Page:Scientific American - Series 1 - Volume 009 - Issue 47.pdf/1



VOLUME IX.]

Federhen & Co., Boston. Stokes & Bro., Philadelphia. Cook, Kinney, & Co., San Francisco Le Count & Strong, San Fran. Avery Bellford & Co., London S. G. Courtenay. Charleston, H. Taylor, Baltimore, Md.

Dexter & Bro. New York. B. Dawson, Montreal, C.E M. Boullemet, Mobile, Ala E. W. Wiley, New Orleans E. G. Fuller, Halifax, N.S M. M. Gardissal & Co. Paris S. W. Pease, Cincinnati, O

Responsible Agents may also be found in all the principal cities and towns in the United States. TERMS—$2 a-year:—$1 in advance and the remainder in six months. section end="intro"/>

One correspondent writing to us from Pennsylvania enquires if dissolving bones by steam is practicable, and if it has ever been done successfully in New York, as he had been informed it was to be, but not of the result.

Another writing to us from Michigan, requests us to describe the process of manufacturing the super-phosphate of lime from bones, for the benefit of Western farmers, who have to send East for any they may want, while turns of bones are lying bleaching in their own fields.

It is our opinion that bone dust is better for land than what is sold under the name of super-phosphate of lime. Mills for grinding bones should be erected in various parts of every State, so as to afford facilities to neighboring farmers to obtain the bone dust without having to carry or send for it to a great distance. The bones could be first crushed between toothed rollers, like Battin's coal-breaker, and afterwards ground to any degree of fineness in a Bogardus, or like mill. Or if a farmer desires to dissolve his bones entirely, and mix the same with manure, he can do so by simply crushing them between iron fluted rollers, and mixing them with the manure heap of the stable, layer after layer during the winter season, taking care to have the top covered with straw and some dry clay earth to absorb the ammonia.

Prof. Johnson asserts, in opposition to Liebig, that bone dust is a better fertilizer than the phosphate of lime. Bones for manure should never be burned, (a custom once practiced) but ground up in as fresh a state as possible. They contain sixteen per cent. of animal matter when fresh, and this for some soils, is the best part of them. The application of bone dust to pasture lands has been practiced with great success in many places, especially on dry soils. On heavy wet lands, as a manure, bone dust is of no avail, at least it does not pay the cost. As great quantities of sulphuric acid are used in making what is known by the name of super-phosphate of lime, we believe it would not be profitable to manufacture this substance in the Western States, on account of having to import the acid such a distance. We therefore recommend the use of fine bone dust—home made—to our Western farmers.

A magnetic telegraph line has been established in Australia. It cost about $1000 a mile, and was built by a Mr. McGowan formerly of Boston, Massachusetts. The Americans appear to maintain their go-ahead character in that country. Besides the telegraph, which is under the management of Americans, a line of coaches has been established with several imported coaches from the States, running between the capital and its suburbs. An express office, a fire brigade, a post office, and the best hotels in the country are all improvements introduced by our countrymen.

On the 13th of last June (1854) a patent was granted to David L. Latourette, of St. Louis, Mo., for an improvement in Grinding Mills, of which the accompanying engravings are different views,—figure 1 being a perspective and fig. 2 a plan view of the grinding parts; the same letters indicate like parts. This mill is well adapted for grinding seeds for the wheel revolving between a roll or rolls, between the surfaces of which the oil seeds or grain, or minerals, are ground.

A is a frame of iron; B is a plain circular wheel, hung on the shaft, as shown, and made to revolve, by the belt, L. This wheel is turned off true and smooth on both sides, and revolves between the rolls, C C. The position of the rolls is at right angles with the shaft on which the wheel, B, is hung, and they are situated on a horizontal line, as shown, or may be placed on a vertical line, or at any intervening angle; or the wheel itself may be horizontal, and the rolls arranged underneath and above it, though the arrangement shown is believed to be the best. Motion is given to the rolls, by the bevel gearing, as shown. They are turned off true and smooth, and lie against the side of the wheel, B, so that any substance passing between them is ground. The set screws, F F F F, are made to regulate the space between the rolls and the wheel, so that the substance is ground more or less fine, as may be desired. The grinding surfaces of the rolls and wheel are kept clean, when grinding any sticky substance, by the scrapers, E E E E, which are fastened to the frame, A, by set screws through slotted holes in the scraper, as shown. G is a frame which supports the feeders above. H is a hopper, which contains the substance to be ground after it has passed through a wire screen, and separated from any large hard substance, which would injure the machine. In the bottom of the hopper two fluted rolls are made to turn by the gearing, K, the flutes gathering the substance as the rolls turn, and deliver it through funnels in a thin, continuous and uniform sheet, to the grinder below. The liquid, on being fed in between the block and wheel, is carried over the ridges and out below, of any requisite fineness, determined by the set screws, F. The wheel, B, working between rolls, C C, as shown, gives a most effective grinding motion, and the grinding surfaces are easily kept clean and in good order. If in this arrangement the grinding effect is found too great for any business, it may be diminished by making the wheel, B, wedging or V-shaped, and the rolls conical to correspond. The wheel, B, may be worked with one roll by having a friction roller bearing against the opposite side of the wheel. Or, if found desirable for any purpose, two or more pairs of rolls may be worked with one wheel, by arranging them at different angles around it. In grinding large, hard substances, the machine may be made more effective by making the wheel, B, of large diameter, and having a heavy fly-wheel rim projecting beyond the ends of the rolls, so as to cause it to run strong and steady. A high or low speed may be given to the machine, as the business for which it is used may require. The one from which the engravings are made is run at a high speed, and is found to grind in a superior manner thirty bushels per hour, with three horsepower. The wheel and rolls are made of fine cast iron, chilled or otherwise; great strength and width of bearing is given to the journals of the rolls. By arranging on the sides of the wheel, B, a series of knives radiating from the center, and adapting the rolls or blocks to the purposes for which the combination is made, a very effective instrument is secured for cutting straw, shearing cloth, planing lumber, or for purposes analogous, the knives acting as a rotary shear. This useful invention has been secured by Letters Patent in Great Britain through our agency, and we presume will soon be put upon sale there.

More information may be obtained by letter addressed to the inventor, Mr. Latourette, at St. Louis.

We have received the Coach Maker's Guide for 1855, by C. W. Saladee & Co., of Columbia, Ohio, and we are happy to say that it exhibits a great improvement over the volume for 1854. As this is a work devoted entirely to carriage makers, we take pleasure in calling the attention of this class of our mechanics to its contents. It has two large plates of drawings containing 51 slide elevations of the most fashionable carriages, and the accompanying volume of explanations has chapters treating on the wood and iron work, and on the trimming and painting of carriages which are illustrated with quite a number of wood-cuts. The charts of drawings are explained in a very lucid and comprehensive manner. It appears to us, that such a work as this must be of immense advantage to every carriage maker in our land, both near and remote from the circles of fashion. It at once places carriage makers who live far from the large cities upon an equality with those who live in them. It is our opinion that no carriage maker can keep up with the progress of things, unless he takes this work; the receipts for painting being worth the whole price of book and charts.

The cholera has been very severe in many localities in this city; the victims have been mostly poor foreigners.