82. For an improvement in the Spinning Machine; William Clark Pultney, Steuben county, New York, October 1.

It is some time since we have had before us any of those domestic spinners, which in former times were made the subject of patents in considerable numbers. The reduced price at which the products of our manufactories are now afforded, renders it doubtful whether machines of this description can be advantageously used in many situations. But few of those which have been patented, have any claim to originality of invention; it is only upon the particular arrangement of the parts, if upon any thing, that a claim could be sustained. The machine above named does not possess any novelty which we can perceive; and upon this subject the patentee has not attempted to enlighten us, as he merely describes his machine, of which he has furnished a very indifferent drawing, without claiming any part as his invention.

83. For sundry improvements in a Printing Machine, called a Power Printing Press; Isaac Adams, Boston, Massachusetts, October 4.

We cannot pretend to give any description of this machine, which, in the specification, occupies ten pages, and is accompanied by large and complicated drawings. The points claimed, are, "the combination of stationary fly frames, with points for getting register by, on them, with printing presses."

"The object of these fly frames, is, to enable the person who lays on the paper to point one sheet, while the sheet previously put on is receiving the impression, and by that means save the time which would be lost in waiting for a frisket to come out."

An apparatus for giving a periodical movement to the rollers and friskets, as described in the specification, and the use of what the patentee calls declension levers, are also claimed.

84. For a Vibrating Flour and Powder Separating Machine; Benjamin Culver, Glastonbury, Hartford county, Connecticut, October 6.

This apparatus consists of several sieves placed one over the other, increasing in fineness as they descend. The sieves are to be suspended by leather straps, which allow a vibrating motion to be given to them. The contents of each sieve is to be discharged upon a separate, inclined board, and thus conducted to its proper receptacle. The patentee says, "what I claim as my own invention in the aforesaid machine, is the whole of it as applicable in the manner above specified."

As sifters of the kind above described have been long known and used, in several different manufactories, we are of opinion that the claim to the whole machine is altogether unfounded. It is a principle well established in law, that the taking a known machine, and operating by it upon a material to which it had not been previously

applied, is not an invention, or discovery, such as to entitle any one to an exclusive right.

If the sifting machine was not invented by the present patentee, it was no discovery that flour and powder, as well as drugs, and other pulverized articles, might be sifted by it.

85. For an improvement in the Construction of Saw and Grist Mills; William Prim, Lebanon, Wilson county, Tennessee, October 6.

The proposed improvement consists in the application of spiral wheels to saw and grist mills. When used for a saw mill, the spiral wheel is to be placed with its axis standing horizontally; the wheel running in a trough, or curb, into one end of which the water enters from a penstock. The pitman is to be attached to a crank on the shaft of the wheel. When used for a grist mill, the shaft is to stand vertically, with the stone placed as in the common tub mill. The claim is to the mode of applying the spiral wheel.

The patentee avers that a wheel of this description may be driven with one-third of the quantity of water necessary to wheels of other constructions. We are of opinion that those wheels with which the spiral wheel has been compared must have been of a very indifferent kind, as we know of no plan much better calculated to lose power than those water wheels which act on the spiral principle.

86. For an improvement in the Springs of Carriages, and in the method of attaching the Bodies of Carriages to the Springs; Joseph Ives and James Walters, Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, October 6.

The springs used by the patentees, are straight springs attached to the perch, or other frame work of the carriage. They extend out in a line with the carriage before and behind, being horizontally, and being bolted down at their inner ends. To their outer ends a rope, chain, or band, is attached, which rises up, and passes over a pulley, to which the other end of the rope, chain, or band, is fastened. The pulley is fixed upon a shaft, the gudgeons of which turn in two standards, framed in the carriage for that purpose. Other pulleys are fixed on the ends of the shaft, from which ropes, chains, or bands extend, and are attached to the body of the carriage.

When the body is hung, its weight tends to turn the pulley, to which it is attached by the ropes or bands, and in doing so the pulley connected with the springs raise them from the frame work on which they rest.

The claim is to this manner of suspending carriages.

87. For an improvement in the manner of Constructing Bands for Carriage Hubs; Samuel K. Miller, Elizabethtown, Essex county, New Jersey, October 7.

The whole description is comprised in the following words.

"The band consists of an iron or copper ring, on to which the beard, cap, or moulding of brass, or other metal or metals is cast, soldered, or fastened by other means. The extent of your petitioner's claim is the iron or copper ring when attached to, or finished with other metal as above described, whereby much greater strength is produced with less weight and bulk than those now in use, of entire brass: on which rests your petitioner's claim."

88. For Machinery for Dressing Staves; William Thomas, Pomfret, Chautauque county, New York, October 7.

The description of this machinery has the same happy brevity with the last mentioned invention: it is as follows.

"The reacting stave dresser consists of two half circles, connected so as to let the stave pass between them, with two or more knives attached to them, so as to dress the stave on the outside and inside at the same time, the knives cutting both ways. The stave is made fast at both ends by dogs, which are attached to a carriage that passes outside of the circles. The semicircle is propelled back and forth by a pitman attached to it from a crank."

By turning to page 77, of the last volume, it will be seen that Mr. Charles B. Goodrich, of Rutland, Massachusetts, obtained a patent, on the 10th of May last, for a machine acting upon the principle above described. Of this machine we thought very favourably; of the originality of inventorship we know nothing.

89. For a Locomotive Carriage; William Heston, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 11.

This locomotive carriage is intended to be propelled by a lever to be worked backwards and forwards by hand, which lever is to operate upon ratchet wheels placed upon one of the axles.

