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Meteorological Observations, at the Winter Solstice of 1839, made in conformity with the instructions of the South African Literary and Philosophical Institution, at the University of Nashville, Tennessee, in North Latitude, 36° 09' 33", W. Long. 86° 49′ 03; "by JAMES HAMILTON, Prof. Math. and N. Phil.

External Attach'd
Ther. Ther.

6 A.M. 35 39

Barom.

December 21, 1839.

29.22 c S.E. o Thin clouds.

42 29.22 c S.E. o Clouds heavier; sprinkles, 7h. 25m. 29.21 R S.E. 0 Gentle rain.

29.21 R S.E. o Rain heavier.

29 21 R S.E. o Rain lighter; W.nearly cl'r.10h.40m. 29.19 c S.W.S.E. o Clouds thinner; mist 11b. 30m. 29.14 c S.E. o

29.08 c S.E. 0 Double currents S.SE. at 3h som.

29.07 c S.

29.04 c SW.

o

O Clouds breaking.

o Clouds thinner; sprinkle, 6h 30m.

Do. heavy some places, light others. 1 Do. breaking in South.

29.01 RSW. 1 Light rain.

28.99 RSW. 1 Heavier rain.

28.98 c SW. 1

29.06 c W. 1 From 6h. 10m. to 6h. 25m. wind 2. 29.06 R W. 1

29.11 c W. 1 At 12h. 40m. a few flakes of snow.

Meantime found by means of transit, and kept by a superior clock, not varying 30 seconds in 6 weeks. Ther. Fahrenheit, Barometer of English manufacture; diameter of the tube inch, cup. 2 inches; in good order; Dolland, London; height above ground 38 feet, and 128 feet above low water of the Cumberland river-external thermometer 35 feet above ground, facing North.

Mechanics' Register.

LIST OF AMERICAN PATENTS WHICH ISSUED IN JANUARY, 1839,
With Remarks and Exemplifications by the Editor..

1. For an apparatus for Evaporating Fluids; William Henry, La. porte, Laporte county, Indiana, January 8.

The patentee tells us that "the nature of his improvement consists in so rarifying the air in the boiling apartment, by means of fires lighted therein, at the back, creating a strong draft through a flue, or flues, above the fire, which conduct off the steam rapidly from the surface of the liquid in the boiler, causes the evaporation to go on more expeditiously than heretofore, removes the nuisance and inconvenience arising from the steam in the manufactory, saves fuel, lessens the number of boilers required, and improves the quality of the sugar, salt, or other article manufactured." We have here a promising list of valuable results from the discovery patented. The matter is not very clearly explained, but the thing appears to consist in the making of an additional fire above, and behind, the tops of the boilers, so as to produce a more rapid draught up the chimney. The patentee says that the rapidity of the evaporation will be so far increased, that one pound of fuel burnt for rarifying the air will be as valuable as four under the boilers. We do not believe this, as according to our understanding of the matter, the rapidity of evaporation from a boiler is proportioned to the fire surface of the boiler, and the intensity of the fire; as to draught, it should be sufficient to carry off the vapour, and the fire under the boilers may certainly answer this purpose. The claim is to "the before described method of evaporating liquids, by rarifying the air in the boiling room.

2. For an improvement in Bedsteads; Thomas Early, county of Williamson, Tennessee, January 8.

The subject of this patent seems to us to be one of the most trifling on record, although it wears the garb of novelty. At the distance of two or more inches from the posts of a low post bedstead, four high posts are to be placed, for the purpose of sustaining curtains. These high posts are to be attached to the low ones by iron straps at their lower ends; that is all. The advantage derived is the "allowing the bed covering to hang over the bedstead on all sides, without the interference of curtain posts, uniting taste with convenience." The claim is to "the adding to, or combining with, the common bedstead, curtain posts, as above described." Animadversion is not necessary.

3. For a Submarine Excavator; William P. Brayton, and James Hamilton, city of New York, January 8.

This apparatus is intended for removing the dirt, or mud, from docks

and slips, and for clearing channels. It consists mainly of a platform, suitably framed, and having on its lower side scrapers, or buckets, which extend from side to side, hinged by one edge to the platform, the other edge being capable of being opened and closed. This platform may be suspended between scows, and let down and raised by means of windlasses, when on drawing it forward on the bottom of the dock, slip, or channel, the buckets, or scrapers, which stand in a range like the slats of a window blind, are to collect the dirt.

The claim is to "the application of said scrapers, or buckets, for the purpose aforesaid, and in combination with the platform, chains, and coulters, or pins, and with the other parts of the machine, as described."

We apprehend that this machine will be liable to serious objections. If made to operate in soft mud, nearly the whole, we think, will be washed out in raising the platform; in operating upon a bottom moderately hard, the resistance to the motion of the machine forward, will be greater than can be readily overcome.

4. For a machine for Sharpening Curriers' Knives; Warren Egleston, city of Troy, New York, January 8.

A bench is to be prepared on which the knife may be secured, so that the edge, or side, to be rubbed may be placed, and held in the proper position for the action of the rub stone. This latter is attached to a suitable frame, which is guided by a rod, or wire, extending along on one side of the frame, the parts being so constructed as to allow a free motion to be given by hand to the rub stone, both lengthwise, and crosswise.

The claim is to "the combination of the bench with the rub stone, the whole being constructed and arranged in the manner substantially as described."

5. For packing and gearing Mill Spindles; David D. Wagner, city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 8.

Claim. The employment of the metal box attached to the bridge tree by keys, and moving longitudinally and transversely upon it, in combination with the mode of adjusting by means of screws, the carriage which holds the stepping of the lower pole of the spindle. Secondly, the employment of a metal bush containing packing through which the spindle is permitted to revolve, which packing may be tightened or slackened, even whilst the machine is in motion, by a follower acted upon by screws movable from without, as described."

