matthewleechen/300YearsOfBritishPatents huggingface dataset:
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIANO- FORTES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Thomas Hughes at the
.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd May 1872. A communication from abroad by Louis Günther,
of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent .
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIANO-
FORTES," a communication to me from abroad by Louis Günther, of
Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to give to a pianoforte with a light and
easy touch the facility of having its touch made as elastic and resisting
as the pianist may desire, which is a great advantage to artistes and
amateurs occupied in the study of the pianoforte, for the elastic resistance
of the touch obtained by means of my improvements fortifies the nerves
of the fingers and gives great power to the hands; and the Invention
consists in making the touch elastic and also as resisting as required by
means of upright springs, one for each note, the springs being put in
and out of action by mechanical contrivances: At the back end of each
key there is an incline on which can be placed a button connected with

page_text: a screwed pin enclosed in a spiral spring, so that when the button is
placed on the incline the spring will exert more or less pressure on the
key, and thereby give more or less resistance to the touch according to
the tension of the spring.
In one arrangement cach spring is placed in a long box or case having
a part against which the top of the springs act capable of moving up
and down, and this box with the springs can be moved back so as to
remove the buttons of the springs from the inclines at the backs of the
keys, to take off all resistance and allow the touch to be as light and
casy as it was originally, but when the box is not moved back horizontal-
springs in connection with it place the box upright, and cause the
buttons of the springs to ride on the inclines at the backs of the keys
to give as much resistance as required. The box is fixed to cranked
hinges jointed to brackets fixed to the framework, and the box is moved
back by inclines on a sliding rod extending the length of the instru-
ment, the inclines acting on wheels on the box, and on the rod there
are wheels for acting on inclines on the moveable part of the box so as
to press down the springs more or less to give more or less resistance to
the keys, and the rod carrying the inclines and wheels is formed at the
bottom as a rack which gears into a toothed wheel which can be turned
either way by hand.
In another arrangement the box and springs are above the inclines at
the backs of the keys, and the box, which in this case requires no move-
able part, is moved to and fro by handles and rods at each end, so that
when the buttons are off the inclines of the keys the touch is in its
original light and easy condition, but when they are placed on the
inclines there is more or less resistance given to the touch according to
the tension of the springs.
GLUEING PURPOSES TO BE USED IN A COLD STATE INSTEAD OF HOT GLUE CALLED ADHESIVE LIQUID
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Philpott at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
September 1872.
I, JAMES PHILPOTT, of 195, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth,
London, S.E., do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"GLUEING PURPOSES TO BE USED IN A COLD STATE INSTEAD OF HOT GLUE CALLED
ADHESIVE LIQUID," to be as follows :-
Nitric acid.
Acetic do.
Sulphuric do.
Glue.
Water.
Spirits of wine.
Borax.
Oil of carraway.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING YARN
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Balfe at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th April
1872.
I, GEORGE BALFE, of Stockport, in the County of Chester, Mill
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING YARN," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates principally to the machinery employed in the
winding of cotton yarn preparatory to the doubling of the said yarn
in the doubling machinery, but is or may also be applicable to
machinery employed in the winding of other than cotton yarn. In the
said machinery employed in the winding of cotton yarn, two or more
ends of yarn are passed together through a guide and are wound upon
a bobbin, there being a number of such bobbins in the machine. The
machine is constructed to be capable of winding a certain number of
ends together upon one bobbin, say for example four ends, but is also
capable of winding a fewer number of ends upon each bobbin, as for
example two ends.

