NOTES ON SCIENCE, MECHANICAL INVENTIONS, ETC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8928, 17 December 1887, Page 4 (Supplement)

NOTES ON SCIENCE, MECHANICAL INVENTIONS, ETC.

A NEW KXPLO3IVK.

According to the Colliery Guardian, the new explosive, carbonite, seems to be making steady progress in Germany. It >■ to be found in common use in a large number of the collieries of the Rhenish- Westphaltan coal basin. The new factory at Schlebusch is scarcely able, with its present means of production, to meet the demand from this district. Carbonite explodes without flame, the products of combustion being wholly caseous. This quality renders it suitable for use in fiery and dusty mines. Those who have followed the course of the experiments at Neunkiroheu will remember that the highest degree of safety in an explosive atmosphere was obtained with carbonite. It posseasos over robunte two important advantages . It is leas violent in its action, and therefore less shattering in its effect on the coal ; and it is not bygoßCopio. The Utter quality reudera the explosive capable of being used in wet ground, or with watertamping. In strength, as measured by rending effects, it is said to be about two and a half times superior to ordinary blasting powder. The new carbonite factory is situated on Schlebusch Heath, at some distance from the towu of Schlebusch, in the distriot of Soliugen, and comprises au area of about 40 morgeus. The new explosive is to be manufactured there, and already numerous orders for the composition are stated to have been received. Carbonite, says Kuhlow's German Trade Review, is expected to form a substitute for black powder in the blasting of quarries.

A NEW ILLUMINANT. According to a Scotch contemporary, a number of gentlemen interested m illuminating agents recently witnessed an exhibition of a new light at the Messrs. Milne'sworks, AbbeyHill, Edinburgh. the light bears the name of "the hydrophotogoue," and is the invention of Mr. William Wells, chemical manufacturer, Leith. Iu many respects it resembles the " Jucigen" light, now largely used for the illumination or yards and workshops. The mechanism, however, is simple, .ud the oil different. The oil is forced up ;lie chamber by means of water, the ordinary street pressure being amply sufficient for this purpose, although Mr. ell* provides the apparatus with a crank. When the oil passes into the combustion, chamber it is transformed into an iufl*mmable vapour, which, with a mixture of air, produces a white but warm light of considerable brilliance. The oil Mr. Weils uses is that black c*r-like like liquid which ironmasters have difficulty in finding a market for. Its cost is something like Id per gallon, and with one gallon the inventor claims that he can keep a light equal to '2000 candles for two hours. I'ne whole mechanician! oan readily be moved from ytaco to place, and is complete in itself. The exhibition was very successful, although the light showed a certain unsteadiness which will have to be avoided. The different object* round the yard were rendered quite distinct in the very dark night. There were no shadows, but a brilliance almost similar to that of ordinal coal gas.

ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS IS AMERICA. The United states are in the van with regard to electric lighting. But it is not so generally known to w hat an ex.ent electricity is at present being used there for supplying motive power. According t > an mate matte by the Electrical Review (New York), more than 3,500,000 passengers are carried annually m America in tramcara propelled by electric motors. In Montgomery, Alabama, electricity is used on eleven miles of road, and the cost is reported to be only one-half the cost of horse-powor. Roads on which electricity takes the place of horns are found in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Port Huron, Detroit, fccrauton, Appietou (Wisconsin), and Denver. Electric tramways are either in course of construction or under contract in twelve other cities, and in thirty-seven towns companies have beeu formed or other steps t ikeu for the construction of such roads. Upon none of the lines now in operation in the United States, however, is force supplied by storage batteries attached to the cars. In most cases power is communicated by an overhead conductor.

