springs, but the above principle is adopted in both cases, and it may be varied to suit the construction of the carriage for which it is intended. The advantages of this arrangement will be evident, when it is recollected that the central pivot on which the axles of the fore wheels of carriages usually turn, is situated so far from the wheel as to give a leverage requiring considerable room, for one wheel to advance, and the other to recede in the operation of turning. Whereas in the axles of the present construction the fulcrum is situated within four inches of the nave, and hence the wheel will lock its full extent without receding, or advancing, more than a few inches. We had written thus far when we received the following observations by the patentee.

"This invention wholly supersedes the necessity for a perch, and enables the body of the carriage to swing independently of the axletrees, and approach within a foot of the ground at its full width, besides the advantage of having high wheels, without danger of touching the body, however short the carriage is turned. It also reduces the weight of a carriage without lessening its strength. Another advantage is its having the axletree fast to the spring within 3 inches of the nave, the unpleasant check to the wheel and the pole, which arises from obstacles in the road, is entirely removed. In addition to these may be mentioned the capability of the carriage going on three wheels, by a proper adjustment of the load, in case of an accident to the fourth."

HARNESS.-To William Leeson, of Birmingham, a patent for" certain improvements or additions to harness and saddlery, part or parts of which improvements or additions are applicable to other purposes," was granted on the 8th of July, 1829, and the specification was enrolled in the Enrolment Office on the 8th of January, 1830.

Mr. Leeson's improvements in and additions to harness and saddlery consist, first, in a stop which is made to slip forward in a dovetail groove on the point of harness hooks, and to be kept from receding by a slight spring falling into a notch, and thus preventing the parts from being accidentally unhooked; and, secondly, hinged eyes to be attached to the end of the saddlestraps for recovering the shafts, so that the horse may be attached to or detached from a chaise, &c., with greater expedition than with harness of the usual construction. These contrivances are really so simple and so trifling as to need no remarks on their merit.

WHITENING SUGARS.-To Joshua Bates, of Bishopsgate Street, London, merchant, a patent for " a new process or method for whitening sugars," the communication of a foreigner, was granted on the 1st of August last, and the specification was lodged in the Enrolment Office on the 18th of January, 1830.

The usual method of whitening sugar is by washing away the syrup and colouring matter with water; for this purpose, the sugar after boiling is placed in a conical vessel in an inverted position, with a small hole at its apex, and placing over it a mixture of water and pipe-clay, and by this means the water escapes from the clay in quantities sufficient to wash away the colouring matter, which is carried with it through the hole at the apex of the vessel. The use of the clay is to prevent the water from passing through in sufficient quantities to dissolve the crystals of sugar. Now, instead of using the clay which is apt to mix with the surface of the sugar, and in some measure to affect its taste, Mr. Bates proposes to use unglazed earthenware, or porous stone vessels, which permit the escape of the water into the mass of sugar in the form of dew in a finely divided state; and this process may be continued for any length of time until the sugar becomes perfectly white, which cannot be effected without frequently repeating the process when clay is used, as it is apt to get dry on the surface, and to prevent the farther escape of water.

The vessels used by Mr. Bates are represented by figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, in Plate XIV. The porous vessels for the passage of the water may be made either cylindrical with handles as shown at fig. 4, or conical, tapering upwards as shown at fig. 3. The vessels for containing the sugar, when of the lump kind, are made simply conical; whereas those for the Moscovite sugar, which requires a larger surface exposed to the water, are made of cones, with apertures at their extremities as represented by figs. 5 and 6.

It is truly gratifying to us to be enabled to lay before our readers an invention of so much merit as the above, after having had to detail several insignificant schemes and contrivances neither calculated to be useful to the community, or profitable to the pa

tentees.

ACCOUNT OF FRENCH PATENTS.

Granted to

French Patent, for Five Years, from 9th April, 1822.
MESSRS. GROS and GESSIONNE, of Paris, for methods of applying
Lithographic Subjects on Bags, Pouches, Souvenirs, &c.

THESE methods consist in taking any sort of skin whatever, such as those of calves and sheep, Morocco, or varnished, as sold in commerce without any other preparation. These skins are cut into pieces of a size suited to the object desired to be obtained. On every piece, any subject or drawing whatever is painted, lithographed, or engraved separately, and left in black, or coloured afterward at pleasure.

For painting the subjects, such as flowers and landscapes, and for colouring the lithographs and engravings, mineral and vegetable colours ground up with oil, essence of turpentine and other essential oils, and with water, are employed. A spirit of wine varnish is applied afterward, and dried by a moderate fire, or in sunshine. The object of this varnish, is, to preserve the painting, to prevent it from being rubbed off, and to render it very solid and impermeable.

French Patent, for Five Years, from 7th June, 1822. Granted to GILLES RENE, Manufacturer," Paris, for the Composition of a Substance fit for Preserving Packing Cloths, Thread, Ribands, as well as Cords and Cordage of every kind, from damp or humidity.

THIS composition is obtained by melting together over the fire, one pound of elastic gum, one pound of bituminous tar, two pounds of linseed oil, one pound of fat oil, and half a pound of litharge.

When the whole is melted, take it off the fire, for fear of accident, and add half a pound of essence (spirits of turpentine.)

Patent for improvement and additions. November 6th, 1923. For the addition of new materials to the preceding composition. Instead of making the composition as above stated, do it in the manner following:

First, melt together over the fire, one pound of elastic gum, (Indian rubber,) one pound of bituminous tar, two pounds of linseed oil, one pound of fat oil, half a pound of litharge, one pound of salt of saturn, one pound of alum, and one pound of manganese.