page_text: In practice it is usual to employ a machine in winding ends varying
in number at different times according to the description of work in
hand, the number of ends varying in some cases from two to six in a
single machine. When a machine is employed in the winding of two
ends only on each bobbin, although capable of winding say four ends on
each bobbin, the machine operates only upon say about one half of the
weight of yarn of which it is capable of winding, the cost for attention
being the same as when the machine is working up to its full capacity.
When operating with a four end winding machine and when winding
only two ends together, I employ two guides or a double guide for each
bobbin, and I cause the guides to traverse to-and-fro a distance about
equal to one half of the length of the barrel of the bobbin. I lead two
ends together through each of the two guides appertaining to each
bobbin, so that four ends are wound upon each bobbin, but in two sets
of two ends each, one set being wound upon one half of the length of
the barrel of the bobbin, and the other set upon the other half thereof.
The machine is thus capable of winding about an equal weight of yarn
whether it be winding two ends or four ends together. A six end
machine may in the same manner be caused to wind two sets of three
¨ends each upon each bobbin.
I prefer to employ two sliding guide bars, one bar having about one
half the length of traverse of the other bar, and to so form the said bars
and the guides, as that guides may be quickly mounted upon one bar
or upon the other bar as may be required. To this end I may fix
adjustable chairs upon the said bars, each chair being formed with a
dovetail groove, a foot or projection on the guide or the double guide, as
the case may be, being formed to fit into the said groove.
AN IMPROVED FIRE LIGHTER
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Henry Carne Hedley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th March 1872.
I, GEORGE HENRY CARNE HEDLEY, Spring Cottage, Merridale St.,
Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED FIRE LIGHTER," to be
as follows:-
I prepare an adhesive and inflamable composition by the admixture
of rosin either with coal dust, or coke dust, or brick dust, or charcoal
dust, or red or white sand, one part being of rosin the other part of
either of the other materials mentioned above, or by a little variation in
the quantity of either material as best suited for color or for the
particular purpose required.
Having prepared the adhesive composition, and while it is in a hot or
semi-liquid condition, I form strips or pieces of wood or sticks into a
triangular shape, placing one piece upon the other at the angles in
rows, so that space may be given between each piece of wood. The

page_text: strips thus placed together are held tightly by the hands, and one corner
is dipped into the composition, then removed and allowed to cool, the
second angle is treated in the same way, and likewise the third angle.
This process perfectly cements the pieces of wood at the corners or
angles, admits of space between each piece of wood, renders the fire
lighter valuable for combustion and for commercial transit without
danger of being broken to pieces. I also make this fire lighter of a
square or any other suitable shape by the same process of manufacture.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING TILTS FOR CASES, BARRELS, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES
Year: 1872

page_text: 'PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Ellison at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th August
1872.
I, JAMES ELLISON, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
5 declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING
TILTS FOR CASES, BARRELS, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES," to be as follows:-
.
This Invention is applicable principally for hotels, public houses, and
other large establishments where a number of casks or barrels are
required to be on tap at one time; and consists of an arrangement
D: whereby a whole row of barrels may be tilted at once, and any of them
may be connected to or disconnected from the tilter as required; but
by a slight modification it may be arranged for use in private houses for
single casks.
A long rod or piece of tubing is supported from the ceiling by-hooks
5 or hangers, and upon this are fixed by set screws a number of curved or
L shaped levers, corresponding to the number of casks or barrels to be
tilted. Each cask or barrel is provided with a chain and hooks; by
means of which it may be connected to or disconnected from its

page_text: respective lever, as required. At one end of this long rod or tube is
fixed also a long lever upon which a counterbalance weight is placed,
the said weight being capable of being adjusted on the lever so as to
balance the number of barrels connected. If preferred more weighted
levers than one may be employed, but in most cases one is sufficient.
On the rod or tube is keyed a toothed quadrant or ratchet wheel, and
to one of the hooks or hangers is attached a falling lever having a catch
which takes into the said teeth which will prevent oscillation of the
AN. IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF BLOTTING ARTICLES, AND THE UTILIZATION OF BLOTTING PAPER
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George de Lara at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th August
1872.
I, GEORGE DE LARÁ, 154, Fleet Street, in the City of London, do
hereby declare tlie nature of the said Invention for "AN. IMPROVEMENT
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF BLOTTING ARTICLES, AND THE
UTILIZATION OF BLOTTING PAPER," to be as follows:-
The features of novelty which constitute my Invention is by my
being able to print on blotting paper (diaries and all other works where
blotting paper can be used for interleaving purposes excepted) without
destroying its absorbing qualities, or the legibility of the printed matter
thereon, which shows through the ink used for ordinary purposes, and
no matter what quantity of writing ink is thrown on the blotting paper
it is impossible to obliterate the printed matter, by reason of the paper
containing more size than the blotting paper manufactured for ordinary
use, and the printing ink having a greater quantity of oil mixed
with it.
•

page_text: The benefit the public would derive from this Invention, would be by
their being able to purchase a "work of useful and general information,"
which will be of great commercial value printed on blotting paper at a
very much less cost than the blank and ordinary blotter, by reason of
my collecting a few advertisements, the profits of which enables me to
greatly reduce the price.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Kenyon and James
Kenyon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 4th December 1872.
We, JOHN HENRY KENYON and JAMES KENYON, both of Blackburn,
in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinners, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING
COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:—
Our Invention consists in applying bevel flanges to the ends of the
main cylinder, doffer, working and clearing rollers, or to any of them, for
the purpose of preventing waste and to keep the fibres from being drawn
into the bearings; the bevel flanges may be made detached and fixed on
the ends of the rollers, cylinder, and doffer, or they may be formed
thereon or made of one piece with the discs by which the ends of the
rollers are closed, and the larger diameter of the bevel flange is
placed outwards so the bevel slants towards the card wire by which the
rollers, cylinder, and doffer are clothed; these slanting flanges guide the
fibres that may accumulate thereon towards the card wire and thus
to a great extent preventing waste and keeping the fibres out of the
bearings.

