New-York tribune., 1868-08-12
AMERICAN SCIENCE ASSOCIATION
sTEAM-BOILER EXPLOsIONS-ISTEREsTIN TX
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. on THE LAKE.
IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

sTEAM-BOuER EXPLOsIONs-INTEREsTING EX-
PERDENT--EXCURsION on THE LAKE.
IFRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
CuICAGo, Aug. S.-The session this morning,
which was a general one, almost entirely occupied
with the discussion OF the subject Of seamboilcr eXpo-
sons Mr. Joseph A. Miller read very interesting paper
on that subject and presented a drawing Of a boiler,
which lie claimed to be great improvement those in
common use This boiler was OF conical shape, pointing
downward, the apex OF the being surrounded by
the flames and descending below the line or the surface
of the crates Inside the boiler at short distance from
the she'll was partition OF iron similar in shape 20 the
outside shell, which prevented the water inside the par
shell and the partition. The partition extended from just
below the waterlne and parallel with the SHE'LL nearly
10 the bottom Of the boiler. When the res are knded
around the boiler upward current Is produced be.
tween tho partition and shell, which, IN the view OF Mr.
Miller II Of great Importance. He believes that one OF
is mixture OF steam with the water When the safety
valve is opened, this steam forces the water upward
and toward the vent ana when boiler eXplodes
forces all the water out OF 1t. In his boiler mo
current passing over tho upper edge OF inc
partition exposes all the water TO the steam space above
and gives the steam opportunity 10 pass out OF IT, III
very possible Judging from the subsequent discussion
water in steam boiler is raised TO certain tempera.
ture, considerably above 2l2o and does not pass into
steam confined above IT. Now II that pressure is sud
denly removed, in the OF an explosion, large
quantity OF that water Will pass into steam whether he
boiler be OF the common shape OF that recOmmended
by Mr. Miller Mr. Miller also claims that his boiler VIII
ing surfaces should be vertical nearly so as TO
prevent the accumulation OF steam In tho water A
gentleman who followed him said that steam was accu-
mnated In the water In steam boiler just rs carDono
acid Is forced by pressure into soda water. President
Barnard opposed these views. Mr. Hyatt Thought all
engineers should be men OF learning having knowledge
OF the theory OF steam the expansion OF gases &c Mr.
Miller thought would pay careful attention to
his feedpumps and gaugecock he would do, II ne was
not PHI d., IN which opinion Mr.. Guthrie conceded
Mr. Guthrie also threw some light on the subject
Of steamboat explosions the Mississippi, when ne
thought were commonly due 10 the TepreenslDe prac-
ce OF running without any water in the boiler Ihe dis
eussion OF the subject will be resumed on Monday.
Prof. Lowering gave brief lecture, illustrated Dy
some very interesting experiments. The Application OF
electricity To sustaining the vibrations OF tuning IOlk
and Of the vibrations Of the tuning fork to exciting
pathetic vibrations Of thread were not new, he sald Dut
they had not hitherto been effected except on small
scale and not In connection with each other lie pro
posed 10 make OF tuning fork with prongs about
three feet in length and thread cord about 25 feet
long. The electric current would be derived from
Groves battery OF six cups The electric current would
sustain the vibrations OF the fork and the fork call forth
responses from different harmoncs OF the cord according
the tension regulated by different weights. The
cord was made to vbae before black surface and the