screws and nuts on both ends; this rod consists of three pieces, E F G; the piece F extends horizontally along the bottom of the girder, passing under and sustaining the bolts, N ̊N, where a knuckle connects it with the parts E and G. The centre rod, R, is connected, on either side of the centre bolt, A, to a saddle which passes under the bolt, having a longitudinal opening in the centre, sufficiently large to permit the main rod, F, to come in actual contact with the bolt A; the centre rod, R, is brought to the required tension by the levers, X X, which are acted on by the perpendicular rods and screws, bb; these levers are also opened on the lower ends, admitting the main rod, F, to bear immediately against the bolts, N N, on which the levers turn. The bolts upon which the rods strain, are secured by wrought iron anchors on the outside, (see A B C, fig. 3,) inch thick, bolted through both sides. The main rod for a girder of this span, (45 feet,) is intended to be 1 inch iron; the centre rod 1 inch. The following advantages are claimed for it:

First, It possesses scarcely any elastic motion when the weight applied is moving or at rest, consequently there is no danger to the bearing walls or ceilings.

Secondly, The strain, wherever the weight may be applied, is so distributed, that there is no liability to fracture in any one place more than in another.

Thirdly, Before the girder can deflect one inch in the centre, the main rod must lengthen a fraction over inch.

Fourthly, All the timbers used in the construction being small, there is less shrinking.

And, fifthly, Great economy in space; the whole elevation required for a span of 50 feet, being only 3 feet.

An experiment was tried on one of these girders, 45 feet in length between the bearings, in August, 1848. It was raised to its place on the walls, and a rod fitted accurately between it and the floor beneath; a weight of ten tons was then suspended immediately to the centre. It was found, by applying the rod, that the distance between it and the floor was still the same, shewing conclusively that no deflection had taken place, nor has any taken place since. Mr. McArthur is convinced that the result would have been the same, had a much greater weight been applied.

The cost of this girder was about $180. The dimensions of the timbers are marked on the accompanying drawing.

AMERICAN PATENTS.

List of American Patents which issued in the month of October, 1847, with Exemplifications by CHARLES M. KELLER, late Chief Examiner of Patents, in the U. S. Patent Office.

1. For an Improvement in Lard Lamps; Thomas Sewell, City of New York, October 2.

The nature of this invention consists in having a tube, which extends down into the lard, and placed between the two wick tubes, and opening

into them near the top, to conduct the heat given out by the flame or flames, to keep the lard in a melted state, and supply it to the wick or wicks, from the central tube, through the openings near the top thereof, whereby the lard, or other fat to be burned, is supplied to the wick or wicks in a more fluid state, than by any other arrangement with which I am acquainted.

Claim. "What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the employment of a conducting tube, substantially as described, in combination with, and opening into, the wick tube or tubes, at and near the top thereof, for the supply of highly heated and fluid lard, &c., to the wick, substantially as described."

2. For an Improvement in Water Wheels; William Simpson and Horace Adams, Langdon, Sullivan county, New Hampshire, October 2.

Claim. "What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the combination of the tapering channels, sunk in the plate, and the curved buckets, formed on the upper surface of the plate, and near its periphery, with the plate; the whole being combined, arranged, and operating in the manner and for the purpose set forth."

3. For an Improvement in Flood Fences; William Miller, Orrstown, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, October 2.

The patentee says, "The nature of my invention and improvement consists in a new and useful mode of constructing panels of fencing, so that they shall rise by the force or power of a flood, or running stream of water, acting against them, and sliding over inclined planes, and turning on the lower rail, in the manner of a hinge, a quarter of a circle, and lying upon the surface, or in the water, and allowing the flood to pass over it, between the posts, without doing any injury to the posts, and when the flood has subsided, allowing the farmer, or other person, to raise the panel on its centre with very little trouble, to restore it to its position-the upper rail to be made V-shaped on the under side, and resting in corresponding notches or grooves, also made of a V shape, in the tops of the posts; the whole being made of clay burnt in a kiln of artificial stone, common pine or other boards, and chesnut posts and rails, or other more suitable, cheap, and durable material."

