growth, the "aspiration" entirely failed; resinous trees absorbed less of the fluid than any other. The ends proposed to be attained by this process, were chiefly -preserving from dry-rot; increasing the hardness and the elasticity; preventing the usual changes of form or splitting; reducing the inflammability and giving various colours and odours, according to the nature of the fluid absorbed. Mr. Bethell remarked, that the process described in Dr, Boucherie's pamphlet, was identical with that patented by him July 11th 1838, two years before Dr. Boucherie's was mentioned in Paris, which was in June 1840. The specification filed by Mr. Bethell stated" that trees just cut down, may be rapidly impregnated with the solution of the first class, hereafter mentioned (among which is included the pryolignite of iron) by merely placing the butt ends in tanks containing the solution, which will circulate with the sap throughout the whole tree; or it may be done by means of bags, made of waterproof cloth, affixed to the butt ends of the trees and then filled with the liquid." Mr. Bethell found that some solutions were taken up more rapidly by the sap and circulated with it more freely than others, and the pryolignite of iron seemed to answer best; he had not hitherto introduced the process in England, because it was much more expensive than the oil of tar, the pyrolignite costing from 6d. to 9d. per gallon, and the oil being delivered at 3d. per gallon. Mr. Bethell had used similar tanks to those described in Mr. Timperley's paper, for preparing wood with the oil of tar, but as the oil is very penetrating, previous exhaustion of the air had been found unnecessary; the hydrostatic power being sufficient. The mode of working the tanks, was to charge them with timber, close them and fill them with the oil: a hydrostatic pressure of from 100 lbs. to 150 lbs. to the inch was applied by means of the force-pumps, and kept up for about six hours; this was sufficient to cause the wood to absorb from 35 to 40 gallons per load. By *See Specification in London Journal of Arts, March, 1842. this means, a charge of timber was easily prepared daily, the cost being about 14s. per load. This was the plan pursued at Manchester, for the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, by Mr. Buck (upon the recommendation of Mr. Robert Stephenson) and also at Bristol and Bridgewater, by Mr. Brunel. Mr. Bethell preferred egg-shaped ends for the tanks, as they resist the pressure better than flat ends. The solution of corrosive sublimate, used at Hull, appeared to Mr. Bethell to be very weak. The advice given by Sir Humphrey Davy to the Admiralty, many years since, was to use 1lb. of corrosive sublimate, dissolved in 4 gallons of water, and Mr. Kyan, in the specification of his patent, states that strength; but according to the paper it appeared that 45 gallons of water were used to 1 lb. of the salt, instead of 4 lbs. In answer to a question from Mr. Pellatt, Mr. Bethell stated that his experiments on the use of silicate of potash or soluble glass, for rendering wood uninflammable, were not yet concluded: he had proved its efficacy in this point-that as soon as the prepared timber was heated, the glass melted and formed a filmy covering over the surface, which protected it from the oxygen of the air and prevented its catching fire. The silicate also hardened the wood and rendered it more durable. This process was included in his patent of July 11th, 1838. Professor Brande could add but little to what had been said on the subject, but he mentioned a curious appearance in a beechtree in Sir John Sebright's park in Hertfordshire, which on being cut down, was found perfectly black all up the heart. On examination, it was discovered that the tree had grown upon a mass of iron scoriæ from an ancient furnace, and the wood had absorbed the salt of iron exactly in the same manner as had been described in the new process. The degrees of absorption of various solutions, by different woods, demanded careful experiments, as some curious results would be obtained: it was a question whether a solution of corrosive sublimate in turpentine, or in oil of coal-tar, would not be advantageous, as both substances were so readily absorbed by timber. Mr. Defries explained the construction and action of his Dry Gas Meter, which was exhibited before it was fixed in the Gallery of the Institution. The instrument consists of a hexagonal case, with three solid partitions radiating from the centre to the circumference; across each division, thus formed, is a flexible partition, to the centre