Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-11-17
WONDERS IN INVENTIONS.

fully prolific In important results To
say nothing OF the telephone, the pho
nograph, the electric light and the sys-
tenn of automatic and quadruplex tel
egraphy, all of which have been so fully
described that their principles are per-
fectly familiar to the general public,
there have been numerous discoveries,
and improvements which, in their way,
have brought about revolutions in the
arts and sciences. Among the most
important of recent discoveries are inn
provements in the manufacture of yul-
canized India rubber in its various ap-
plications, which have resulted in max
ing it the best and cheapest material for
superior and highly finished combs.
These combs, in fexibility and durabil-
ity, are equal to the best horn and shell,
ard are now extensively manufactured.
The principal factories for the making
Of rubber combs are located in Connec-
| ticut.
The material produced by this new
process possesses peculiar qualities.
It is more perfectly elastic than COM
mon caoutchouc, resisted the action Of
the ordinary solvents of that material,
is better able to resist the wear and
tear of its surface and preserves its
fexibility at all temperatures. Then
Mr.. Nelson Goodyear patented pro-
cess for solidifying rubber, making il
susceptible to any form Of process OF
manufacture.
The next invention of any Importance
was pegging machine. Pegged shoes
made by hand were manufactured in
large quantities long time before the
invention Of this machine; but the
manufacture was. and is, confined chief
ly to mems boots and shoes, and to the
coarser kinds of ladies' shoes. Lynn,
the great center of the manufacture Of
ladies' shoes, was never engaged to any
extent in the manufacture Of pegged
shoes. The introduction Of this ma
chine largely increased the production,
and, of course, diminished the cost of
the product. There have been many i'm
provements in the stitching machine,
the product originally of the mechani-
cal genius Of Elias Howe. This ma
chine was first perfected in 1845.
A process has recently been patented
in the United States by which shot is
made at low elevation by forcing
strong current of air upon it as it falls
into the water. Another important use
to which lead is put is the preparation
of oxide of lead or white lead as pig
ment. In this branch of the lead in
dustry this country takes a prominent
and probably leading position, as the
practice Of painting dwelling houses is
more common than in any other coun-
try.
The safety drum, another new inven-
tion, is safety device which guards
against accidents arising from such de
rangement in elevator machinery, or
some obstruction in the hatchway,
whereby the ropes may be uncoiled
from the main drum of the engine,
while the car remains temporarily
lodged at greater or less distance from
the bottom. It is also perfect safe
guard against the too rapid descent of
the car, in case the belt or any part of
the gearing connected with the engine
should give way, OF if run too fast by
the carelessness of the operator.
Great improvements have been made
in the methods Of construction used for
iron safes. making them impregnable
to almost any appliance in use by the
most expert burglars. The doors,
which are generally the weak point Of q
safe, are constructed of plates SO dove
tailed and fitting correspondingly into
the jambs that the wedge, the most eff
fective implement used by the burglar,
is perfectly powerless against them,
while the accuracy with which they fit
offers no opportunity for any creyice
into which nitro -glycerine or any other
explosive fluid can be introduced. The
body Of the safe being also constructed
Of alternate plates of iron, welded iron
and steel, carbonized and decarbonized
steel and crystal steel, fastened together
by bolts from the inside, effectively
prevents them being forced by sledge
hammers, iimmies, iack-screws or any
other burglarious instrument. Their
fire-proof qualities are also secured by
a filling Of concrete, which makes them
absolutely proof against fire and dam p
In addition to the fre-proof filing, the
safes are furnished with improved COM
bination locks, varied for each safe,
many Of which are supplied with an
automatic rotary movement, and conse-
quently operated without any arbor
or spindle passing through the door in
the lock, rendering it impossible to pick
them BY any process yet invented.
In 1849, DR.. Gathney invented q
method of transmitting power by means
of compressed air driven through pipes,
Up to ten years ago his application for
a patent for this process from the
United States was rejected on the
ground that it was discovery and not
an invention. Patents have however.
been obtained for it in Europe, and it
is by means Of this method that the
tunnel Of Mont Cents has been worked.