Claim. "What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the combination of the falling safety flood panel with the V grooved posts, constructed, arranged, and operating in the manner and for the purpose described: that is to say, I claim the combination of a rising and turning close panel, composed of two horizontal parallel rails, placed at a suitable distance apart, and united by vertical plates or boards-the upper rail being made of a V shape on the under side at the ends, fitted into corresponding shaped grooves made in the tops of the posts, so that when a pressure of water comes against the vertical boards, the said rail, with the boards, is caused to rise or slide up over the inclined sides of the notches to the top thereof, and back over the same in the direction of the running water, and fall down into the same, suffering the water to pass between the posts, without doing any injury to the fence; the lower rail

being made with round tenons, that enter oblong mortises in the posts, a little wider than the diameter of the tenons, and considerably longer, so that the panel will be permitted to rise vertically, and turn therein in falling back, but will be prevented from leaving the mortises by the said tenons, until the flood subsides, when the panel is lifted to a vertical position and restored to its former place, the parts composing the combination being made of wood, clay, moulded and baked, or of any suitable material for the purpose intended."

4. For an Improvement in Smut Machines; Daniel Pease, Jr., Floyd, Oneida county, New York, October 2.

Claim. "What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the peculiar construction of the case, as described, being made in two sections, the one of small diameter, with ribs and perforated plates, extending beyond the sides, forming wind guides, the other section large and smooth, in the manner described, in combination with the revolving cylinder of large and small wings, corresponding thereto.

"Second, I claim the manner of arranging the openings for the discharge of the smut, with the sloped sides, protruding outwardly from the interior of the cylinder.

"Third, I also claim the construction of the receiver, having the triangular and rectangular guards, and the oblique space between them, in combination with the vibrating spreaders, arranged and operated in the manner set forth.

"Fourth, I claim constructing the spout with parallel vertical partitions, set in advance of each other, for the purpose of distributing the wind from the narrow fan in a broad sheet, in the spout, before reaching the grain in its descent from the spreader, as before described."

5. For an Improvement in Composition for Door Knobs, &c.; John Harrison, Stillwater, Saratoga county, New York, October 2.

The patentee says, "This improvement consists in the use and process of compounding the following materials, viz:-1st, Bone, calcined, and pulverized, and ground, 10 parts; 2d, black flint, do. do., 4 parts; 3d, crystal felspar, do. do., 10 parts; 4th, granite, do. do., 10 parts; 5th, Vermont white sand, do. do., 10 parts; 6th, China clay, do. do., 11 parts; 7th, chromate of potash, do. do., 1 part; 8th, litharge, do. do., 1 part; 9th, antimony, do. do., 1 part; 10th, chrome green, do. do., 1 part; 11th, oxide of iron, do. do., 3 parts; 12th, oxide of tin, do. do., 1 part; 13th, oxide of zinc, do. do., 1 part; 14th, oxide of manganese, do. do., 4 parts. The above articles are calcined, pulverized, and ground in water, and constitute the body, and everything necessarry for the manufacture of articles."

Claim. "I claim the application of the materials above specified, in certain proportions, and a specific and original method of compounding the same, as applied to the manufacture. I also claim to be the sole and original inventor, as applied to the manufacture of fossil granite knobs, candlesticks, knife handles, whip mountings, cane heads, &c., of the process from which they derive their peculiar beauty and excellence, combined

with the essential and desirable property of durability, inasmuch as atmospheric influence cannot, as in the case of the ordinary earthen knob, under any circumstances, deteriorate the essential properties of the compound."

6. For an Improvement in Fire Arms; L. H. Gibbs, Oberlin, Loraine county, Ohio, October 2.

The patentee says, "The nature of my invention consists in making the breech stock of the gun tubular, the tube communicating with the breech of the gun barrel, for the purpose of receiving a number of shot-charged cylinders, in such a manner as that, as one is discharged of all its loads, it may be easily and quickly taken from the gun, as herein set forth, and another cylinder made to take its place, by simply dropping the muzzle of the gun."

