required on work it is inconvenient to bring to the lathe. For this the
Scotch or ratchet drill, if the job is heavy, is employed, and if
light, the breast drill. The placing and working of the former consumes
considerable time, and the labor of drilling with the breast drill is
excessive and exhausting. It is difficult also to hold the instrument so
steady as not to cramp and break the drill. The combination of the drill
with tongs and a pivoted bed piece, as seen in the engraving, obviates
these objections.
[Illustration: NEVERGOLD & STACKHOUSE'S TONGS DRILL.]
To the lower jaw, A, of a pair of tongs is pivoted a platen or bed, B,
having a hole through its center, which is continued through the jaw for
the passage of the drillings. The upper jaw is formed with a circular
flange on which is mounted the circular or disk-like base, C, of the
drill frame, D. This, with the frame, is secured on the jaw of the tongs
by means of two screw bolts--one seen in the engraving--passing through
the jaw and screwing into the base of the drill. These bolts pass
through semi-circular or segmental slots, by which the drill frame can
be swung around at different angles to the tongs, to adapt itself to the
convenience of the workman and the requirements of the work. If desired,
the crank by which the drill is driven may be used on the upright
spindle, E. It will be seen that the pivoted base or bed, B, will allow
the work to adapt itself always to the line of the drill.
In operation, the work being placed between the drill and platen, the
left hand presses the handles of the tongs together, while the right
turns the crank; the feed is thus graduated wholly by the pressure of
the hand. No further description is required for understanding the
construction or operation of this tool. Patented by F. Nevergold and
George Stackhouse, June 19, 1866. Applications for the whole right, or
for territorial rights, should be addressed to the latter at Pittsburgh,
Pa.
* * * * *
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.--The Senate on Friday, the 29th ult.,
confirmed the nomination of the Hon. Horace Capron as Commissioner of
Agriculture to fill the position made vacant by the death of Isaac
Newton, the former head of the Department.
* * * * *
It is estimated that 10,000,000 feet of sawed lumber is frozen up in
the docks at Bangor, Maine, three fourths of which is sold and waiting
shipment.
* * * * *
Correspondence
_The Editors are not responsible for the opinions expressed by their
correspondents._
Improved Method of Securing Cutters on Boring Bars.
MESSRS. EDITORS:--Thinking it may be of use to some of the readers of
your invaluable paper, I have taken the liberty of sending you a sketch
of a new mode of securing the cutter in a boring bar or pin drill. Where
the cutters are secured, as usual, by a key, all mechanics know that it
is very difficult to set a cutter twice alike; and the notch, which
is filed in the cutter, to prevent it from moving endways, is a great
source of weakness, often causing the cutters to crack in hardening, as
well as after they are put to work. The inclosed sketch will explain
itself:
[Illustration]
A is a cutter, and B a collar, screwed upon the cutter bar, C. The edge
of this collar fits into a notch on either end of the cutter, as shown
at D, thus leaving the cutter as strong as possible at the center, and
giving it a solid support at the point where support is needed, and at
the same time insuring its always coming alike.
Brooklyn, N.Y.
THEODORE L. WEBSTER.
[The device seems to be eminently well calculated for the support of the
cutter on a boring bar, and is applicable, with but slight modification,
to a pin or "teat" drill. Machinists will readily perceive its operation
and excellencies.--EDS.
* * * * *
Tides and Their Causes.
The phenomenon of the daily tides of our seacoasts and tidal rivers is
attributed to the attraction of the moon upon the earth--that the moon
draws the earth towards it, and that in drawing the earth towards it, it
bulges up the water of the ocean on the side presented towards the moon,
and drawing the earth and water thus on that side, also draws the earth
_away_ from the water on the opposite side of it, and thus leaves the
water bulged up on _that_ side, and in doing all this the effect comes
after the cause some three hours, which is termed "the tide lagging
behind." Now if we knew, _per se_, what attraction of gravitation was,
and that it produced this anomaly of force, there would be nothing to
question in the matter. But as we only know by attraction that it means
_drawing to_, it is impossible to reconcile the theory of the tides as
they run to the attraction of the moon. If the moon is so potent in
drawing up, why does it not draw a bulge on the inland seas--our
great lakes? I will not discuss the question of the moon's Apogee and
Perigee--its different velocities in different parts[1] of its orbit, as
laid down by the law of Kepler, or whether it turns once on its axis in
a month, or not, as either theory will answer for its phases, as well
as for the face of the "Man in the Moon," but I will endeavor to give a
more rational theory for the phenomenon of the daily tides.
