MAR. 7.]

No. 20763.—20th February, 1906.—CHARLES CANNELL, of St. Mary's, Tasmania, Blacksmith. Machine for cutting and searing lambs' tails.*

Extract from Specification.—In operation, the handle 27 is depressed to raise the blade, the portion 32 of its end 28 engaging the under surface of the collar 31 on the arm 14 raising the arm and consequently the blade 7 to the raised or cocked position shown in Fig. 2. As the arm 14 rises, the collar 18, which in the uncocked position is below the catch 19, strikes the bevelled nose of the catch, which by reason of its construction retracts to allow the collar 18 to pass, and is then protruded by the spring 20 so that the arm 14 carrying the blade 7 is prevented from descending by the upper surface of the nose of the catch 19 engaging the under surface of the collar 18. Upon releasing the handle 27 it is returned to its normal position by the spring 41. The burner 4 is operated in the usual manner, and the flame from it, guided by the hood 9, plays on the knife 7 and makes it red-hot. The lamb is placed on the platform 11 so that its tail lies between the raised knife 7 and the box 5, and the lever 8 is depressed, retracting the catch 19 and thus permitting the knife 7 to descend, its own weight and the spring 17 causing it to be discharged with considerable force, its edge passing through the slot 33 in the box 5 on to the wood block 6 therein, which acts as a cushion to the blow, the descent of the knife severing the tail and searing the stump at the same time. The knife is then again raised and the operation repeated as often as desired.

[Note.—The above extract from the specification is inserted in place of the claims.]

(Specification, 3s. 9d.; drawing, 2s.)

No. 20772.—24th February, 1906.—ROBERT HENRY CARTER, of Carelton Terrace, Kimbolton, New Zealand, Farmer. Improved collar for horses and other animals.*

Claims.—(1.) In collars for horses and other animals, comprising a front portion composed of metal frame plates with a back padded portion secured to such plates, providing the metal frame pieces with notched and pointed edges, substantially as and for the purposes specified. (2.) The improved collar for horses and other animals constructed and arranged substantially as described and explained.

(Specification, 2s. 9d.; drawing, 1s.)

No 20806.—5th March, 1906.—The Honourable CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS, C.B., of Heaton Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland, England, Engineer. Improvements in packing-devices for the shafts of steam turbines and other rotary motors.

Claims.—(1.) In a packing-gland for rotating shafts, means for withdrawing the packing for inspection and repair, comprising a removable top cover and a semicylindrical extension on the turbine or like casing, which together form a box for a split bushing carrying the packing-collars, substantially as described with reference to the drawings. (2.) In a packing-gland for rotating shafts, forming the packing-collars in conically arranged steps so as to enable longitudinal withdrawal, substantially as described. (3.) In combination with a packing-gland for rotating shafts in which the packing-collars are carried on a bushing, means for adjusting the collars axially on the shaft, substantially as described. (4.) The improved glands for packing rotating shafts described with reference to the drawings.

(Specification, 6s.; drawing, 3s.)

No. 20955.—31st March, 1906.—ALFRED LAUNCELOT JAMES TAIT, of Vogel Street, South Dunedin, New Zealand, Inventor. Improved apparatus for stripping and treating flax fibre, leaves, and the like.*

Claims.—In improved apparatus for stripping and treating flax leaves and the like—(1) The employment of the lower feed-roller as stripper-bar of any required shape, geared and driven substantially as set forth. (2.) The combination of feed-rollers, pressure-bars, liquid spray when necessary and the means therefor, and with grip-rollers, stationary scrapers adjusted for the purpose of cleaning fibre therefrom, and with a revolving tooth drum or drums that has a square or convexical or angle-shaped face that revolves in the same or opposite directions, substantially as set forth. (3.) The employment of geared feed and grip rollers placed in any suitable position, in combination with laterally grooved or plain smooth-faced pressure-bars (adjustable), and with toothed drum, arranged substantially as set forth.

(Specification, 8s.; drawing, ls.)

No. 21064.—28th April, 1906.—EDWARD THOMPSON CLIFTON FIRTH, of Seccombe’s Road, Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand, Pumice-manufacturer. A mixing and disintegrating machine.*

Claims.—(1.) The mixing and disintegrating machine having, in combination, a screw conveyor contained in a case, with revolving arms fitted at one end of conveyor-spindle, the arms having hard steel end pieces fitted thereto and adjustable bearing on the conveyor-spindle, and screen of wire gauze, in the manner and for the purpose set forth, as described and illustrated. (2.) In the mixing and disintegrating machine covered by claim 1, the hard steel end pieces fitted to the revolving arms, and adjusted to bear against the wire-gauze screen, in the manner and for the purpose set forth, as described and illustrated.

(Specification, 3s. 3d.; drawing, ls.)

No. 21079.—3rd May, 1906.—FREDERICK WILLIAM MEDHURST, of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, Electrician. An improved combined portable telephone and telegraph instrument.*

Claims.—(1.) A combined portable telephone and telegraph instrument, consisting of the parts arranged, combined, and operating substantially as described. (2.) The use, in a combined portable telephone and telegraph instrument, of a high-tension coil, in which is an extra pole-piece, and a reed, the note of which can be altered at will by means of a plate as 17 and a screw as 18, as set forth. (3.) Means for mounting the coil and reed which consist of the parts arranged, combined, and operating as set forth.

(Specification, 5s. 3d.; drawing, 2s.)

No. 21099.—5th May, 1906.—WILLIAM HENRY STICHLING, of York Street, Sale, Victoria, Australia, Butter-factory Manager; ALEXANDER WILLIAM WILSON, of 533 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Victoria aforesaid, Secretary; ROBERT STANTON OVEREND, of Dawson Street, Sale aforesaid, Journalist; JAMES EDWARD PATERSON, of Foster Street, Sale aforesaid, Secretary; and EDWIN MASTERS, of Sale aforesaid, Master Mariner. Improvements in butter-boxes.*

Claims.—(1.) An improved butter-box consisting of a bottom and four walls, three of the walls being of one height, one wall being lower than the three others, a groove around the three high walls near the top, said bottom and walls being integral, and reinforced, and formed of a pulp made of straw or other like material as described, in combination with a cover formed of a pulp made of straw or other like material, or wood, said cover having a tongue around three of its sides, and locked by nails or screws, or corner reinforcing-pieces, all as and for the purposes described, or as illustrated in the drawings. (2.) An improved butter-box consisting of a bottom having near each side a groove extending from one end of the bottom to the other, said grooves being singly or doubly undercut, a plain groove near each end of the said bottom, said grooves not extending to the sides of the bottom, side walls to said box, each having a tongue formed on its bottom edge engaging with the aforesaid undercut grooves in the bottom, doubly undercut grooves extending inside and near the vertical edges of said side walls, front and back end walls having a tongue on the bottom of each engaging with the plain grooves in the bottom, tongues on the side of said walls engaging with undercut grooves in the side walls, the two side walls and the back wall of the box being of the same height, the front wall of the box being low, a groove in the side walls and the back wall, said bottom, side walls, and end walls being if necessary reinforced, and made of straw or other like material as described, in combination with a cover formed of a pulp made of straw or other like material, or wood, said cover having a tongue around three of its edges, and locked by nails or screws, or corner pieces, all as and for the purposes described, or as illustrated in the drawings.

(Specification, 7s.; drawing, ls.)