v, v, are attached to the outer ends of these axles. Under the roller v, v, powerful springs w, act, for the purpose of raising the rollers, and with them the bridge-piece u, and presser t, whilst the rags are moving forward toward the cutter; but when the excentrics h, h, and their rods i, i, depress the levers k, k, then the tops of the slots in k, k, come down upon the ends of the bridge-piece u, u, and cause it to descend, and bring down the presser t, upon the rags, as represented in fig. 7, by which the rags are held firmly, whilst the cutter is in operation.

The following is the method in which the cutter is actuated:-The middle of the main shaft c, is formed as a crank, and this crank is connected to the plunger e. This plunger, by means of jointed links, carries the bolt f, into the lower end of which the cutter-frame g, is screwed. The rotation of the main shaft, therefore, causes the plunger-bolt and cutter-frame to rise and fall with reciprocating movements. The descent of these parts, at the moment when the feeding is at rest, causes the edge of the moving cutter x, fixed in the frame g, to pass the edge of the stationary cutter or ledger-blade y, fixed to the bed of the machine, and in so doing to chop or cut off so much of the rags, rope, junk, or other materials, as have been protruded through the opening between the two cutting edges, by the feeding operation, when the moveable cutter was raised. The rags, &c., thus cut off, fall down through the opening, in the bed of the machine, into a suitable receiver below, and are thence taken to be washed and beaten into pulp, in the ordinary way. The back of the frame g, extends downward and forms a guide to the moving cutter, at the back of which an adjustable bar x, is placed. This bar being pressed forward by screws, keeps the moveable cutter x, in contact with the stationary cutter or ledgerblade y, and at any time may be adjusted, as circumstances require.

Another mode of feeding the rags into a cutting machine, is shewn in fig. 11, which represents, in sectional elevation, so much of the cutting machine as may be necessary, to illustrate its action.

The parts of this machine, as respects the cutter and its appendages, are the same in construction and action, as before described, the feeding alone being different. The rags or other materials to be cut, are placed upon the endless feeding-band j, j, as before, and are advanced toward the cutter by the rotation of the feeding-rollers o, and n, which may be effected in any convenient way. By the advance of the endless band j, j, the rags are brought on to the bottom of a trough A, immediately in front of the cutter x. Let it be supposed that the rags, &c., now occupy the bottom of the trough A, the pressing-plate B, attached by a joint to the end of the lever c, is to be brought down upon the rags, into the situation shewn by dots, which is effected by a sliding movement given to the pressing-lever. This lever c, is mounted upon a fulcrum-pin D, the ends of which are fixed in plummer-blocks, sliding in long slots, cut in the standards E, as shewn by dots. The longer arm of the pressing-lever c, is connected by a rod F, to a forked arm G, attached to the rings which embrace the excentrics. or arm h. It will hence be perceived, that as the main shaft c, revolves, its crank will cause the bolt f, and cutterframe g, to be raised and depressed, as before described; and the cutter x, in passing the ledger-blade y, will chop or slice the rags, &c., advanced from the trough A, and protruded through the opening. The excentrics or cams h, h, are so fixed on the main shaft, that before the cutter x, is brought down, they will cause the excentric rings G, and rod F, to draw the pressing-lever c, forward into the position shewn by dots, and the plate в, down upon the rags, in the trough ; in doing which, the axle or fulcrum-pin D, with its plummer-blocks, will be slidden in the long slots of the standards F, and the pressing-plate B, at the end of the lever c, will be brought forward, so as to protrude the rags through the opening between the cutters.

It is only further necessary to observe, that in order to allow for any inequality in the thickness of the mass of rags, or other materials, in the trough A, some elasticity must be given to the rod F, which connects the end of the pressinglever to the excentrics or cams h, h. This is done by form2 Q

VOL. XXI.

ing the connecting-rod F, as a piston, working in a socket, in the forked arm G, of the excentric rings, and inserting, into the socket, a helical spring, sufficiently strong to produce the required pressure on the rags.

The advance of the plummer-blocks and fulcrum-pin D, may be made the means of feeding-in the rags, by connecting to this pin a long rod н, having a claw at its end, acting upon a ratchet-wheel, fixed on the axle of the feeding-roller n, by which means, every time that the presserlever is advanced, the endless band j, j, with the rags, &c., will be moved onward also. As the pressing-lever c, with its plate B, recedes from the cutter, (aided by the helical spring K,) the hinder part of the plate will be raised by the power of a tongue-spring 1, which enables the plate to slide back over the mass of rags, and prevent their being dragged away from the cutter.

