The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
NOTES on SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Some interesting facts are mentioned in respect 10
the forgings for a new engine intended for the Boa.
ton Elevated Railroad Company, to be made by the
Bethlehem Iron Company. at South Bethlehem, Pa,
The shaft for the engine Ia to have q measurement OF
81 feet and 10 inches in length and 81 inches in
diameter. II will he hollow forged, having n hole
IN inches in diameter. and the shaft when com.
plcted, together with cranks and fywheel hub. will
weigh upward Of 10000 pounds. In certain re-.
spects 1t would appear that this is to be . remark.
able forging. the specifications calling. among other
details Of construction. for the highest grade Of
fluid compressed nickel steel. annealed and oil.
tempered, the material also to show an elastic limit
of 10000 pounds per square inch. and an elongaticn
of 1s per cent. in test pieces 1 inch in diameter and
10 inches long. The definite dimensions are stated
to be: Diameter OF hywheel At. 81 inches; diameter
Of journals. ~ inches; diameter of crank-web Mt. 50
inches; diameter of aXial hole, 17H inches; length
over all, - feet and 10 inches. The estimated
weight is "a. 900 pounds.
Details of the reported invention by two English.
men and a Frenchman OF = successful method Of
printing in different colors simultaneously are pub.
lished in the columns of the Archip Juer Buchdrucktr
kunsi. The process is one Of peculiar interest, do.
waiting entirely, as it does. from all the ordinary
methods yet brought forward for printing in cclors.
1t is styled the mosaic-chromatic heat process, and
neither wooden blocks nor photographic stones nor
rollers play any part in the simple operations. Tho
colors which are required for the different parts Of
the picture are applied, in any desired number. on Q
plate about three-fourths of an inch thick. and form
a coherent. cheesy mass. and when this arrangement
of the colors is finished. tho plate presents the we'll
known aspect of a mosaic picture. The plate 10
placed on the bed Of the machine-an ordinary lith.
ographic press, but adapted to this process-and tho
impressions are produced by the use OF a cylinder
heated by gas flames in the interior. It is said that
this invention saves 80 per cent. of time and cost
over the Ordinary method.
There would appear 10 be more than a passing coll
loquial significance in the expression. What's in the
air?' Thus. according to a writer in Cosmos. a patricia
of dust floating in the air is made up of a nucleus OF
variable form. solid or liquid, surrounded by an
"atmoderm." or thin gaseous layer. adhering to
the nucleus by attraction, this atmoderm diminish.
ing the weight of the dust, but not sufficiently to
explain its suspension in the air; although denser
than the exterior air. it is still composed Of gaseous
molecules that have preserved their essential prop.
critics; they yet. like those less closely bound, ara
repealed by the moving molecules that circulate
freely near them. or that form part of other atmo-
derms, and thus there results a resistance-that is, Q
friction of the dust particles against the surround
ing atmospheric molecules. In this way friction
causes very light powders to fall to earth very
slowly. and. once raised by the wind, they follow
the currents. even the slightest ones. Of the lower
layers of the air. Thus dust particles are raised
easily by ascending currents. and. having reached
the top of their course. fall back. but slowly, and
being taken up by new currents. may consequently
remain long in suspension. rising and descending
alternately.
An account is given in the Rerue Sctsnufque OF ex.
periments made TO ascertain whether the light pro-
ceeding from the %glowworm may not be due to the
emission of rays similar i'll their nature TO the Ront-
gen. For this purpose as many as 800 of those in.
sects were caught near Kioto and then placed before
the Photographic plates. screened from the light by
several thickne>ses of black paper together with
plates of brass, copper and aluminium. This being
done. a piece of cardboard with a hole in it was in
serted between the metal and the Photographic plate.
For a period of two days this arrangement was kept
in a dark chamber sheltered from all foreign lights.
On developing the plate il was found to he ~blackened
except the part opposite the hole in the cardboard,
so that tho rays OF the glowworm would appear 10
metal and excite luminosity in cardboard.
When there is nothing between the sensitive plate
and the glowwUrm the rays behave like ordinary
light. but in trayersing some metals and cardboard
they seem to acquire properties like the X.rays.
A recent invention for attaining a very high IL.
milton and maintenance of the greatest economy in
hydrocarbon engines has been brought forward by
C. Dymond Of Liverpool, England. A portion ot
the discharse gases is left in the cylinder for tho
purpose OF the ignition by a premature closing OF tho
valve, and compressed to twenty or thirty
admission pressure-by which com.
low pressure an increase OF temperature
produced from the normal discharge temperature
Of 100000, to L. OOe, C. This latter ia utilized for
successively igniting an already procured mixture OF
air and hydrocsrbon-preyiously heated by the waste
Sases-on its entrance into the cylinder. or for cans.
ing this mixture to explode; that is. il such mixture
be passed into the cylinder through wire sleeves II
will be gradually consumed as 1t enters. but IL in
stantaneous combustion be desired the sieve 10
omitted, thus allowing the flames TO strike back and
he whole # the mixture to be exploded in the
provided for IT. The first ignition of all
however. be effected in some other manner I'm
order to provide a combustion product for the sec
nd and succeeding ignitiOns, To attain the highest
economy the highly compressed air, cooled during
,ompre ssion. is heated directly or indirectly by the
waste gases and partly by the highly heated COM
pressed residual products Of combustion, the hydro.
being conveyed into this air, ignited and
consumed.
With a view TO securing the equable warming Of
abroad cars, with exclusion OF smoke and dust. the
authorities OF Indiana recommend that between
he windows and walls of the car there be placed
lucts leading from II register, level with the floor,
mt through the top of the car. and that movable
foods be provided to the projecting ducts. or else
hat the ducts be led into a pipe traversingt the whole
ength Of tho car. such pipe to have valves at each
nd, the front valve to BIO closed always, and into
hese ventilating ducts a branch is to be led from tho
pipes. This arrangement. it IL said. will
Tarm the air in the ducts, causing it to rise and draw
ut the bad air from near the door. at the same time
rawipg down the warm air from the ceiling, and as
u"l' . InstnOd 1rAws the bad air out. fresh air may
"a admitted through a few of tho yentilating ducts
ihich are not provided with hot pipes and which
ontain loose cotton that will strain out dust com.
letely and smoke practically. Further. doubls
oors should be provided. even in vestibuled cars
no second or 'nnermost door TO be supplied with
losing spring hinges, Ia contain y glass panel, swing
9th way and stop the narrow passage between tho
ln.ets aud "astrooms. which are at both ends.
his arrangement. II Is stated. keeps out draughts.
INST aud smoke, when the outer vsstibule door -
peIed AZ stations.
Hurry Order Puzzled the Briton.