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A ear axle has been patented by Mr. George W. Wilkinson, of West Rutland, Vt. The construction is such that, the wheels are keyed fupon the points of the axle and permitted to revolve independently of each othijr, the arrangement being calculated to avoid wear and tear upon the oilers and excessive friction in rounding curves. A car coupling has been patented by Mr, George W. Hoover, of Keithsburg, 1ll. Combined with a drawhead is a top plate having downwardly projecting bars, an angle piece with side lugs pivoted in the drawhead, and other novel features, the whole being an improvement on a car coupler fornerly patented by the same inventor. A switch stand has been patented by Mr. Charles W. Widney, of Wymore, Neb. There are vertical notches in the top of the head plate to receive a throw lever pivoted to the shaft which connects to the switch rails, with special details of locking mechanism for the throw lever tending to promote safety and security in the adjustment of railway switches. An oscillating engine has been patented by Mr. Douia O. Putnam, of Wayne Center, N. Y. This invention consists in certain special features of construction of the valve motion, and in its connections to the valves and the starting, stopping, and reversing lever, providing for running the engine crank shaft in opposite directions. and for reversing the motion at will without the use of eccentrics. A speed governor for steam engines has been patented by Mr. Ebenezer Hill, of South Norwalk, Conn. With the cylinder and its piston connected with the stem of a throttle valve is connected a second piston and a safety valve connected with the compression chamber of an air compressor, whereby an excess of pressure in said compression chamber will raise the pistons and close the throttle valve to check the speed of the engine. A system of ventilating, cooling, heating, and lighting railway cars, and cooling their axle boxes, has been patented by Mr. George Van Duzer, of New York city. A separate car with independent boiler and motor operates an air purifying and cooling apparatus, from which flexible pipes carry the air to tlie cars of the train, and from which pipes also lead to the axle .boxes for cooling hot journals; this independent car also provides steam for heating the train, and space for storage of illuminant, either gas or electricity, to be distributed by suitable arrangement of pipes or wires.
