The representative., 1901-01-03

j
The sums heat has been harnessed at
last. DR.. William Calver, of Washing
ton, D. c.. has invented the necessary
apparatus. according to the December
issue Of Pearson's.
In the inventors laboratory-or sun
power yard" as he prefers to call it.
there are in all 1000 small mirrors, ar
ranged ON frames Of different sizes, the
largest holding $40 mirrors, and the
smallest %. Each mirror has been
found capable, by actual thermometri-
cal measurement, to reflect from 10 to
Is degrees Of heat, according to the loca-
tion of the sun, the angle Of the mirror,
and the heat or warmth of the day.
With all the mirrors in use, therefore, a
total heat of some $4,000 degrees is gen.
Grated.
In the ordinary way, DR.. Calver never
uses more than one or two of his mirror
frames simultaneously fact, unless
he required to melt down a mountain Of
stone, or to perform some gigantic oper-
alton of the kind, he would hardly have
cause to do SO. The sun rays are TO-
cussed on a piece of highly FURNISHED
a wash basin, only much larger. A
piece of wood, three feet in length and
an inch across, drawn soaking from a
barrel of water, and thrust into the re-
al rrja ~, oh holh
and in another half bursts into flames.
Each Of the mirror frames operates a
heliO-motor of its own. The heat, like
ice, may be stored up indefinitely, for
voir is round metal tank, not unlike
an ordinary gas storage tank, filed with
a combination of minerals, and fitted
with tight sliding doors. The heat is
absorbed by the minerals, and may be
drawn off when required with as much
ease as beer is drawn from a cask
The principle of the heat reservoir
is a secret which DR.. Calver guards so
jealousy that he has not even pat
ented it. 1T is so simple" he told me,
that no matter how many patents l
secured ON it, could not prevent other
inventors from appropriating the idea'
The reservoir, however, is not an essen
tial feature of the motor invention. If
the heat cannot be conveniently stored
in it's original form, it can be caused to
make steam from water, and with this
cto ioif ho Il; ;ol,
can be kept for any length of time in
ordinary storage batteries. This would
be an inexpensive method, but not more
so than storing the heat itself.
An interesting day may be spent with
DR.. Calver in his laboratory at the end
of North Capitol street in Washington
The usual workshops occupy the front
of a field, inclosed by high board
fence At the further end of the field
Is the heat reservoir, mounted on a plat
form raised about five feet from the
ground, and running around the reser-
voir in complete circles, with diameters
of about 80 feet are two wooden tracks.
On these tracks the large mirror frames
are arranged on wheels, to be easily
shifted into the proper places to catch
the rays of the sun when desired.
When certain amount of heat is re-
quired for storage in the reservoir, or
for immediate uses, the corresponding
mirror frame is brought out from it's
case, and pushed into position on the
track, SO that it may catch the rays of
the sun. Every one of the mirrors in
the frame is separately fitted with
gearing device, by which it can be adj
justed to the proper angle at a touch
from the operators hand. The mirrors
are all focused on the same spot, and
as the sun moves the frame is moved
also, the mirrors being kept at the prop
or inclination.