INVENTORS’ BUSY YEAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 July 1931, Page 8

INVENTORS’ BUSY YEAR

CHEMICAL AND WIRELESS. LONDON, May 29. Great activity in invention in connection with the chemical and electrical industries is recorded in the annual report of the ComptrollerGeneral of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks. In chemistry, it is stated, marked ■progress has been made in the production of: —Paints, varnishes, adhesives and other coatings made from cellulose esters. Dyes. Artificial rubber; alcohol from wood cellulose, and motor fuels containing “anti-knock-ing” or “doping” ingredients. Improvements in the electrical industry have been made in connection with: —Motor control systems; shortwave wireless, particularly in directional systems; devices to eliminate “fading,” ultra-short waves for the aiding of marine and aerial navigation: wireless valves; neon and other discharge lamps, and photo-electric cells for “talkies.” “There has also been a number of inventions dealing with problems Raised by the projected transatlantic •telephone cable,” the report states, “a project which, if carried through -.successfully, would be a remarkably technical achievement. “The totalisator is being developed along electrical lines by the introduction of some of the features of automatic telephony with the view of tendering tho apparatus self-checking and more accurate and speedy. In this development ticket-issuing apparatus and indicating devices of the large-display scoring board type are sharing.”

Considerable activity is recorded in connection with, the provision of special automobile clutch devices to permit free wheeling anti in the production of automatically. changing gears. Attention is being directed to the treatment of animal carcases in. order to secure better marketing of the products and facilitating the work of the retail butcher.