Improved Water Elevator

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In this device two buckets are preferably employed, one on each end of a rope passing over a pulley, on a shaft journaled in the top of a casing of ordinary construction. This shaft is operated by a crank, and is provided with two ratchet disks having teeth facing in opposite directions. Pawls united by a link, so that while one is in operation the other will be disengaged, engage with the disks. . The spout is pivoted to the framing, and to its inner part are pivoted the ends of a bail, whose arms are spread laterally toward their upper ends. This spreading provides a sufficient space for the upper end of the bucket, so that the latter will properly engage the cross bar of the bail. The upper end of the bail is connected with the casing by a chain, as shown. When taut, this chain holds the bail in position to be engaged by the bucket. A bracket, secured to the upper part of the framing, serves as a stop for the upper end of the bail, and as a means for steadying the bucket as the water is being discharged. The inner end of the trough is provided with a projection, by which to open the valve in the bottom of the bucket, or the valve may have a depending stem, by which to engage the trough and be tripped. The outer end of the trough is weighted, so as to insure that the inner end will be thrown up with sufficient force to open the valve. The rising bucket engages with the bail when the inner end of the trough rises up under the bucket, lifts the valve, and allows the water to run out. When the bucket descends, the weight of the bail is sufficient to bring the trough to a vertical posi tion, and the device is ready to be again operated. This invention has been patented by Mr. J. C. Davis, of Athens, Ga Removing Oil, etc., by Infu80rfal Earth. Scouring or removing oil from substances such as wool and woolen cloth, by means of infusorial earth, is claimed as an improvement by Groth. This kind of earth is one that absorbs a great quantity of liquid, and is what is used to absorb nitroglycerine and make it into dynamite. The patentee states that it is this extraordinary power of taking up liquids which enables it to withdraw oil from textiles containing it. The process is to warm the textile with the infusorial earth in some apparatus where the temperature may exceed by 10 or 20 degrees the melting point of the oil or grease. As soon as it is liquefied, the infusorial earth takes it up from the textile. After this the materials are passed through warm water, which washes off the infusorial earth, leaving the fiber clean. If, instead of infusorial earth, we read fuller's earth, the principle of the process will be found very ancient.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 54 Issue 25This article was published with the title “Improved Water Elevator” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 54 No. 25 (), p. 386
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican06191886-386b

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