Part 35 (1/2)

Though the force of the bloas greatly checked through the measures taken for that purpose, and indeed so much so that the vessel itself suffered no very ranite stones of the facing were driven so the enormous force used upon them ”Superior speed will be very essential to the successful action of the ram; but by the above circumstance we reat effects to be produced, at least on any comparatively weak point of even ironclad shi+ps, such as the rudder”

In June 1870, I received a letter fro extracts: --”I are previously that plans had been proposed for constructing unarmoured steam rams, but I was not acquainted with the fact that you had put forward so well-iven me much pleasure to find that such is the case It has been a cause both of pleasure and surprise to n alard as essential to ra efficiency--twin screws and ht divisions for safety, and special strengthenings at the bow Facts such as these deserve to be put on record

Meanwhile accept ht which your ran displays”

Collisions at sea unhappily afford a principle Even ironclad shi+ps have not been able to withstand the destructive effect The Vanguard and the Kurfurst now lie at the bottom of the sea in consequence of an accidental ”end-on” rah speed in a Steam Ram is only desirable when the attempt is made to overtake an ene its destructive work

A crash on the thick plates of the strongest Ironclad, from a Ram of 2000 tons at the speed of four miles an hour, would drive them inwards with the most fatal results

1839 Invention of the Steaeneral principles and details

Described in text, p 231

1839 Invention of the Floating Mortar or Torpedo Ram

For particulars and details, see Report of Torpedo Coe-shaped Sluice-Valve for Main Street Water-pipes

The late Mr Wicksteed, engineer of the East London Water Co stated to me the inconvenience which had been experienced frohtness, as well as the difficulty of opening and closing the valves of the main water-pipes in the streets, I turned my attention to the subject The result was e-shaped sluice-valve, which cohtness with ease of opening and closing the valve

This was effected by a screhich raised the valve fros at the first partial turn of the screw, after which there was no further resistance or friction, except the trifling friction of the screw in its nut on the upper part of the sluice-valve When screwed down again, it closed simultaneously the end of the entrance pipe and that of the exit pipe attached to the valve case in the e]

Mr Wicksteed was so much pleased with the simplicity and efficiency of this valve that he had it applied to all the es became known, I received many orders froeneral use

The prefixed figure will convey a clear idea of the construction

The wedge form of the double-faced valve is conspicuous as the characteristic feature of the arrange of the Institution of Civil Engineers, May 23, 1883, when various papers were read on Waterworks, Mr H I Marten observed in the course of the discussion: --”It has been stated in Mr Gamble's paper (on the orks of Port Elizabeth) that the sluice valves are of the usual pattern The usual patterns of the present day are in wonderful advance of those of thirty or forty years since The great iinated with the introduction of 'the double-faced sluice-cock' This sluice-cock, which had now superseded every other description, was the creation of Mr Jaenius

Mr Marten said he well remembered the first reception of this useful invention, as he happened at that time to be a pupil of Mr Thomas Wicksteed He was present when Mr Wicksteed explained to Mr Nasmyth the want he had experienced of a sluice-cock for Waterworks purposes, which should shut and re from either side Mr Marten had a lively recollection of the instantaneous rapidity hich Mr Nasrasped but provided for the requirement; so that almost by the time Mr Wicksteed had completed the statement of his want, Mr Nash sketch of the first double-faced sluice-cock; and in less than an hour had converted this rough sketch into a full-sized working drawing; in the preparation of which it fell to Mr Marten's lot to have the honour to assist In his 'Autobiography' Mr Nasmyth referred to the conversation with Mr Wicksteed, and introduced a print of the drawing reatest use to the Waterworks Engineer, especially in connection with the constant supply system, in which it frequently happened that the pressure was soainst one face of the sluice-cock, and sos and Discussions of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1883, pp 88, 89

1839 A Hydraulic Mattress Press, capable of exerting a pressure of Twenty thousand tons

Being under the i arts, in which a perfectly controllable coht be serviceable, I n of an apparatus of a very simple and easily executed kind, which would supply such a desideratu pohich far surpassed anything of the kind that had been invented As above said, it was perfectly controllable; so as either to yield theto upwards of twenty thousand tons; the only li in the materials employed in its construction

The principle of this enor machine is similar to that of the Hydraulic Press; the difference consisting principally in the substitution of what I term a Hydraulic Mattress in place of the cylinder and ram of the ordinary hydraulic press

The Hydraulic Mattress consists of a square or circular water-tight vessel or flat bag formed of 1/2-inch thick iron or steel plates securely riveted together; its di semicircular sides, which form enables the upper flat part of the Mattress to rise say to the extent of 6 inches, without any injury to the riveted joints, as such a rise or alteration of the normal form of the semicircular sides would be perfectly har to their norer necessary, and the elevating pressure reantic press is as follows The Mattress A A having been filled ater, an additional quantity is supplied by a force pu in water with a pressure of one ton to the square inch; thus acting on an available surface of at least 144 square feet surface--namely, that of the upper flat surface of the Mattress It will be forced up by no less a pressure than twenty thousand tons, and transfer that enor table of the press and the upper table

When any object less thick than the normal space is required to receive the pressure, the spare space must be filled with a suitable set of iron flat blocks, so as to subject the article to be pressed to the requisite power

As before stated, therearts in which such an enormous pressure may be useful; and this can be accomplished with perfect ease and certainty I trust that this account of the principles and construction of such a est soeneral use of the Mattress press, it would be best to supply the pressure water from an accumulator, which should be kept constantly full by the action of suitable pureat press would require the high-pressure water only now and then; so that it would not be necessary to wait for the small pump to supply the pressure water when the Mattress was required to be in action