The patentee claims, firstly, the peculiar constructions of the joints and connecting parts of the moveable chaps and handles of the shears, scissors, snuffers, or other cutting, cropping, or nipping apparatus, as shewn in the drawings, and the adaptation of the same contrivances to other similar kinds of apparatus, whatever may be their general forms or fashions; secondly, the arrangements and constructions of the parts of a machine, for chopping or cutting rags and other fibrous materials, for paper-making and other uses, as exhibited in the accompanying drawings; and thirdly, the means or methods of tightening or pressing together, and adjusting the cutting edges of the several scissors, snuffers, shears, and other cutting apparatus, as shewn in the drawings, and described above.-[Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, April, 1842.]

Specification drawn by Messrs. Newton and Son.

TO STEPHEN GOLDNER, of West-street, Finsbury-circus, merchant, for improvements in preserving animal and vegetable snbstances and liquids.-[Sealed 8th March,

THIS invention consists in a mode of driving out the atmos

pheric air from the cases in which animal and vegetable substances, and the liquids produced therefrom, are to be preserved.

This is effected by placing the cases in troughs, containing a solution of muriate of lime, or nitrate of soda, and then heating the solution by steam; by which means, an equal temperature is maintained, and the air expelled, without any danger of the substances in the cases being burnt, as frequently occurs when the cases are heated by stoves or ovens.-[Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, September, 1841.]

To LAURENCE KORTRIGHT, of Oak Hall, East Ham, in the county of Essex, Esq., for certain improvements in treating and preparing the substance commonly called whalebone, and the fins and such like other parts of whales, and rendering the same fit for various commercial and useful purposes,-being a communication.[Sealed 17th March, 1841.]

THIS invention consists in an improved process of treating and operating upon strips or pieces of whalebone, in order to compress them in width, and thereby increase their thickness, so as to render that material applicable for forming walking-sticks, whip-handles, parasol and umbrella-sticks, ram-rods, archery-bows, and many other articles of common use, to which such strips or pieces would not otherwise be applicable; and also in new or improved machinery or apparatus for effecting the compression of the said strips of whalebone.

It is well known that whalebone is generally sold by the merchant to the manufacturer, in bundles of long strips or pieces, or as they are split from the fin; and the breadth of these pieces greatly exceeds their thickness. It is but seldom (when so split or separated from the fin or mass) that any piece or strip can be obtained, of sufficient thickness to form any of the articles above mentioned; and even

when this may happen to be the case, the middle parts of such pieces are found to be of a different quality, and more porous, or less compact than the outsides; whereas, by this invention, these pieces are pressed edgewise, which condenses all the parts into a round oval or other form, and when properly dressed and polished, will be applicable to the above-named purposes.

The strips of whalebone being first assorted, as to length, thickness, and breadth, are then placed between two laths of wood, or other suitable substance, and the whole is slightly bound together, and then introduced into a steamtight tube or box, open at one end, and in immediate connection with a steam-boiler, placed over a suitable furnace, and supplied with water, as required, by means of a forcepump, or other means, and also a safety-valve and steamgauge, if thought desirable. The steam-box or tube may be placed either horizontal or vertical, or at any required angle, and its other end closed, by a steam-tight lid or cover, capable of being opened and closed at pleasure, in order to introduce or remove the strips of whalebone, which, being confined between the laths of wood, are submitted to the action of the steam, for the required space of time, according to their size or thickness, so as to render them sufficiently soft for the next operation, viz., that of compressing. The steam acts on the wood and whalebone at the same time, and by softening the wood, renders it more fit for this purpose.

The compressing machine, represented in Plate XVII., consists of a table or bed, having strong arches thrown over it, with powerful levers, their longer arms being connected to chains or ropes and windlasses, and their other or shorter ends acting upon one or more presser-bars, placed over the opening or space, between two moveable side-chaps or clamp-bars, lying upon the table or bed of the machine. Between these two side-chaps, the strips or pieces of whalebone are placed, and these side presser-bars are brought together by any suitable mechanical agents or means, so as to prevent the bending of the pieces of whalebone edgewise, while they are being compressed; and, if required,