The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-09-17
Invented BY a Convict.

dO.-Alumlnum Age.
Invented BY Convict.
John E. Foster, who is confined in
the Massachusetts state prison, has
invented what is called a wonderful
marine engine. The convict in explain
ing it's merits, says there are no eccen-
tries used, and that the engine is
reversed without stacking speed by
means of a button, but that on a
large engine treadle would be used.
The reversing is done so quickly that
one can hardly tell that the engine
has been reversed. Only three valves
are used, and they are self-acting.
There is no steam chest and no con-
densed steam can get into the cylin-
der.
. Foster claims that the engine is
more powerful than a Corliss and
there is less expense attending it, as
large percentage of friction is done
away with. The speed is faster than
the Corliss or an oscillator. One feat
ure about the engine is that the pis-
ton when detached can be revers-
ed.
Foster is at work at present on
fire engine. In this engine he pro-
poses to do away with eccentrics,
crossroads, balance wheels and shafts.
A double section pump will be used.
He has sent on to Washington to the
patent Office, and it has sent for full
particulars. .... -.t
An old machlnist says there is no
cylinder like it in the world. The in
ventcr is an uneducated man, but it
is thought he has succeeded in solving
great problem in mechanics.
Fairy-Like Electrical Effects.
The decorative uses of electricity ver.
most wonderfully shown at the recent
"artistic supper given at the Continen-
tai Gallery in London by Mr.. Jan Van
Beers. The novelty of a luminous
table was introduced; it consisted of
a solid slab ofplate-elass covered with
a transparent cloth through which
shone the light from over $50 incan-
descent lamps, of prismatic colors.
These were skillfully hidden from view
and were under the control of the host,
who now and again flooded the table
with dazzling brilliancy of varied hues
OF suffused gentle glow bewilderingly
beautiful. In addition, across the
table, artisticallv laid, ran a rope of
roses apparently to connect three guilt
statuettes holding upright wreaths of
the same blooms, but which really
concealed the slender electric wire that
let the white, pink and yellow lamps
that swung in the wreaths glow with
a refulgent Eght.-Philadelphia Re-
cord.
Invention of the Typewriter,
The typewriter was invented as
long ago as TIA by one Henry Mills,
who in that year obtained a patent
in. this country for device that
would write printed characters one at
a time, or one after another" There
is no description of this device to be
had now, but there is no doubt that
Mills invention was the parent of the
present typewriter. In 1888 a Frenc.,
patent was granted to Monsieur Pro-
grin (Xavier). OF MarseilIes, for a.
typewriter, which he called a typo
graphical machine. The account of
the machine is somewhat obscure,
but enough is given to show that it
was an operative one by which type
writing could be fairly we'll executed.
M. Foucalt sent to the Paris Expo
sition ina1 855 writing machine for
the blind, and several typewriters
were invented by Wheatstone. After
successive improvements manufact-
urer in America in 1878 contracted to
construct $4,000. ...s..
Accidental Discovery of New Dye.
Accident and carelessness have
sometimes led to valuable discoveries
in science, particularly in chemistry,
and we have a recent instance in the
Chemiker Zeitung. Herr VII. soxhlet
was recently examining various ex-
tracts of indigo, such as indigo car
mine, in order to determine their
market value, when, by pure over
sight, q quantity Of liquid ammonia
was poured into glass containing
some of the indigo carmine. The glass
was stoppered and left to itself, but
at the end of ten days it was taken up
to be cleaned, and the deep blue indf-
60 liquid was found to- have changed
its colour to ayellowish green &c Globe.
Wound by the Sun.
A clock is seen at Brussels which
comes as near to being a perpetual
motion machine as is likely ever to be
invented; for the sun does the wind
ing. The method by which it works
is described in the Optician.
A shaft exposed to the solar rays
causes an up draft of air, which sets
fan in motion. The fan acts upon a
mechanism which raises the weight OF
the clock until it reaches the top, and
then puts brake on the fan till the