On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Pertaining to Apparel. GARMENT.-S. TReini, New York, N. Y. This garment is for nse for bathing, athlftic and other purposes, and is provided with an integral jockstrap, which can be conveniently opened and closed and when worn is practically concealed and not visible. For the pnrpose mentioned nse is made of a snspensory band extending from the back of the garment and having its free end detachably connected with the free ends of straps or webbings attached to the rear of the garment. Electrical Devices. ELECTRIC DRAKE.-W. 1. Moody, Denver, Colo. '1his brake is of the kind provided with a flexible brake band. The invention provides in connection with the band a rocking member whose ends are connected with the ends of the brake band and braking force is applied to its middle portion, so that whpn the brake is set the position of the rocking member is changed by the tension of the brake band; one end of the rocking member acts for the moment as a fixed pivot and the opposite end pnll s upon the opposite end of the brake band, so that the rocking member operates as a lever of the third class, and applies braking force effectively, with least expenditure of fo rce . Of General Interest. DECK LASHING DEVICE FOR Lll'E SAVING APPLIANCES.—F. Eriksen, 3 Taffel-bays Alio, Copcnhagpn, Denmark. 'rhis device releases th0 deck ]ashings of liff-saving appliances, such as life-boats and the like, well lashed to the deck, so as not to be swept overboard in a heavy sea, are so much the more difficult to release and it takes a longer time to do so in proportion to the firmness with which they arc lashed to the deck. 'l'he invention has for its object the device that the boat OJ raft is safely fastened to the deck, bnt released automatically if the ship sinls, whereby the boat or raft floats. CABLE CLAMP.-C. A. Butler, Bartles· ville, Okla. This invention provides a clamp for quickly and readily attaching a releasing cablc ; provides removable jaws and special gripping jaws for varied employments, the jaws being nniversal for mounting in the clamp; provides jaws arranged for a multiplicity of adjustments to accommodate the use in conjunction with tables constructed of different Daterials ; and provides an apparatus huving an auxiliary clamp and holding device for the second line or cable. ROCK LOOSENING AND IMPREGNATI:G DEVICE.-F. Trippe, Dortmnnd, Germany. This invention consists of a device adapted to tamp a bore-hole made in any rock or eoal-stratum and to force any qnantity of water pressure from an end portion of tie bore·hole through tl", faults and crevices in the rock or coal stratum for breaking down or loosening the rock, while the wMer is prevented from escaping directly throngh the bore-hole to withont. FEED MEASURING APPARATUS.-J. J. Smith, West Hoboken, N. J. The pnrpose here is to insure accuraey and economy in feeding stock, and to enable the quantity to he varied at any instant, yet made always definite and certain, so that on those days when draft animals are working and reqnire full feed it may be readily measnred, while on Sundays or other days of rest a smaller feed may he measured with equal certainty and with the same facility. WHISTLK-A. W. Proctor, New York, N. y. 'his invention nelatcs pspecially to whistles of the kind used as toys, the more particular purpose being to give the whistle such form as to facilitate its being held in position by aid of the lips and teeth of the operator. ]urther it relates to means wherehy the sonnd may he so modified as to simulate the throbbing call of a bird, the throbbing to some extent nnder direct control of the operator. PHOTO ENGRAVING DEVICE.-G. A. LeBeau and R. R. ThresheH, Nashville, Tenn. An object here is to pl'Ovide means whereby a negative having a better detail may be prodnced. A further object is to provide means for obtaining good strong solid dots in the blacks of thc negative in a minimum of time. The device is simple in its nature and inexpensive. Hard_are and 'ools. LOCK.—'Raffaele Feola, 2 East 120th Street, New York, N. Y. The object of this invention is to provide a lock which serves the purposes of the ordinary padlock, which, when in position, prevents the staples or eye-bolts from being filed or cut, and which renders diffcult other unauthorized methods of opening the lork. His fnrther obj('et is to provide a lork in which the lork holt proper is olwrated by key-controllable m(chanism of the pin· tumbler type, which permits of a large number of vibrations on the key-controllable mechanism, and which may have the casing of different shapes adapted for use with different kinds of doors or other closures. COMBINED PROTRACTOR AND T SQUARE.