Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-12-06
ODD INGENuITlEs.


An Atlanta, Ga, man has applied clock-
work to the running Of sewing machine.
A FRENCH engineer has recently invented
an improved key, which simplifies and
renders lasting the tuning Of stringed In
strumente,
A NEW YORKER has invented cash sys.
TEN which admits Of no mistakes. If you
hand clerk tive dollar bill it will be ut
terly impossible to make him believe it was
ten.
A MACHINE by which the interest on any
bvlm, 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 a 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 SAID to be 1872 pounds, against
29S pounds, the holding power of the pres.
ent screw.
A KANSAS Cry carpenter has invented
b new ehamfering instrument, by the aid of
which he claims to cut corner to the de-
sired angle at one stroke. There is no re-
petition bf 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 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 nolghbering grove. Each boat
readily supported four to six fully equipped
| soldiers.
A sTRIKISd Improvement in clocks was
exhibited and described to the British AS
ISOLATION for the Advancement of Science
| by noted inventor. The new feature con
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 tc
convert an eight-day clock into one requir
ing winding only once year.
AN Italian inventor has succeeded it ap
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 d;
| uiutu It's lHC blLc VI lut Will DClMlt
Sighor Bozza then, by means of an inge
NOUS electrical key board, plays Oh any or al
of them; producing at viii the full effect o.
a band of thirty or forty performers:
A MIXTURE composed of two drachms o.
camphor; half a drachm Of pure saltpetre
! half drachm of muriate of ammonia anC
| two fluid ounces of proof spirit placed in
| glass tube or narrow wall makes an excel
lent barometer In dry weather the solu
ton remains clear; stormy weather is indi
| Gated by very disturbed condition of thu
chemical mixture, and on the approach Of ;
change, minute stars will rise in the liquid
A New ENGLAND genius has recent,
discovered cheap method of dissoyinl
| zinc by combining it with hydrogen ant
producing solution called zinc water
This liquid, if applied to certain woods
notably whitewood, makes it absolutel
lireproof and at q low cost. This discover
is regarded rs one of the most important 0
the age, and one that will surely revolution
ize fire insurance, as well as immensely dc
crease tho loss by fire. The invention is KEEP
secret for the present.
A NEW invention is reported for dryin
buildings. A Russian engineer has in
vented an apparatus for drying building
which is said to have proved very effective
1t is based on the principle Of carbonic ga
rapidly absorbing the moisture of the hi
and to this end the inventor has con
structed closed stove burning charcoal b
the introduction of ar INTO it direct from
the open through two tubes. A steady cul
rent of dry, warm carbonic gas is Above
to escape into the room to be dried, wh'c
rapidly absorbs the moisture IN the air, an
escapes in the ordinary manner throug
the chimney.
A DEVICE has been patented for use IL
transmitting bottles through the mails 0
otherwise, with view TO preventing inpc
to goods which may come in contact wit
them from the breaking of the bottle an
spiling of its contents. This mailing cas-
consists of round wooden box with
screw top, there being inside the box
thick lining Of absorbent material, wticl
in case of breakage, win quickly abSor
the liquid and prevent damage that Nigh
otherwise occur. As result of this col
struction it is claimed that the breaking 9
the bottle is not followed by the escal
from the mailing case of any of the bottle