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by experience it may be distinguished at a great distance.
Should you think this worthy of notice, it will be a satis-

faction to,

August, 1811.

Sir, your

obedient servant,

H. I. B.

The model consists of little tin casts of six horse soldiers and one officer, see Pl. III, fig. 4. These are placed on a slip of wood, and each is movable on a pivot, so that it may be turned into any position.

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VIII.

Description of a Machine for separating Iron Filings from
their Mixture with other Metals: by Mr. J. D. Ross,
Princes Street, Soho*.

SIR,

I Hope you will be pleased to lay before the gentlemen Machine for

of the Society of Arts &c. the model of a machine, which I separating iron
filings from
have invented to separate iron-filings, turnings, &c., from other matters,
those of brass or finer metals, in place of the slow and tedi-
ous process hitherto employed, which is by a common
magnet held in the hand. By my invention many magnets
may now be employed at once, combined and attached to a
machine on a large scale. The magnetic hammers are so
contrived as to take up the iron-filings from the mixture of
them with other filings, or metallic particles, placed in the
trays or end boxes, and drop them into the receiving box
in the centre, which is effected by the alternate motion of a
winch-handle, working the two magnetic hammers placed
at two angles of a quadrant or anchor. In proportion to
the power of the magnets, and to the force of the blow
given by the hammers, a great quantity of iron is separated
from the brass, by the alternate motion, and dropped into
the receiver placed in the centre, of the machine.

I have shown the model to persons engaged in various

Trans, of the Soc. of Arts, &c., vol. XXVIH, p. 206. Five guineas were voted to Mr. Ross for this invention.

metallic

Its mode of operation.

metallic works, who give me great encouragement by their signatures and sanction, and I hope it will meet with the Society's approbation.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient and humble servant,

J. D. ROSS.

Reference to Mr. Ross's Machine for separating Iron
Filings from those of Brass, or other Metals, Figs. 1 and 2,
Pl. IV.

Description of A is an axis of brass, and B a handle upon the end of it: the machine. C is a piece of brass in form of an anchor, at each end of which a horse-shoe magnet is fixed, in the manner shown at fig. 1, where c is the arch of the anchor, and d a piece of brass having a hole through it to receive the legs ee of the magnet, which is fixed to the arch by a screw f, tapped into the arch. The anchor is mounted upon the pivots of the axis A, in a frame E, which encloses it; on the outside of the frame are two blocks of wood, FF, in each of which a hollow or tray is formed to receive the filings which are to be separated from the iron they contain in these hollows. The magnets fixed at the ends of the anchor strike upon the filings, and select, by the magnetic attraction, all the iron among them; the anchor is then turned over by the handle B, and the opposite magnet strikes in the other hollow F. At this time the other magnet is just over the axis, and by the jerk of its opposite striking the block F, the iron-filings are shaken off, and fall down on the bottom of the frame, or receiver. In this manner the handle B, being moved backwards and forwards, strikes the magnets alternately in the two blocks F; and at the same time that one strikes, the opposite is cleared from the iron it has picked up by the shock. G is a screen of thin board to prevent the filings being scattered.

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Eleven different persons certified, that they consider Mr. Ross's invention of a machine for separating iron filings, turnings, &c., from those of brass or finer metals, as likely to prove extremely useful in various branches of workers in metal.

IX.

A new Method of constructing Sash Windows, so as to be cleaned or repaired without the necessity of any Person going on the outside of the House: by G. MARSHAll, No. 15, Cecil Court, St. Martin's Lane.

IN

SIR,

windows fre

quent.

N consequence of the numerous accidents, which occur Accidents from cleaning and painting the outside of windows, I beg from cleaning leave to submit to the inspection of the Society a model of a sash-window, which, if it meets their approbation, and becomes generally adopted, will, I think, save the life of many a fellow-creature; because the present mode of cleaning or painting the outside of windows is generally done by persons leaning out of the window, or getting upon a plank, or some other convenience made for the purpose, and projecting on the outside of the house; hence, from carelessnèss and inattention, many fatal accidents have occurred, and the services of many persons lost to their families and the public. One instance of this kind happened about three weeks ago to a man, who was standing on a board cleaning the outside of a window, when, the board giving way, as frequently happens, the man was precipitated, and impaled upon the spikes of the iron pales, which enclosed the area below, whence he was conveyed to the hospital with no hopes of recovery. This unhappy man, I was informed, had a large family depending upon him for subsistence. I was so shocked with the circumstance, that I was not easy till I had made the model, which I thought would be the means of preventing similar accidents. This model I beg leave to lay before the Society, and if it should Contrivance to be so fortunate as to meet with their encouragement, I will prevent this. receive any donation from them with thankfulness, and have no doubt that it will be found to possess many advantages. In appearance it resembles a common sash, and the upper or lower sheet may be moved up and down in a

