The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-08
ENGINEERING NOTES.

| Certificates Of licenses issued 60 marine
| engineers are graded according 10 class,
| first. second and third, which refers Who'll
| " TO the vessel they are entitled 10 take
charge OF. not 90 the mans qualihca-
! tions Many engineers in subordinate po-
sitions have chief engineers licenses.
When the royal English yacht Victoria
and Albert was put in service some years
ago IL was stated that she was very de-
fective in design. rolling to such an OK
tent that she was not only uncomfortable
bat unsafe. Some changes were made in
her which have made her entirely sea-
worthy: so much so that I'm very heavy
! weather she does not average over lliz de-
grees each way.
Foreign technical journals state that
the turbine steamer King Edward has
shown an economy OF ~ per cent IN fuel
over the paddle steamers in the same SER
vice and makes better time. The German
navy Is 20 have a torpedo-hoat destroyer
with the same kind Of engines. ~ Is also
stated that tho British Admiralty will
build another vessel upon the same lines
as the Cobra. lately wrecked and equip
IL with turbine engines
An Italian engineer. NJ TriulZ has de-
vised a special instrument the clepto-
scOpt, whereby II is possible for the crew
of a submarine boat 10 ascertain what is
progressing on the surface while SUBJ
merged. IL comprises tubc fitted with
crystal prisIns in special manner lcN-
periments were carried out with the appa-
rstus on board the submarine II Deiphino
IN the presence of the Italian minister OF
marine. photographs OF objects on the
surface were successfully obtained.
Remarkable Developments have been
made in the construction of the two latest
Submarine vessels, Triton and Espadou,
FOR the French navy They are ~ the
Narval type. but M l.abeuf. the eminent
naval engineer has introduced several inn
portant improvements, In their trials
these two boats attained q speed OF ten
miles an hour IN forry-mile run. hith'
erto unprecedented speed. \ new arrange
ment for the supply ot air, devised by DR..
Gibiat. has also been reunisitioned, and
by this means the Espadon was able 10
remain submerged 20 depth of fifty feet
for four hours without the crew expert
cncing the slightest ill effects.
Ia view OF the success that has attended
The pneumatic signaling on the London
and Southwestern railroad in England,
the Northeastern railroad has adopted
similar system al Tyne dock. " the old
style of mechanical locking by means of
levers. cranks. wires and rods had been
adopted In this instance, $50 levers would
nave bCgu necessary 90 control The signals,
etc. OF this special yard but by the cleo
tro-pneumatic signslling plant only about
lO6 are requisite. The Westinghouse COM
pauN are carrying out the installation,
which viii consist OF two frames ono
containing scVenty-Une and the other
thirtv-uVc levers The Lancashire and
Yorkshire railroad are also adopting the
same system at Bilton. Lancashire. one
OF their busiest stations, and II VIII be eN-
tended throughout the whole country
within a short time.
Some useful. practical instruction is
given concerning supcrheatod steam in
paper read al the International Engineer
ing Congress at GLASGOW recently. lt ape
pears that difficulties with Il began with
the construction ~ tho engine Itself ad@
that existing engines aro un.uited TO g.
The great heat. 40 degrees usually for the
best economy, distOrte tho cylinder walls
and the valves. 30 that allowances must
he made for this heat b. the use OF liners
arranged IN certain way. Two valves.
one working inside the other. aH IN some
expansion engines can NOT bc used, and
even slidc-valvcs must bC kept OF us
small areas as possible Corliss valves will
not work under suporhea ted. steam. and
no form OF packing, such AZ rings ana
springs. IN pistcn-valvos VIII answer.
Poppet-yslves under certain forms 90
construction 10 well, bat So very often
happens on starting that the valve stems
Get hot sooner than The hcnncts. and cX.
pandlng In them stick fast. unless unus-
uni ciearauCcs are provided. Stuifing
boxes do not give any trouble if they arc
de 40 as to project much more than is
usual from tho cylinder head. and the
clearance in The bush az the head Is madc
large. but no metals which melt under the
temperature ~ the steam can b. used fOi
packing. The best valves arc 81 the piston
type ground in. Boiler pressurcs above ls'
pounds should not bc used ~ no economy
results from greater pressure. snd. az less
heat Is lost b. trnnsmisSion 10 Tho cyiiu-
uer walls ~ superhc1tod than with sat-
urated steam. the whole range ~ cNpau-
SION can be carried IN one cylinder. ir-
stead OF two - more. ~ q asserted 10y
ne author ~ tho paper that tine gse 90
lflpie expansion engines has no effect
whatever upon thc economy. Ordinary
hish-pressure uor-cnndenaing engine.
which requlred twenty-five TO thirty
pounds Of water with saturated steam.
vii deliver a horse power for half thst
quantity With sapsrheatsd steam.