Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-03-13
USES FOR COMPRESSED AIR.
Jts Especial Advantage Described By an
Washington Aqueduct.


Expert-washingto Aqueduct.
@What are some Of the uses of com
pressed air as a motor| asked re-
porter Of leading dealer in roek-drills
and compressed air machinery recently.
ut is especially well adapted" was
the reply "for rock-drills, pumps, hoist
ing engines, and other machines used in
mines, shafts, tunnels, and underground
work in general, where the direct use
of steam would be very incOnvenient,
and in most cases entirely impractical
bic. The fact is that the compressed air
is motor for all the essential purposes
of steam without the loss of power due
to condensation and without the heat
and many other Inconvenience attend
ing the use of steam as motive power,
especially in confined places and at dis
lance from the source of supply. 1t Is,
therefore, applicable to all engines that
can be operated by the expansive power
of steam, either at high or low pressures,
and one of its principal advantages over
steam is that it can be stored and trans
mitted through pipe to any distance
without material loss of pressure or
diminution of volume, the only requis.
ties being pipe and ample area, with
tight Joints and laid with the least pos.
sible number of sharp turns. In min
ing work particularly it has the addi-
tional advantage that, upon exhausting
from the drills or other machines used,
it furnishes to the workmen constant
and abundant supply of pure, fresh, and
cool air, thus in many cases obviating
the necessity of providing other and ex
pensiye means of ventilation"
rs it applied to other kinds Of work
SUCCESSFULLY"
"Quite 50. For instance, in sinking
bridge caissons; driving tunnels through
soft material by the pneumatic process;
for refrigerating and ventilatiAg pur.
poses; transmitting messages, packages
and passenger cars in pneumatic tubes;
vulcanizing wood; in the manufacture Of
rubber goods and nitro-glycerine explo-
sives; for elevating liquids, purifying
water for city and town use, driving
street cars, mine locomotives, and for
supplying a very convenient and per
fectly safe motor for running elevators
and factory and shop machinery. The
feasibility Of COMPRISING air either by
steam or water power, at any conven.
lent point for economical production, anC
then conveying it by iron pipes along
the streets Exactly as gas or water i.
carried), to be tapped and used wherever
required, furnishing power for use il
towns and cities, has already been prac
tically demonstrated, and it is only d;
question Of time when this plan will b
extensively adopted, owing to its ecoi
omy and safety. By this system powe
may be transmitted to a great distancea
a comparative small expense.
"At the tunnel being driven for til,
Washington, ID. c., aquedIct, the com
pressor plant is located at q centra
point for economical operation, and tn,
air distributed over distance Of fv'
miles over ground, through ten, tweiv,
and six-inch pipe, to the four shaft
where it is received by four inch pip,
and supplied to the drills, hosting en-
ginea, and pumps. When the tunnel i
completed the air win have been con
veyed through ten miles of pipe. This i
the longest distance air has been con
Quoted, and the loss by friction and radi
ation does not exceed : per cent. 1t Ga,
just as readily be conducted mac,
longer distance without higher per
centage Of oss.-New Yor!, Mail and Ok
press.