characterized by introducing the oil to be converted in liquid
form and water in liquid form in contiguous relation into
a common chamber or retort, from which air is excluded,
and which is packed with scrap iron, or is otherwise adapted
to present a considerable area of iron in interstitial passages,
and is maintained highly heated by a furnace or other suitable
means, so that such liquids are vaporised and decomposed
or dissociated in the presence of each other and of the highly
heated iron which acts as a catalytic agent, and the vapours
are caused to pass through the said interstitial passages.
The resultant vapours are condensed, and the condensed
products or the light portions thereof are rectified to separate
the volatile spirit.

[NOTE.-The above extract from the specification is inserted in place
of the claims.]

(Specification, 2s. 6d.)

No. 25402.-30th December, 1908. - The Honourable
CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS, C.B., of Heaton Works,
Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland, England, Engineer.
Improvements relating to turbines.

Claims.-(1.) A compound elastic-fluid turbine, of the type
in which the velocity of the steam through successive rows
of guides and moving blades is maintained chiefly or entirely
by dropping pressure in the rows of fixed guide and moving
blades, divided into separate elements working in separate
chambers, each element having a plurality of rotating rings
of blades alternating with segmental guides which terminate
in short end blockings in order to avoid excessive losses by
skin-friction and spilling of the working fluid, substantially
as described. (2.) A compound turbine according to claim 1,
in which the bladed rotary elements and chambers are sufficient
in number to insure that only a moderate pressure-drop shall
take place in each chamber, and each rotary element carries
only a small number of blades in order to limit the possibility
of spilling, substantially as described. (3.) Propelling ma-
chinery for vessels in which the high-pressure stage or stages
of the expansion of the working fluid is or are effected in one
or more partial-admission turbines of the kind set forth in
claim 1. (4.) Propelling machinery for vessels with one or
more cruising turbines in which the cruising part of the plant
consists of one or more partial-admission turbines of the kind
set forth in claim 1. (5.) Turbines for propelling vessels in
which the early stages of the expansion are dealt with in one or
more turbine elements of the partial-flow type with "Parsons"
blades, and later stages by turbine elements with annular
admission, whether such turbines are cruising turbines or
comprise part or the whole of the main turbines. (6.) A par-
tial-admission turbine according to claim 1, with "Parsons"
blades, balancing-means, and one or a plurality of steamways
formed by short and blocked sectors, independently of or in the
same casing with another turbine, substantially as described.
(7.) A partial-admission turbine according to claim 1, with a
plurality of steamways and means for regulating certain of
said steamways, substantially as described. (8.) A partial-
admission turbine with "Parsons" type blades, substantially
as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12 of the drawings.
(9.) A partial-admission turbine with "Parsons" type
blades, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 13
to 17 of the drawings. (10.) A partial-admission marine
steam turbine with "Parsons" blades, substantially as
described with reference to Figs. 18 to 24 of the drawings.
(11.) In a partial-admission turbine of the kind set out in
claim 1, draining-means substantially as described with
reference to Figs. 25 to 28 of the drawings.

(Specification, 18s.; drawing, 8s.)

No. 25406.-30th January, 1908.-WILLIAM HENRY BIRD, of
30 Stapleton Road, Stroud Green, London, England, late of
452 Chester Road, Manchester, England, Boot-manufacturer.
Improvements in or relating to pneumatic tires.

[NOTE.- This is an application under section 98 of the Act, the date
given being the official date of the application in Great Britain.]

Claims.-(1.) In pneumatic tires having separate air-tubes
and built up of two separate cheeks and a tread part clamped
between them, forming the cheeks each of two or more plies
or thicknesses of leather, with the peripheries of the inner
plies brought together at the crown, and the peripheries of
the outer plies separated therefrom by packing-strips or rings
bearing upon the inner plies, the several thicknesses at the
tread being clamped together by transverse rivets or the like,
substantially as described.

[NOTE.-Here follow four other claims.]

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

No. 25407.-6th January, 1909.-JOHN HUTCHINGS, of
Capel House, 62 New Broad Street, London, England, Mining
and Mechanical Engineer. Improvements in and relating
to internal-combustion motor-engine turbines or reaction
wheels.

