, 1883-02-09
WONDERS ~ INTENTIONS.

American inventions have been wonder
fully prolific in important results. To
say nothing of the telephone, the phono-
graph, the electric hight and the system
of automatic and qu9dIupeS teography,
all of which have been 50 fully described
that their principles are perfectly fa-
millar to t. general public, there have
been nun ruus discoveries and improve
ments winch, i'll their way, have brought
about r,yu,utiols III the arts and
sciences. Among the most important
Of recent discoveries nre improvements
IN the manufacture Of vulcani2ed India
rubber in It's various applications, which
have resulted III making it the best and
cheapest material lOr superior and high
Unfinished combs. These combs, in
ilexibility and durability, are equal to
the best horn a.d she'll, and are now
extensively 3 manufactured. The princi-
pal factories for the making OF rubber
combs are located in Connecticut. The
material produced by this new process
possessed peculiar qualities. 1t was
more perfectly elastic than common
oaoutchouc, resisted the action of the
ordinary solvents Of that material, was
better able o resist the wear and tear of
its surface and preserved its hexibility
at all temperatures. Then Mr.. Nelson
Goodyear patented aprocess for solidify-
ing rubber, making it susceptible to
any form of process OF manufacture.
The next invention OF any importance
was a pegging machine. Pegged shoes
made by hand were manufactured in
large quantities long time before the
invention of this machine; but the man.
ufacture was, and is, confined chiefly to
mems boots and shoes, and to the coars-
er 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 machine large
ly increased the production, and, of
course, diminished the cost of product.
There have been many improvements in
the stitching machine, the product orig.
inally Of the mechanical genius of Elias
Howe. This machine was first perfect
I'd in 1916.
A process has recently been patented
in the United States by which shot is
made at q 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
meni. In this branch OF the lead indus
i,y this country takes a prominent and
probably leading position, as the prac-
tlce of painting dwelling houses is more
common than in any other country.
The safety drum, another new inven-
tion, is safety device which guards
against accident arising from such de-
rsngement in elevator machinery, or
some obstruction in the hatchway,
whereby the ropes may be uncoiled from
the main drum of the engine, while the
ear remains temporarily lodged at a
greater or less distance from the bottom.
1t is also perfect safeguard against the
too-rapid descent of the car, in case the
belt or any part of the gearing connect
ed with the engine should give way, or
II 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 i'm
l'regnable to almost any appliance in
use by the most expert burglars. The
doors, which are generally the weak
point Of the safe, are constructed of
plates so dove-tailed and fitting cores.
pondingly into the iambs that the wedge,
the effective 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 con.
Ntructed OF alternate plates Of iron,
welded iron and steel, carbonized and
decarbonized steel and crystal steel,
fastened together by bolts from the in.
side, effectively prevents them being
lo,"ed by sledCe-hommers, jimmies,
IaGk-screws or any other burglnrious III.
strument. Their fire. proof qualities are
also secured by q filing of concrete,
which makes them absolutely nrnof