Page:Scientific American - Series 1 - Volume 001 - Issue 20.pdf/1

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

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THE ADVOCATE OF INDUSTRY AND ENTERPRISE, AND JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.

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THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN,

PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING, AT THE

SUN BUILDINGS,

—Entrance 128 Fulton st., and 89 Nassau st.­—

ALSO, AT NO. 12 STATE ST., BOSTON, AND NO. 21 ARCADE, PHILADELPHIA.

(The Principal Office being at New York.)

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By RUFUS PORTER.

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Each number of this paper is furnished with from two to five ORIGINAL ENGRAVINGS, many of them elegant, and illustrative of NEW INVENTIONS, SCIENTIFIC PRINCI­PLES, and CURIOSITIES; and contains as much Interest­ing Intelligence as six ordinary daily papers, consisting of notices of the progress of Mechanical and other Scienti­fic Improvements,—American and Foreign Inventions; Catalogues of American Patents,—Scientific Essays, illustrative of the principles of the Sciences of MECHANICS, CHEMISTRY, and ARCHITECTURE:—Instruction in various Arts and Trades;—Curious Philosophical Experiments;—Miscellaneous Intelligence, Poetry and, occasionally, Music.

TERMS.—"The Scientific American" will be furnished to subscribers at $2, per annum, —one dollar in advance, and the balance in six months.

Five copies will be sent to one address six months, for four dollars in advance.

Any person procuring two or more subscribers, will be entitles to a commision of twenty-five cents each.

TERMS OF ADVERTISING.—For 10 lines, or less, 50 cents for the first, and 12 1-2 cents for every subsequent insertion.

A Gallop on the Grand Prairie. (A WESTERN SONG.)

Away we go on the boundless lea,
Like uncaged birds on the deep blue sea;
As blithe, as fearless, as wild and free,
On the Grand Prairie.

Away, away on our coursers fleet,
Where the grass is green, the air is sweet,
Where the earth and sky like lovers meet,
On the Grand Prairie.

Now we are leaving the forest trees;
Flying along like the fairy breeze,
Midst budding flowers and hummin bees,
On the Grand Prairie.

Now Sol comes up in his proud array;
Look, look at those golden clouds that lay
Like shining curls on the brow of day,
On the Grand Prairie.

It is as if morning, fresh and fair,
Threw back her tresses of yellow hair,
To breathe the balm of the fragrant air,
On the Grand Prairie.

And there, see there is a shining stream.
Laughing along in the morning beam;
A charm, a spell, a poet's dream,
Is the Grand Prairie.

On, on we speed, there is naught in sight,
But the beading sky, so blue and bright,
And the glowing, sparkling sheen of light,
On the Grand Prairie.

It seems to me that an angel band
Passed o'er the earth with a magic wand,
And waved the beauties of fairy land
To the Grand Prairie.

Oh! night, how glorious night must be,
Where there is no mountain tower or tree,
To conceal the blaze of her jewelry,
On the Grand Prairie.

When she dons her veil of silvery blue;
When the moon is bright, the sky is blue;
When the stars like angel eyes look shrough
On the Grand Prairie.

Tell not of your hills, so wild and high,
Mountains that rise to the bright blue sky;
I'd rather live and I'd rather die
On the Grand Prairie.

Keep, keep the city, the burgh, the town,
Where the air is damp, the light is brown;
Give me a spot where the sun looks down
On the Grand Prairie.

Seek ye the mirth that the heart beguiles?
You'll find it not in your marble piles;
It dwells where the lips are wreathed in smiles
On the Grand Prairie.

Want ye the happiness truth imparts;
Clear heads, strong arms and noble hearts?
Come ye away from your crowded marts,
To the Grand Prairie.

Sigh ye for the love that true hearts prize;
The kindly feelings that scorn disguise?
Then come where the soul looks through the eyes,
On the Grand Prairie.

Would you see women as fresh and fair
As wild flowers in their beauty are?
Come, come from the sultry city's glare,
To the Grand Prairie.

The oppressor's tread may never stain
The glorious soil of this lovely plain,
For liberty holds her court and reign
On the Grand Prairie.

Bank Note Lyric

Bank notes, it is said, once gold guineas defied, To swim in the torrent of trade's swelling tide; But ere they arrived at the opposite brink; The notes loudly cried, "help! cash-us we sink!"