page_text: Another part of our Invention consists in applying between the main
cylinder and doffer and frame sides a guard or shield either fixed to or
forming part of the frame sides by which the space between the edges of
the card clothing and the frame sides is closed or partially closed to
prevent the current of air caused by the rapid revolution of the main
cylinder, and which in ordinary carding engines carries away the fibres
and causes considerable waste; the guard or shield is made inclined or
fixed in an inclined position towards the card clothing to guide the fibres
on to the card wire..
IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDS FOR CARDING WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Law and Samuel Law at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 5th November 1872.
We, JAMES LAW and SAMUEL LAW, of the Firm of Samuel Law and
Sons, of Cleckheaton, in the County of York, Card Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARDS FOR CARDING WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, AND OTHER FIBRES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in the application and use of wire in the
manufacture of card teeth shaped by the pressure of grooved rollers to
the various forms herein-after described, whereby additional strength is
imparted to to teeth of wire so formed, which are then set in leather or
other materials employed for such purpose in the usual manner.
The forms (on cross section) of wire we employ are plano-convex,
convex, or double convex, elliptical, semi-elliptical, oval or egg-shaped,
semi-oval or egg-shaped, rhomb or rhombus shaped. These are the
forms we find give the best results, and are produced with equal facility
as the round or flat wires heretofore employed in the manufacture of
card teeth.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOADING GRAIN INTO OR DISCHARGING IT FROM SHIPS AND OTHER PLACES, AND IN APPARATUS, EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1872

page_text: 3
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Duncan M°Farlane at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th August 1872.
I, THOMAS DUNCAN MCFARLANE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,.
North Britain, Engineer and Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOADING GRAIN INTO OR DISCHARGING
IT FROM SHIPS AND OTHER PLACES, AND IN APPARATUS, EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to
be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which relates to new or improved apparatus for
loading grain into or discharging it from ships or other places, has for
its object to effect these operations with facility and with a small amount
of manual labour. The apparatus consists of a box or hopper of square
or other suitable form, in the lower or other part of which one or more
valves is or are situated, by which communication is opened into or shut
off from a pipe or duct situate by preference below the hopper.
one end of tlic pipe or duct a nozzle through which a current of air is
blown is situated, and an opening is left in the duct at the rear of the
air nozzle through which an induced current of air is drawn by the action
At

page_text: of the current of air escaping from the nozzle, or a current of air may
be obtained by means of a branch pipe leading from the pipe through
which air is supplied to the nozzle. When the air currents are esta-
blished through the apparatus the valve in the lower part of the hopper
is opened and the grain passing therethrough is carried forwards through
the pipe or duct by the action of the air currents to any place where
it is required to be deposited. The apparatus is connected to flexible
pipes so that it may be moved to any place required, or it may be fixed
into the holds of ships.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LADDERS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Mitchell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd July
1872.
I, WILLIAM MITCHELL, of Brandon, in the County of Suffolk, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LADDERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improved means of connecting together the
different parts of a ladder constructed in two or more lengths, and of
attaching a sliding section thereto, whereby the ladder may be readily
lengthened or shortened as required, or converted into a pair of steps
suitable for general purposes.
The lengths of the ladder are made to fit into one another, and are
fixed together in the following manner:-A tie or cross bar which serves
also as one of the rounds of the ladder passes through the side pieces of
the two lengths to be joined, and is secured by screws passing through
slotted plates attached to the ends of said tie bar, or round. The said
bar passes through elongated holes in the side pieces to permit of a rigid