Claim. "What I claim as new, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the tubular breech stock, communicating with the bore of the barrel, for containing a series of shot-charged cylinders, combined with the springs, the retaining tumbler, the sliding discharging cover, the revolving tumbler, and the spring, substantially as set forth. I also claim the manner of pressing and retaining the shot-charged cylinders firmly against the breech of the barrel, by means of the tumbler, the screw-rod, the nut, and the lever, as set forth."

7. For an Improvement in Cast Iron Chairs; Jordan L. Mott, City of New York, October 2.

Claim. "What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is, First, Making the seat of cast metal chairs or stools, concave or dished in all directions, from the rim towards a point midway, or nearly so, between the sides, and nearer the back than the front, to fit the anatomy of the body, and to give more support thereto, substantially as described; and, in combination therewith, I also claim making the seat thus formed of open work, for the discharge of water as described.

Second, I claim casting the seat with a depression in the deepest part of the concave, and covering it with a cap plate, the upper surface of which is a continuation of the curved plane of the seat, in combination with the plate or disk of the pedestal, made with holes, through which the cap plate can be secured to the seat, after the seat has been secured to the spindle on which it turns, and also for the escape of water that may leak through the joints of the cap plate, substantially as described.

"And, finally, I claim making the pedestal a hollow, in combination with a stake of corresponding form, driven in the ground substantially as described, so that it can be held permanently in place, and not affected by frost or change of seasons."

8. For an Improvement in Looms; Richard Collins, Cabotsville, Hampden county, Massachusetts, October 2.

Claim. "What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is, First, The method of working the picker staves as described, by means of a worm, so constructed as to draw back the picker staves

gradually, during the whole revolution, by coming into direct contact with the staves; and throwing the shuttle by means of springs, constructed and arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

"Second, I claim constructing the picker in the manner described, by forming a metal socket on the end of the picker staff, and inserting therein a piece of leather, or other suitable material, by which a cheap and substantial picker is made.

"Third, I claim the apparatus for moving the harness, consisting of a bottom roller, to which the harness is attached, which is turned by a segment rack, moved by an eccentric on the second shaft, substantially in the manner described, by which a great saving is made in the harness and warp, and the ordinary cam shaft is dispensed with.

"Fourth, I claim regulating the tension of the warp in the manner substantially as described, causing the weight gradually to approach the fulcrum of the shaft, by revolving said shaft or lever, on which a screw is cut for that purpose, in the manner set forth."

9. For an Improvement in Making Splints for Baskets; Abraham and Garret Van Riper, Bergen county, New Jersey, October 2.

Claim. "What we claim as new, and of our invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the particular arrangement and combination of the respective parts, by which the reversing motion of the cutting knife is effected, and the machine thereby adapted to the cutting of stuff of different lengths, as set forth; said combination consisting principally of the vertical bar, attached to the stock or knife carrier, and the slide operating on the vertical posts, so as to cause the bar that embraces the belts, to shift said belts, under an arrangement of parts substantially the same with that herein set forth. We do not claim to be the inventors of a reversing motion, such motion being common to many machines, but we limit our claim as above set forth, to the particular combination by which we have adapted it to our machine, not intending, however, to limit ourselves to the exact form of the respective parts, but to vary these as we may think proper, whilst we attain the same ends by means substantially the same."

10. For an Improvement in Distilling Turpentine; R. F. Smith, Charleston, South Carolina, October 2.

The patentee says, "The nature of my invention consists in providing a machine for accelerating the distillation and evaporation of substances subjected to heat, for saving from burning and discoloration, the gaseous and other evaporations, as well as the residues left after these are thrown off, and for the increased safety in the process of distillation, particularly of resinous juices, by checking their rising tendency in the vessels in boiling."

Claim.-"What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the application of the shaft, with its appendages, to the distillation of turpentine, in the manner described, or any other substantially the same, not confining myself to the form of the stirring apparatus."