of which is fixed a plate, connected by a lever and shafts with the valves on the top of the case; by means of a combination of levers and cranks, with a worm and screw, a circular motion is given to dials, indicating the quantity of gas which passes through the machine. The gas, on entering the upper chamber, passes through the valve into the first division, and distends the flexible partition until the lever is carried to a certain point, when by means of the connecting shaft, the inlet valve is closed, the outlet valve is opened, and the second division commences its action, which is continued by the third, thus producing an equal flow of gas; and an uniform motion is given to the counter-dials, which necessarily indicate the number of times the divisions have been inflated and emptied, and thus measure the quantity which has passed through in a given time. The instrument which was presented to the Institution, had its sides formed of glass, in order to show the action of the machinery. COPYRIGHT OF DESIGNS. Amid the long and tedious discussions which have occupied both Houses of Parliament, during the past Session, respecting the financial state of the country, we could hardly expect that any detailed improvements would have been attempted in the protection and encouragement of individual genius or ingenuity. We have, however, not only to congratulate literary authors on the extended possession their families will enjoy of the works which they have created, but also to draw the attention of all artists, connected with manufactures, to the extended protection, from piracy, their designs will receive, under an Act passed immediately before the prorogation of Parliament, entituled “An Act to Consolidate and Amend the Laws relating to the Copyright of Designs for Ornamenting Articles of Manufacture." By this Act, which comes into operation on the 1st of September, designs are registered under classes, of which there are thirteen in number; but, if it is required, the same design may be secured under two or more of the classes. The proper fees to be paid, and the duration of the term for protecting the pattern, are as under : Duration of Protection. yrs. mos. 3 0.-Class 1.-Articles of Manufacture composed wholly or chiefly of any Metal or mixed 3 0.-Class 2.-Articles of Manufacture composed 3 Fees paid to £3 0 0 100 1 0 0 0.-Class 3.-Articles of Manufacture composed 3 0.-Class 4.-Articles of Manufacture composed 3 0.—Class 5.-Paper Hangings 3 0.-Clase 6.-Carpets 1 0 0 0 10 0 1 0 0 9.-Class 7.- Shawls, if the design be applied solely by printing, or by any other process 0 10 1 0 0 3 0.-Class 8.-Shawls, not comprised in Class 7. - 0 1 0 9.-Class 10.-Woven fabrics, composed of Linen, duced upon tissue or textile fabrics; ex cepting the articles included in Class 11 - 0 1 0 3 0.-Class 11.-Woven fabrics, composed of Linen, Cotton, Wool, Silk, or Hair, or of any two or more of such materials, if the design be applied by printing, or by any other process by which colours are or may hereafter be produced upon tissue or textile fabrics, such woven fabrics being or coming within the description technically called furnitures, and the repeat of the design whereof shall be more than twelve inches by eight inches 1 0.-Class 12.-Woven fabrics, not comprised in any preceding Class 1 0.-Class 13.-Lace, and any article of manufac ture or substance, not comprised in any pre- 0 5 0 - 1 0 0 - 1 0 0 The duties of the Registrar are, that "he shall not register any design in respect of any application thereof to ornamenting any articles of manufacture or substance, unless he be furnished, in respect of each such application, with two copies, drawings, or prints of such design, accompanied with the name of every person who shall claim to be proprietor, or of the style or title of the firm under which such proprietor may be trading, with his place of abode or place of carrying on his business, or other place of address, and the number of the class in respect of which such registration is made; and the Registrar shall register all such copies, drawings, or prints, from time to time successively, as they are received by him for that purpose; and on every such copy, drawing, or print, he shall affix a number corresponding to such succession; and he shall retain one copy, drawing, or print, which he shall file in his office, and the other he shall return to the person by whom the same has been forwarded to him; and in order to give ready access to the copies of designs so registered, he shall class such copies of designs, and keep a proper index of each class." |
