Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-05-04
Science and Invention.

In Trow's printing establishment, New York
city, five of Mitchell's type-setting machines
are in operation, under the supervision of the
inventor, who is young brother Of John
Mitchell, the Irish patriot. The volume OF
Bancroft's Miscellanies was entirely set up
by these machines and they are now at work
on Irving's life of Washington. The machine
is of a triangular shape, somewhat resemb-
ling a grand piano forte, only not as large
1t has key board corresponding to the letters
of the alphabet and the punctuation marks,
as the keyes of the piano represent the vari-
Gus notes in the scale of music; and the
work is done by playing upon the finger
board precisely as tunes are played upon the
piano forte. This part of the performance
is done by girls, who acquire the art with
great facility. The letters are supplied by
long gallies, each filled with single letter,
which requires constant replenishing and
every touch upon the key sends the desired
letter into long line beneath the machine,
from which it is taken by compositor,
broken into lines TO suit the width of his page
or column, and justified. The distribu,
ton Of the type is as ingeniously managed
a. the composition. Thi. part Of the work,
too, is done by girls. One of the machines
will do the work Of five men and, after
deducting the manual assistance required
to operate them, the saving in the cost OF com
position is an important item.
NJ. Boudin Of the French Academy OF
Sciences, mentions some dozen instances in
which figures Of trees, flowers. leaves and
other objects, have been imprinted on the
human body by lightning strokes, 1t is
very curious phenomenon, and not as yet
explained, but the process seems to bear some
resemblance to photography, 1t is worth
| experimenting in, with view to the discovery
of "a method Of taking pictures by lightning
| But how will man be able to keep still and
| look serene while tho shock is passing
| through him
| Sehenkl's breech- loading cannon has been
tried at the Charlestown navy yard, recently
to the entire satisfaction of a committee OF
military and naval officers and it has been
taken 10 Washington for examination OF the
war department. An improved cannon has
been exhibited at St. LOUIS, which can oe
readily taken apart for transportation, has
MIME ball, and other improvements on the
! common cannon.
F. Hilyard of the Coast survey has
invented an instrument TO measure the beat
ing Of the pulse 1t corresponds to Morse
telegraph instrument, with two batteries and
circuits, one of which is broken and closed
by the pendulum of a clock and marks the
seconds upon paper, and the other is operat'
ed by delicate lever placed upon the pulse
at tho wrist, which records the beatings o
the pulse between the tickings of the clock
and Of course measures its rapidity witt
entire precision. The application OF thu
instrument will show with the most minute
eAactness the effects of different kinds o
food and drink upon the circulation of tn
blood, from glass Of cider to six whisk.
punches.
: a pump without valve" of which "
find no description, has been invented an
! patented by 5. d. Carpenter, editor OF tn
, Wisconsin Patriot 4 Wisconsin compan
} has purchased the right for that state, low
and illinois for Sl7 900, an evidence that tn
0 invention is sappreeiated.-A new new steai
0 FIRE engine has been invented at Cincinnati
: and patented, said to excell the previous on'
= in some respects, especially in the muc
+ shorter time in which it may be heated u
h and prepared for action.-A Mr.. Campbe
y of Columbia, Ohio, has discovered proce
. for uniting cast iron at very high temper
e ture, and glass in a slate Of fusion, and
signed Tor boxes in which the sxles Of whee
y revolve. The glass is for the interior of Il
t box, and causing but little friction it requir
ID but little fabrication. and is, therefore, &C
n nomical. costing less than cast iron.