[Transcribers note 1: typo fixed, changed from 'pasts' to 'parts']
The earth revolves on its axis and makes a revolution every twenty-four
hours, and this moves its equatorial surface nearly a thousand miles per
hour. Now the water on its surface, covering about three-fourths of it,
and being more mobile than the solid earth, is, by centrifugal force,
made to roll around the earth, the same as the water is made to move
around the grindstone when in motion, a thing familiar to every body
that uses that instrument. In the Southern Ocean this motion of the
water is so well known to mariners who double Cape Horn in sailing from
San Francisco to New York, that they now run considerably lower down in
order to ride this tide eastward, than they did in former times. Here
then we have one fact of water tide more comprehensive, at least, than
the tractive theory of the moon. We have also the fact of two great
promontories in Capes Horn and Good Hope, where this great tidal wave
must strike against, and they produce constant oscillations of the water
to and fro, and produce gurgitation and regurgitation in all the gulfs
and rivers that line the coasts of the Northern, or more properly, the
Land Hemisphere. These gurgitations swell the water highest in the
places where the seas become the narrowest, as the more northern
latitudes. In addition to these daily oscillations of the water, there
are constant eddy currents, denominated "Gulf Streams," all agreeing in
their courses and motion to this theory of the ocean tides.
When our present received tide theory of moon attraction was first laid
down, the fact of the water of the great Southern ocean rolling round
faster than the solid parts of our planets was not known. Smith in his
Physical Geography, says, "The tidal wave flows from east to west, owing
to the earth's daily rotation in a contrary direction." Here he is
unintentionally correct, because the water striking these promontories
of the two great capes, is hurled back, and not, as he assumes, that
the great ocean wave is moving from east to west. The United States
government sailing charts lay down the fact of this great ocean wave
moving from west to east, south of the capes, and the ships coming from
the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean take advantage of this and ride the
sea at the rate of over twenty knots per hour, by following the routes
laid down in Maury's charts.
The old philosophy of the crystalline spheres was not more at variance
with the correct motion of the stars and planets, than the moon theory
of the tides. In their dilemma to account for the retrograde motions of
the planets, they denominated them wanderers, stragglers, because they
would not march with the "music of the spheres." In the moon theory of
the tides the lunar satellite is made to pull and push at one and the
same time, which is entirely at variance with the philosophy of force.
There is nothing in the heavens, nor in the earth, that proves to
us positively that the sun holds the planets, and the planets their
satellites, by attraction, as we are taught that the moon attracts the
water of our world. We see that all terrestrial bodies tend toward the
center of the earth, and we call this gravitation; but we cannot see how
a body moves around the earth without falling on it, by this law. We
say in dynamic philosophy, that bodies move in the direction of least
resistance, and _that_ we can positively understand; but what force _per
se_ is, we do not know. It is always better for us to explain phenomena
by positive known laws and motions, than by any that rest merely upon
conjecture.
Lancaster, Pa. JNO. WISE.
* * * * *
The Great Hoosac Tunnel.
Messrs. Editors:--In No. 23, Vol. XVII., of your paper, is an article
upon the Hoosac Tunnel, but made up from data nearly a year old, and
consequently not correctly representing the tunnel as it is at the
present time. Your conclusions of course were based upon the same data;
but during the past year, and especially during the past five months,
much greater progress has been made than ever before upon the work, and
a knowledge of what has been done since the last report was issued will,
I think, give you a different impression of the time required for its
final completion.
Referring to the profile in that number of the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, the
following are the distances to the various points where the work is
being prosecuted:
Distance from east end to central shaft 12,837.294 feet
" " central shaft to west shaft 9,747.072 "
" " west shaft to new shaft 265.000 "
" " new shaft to well No. 4 659.150 "
" " well No. 4 to pier[1] 1,522.825 "
----------
" " east end to pier[1] 25,031.341 "
[Footnote 1: The instrument pier is 4 feet west of the present west end
of the tunnel.]
