No. 15741.—10th December, 1902.—JOHN THOMPSON STEELE, of 60, Oakfield Road, West Croydon, Surrey, England, Secretary to a Public Company. Improvements in means or devices for binding and holding sheets of paper and the like, and in sheets for use therewith.

Claims.—(1.) A binder constructed and operating as set forth, and as shown in the drawings. (2.) In a binder such as described, the construction of the covers A and B set forth and shown in Figs. 1, 2, 2^a, and 3 of the drawings. (3.) In a binder such as described, the combination of a rack attached to the top cover, another rack forming part of a detachable locking device, and a lock and key adapted to operate in conjunction with the said racks, as set forth and shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5^a, and 6 of the drawings. (4.) The detachable locking-piece H shown in Fig. 4, adapted to engage with a lock forming part of one cover of the binder, constructed and operating as specified. (5.) In a binder as described, an upright H^² surrounded by a spring I and enclosing a spring H^³, constructed and operating as set forth, and illustrated in the drawings. (6.) In a binder such as described, the combination of one or more uprights engaging with the sheets by apertures such as L¹, with an upright or uprights engaging with such sheet by a perforation such as L, substantially as set forth and shown in the drawings. (7.) A sheet constructed with open and close holes L and L¹, and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth, and as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 7 of the drawings. (8.) In a binder such as described, a top sheet strengthened by a bar for springs to bear against, such top sheet being constructed substantially as shown in Figs. 8 and 8^a.

(Specification, 8s.; drawings, 4s.)

No. 15746.—11th December, 1902.—ERNST FRIEDRICH WILHELM WIEDA, of 212, Market Street, Paterson, New Jersey, United States of America, Candy-manufacturer. Improvements in kneading and mixing machines.

Claims.—(1.) The combination, with a frame, of a vessel for receiving the material to be operated upon, agitating-mechanism adapted to be received by said vessel, supporting-means for said vessel, said vessel being pivotally arranged in said supporting-means, and means for raising and lowering said supporting-means and by it said vessel, substantially as described. (2.) The combination, with a frame, of a vessel for receiving the material to be operated upon, supporting-means for said vessel, agitators, a shaft carrying said agitators and journaled in said frame, said vessel being adapted to receive the agitators and being pivotally arranged in said supporting-means for actuating said agitators, and means for raising and lowering said supporting-means and by it said vessel, substantially as described. (3.) The combination, with a frame, of a vessel for receiving and mechanism for agitating the material to be operated upon, said mechanism being adapted to be received by the vessel, and said vessel being movable into and out of operative position relatively to the mechanism, and being also pivotally mounted, and a trip adapted to engage said vessel eccentrically to turn the same on its pivot, substantially as described. (4.) The combination, with a frame, of a vessel for receiving the material to be operated upon, sets of agitators adapted to oscillate in reverse directions and arranged in said vessel, segmental members, an intermediate rotary part engaging said members and revoluble in opposite directions to oscillate the same, and operative connecting-means between each member and one of the sets of agitators, substantially as described. (5.) The combination, with a frame, of a vessel for receiving the material to be operated upon, sets of agitators adapted to oscillate in reverse directions and arranged in said vessel, toothed segments, an intermediate pinion engaging said segments, and operative connecting-means between each segment and one of the sets of agitators, substantially as described. (6.) In a mixing or other similar machine adapted in operation to maintain a constant circulation in the material being operated upon in a given direction, a set of oscillatory agitators arranged in different radial planes and having their acting faces set obliquely, those in the one plane oppositely to those in the other, substantially as described. (7.) In a mixing or other similar machine adapted in operation to maintain a constant circulation in the material being operated upon in a given direction, a set of oscillatory agitators arranged in different radial planes and having their acting faces set obliquely, those in one plane oppositely to those in the other, and said agitators having their rear faces convergent, substantially as described. (8.) The combination, with a frame, of a vessel for receiving the material to be operated upon, sets of agitators adapted to oscillate in reverse directions about a common axis and arranged in said vessel radially relatively to said axis, and means for actuating said agitators, substantially as de-

scribed. (9.) The combination, with a frame, of a vessel for receiving the material to be operated upon, sets of agitators adapted to oscillate in reverse directions about a common axis and arranged in said vessel radially relatively to said axis, the agitators of one set projecting from said axis and the other toward the same, and means for actuating said agitators, substantially as described.

