The morning call., 1891-10-19
THE POWER OF AIR.
In Compressed Form 1t Is Al
ready a Rival of Electricity.
How 1t Is Applied in Paris-Machinery and
Railway Cars Run by It-Clocks Reg
ulated-The New Science.

~ am simply amazed" said Engineer
Robert Gillham of Aldrch. Ctnn., recently
to a correspondent of the st. Louis Post
Dispatch. who questioned him in relation to
what he had seen in Paris of the application
OF compressed air as a motive power, at
the progress made in the application Of the
comparatively new science. Why, in re-
frigerator ABOUT 10 feet square l found the
bodies of man and woman who had la in
there thirteen months, and in both the
flesh of the bo dy and face were in as good
condition as Immediately after death. l
was informed that the bodies were being
kept for the medical university"
One fact of Importance noted by Mr. Gill
ham on his visit was the preparation Paris
engineers are making by means of COM
pressed air with view to ayerting the ter
rors of another siege such as was expert
enced in 1871. Refrigerator stations can in
an emergency be made to contain enough
food to last Paris for over year.
Before accepting the invitation of Mr..
Victor Porp to visit the great central sta
tioD," said the engineer, ''my time was Oc-
cupied by personal visits to numerous con-
sumers, with the view Of discovering the va
rious uses Of compressed air in Paris, its adj
vantages and disadvantages, and especially
to learn how the consumers felt regarding
its use after having much experience with
it.
ENGINES RUN by AIR.
"At very large cafe on Avenue de pOpera
l saw some interesting applications. A 25-
horsepower engine, which was formerly
operated by steam. is now run by. COM
pressed air. The pressure in the street
main at this point registered six atmos-
pheres. Near the engine in the pipe is ar
ranged a pressure-reducing valve, which
can be adjusted to any pressure. In this
case the air was reduced from six atmos-
phereS TO four atmOSpheres. From the re-
dUction valve the air is conducted to
small coke-rad!ating device made from cast
iron. eighteen inches in diameter
The heater is hollow cylinder, having
vertical divisions, the central hollow space
being II inches in diameter, with
small cover on top. Around and outside
this space, in which the coke is burned, is
arranged series Of vertical spaces between
the fire space and the outside shell.
The air is introduced into this space at
normal temperature of air in the street
mains, is carried upward through the first
vertical division or chamber to the top Of
the heater. whore IL passes into second
chamber or division, then downward
through this to the bottom Of the heater,
wi ere it passes into the third chamber or
division, and thus the process OF leading
tire air up and down through the various
vertical divisions of the heater, numbering
ten divisions in this case. is continued until
the air has secured greatly increased tenn
peratuTe due to contact with the interior
heated surface of the divisions or chambers
of the heater. the degree of temperature
depending upon the character of the fire
maintained in the heater.
THE MODE OF OPERATION.
THE air is then conducted to the engine,
where il operates exactly as steam. The en-
gine is connected with a dynamo. which
generates all The electricity used in lighting
the premises of one or TWO neighbOrs. Elec-
tric accumulatOrs are arranged in an adj
joining room next the engiu Groom of ca
pacity sufficient to furnish light for two
days. In case any failure occurs In the en-
gine, dynamo or air light can be provided.
The exhaust air Is taken from the en-
gine and conducted o a refrigerator of con-
siderable size, IN which are arranged meats
of all kinds, game and vegetables. The
temperature in the refrigerator Is never
above 4O0. 1t is. however, arranged in two
compartments. In one tile temperature is
maintained at or near the freezing point
and he other above it.
was Informed that by increasing the
air pressure and using the same pressure in
the engine as that maintained in the street
main-six atmos pheres-he had with the ex-
haust air manufactured $50 pounds of ice
per day. Table tottles filed with water
were arranged in order in the refrigerator
and the water frozen solid, and when ice
water is needed in the cafe they are placed
on the table. Here is a list of the various
applications of compressed air in the city of
Paris:
APPLICATIONS OF THE AIR.
Force-401 motors, representing 1887 horse
power and 1lOS kilOgrameterS.
RefrigeratUrs and cold roOmS-1S5 horse
power.
Eltctric!ty-17,5 500 incandescent lamps and
$50 arc lamps.
Clock service-About 10000 clocks.
Canslized public roads for distribution of
compressed air, July l. 1890: Total length of
pipes 125 miles. Up to April ], 1891, there
is total length of pipe distributing com
pressed air for power purposes Of 20 miles
and for clock service 63 miles.
Motive power-M edcal application, air
baths, medical electricity, electric light,
dental apparatus, elevators, grinders, pipes,
raising of liquids, manipulation of wines ard
drawing OF beer, Tringing-machines sewing
machines, mOr0idery-machines. machines
for hashing meats ETC., ice-machnes, saws,
grndstones, printing and press machines,
circular saws for ivory, cahinet-making,
Joining, cardboard manufacturing, packing,
moldins, marble. etc, Lathes-Saw, polish
ing lathe, repul>ing lathe. crystal lathe. cork
lathe, meerschaum manufacturing aud bill
lard balls. etc.
Other pplications-Dynamo, feather-dye-
Ing machine, tapping machine cGrdbOards,
sharpening g-machnes, clipping machines,
1urnace-0l0wlng pump, paper waters, stitch
ing-machine. graveling- machines, coffee
burning machines. lace-making machines, |
steampnmps, gliding machines, nickeling-
machines, umbrellas, chains, boring-ma-
chimes, cle1nsing-machineS weavIng-ma- |
chimes, pill press, selzer-water machines. |
advertisements, coffee-grinders, copper
VII ~ oI,
combs, cylinder manufacturing, stamping, |
turbine, curding, etc.
Refrigeration, Ventilation and Cold |
Rooms-Preservation of the dead, eroth- |
erapy. meat refrigeration, etc.
Observation-Disclosures service. electric |
lights, heaters, conceal halls, newspapers, |
etc.
AN ALMOST PERFECT AGENT.
"Compressed air is unquestionably per-
feet agent for the transmission of time in
dcations ard records; because of this appli- |
cation the pulsation of a centrally loeatnd |
clock can be transmitted to an indefinite |
number Of clocks in different parts of the |
city with Iapidity and accuracy, which pull |
sations actuate the local clocks b. means of |
most simple devices. There are two central |
pendulum clocks, one in use; the other is
used only in case of accident, and the oper-
ating clock. These are operated by means |
of self-winding gears and weights; thus
there is no possibility of forgetting to tend
the central clock.
Twice every minute-at 20 seconds and |
at 60 seconds-the clock automatically opens |
the valve communicating with the receiver |
described, permitting the discharge of the |
contained air In the receiver TO one and one
half pounds. In less than 20 seconds the |
air thus liberated has reached 10000 clocks |
and forced upward q small valve at each |
clock, by which the hands of the clocks are |
made to move forward one minute the valve |
that liberated the air is then automatically |
closed and the reducing valve opened, and |
the receiver again charged with air, ready |
for the next discharges until the operation |
is continued.
''The location Of the clock, though it may |
be at the most remote part of the system
makes no difference, the hand is advanced |
with those OH other clocks. In order to ac-