That papers should sink, and that guineas should swim May appear to some folks a ridiculous whim; But ere they condemn, let them hear this suggestion­— In pun making, gravity's out of the question.

BEST MODE OF RAISING WATER.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. —We have heretofore intimated an intention of introducing an invention, which would effectually steer a ship to any point of compass without the aid of a helmsman; we have already explained the principles of electro-magnetism, so far as to show some of the effects that may be produced by the connection and disconnection of the galvanic circuit; but as that agent can not conveniently furnish a suffi­cient power to govern a ship's helm, we find it requisite to introduce other subjects preliminary to that of steering. Every experienced mariner is aware of the inefficiency of the ordinary pumps used on board vessels, to keep the hold free of water in cases of extensive leakage in tempestuous weather, partly on account of their delicate construction, and liability to get out of order, but principally on account of their incapacity of discharging water in sufficient quantities, by the mere manual strength of a few exhausted seamen. To remedy this deficiency we here in­troduce a very simple plan, easy of construction and very permanent, by which several hundred gallons of water per minute, may be discharged, and that without any exertion on the part of the crew.

EXPLANATION. —This engraving represents a section of the hull of a marine vessel, with two pumps of peculiar construction, with sections of the apparatus for working them. The pumps, A A, consist of square vertical flumes, two or three feet in diameter made of planks, supported and bound together by either iron bands, or frames of timber, locked at the corners. In each flume is a horizontal piston, B B, also made of planks, and of dimensions corresponding with the interior of the flume; and from the centre of the piston an iron rod, B C, extends up to a horizontal lever beam, D E, above the deck. Near the bottom of each flume is a fixed seat, F F, also made of planks, and each seat and piston is furnished with two large clapper valves, opening upward. The pistons are mare to move freely in the flume, but require no packing, nor even the a leather edging. The two lever beams above deck, are each connected by a rivet bolt in a central upright port, D, and from the extreme end, E, of each beam, a rod extends to a buoy, G, which floats on the surface of the water. In this view, a section only of the buoys are shown, which gives them a round appearance: but in the outline sketch, fig. 2, it will be seen that the buoy G is a revoloidal-spindle figure, which has been proves in a former number to be almost perfectly free from encountering resistance in passing through fluids. These buoys are governed and kept in place by means of double brace rods, G H. fig. 2, the lever-beam being shown at E. H is an arm which projects 6 or 8 feet horizontally from the side of the vssel, as shown H I, in a vertical view, fig. 3; and from the points H and I, the brace rods extends to the buoy G. It will be readily understood that the pumps are to be operated by the power of the buoys, moving with the undulations of the water; and that consequently, in the more rough and turbulent, they will operate the more powerful. The buoys with the apparatus connected, may be readily taken on board the vessel, when not required in operation, and will not be found inconvenient of stowage or management. This mode of raising water is peculiarly applicable in all cases where water is to be raisen in large quantities for milling purposes or for irrigation of lands, in which cases one lever beam may be balanced on the centre post, D, and one of the connecting rods, E, may be connected to the crank of a water wheel or the piston rod of a steam engine.

A RAILWAY RACE. —The editor of the London Chronicle gives the following account of an exciting scene: —"A railways race is a sufficiently exciting and interesting event; but it is rarely witnessed, and scarcely ever in perfect safety. Between a pair of well matched locomotives it would be sufficiently exciting; but between a new system, like the atmospheric, and its rival, the locomotive, the character and reputation of both systems for speed depending on the issue, a well matched contest would be of no common interest. In this case we were lucky enough to see such a race; and we believe any of our readers who leave London bridge station at twenty mintes past two, and take an atmospheric ticket, may any day see the same. We were satnding at the Forest Hill station, preparing to start, when it was announced that the dover express train was in sight! Immediately we (the atmospheric train) made preparations to start, and were just int he act of starting from rest when the locomotive train 'wisked' past us at, probably, some 35 miles an hour. We started, but before we got into motion at any velocity the Dover train was a mile ahead of us, and was evidently gaining rapidly in speed. However, on we went like a whirlwind, and it soon became evident that we were gaining on our rival. Three or four minutes decided the race. We passed the express train at a rate exceeding her own by 15 or 20 milhes an hour. Our velocity could not then be less than 60 miles an hour. It was easily and steadily maintained, and we were over the Brighton viaduct and considerably beyond it before the dover reached it."