(Specification, 7s.; drawings, 3s.)

No. 15748.—11th December, 1902.—MAURICE TAYLOR, of 16, Rue Grange, Batelière, Paris, France, Engineer. Improvements in and relating to gas-engines, and to gas-producers for use therewith.

Claims.—(1.) A gas-engine or explosion motor arranged to draw its charge directly from the producer without the intermediary of a pump or gasometer, substantially in the manner described. (2.) The arrangement of a variable-capacity suction-chamber between the gas-producer and the motor, which chamber contracts during the suction stroke of the motor, and during the remaining three strokes of the cycle re-expands and sets up an even or continuous suction in the pipes leading from the producer, substantially as and for the purpose described. (3.) The method of increasing the effect of the arrangement mentioned in the preceding claim by allowing the pressure in the exhaust-box to act on the suction-chamber, substantially as described. (4.) The arrangement of annular escape-passage, formed by a funnel extending below the gas-outlet and into the fuel-chamber of the producer, substantially as and for the purpose described. (5.) The combination with the funnel arrangement referred to in the preceding claim, of the special charging hopper and slide arranged and operating substantially as described. (6.) The arrangement for permitting the easy renewal of the refractory linings and their associated parts which consists in forming the producer and its linings in sections, the linings being supported by a flanged ring surrounded by passages for heating the air and steam blast, substantially as described. (7.) The special arrangement for supporting the lower section of the refractory material, comprising the annular disc resting on the stays or bolts extending across the lower section of the producer, substantially as set forth. (8.) The modification of the arrangements set forth in claims 6 and 7, in which the producer has a removable bottom faced with refractory material and supported by pressure-levers, and in which the lower section of the lining is supported by a dished piece whose edges serve as walls for the passage through which the blast is conducted, substantially as described. (9.) The means for readily proportioning the amount of steam in the air blast, in which the steam discharges itself in the opposite direction to the incoming air, and the action is regulated by a cock controlling a by-pass or side inlet for air, substantially as described. (10.) The various arrangements mentioned for use in connection with gas-engines and gas-producers, substantially as described with reference to the drawings, and for the purposes set forth.

(Specification, 13s.; drawings, 4s.)

No. 15749.—11th December, 1902.—THE ECONOMIC HOISTING AND BALLAST COMPANY, of San Francisco, California, United States of America, a corporation organized under and by virtue of the laws of the State of California, Contractors (assignees of Arthur Mullan, of 17, De Boom Street, San Francisco aforesaid, Foreman of Coal-mining Company). An improved apparatus for unloading cargoes from vessels.

Claims.—(1.) In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a frame, means for supporting the lower end of the frame, guy-ropes attached to the upper portion of the frame for maintaining said frame in an upright position, a chute, an operating-platform secured to the upper end of the chute, and means for supporting said chute from the upper end of the frame, substantially as described. (2.) In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a frame, means for supporting the lower end of the frame, guy-ropes attached to the upper portion of the frame for maintaining said frame in an upright position, a chute, an operating-platform secured to the upper end of the chute, means for supporting said chute from the upper end of the frame, and means for adjusting the elevation and inclination of said chute, substantially as described. (3.) In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a frame, means for supporting the lower end of the frame, guy-ropes attached to the upper portion of the frame for maintaining said frame in an upright position, a chute, an operating-platform secured to the upper end of the chute, means for supporting said chute from the upper end of the frame, and wheels attached to said frame, substantially as described. (4.) In an apparatus of the character described,