The following are the lengths of the headings at the various points of
the work, Dec. 2, 1867:
Length of east end heading 4,608.000 feet
" " west shaft, east heading 1,262.000 "
" " " " west heading 611.000 "
" " west end heading 617.000 "
----------
Total length of headings 7,098.000 "
Leaving 17,933.341 "
or 3,396 miles of heading yet to be made, of which 1,218.975 feet are
between the west end and the west shaft, and 16,714.366 feet between the
west shaft and east end of the tunnel.
The central shaft is down 583 feet, and well No. 4 is down 150 feet.
The progress for the month of November, 1867, was as follows:
East end heading 126.00 feet
West shaft, east heading 33.00 "
" " west heading 5.00 "
West end 20.00 "
--------
Total for the month of November 184.00 "
Thirty feet of brick arch were completed during the month at the west
end, making a total of 516 feet of brick arch completed to date.
The progress for the last six months has been as follows:
East end 711.00 feet
West shaft, east heading 216.00 "
" " west " 288.00 "
West end 180.00 "
---------
Total, from June 1, to Dec. 2 1,395.00 "
" for the previous six months 632.00 "
---------
" " year ending Dec. 2, 1867 2,027.00 "
The new shaft has been sunk, and at its foot are the pumps which,
together with those at the west shaft, are now throwing out between 900
and 1,000 gallons of water per minute.
During the last month great quantities of water were struck at both
headings of the west shaft (70 gallons per minute at the east heading in
one day), and the work was stopped in consequence, which accounts for
the small progress at this point. A new pump of 1,000 gallons per minute
capacity will be at work, in addition to the above, in a few days, and
the work can then go forward with increased rapidity.
Well No. 4 is an artesian well, which is now being carried down as a
shaft to afford two more faces to work from. Its depth will be, when
finished, 215 feet, its dimensions 8 by 8 feet.
At the rate of progress for the past year it will require but eight
years and ten months to pierce through the mountain and at the rate for
the past six months it will require but six years and five months. But
when the central shaft and well No. 4 are sunk to grade the number of
faces to work from will be doubled, and the time of completion thereby
greatly diminished. At present drilling machines are employed only at
the east end, but in a few weeks they will be used at the west shaft,
and also at the central shaft as soon as the buildings and machinery are
again in place, and this again will hasten the completion of the work.
At the west shaft buildings are already erected for the manufacture of
nitro-glycerin, and the use of this powerful explosive will be adopted
during the present month. In fine, every means that will hasten the work
will be employed, and ere the present generation passes away, and
even within from four to seven years, trains loaded with freights and
passengers will pass and repass through the great heart of the Hoosac
Mountain as an hourly occurrence.
A. BEARDSLEY, C. E., Asst. Engineer.
North Adams, Mass.
* * * * *
Horse-hair Snakes--Wonderful Transformation.
Messrs. Editors:--In No. 21, current volume, you referred H. K., of
Wis., who had described the horse-hair snake, to page 280, No. 18
current volume, for a reply, which you considered "sufficient." With
your kind permission I would like to speak a few words about the
"snakes" in question. When I resided in Pennsylvania, I, in company with
many other lads, used to tie a bundle of horse hairs into a hard knot
and then immerse them in the brook, when the water began to get warm,
and in due time we would have just as many animals, with the power of
locomotion and appearance of snakes, as there were hairs in the bundle.
I have raised them one-eighth of an inch in diameter, with perceptible
eyes and mouth on the butt end or root part of the hair. Take such a
snake and dip it in an alkaline solution, and the flesh or mucus that
formed about the hair will dissolve, and the veritable horse hair is
left. They will not generate in limestone water, only in freestone or
salt water.
Covington, Ky.
T.W.B.
* * * * *
Man Proposes, but God Disposes.
