Sept. 4.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1891

arced plate that is hinged to the base plate and is provided with a central slot in which the outer extremity of the sighting-lever will travel when the plate is raised, and with means whereby the sighting-lever and weighted arm may be held in any position, as specified. (4.) A lever-arm loosely pivoted upon a spindle mounted in bearings upon the back end of a horizontal base plate, means whereby such arm may be locked to the spindle, a cam-arm hinged to the base plate with its free end overlying the free end of the lever-arm so as to be raised when such lever-arm is turned by its spindle, in combination with a sighting-lever loosely pivoted upon a spindle mounted in bearings upon the fore end of the base plate, means for locking the sighting-lever to its spindle, a weighted pendant arm attached to the spindle, a rigid rod connecting the weighted arm to a pendant arm on the back spindle, and means whereby the fore spindle may be turned, and locked in any position, as specified. (5.) A spindle mounted in bearings upon the fore end of a horizontal base plate and provided with a weighted pendant arm secured to the end thereof, and a plate engaging with the surface of such pendant arm and kept in contact therewith by means of a spring surrounding a pin secured at one end to the plate and provided with a thumb-piece upon the other end, as set forth. (6.) A spindle mounted in bearings upon the fore end of a horizontal base plate and provided with a weighted pendant arm secured to the end thereof, a sighting lever-arm loosely pivoted upon the spindle, means whereby it may be locked thereto, radial guides for the sighting-lever fixed to the base plate, and a vertical bar fitting within the inside surface of one of the guides and engaging with the side of the lever, such vertical bar being connected to a spring-controlled pin whereby it will be kept in contact with the lever and may be freed therefrom, as specified. (7.) A hollow spindle mounted in bearings upon the back end of a horizontal base plate with a lever-arm loosely pivoted thereon, and a hollow spindle mounted in bearings upon the fore end of the base plate with a sighting-lever loosely pivoted thereon, a flat bar secured within the hollow of each of such spindles, a spring bearing upon the under side of the bar, a finger cam hinged in bearings at the end of the spindle and bearing upon the end of the bar so as to depress or allow it to rise, and a knife-edged plate secured to the top of the bar and projecting through a slot in the spindle so that it shall engage with and free the inside surface of the bearing of the lever upon the spindle when the cam-finger is depressed and raised, as set forth. (8.) In means for ascertaining distances and calculating altitudes, a spindle mounted in bearings upon the fore end of a horizontal base plate, a sighting-lever loosely pivoted upon such spindle and adapted to be locked thereto, an arced slot in which the end of such lever travels, a weighted pendant arm attached to the spindle, means for locking such arm in any position, and an indicator-pointer attached to the spindle and moving over a graduated scale as the spindle is revolved through the inclination of the base plate, as specified. (9.) The general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts in my improved appliances for ascertaining distances and calculating altitudes, the same being specially applicable in range-finding for rifles, as described and explained, as illustrated in the drawings, and for the several purposes set forth.

(Specification, 8s. 6d.; drawings, 2s.)

No. 15113.—12th July, 1902.—JOHN FREDERICK ROSE, of Takaka, Nelson, New Zealand, Farmer. Improvements in protecting the banks of rivers, watercourses, &c., and turning the course of same.

Claim.—Protecting river-banks and diverting rivers into new channels, by means of dams constructed of gravel, stones, &c., protected by wire netting.

(Specification, 3s.)

No. 15129.—18th July, 1902.—HORACE HAMMOND, of Aratapu, New Zealand, Civil Engineer. An improved means for preventing rubbish or other refuse passing into tanks or other receptacles, and for collecting and removing such rubbish or other refuse.

Claims.—(1.) An improved means for preventing rubbish or other refuse in solution with water from passing into tanks or other receptacles, substantially as described and illustrated. (2.) The means of removing the said rubbish or other refuse by flushing, substantially as described and illustrated.

(Specification, 1s. 6d.; drawings, 1s.)

No. 15165.—24th July, 1902.—JAMES PERCIVAL ROBERTSON, of North Sydney, near Sydney, New South Wales, Electrician. Improvements in electrical fire-alarm apparatus.

