. "In combining three or more main springs and barrels to "act simultaneously, without the medium fuzee, upon the train of "wheels of a chronomer" [chronometer?] "or other timekeeper." 4th. "In connecting three or more main spring arbors with a common arbor, whereby all the springs may be wound up at the same time by one application of the key."

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5th. "In withdrawing, as much as practicable, the atmospheric "air from the interior of an air-tight case containing a chronometer, "and in filling the space with a dry non-corroding gas such as hydrogen."

6th. "In the application of the well-known voltaic or electrometallurgic process to the depositing of a thin film of gold or "other metal, incorrodible by the atmosphere, upon the steel "balance spring and the compensation balance, the surface of "which having been cleaned with alkali or acid immediately previous to the application, in order that the metallic adhesion may be perfect and rust prevented, and consequently one cause "of variation in the rate of chronometers is thus avoided."

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[Printed, 9d. See Repertory of Arts, vol. 15 (new series), p. 280; Mechanics' Magazine, vol. 34, p. 249; and Inventors' Advocate, vol. 4, p, 180.]

A.D. 1840, September 24.-N° 8644.

PINKUS, HENRY.-" Improvements in the methods of applying "motive power to the impelling of machinery, applicable, amongst "other things, to impelling carriages on railways, on common "roads or ways, and through fields, and vessels afloat, and in the "methods of constructing the roads or ways on which carriages may be impelled or propelled," relating to :

1st. "Propulsion on railways" by means of the " "matic" force.

2nd. "Propulsion on canals" by means of the " "matic" force.

gaso-pneu

gaso-pneu

3rd. "Applying the aforesaid gaso-pneumatic principle to impelling machinery, to wit, the impelling engine described in my "said former Specification, dated twenty-fifth day of February

" 1841," [Does not this refer to No 8207, which was enrolled February 25, 1840?] and to "the purpose or purposes of a fireengine."

4th. "Effecting propulsion" on railways or canals by "steam power, in combination with the same, or parts of the same "impelling machinery or apparatus, in lieu of gaso-pneumatic "power."

5th. Effecting propulsion on railways, common ways, and canals, and through fields, by the application of electrical force, however generated.

This invention is applied to agricultural purposes, by either erecting a central station in which "an electric battery or batteries" are placed, or constructing "wells or tanks" too deep in the ground to interfere with agricultural operations; from which pipes containing bundles of insulated wires are laid, having at convenient places "vertical branches" with "boxes" in which are the loose ends of the wires; the wires are colored to distinguish their electric polarity. "To put implements into action," a locomotive engine is constructed, with a drum carrying and winding up the battery wires, and a "Taylor's," (See Letters Patent, No 8255?) or any other electro-magnetic engine.

Trains are stopped by electric agency as follows:-Batteries are placed at convenient distances along the line, and between each line of rails a light hollow "railway bar" is laid (in half mile lengths) having continuous bars of wood carrying two copper strips insulated from one another; the copper strips are in connection with two insulated wires in the interior of the hollow rail, thence with one of the batteries. By means of "an electro-mag"netic coupler" "composed of two masses of copper” insulated from one another, and suspended by a moveable joint to the locomotive engine, the stationary battery is connected at will with a "Taylor's," (or any other) electro-magnetic engine on the locomotive, which enables any person having charge of the railway to shut off the steam and blow the whistle. The "Taylor's" engine acts on the shut-off valve and steam whistle by means of a pulley, cord, and lever. A similar apparatus may be placed in the break carriage, and actuate the break when required. An electro-magnetic break is described, in which "a flexible armature," of "thin " laminated plates lying one on another," is attracted to an electromagnet, and actuates suitable levers. To prevent collision, a battery

on the locomotive may complete the circuit, whenever it gets on the same half mile length as another train, through the strips on the wooden bars. "Taylor's rotary wheel," or any other electromagnetic engine, may be used as 'the moving power on a loco"motive engine," "by taking up the electric force from the wires " laid down between the rails.

An electro-magnetic beam engine is described and shown, consisting of electro-magnets with horizontal surfaces, on each side of the beam, acting alternately on a "flexible armature" "formed "of thin laminated plates lying on one another," with one edge of which they are connected, thus enabling the beam to vibrate, and rotate a fly-wheel. This engine has a circuit breaker, consisting of a weighted lever in contact with one or other of two plates, according as a hammer jointed to an excentric stud on a rotating "circular cam" rests upon the lever plate or not.

The electro-magnetic force may be used on canals by means of the "dynamic impeller;" this consists of a frame travelling on a "suspension rail" (one of which is laid on one or both margins of the canal). To keep it properly balanced on the suspension rail, the dynamic impeller has, besides "travelling wheels,” “adhe"sion wheels" bearing against the sides of the rail, on whose axis pullies are attached, that carry a "cord or tow rope" passing round a pulley in the vessel; there are also weights to keep the principal weight below the centre of gravity. The wooden bars carrying the battery wires are supported on each side of the rail, and an electromagnetic engine may be placed either on the "impeller" or in the vessel.

The electro-magnetic force may be applied to railways by means of a "differential railway." Fixed engines, erected at suitable distances apart, give motion to bands passing round horizontal wheels mounted between the rails, the bands thus traversing beneath the carriages. The motion is communicated to the carriages by pullies or "impelling wheels," in a trench, at certain distances apart, which work into a flange bar at the bottom of the carriages.

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The electro-magnetic force may also be applied to putting impelling engines" in motion, in manufactories, by establishing "electric metallic circuits" from fixed stations containing batteries.

"The combinations of method and apparatus" set forth in this Specification for applying electric currents may be used "for the purposes of lighting places."