The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-21
SCIENTIFIC.

A New Carriage Axle Box has been re-
Gently patented. The spindle hasa circular
shoulder or boss near its inner and larger
end, and screw hole is tapped in its outer
end. Ashouldered sleeve, Or box fits over
the spindle and detachable rings are also
slipped on it, being interposed between its
shoulder and the shoulder of the sleeve or
box. The nut which holds the box on the
spindle has tap that screws into the end
of the spindle and around which is formed
a recess to receive detachable rings By
removal of one of the rings at each end of
the spindle, the box may be adjusted on
the latter to compensate for wear.
BULLET MAKING. The manufacture of
bullets is not SO simple as it used to be. At
Woolwich, England, the melted metal is
poured into receiver, and as soon as it
solidifes, but before it is cold, it is forced
by hydraulic pressure through cylindrical
holes in the form of long strings. This
process is to prevent the formation of air
bubbles in the bullet, which would cause it.
when fired, to swerve from its course. The
leaden strings are thence carried to the
bullet moulding department, where they
are cut into lengths and roughed; then
shaped in one machine, and finished in
another. They have now to be plugged.
These plugs were formerly made of wood,
but are now prepared from special pow
der, which solidifss after being pressed into
form. m.-Ironmonyer.
To BRIGHTEN IRON - The following
method OF Frightening iron, which appears
suitable for some of the less important parts
of large clocks. is recommended by Boden.
The articles to be frightened are, when
taken from the forge or the rolls, in the case
of such articles as plate, wire, ETC., placed in
diluted sulphuric acid q to 20) where they
remain for about an hour. This has the
effect of cleansing them, and they are
washed clean with water and dried with
sawdust. They are then dipped for about
second in commercial nitrous acid
washed carefully, dried in sawdust, and
rubbed clean. 1t is said that iron goods
thus treated acquire, without undergoing
any of the usual polishing operation, a
bright surface having white glance. Care
should be taken by any one using the
nitrous acid not to inhale the fumes.
THE working up of cotton and wool into
all sorts of fabrics has of lateyeats received
much development, SO that now twenty five
to thirty per cent. of loose cotton may be
added to wool, and the fabrics so woven
actually decisive the naked eye of the most
experienced dealer-the only difficult point
being to dye the cotton well and fine. A
method of accomplishing this has, accord
ing to the Textile Manufacturer, now been
found, 80 that, with fabrics not Requiring
to be fulled, all colers can be produced to
resemble the tints of wool. The loose
cotton, as it proceeds from the ball, may be
Eoosed either by mechanical or manual
labor, and as soon as each raw cotton yarn
has been boiled two hours in water, it ia
ready for dyeing; but such manipulation
may be saved in most colors by inlmersing
the cotton--as, for example, for black, in q
logwood bath for two hours, by which time
is sa ed. The chief point Of attention,
during the boiling process, is to turn the
cotton necessarily, SO as to insure all por.
tions being soaked through, otherwise non
dyed white spots show up. 1t is also
advisable to use separate vats for each
bath, much dyeing material being thus
saved.
RECENT TESTS OF THE TELEPHONE.
Some interesting trials of the articulatine
telephone were lately made IN England
through DR.. Muirhead's artificial cable.
The artificial line, says the Teleraphie
Journal, offers the closest approximation To
the electrical conditions of an actual cable
that has been hitherto attained. The ex.
periments were made through length OF
artificial cable of the type of the Direct
United States Cable, and it was so con.
structed that artificial line capacity could
be added to the circuit or taken away from
] it at will. When the capacity is taken off,
, the circuit is of course q mere resistance
circuit; but when the capacity is put on,
the circuit was equivalent to length of
submarine cable. In speaking by tele
phone through hundred mile of this cable
the words were comparatively loud and dis.
tinct, but the instant the capacity was put
on, the voice lost both power and distinct
ness in remarkable degree. 1t appeared
only half as loud as before, and dull and
smothered in tone. With hundred and
fifty miles of artificial cable, while the voice
: was apparently as strong as ever through
. the resistance circuit alone, it was com.
h pletely silenced by putting on the capacity
q Even with superior telephone, the ex
! treme limit of articulation would thus be
9 less than two hundred miles. Theory
points out and exDeriment erifi az tho foot