The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-05-30
Scientific.

THE SUN AS MECHANICAL MoToR.-An
English engineer proposes employing solar
heat in the production Of motive power. He
believes that, although the direct rays from
the sun arc not sufficiently powerful to pro-
duce steam pressure available for practical
purposes, the effects attending the reflection,
Transmission and radiation Of heat, affords
means for accommodating aud increasing their
intensity. By concentrating solar heat with
lens of greater dimensions in proportion to
the boiler, the steam pressure may be in
creased, the quantity Of heat and Of motive
power only beng limited by the dimensions
Of the apparatus employed in utilizing the
solar rays.
CASING STEEL UNDER HIGH PRESSURE
Mr. Galy- Cay alat, Of France, has invented a
process for making sound steel castings by
means Of gaseous pressure applied to the
metal as soon as il is poured into sand snolds
enclosed in iron TASKS. The pressure is
generated by exploding about a quarter Of
an ounce Of q powder consisting Of eighty
parts of puverizeG charcoal. It is said the
invention has been succe ssfully applied in
France in the casting Of steel cannon.
VENOM OF ToADs.-Experiment made
with toads by Cratiolet Gloez and Vulpian
prove that matter is exuded near the ear
which is poisonous when introduced into the
tissues Of other animals. Dogs, after biting
toad, show signs Of pain. But tie bite Of
the toad is not poisonous. 1t is SAID some
Indians in South America use q fluid obtain
ed from the back Of the toad, in place of Gu
rars, for poisoning the tips Of their arrows.
The ordinary tosi may be handled with i'm
punity, but should the secretion alluded to
fr - 18th nLr~Iad ck;p
SAINT sensations might ensue.
To TIGHTEN CYLINDERs.-When the cylin-
dcrs of hydraulic presses become porous,
and permit the water to pass through them,
they may be again rendered tight by heating
them to the melting point Of colophonium,
which is black resin, resulting from the
distiIlation Of turpentine, aud then introduc-
ing come Of this resin, and turning the cyl
inder round and round until the resin shows
on the outside, when the remainder inside
the cylinder il to be poured out.
A VALUABLE METHoD.-The following me
thod il given for breaking up large masses
Of cast iron, for instance, thvse of two feet
in diameter. A hole is to be bored into the
mass about one inch 10 diameter and three
or four inches deep, which is then filed with
water and wrought iron plug inserted. Ii
now the ue4Vy manner OF Pile driver Is al
lowed to fall upon the plug, the water has
no chance to escape, and the mass is split
asundcr.
TESTING ADULrRRArKD FLoUR.-M Rake
witsch proposed an exceedingly simple and
satisfactory method Of examining -four BY
means of chloroform. The proportions Of
bran, Of moisture, of damaged -four, mineral
matters and all Impurities, are determined
by the relative specific gravities OF the DIFF
ierent substances in chloroform. The -four
is placed 10 glass tube and mixed with the
liquid, which has the property Of holding in
very thorough suspension pure -four, while
the other materials are precipitated. By
adding strong alcohol, this precipitation is
fastened, while the more humid the -four or
iginally, the more alcohol IS needed before
the impurities are thrown down.
UEDER the title of the "Steam Bird" Mr.
]. <. Symthies, Of Paddington, England,
barrister ut Law, proposes TO introduce
ssfying steam engine" fitted with wings,
tapped by the action Of steam. Liquid fuel
10 10 be used, and seats are attached for one
or two passengers.