The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-01-28
THE ERICSSON INVENTION.

We copy below, from the New FORK Trib.
une, description of the caioric engine in.
vented by Mr.. Ericsson, and now used on the
steamer of that name.
We think this invention as distinctly mar
king an era as new and striking as the nven-
| ton of the steam engine, and as one of the
most important events of the 10Th century.
We therefore make no apology for so fire.
quently and so diflusely noticing it. Every
information concerning it is of the utmost in
terest, and will be greedily sought after by
every intelligent and thoughtful mind.
When shall we have caloric boat on the
Ohio river! The man who engages in this
enterprise will reap rich reward.
The editor of the Tribune, when giving an
account of an excursion on the Ericsson says
The time of the passage down was spent
in discussing an excellent breakfast, and ex-
amining the engine. The first thing in the
engine which strikes the observer, is the
magnitude of the cylinders. These are four
teen feet in diameter, six feet more than those
of the Collins steamers. There are four in
the Ericsson, standing in fore-and- aft line;
two before and two aboit the shaft, and wor-
hih3 Puito upui ITOH tue UdSe Ul Tile
cylinders to the summit is about thirty feet.
Each cylender is double, consisting of what
is called working cylinder and a supply
cylinders; the latter being on top and united
with the other, though of inferior diameter.
The working cylinder has the furnace under
it; in it the 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 di-
ameter the piston which plays in it has a
superfces of 22,S00 square inches. The sup
ply cylinder is ! l feet inches in diameter,
and the area of its piston is l4,5OO square
inches These pistons are joined by powerful
iron rods. The stroke is six feet. On the
under side of the upper piston are valves
through which the supply OF fresh air is
drawn after the machine is put in notion
which the upper motion Of the piston COM
presses the air, which passes in through
valves. The connection between the resere
voir and the working cylinder is by large
pipe running from the former to the base of
the 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 inst
antly heated, and by its expansion 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 off into the atmosphere. This removes
the pressure that has driven the piston up,
when its own weight brings it down again,
and the escape valve closes. Then the sup.
ply valve opens again, and let's the cold air
in over the furnace; it is heated, and SO the
process goes on.
But the great feature of the invention il
yet to be described. This is the apparatus
by which the main part of the heat which
expands the air in the working cylinder il
saved and made to do duty over and over a
gain. This it is that produce, the astonish