page_text: connection being made by recesses in the heel of the one length dropping
on to a round of the length below at the same time that similar recesses
at the upper end of the lower length receive projections on the side pieces
of the upper length. One length may be made to slide telescopically
upon or within another by fixing the said round or cross bar of the
one section in front of it, instead of passing it through the side pieces,
in which position it is secured by the slotted plates, as before-mentioned,
so that a length can be passed beneath it. The sliding length may have
a similar cross bar fixed at its lower end to pass at back of the length
in which it slides to afford a firmer bearing. A hook or catch on the
sliding length taking on to the rounds of the length below serves to
support the upper length in various positions. Two lengths or two
ladders, each composed of several lengths similarly fitted together may
be connected at their upper ends by the removable round or cross bar to
form a pair of steps.
IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joshua Charles Rouse at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th October 1872.
I, JOSHUA CHARLES ROUSE, of Halifax, in the County of York,
Manager to Messieurs John Whiteley Ward and Christopher Ward, also
of Halifax, Damask and Carpet Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN JACQUARD MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in jacquard machinery.
or apparatus, and relates to a novel arrangement and combination. of
parts whereby the use of the ordinary "cards" is dispensed with, and an
efficient and economical substitute provided therefor, which is capable
of being rearranged, as desired for different patterns or designs. I
dispense with these cards as they are costly, easily damaged, and liable
to get out of repair, and I employ the following substitute for them :-
I take thin plates or sheets of metal, or other material having the
necessary strength, rigidity, and lightness,, and of a similar size to the
cards ordinarily employed; these plates or sheets I perforate with as

page_text: many holes as there are needles in the jacquard, and I connect them
together in pairs by hinge joints or otherwise, so that the holes shall in
each pair of plates be coincident with each other when folded together.
Each pair of plates is also connected preferably by hinge joint to each
adjacent pair, in order that they may be capable of following each other
over the jacquard cylinder in a similar way to the ordinary jacquard
"cards." One of each pair of plates is capable of being turned over on
its hinge joint away from the other plate to facilitate the insertion of
pins or studs in such plate according to the pattern required to be
produced; these pins or studs are formed with thin flat heads so as to
occupy as little space as possible, and sufficiently large to prevent the
studs or pins passing entirely through the holes in the plate. After the
studs or pins have been arranged as required the second perforated plate
of each pair of plates is turned down on to its corresponding plate, and
is latched or locked thereto in any convenient manner so as to retain
the studs or pins in their proper position with their heads between the
two plates. Thus each pair of perforated plates with studs or pins
arranged therein acts in lieu of one of the ordinary "jacquard cards,"
the studs or pins forming the blanks therein. It will be at once under-
stood that according to my Invention when a change of pattern is
required all that is necessary to be done is simply to rearrange and
adjust the studs or pins in the perforated plates. These perforated.
plates with the studs or pins therein may be used either in com-
bination with the ordinary jacquard cylinder, or in combination with a
skeleton cylinder consisting of a shaft with the required number of discs
thereon to support the perforated plates.
.
AN IMPROVED LEVEL
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Alexander Hubbard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th May 1872.
I, WILLIAM ALExander Hubbard, of 88, High Street, Ramsgate, in
the County of Kent, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED LEVEL," to be as follows:-
My improved level consists of two short transparent tubes, preferably
of glass, connected and communicating at their lower ends by a long
flexible tube, preferably of vulcanized india-rubber, of a convenient
length according to the nature of the work in which the instrument is
employed; thus for the ordinary requirements of a builder it may be
about twenty or thirty feet in length, and eighty or a hundred feet, or
even much longer, in taking a long series of levels. The instrument is
filled with water or other suitable fluid to such a height that its surface
may appear in both of the glass tubes, which tubes being held in a
perpendicular position and approximately at the same level at two
different stations, their distance from one another being of course limited
by the length of the connecting flexible tube, the difference or equality

page_text: of level of the two stations may be very readily and accurately ascer
tained by observing the height of the surface of the fluid at each one,
the fluid naturally finding. its own level, The upper end of each glass
tube is fitted with a valve opened and closed at pleasure; closed to
prevent the escape of the fluid while the instrument is being moved
from place to place, and opened by the persons using it to allow the
atmosphere to press upon the surface of the fluid at the time of noting
levels. The glass tubes may be protected from injury by metal cases
with suitable slots, through which the beight of the contained fluid
may be scen.
AN IMPROVED IMPLEMENT FOR EXTRACTING PLANTAIN AND OTHER NOXIOUS WEEDS AND ROOTS FROM LAWNS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Howard Busby Fox and John
Wilde at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 26th March 1872.
We, HOWARD BUSBY Fox, of Oxton, in the County of Chester, and
JOHN WILDE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED IMPLEMENT FOR
EXTRACTING PLANTAIN AND OTHER NOXIOUS WEEDS AND ROOTS FROM LAWNS," to
be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of a short metal tube sharpened at one end
to enter the ground, and attached at the other end to a foot piece or
treader. This foot piece or treader is cranked up on one side and has
a socket into which fits a stale or handle, which is fitted at the top
with a suitable cross piece. The other side of the foot piece or treader
projects [sufficiently past the tube to form a foot rest or treader for
forcing the tube into the ground. The tube may be of suitable size and
length, according to the style of root to be extracted; the tube is fitted
with a plunger which is driven up when the tube is forced into the
ground by the root and earth entering the tube. The plunger is fitted

