Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-04-01
From the New Orleans Picayune
Ahead of Ericsson.


Mr.. A. C. Jones, a well known macbinist of this
city, and gentleman OF great ingenuity in his profes.
sion has shown plan of an engine worked by hot
air, and of his invention, which he considers an i'm
provement on Erricssons. We are not at liberty to
give the details of the machinery and the application
thereof, but any acquainted with the plan of En-
lessons engine will understand the difference between
it and MIR. Jones'. We give his own memoranda on
the subject, so as not TO make any mistake in mat
Ter of so much importance:
In the engines of the caloric ship, and the Ericsson
engine working at New York, the fire being applied
to end of the cylinder causes an unequal expan-
sion of the latter and great difficulty in Keeping the
piston packing tight. The loss of heated air from this
cause, i'll the Ericsson, is nearly twenty per cent
The air, after has forced the piston np still con-
tnues TO be healed, and lis final escape into the out
ward air, al thirty degrees, is unnecessary waste
of fael
The arrangement of the mass of woven wire form
ing the regenerator, causes loss of power by the
retardatIon OF the air passing through it, The final
heating through iron one and half inches thick
requires the engine to he slow in order to get up
the necessary expansion, the maximum speed of the
Ericsson engines being only twelve revolutions for
stroke of six feet.
These objections intended 10 be obvated by nv
improved hot air engine, and are explained by the
drawing of horizontal, doubIe-acting engine having
one cylinder and one air pump. The improvements
about being patented, ii is proper to escribe in
My arrangement of the regenerator,' or reac-
tor,' as should be called, is efectua in absorbing
and giving out heat with much less resistance of The
air passing through it than the Ericsson engine
No fire is applied directly to the cylinder, and the
latters expansion is therefore equal throughout -
Neither is the air increased in temperature after it has
performed lis work of pushing the piston to the end
of the cy Under
After the hot air returns through the "reactor" j,
enters " condenser, and is robbed of nearly all lis
remaining heat, which is made available to heat fresh
air. SIMPLE method is adopted 10 keep the piston
packing and the piston rod from becoming over-heaied
These improvements fit this engine for our river
boats power can be obtained in the same
space, greater economy in working, and much less
weight is required than in the Ericsson plan.
One OF THE WATcHMEN!-A felIcr" coming
home from California had monster rattlesnake in
wicker cage. which he deposited with his other
plunder under his bed at Chagres. The room con-
tanned fifty beds-half full of drunk and sick fel.
lers;'' during a temporary absence of the owner
the snake got loose, and the owner coming in and
finding his crtter gone; yells out
Everlastin misery! who's seen my watchman?'
Many heads popped up from the berths, but
nobody had seen the missing watchman.
'What was be, ole Teller. you're inquirin' for p
says bald-headed man.
sWhy. my watchnen; all my dust is under nv
bed, and | left guard with it, but be is gone !"
Guard was he niger a white feller o.
. No. he California rattlesnake-nine feet
long; and fifty two rattles on his tall Have any OF
you ellers seen the eternal critter crawlin round
here o.
No. they hadnt-b6t all able to get out of bed
did in particular hurry, leaving the sole fell
ler p" and his guard" sole moving occupants of
the