Extract from Specification.—My invention relates to open-circuit electrical apparatus for automatically signalling the outbreak of fire and the location of fire in a building, and it has particular reference to fire-alarm apparatus adapted to be worked in connection with a distant central alarm system or a central exchange telephone system. The circuits and electrical contacts and apparatus are so arranged in my apparatus that normally the alarm apparatus is positively cut out of circuit from the telephone or distant alarm line, and is connected therewith automatically only whilst an alarm is ringing, provision being made for cutting out the alarm apparatus after a signal has been transmitted so as to reinstate the telephone-line in its normal condition. Primarily the apparatus is thrown into action by a thermostat, and when the distant circuit is opened it is put “in parallel” with the telephone instruments. The local electrical apparatus is normally isolated from and does not interfere with the telephone circuits; but whilst an alarm is actually ringing and being transmitted, a current is used which cannot injure the telephone instruments; and it is not possible to affect the local circuits or apparatus by means of a current sent through the telephone-line, except for the purpose of ringing off the local apparatus after the notification transmitted by it has been received at the fire station. This advantage is of very considerable importance, for it enables a central exchange telephone system to be requisitioned for fire-alarm purposes with perfect security that the operation of the telephone system can be in no way disturbed or injuriously affected, and without expense, as no modification is required either at the exchange or at the subscriber’s or branch instruments. My apparatus includes a local alarm annunciator and a distant call apparatus. The former is arranged to indicate the location of fire in either of the several areas served by the thermostats respectively connected to it. There may be a very considerable number of subsidiary alarm circuits each governed by a separate thermostat, so that one annunciator can be utilised for a large building, or even for a block of buildings. The distant call apparatus is designed to send a current through the telephone-line to ring up the exchange and convey a message therethrough to the fire-station. These messages are either spoken messages or “telegraphed” alarm currents of such a character as to produce a peculiar sound in the ear-piece or receiver of the telephone, clearly and readily distinguishable from an ordinary telephone call, for the purpose of indicating that a fire has broken out in the building from which the message proceeds.

[NOTE.—The number and length of the claims in this case preclude them from being printed, and the foregoing extract from the specification is inserted instead.]

(Specification, £2; drawings, 2s.)

No. 15229.—7th August, 1902.—ROBERT DANIEL BRETT, of 35, Scylla Road, Peckham, London, England, and THOMAS PERCIVAL WOOD, of 27, Leadenhall Street, London aforesaid, Shipowner. Improvements in smoke-consuming apparatus for steam-boiler and like furnaces.

Claims.—(1.) A smoke consuming or preventing device for steam-boiler and like furnaces, comprising a shallow box having an inlet for the admission of air, or air and steam, and outlet-slits arranged at different levels therein and inclined respectively away from and towards the centre of the said box, substantially as described. (2.) The combination, with a smoke-consuming device such as that claimed in the preceding claiming clause, of an extension to the shallow box of approximately the same cross-section as said box, and having a flaring mouth, and a steam-pipe which is arranged centrally in said mouth, and which itself has a flattened flaring slit, substantially as described. (3.) The combination, with a furnace, of a shallow box mounted in the upper part of the said furnace, said box having narrow laterally extended slits formed therein at different levels and inclined respectively away from and towards the centre line of the said box, said slits opening substantially in the direction in which the gases flow through the furnace, and means for conducting air, or a mixture of air and steam, under pressure into the interior of said box, substantially as described. (4.) The improved apparatus for consuming or preventing smoke in steam-boiler and like furnaces, constructed substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

(Specification, 4s. 6d.; drawings, 3s.)

No. 15234.—6th August, 1902.—JOHN CHAMBERLAIN, of 30, Bradgate Road, Catford, Kent, England, Gas Engineer. Improvements in methods of obtaining light from gases of low calorific value.

Claims.—(1.) The method of obtaining a hot flame of small volume for incandescent lighting by gas which consists in the employment of gases having a low calorific value (135 to 150 B.T.U. or thereabouts) in comparatively large volume at a given pressure, in combination with a supply of air (nearly 1⅔ the volume of gas or thereabout) introduced at or below the level of the outlet of the gas-nozzle, and