Claims.-(1.) The combination or arrangement with a
reversible internal-combustion motor-engine turbine or re-
action wheel having open-sided compartments, buckets, or
vanes arranged around the rotor, and enclosed within the
annular chamber, whose side walls are formed of pairs of
oppositely inclined surfaces, each pair or span of such surfaces
being equal to the width of two compartments of the rotor,
said surfaces serving to deflect motive fluid impinging upon
them under pressure in inclined directions by corresponding
jets, from which surfaces the fluid is delivered on to the blades
or buckets of the rotor in one or other of opposite directions,
controlled by reversible simultaneously operated sets of supply
and exhaust valves, which valves also control other passages
supplying the fluid to the outer parts of the buckets, of a
chamber whereinto motive fluid composed of combustible
matter and air or oxygen combined is fed and ignited, and the
resultant products of combustion are conveyed through
channels regulated by valves to the jets referred to, there
to drive the roto, means for compressing such air, means for
supplying combustible matter and air, a burner for effecting
admixture and combustion of the combustible fluids when
under high pressure, substantially as described and shown by
the drawings. (2.) In an apparatus of the kind referred to
in claim (1), the combination of means for supplying steam to
the combustion-chamber as set forth. (3.) In an apparatus
of the kind referred to in claim 1, the combination of simul-
taneously operated sets of valves for regulating the supply
and the exhaust of the products of combustion and the com-
pressed air delivered on to the rotor in order to its propulsion,
substantially as described and shown by the drawings. (4.) In
an apparatus of the kind referred to in claim 1, a combustion-
chamber constructed and arranged to heat, admix, and effect
combustion of the combined fluid as and for the purpose set
forth and illustrated with reference particularly to Figs. 2 and
5. (5.) In an apparatus constructed and arranged substan-
tially as referred to in claim 1, the inclusion of the apparatus
for air-compression and regulated delivery illustrated in
Figs. 3 and 6 and described in connection therewith. (6.) In
a machine of the kind referred to, a turbine comprising a
casing containing a rotor provided with a double series of
peripherally arranged radial blades forming buckets, each set
of buckets being open only to one side of the casing and the
other set to the opposite side of the casing, and each so as to
face inclined or curved surfaces arranged around this casing
on its inner faces adjacent to the bucket-mouths, each pair of
surfaces forming recesses which bridge over two buckets so
that motive fluid introduced by suitable jets impinges on
these faces, is guided on to the buckets, then open to them
and therefrom on to the next pair of surfaces and on to the
next bucket, and so on until the fluid is allowed to escape to
exhaust. (7.) In an apparatus constructed and arranged
substantially as referred to in claim 1, the inclusion of the
modified apparatus for air-heating, compression, and regulated
delivery illustrated by Fig. 10 and described in connection
therewith.

(Specification, 12s.; drawing, 10s.)

No. 25408.-6th January, 1909.-JOHN HUTCHINGS, of
Capel House, 62 New Broad Street, London, England, Mining
and Mechanical Engineer. Improvements in apparatus for
supplying combustible fluid under constant pressure.

Claims.-(1.) The construction and use of the mechanism
for maintaining and controlling the pressure of the hydrocarbon
motive fluid supplied under pressure to combustion-chambers
of internal-combustion engines and the like, involving a
double-ended piston having a larger end and smaller end,
each reciprocating in a corresponding-shaped cylinder, a
force pump and means for driving it, and co-acting con-
ecting means between said piston and a valve inserted
between the pump and reservoir whereby a part kept in
contact with the said piston acts by its periodic movements
to cause delivery of hydrocarbon fluid to the reservoir-
cylinder, or to permit of its return to its source of supply,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and illustrated
with reference to Fig. 4. (2.) In an apparatus of the kind
referred to, the combination of a supply device for com-
bustible fluid under constant pressure as described and shown
by the drawings. (3.) In an apparatus constructed and
arranged substantially as referred to in claim 1, the inclusion