page_text: with a head or stop, and is attached to the stale or handle by a short
chain, or other suitable guard.
The action of the implement is thus,-The tube is placed over the
root or weed to be extracted, the operator then places his foot on the
treader, clear of the tube, and forces the tube into the ground, the root
being thus taken into the tube. The implement is then withdrawn
from the ground by means of the cross handle, and the extracted weed
or root driven out of the tube by means of the operator placing his
foot on the head of the plunger, which forces the root out of the
tube.
IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING THE BRAKES OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Walter Olive Palmer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th March 1872.
•
· I, WALTER OLIVE PALMER, of Clapham Road, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVED
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WORKING THE BRAKES OF RAILWAY AND OTHER
CARRIAGES," to be as follows:
My Invention relates to a combination of mechanism by the aid of
which the brakes of carriages, and more particularly railway carriages,
may be put on and taken off with much greater facility than by the
mechanical arrangements hitherto employed for this purpose, it being
well known that the strength of the guards of railway trains, especially
upon metropolitan lines, is always greatly and frequently overtaxed by
the strain of putting on the brakes.
My improved mechanism consists essentially of two bell-crank levers,
the lower ends of which are connected to rods attached to the brake
blocks, their upper ends being traversed by a screw with right and left
handed thread, this screw carrying at one end a lever or hand wheel by
which it may be worked. This arrangement when applied in a railway

page_text: brake van necessitates no continuous exertion on the part of the guard,
as the wheels cannot drive back the brakes, which are immovable, except
by the revolution of the screw to be effected only by means of the hand
wheel or lever handle.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal
section showing general arrangement of levers embodying my Invention;
Figure 2 is a cross section of same; and Figure 3, a plan.
A, hand wheel or handle for working the screw; B, screw having right
and left handed thread; C, C, bell crank levers; in the upper ends of
which are two eyes, through which the screw B passes; D, D, links
connecting levers C, C, to lower lever E and rods F which are attached.
to the brake blocks G, G.
By turning the handle A from left to right the upper ends of the
levers C, C, are brought nearer together, whereby their lower ends are
raised lifting the links D, D, which cause the lever E to pivot, and by
means of the connecting rods F put on the brake blocks G. On turning
the handle A from left to right the levers move apart, the links D, D,
lower, the movement of the lever E. is reversed, and the brakes G are
taken off of the wheels. The screw B may traverse in any kind of
screw threaded bearing in the head of levers C, C, and by altering the
pitch of the screw the brakes may be put on and taken off with a greater
or lesser revolution of the hand wheel. The pivot of the bell cranks C, C,
may be above or below the floor of the van as may be desired, and the
levers may be cased in to guard them from accidental blows.
It will be obvious that my improved mechanical arrangement is not
only applicable to the system of brakes illustrated on the accompanying
Drawing, but will work various arrangements of levers and connecting
rods for the like purpose.
My Invention may also be applied to tramway cars and other
carriages.
IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Highton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
February 1872.
I, HENRY HIGHTON, M.A., of Putney, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANIC BATTERIES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in galvanic batteries.
Batteries in which nitric acid is employed, such for example as that
known as Grove's, emit acid fumes, which escape into the air and cause
inconvenience. This I prevent by placing above the surface of the
acid an oxidising material, such as a layer of peroxide of manganese
in a granulated state. The fumes rise up amongst this material and are
absorbed.
I sometimes place the negative element of a battery in a mixture of
broken carbon and peroxide of lead, or chromate or other insoluble
persalt of lead, or peroxide of iron.
I sometimes use a solution of a salt of ammonia as the exciting fluid
in contact with both elements of the battery. I separate the positive