DIAMOND CEMENT. —This article, so much esteemed for uniting pieces of broken class, for repairing precious stones, and for cementing them to watch cases and other ornaments, is made by soaking isinglass in water until it becomes quite soft, and then mixing it with spirit in which a little gum mastic and ammoniacum have been dissolved.

TENDER CONSCIENCE. —Some people have consciences so very tender that they make no use of them whatever.

TIMING THE HOUSE. —The correspondent of the Argus writes that while Mr. Cobb, of Georgia, was speaking a few days ago, seventeen individuals crowded around him, at the pince where of all other places, they might catch the Chairman's eye. As Mr. C. turned to lok at the clock, to ascertain when his hour would expire, the seventeen braced themselves, throwing back one leg, pushing forward with the head, and partly extending the right hand with the most intense anxiety exhibited in every muscle. In the middle of a sentence, down came the hammer, announcing the expiration of the hour. "Go!" shouted a waggish member from Alabama, at the top of his voice, and instantly the seventeen sprang to their feet, crying, "Mr. Speaker," as loud as they could bawl! Ladies in the gallery were frightened into hysterics, an immense roar of laughter echoed through the Hall, while Mr. Holmes of South Carolina, was seen, with horror depicted in his countenance, counting, with his pointed finger, the numerous aspirants for the floor. It was a rich scene, one which would have made Hogarth's pencil laugh.

ANCIENT BRONZE— For Cutting Instruments. —Copper 100 parts, tin 14 parts, when hardened and tempered after the manner of the ancients, will yield an edge nearly equal to that of steel. Several analyses have been made of ancient instrument whence it appears that the proportion of tin varies from 4 to 15 per cent, which tends to prove that more depends on the exact mode of tempering the alloy, than on the relative qualities of the ingredients. Zinc and tin are inadmissable in bronze for this purpose. One or two per cent of iron might, nevertheless, be added with advantage. The ancient bronze used for springs, contained only 3 to 4 per cent of tin.

GREAT BELL FOUNDRY. —We learn that 258 bells averaging 534 lbs. each have been cast at the extensive foundry of Mr. Andrew Meneeley, in West Troy, during the past year—just 113 more than in 1844. Five of these bells were for the fire department of New York city.

A NEW MODE OF RAISING TOBACCO. —The following which is worthy of the Parisian bohemiennes occurred at Pittsburgh, where everything and every body smokes. A colored man, who was very partial to the weed, but whose exehequer prevented the indulgence, met a little boy about three years old on Fourth street, and accosted the little urchin with—"How dare you smoke a cigar? Throw it away this instant, you little white raced, or I'll tell your father!" The terrified boy immediately threw the stump he was smoking into the middle of the street, and scampered off. The darkey quietly picked up the castaway fragment and walked off—smoking it with as much gusto as though it had been "fresh as imported".

THAT BOY WILL BE A MAN YET. —The other day we saw a bright little boy, some seven summers old, tugging away through the snow with a large armful of wood. We were just on the point of speaking a word of praise to him, when the little fellow's feet slipped from under him and down he went, wood and all, upon the sidewalk. We expected to see him burst out a crying, when, to out surprise, he arose with much composure, saying "darn it, I'll try that over again." With much energy of purpose he gathered up his wood, and went on his way. We'll bet a rusty copper, that that boy will yet be a distinguished man.—Man.(N.H.)Mem.

COMPOSITION USED IN WELDING CASTSTEEL. —Take of borax, 10 parts, sal-ammoniac, 1 part; grind or pound them roughly together, then fuse them in a metal pot over a clear fire, taking care to continue the heat untill all spume has disappeared from the surface. When the liquid appears clear, the composition is ready to be poured out to cool and concrete; afterward, being ground to a fine powder, it is ready for use.

To use this composition, the steel to be wedded is raised to a heat which may be expressed by a "bright yellow:" it is then dipped among the welding powder, and again placed in the fire until it attains the same degree of heat as before; it is then ready to be placed under the hammer.

PATENT LAWS.

(Continued from No. 19.)

