The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1888-12-08
ODD INGENUITIES.

An Atlanta, Ga, man has applied clock
work to the running of sewing machine.
A FRENCH engineer has recently invented
an improved key, which simplities and
renders lasting the tuning of stringed in-
StrumentS.
A NEW YORKER has invented cash sys-
tenn which admits of no mistakes. If you
hand clerk live dollar bill it will be ut
terly impossible to make him believe it was
q ten.
A MACHINE by which the interest on any
sum, from ten thousand dollars to one dol
lar, from ten years to one day, at any rate
per cent, may be determined in thirty sec
onds, by simply turning knob, has been
patented recently.
AN ingenious inventor has devised new
screw-half nail and half screw; two blows
OF the hammer, two turns of the screw
driver, and it is in. Its holding power in
white pine is sad to be 1872 pounds, against
2aS pounds, the holding power of the pres
ent screw.
A KANSAS CITY carpenter has invented
new chamfering instrument, by the aid of
which he claims to cut corner to the de-
sired angle at one stroke: There Is no re-
petition Of the planning process, the ma
chine being passed only once over the cor
ner to be chamfered
A RUSSIAN sergeant of the Semonovsky
Regiment has invented a method for the
rapid construction of boats from tents. In
thirty minutes, under the designers direc-
ton, detachment of men improvised sew
eral handy boats with the aid of green
wood from a nelghbering grove. Each boat
readily supported four to six fully equipped
soldiers.
A STRIKING improvement in clocks was
exhibited and described to the British As
ISOLATION for the Advancement of Science
by noted inventor. The new feature eon-
sists in the use of torsion pendulum,
which, with lever and escapement, may be
applied to ordinary works, and by its slow
rate of vibration makes it practicable to
convert an eight-day clock into one requir-
ing winding only once year.
AN Italian inventor has succeeded, it APP
pears, in applying electricity to the playing
of musical instruments. Numbers of brass
and other instruments are suspended in
mid air, separated from one another as
much as the size of the hall will per1nIt
Signor Bozza then, by means of an inEe-
nous electrical keyboard, plays on any or ell
of them, producing at wifi the full effect of
band of thirty or forty performers.
A MIXTURE composed of two drachms of
camphor, half a drachm of pure saltpetre,
half drachm of muriate of ammonia and
two fluid ounces of proof spirit, placed in
glass tube or narrow VIAL makes an excel
lent barometer. In dry weather the solu-
ton remains clear; stormy weather is indi-
Gated by Il very disturbed condition of the
chemical mixture, and on the approach Of
change minute stars will rise in the liquid.
A NEW ENGLAND genius has recently
discovered a cheap method of dissolYing
zinc by combining it with hydrogen and
producing a solution called zinc water.
This liquid, if applied to certain woods,
notably whitewood, makes it absolutely
fireproof and at O low cost. This discovery
is regarded as one of the most important OF
the age, and one that will surely revolution
ize fire insurance, as well as immensely de
crease the loss by fire The invention is kept
secret for the present.
A NEW invention is reported for drying
buildings. A Russian engineer has in
vented an apparatus for drying buildings
which is said to have proved very effective.
1t Is based on the principle Of carbonic gas
rapidly absorbing the moisture of the Mir
aud to this end the inventor has con-
the introduction of air INTO it direct from
the open through two tubes. A steady car
rent of dry, warm carbonic gas is allowed
to escape into the room TO te dried, which
rapidly absorbs the moisture IN the air, and
escapes in the ordinary manner through
the chimney.
A DEVICE has been patented for use In
transmitting bottles through the mails OF
otherwise, with view to preventing injury
to goods which may come in contact with
them from the breaking of the bottle and
spilling of its contents. This mailing case
consists of round wooden box with a
screw top, there being inside the box
thick lining of absorbent material. witch, |
in case of breakage, will quickly absorb
the liquid and prevent damage that might
otherwise occur. As result of this cob
it is claimed that the breaking of |
the bottle is not followed by the escape |
from the mailing case of any of the bottles |
contents.