The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-11-02
COMPRESSED COLD AIR AS A MOTOR.


An opportunity afforded on Saturday Of wit
Messing the operation of compressed cold air, as a
means of distributing well as conducting power
Some twenty sewing machines the subjects of
the experiment in questiOn-which has been atten-
ded with perfect success, not only in mechanical
view, but as labor saving economical investment.
Two of Er lessons Caloric Engines are placed in a
vault under the sidewalk connected with each of
which is air-pump sixteen inches in diameter and
about the same ''strOke" depth. Both pumps
discharge into large ar-chamber, which is pr0yi
ded with n safetyva!Ee escape-pipe, the uses of
which are manifest. But limited number of thn
sewing machines in use, being as yet brought into
connection with TINS apparatus, only one of the ca
lOric engines is now running The two, it is be-
lieved, will afford power sufficient to work hun
dred sewing machines, The compressed air is CON
veyed from the receiver to the lofts by means of
large pipe, and distributed to the several sewing
machines through a labyrinth of smaller pipes
| Its application to the machine is by of two
small cylinders, with plStons so arranged that the
! force bears continually upon one point, obviating
much 'Fwe ar and tear" and rendering it mposs-
Bile to start and turn the machine the wrong way
! a consideration of no little Importance.
| The application of the motive power is regulated
! by the foot, and completely is it under control
| that the machine may be started or stoppcd and
| the speed increased decreased with the same
certainty as when worked in the ordinary way.-
The escape of compressed air, while the machines
are in motion, has beneficial effect in promoting
ventilation in room crowded with workmen.-
The relief to the operator which is afforded by this
great the severe labor which caused the upu. .tor
to succumb in a few months, year or two, at
most and seek other employment, is rendered com
paratvely light, and the operator is enabled to in
crease the work done on single machine from so
to 100 per cent. For this reason we have spoken
OF this application of compressed cold air as mo-
tor, completely successful, both as a abor-sav-
ing, economical investment, aed in a mechanical
point of view.
After a full examination Of the apparatus above
described, Mr.. Ericsson cOnyersed freely the
subject of compressed cold air as means of CON
Quoting power. He expressed decided opinion
that the project, which has been alluded to in the
public journals, about to be undertaken in Paris
of conveying power to all parts of that city, from
powerful stationary engine, by means of compress
ed air forced through pipes laid under the streets,
is entirely impracticabe. Through single large
building, or few hundred feet, is the extent to
which in his judgment, compressed air a motor
can be successfully applied.
Leakage Is one great difficulty, but there is
other less easily overcome. The air while under
! going compression, becomes heated, but again
cools and OF course contracts while in the process
of transmission to the point Of application. The
heat en1endered bv powerful compression is cAnsid
erable and Mr.. Ericsson has overcome this circum-
stance by making the air pumps, the air chamber,
and the main pipes all very large-the pressure in
the air chamber is but six pounds to the square
inch.
In the vault in which the air pumps are situated
there ia large steam boiler, for the purpose of
heating the building by steam; the temperature of
the vault is consequently at all times hgh but not
withstanding the high temperature at which the
air in the air-chamber is kept by heat from the
steamboiler and the process Of compression, it is,
when it escapes at the sewing machine, quite cold
Mr.. Ericsson is confident therefore, that the sub
lection OF air to pressure of fifty one hundred
pounds to the square inch, and conveying it thus
through pipes considerable distances, would bring
the expansive and contracting effects Of heat and
cold into such active operation, that to say nothing
of leakage, which would be very great under
high pressure the power to be thus obtained would
be inefficient or vastly more expensive than any
now in
Compressed air is in very successful as a
means of hosting goods in two of the large ware
houses in this city-in case it is carried under
the street and great saving of insurance thus eff
fected. The whole subject is well worthy the
examination of persons interested in abor-saving
appliances Neto York Courier.