New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-10
important invention TO save turning the car st the ena
of the road. Mr.. Albert NJ. Smith Of Rochester,

d
has lately constructed model which in effect makes
the back high or low at pleasure, while -tin
tanning the reversible quality, and pssriy all the
simplicity Of the ordinary seat. night seat should
have high back TO support the head and should in
! cline back az q considerable angle, while day seat
| should have a low back TO allow of uninterrupted
vision and social intercourse The back of Mr.. Smiths
seat TO be about the usual width, IS upholstered on
each SIDE and IS curved TO fit the back as Usual.
There four short knobs projections on each snd
Of the back and the straps connections between the
latter and the fixed part are T.shsped, and ara In
genously provided at each extremity Of the portion
with spring catches or self-lockng mechanism to re-
ceve and hold these projections. For day seat the
back held at each end by the two central knob and
conforms in appearance to the common carseat, but
By pressing the upper edge rcbly backward the lower
socket releases it, hold and the back may be whired
Akaf over on an axis passing through the upper one
and the lower socket receives and retains knob near
what was previously the upper edge of the back The
back il sustained considerably higher than before
ard by Of its curvature stands at just the proper
inclination to sustain the head and shoulders in half
reclining position. The cushion Is also made ADJUST
able to a slight degree by hand but this appears
matter of minor Importance. The main feature of the
seat has been described with care, and Is evil
IDENTIFY most valuable Improvement If the peculiar
sockets can be cheapy and duraby constructed. Ihe
inventor contends that it be built and maintained
at about the same price as those now employed, while
il is easy to that occupies no more room and IN
wolves little or no additional weight. Although easily
disconnected by suitable movement, the sockets APP
pear quite strong and the back will not, probably
change position in consequence OF any motion OF IN
car however violent. The improvement Is susceptible
of ready application TO seats in use, and we hope
the plan will be Immediately tested
SAFETY on RAuRoADs.-That there ia room 10
Improvement by diminishing the danger in entering and
changing cars cannot long be doubted, and we learn
that plan has been recently adopted on the New
York Central Railroad which renders It absolutely i'm
possible for any passenger to get under the wheels e1-
cert by going forward Of the locomotive. The plan il
TO inclose the wheels and in short, the whole open
space beneath the by prolongng the sides OF the
car downward to within few inches OF tAe ground,
and stretching false platforms across the space between
the cars so as TO make the floors continuous. Sliding
doors are constructed in the sides TO allow of Ong and
examining the axles and wheels, and the false plat
forms are 80 arranged as TO allow the Tree work
ing Of the cars around curves. We have not
seen this contrivance, and our information
being entirely secondhand can speak with little
confidence either Of liz merits or defects, but should
udge il entitled to attention. Its effect must be very
similar to that of the petticoat plan adopted some
wears since on several roads to prevent the rise of
dust The pettcOats stout cloth or canvas, ana
the platforms are connected by the same material
stretched loosely and secured by suitable cords
One great advantage of the cloth lies in It's exl6bty,
as an accidental contact with mass OF earth or snow,
stick Of wood or other obstacle would have little
sensible effect. Either the wooden or the cloth casing,
however serves greatly TO prevent the occurrence OF
accidents as well to avoid the annoying effects OF
dust. The cost of the addition cannot be very con-
siderable; and as remarked by large stakeholder on
one occasion, zone mans arm is worth more than the
/" entire cost of fitting up any route.
LoueHp1noE's SELF-AcrISG CAR BRAKE.-Mr.
William Loughridge pronounced Lockndge) OF
Weverton, Maryland, is the inventor of method of
stopping train of cars at the will of the engineer,
radically different from any of the several invention
for the purpose heretofore described in our columns.
The cars are stopped by the friction of the ordinary
brakes, but the power actuatng them Il derived d.
rectly from drum shaft on the locomotive. This
shaft or rather pulley keyed thereon, Is pressed into
contact with the fange of the driving wheels, and il
thus compelled to revolve and wind up stout chain
running the length of the train. This chain applies the
and fracturing some portion of the mechanism, pro
vision is made for limiting the extent of its action by
causing il to release its hold OF the driving wheel 20
soon as certain portion of the chain is taken up. The
point at which this unshIppng movement comes into
play is previously arranged by the engineer, so that
however excited in view of danger, or careless and
buneling he cannot endanger the integrs of any
important part. A somewhat ingenious arrangement
is adopted for causing one continuous chain to supply
all the brakes stout lever, three or four feet
long, is hung under each cor, and provided with
sheaves or pulleys at each end, around which the
chain makes curve like the letter s. and continues
on to the next. When the chain is pulled by the
winding of the shaft this lever il moved by the ten
sion. and forces the brakes into contact with the
wheel.
We were present at recent trial ofthis brake on the
Hudson River Railroad the results Of which-though
sadly complexed by the accidental destruction OF the
unshippng apparatus at early portion of the day
showed very high degree OF efficiency in the appara-
tus. A careful comparison. was made with the hand
brakes, skuly and powerfully applied, the results of
which-aowing properly for an accidental difference
Of speed when the signal was Given-shows about an
equal degree of efficiency. The trial was made on
grade ascending about II feet per mile with WIND
ahead The train consisted of six nearly empty.
Running at a speed Of about 80 miles per hour, wac
stopped in 700 feet by the patent method; and running
at speed of about 90 miles per hour, It was stopped
by the hand-whee method IN 4io feet. The speed mas
great influence on the space required 10 stop tram
Other circumstances being equal, the space required
is always proportoned, not the speedsmpy, but to
the square Of the speed. The square OF ~