page_text: and negative elements by means of a porous cell, and I use bitartrate
of potash in the porous cell in contact with the negative element to
prevent the liberation of ammonia.
I also sometimes use a solution of nitrate of soda in contact with the
zinc element, and a solution of sulphate of copper in contact with a 5
carbon or other negative element.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James, West at the Office of
the. Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
February 1872.
I, JAMES WEST, of Livesey, near Blackburn, in the County of Lan-
caster, Mill Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the construction and use of apparatus
applied to looms for weaving, so as to "take up" the cloth as woven,
and draw forward a further supply of warp at the time or point where
the top and bottom warp forming the "shed" are in the act of crossing
each other, that is, when the whole warp is in line or parallel, and
thereby avoid the friction on the yarn and on the eyes of the healds,
whereby damage to the yarn and wear of the healds is reduced to a
minimum. I place on the crank shaft of the loom a tappet, which on
each revolution of the said shaft acts on the end of a lever working on
a fulcrum, the other end of the said lever is attached to and operates
a second lever, and through the latter the ordinary catch for working

page_text: the catch or ratchet wheel on the taking up roller, the said tappet being
placed on the crank shaft with its greatest throw or effective part in
such position as to act on the levers at the time the shed is closed as
above described. On the bottom a "tappet" shaft may be employed.
In the latter case a double tappet must be employed for actuating the
levers.
IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Levey at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th July.
1872. A communication from abroad by John Levey, residing
at Gulph, Ontario, Canada.
I, CHARLES LEVEY, of Toronto, Canada, now residing at No. 82,
Sussex Road, Seven Sisters' Road, Holloway, in the County of Middle-
sex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING PRESSES," to be as follows :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in printing presses.
For this purpose a steam cylinder and the necessary connections are
attached to the bed of a printing or lithographic press, and to other
reciprocating parts of the machine in such a manner that the steam
acts directly to produce the reciprocating and vibratory motions of the
bed and other parts, and the power is then transmitted through these
parts to the rotary parts of the machinery. Thus the whole can be set in
motion by turning a cock communicating with the steam boiler; the
ordinary steam engine and shafting being dispensed with.

page_text: The steam cylinder is arranged with suitable valve motion and the
ordinary piston and packing, but differs from the ordinary steam engine
cylinder in being extended in the direction of its length considerably
beyond the length traversed by the piston. The object of this extension
is to form a steam cushion or buffer to prevent shock in the rapid motion
to and fro.
'
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS POR MOUNTING AND WORKING ORDNANCE
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd March 1872.-A communication from abroad by John Thomas,
Henri William Menere, and David Thomas, all of Melbourne, in
the Colony of Victoria.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
POR MOUNTING AND WORKING ORDNANCE," a communication, to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in improvements in the method of mounting
and working ordnance.
I provide a traversing platform of any suitable size and material, and
upon this I crect four quadrant shaped ways, two on each side, for the
wheels of the gun carriage to travel upon when being mounted or when
recoiling from the shot. To each side of the gun carriage I attach one
end of two parallel guides, the other end of which is connected to the
traversing, platform, and has a counterbalancing weight sufficiently

page_text: heavy to overcome the resistance offered to the rising of the gun
carriages to the highest point of the quadrant shaped ways when being
mounted. This weight also acts as a resistance to the recoil, which
causes the gun carriage to descend on the quadrant shaped ways to the
traversing platform for reloading.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SHUTTERS FOR ENCLOSING AND SECURING WINDOWS, DOORS, AND OTHER OPENINGS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Thompson at the Office
•
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
November 1872.
I, JOSEPH THOMPSON, of Manor House, Camberwell Road, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHUTTERS FOR ENCLOSING AND SECURING WINDOWS, DOORS,
AND OTHER OPENINGS," to be as follows:-
.
This Invention has for its object improvements in shutters for
enclosing and securing windows, doors, and other openings. For this
purpose I make shutters by plaiting or interlacing metal bands, by
preference, steel or iron, of various substances and widths, so as to form
shutters or enclosures of the size required. The side edges may be
strengthened by one or more additional layers of metal band rivetted or
fastened to the said platted shuiter. The top I fasten by screws or
otherwise to a roller, which may be made to revolve by springs or hand
winding gear, to raise or lower the shutter as required. The bottom
edge of shutter is strengthened by a metal band made with a flange, so as
to form a stop to come against the shutter boxing when wound up, and