Take it off the fire, as before, and add half a pound of essence (oil of turpentine.)

French Patent, for Five Years, from 21st September, 1822. Granted to MICHEL SCHELHEIMER, of Paris, for the invention of a process of Painting under Plate- Glass, (sous glace) and Common Glass, applicable to optical mirrors.

THE colours in use in this kind of painting, are, mineral silver-
VOL. IV. No. 79.
1ST FEBRUARY, 1830.

D D

white, mineral chrome yellow, Prussian blue, soot-black, vegetable rose-coloured carmine, mineral vermilion red, and mineral umber earth all these colours are ground in fat varnish.

When the subject has been drawn, the painting is begun with the tints of light, which are made with white, yellow, carmine, blue, and gamboge yellow (gomme gutte,) which are transparent colours.

To represent a butterfly, for example, all the transparent colours are applied according to the proper gradations, and we finish with the darker colours, to bring out the light tints.

If it be a rose we intend painting, a very light tint is laid on first, and the shades are laid on afterward, with darker carmine.

For all subjects, such as flowers, fruits, birds, butterflies, arabesques, &c. we always begin with the transparent colours, and finish with the suitable dark shades.

Το compose the green colours, Prussian blue and chrome yellow are mixed together in quantities, depending on the shade required. When it is desirable to throw certain lights into the work, they are scratched out by means of an iron point, especially in the green leaves requiring high finishing.

After the painting is applied, we lay on a course of silver-white, ground with gum and water.

With respect to plate glass and mirrors, when painting is applied upon them, they are tinned or silvered afterward, as usually done for other objects of this kind.

French Patent, for Five Years, from 27th September, 1822. Granted to M. MICHON, SEN. of Melun, (department of the Seine and Marne,) for the invention of methods of making men and women's Hats of Plaited Straw, Twigs, and IVhalebone, without seam.

THESE hats are formed of a tissue, the chain of which is of whalebone, made thin by means of a sort of plane, composed of a piece of wood 3 inches long by 2 inches wide, in which a sharp plane-iron is lodged.

The shoot, weft, or filling, is of twigs or of straw. The twigs are split according to the form intended to be given to the texture, and are prepared in the same manner as the whalebone. As for the straw, it is split by means of an ivory or steel knife.

The hats are made by hand upon wooden forms, and when they are terminated, those which are intended for men are dyed black or gray, and those for women remain undyed. Women's hats are most commonly filled with straw, or with ends of ears, (bouts d'epis.) The same process may be followed for preparing shakos for the use of soldiers.

Improvement and addition, 28th December, 1822. Granted to A. DE BARNARDIERE, Assignee of Michon's Patent.

THESE improvements consist in introducing, in the preceding mode of manufacturing, the method of weaving twigs in flat breadths

(eclisses) of making hats with a shoot of willow plait, or poplar, or generally of every sort of green or dry wood; and, lastly, of the application of these different tissues to the preparation of shakos, and other head dresses, as well for the civil as the military.

As to the preparation of the different raw materials, that is precisely the same as in the patent granted to Monsieur Michon.

French Patent, for Five Years, from 31st July, 1823. Granted to M. BOULLAY, Cutler to the Royal Veterinary School of Alfort, for a Method of Manufacturing Razors, with economy and despatch. Annulled by Ordinance of the King, September 16, 1825.

PROCESS. The razor blades, prepared at one heat, are cut out by a fly-press and a matrix.

The backs of the razors are of iron or steel wire, cut of the length of the back of the blades, which requires no alteration. The groove in which the blade is fitted is made with a countersink, and one heating is afterwards given to the heel.

By these means a razor may be completed in an hour, will come much cheaper than those which are made by the usual methods, and may be of a cast steel of the best quality.

French Patent, for Ten Years, from 24th January, 1818. Granted to MESSRS. MICHAUD, LABONTE, AND DEPUIS, of Paris, for the invention of a method of Plating Copper (cuivre) with Platina.

TAKE 123 grammes (1899.6 grains) of fine silver, which you are to prepare for solution by the addition of 490 grammes (=7567.6 E. grains) of nitric acid at 48°. (-1.50 specific gravity, at 55°. F.): introduce them into a mattrass, and expose it on a sand-bath over a continued fire, till the silver is perfectly dissolved.

Afterward prepare, in a poreclain capsule, 490 grammes of white tartar, and the same quantity of marine salt. When these substances have been pulverized together, pour the solution into the capsule, and stir the whole with a wooden spatula, till a perfect mixture is obtained. This composition is used for preparing the copper intended to be plated: for this purpose, the copper is first cleaned, and this composition is afterwards applied to it to whiten it. This application being made, with the assistance of a flat and very clean piece of cork, upon the metal, the latter is afterwards enveloped by a leaf of virgin silver, and exposed to the action of a well-closed air-furnace. Let it heat to a degree above cherry red. Apply, by means of a burnisher, and rub on the plate without taking it out of the furnace, and this will apply the substance on the copper-plate. When the whole forms only one body, pass it between laminating rollers, to give it the consistency of a solid body. This first operation terminated, the leaf of platina is prepared of the proper size for the copper-plate intended to be covered, so as to envelop it, and both are cleaned with sand, to remove any grease they may have on thein, and dried with clean linen, that there may be no moisture remaining. The