Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-01-29
a Steam Man.

| ne olu adage. which procaImS that
there nothing new under the sun, has
been darlngly and yet successfully refuted.
Mr. Paddock Deddrick, "a Newark machinist,
mas invented steam man. one that, moved
by steam viii perform some of the most i'm
portant functions of humanity that will,
standing upright, walk or run as he is
bid, IN any direction and at almost any rate
OF speed, drawing after him load whose
weight would tax the strength of three stout
draught horses The history of this curious
invention is as follows:
Six years ago Mr. Deddrick, the inventor,
who is at present but twenty-five years of
age, conceived the novel idea fconstructing
man that should receive its vitality from a
! perpetual motion machine. The idea was
based on the well known mechanical princi-
! pie that if heavy weight be placed at the
| top OF an upright slightly inclined from a
vertical, gravitation will tend to produce a
| horizontal as well as vertical motion.
The project was not successful. Howev-
er, by observing carefully the cause of the
failure, persevering and perfecting the man
! form, and by substituting steam in place of
| the perpetual motion machine, the present
success was attained
| The man stands seven feet nine inches
high, the other dimensions of the body be-
ing correctly proportioned, making him a
second Daniel Lambert, by which name he
is facetiously spoken OF among the work
men. he weighs five hundred pounds.
Steam IS generated In the body or trunk
which Is nothing but a three horse power en-
| gine, like those used in our steam fire en-
gines. The legs which support it are com
plicated and wonderful The steps are tax
en- very naturally and quite easily. As the
| body is thrown forward on the advanced foot
| "a 2 nd i,,r
| srripg and thrown forward by the steam.
Each step or pace advances the body two
| feet, and every revolution of the engine pro-
| duces four PAGES. AS the engine is capable
Of making more than thousand revolutions
a minute, it would get over the ground on
this calculation at the rate of Il little more
than mile a minute. As this would be
working the legs faster than would be safe
! on uneven ground or on broad street cobbe
stones, 1t is proposed TO run the engine at
| the rate OF five revolutions per minute, which
| would walk the man at the modest speed of
half mile q minute.
The fellow is attached TO common rock
away carriage, the shafts of which serve to
support him in vertical position. These
shafts are two bars of iron, which are made
fast III the usual manner to the front axle OF
the carriage, and are curved so as to be join
ed to circular sustaining bar, which passes
around the waist, like girth, and in which
the man moves so as to face in any direction.
Besides these motions machinery has been
arranged by which the figure can be thrown
back ward or forward from a vertical, nearly
forty-fve degrees This is done in order to
enable to ascend or descend all grades. To
the soles of the feet spikes or corks are fixed
which etfectually prevent slipping. The
whole affair is so firmly sustained by the
Il. q, ILL II,
two men are unable to push it over,or in any
way throw it down. In order to enable it to
stop quickly, it is provided with two appli-
ances one of which will, as before stated,
throw it backward from the vertical, while
the other bends the knees in direction op-
posite to the natural position.
An upright post, which is arranged in
front Of the dashboard, and within easy
reach of the front seats, sustains two nina
ture pilot wheels, by the turning of which
these various motions and volutions are di-
rected. It is expected that sufficiently
large amount of coal can be slowed away un-
der the back seat of the carriage to work
the engine for a day, and enough water IN
tank under the front seat to last half day.
In order to prevent the glant" from
frightening horses by its wonderful appear
ance, Mr.. Deddrick intends to clOthe 1t and
give IL dS nearly as pOSolDio ilhcuSSo " Inc
rest Of humanity The boiler and such parts
as are necessarily heated will be encased in
felt or wooden under garments. Pants, coat
and vest of the latest styles, are provided.
Whenever the fires need coaling, which is
every two or three hours, the driver stops
the machine, descends from his seat, unbut-
tons "Danel's'' vest opens door, shovels
in the fuel, buttons up the vest and drives
on On the back between the shoulders
the steam cocks and gauges are placed. As
these would cause the coat TO set awkward
ly a knapsack has been provided that com
pletely covers them. a blanket neatly roll
led up and placed on top OF the knapsack
perfects the deusion. The face Is moulded
into cheerful countenance of white enamel
which contrasts well with the dark hair and
moustache. A sheet iron hat with gauge
top acts as a smoke stack.
The cost of the ''first man. is 50, 900, |
though the makers, Messrs. DeddrIck q
Grass, expect to manufacture succeeding
ones warranted to run year without re-
pairs, for $500. The same parties expect to
construct, on the same principle, horses that
will do the duty Of ten or twelve ordinary an
imals of the same species These, 1t is con-
fidentially believed, can be used alike before
carriages, street cars and piows. The man
now constructed can make his way over any
irregular surface whose ruts and stones are
not more than nine inches below or above
the level of the road.
100 .---------
Prof Bischoff, of Munich has recently re-
ceived nuuarouS Skulls of ourangoutang, I