PATK.NT LIFE-SAVING GANGWAY. Mr. M'Conaahy, of Port Glasgow, has patented au invention whereby the gangways which span the spaces between poop, deckhouses, and forecastle of a ship can be admirably adapted as life-saving appliances in cases of disaster at sea. Messrs. Robert Duncan and Co., Port Glasgow, for Messrs. Thorn and Cameron, Glasgow, are just finishing a large sailing ship, the Oceana, for Mr. R. K. Paterson, Greenock ; and these patent gangways form part of the deck fittings of this efficiently-equipped vessel. In order to test the appliance thoroughly, the inventor, Mr. M'Conachy, recently nad two of these gangways (which are ISft long) placed iu the water side by side, about 2ft apart, and connected by cross rods of iron ;«t the extremities —t ie opace between the gangways being covered by a plank the same length —thus constituting a raft lSit in length by Bft broad. Each gangway is fitted with three rowlocks on each side, so that when two are placed in position in the manner above described the raft can be rowed with six oars. It was manned with six rowers, with Mr. M'Conachy and one. of the builders of the Oceana steering, which was very easily and effectively done by means of an oar. They set out from Port Glasgow, aud rcwed to the Tail of the Bank, sailing round the vessels of the Channel Fieet, and causing a considerable sensation amongst the sailors and visitors, who seemed to take some interest in the novel craft as it glided swiftly along from oue vessel to another. On returning from the cruise the raft was taken asunder, and the gangways which formed it were placed in their respective positions on board the Oceana, to spaa the spaces between the deck erections, and serve the purpose of bridges for officers and crew. They are fixed in their places by means of slip-bolts, which, in oases of emergency, can in au instant be withdrawn, thus treeing the gangway, and making it available as a life-saving raft. STEEL .SUPERSEDING IRON. The rapidity with which steel is superseding iron is indicated by returns compilod from the associated makers of manufactured iron in the North of lingiand. in 188 4 the production of iron plates for shipbuilding and allied purposes was at the rate of 37,000 tons monthly by these makers, but now it is ouly at the rate of 12,600 tons. Taking all kinds of manufactured iron in 1883, the production of the associated makers was 55,000 tons monthly, at an average price of £6 per ton ; but now the rate of production has fallen to 21,000 tons per month, even though the average price iB as low as £4 12s 61 par ton. The reduction has been brought about by the change in shipbuilding materials, steel being now almost universally used. To meet the altered conditions, steel-making machinery is taking the place of puddling furnaces in Durham, but the transition is not without its hardships. It is anticipated that even what remains of the manufactured iron trade for shipbuilding purposes will rapidly disappear. ACCCMOIATORB FOB YACHTS. It is well known that some of the large yachts have a great many tons of lead stowed away in their keels. It has now beeu suggested that this lead could be utilised in the shape of accumulators that could thus be | made to carry several horse-power, which, with the intervention of a motor, could be utilised in working the windlass, hauling in the main sheet, etc., and furnishing light as well. As is remarked, it would be rather a novelty to have the ballast weighing the anchor or hauling at the ropes ; but stranger things than that have been done before. •MISCELLANEOUS. Tin or zinc is sometimes nailed over the ends of large timbers where they are exposed to the weather, such ns railroad bridges, etc. A heavy coat of tar applied to the end before putting the zinc on will be a decided improvement. A steel rail will break with one-fourth the force wb«n the temperature is at zero that it will at 90 degrees above. Sugar of milk has the property of dissolving rapidly the calcareous deposit between the teeth. It therefore forms a valuable dentifrice. Professor Thompson says that when the means of utilising the power of creating the quick heating by electricity shall be better understood, it will be used in every workship for welding, forging and other purposes. For a quick filter, take a, clear piece of chamois skin, free from thin places, out it of the dssired length, wash in a weak solution of sal-soda or any alkali to remove the grease, and rinse thoroughly in cold wafer before using. Tinctures, elixirs, syrups, and even mucilage*, are (says a writer in Druggists' Circular) filtered rapidly. A pint of the i thickest syrup will run through in four or i five minutes. By washing thoroughly after each time of using, it will last a long time.