It may not be generally known that but for one of those accidents which
seem to be almost a direct interposition of Providence, Prof. Morse,
the originator of the magnetic telegraph, might have been now an artist
instead of the inventor of the telegraph, and that agent of civilization
be either unknown or just discovered. We publish from Tuckerman's "Book
of the Artists" just from the press of G. P. Putnam & Son, the following
reminiscence of Prof. Morse:
"A striking evidence of the waywardness of destiny is afforded by the
experience of this artist, if we pass at once from this early and
hopeful moment to a more recent incident. He then aimed at renown
through devotion to the beautiful; but it would seem as if the genius of
his country, in spite of himself, led him to this object, by the less
flowery path of utility. He desired to identify his name with art, but
it has become far more widely associated with science. A series of
bitter disappointments obliged him to "coin his mind for bread", for a
long period, of exclusive attention to portrait painting, although, at
rare intervals, he accomplished something more satisfactory. More than
thirty years since, on a voyage from Europe, in a conversation with
his fellow passengers, the theme of discourse happened to be the
electromagnet; and one gentleman present related some experiments he had
lately witnessed at Paris, which proved the almost incalculable rapidity
of movement with which electricity was disseminated. The idea suggested
itself to the active mind of the artist, that this wonderful and but
partially explored agent might be rendered subservient to that system of
intercommunication which had become so important a principle of modern
civilization. He brooded over the subject as he walked the deck, or lay
wakeful in his berth, and by the time he arrived at New York, had so
far matured his invention as to have decided upon a telegraph of
signs, which is essentially that now in use. After having sufficiently
demonstrated his discovery to the scientific, a long period of toil,
anxiety, and suspense intervened before he obtained the requisite
facilities for the establishment of the magnetic telegraph. It is now
in daily operation in the United States, and its superiority over all
similar inventions abroad was confirmed by the testimony of Arago and
the appropriation made for its erection by the French Government.
"By one of those coincidences which would be thought appropriate for
romance, but which are more common, in fact, than the unobservant are
disposed to confess, these two most brilliant events in the painter's
life--his first successful work of art and the triumph of his scientific
discovery--were brought together, as it were, in a manner singularly
fitted to impress the imagination. Six copies of his "Dying Hercules"
had been made in London, and the mold was then destroyed. Four of these
were distributed by the artist to academies, one he retained, and the
last was given to Mr. Bulfinch, the architect of the Capitol--who was
engaged at the time upon that building. After the lapse of many years,
an accident ruined Morse's own copy, and a similar fate had overtaken
the others, at least in America. After vain endeavors to regain one of
these trophies of his youthful career, he at length despaired of seeing
again what could not fail to be endeared to his memory by the most
interesting associations. One day he was superintending the preparations
for the first establishment of his telegraph in the room assigned at the
Capitol. His perseverence and self-denying labor had at length met
its just reward, and he was taking the first active step to obtain a
substantial benefit from his invention. It became necessary in locating
the wires, to descend into a vault beneath the apartment, which had not
been opened for a long period. A man preceded the artist with a lamp. As
they passed along the subterranean chamber the latter's attention
was excited by something white glimmering through the darkness. In
approaching the object, what was his surprise to find himself gazing
upon his long-lost Hercules, which he had not seen for twenty years. A
little reflection explained the apparent miracle. This was undoubtedly
the copy given to his deceased friend, the architect, and temporarily
deposited in the vault for safety, and undiscovered after his death."
* * * * *
Extraordinary Effects of an Earthquake--An American Man-of-War Carried
Over the Tops of Warehouses and Stranded.
[OFFICIAL REPORT.]
UNITED STATES STEAMSHIP "MONONGAHELA," ST. CROIX, Nov. 21, 1867.
Sir:--I have to state, with deep regret, that the United States
steamship _Monongahela_, under my command, is now lying on the beach in
front of the town of Frederickstadt, St. Croix, where she was thrown by
the most fearful earthquake ever known here. The shock occurred at 3
o'clock, P. M., of the 18th inst. Up to that moment the weather was
serene, and no indication of a change showed by the barometer, which
stood at 30 degrees 15 minutes. The first indication we had of the
earthquake was a violent trembling of the ship, resembling the blowing
off of steam. This lasted some 30 seconds, and immediately afterward the
water was observed to be receding rapidly from the beach. In a moment
the current was changed, and bore the ship toward the beach, carrying
out the entire cable and drawing the bolts from the kelson, without
the slightest effect in checking her terrific speed toward the beach.