Much stress is laid upon this carriage being worked by lever power; and there is evidently an idea entertained by the patentee, that there is some great gain in thus working it. We are informed that "the principle may be applied to the working of all kinds of machinery, and particularly boats, and rail-way cars, by manual or steam power." No doubt it may, but what there is of novelty, or what advantage is to be derived from this particular mode, we are not told, and do not know.

90. For an Elevating Bedstead, for the use of invalids; David Boncroft, Grafton, Windham county, Vermont, October 12. The upper half of the frame and sacking bottom is made to raise up to any desired angle, by means of pulleys and a rope, which are represented under two or three different modifications, differing but little from former modes of effecting the same object.

SPECIFICATIONS OF AMERICAN Patents.

Specification of a patent for a Self-adjusting Rail-road and Street Car, with Guide Rails adapted to the same.

Granted to JOHN POLLOCK, of Hopewell, Lower Oxford, Chester county, Pennsyl vania, October 1, 1830.

To all to whom these presents shall come, be it known, that I, John Pollock, of Hopewell, Chester county, Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful improvements in the rail-road and street car, with guide rails adapted to the same. This car I denominate the self-adjusting rail-road and street car, as it is designed to adjust itself to all the ordinary purposes of transportation, on either rail-roads, common roads, or streets, or to turn out from one rail to another, as necessity may require, which objects I effect by the guiding apparatus attached to the fore axle, or bolster of the car, and by placing at the intersection of common, or termination of rail-roads, a simple system of guide rails, which acting simultaneously on the guiding apparatus, attached as aforesaid, enables the car, on leaving the rails, to adjust itself to the common road, or street; or, on leaving the common road, or street, to adjust itself to the rail-road, or turn out, froin one rail to another.

Also by a new mode of coupling, the wheels are made to track, or follow each other, in either a straight, or curvilinear direction. By the combined agency of the guiding apparatus and coupling, the use of flanches is avoided. And that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings which accompany this specification, and which make part thereof. The bed and wheels may be of the general construction in ordinary use, except that in the mode of guiding and coupling the cars, which I use, (as before observed,) the use of flanches on the common wheels is dispensed with. The peripheries of the wheels are made broad to admit of casual deviations in their motions, or accidental variations in the width of the rails. The axles on which the wheels revolve, are made of iron, and fastened under the lower bolsters which support the bed. In the centre of the hind bolster is a hole in which is a bolt, with a head, or shoulder on which the bed rests. In the centre of the fore bolster is a similar hole with another bolt, or pin, which supports the fore part of the bed. On this bolt is a large broad head, in which are two grooves, or openings, at right angles to each other. The groove parallel with the bolster is to give play, or rocking motion to the bed. The other groove which is parallel with the bed is to admit a horizontal pin which is made fast to the bed, and acts as a pivot on which it may rock, (as above alluded to,) when the wheels are passing over unequal planes. The coupling which I use, may be applied either to a single pair of axles, (as for one car,) or an indefinite number, when many cars are designed to be attached together. It is formed by two rods placed obliquely, and crossing each other in the centre. These rods are connected to VOL. VII.-No. 1.-JANUARY, 1831. 3

the axles or bolsters, at or near the same, by a joint or pivot on which they turn freely. The rods form tangents of circles, the bolts which support the bed being the centre of the circles. The same radius is used at each end of the coupling, and should be equal to about one-fourth of the length of the axles, inside of, or between the wheels. The joints, or pivots, being placed at the intersections of the radii and tangents.

The rails on which the car is to run may be of either wood or iron, of the common construction, and modes of fixtures, except the guide rails which will be hereafter described. The self-adjusting apparatus for bearing against the sides of the rails, is constructed as follows. There are two levers, or fender rails, (equal in length to about half of the distance between the two main axles,) connected to the fore axle, or bolster, near the wheels, by two short projecting pieces forming pivots for them to work on. The other ends of them project forward, their line of direction forming an angle more or less acute with the plane of the road, on which the car is to travel. They may be connected firmly by cross bars, or braces, or in any other way by which they will have advantage to traverse the axle under the bed, thereby adapting the periphery of the fore wheels to the inclination of the rails. The outer ends of these fender rails, (or guide levers,) are fended from the rails by the interposition of wheels, for the purpose of reducing the friction. These wheels are retained in a horizontal position, as near as possible, (when elevated or depressed,) by attaching them by their axles to the lower ends of upright slings. These slings have in their upper ends an opening, or slit, to admit of their moving up and down on pins, which are attached to the ends of suspending gallows that are made fast to the axle or bolster. The lower ends of the slings are connected to the fender rails by a small axle, or rod, passing through them, on which they have liberty to work. This axle also has two small wheels on it for the purpose of reducing the friction when rolling on the inclined planes of the guide rail, thereby raising or lowering the adjusting apparatus. To secure the adjusting apparatus, either up or down, there are two dogs formed on the principles of the hammer lever; the angles, or fulcrums of which, are connected to the fender rails on one side, by a pivot, on which they work, at a distance from the outer ends of the fender rails, equal to about one-third of their whole length. One end of each hammer lever extends upwards, with a projecting knob on it, for the purpose of catching and holding against the edge of a mortise, or pin, in the suspending arm, or gallows. The other ends of these levers project forward along side of the fender rails, for the purpose of being elevated by the guide rails, or being depressed by their own gravity. The outer extremity of the whole self-adjusting apparatus, as above described, is suspended and retained in its proper position by the bed, on which is a small piece projecting downwards with a slit to receive a slider, which is made fast on the gallows, thereby allowing the lateral movement of the adjusting apparatus; or the same purpose may be effected by a similar contrivance of a slider and gallows on the opposite side of