Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-01-19

otneT. latlr UDsitipn ~ not side hY side, the
but lcngthwise Of the vessel. The largest
cylinler of each pair is efmsd The ucorkihg
cylinder AMI til. upper. or smaller. the
supply cytut1er. The d~inpnsiuns of these
cylinders are immense. A. alrcaly stated
elch Of the working ~ iulcrs IS l6S inches
or fourteen feet. in diameter: and the sup
ply cylinders have each a diameter Of 1871
inehe; or eleven feet ite inches IL WIS at
first doubted whether cylinders Of such "a
magnitude co Ill be properly made, those
of the Collins steam ships heing only % in
dlameter; but the expert uent has succeeded
admirably. Persons are not wanting who
will undertake TO manufacture twenty feet
cylinders, If nced he. The weight ofthi>
entire mass Of iron is about four hunlred
tons. The workmanship is beautiful and
retl cts credit upon American skill and en-
tcrpriSe. The capacity of the cylinders is
such that 34,2I2 cubic feet IF atmospheric
air per minute are drawn into the engine
when ONLY fourteen strokes per Eour are
ma lc 50 that IN the space of sixty minutes
the aggregate volume Of air which p1sles
through the engine is not less than 2.056.-
32O cubic feet. The weight OF All is in the
ratio Of Is | , cubic feet to the pound, 81
that according to the calculation, the vast
volume of sixty eight tons Of atmospheric
air goes through the cylinler every hour. ef-
fecting a wonderful ventilation Tie fur
naceS thrnu9 Oh winch the requisite amount
of heat is supplied 10 set the machinery in
motion, are %Iucatr,i at tn. base Ofths york
ingcylinders. A comparatively small am ,unt
OF fuel Is required fot consumption during
long voyages, and it i consistently asserted
that the ship will lie able to take on board Il
sufficient qrlntity of co ,l-anthracite only
being used on account Of its greater clean.
iiness-to take rlle vessel to AMI return her
from any European p,rt ant even 10 Can
ton. This Is another advantage Of which
we shall con to speak by AMI by. The
engine. thcn works sirpply as follows The
furnace having been ligh.cd. the air contain.
ted IN the working or lower cylinder preScn-
ly becomes heated, forces up the piston
within and escapes through a series ofva,ves
provided for his purpose. E Wh cylinder
has a piston fitting closely to it bat 50 con
trlved that both always WORE together. As
the air escapes fro u the lower cylinder, the
piston contained within the cylinder dcs-
cends by lis own gravity. drawing the up-
per one down with it. The upper piston.
IN It's descent pulls open a series Of valves
eac' some two feet in diameter, placed in
the topof each Of the supply cylinders. The
opening OF these valves causes the instan-
taneous admission Of volume of cold air.
Asthe piston a>cends. these valves close and
the continea air, nov unable to escape in
the way il entered, f rls vent in another set
of valves, throu5l " iich it PISS 5 into are
celver. From this receiver, II is to PASS into
the working Or lower cyl a Ter TO force up
the working piston within it. In order to
perform its duty it is compelled to pass
through an apparatus c~aiicl the regenera-
tor. wAlcl is nothing more than ii ries of
wire-nettirg placed close to4cthertothc lhick-
ness Of twelve inches. The ~,nes,es of rlls
network of iron heing fine, aul the Il stance
through the mass yer, considerable, the air.
IN passing from one side 10 the other. is dis
trlbuted III an INF Iitu lie Of nall cells, and
IS thus placed in intimtte contact with d me
tai surface which Is p4clliary sensible ofap
probation or depreciation in The amour,
Of caloric that NAY exist in the VICINITY
Upon this pat OF the apparatus is based the
grand feature oflhe Cdnric Elgine The
i'll "A ofthe rcitrra'ei e~.uploymcnt of heated
air was long sle subject of experiment hv
Capt, Ericsson. II was as.crtajue hy him
self anil others, that atmospheric air and the
p rmanent gases acl ire or part with a ii.
ven l"gree nf heat IN passing thrnn n Il given
extent OF Splco; or il o.iet words that a vol.
ume ofair in passing thruush ii pace Of saw
sly inches ii The diieth part Of second i,
capable OF acdnj ing or evolving about 1902
oil heat. The simplest philosophical princi.
pies are therefore combined ia the proiac-
ton OF the caloric cagitc, nlmaly, the rad
iating properties Of htit AL The aHi ,ity Of
metals for %calnric. TIE results Of Captain
EricsSon's Oh crration, lea Is him to alop'
the regener ttor, Il, the tract and simplest
exponent Of these powers. In It's manner
OF operation the Regeneration is speedy and
certain. It's warmer surface is Of course
nearest the fire helow is coolcr side is fam
nedhy the current Of air which enters from
above. As the heated air leaves IN WORK.
inS cylinder Of the engine. it necessarily en-
t3rs the Regeneration. by which Il i, deprive
OF It's ca!orjc aad is expelled with but thirty
degrees rfleat whereas uplc lis entrance
through the sanc channel. il lecci ed about
four hundred and fry degrees. The re-
mining hirty degrees necessary to y o lucc
the minimum Of expansive force (4S0 leg
are derived from the heat Of the furnaces .
and the volume Of air is then doubled, the
machinery set in motion and the acti n Of
the piston commenced. A5th3 lower piston
rises, it pushes mp the crank Of the connect
ing rod wh;ch re tynplni it -p%roetu:es there
by a revolution OF the shaft and hy which
the plddle-whccis are turned and the ship is
at once IN motion.
The ac,inn ofthc cylinders TIC reyenera;or.
the crank AMI rod, and the sllafj AMI wheels
continue without alteration So long as il
may be desirable. The furnaces require
the attendance Of yc:y few men IN con- ~.
ison with the engineers irenen. fee lers.
and SapernuneraricS tnat people the hollis
OF our co:mnpl s. anShjp>. AlIus;on ha,
already been ma ie to ihu fact that the YES.
sci Is enabled To carry Il su.dcicnt supply
of rnal IA ,n,.,4o .iSh l.tb -, o-