the same manner as the angular roofs, described by Mr. Tilt in his Specification. The second part of this invention, consists in forming the coyer of a salt pan double, to contain brine in it, which brine will receive the heat from the steam, which is evaporated from the brine contained in the salt pan; but the brine contained in the double cover is not permitted to evaporate until it is drawn off into the salt pan, whereby crystallization is prevented within the double cover.

The above figure is a transverse section of a salt-pan with these improvements adapted to it; a, a, a, is the salt-pan, having four angular tubes or pipes b, b, b, b, extending from end to end; these tubes or pipes are connected together at one end by short pipes to a main steam pipe c, c, on the outside of the pan; this pipe conducts steam from a boiler to the angular tubes b, b, b, b, for the purpose of heating and evaporating the brine contained in the salt-pan a, a. To the ends of these angular tubes there are also affixed cocks or valves to permit the escape of the air, or the entering of the steam from the main-pipe c, and the condensed steam may be drawn-off from the angular tubes by small pipes.

In working the pan with this improvement the crystals of salt are to be removed from time to time from off the bottom of the salt-pan, by scraping underneath the angular pipes, and drawing the crystals of salt to the sides of the pan, and removing them by skimmers or perforated shovels in the usual way.

The second improvement is also shewn in the figure, and consists of the double cover ƒ, f, which from its peculiar construction has a larger surface for condensation, and conveys the condensed steam away, without permitting it to fall back again into the brine in the pan, thus possessing advantages over other angular or curved

covers.

The double cover is placed over and extends from end to end of the salt pan, by which means the steam as it rises from the brine, condenses on its under surface, and gives out its heat to the brine contained within it, until it becomes condensed, when it runs down the under surface, and is collected in the troughs g, g, formed on each side to receive and convey it away, without permitting it to fall into the brine; h, is a pipe for supplying brine to the double cover f, from a reservoir, which will cause it to be kept continually full of brine, and at the same time will not allow it to evaporate, until it is drawn off into the salt pipes by the press and cock i, whereby the brine does not crystallize within the cover; the brine heated in the cover is to be drawn off into the salt pan, from time to time in the same rate as is found to take place in the evaporation.

The Patentee states in conclusion, that having described the nature of his improvements, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, he wishes to observe that although he has shewn and described only four angular pipes or tubes b, yet he does not confine uimself to that number

nor to the angle shewn in his drawings, as the same may be varied, care being observed that they are constructed so that the crystals will not lodge as they are formed on their upper surfaces, but descend into the brine to the bottom of the pan.

The angular pipes or tubes the Patentee prefers to be made of copper, sufficiently strong to bear the pressure of the steam used for heating, yet he does not confine himself to the use of that metal, and that the angular pipes or tubes may have furnaces or fire places formed in them, as described in specification of Joseph Tilt. In constructing the double cover, he usually forms the same of iron or copper, in one continuous chamber, but it may be constructed in separate compartments, either running longitudinally or the reverse.

And he claims as his invention:-" first, the placing of angular pipes or tubes in salt pans, in the manner above described, for evaporating the brine, such angular pipes or tubes being above the bottom of the salt pans, and consequently having brine beneath them. Secondly, he claims the placing of a double cover over the surface of the brine undergoing evaporation, such double cover being filled with brine, to be heated by the steam arising from the salt pan, but the brine contained in the double cover, not being permitted to evaporate till it is drawn off into the salt pan, whereby the brine is prevented forming into crystals within the cover as above described.

~[Inrolled in the Petty Bag Office, August, 1831.]

To WILLIAM SUMNER, of Hose, in the county of Leices ter, lace-maker, for his having invented or found out certain improvements in machinery for making lace, commonly called bobbin-net.-[Sealed Feb. 6, 1831.]

THESE improvements consist in the construction of certain novel pieces of mechanism, and their adaptation to that part icular kind of machinery for making lace, known by the name of the Lever's machine. The object of these improvements is to enable the Lever's machine to make that peculiar sort of lace which is denominated in the trade fancy net, or bullet rolling, arranged in various patterns.

Se

These improvements may be described under three general heads-first, a mode of shogging or shifting laterally at intervals certain portions of the combs, by means of an indented wheel, acting against a sliding bar, on which these shifting portions of the combs are mounted. condly, a mode of shifting or shogging laterally certain of the pushers at intervals, corresponding with the movements of the combs above mentioned, in order to bring the said pushers into or out of action at those times; and, thirdly, the adaptation of a tappet or cam wheel, to shog or shift the point bar, in accordance with the other move

ments.

The operation of some of these parts very closely resembles the ordinary mode of forming selvages between the narrow stripes of lace called breadths when made in a Lever's machine, except that, instead of the long spaces between the selvages, which are connected together by a zigzag thread, the movements of the machinery, about to be described, cause the thread to traverse and occasionally to close the spaces forming the open parts of the net into circular holes.

The movements of the bobbins to produce the breadth, or series of narrow stripes, in one sheet, with distinct selvage on each strip are called turnagains (a term and operation well understood by lace-makers in general).

In plate IX, fig. 7, is an elevation of a machine for making lace, constructed on the Lever's principle; the general appearance of the front of the machine is here shewn, though some of its minor parts are omitted, and they are exhibited in the situations in which they are to be placed in the machine; a, a, is the warp roller; b, b, the work roller; c, c, the front point bar; d,d, the front pusher bar, on the top of which lies an auxiliary pusher bar e, e; on this bar e, e, are mounted a series of extra pushers to be occasionally brought into operation, as will be explained hereafter; f, f, f, is the bar carrying the extra combs to effect the turnagains; g, g, is a rod affixed to the turnagain comb bar, the extremity of which is acted upon by a horizontal wheel h, having indentations in its periphery. This wheel h, is mounted upon a perpendicular shaft, carrying a cog-wheel i; this cog-wheel, and consequently the shaft and the wheel h, is driven by a pinion upon the shaft j, which shaft is the axle of the Dawson's wheel; this shaft j, is to be actuated by a click as usual. The extra comb bar f, is kept stationary as long as the outer extremity of the rodg, works against the circular part of the periphery of the wheel h; but as that wheel revolves whenever one of the recesses or indulations in its periphery comes opposite to the outer extremity of ice rod g, the rod is allowed to slide to the right, and will then be drawn outwards a short distance by the force of a vertical spring, by which movement of the bar f, the extra combs are shogged or shifted one gate to the right hand, and on the circular part of the wheel h, coming round and acting again upon the end of the rod g, the bar is then