and an adjustable crank pin, connected to arms for the purpose of sliding the pincers to and fro as the shaft goes round. Cams acting upon levers open and shut the pincers, for the purpose of taking hold of and releasing the pin at the proper times; and a contrivance connected with the moving parts works a sharp-threaded screw in a box which actuates the moving cutter.

The punch is brought forward by an excentric or cam on the rotary shaft, by the force of which the end of the wire is compressed into the shape of the pin head; this, of course, being regulated by the form of the end of the punch and its counter die.

For pointing the pins, the headed shafts thus prepared are placed round the periphery of a wheel in notches, much in the way described as "the feeding wheel" in Wright's machines for making screws (see Patents, dated 17th March, 1827, vol. xiv. p. 205, and 18th September, 1828, vol. v. of our Second Series, p. 313).

The pins thus placed in the periphery of the carrying wheel, are severally and successively brought against a rapidly revolving file-edged cutter, and the pins are turned round in that situation by a travelling strap, which embraces the carrying wheel for the purposes of causing the ends of the shafts to be cut away into the form of points.

The mode of preparing screw blanks or unthreaded shafts for screws, is precisely the same as described in the first instance, viz. the wire is brought forward by pincers, cut into lengths by a moving chap, and headed by dies. Nails are to be formed from rods, and headed in the same way, but they are afterwards to be pointed by a hand hammer.-[Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, June, 1832.]

To JOSEPH SAXTON, of Sussex-street, in the county of Middlesex, mechanician, for his invention of improvements in printing-presses, and in presses for certain other purposes.-[Sealed 25th September, 1834.]

THE principal feature of this invention is a mode of obtaining power for printing by means of hydraulic pressure. The platen of the press is made hollow for the purpose of receiving a volume of water; and its under side or face is formed by a flexible plate of thin metal, which, when the press is in operation, is forced down upon the surface of the types by the pressure obtained within the platen from a high column of water.

The Patentee states that his improvements consist, first, in the use of a flexible platen, instead of a rigid plate of metal; second, in the application of pressure to this flexible platen by means of a liquid or acriformed fluid; third, in the arrangement of machinery constituting a printing press, copying press, and lithographic or zincographic press, in which the elastic platen is employed. It is also stated that the pressure may be applied upwards, downwards, or sideways.

The construction of this press (for we find but one construction set out), appears to be considerably more complicated than ordinary printing-presses, and its description, though lengthy, is far from being clear as to its minor details. However, as it does not appear probable that a press upon such principles will ever come into use, we shall only give such a general description of it as may enable our readers to form a tolerable conception of the Patentee's intentions.

Plate VIII., fig. 7, is a side elevation of the press; a, is the table with the form of types upon it, which is made to run to and fro, that is in and out, on parallel

railways b; the framework c, c, supports the table and form of types when run in under the platen d; and the paper to be printed is laid upon the board and timpan e, above, and carried under the platen by straps, for the purpose of bringing it over the form of types ready to receive the impression.

The platen, as before said, is made hollow, that is, its under part has a recess which is covered externally by a thin flexible sheet of metal, and when the water within is submitted to pressure, the flexible sheet becomes swelled out, exerting that force which causes the impression to be given.

The operations of the machine are these; supposing the parts to stand in the positions shown in the figures, whilst the ink is applied to the form of types a, in the ordinary way, the paper to be printed is laid upon the timpan at e, the registering points standing up in the middle; these preparatory matters being done, the pressman applies his hand to the handle of the wheel or rounce f, and turns it round. A pinion on the axle of this wheel takes into a toothed wheel g, on the axle of a barrel; which barrel, by means of straps, carries the table and form a, forward undef the platen. By a connexion between the table and the pulleys h, h, the advance of the table causes the pulleys to conduct the timpan with the sheet of paper under the platen d, immediately over the form as then situated.

At this time water is to be let into the hollow part of the platen, which is done by turning the cock i Upon the axle of this cock there is a toothed segment, into which a rack at one end of an oblique rod or bar k, takes, and as the rounce or wheel f, goes round, a wiper connected to it strikes against and raises the oblique rod or bar k, and thereby causes the cock to

turn, and the water to flow from a pipe 7, into the hollow platen, when, by the pressure obtained from a column of water of about ten feet high, the required force is exerted to give the impression.

This being done, the rounce or wheel ƒ, is now to be turned the reverse way, when the power of a helical spring on the oblique rod or bar k, will bring the rod back to its former situation, causing the rack to turn the cock i, and to close the water way from the pipe 7, and open a way to the discharge pipe m, by which the water runs out of the hollow platen; and slight springs carry up the flexible plate into the platen so as to set the table with the form and the printed sheet of paper free. The table is thus run back into its former position, the printed paper is removed, and the form again inked for another impression.

As the table recedes, a disc on the axle of the wheel g, acts upon a tooth at the end of a lever n, raising that end of the lever. The other end of this lever is connected to the register pins, and draws them down away from the timpan; but when a notch in the edge of the disc comes round so a allow the tooth at the end of the lever,, to fall into it, then the register pins are forced up ready to place the sheet of paper to be printed.

The Patentee says in conclusion, "I do not intend to claim as my invention any of the parts of the machine described, nor do I mean to limit myself to the employment of any particular materials for constructing it, but I do claim the use and application of a flexible or elastic platen, in manner herein before described, the application of pressure thereto in printing presses, copying presses, &c. &c. by means of a liquid or aeriformed fluid, in manner herein also described; and the arrange

ment of the machinery or parts of the said presses for the purpose of applying such pressure of a liquid or aeriformed fluid to such flexible or elastic platen.—[Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, March, 1835.]

TO WILLIAM BRIDGES ADAMS, of Long Acre, in the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in the county of Middlesex, coach-maker, for his invention of an improved construction of wheels for all kinds of carriages, in which springs are commonly used.-[Sealed 13th March, 1835.]

THE Patentee has fallen into the same error which has misled several patentees before him, conceiving that the draft of a carriage will be facilitated by giving elasticity to the spokes of its wheels, but finding that all previous attempts of this kind have failed, conceives that the fault lies in the form of the springs, not in the principle.

After, therefore, expatiating upon the defects of radial spokes, as well as those made in curved and elliptical forms, suggests, as the real thing necessary, that the spokes should be made of circular flexible hoops, observing that the efficient spring wheel should be so made that the elasticity should be alike in all parts of the circumference.

It is not necessary that we should follow the Patentee in all his reasonings, but merely explain the construction which he has proposed to effect his object; viz. by so forming his wheels as to afford that ease and gentleness of action in the body of the carriage, for which springs in general are applied to carriages.