Part 33 (2/2)

A Chill plate of cast iron turned to the curve of the speculu at O C Pouring pocket D

Counterpoise, By which the chill plate is tilted up The largest figure in the engraving is the annealing tub of cast iron filled with sawdust, where the speculum is placed to cool as slowly as possible

The rationale of the strength of specula cast in this metal mould system, as compared with the treacherous brittleness of those cast in sand moulds, arises si place first at the lower surface, next thethe contractile requirements of that immediately beneath it; and so on in succession, until the last to consolidate is the top or upper stratum

Thus all risk of contractile tension, which is so dangerously es, ly brittle an alloy as that of speculum metal, is entirely avoided

By the employment of these si the specula for reflecting telescopes, and also by the contrivance and e theth completedto the Newtonian plan I was one through in preparing it, by the glorious views it yielded ht My enjoyave to st these was Sir David Brewster, who took a most lively and special interest in all my labours on this subject

In later years I resuenial relaxation from the ordinary run oftelescopes, of sizes from 10-inch to 20-inch dia other astrono these I may mention my late dear friend William Lassell, and my excellent friend Warren de la Rue, both of whom have indelibly recorded their names in the annals of astronomical science I know of no subject connected with the pursuit of science which so abounds with exciting and delightful interest as that of constructing reflecting telescopes It brings into play every principle of constructive art, with the inexpressibly glorious reward of a more intimate acquaintance with the sublime wonders of the heavens, I communicated in full detail all , and polishi+ng the specula of reflecting telescopes, to the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, illustrating s But as th, and as the illustrations would prove costly to engrave, it was not published in the Society's Transactions They are still, however, kept in the library for reference by those who take a special interest in the subject

1829 A Mode of trans Rotary Motion by means of a Flexible Shaft, formed of a Coiled Spiral Wire or Rod of Steel

While assisting Mr Maudslay in the execution of a special piece of machinery, in which it became necessary to have some holes drilled in rather inaccessible portions of the work in hand, and where the employment of the ordinary drill was impossible, it occurred to me that a flexible shaft, forht enable us to transmit the requisite rotary motion to a drill attached to the end of this spiral shaft Mr Maudslay was much pleased with the notion, and I speedily put it in action by a close coiled spiral wire of about two feet in length

This was found to transmit the requisite rotary motion to the drill at the end of the spiral with perfect and faithful efficiency

The difficulty was got over, to Mr Maudslay's great satisfaction

So far as I a rotary inal The device was useful, and proved of essential service in other important applications By a suitably close coiled spiral steel wire I have conveyed rotary motion quite round an obstacle, such as is indicated in the annexed figure

[Ie]

It has acted with perfect faithfulness froenious mechanic will be able to appreciate the value of such a flexible shaft in e-room, when a drill orked in the mouth of a patient to enable a decayed tooth to be stopped It was said to be the last thing out in ”Yankee notions”

It was merely a replica ofSquare or Hexgonal Collares Nuts or Bolt-Heads byFile or Cutter

This iven, in the text, pp 141, 142

1829 A Investigation into the Origin and Mode of writing the Cuneiform Character

This will be found described in the next and final chapter

1836 A Machine for cutting the Key-Grooves in Metal Wheels and Belt Pulleys, of ANY Dia of wheels and belt pulleys to shafts, so as to enable them to trans processes in the construction of htly tapered iron or steel wedge, or ”key” as it is technically ter recess, or flat part of the shaft, so that the wheel and shaft thus become in effect one solid structure

The old rooves in the eyes of wheels was acco and filing Maudslay'sh intended originally to operate upon wood, contained all the essential principles and details required for acting on metals

Mr Richard Roberts, by some excellent rooves in eneral use This machine consisted of a vertical slide bar, to the lower end of which was attached the steeltool, which received its requisite up and down e The wheel to be operated upon was fixed to a slide-table, and gradually advanced, so as to cause the h the depth of the eye of the wheel, until the roove had attained its required depth

The only drawback to this admirable machine was that its service was li wheels whose half diameter did not exceed the distance from the back of the jaw of the ive to this th to resist the strain on the jaw, due to the rooves, in wheels of say 6 feet diameter, a more massive and cumbrous frame as required, which was most costly in space as well as in money