Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-28

quality phosphorescence as all diamonds did for
few minutes probably smaller also possessed this
property in proportion to their size and brilancy
lump Of crysallized sugar. aso exposed to the suns
rays, would show the brilliant hues if Immediately
afterwards placed in the dark, as diamond.
RAnRoADs.-A paper was read the Mechanical Section
by Mr.. McDERMoTT The object of which was to explain
an invention by Of which the same power that is
employed in propelng or drawing train Of oars might
be made subservent when required for arresng its pro-
gress or in other words, to employ the force Of
in the boiler Of the engine for the purpose of acting when
required, on the breaks Of the carriages attached.
The invention consists of two parts-6rst apparatus
for applying Of the existing breaks to each and every
carriage OF train; and secondly, to the Of esa
Meeting disconnectng the apparatus between the ssye
raj carriages composing such train The contrvance is
thus explained:
will be readily understood that the surface of the wa
ter in locomotive boiler there is pressure of steam
equang the average say 100 lbs the square inch
w i s dependent sR Ts insert I
motive boiler below the water line iron tube say og
inch diameter, and closed at the end most dsstans
from the boiler, that tube will become filed with water
from the boiler and will have exactly the same pressure
every inch Of its surface the in the boiler
ITSELF and viii become virtually part Of that apparatus
By the insertion Of cock in the boiler the pressure Of
this may be cut off lot on according to circur
stances at pleasure Having thus of power at
disposal it remains consider how this power may
be applied. The inventor proposes the following
rangement:
The iron tube pipe of which we have spoken is made
to pass under each and every carriage wagon but
instead of being merely continuous tube it is made to
enter ut side of cylinder placed in convenient po
son under the carriage wagon and at the other
side, making the cylinder part of the tube To this
cylinder, which it proposed to make Of four and
half inches diameter and three inches stroke, fitted
solid piston plug The tube entered below the piston
into the cylinder; the pressure from the boiler
ed on at force Of say 100 lbs to every square inch
the cylinder The area Of the cylinder is 904 less the
piston rod we have therefore effective pressure Of
800 lbs to act upon the piston. As the piston is driven
upwards by the pressure the piston rod is elevated also
and being connected with the levers Of the ordinary
breaks they are at brought into with the
periphery OF each Wheel and kept there as long as
the tube remains in communication with the boiler In
this case, therefore, obtain power equal to 1900
bs IN each cylinder to act direct each break emitting
altogether any mention Of the increased power which
would be obtained by the leverage attached the breaks
it has been found in practice that sufficient power may
be obtained at by this direct action The inventor
proposes that there shall be tube and cylinder under
every carriage wagon Of train At present however
ong the tran only three of the carriages have
breaks, simply because as each break requires to
work IT. multiplicity would be too expensive but how
ever numerous the breaks under the proposed system the
by turning cock, acts upon the whole OF
them in moment.
Again At present the engine driver on perceivng DIM
has to signal the guard by whisting and the guard
upon hearing the signal has commence screwing on
his break. Meanwhile time has elapsed and the train
has travelled distance towards object of
danger BY the new mode, however, does the
engnedrver the danger than he turns the cock
the whole of the breaks applied to the wheels with
out the slightest shock to the train By the adoption Of
this plan the and tear of the wheels will be greatly
reduced.
Under the present SYSTEM the breaks being 80 few in
number and the wheels being completely looked when
train required to be stopped both the rails and the wheels
suer the latter being fat whereas by the propos-
ga prAks, aad owing to their Q1iy dy, the whecs
With respect TO the question Of expense Ii is esmat-
ed that the cost Of adopting the tubes and cylinders
each carriage will not exceed from "a to G5
Hitherto the subject has presented difficulties We
have merely exercised knowledge of welknown physi
cal laws for the purpose Of producing motion in cyin-
der but having placed tube and cylinder underneath
each carriage and there being several carriages in
train, the question arises how shall hems
By some apparatus which be simple to obvae
any mistake on the part Of the official, SO
easily worked as not to time than in the
ordinary coupling uncoupling carriages and at the
same time of such strength sustain the pres
sure as the boiler, and flexible to bear the osc
ation OF the train and the motion allowed by the play Of
the ordinary coupling chains. The inventor most in
genously proposes to supply all these desderata by
joint equally novel and simple in its construction In the
terminal ends of the tube connected with every carriage
ne proposes to insert short hollow tube cylinder
having shoulder near its spring, which gives 1t in affect
two different dameters At each end Of the flexible tube
already described is attached hollow cone fitting into
the cylinder at the end Of the tubes and having fange
at its smaller extremity which vucaniIed India
rubber ring is slipped to the Upon the inser-
ton OF this into the hollow tube cylinder the
lndarubber ring coming into contact with its innsr
surface rolls towards the base OF the act
ing as packing and the greater the amount of pres
sure the tighter and the joint will become.
On removing the pressure of the steam and drawing ont
pin which holds the two portions in their place. the
joint may be Immediately detached. 9a
It's also proposed employ the water In the continn
Gus tube under the carriages Of allowing tho
guard at the extremity other part Of the train
muncate with the enginedriver At the time when the
breaks are not required to be brought into thsrs
will be pressure upon the water in the tube it being
merely column of inert fluid By pacinga small force
pump, communicating with this tube under the control
Of the guard he will be enabled to force forward this
column of water On the boiler the engine driver
is placed small cylinder, into which the water will be
thus forced by the guard and piston win be raised,
which acts either upon the cock Of whistle rings
bell, moves any other form Of signal column Of
water reaching the whole extent of the train w how
ever suggest the application Of any known hydraulic
signal.
The whole apparatus in course of construction
and it Is expected that in short time train of eight
ten carriages will be completed and ready for work. and
the parties interested in the break will upon that
sion be happy to submit it to the inspection Of engineers
and others who may feel interest in the successful
carrying out Of invention which promises to afford
safeguard against those collisions the sad
suits Of which have frequently been forced upon the
attention Of the public The inventor, Mr. EZRA MnEs,
having exhibited to the meeting Of the joints and
cylinders constructed on the above plan
Mr. RoBERTs, c. said that he considered the inven
ton as one we'll calculated to effect the object desired
and that the mode suggested, of bringing train to n
stand still while the wheels permitted to rotate
great improvement upon the existing plan Of locking
the wheels
Mr. DAaLEIsH, E., concurred in the opinion express
ed by Mr. Roberts the value of the invention and