• Trans. of the Soc. of Arts, &c., vol, XXVIII, p. 209. Fifteen guineas were voted to Mr. Marshall.

VOL. XXX.-Oct. 1811.

K

similar

Another advantage.

The expense trifling, either

in new or old sashes.

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similar manner; beside which, by pushing two small springs back in the upper sheet, and at the same time pulling the sash inwards, you may turn the outside of the sash towards you, into the room, so that it may be easily painted, glazed, or cleaned by a person standing within the room, without the necessity of removing the slips or beadings, by doing which, in the common mode, the glass is frequently broken and the beads lost, left loose, or mismatched, and a considerable expense incurred. By turning the lower sash of my invention in a horizontal or inclining direction, you can look into the street without being wet in rainy weather, or the rain driving into the room and damaging the furniture. Old windows may be altered to act upon this princi ple, at an expense of twelve shillings per window; and new eashes and frames may be thus made for only six shillings more than the common price.

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I remain, Sir,

Your obedient humble Servant,
GEORGE MARSHALL.

Reference to the Delineation of Mr. Marshall's Window-
Sash, fig. 3, Pl. IV.

Explanation of AA represents the window-frame; BB the lower, and the plate. CC the upper sash. The frame A A is fitted with grooves, weights, and pullies, in the usual manner; the fillets on the sash, which enter the grooves, are not made in the same piece with the sash-frame, but fastened thereto by pivots about the middle of the sash; upon these pivots the sash can be turned as at C C, so as to get at the outside without disturbing the fillets or grooves; when the sash is placed vertically, as at B B, two spring-catches at a a shoot into and take hold of the sliding fillets, so that in this state the sash slides up or down in the usual manner; but it can be immediately released, and turned inside out, by pushing back the springs, and at the same time pulling the sash inwards; this turns the outside towards the room, so that the sash may easily be painted, glazed, or cleaned on the outside by a person within the room, without removing the beads, which confine the sash to slide up and down vertically; in the common way these beads are frequently broken

. 1.

or

or misplaced, and cause considerable trouble by being always loose. By inclining the sash on its pivots, the highest point being within the room, the window may be left open in the most severe rain without danger of any entering the room, and a person may look out into the street without being wet.

X.

Observations on the peculiar Appearances of those Meteors commonly called Shooting Stars. In a Letter from TнoMAS FORSTER, Esq.

SIR,

To W. NICHOLSON, Esq.

ONCE more I trouble you with some meteorological ob- Peculiarity in

the electric state of the at

servations, which, if you think worthy, I shall be obliged to you to insert in your next. In a former number of your mosphere. Journal I noticed an apparent peculiarity in the electric state of the atmosphere, during which the action of Mr. De Luc's aërial electroscope was very irregular. The principal circumstances, which characterised such a state of the atmospherical electricity, were the continual appearance of the cirrus cloud, which, like Proteus, was for ever changing its shape, and presenting itself to the eye under new figures; the prevalence of strong easterly and variable winds; and dry air. Among other circumstances 1 remarked the appearance of numerous small meteors, or falling stars as they are commonly called, during the night.

appearances.

The same kind of weather has returned again this autumn, Similar appear marked by similar circumstances, and the small meteors have ances again recurring. again been numerous. On this last circumstance I dwell particularly; for I have observed, that these meteors vary very Shooting stars considerably in appearance according to the kind of weather have different which prevails. Those which I have alluded to, and which are usually seen during the prevalence of clear dry weather and easterly winds, are small, they shoot along very rapidly, and leave little or no train behind them; they have so much the colour and general appearance of the stars, that they have hence received their vulgar appellation. Si

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