The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-12-04

In our refegenees, the ollier day, to The Patent
Office repoft on The subject Of steam-hoilers explo
sions, quoted the opinion that all the legislation
proposedio he prevention Of explosionsis entirely
inadequate Tor the purpose. The fidelity and com
potency Of the enginesfs are after the strength and
Pertectness Of the workmanship and 1naie1ials the
chief reliance Of passenge rs-and no legal acts or
supervision can supply the deficiency Of either, or
give Satisfactory proof that they are not absent
Men Of science and prhctcal skill are engaged,
however in bringing al the aids Of experisnee and
knowledge % the improvernent Of boilers, and the
invention Of plans for giving warning and safety
against danger Among those which the Patent
office report specially notices b recommend is the
Safety Guard invented BY Mr. +. Evans, of Pitts
burg, pa. They are IN frequent uss on the Vest
ern steamboats, end are considered BY experienced
engineers as fhe best invocation yet made for the
purpose Of preventing explosions caused by anun-
due increase Of temperature within the boiler |
Messrs. Leeds a. Co. extensive manufacturers in !
this city. have given their unqualified approval, and
Capt Haldeman Of Cincinnati, one Of the ablesi
and most practical men concerned in steamboats,
upon the Western rivers, wrote a very careful and
complete report to the Commissioned on Patents
last year in which he bore the strongest testimony
to its great value He says that no other invention
has ever been used with success, and that, Of the
one hundred and twenty-four boats on which they
had at that date been in use since the invention in
1885, accidents had occurred on only two or three,
and these were traceabe to improper distractions
i'm the chain Of the lever. Appended 20 his letter
is certificate, signed by forty two-or-three of the
best engineers of the West,vouching for their own
knowledge Of its superiority.
We can. only form ON own Judgment by tine ties
iimony Of others. This appears to be ample, AM
20 be sustained by long experience. The princi
pie, as we underestimate, is an improvement upol
the French system Of fsssible plates 50 alloyed a
to melt at certain degree of pressure aud reliev
the engine. 1t consists Of tube inserted throug
the Top Of the boiler with It's bottom resting on
Of the fues. A small quantity Of fusible alloy
placed at the bottom Of the tube in which spindl
S 50 inserted as to be able TO turn only when Ii
metal IS in a state Of fusion. On the upper end
this spindle is a drum, around which cord
wound passing over pulley attached to the lev'
OF the safety-valve. The operation is simple tn
melting Of the alloy gust before the point Of DANCE
suffers the spindle to turn by weight attached
the cord and thus the safety is spontaneous
regulated,
The Patent Report sums up some Of the diffieu
ties Of detail in the manuiaeture Of the proper alo
and concludes, on the whole Me- Evans app,
iatus, when the alloy is properly prepared, the Al
paFatus fairly used and not iampered with, is on
npon which considerable reliance can be placed iC
the purposes which il processes to acoomplish-th
indication and relief Of dangerous elevation
tempsraiure in the metal Of the boiler" There AZ
dangers arising from other sources, and negIigene
make the most safe machines perilous ! BY
this measured and careful commentator is in ac
cordaHee with the experience Of the best practice
men, and ought at least to invite for this invention
as a means Of protecting human life, the careful at
ienton Of builders and steamboat mem