Evening journal., 1899-09-28
FLATIRONs FLOAT As DUCKS
\ QUICKSILVER FOUNTAIN NOW
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I
ON EXHIBITION IN LONDON.
This complete novelty and entire de-
parture in fountains was specially de-
signed by Charles Bright, F. r. S. E.,
for the Queensland exhibit at Earl's
Court, of which it forms one Of the
features, the object being to
draw attention to a leading product of
Queensland. The mercury-or quick
silver, as better known by the general
public-with a weight nearly fourteen
times that of water, falls from an up
per bowl, four feet in diameter, to one
seven feet below and three and one
half feet larger. Both of these basins,
as well as the ornamental supporting
pillar between them, are made Of iron,
painted black so improve the effect.
lowing to the great cost of quicksilver
up to about 2s. Cd. per pound-one Of
the main problems was to so devise the
apparatus as to get an appreciable eff
feet with the smallest amount possible
Hence, anything like Niagara Falls
Of mercury was out Of the question.
The top bowl is, in fact, filled with ce
ment. so as to render it mere table
or support with sixty-four small chan
nels, or chases, at intervals of two
inches round the lip for conducting the
mercury in very small quantities over
the edge. Then, again, the supply is
so arranged that there is only just suf-
fcient quicksilver at the bottom of the
lower basin to enable some household
natirons to foat--a striking feature
which should establish the fact in the
minds Of the ordinary public that it is
mercury that is being dealt with and
not water.
i From the lower bowl there is a drain
lpipe eighty feet long and one and one
half inches in diameter, which conveys
the mercury to tank at slightly low
er level, forming the source of supply
to an elevator apparatus for providing
the necessary head" of mercury. The
form Of elevator adopted consists of a
number Of small, thicSly set, steel
buckets, three and one-half inches by
two and one-quarter inches, freely sus-
pended at intervals on an endless BIZ
cycle chain, which is conveyed through
the storage tank. AS each bucket dips
into the latter a fitting device insures
it picking up all the mercury it will
conveniently hold The full buckets
are thence led upward to a reservoir
tank some fourteen feet above where
each in turn, by means of a similar
: fitting device, parts with its contents
I From this upper tank the mercury is
conducted by pipe, 1O6 feet in length
and one inch in diameter, to the upper
basin of the foundation. Two and a
half tons is the amount Of quicksilver
: employed, its value amounting to e594
sterling. Each of the tanks has about
, two cubic feet Of mercury in it.
The number of elevator buckets is
: twenty-eight, at twenty inch intervals
r along the chain. and as each holds
some ten cubic inches (ive pounds) the
7 supply of mercury is worked at the rate
Of over seven tons per hour. Both the
delivery and return pipes are lined
with glass-mainly to reduce friction
o to a minimum-and the head Of mer.
s curry in the reservoir tank is equivalent
+ to six feet above the height of the tor
! basin. The elevator is worked by z
a two-horse power electric motor of th'
e Langdon-Davies alternating curren
j. pattern. Both the fountain itself anC
the machinery to work it are electri'
/, lighted, and the effect at night Of thu
r spray, or spurts. of mercury falling
l. with the light glistening between, il
quite enhancing. The whole appa
ratus is also very carefully covered il
glass frame work to avoid injur,
; and waste from splashing mercury
g London Enquirer.