SEC. 6. That any person or persons having discovered or invented any new and useful art, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, not known or used by others before his or their discovery or invention thereof, and not, and the time of his application for a patent, in public use or on sale, with his consent or allowance, as the inventor or discoverer, and shall defire to obtain an exclusive property therein, may make application, in writing, to the Commissioner of Patents, expressing such desire, and the Commissioner, on due proceeding bad, may grant a patent therefor. But before any inventor shall receive a pateny for any such new invention or discovery, he shall deliver a written discription of his invention or discovery, and of the manner and process of making, constructing, using, and compounding the same, in such full, clear, and exact terms, avoiding unnecessary profixity, as to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it appertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make, construct, compound and use the same; and in case of any machine, he shall fully explain the principle, and the several modes in which he has contemplated the application of that principle or character by which it may be distinguished from other inventions; and shall particularly specify and point out the part, improvement or combination, which he claims as his own invention or discovery. He shall, furthermore, accompany the whole with a drawing or drawings, and written references, where the nature of the case admits of drawings; or with specimens of ingredients, and of the composition of matter, sufficient in quantity for the purpose of experiment, where the invention or discovery is of a composition of matter; which descriptions and drawings, signed by the inventor, and attested by two witnesses, shall be filed in the Patent Office; and he shall, moreover furnish a model of his invention, in all cases which admit of a representation by model, of a convenient size to exhibit advantageously its several parts. The applicant shall also make oath, or affirmation that he does verily believe that he is the original and first inventor, or discoverer of the art, machine, composition, or improvement, for which he solicites a patent; and that he does not know or believe that the same was ever before known or used; and also of what country he is a citizen; which oath or affirmation may be made before any person authorized by law to administer oaths.

SEC. 7. That on the filing of any such application, description and specification, and the payment of the duty hereinafter provided, the Commissioner shall make, or cause to be made, an examination of the alleged new invention or discovery; and if, on any such examination, it shall not appear to the Commissioner that the same had been invented or discovered by any other person in this country, prior to the alleged invention or discovery thereof by the applicant, or that it had been patented or described in any printed publication in this or any foreign countrym or had been in public use or on sale, with the applicant's consent or allowance, prior to the application, if the Commissioner shall deem it to be sufficiently useful and important, it shall be his duty to issue a patent therefor. But whenever, on such examination, it shall appear to the commissioner that the applicant was not the original and first inventor or discoverer thereof, or that any part of that which is claimed as new, had before been invented or discovered, or patented, or described in any printed publication in this or any foreign country as aforesaid, or that the description is defective and insufficient, he shall notify the applicant thereof, giving him briefly such information and references as may be useful in judging of the propriety of renewing his application, or of altering his application to embrace only that part of the invention or discovery which is new. In every such case, if the applicant shall elect to withdraw his application, relinquishing his claim to the model, he shall be entitled to receive back twenty dollars, part of the duty required by this act, on filing a notice in writing of sucg election in the Patent Office; a copy of which, certified by the Commissioner, shall be a sufficient warrant to the Treasurer for paying back to the said applicant the said sum of twenty dollars. But if the applicant, in such case, shall persist in his claims for a patent, with or without any alteration of his specification, he shall be required to make oath or affirmation anew, in manner as aforesaid; and if the specification and claim shall not have been so modified, as, in the opinion of the Commissioner, shall entitle the applicant to a patent, he may, on appeal, and upon the request in writing, have the decision of a board of examiners, to be composed of three disinterested persons, who shall be appointed for that purpose by the Secretary of the State, one of whom, at least, to be selected, if practiceable and convenient, for his knowledge and skill in the particuöar art, manufacture, or branch or science to which the alleged invention appertains; who shalt be under oath or affirmation for the faithful and impartial performance of the duty imposed upon them by the said oppointment. Said board shall be furnished with a certificate in writing of the opinion and decision of the Commissioner, stating the particular grounds of his objection, and the part of parts of invention which he considers as not entitled to be patented. And the said board shall give reasonable notice to the applicant, as well as to the Commissioner, of the time and place of their meeting, that they may have an opportunity of furnishing them with such facts and evidence as they may deem necessary to a just decision; and it shall be the duty of the Commissioner to furnish to the board of examiners such information as he may possess relative to the matter under their consideration.

To be continued.

A FAIR HIT. —"Here, you bogg trotter," said a half dandy soaplock to an Irish laborer, "come, tell the biggest lie you ever told in yer life, and I'll treat you to a whiskey punch." "An by me sowl, yer honor's a gentleman," retorted Pat.