Another anchor was ordered to be let go, but in a few seconds she was in
too shoal water for this to avail. When within a few yards of the beach,
the reflux of the water checked her speed for a moment, and a light
breeze from the land gave me a momentary hope that the jib and
foretopmost staysail might pay her head off shore, so that in the reflux
of the wave she might reach waters sufficiently deep to float her, and
then be brought up by the other anchor. These sails were immediately
set, and she payed off so as to bring her broadside to the beach. When
the sea returned, in the form of a wall of water 25 or 30 feet high, it
carried us over the warehouses into the first street of the town. This
wave in receding took her back toward the beach, and left her nearly
perpendicular on the edge of a coral reef, where she has now keeled over
to an angle of 15 degrees.
All this was the work of a few moments only, and soon after the waters
of the bay subsided into their naturally tranquil state, leaving us high
and dry upon the beach. During her progress toward the beach she struck
heavily two or three times; the first lurch carried the rifle gun on the
forecastle overboard. Had the ship been carried 10 or 15 feet further
out, she must inevitably have been forced over on her beam ends,
resulting, I fear, in her total destruction, and in the loss of many
lives. Providentially only four men were lost; these were in the boats
at the time the shock commenced. The boats that were down were all
swamped except my gig, which was crushed under the keel, killing my
coxswain, a most valuable man. During this terrific scene the officers
and men behaved with coolness and subordination. It affords me great
pleasure to state, that, after a careful examination of the position and
condition of the ship, I am enabled to report that she has sustained no
irreparable damage to her hull. The sternpost is bent, and some 20 feet
of her keel partially gone; propeller and shaft uninjured. The lower
pintle of the rudder is gone, but no other damage is sustained by it. No
damage is done to her hull more serious than the loss of several sheets
of copper, torn from her starboard bilge and from her keel.
She now lies on the edge of a coral reef, which forms a solid
foundation, on which ways may be laid. She can thus be launched in 10
feet of water at 100 feet from the beach. Gentlemen looking at the ship
from shore declare that the bottom of the bay was visible where there
was before, and is now, 40 fathoms of water.
To extricate the ship from her position I respectfully suggest that
Mr. I. Hanscom be sent down with suitable material for ways, ready for
laying down, and india-rubber camels to buoy her up. I think there is no
insuperable obstacle to her being put afloat, providing a gang of ten or
twelve good ship carpenters be sent down with the Naval Constructor, as
her boilers and engines appear to have sustained no injury. A valuable
ship may thus be saved to the navy, with all her stores and equipments.
S. B. BISSELL, Commodore Commanding. Rear-Admiral J. S. Palmer,
commanding H. A. Squadron, St. Thomas.
* * * * *
The survey of another trans-continental railway route, which shall
follow mainly the 35th parallel of latitude, is nearly completed. Its
projectors claim this as the most feasible one across the continent,
and even if the northern and southern roads are constructed, this would
still be the favorite popular thoroughfare, and the easiest and cheapest
built.
* * * * *
The Chilian gun now being built at Pittsburgh, is 22¼ feet in length,
being two feet longer than the famous Rodman gun at Fort Hamilton,
this harbor, but of exactly the same bore, twenty inches. Its greatest
diameter is 5 feet 4 inches, its least diameter, 2 feet 9 inches. The
gun is designed for garrison or naval service.
* * * * *
From lack of economy, in reduction of ores, it is estimated that the
aggregate loss on the production of bullion in this country for the
present year will reach the sum of $25,000,000.
* * * * *
Recent American and foreign Patents.
_Under this heading we shall publish weekly notes of some of the more
prominent home and foreign patents._
* * * * *
WARDROBE.--Nathan Turner, West Lynn, Mass.--This invention consists in a
movable or swinging arrangement of the sides and top and bottom, whereby
they are folded upon each other, with grooves or strips in or upon the
sides to support shelves when used as a closet or book case, and which
shelves may be removed when used as a wardrobe.