page_text: for affording a ready means of fastening when closed, which fastening
may be by locks, screws, or bolts, as required. The side edges of the
shutter are made to run in grooves, which keep the shutter in position.
The interlaced bands of steel or iron or other metal I arrange by pre-
For large
ference to run vertically and horizontally of the shutter.
windows the shutter may be strengthened, if necessary, by additional
metal bands rivetted or fastened on.
The shutters may be worked and made to slide from the top or side
of the openings.
IM- PROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Taylor at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the 19th September
1872.
I, JOHN TAYLOR, of Newchurch, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to steam generators or steam boilers, and consists
in the employment of water or fluid to convey heat from the furnace or
furnaces to the water contained in the steam generator in the following
manner: I arrange a tubular coil or coils or combinations of tubes
within a suitable furnace, and I cause the said coil or coils or tubes to
communicate with a coil or with coils or with an arrangement of tubes
situated within the generator, and outwardly exposed to the water
contained therein. I fill or partly fill the said coils or combinations of
tubes with water, and I close any opening or openings which there may
be in the said coils or tubes in a steam-tight manner, the arrangement
being such as that the water becomes highly heated and circulates
through the said coils or combinations of tubes to and from the steam

page_text: generator, imparting in its progress heat to the water in the said
generator.
In order to allow for the expansion of the water contained in the coils
or tubes I provide an expansion tube or two or more expansion tubes
situated above the coils or combinations of tubes, and placed in com- 5
munication therewith.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Frederic Gurden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st October 1872.
I, CHARLES FREDERIC GULDEN, of Birkenhead, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING SAFETY VALVES FOR STEAM BOILERS," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide means whereby the increasing
resistance of the spring or springs during the rising of the valve shall
be ncutralized. For this purpose I attach the valve or its spindle to
a moveable diaphragm which forms the top of an enclosing case into
which the steam escapes when the valve opens. The waste pipe is led
from the said case. The pressure formed in the case upon the opening
of the valve acts upon the under side of the diaphragm, and assists in
opening the valve, thereby, as mentioned, neutralizing the increased
resistance of the spring.
Safety apparatus constructed in accordance with my Invention is
shown in vertical section on the accompanying Drawing. The diaphragm

page_text: is here formed of a washer of india-rubber and disc forming part of a
cylindrical valve. Thin corrugated metal, or metal in other forms can
be used instead of the india-rubber and that the valve may be of any
desired form.
a, valve; b, valve seating; c, valve spindle; d, diaphragm composed i
of india-rubber washer e and discf; g, spring; h, easing lever; i, caso
enclosing valve; j, escape pipe; 2, case enclosing spring.
IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHATE OF AMMONIA
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Peter Dods Deans and Daniel
MacNaughton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 13th February 1872.
We, PETER DODS DEANS, of Leith, in the County of Edinburgh,
Merchant, and DANIEL MACNAUGHTON, of Leith, aforesaid, Merchant,
both Partners of the Firm of MacLean & Hope, Merchants, in Leith,
aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHATE OF AMMONIA," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its 'object improvements in the production of
sulphate of ammonia.
For this purpose sulphocyanide of ammonia from gasworks or othe
sources is mixed with about an equal weight of caustic lime. Hydrate
of lime, soda, potash, baryta, or any of the carbonates or sulphides of
these substances combined or separately (hydrate of lime, otherwise
known as gas lime, is preferable as a cheaper ingredient), the mixture is
put into a retort and gradually heated to redness. The ammonia thus
evolved is conducted into a vessel, where sulphuric acid is added to
convert it into sulphate of ammonia. During the time the gas is being
conveyed from the retort into the vessel a jet of steam is being
constantly applied to prevent the formation of bisulphate.

page_text: On the charge being nearly wrought out steam passing through a
coil of tubes immersed in the liquid is employed to evaporate the liquid
and bring out the sulphate of ammonia, which is then raked out and
dried.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMP CHIMNEYS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Pickin at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
September 1872.
I, GEORGE PICKIN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LAMP CHIMNEYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in lamp chimneys for gas,
paraffine, and other lamps.
The first part of my improvements relates to the construction of lamp
chimneys by making them partly of metal and partly of glass, the lower
part or half being made of glass (either blown or moulded, and after-
wards annealed) and the upper part of metal so formed as to fit loosely
into or upon the glass portion to admit of expansion and contraction.
By this means lamp chimneys are rendered much less liable to break by
expansion and contraction than when made entirely of glass.
Another part of my improvements consists in making lamp chimneys
for paraffine and other lamps having flat wicks or flames of flattened or

