River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-12-20
ODD INoENuIIIEa

Az Atlanta, Ga, man has applied clock
work 10 the running Of q sewing machine.
A FRENCH engineer has recently invented
an improved key, which simplifies and
renders lasting the tuning Of stringed in
struments.
A NEW YORKER has invented a cash sys-
| tenn which admits of no mistakes II you
hand clerk q live dollar bill it VIII be ut
terry impossible to make him believe it was
ten.
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 SAID TO be 332 pounds, against
29s pounds, the holding power Of the pres
ent screw.
KANSAS CITY carpenter has invented
q new chamfering instrument, by the aid OF
which he claims 10 cut a corner 10 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.
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 improyised sew
eral handy boats with the aid of green
wood from neIghbering grove Each boat
readily supported four to six fully equipped
soldiers.
A STRIKING improvement in clocks was
exhibited and described TO the British As
sociation for the Advancement OF Sciences
by noted inventor. The new feature SON
sists in the use Of q tcrsion pendulum,
which, with lever and escapement, may be
applied 10 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 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 as
much as the size Of the hall will permit.
| Siguor Bozza then, by means of an iugc-
nous electrical keyboard, plays on any or all
of them, producing at will the full effect Of
band of thirty or forty performers.
| A MIXTURE composed of two drachms Of
1
half a drachm of muriate of ammonia and
| two fluid ounces of proof spirit, placed in .
| glass tube or a narrow vial, makes an excel
| lent barometer. In dry weather the solu-
| ton remains clear; stormy weather is indi-
| Gated by a very disturbed condition OF the
| chemical mixture, and on the approach Of a
change. minute stars win rise in the liquid.
/ A NEW ENGLAND genius has recently
| discovered a cheap method of dissolving
/ zinc by combining it with hydrogen and
| producing a solution called zinc water.
| This liquid, If applied 70 certain woods,
notably wildwood, makes it absolutely
! fireproof and at 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 10 have proved very effective
/ It IS based on the principle Of carbonic gas
| rapidly absorbing the moisture of the air
and to this end the inventor has con
structed closed stove burning charcoal b.
the introduction of air into it direct from
| the open through two tubes. A steady cur
| rent Of dry, warm carbonic gas is allowed
| 20 escape into the room TO be dried, which
rapidly absorbs the moisture IN the air, and
escapes in the ordinary manner through
/ the shimney.
A DEVICE has been patented for use IN
transmitting bottles through the mails OF
otherwise, with view to preventing injury
/ 10 goods which may come in contact with
them from the breaking of the bottle and
spilling of it's contents. This mailing case
consists Of a round wooden box with G
screw top, there being inside the box O
thick lining of absorbent material. which,
in case of breakage, will quickly absorb
the liquid and prevent damage that might
otherwise occur. As a result of this con-
struction 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.