Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-09-22

ty-horse engine we have examined, mea,
sures twenty-six inches in height and
WIDTH internally, Each disc of wire COM
posing y contains 676 superficial inches,
and the net has ten meshes 10 the inch
Each superficial inch, therefore, contains
100 meshes, which, multiplied by GIG
Igiye 81 600 meshes in each disc, and AZ
200 discs are employed, it follows that
The regenerator contains 1S.5eo.ooo
meshes, and consequently, as there are as
many small spaces between the discs as
there are meshes, we find that the air
minute cells. Hence, it is evident, that
nearly every particle of the whole volume
OF air, in passing through the regenerator,
Is brought into very close contact with a
surface of metal which heats and eools
alternately. The extent of this surface,
when accurately estimated, almost surpas-
ses belief
The wire contained in each disc Is IL
lao feet long, and that contained in the
regenerator is consequently 9S8, 900 feet,
or 43 miles in, length, the superficial
measurement OF which is equal to the en-
tire surface of four steam boilers, each
forty feet long, and four in diameter; and
yet the regenerator. presenting this great
amount of heating surface, is only about
two feet cube-less than 1-l620th Of the
bulk of these four boilers.
Involved in this wonderful process Of
the transfer and re-transfer Of heat, is a
discovery, which Justly ranks as one of
the most remarkable ever made in physi.
cal science. Its'author, Captain Ericsson
long since ascertained, and upon this is
based the sublimest feature of his ealoric
engine, that atmospheric air and other
permanent gasses. in passing through a
distance OF only six inches, in the fftieth
part of a second Of time, are capable of &C.
quiring, or parting with, upward of four
hundred degrees of heat. He has been
first to discover this marvellous property
of caloric, without which atmospheric air
could not be effectively employed as a
motive power. The reason is obvious
Until expanded by heat, it can exert no
force upon the piston. If much time were
required to effect this, the movement Of
the piston would necessarily be so slow
as to render the machine Inefficient
Captain Ericsson has demonstrated, how
ever, that heat may be communicated TO,
air, with almost electric speed and that
it is, therefore, eminently adapted to give
the greatest desirable rapidity Of motion to
all kinds of machinery.
We here close our imperfect descrip-
ton of a machine destined, as we believe,
to work revolution in the Commerce Of
the globe. 1t consumes but very small
proportion of the coal required for the
steam-engine. 1t is entirely free from
every element of explosion or of danger.
Watchfulness is not imperatively required
as in the steam-engine. II left unat-
tended, the worst that can happen is, that
after exhausting the heat OF its regenera-
tor, it will stop. The one We examined
of sixty horsepower, has been run at full
speed during twenty-four consecutive
hours, consuming but nine hundred and
sixty pounds of coal. After feeding, the
fires, it continues to run three hours with
out replenishment, and after Withdrawing
them from the CRATES, it operates with full
power for the period of one hour, in con-
sequence of the astonishing action of its
regenerator alone We believe VIC have
not, in the slightest degree oyerrated the
immense advantages Of this engine, in
point of economy and safety. II we have
not, the world may we'll start with exulta-
ton. In magnitude of results, no inven.
ton can rank with it. The electric telc-
graph is one of great interest and value,
and to him who reflects that the fierce
lightning has by that process been tanned,
and brought to the very lips of man,
there to be frightened with human Ian.
guage, and sent abroad TO girdle the
earth with thought, it becomes sublime.
Still, it is greatly inferior, in practical i'm.
portance TO the discovery of motive pow.
er such as we have attempted to describe.
Human speculation fails adequately to es-
innate its influence upon the social and
commercial relations Of men and nations.
Its effect will naturally be first exerted
upon the ocean. 1t is here that the value
Of such power will be most sensibly felt
and appreciated. Here it will soon be-
come the strong arm and right hand Of
commerce. It may be affirmed with con.
fidence, that with engines upon this plan,
ship of two thousand tons can be pro-
PEELED from San Francisco to China and
back with less coal than is now required
for an ordinary ocean steamer TO cross
the Atlantic.
Tho annals Of the mechanic arts furnish
no instance Of an important invention ha'
wing been brought before the public in so
complete form, as to warrant It's being
carried out on a scale Of the frst magni-
tude from the outset Ericsson's Caloric
Engine will form an exception. A ship
| is now building for its reception by
Messrs. PerTine, Patterson d Stack;
measuring twenty-five hundred tons bur-
den, and her engines which are being
constructed by Messrs. Hogg d Delama-
ter, comprise four working cylinders, each
of 1853 inches in diameter We have Wis
l I'D hntt the shin.Hard and the ennine