New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-10
MEx-No@ STuAY OCTOBER 10


The Weselugheuse Air-Brake.
Il connecticza with tho Westinghouse air
brake thero is shown what really btds fair
to turn out to be a scientific phenomenon.
At all events, it has, thus far, puzzled the
mechanics who are c0ngregated here. And,
from what hear, strongly suspect that
this strange result of what must be one OF
natures laws was discovered by accident.
The exhibitors of the air-brako have at
tached q tube to tie air reservoir for the
purpose of allowing, by means of faucet
at the end Of the tube, the immense pres
sure of air. When che air is admitted
into the tube, the current rushing from the
small Orifice Of tho faucet sustAins balls of
varying specific gravity-according to
the pressure applied. Once, on acci-
dentally resting the base from which the
faucet springs upon something which hap
pened to be lying upon the table. 1t was
found that, though no longer vertical. the
current Of the air still held the ball IN Gus
pension, the ball revolving rapidly as is the
case when . ball is placed on the top OF
jet of water. Further experiment demon.
strated the fact that the ball would still
remain in suspension even when the air jet
was turned to an angle Of forty-fve de-
grees, the laws of the centre of gravity
being utterly set aside. Numerous the0-
ries as to the cause of this seeming phe-
nomen0n have been advanced only to be
quickly refuted. 1t seems to make little prac.
tical difference in the actual result whether
solid glass ball an inch and half in diane
ter-such ss, with interior cOlOred lines,
children play with-or hollow lndis rub
Der or solid wooden ball of three or tour
inches in diameter is used, the only varia.
ton being the distance at which the spher.
ical body is held from the 0ri6ce, according
to specific gravity. The points which have
most puzzled the scientific mechanics in
connection with this matter are: First, that
the current of air strikes the sphere to-
ward its northern and not toward it's south
ern pole; the sphere thus apparently hang
ing to the Jet of air rather than being sup
ported by it. Secondly, that, by being
thumb till the current of air has the sphere
well in its power, the sphere remains mo-
tionless, as though it we're suspended by q
thread-a slight movement frat to one rev.
olutlon and then to the other only being
noticeable. Third, that in the case of
the hollow India rubber balls, the two poles
of the spheres gradually become asttened,
a. is the sphere of the earth at the poles.
Fourth, that at first, - 10 shown by the
colors, the sphere has an uncertain axis or
rotation; the axis only becomes certain af-
glass ball is held in suspension, an India
rubber ball-which, of course, has less
specific gravity-can be placed and held in
direct central line behind it; the glass ball
being held about three inches from the ORR
fee of the faucet, and the India rubber
about the same distance from the globe
ball. have little doubt that, with suf-
koient pressure of air in the tube, = number
of balls of decreasing specific gravity, but
increasing in size, could thus be held in
suspension-due allowance being made
for the spread of tho jet of air. To
my mind, not the least surprising feature of
this very curious action of the jet of air ON
the ball is that the ball is not propelled be-
yond the power of the jet by the very
force of its current. In the case of yer.
tical let of water or air, the ball, of course,
is kept in suspense BY the resistance offered
to its centre Of gravity by the continuity Of
the column of air or water; that il, the
tendency of the ball to fall 10 couuteracted
powerless to resist the upward pressure Of
the current. But when that current is at
IN inclined direction ef forty Eve degrees,
one would suppose the current of air would
propel the ball beyond its reach, and that
the centre of gravity of the ball would in
evitably carry it to the ground. I do not see
why continuous conclusions OF jet of cir or
water should in euCh q case have different
effect to that caused by single conclusion,
the ball having an apparent means Of re.
concussiOn against the column of the Jet
especially as the jet strikes IL toward its
upper rather than toward its lower pole
The discovery Of this phenomenon hss
produced . veritatle excitement, and some
/ Of the ablest brains in the mechanical world
have spent the last night OK two in sleeplese
efforts to discover by what natural laws il
10 governed. Some even 60 90 far a. to
assert that some new Information q
| to tho daily rotation Of the earth, etc.
I must necessarily be gained when the
| nature Of this newly discovered prin
| ciple 10 thoroughly understood and de
fined. This 1 know, that reams upon reaml
| Of paper have been consumed within the
| last forty-eight hours in mathematical cal
| culstions and ecientific diagram6. Th(
| readers Of the Times can set to work on
| this pussle by drawing IN imaginary jet o.
air, issuing from an oriice about one-eightt
| of an inch in diameter, and striking Z
! sphere at about what should judge to b,
| the forty fifth parallel Of latitude, at tn,
| central line of its current. Those who havt
studied tho problem again and again do moi
seem to be able to arrive at any conclusion
| Should any Times reader succeed in solv
| ing it, he or she will confer great fsver OF
| the hsbitues of Machinery Hall.-PAiladel
| phia Correspondence Eeu York. Times.