, 1876-10-06
TIE WESTINGHOUSE AIIs.DnAKE.
A Phenomenon that IL Puzx1inE tho Scfen-
tlstA.

In connection with the Westinghouse air-brake
there ls shown what really bids fafr to turn out
10 be scientific phenomenon. At all events, II
has, thus far, puzzled tho brains Of the most
cultured and sdcntitc mechanics who arc con-
gregrAtcd here. And, from wl,at hear, strong
iy suspect Tint this strange result Of what must
be ono of Natures laws VAS discovered W accl-
dent. Tie oxllibitors Of the alr-brakc lnve at
tac!,cd tube to tho aT reservoir for the
purpose OF showing, by means OF fnucct at tho
epd of tho tube, tho immense pressure OF air.
Wien tS as t1o H. tn9s ts cur,
sustefus balls Of varying sptc!tlc gravlty-nc-
eording 10 thc pressure applied. ORce, on accl-
dcntal1y resting tho Iisc from ,wfsle!' the
taset sp,Es 1o sos,et,nE w'sn 5,s nppenea
though nj lougcr vertical, the current Of the
air silt held The batl IN sHpansion, thc bali re-
volv!nE rapidly - lstle case when l,nllis placed
On le TOP o. st q Wasef da: t,, tarss, ,, cSpy1
still rcmnin In suspension even wien tue air Jet
was turned 10 an angle Of fosty-lrc degrees,
tho laws of The rcnirc Of gravity being utterly
sct aside Numerous theories as to thc cause
OF this seeming phenomenon 1lave been nd
ynnccd only 10 be lufctly relute1. II bceIna 10
make little practical dliIcrencn IN the actual re.
suit whether asnlld g'ass bail an inch aud ahn}tin
di4tnoter-snct! q. with Interior cSloren @ lines,
asolId wooden pail oil three OF. folsr, inches III
diameter Is nscs, tic Only variation being tht
distance ut which tho spherical body Is held
lr;.n the urose; recording 70 apesic gravity.
The points whull lIavc most puzzled tue seftn-
title meclnnit In connection With this matter
nrv: First tint the current Of uir strikes
he snhere towarl Its northern aud npt ta'sa:I
u.s. soathern pn!e; Tue speFe tnus Apparently
supported byit. Secondly, that, By being gent
ly hcld between the finger and thumb till the
current uf air has the sphurc wc's IN its power,
the sphere rcn'ai''s notl9nless, % though Il
tail tSSrfa
fret 10 ooe revolution md then to tho other on.
u being nottecnbic. Third. that III tue case uf
the hollow Indla.ruhbcr balls, the two pulrs cf
the sphercs gradually become t'attcnc!a, a. !s
the sphere Ut the earth ut tho poles. Fourth,
that it first, rs is sownb BY The colore, the sphere
l,ns an uncertain axis Or rotation; tic axis only
becomes cestain after while. Filth, that, after
the solid glass ',all ,s l!cll ~ suspension,, mn
specific gravity-ean be paced md held IN sus'
pension in direct central liuo behind It; ttle
glass ball being held about three inches from
lhe orl!lcc Of the FAUCET and tlc 1ndta,lubbcr
have little doubt thut, With sufficient pressure
OF uir IN the tute, humber Of balls oflccrtas
Ing. specific gravity, but increasing IN size,
Guild thus 10 held lii suspension. ucallowancc
my'Mlt,nl, not tho least surprising feature Of
tlls vrry curious action III tic Jet ot aIr on the
bali Is TINT the ball Is not propelled besond the
puwcr of the jet by the very inrcc ofits current
LII lNE El4se VI MI Ltat Az VI "tlCh " hH IiA
ball, Of course, Is kept III suspense by the resist
| auct offered to its centre Of gravity by tho
continuity of rorwatcr; that's tho
tendency Ut tho ball to fal ia countcrarlcd the
moment Il las taltcn far enough to tW powcilcss
to resist tho upward pressure Of tho cMrGpht.
But when that current tsat att Inclined direction
of fuvty-tye degrees, ono would suppose the
current Of air woutd propel the ball bcyonl Its
rearh, and that tho centre OF gravity OF the ball
would inevitably carry It to the ground. do
not se4 why continuous concusslons Of u Jet Of
air or water should III sucl, chee have differ
cnt effect to That caused by Single conclusion,
the hnlllarlngHn means Ut frcconcussiois
against tile column Of the lot, especially as tic
| ward It's lower pu'a- This discovery Of this
| phenomenon 1las produced n veritablc excite
incnt, nnl sumo Of the abfcst brains In this me-
| cianiral world havc spent the last night or two
In slccpltss efforts to discover by what natural
| laws 1t Is governed, Some cyen 60 40 far AZ to
assert that Bosng uew Information Us to tie daily
rotation OF thc cnrtll, ctc., must necessarily be
| gained WHEN tho nature Of this ncwly discover
cd principle is thoroughly understood md de-
| fined. This know that rcams upon rcamB
| oFpapcrlhyc chccnconsumcd within the last forty.
eight hours In mathematical calculations aud
| scientific diagrams. Tile readers Of tho Iimu
Imaginary Jet Of mir. issuing from an osidcc
about oNo-cI9hth Of an inch In diameter md
striking sphere at about what sl,onld Judge
to be the forty-,fth parallel Of lutitue, at tho
central line Of Its current. Those who hare
| studied tho problonR agatl and agnsn do not
seem to 10 able to arrive at any. conclusion.
| Should any 71tNe3 reader succeed In solving It,
he OF she will confer grcat favor on the habit
ues of Machinery Hall.