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salts, and thus increase the supply of nutriment for vegetables, and improve the quality of crops generally.

The means employed, by the patentee, for effecting this improvement, consist in drying up and solidifying phosphoric acid, and the common mineral acids, by mixing them with dry, porous, and absorbent matters, vegetable, animal, or mineral, such as bran, saw-dust, malt-dust, husks of seeds, brewers' grains, ground rags, pulverized rape or linseed cakes, refuse of flax, leaves and bark of trees, dry tan, siliceous sands, peat, or other sandy mould, dry earth, finely sifted cinders, and other like substances. When the acids are absorbed by any of these matters, and converted into powder, they may be more advantageously combined with alkaline substances, and worked into the ground in a dry state; the chemical action, above mentioned, taking place afterwards, when excited by the moisture present in the soil, or which may subsequently fall upon it.

The acids, used by the patentee, are phosphoric, nitric, muriatic, and sulphuric; the nitric acid being reduced to an uniform specific gravity of 1.200, and the sulphuric acid to 1.600.

The acidulous compounds or powders, which are produced from the acids, and afterwards mixed with alkaline substances, previous to their being used as manure, are five in number, viz., phosphoric compound or powder, acidulous nitric powder, acidulous muriatic powder, acidulous vitriolated powder, and consolidated acid compound.

The phosphoric compound or powder consists of an equal weight of apatite, or phosphorite, and sulphuric, or any other of the acids, which are mixed together, and agitated in an earthen vessel, for two or three days; the mixture is then converted into compost, by the addition of a sufficient quantity of some of the absorbent matters.

The acidulous nitric powder is made by mixing nitric acid with a sufficient quantity of absorbent matter, to form a dry compost; and when it is to be used as manure, an equal weight of powdered sulphate of lime is combined with it, and the mixture is packed in casks, or earthen jars, from which the air is carefully excluded.

The acidulous muriatic powder is composed in the same manner as that just described, with this exception, that muriatic acid is substituted for the nitric acid.

The acidulous vitriolated powder is produced by mixing sulphuric acid with enough absorbent matter to form a dry powdery compost; and to this compost, when required for agricultural purposes, an equal weight of dry powdered acidulous sulphate of soda, and also a like quantity of dry powdered acidulous sulphate of potash, are added.

The consolidated acid compound is formed by combining together two, or more, or even all the acidulous powders before described.

The alkaline substances, with which the acidulous powders are to be mixed, are the supercarbonates, carbonates, and even subcarbonates of soda, potash, and ammonia, and also the carbonate of lime. These substances, the patentee prefers to mix together in equal quantities, and thus produce what he calls the alkaline mixture, which is combined with any of the acidulous powders, in equal quantities, and is then termed the fertilizing compost or powder.

The patentee claims, Firstly.-The acid powdery compound, (five kinds of which are described,) whereby the hitherto liquid acids are rendered solid and portable, and thereby capable of being brought, advantageously and conveniently, into combination with alkalies, and alkaline earths.

Secondly. The combination of the acid powdery compound with an alkaline mixture, and the compost or manure thence resulting.

Thirdly. The compound resulting from the mixture of a mineral acid or acids with a porous powdery substance, so as to mechanically solidify the acid or acids, or absorb it or them, into the powder; and also the combination of such compound with alkaline or earthy carbonates, for the evolving of carbonic acid within the soil, and about the roots of vegetables, and for generating salts upon and within the ground itself, instead of spreading such salts, in crystals or powder, over the surface of the land, as heretofore.—[Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, November, 1842.]

TO SAMUEL HOWARD, of Manchester, engineer, for improvements in boilers and furnaces.-[Sealed 8th August, 1840.]

THESE improvements, in boilers and furnaces, consist, Firstly. In certain peculiarities of form and construction of boiler, whereby a considerable increase of heated surface is obtained; also a mode of feeding the boiler with water, when required, which is applicable to marine, stationary, and auxiliary boilers.

Secondly. In certain peculiarities of arrangement and construction of furnaces, whereby the gases or vapours, emitted from the fuel in a state of combustion, are made available for producing heat, thus lessening the amount of fuel consumed; and also a means of regulating the draft in such furnaces. This part of the invention is applicable in all cases where furnaces or fire-places are used.

