Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-08

working in pairs upon it. From the base
ofthe cylinders 10 the summit is about
thirty feet. Each cylinder is double,
consisting of what is called working
cylinder and a supply cylinder; the lat
ter being on top, and united with the
other, though Of inferior diameter. The
working cylinder has the furnace under
it; in It tho active force Of the machine
is developed in the form Of air expanded
by heat. The supply cylinder is always
cold. The working cylinder is fourteen
feet in diameter; the piston which plays
in it has super6cies Of 22,3oO square
inches. The supply cylinder is eleven
feet seven inches in diameter, and the
area Of its piston is 800 square inch.
cs. These pistons are joined by power.
ful iron rods. The stroke is six feet. On
the under side Of the upper piston are
valves through which the supply oflrcsh
air is drawn, after the machine is put in
motion. Over the supply cylinder is Il
reservoir, in which the upward motion Of
the piston congresses the air, which pas.
scs in there through valves. Tho con.
ncction between the reservoir and work
ing cylinder is by large pipe running
from the former to the base Of he latter.
The engine is set in motion by pumping
cold air into the reservoir, by hand or
otherwise. '..
From the reservoir, through valve at
the bottom Of the large connecting pipe,
the compressed air is admitted into the
working cylinder over the furnace. Here
it is instantly heated, and by its expan.
sion drives up the piston, and at the same
time congresses the air in the supply
cylinder, and forces it into the reservoir.
Then another valve in the connecting
pipe opens, and the hot air is let of in.
to the atmosphere. This removes the
pressure that has driven the piston up,
when its own weight brings it down a.
gain, and the escape valve closes. Then
the supply valve opens again, and lets
the cold air in over the furnace; it is
heated, and so the process goes on.
But the great feature of the invention
is yet to be- described. This is the ap
paratus by which the main part Of the
heat which expands the air in the work.
ing cylinder is saved, and made to do du.
ty over and over again. This it is tina,
produces the astonishing economy Of fu'
el, which is one Of the great characters
tics of the invention. In steam en-
gine the heat is used but once; it passc.
away, and therefore has to be perpetual
ly renewed. In the Caloric Engine it i.
economical. This is an immense al
vantage.
Tho appa ratus is formed Of iron wir'
1.lG Of an inch in diameter, woven int
web dense enough for the holes o
meshes to occupy half the surface. FIT!
thicknesscs, or disks, Of this wire clotl
are used in each pipe connecting th
reservoir and working cylinders. Eacl
disk is six feet long and four wide, ant
contains halfa million Of meshes. They
are placed close together in the pipe be
tween the working cylinder and the tw'
valves, which let in the new air and lie
out that which has been used. Thus al
the air which comes in passes throug
the meshes Of the wires, as does all tha
goes out. Here lies the wonder Of tn
invention. The heated air in going ou
leaves its heat in these wires, and tn
cold air in coming in takes it up agair
In the engines of the Ericsson the al
which comes out is but 80 degrees ho'
ter than the atmosphere, though befor
passing through tho wires it was 3s4 de
grees hotter. Even these 80 degree
t might be saved, says Capt. Ericsson, b
increasing the number of wire disks, bu
it is practically unnecessary. This ar
palatus is called tho regenerator. The
the principle Of it is essentially the sam
as that of Davy's Safety Lamp, the glor
ofits application to mechanical purpos
, es is Capt. Ericsson's forever. ..a..
, As we said, there arc four Of the,
double cylinders, four working and fou
supply. Accordingly there are four furr
, aces, ingeniously arranged, and set will
:, out any extraordinary outlay Of bricl
such as has been reported. In these
> small fire is kept up with anthracite Goa
: which is preferable to other fuel, b,
: cause it does not blaze-only its radia
(. ing heat is employed. From the gra,
! to the apex ofthe cylinder.botto whic
is arched, Of course, there is q distanc
Of FIVE feet. The cylinder. bottom is
inches thick. Before the engine is p,