There are several patents for devices the same in object with the foregoing, but the arrangement in that above metioned has been deemed sufficiently new, to obtain the grant of a patent; we do not see any thing in it, however, demanding special notice.

6. For an improvement in the manufacture of Cigars; William D. Groff, Marietta, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, January 3.

These cigars, are to be made like other cigars, but instead of the genuine Havana, the leaf of the sun-flower, or of Rhubarb, or of both combined, is to be used. The patentee, for the sake of those to whom long habit has rendered the taste of tobacco desirable, sometimes adds a wrapper of this material, but he claims, and will probably be allowed to smoke, "the prepared

leaves of the sun-flower, and rhubarb plant, separately or combined, for the formation of cigars, and to be used as a substitute for tobacco."

7. For a Life and Anchor Boat; Joseph Francis, city of New York, January 11.

The claim made is to "the adaptation and arrangement of air-tight tubes, with holes in the bottom of the boat, in combination, and in the manner and for the purpose set forth." The boat is to be rendered buoyant by means of closed metallic tubes, usually placed lengthwise of the boat, and in all cases occupying the bottom portion only. A flooring is to be laid above these tubes, and openings made through this flooring, and through the bottom of the boat, which openings are to be closed by plugs, on the withdrawal of which, any water that may have been shipped will run out, without baling, the buoyancy being such as to raise the floor above the surface of the water. The name of Anchor boat, is given, as it is intended to use this boat for carrying out an anchor from a ship, by suspending said anchor under the boat, by means of two hawsers, passing through the openings in its bottom; one hawser being attached to the stock, and the other to the fluke of the anchor.

8. For a Glass Socket Lamp; Henry Whitney, and Thomas Leighton, Cambridge, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, January 11.

"The nature of our invention consists in uniting the peg to the fount of a socket lamp, in such way as that the glass blower finishes both peg and fount, and completes the article by one simple operation of blowing it in a nould." The manipulation for effecting this object is fully described, and a claim made to "the peculiar mode described of making a socket lamp in such a way as to unite the fount and peg of the lamp, made of separate portions of glass, by one simple operation of blowing it in a mould."

9. For an Excavating Machine; G. W. Cherry, Washington, District of Columbia, January 16.

The main intention of this machine is for ditching and embanking, and it "consists chiefly in a wheel with cutters on the periphery to shape the bottom of the ditch, and cutters on the sides to shape the sides of the ditch." The different modes of forming this machine are represented in twentyeight different figures, and the claims amount to twelve; these we do not copy, as they would not be explanatory, nor do we think it necessary to discuss the merits of the plan, or rather plans, as the project still remains an untried one, and we apprehend that it stands but little chance of going into actual operation.

10. For Propelling Canal Boats; Thomas Jackson, Reading, Berks county, Pennsylvania, January 18.

"My improvement consists in placing two wheels beside each other, under the stern of the boat, which wheels are to revolve in contrary directions perpendicular to a line of the boat from stem to stern; and in the application of dead woods, with their appurtenances, for protecting the wheels from the sides of the canal, tow lines, &c."

The wheels have vanes, like those of a windmill, inserted at an angle of about 60 degrees with the axle; the claim is to "the mode of applying wheels constructed and arranged as above described, to the stern of the

boat. Likewise the openings and slides in the dead woods on each side, to admit water to pass through when the boat is heavily laden."

So far as such wheels are concerned, there is little or no novelty in the plan. The last claim refers to openings in the sides of the dead wood, which are closed by shutters when the boat is light, but which are opened to admit water to the wheels when the bottom of the boat is near to the bottom of the canal.

11. For Life Boats; George Young, city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 21.

Copper tubes are to be employed to obtain buoyancy, as in the boat described under No. 7; but the patentee says, "Copper tubes having been previously employed for giving buoyancy to boats and other vessels, I do not claim the application of them for that purpose, but what I do claim in the construction of a life boat, as described, is the placing of tubes, or tanks, so as to extend from gunwale to gunwale, to the keelson, as herein set forth, in combination with the screw stoppers, either with or without valves, for the purpose, and in the manner made known. I claim, likewise, the openings in the bottom of the boat, in combination with sliding valves or shutters, and a rod, or handle for operating the same, constructed and located as described."

12. For a Churn; Milo B. Hough, Dover, Cayahoga county, Ohio, January 21.

This is to be a vertical churn, within which are to be three vertical shafts, which are to be made to revolve by means of wheels and pinions. Each of the shafts is furnished with beaters, and at their upper ends, above the surface of the cream, is to be placed flat pieces, which are to operate as fans. The claim is to "the combination of the fans on the upper ends of the shafts, with the beaters, in the manner, and for the purpose described." In what way the fans are to promote the formation of the butter, we are not informed. As respects the application of several revolving shafts in this churn, there is no novelty in it, nor is there any thing in the whole affair which we can find cause to commend.

13. For Clips for the shafts of Carriages; John Cooper, city of New York, January 22.

The claim under this patent is to "the so constructing the box joints, in shaft clips for carriages, as that the pipe eye, or connecting end of the shaft strap, shall not depend upon the bolt for its support, but, on the contrary, upon the box or case in which it is enclosed, in the manner described." The peculiarity of construction in this clip, cannot be shown without the drawings.

14. For an improvement in Saw Mills; Eden Baldwin, Ashfield, Franklin county, Massachusetts, January 31.

The said improvement consists in an apparatus employed for setting the log to the saw, the description of which is made to occupy eight full pages of record. The claims alone would not afford any correct notion of the arrangement, and there is too much complexity in the affair to allow of verbal description, and, we think also, too much to admit of the extensive adoption of the plan.