In Plate XVI., fig. 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of a marine boiler, shewing the improvements, as applied thereto; fig. 2, is a transverse section of the same, in the line a, b, fig. 1; figs. 3 and 4, represent, in longitudinal and transverse vertical section, a boiler for stationary engines; and figs. 5 and 6, are similar views of a common waggon boiler, with the improved auxiliary adapted thereto,

It will be observed, on reference to fig. 2, that the boiler is divided into three compartments, marked A, B, and C, the two outer ones, a, and c, being furnished with a pipe D, through which the steam, generated in each of them, is conducted to the chamber E, which also receives that from the centre compartment B; in this chamber is placed the steam-pipe, as shewn in fig. 1.-F, F, are a series of waterchambers, so formed and arranged, with regard to the flues G, G, that the heat is made to pass through the entire series, in a sort of grooved passage or way, taking a slight rise, somewhat in the form of a spiral coil, as shewn in the section, fig. 2, so that its progress constantly tends towards the upper chambers, and thus a large surface of water is exposed to the action of heat, and a rapid generation of

steam effected. It will be further perceived, on reference to the same figure, that each set of fire-places and flues is contained in a case, entirely surrounded with water, thus bringing an additional surface in contact with a strong heat, for the purpose of generating steam.

The apparatus (marked н,) for feeding the boiler with water, is shewn, in section, at fig. 3.—a, is a pipe, communicating with a cistern or water-tank, (not shewn in the drawing,) which tank, through the medium of a pipe, in connection with the ordinary feed-pipe, receives the overplus of water supplied; through this pipe a, water may enter into the upper part of the cylindrical vessel b, which is so constructed, that in its centre, and at its lower extremity, a kind of neck is formed, for the purpose of regulating the admission of water into the boiler, by means of the valves C, and d; these valves are fixed upon rods e, and fit into conical seats, made in the necks of the vessel b; the action of this piece of apparatus is as follows:-The lower end of the vertical rod, to which the valve d, is attached, being jointed to a lever f, having its fulcrum at g, and this lever having, at its other extremity, a rod, to which a float is suspended, as the level of the water in the boiler sinks, the lower valve d, will rise from its seat, by the ascent of that end of the lever f, which is connected with the rod e, consequent upon the depression of the opposite end of the same lever, by the descent of the float; it will, therefore, be obvious, that the boiler is now enabled to receive a fresh supply of water from the vessel b, as soon as the upper valve c, is opened, which may be done, either by a rod on the end of the chain, attached to the rod h, in the hands of the workman, or it may be done (as shewn) in connection with the apparatus for regulating the draft of the furnace, hereinafter to be described. It will also be understood, that as the level of the water in the boiler rises, the lower valve d, will be closed, through the connection shewn between it and the float, and consequently prevent the admission of more water.

The improvements in boilers, for stationary engines, are shewn at figs. 3 and 4. On reference to the former figure,

it will be seen that the under side is made to assume a curved form, (which might be varied from that shewn if found desirable,) the object being to increase the heated surface.

The improvements, as applied to auxiliary boilers, are represented at figs. 5 and 6, the former being a longitudinal section, taken through the centre of the boiler, and the latter a transverse section, in the line c, d.

It will be perceived, that in these figures, a common waggon boiler is represented, with the addition of an auxiliary boiler, as at N, placed underneath, and communicating with it through the pipes I, K. From the situation of the auxiliary boiler, (as seen at fig. 6,) it must be obvious, that all its parts are well exposed to the action of the fire. These auxiliaries apply also to round boilers, with slight variations of form and construction.

In order to describe the improvements relating to furnaces, reference must again be had to the figures, from 1 to 6, in all which, as also in figs. 7 and 8, the improved furnaces are exhibited.

The intention of the patentee, in the application and construction of these furnaces, is to introduce a method of carbonizing or coking the fuel before it is consumed, and thus separate the component gases, which being afterwards passed over a strong fire, are availably consumed. The manner in which this is effected, will be seen by reference to fig. 3. A fire is first made in the upper and lower fireplaces L, and M; a charge of fuel is then placed upon the carbonizing plate N, and this, being heated, extracts its gases, which, in passing over the fire, are consumed; the fuel, in a carbonized state, is then pressed upon the bars, and the plate N, re-charged.

At figs. 5 and 6, is represented a furnace, embodying similar advantages to that just described, viz., a thorough consumption of the gases contained in the fuel, and the equal distribution of heat to all parts of the boiler. The improved furnace is here shewn, applied to an ordinary waggon boiler, with its auxiliary. In this furnace, an arch is also shewn, within a short space of the boiler, under which is a passage for the heavy gases.

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