The Placer herald., 1865-12-30
panford's Steam Generator.


steam generator, which was attracting much
attention among the mechanics and manu-.
facturers at Chicago, and which promised to
work an utter revolution in the present
method Of generating steam for steam power.
Hearing nothing further upon the subject,
we had concluded that this, like a large por,
tion Of the inventions which are from time
TO time announced, had proven vaueless
when put to practical work. Such, however,
appears not to have been the case The in.
ventor, during the summer, has submitted
his invention to the examination of high sci
en,itc authorities, and to gentlemen of ex.
tensive practical experience, who had ap-
proved Of the same, and who predict for i, |
the fullest measure of sucaess
Among those who have examined into its
merits is Mr.. Horatio Allen, of the Novelty
Iron Works, Of New York. Mr.. Allen is
we'll known as one Of the most skilful and
practical mechanical engineers on the cont
nent, and in that department stands at the
head of the we'll known firm with which he
is connected. So well satisfied has Mr.. Al.
len become of the utility and Importance of
the invention, that he has become the Presi.
dent OF company, which has recently been
organized to introduce this new steam gen.
orator to the world. The company has start
ed with capital of So, lOO, 900, and it pur
poses to grant the right of using the inven,
! tion to manufacturers throughout the world,
for reasonable royalty upon each horse
power. If the invention realizes all that is
claimed for it by the inventor and other
practical engineers, it will work such revo
luton in steam power, that henceforth the
most valuable and most dangerous of human
agencies will become the most docie and
beneficent. Those who are interested in
scientific Improvements will find it worth
their while to read attentvely the following
description of This apparatus, which we clip
froin the Chicago Republicans:
The great problem how to cheapen steam
power and rob it of its terrors, seems to have
been solved by an Illinois inventor. We
had the pleasure, few days since, of cyan.
ming the super hes ed steam generator Of Mr..
E. Danford of Geneva, now in practical
operation at No. 90 West Lake street.
There, in space which might be covered by
a medium sized ki,chen.table, is a steam en-.
gine of fifteen horse power, all complete,
driving two sets of bnrr-stones, snl grinding
corn at the rate of p l.2 bushels per hour.
This engine is driven by steam superheated
to from 500 to GOO degrees Fahrenheit The
immense power Of this agent may he Judged
when we state that steam in the locomotive
boiler at 100 pounds pressure to the square
inch is only 3sl degrees of temperature.
Mr.. Danfurd's steam generator consists of
a hollo% cast-lron globe, IA inches thick,
suspended in an ordinary furnace. An iron
tube enters the globe at the top and is con-
Quoted down to lillIe below the centre
where it terminates in a rose sprinkler. BY
means Of an injection pump, about tables
spoonful of water is forced through this tube
into the globe at each stroke in the form of
spray. The spray does not come in contact
with the sides Of the generator, for before it
can reach them it is expanded into super
heated steam. There is no danger Of expo
sion, for no water touches lls iron to cause
an explosion. The globe will sustain a
pressure of 1000 lbs to the inch. 1t never
becomes red hot, because the steam absorbs
the heat as fast as it is generated. Hence
there is no danger of weakening the iron, by
overheating. or burning it out.
| Mr.. Danford has 4e,popstra,ed that there
is positive limit to tho expansive power Of
steam, and that it is impossible as many en-.
gneers believe, to resoye it into an explo
siye gas. His generator has nov been in use
since May last, and he defes any engineer u
the world to blow it up. If this be the fac,
the importance Of bis Invention in y humane
point Of view is beyond computation,
Put absolute safety is not it, only RECON-
mendation. 1t is vastly cheaper than the
old tubular boiler. A lk horse power gen.
orator and furnace, complete, may be fur
nished ready for use for 5000. A steam
boiler of the same capacity would cost
$500. Nor is its saving in first cost its
most valuable recommendation. TWENTY-FIVE
gallons Of water give the same power rs
rs in the ordinary boiler, and there is
saving of over 40 per cent. in fuel in its Ia
vor, while SO far as appears, il will endure
for an indefinite period.
A MAsyopoN Tvsx FoyNp. Work kmen
engaged in digging sand from a pit at the
head of Dewey street, New Albany, Indiana.
struck with their shoyels and picks an i'm
meuse tusk of the purest ivory, seven feet
three inches in length, and at the ,bickest
part eight apd one quarter inches in diam.
eter. II weighed nearly 100 pounds. The