-Francisco A DeL Castillo, Washington, D. C. This invention has reference to drafting instrnments, and its purpose is the provision of a new and improved combined protractor and T sqnare, for the nse of draftsmen, engineers and other persons, and ar- COMHINED PKOTBACTOB AND T SCJUABE. ranged to permit of setting the hlud” of the square to any desired angle indicated on the protractor or to accnrately fasten the blade in ri!lht·angle position relative to the hase of the protractor. For the purpoe mentioned in the foregoing nse is made of a protractor (illustrated herewith), at the center of whieh is pivoted a blade, and an arm extends from the pivot of ti” blade and is provided with spaced pins straddling the sides of the blade, the pins also engaging apertures in the protractor. Heatill: and Liglltiu#. ACE'lY LENI G AS GENERATOR.—L. K Bos'Irom, Ormond, lla rrhc objf('t of tho invention is to provide a flmplc and cfdtllt fpeding device for a('ctylcne gas gent'latOlK, hy means of which the earbid will be fed in Hmall amonnts to the generator whenever the pressnre in the generator falls below a predetermined levd. E LEe t hIC LIGHT Fixtuhe AND HANG.R.-Irank P. I Hn; alt H lson, Covington, Ga. 'he object of this invento! is to provide an improvpd means for suspl'nding and 'ltecting an eleetric light fixture or hanger. The fxture 01 hanger is snspended from and inclosed by a shield or protector to whose lower ILECTUW LIGHT EIX'URE AND HANGER. portion a lamp socket and a reflector may be conveniently attached. 'he details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts arc illustrated in the accompanying engraving which rrpl'tspnts a eentl'al vertieal section of a lamp fixtur” and hanger constructed in accordance with the invention. 'L'lIe several parts of the interior portion are easily detachable from one another, which facilitates storage and transportation. Household Utilities. AT'ACHMENT FOR INVALID BEDS.-Josephine M. Swenson and T. S. Olsen, New York, N. Y. The object here is to provide a bed which is inexpensive and simple, and which may be used as a foot rest or a seat to support the patient when the bed is raised, and the patient in an inclined position ; as a back rest; as a table ; as a protector to prevent an unconscious or delirious person froIn injuring himself against the head of the bed; and as a cradle for supporting the weight of the bed clothes. lachilles and Mechanical Devices. UNIVERSAL RUDDER FOR FLYING l· CHINES.—W. Kriedter lmd W. Bourdon, New York, N. Y. The more particular purpose here is to provide a rudder for service upon flying machines ; that is to say, a rndder having a vertical movement 'ior controlling altitnde and a horizontal movement for controlling direction relative to the points of the compass--the rudder having surfncps dispmd at different nnglCH for enahling movements or the rudd(! to be f/eoted. SEWING MACHINE.-. L, Kleinman, New York, N. Y. In this instance use is made Angust ID, IDll SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 1 75 of a thread case adapted to contain a spool of thread and a loop-taking hook mounted to oscillate on the peripheral face of the case to take hold of the needle thread loop and to carry the loop sufficiently far around the case for finally casting off the loop to form a lock stitch in conjunction with the spool thread. TRIP MECHANISM FOR WELL SINKING MACHINES.-H. I. Haight, Winnebago, Minn. 'fhis invention provides a mechanism for nse in conjnnction with the jerk line or drop cable used in a welI sinking machine; provides a pulley for the said cable arranged to regulate the extent of the take-up of the cable, and provides a construction for the pulley and mounting therefor which is durable, simple and efficient. DRIVING GEAR.-J. L. Klei:man, New York, N. Y. In this patent the invention has reference to pedal-actuated driving mechanisms, and the object is to provide a new and improved driving gear 1I10Ie especially designed for use on sewing Iach"nes and the }ike, and arranged to convert the oscillating motion of th” pedal into rotary motion without undue exertion on the part of the operator. BEL'f RACK.-Robert L. Smith, Ninth and M Streets, Lincoln, Neb. 'he belt rack illustrated herewith in an end elevation occupies little room and carries many belts which may 1", readily movpd to the desired position to pcrmit of being unl'ollpd. 'rhe device is constructed so that the helting is prevented from slipping from the spindles by the frame of the BELT RACK. device, it being possible to move the “pindles to a position at which the belts can be readily moved. Means provide for locking the operating parts so that the spindles with belting may be beld on a predetermined position relatively to tbe frame. Means provide for retarding rotation of the spindles carrying the belts. Also means by which rolls of belting may be wedged there around. Prime llovers and ,'heir Aeeessories. PACKING.-P. S. Tlrrill, deceased; Maud M. Hea1'h, Administratrix, care of Heath-Clark Co., Lyndonville, Vt. The object in this invention is to provide a packing, especially adapted for usc with turbine engines, to prevent the escape of steam around the shaft, and also to prevent the entrance of air when the first stage pressure is b