page_text: oval shape to correspond with the form of the flame, by which means
more perfect combustion is produced. This form of lamp chimney may
be made partly of metal and partly of glass as previously described.
Another part of my improvements consists in giving ornamental
effects to paraffine or other lamp chimneys by moulding them with
corrugations, ribs, or other ornamental surfaces in place of plain as here-
tofore, by which very pleasing effects are produced. They may also be
made partly of metal and partly of glass, as previously described, and
suitable for all kinds and shapes of paraffine lamp chimneys.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO PIPES USED FOR HEATING BUILDINGS BY STEAM
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Lee, of Hyde, in the County of Chester,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO
PIPES USED FOR HEATING BUILDINGS BY STEAM."
Sealed the 23rd April 1872, and dated the 16th January 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Lee at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th January 1872.
I, ALFRED LEE, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE
APPLIED TO PIPES USED FOR HEATING BUILDINGS BY STEAM," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed to be applied to steam pipes used for
heating buildings for the purpose of clearing the pipes from the water of
condensation, and at the same time to prevent the steam from entering
the return pipe when shut off from the flow pipe, as frequently happens
with the arrangements hitherto adopted.

page_text: The Invention consists principally in the application to the said pipes
of a back pressure valve (or valves), that is to say, a valve which is self-
acting and opens only in one direction, so that it can open by the
pressure of the column of water to allow it to flow out of the pipes, but
will close itself against the admission of steam or hot water in the reverse
direction as soon as the tap or valve of the flow pipe is closed. I also
propose to substitute back-pressure valves for any or all of the stop
taps, for the same purpose. This use of back-pressure valves instead of
conical plug or scrow taps will save a great amount of time and incon-
venience, as for instance under the ordinary arrangement when it was
required to shut off the hot water from (say) one floor of a building if
the stop tap or valve on the flow pipe on that floor were to be closed
it was necessary also to close another tap or valve on the return pipe
also to prevent the pressure in the boiler from forcing hot water and
steam in the reverse direction through that pipe, but with the use of my
arrangement as soon as the stop tap of the flow pipe is closed the back-
pressure valve closes of its own accord and prevents this back action,
but as soon as the flow is opened again the back-pressure valve opens
and lets out the water of condensation.
Above the back-pressure valve is a screwed spindle, provided with a
lever or hand wheel, by means of which the valve can be screwed down
when required; and bellow it is a blow through valve or tap for the
purpose of letting the air out of the pipes when the steam is first
admitted, which valve or tap can be readily understood for clearing the
pipe of any dirt or other obstruction when necessary.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Hoadley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
October 1872.
I, THOMAS HOADLEY, of 36, Bedford Street, Reading, in the County
of Berks, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS," to be as follows:-
Heretofore in lamps in which flat wicks have been used the wick
has ordinarily been raised and lowered in its wick tube by small pinions
fixed upon a spindle, a slot being formed in the side of the wick tube
so that the pinions may project into the wick tube and bear against
one side of the wick which passes up through it; in such cases the
spindle has been passed through holes in the cylindrical casing by which
the wick tube is surrounded, and these holes have formed the bearings
for the spindle to turn in, or has otherwise been mounted in fixed
bearings so that the pinions always entered the wick tube to the same
extent, and if a thinner wick than the lamp was adjusted for were passed
up through the wick tube the pinions did not bear sufficiently against
the wick to raise it or hold it up, whilst if too thick a wick were used

page_text: "
the spindle was either bent, or the wick tube pressed out of its proper
position.
To obviate these inconveniences in place of mounting the spindle
so that it turns in fixed bearings I form slots in this casing (where
the spindle passes through it) which allow the spindle to move to
or from the wick tubo, and I act upon the spindle by a spring to keep
it always pressed forward towards the wick tube so that when a wick
is passed up through the wick tube and comes between the pinions
and the side of the wick tube which is opposite to them the spring to
some extent yields and yet the pinions are by it always kept bearing
to the requisite extent against the wick whether it be a thick or a
thin one.
In order to thus act upon the spindle by a spring I prefer to employ
a strip of metal bent into a U shape, so that its ends may bear against
the spindle on both sides of the pinions upon it; and I form semicircular
recesses in these ends into which the spindle enters, and they form
bearings in which the spindle may turn to the back of the U shaped
strip of metal; I affix a flat metal spring of a suitable length for its ends
to bear against the interior of the cylindrical casing and so press the
Ushaped strip of metal forward against the spindle; I prefer also to
employ a stud standing out from the back of the U shaped strip to pass
through a hole in the cylindrical casing so as to keep this strip of metal
in its proper position.