---- ------------------- --------------------- A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF PR.ACTICAL INFORMATION, ART, SCIENCE, MECHANICS, CHEMISTRY� AND MANUFACTURES. Vol. XXVIII.--NO.15. ] NEW YORK, APRIL 12, 1873. [$3 per Annum. [NEW SERIES.] IN ADVANCE. IMPROVED DUPLEX SAFETY GUN LOCK. being no guards, and the recoil cannot bruise the middle be withdrawn and the fastening plate may be driven up, that We give herewith an engraving of a duplex safety gun finger, whichis often the case on frequent firing. As long as is, in the direction from right to left in our engraving. 'fhe lock, patented January 28, 1873, by Dillon H. Mapother, of the lower trigger is locked, the gun, though it may be cocked, hold of the chair upon the rails will thu� be tightened. On Louisville, Ky., which, it is claimed, renders the use of fire­ cannot be discharged ; to withdraw the bolt requires an replacing the spike, it will engage with a new notch. arms perfectly safe to the user. It presents a new principle, exercise of will, an evidence of intention. These locks Another arrangement of partR, huving the same effect,con­ in that no single mechanical force will change the lock from but slightly increase the weight of the gun. A double sists in making the notches at the but.t extremity of the a state of rest to one of motion ; two forces have to be si­ barreled shot gun (30 inch barrels of No. 15 bore) to which plate, B, and, instead of the spike, E. substituting a square multaneously exerted, one of which is involuntarily given they have been applied, weighs but seven pounds ; and the headed bolt, headed into the end of the plate, A, at C. by the grasp of the stock. As accident cannot possibly com­ use of aluminum, instead of German silver, for the lower When the chair is keyed up, by turning the bolt its heud en­ bine two forces acting in different directions at the same trigger, would reduce this ; moreover, the increased weight gages in the notches and forms the lock. This is a recent moment, it will readily be per­ improvement and perhaps ceived that only the human more advantageous than the hand acting under direction of method above described, as it the will can effect the dis renders the device complete in charge. The following de­ itself. scription, with the aid of the As regards the economy af engraving. will render its action this system, it is stated that plain. When the hammer, E, the plates, A and B, are rolled is down on the cap, premature in any ordinary rolling. mill, discharge from any object and may, consequently, be knocking the hammer up is manufactured at a very mode­ impossible, as the key, K, fits rate cost. They are, as we into the safety notch, T, and have shown, adjustable to the holds the hammer perfectly rails. so that the latter may al. locked in its position. To cock ways be retained in proper po­ the gun, the thumb of the right sition, thus securing an even hand, pressed lightly upon the nG.a tread for the car wheels. upper trigger or thumb shoe, A patent through the Scien­ N, by the action of the cam tific American Patent Agency lever, L, depresses th!lplunger has been allowed for this in­ D. D. and propels the key beyond the vention to Mr. Eldredge, line of the tumbler, H, when Post office box 225, Bedford, the hammer may be raised with Lawrence county, Ind., from the forefinger. It is now again whom further particulars may securely locked in its position, be obtained. as the key fits into the second MAPOTHER'S DUPLEX SAFETY GUN LOCK. FlnlDes from COlDpressed safety notch, T, while the sear, Gas. 0, obtains its hold upon the tumbler ; the action of the main­ of, say four ounces, is in a position to improve the balance of M. F. Benevides, Professor of Physics at the Industrial Le8 Mon des spring, F, being doubly prevented, nothing but a duplex or the gun. Institute of Lisbon, communicates to a note of twofold action will release it ; accident may act upon one For further information the patentee may be addressed as his investigations upon the above subject. He states that trigger and remove one hold upon the tumbler, but the other above. combustible gases, compressed and burnt in'the air, cause will remain. In effectinga discharge, thEl natural grasp of -------_ '--.... ----- some interesting phenomena, which may be readily observed. the handle of the stock acts on the lower trigger, P, detach­ COMPOUND CHAIR FOR CONNECTING RAILROAD RAILS. Among others it may be noted that, when the gas is under ing the sear, and when an aim is obtained, a touch of the great pressure and consequently escapes from the apparatus thumb instantly releases the mainspring, and brings down We present herewith a novel and effective form of rail­ in large quantities under a high velocity, its flame proper the hammer on the tube. By the action of the graduating way chair, which is so constructed as not only to serve as a does not begin at the orifice of edt, but at some distance screw, X, on the cam lever, the iey may be depressed so as firm support and means of connection for the ends of adja­ above it. There merely appears at the apertures a slight to have but a very fine holdon the tumbler,S, thus constitu­ cent rails, but also to afford a means of tightening the joint glow, which is separated by a large obscure space from the ting it a hair trigger. The locking bolt, serves as a sup­ in case it should work loose. The advantages of a device luminous jet. The dimensions of this interval depend port for the lower trigger when drawn back, and, when thus arranged will be at once obvious to all who have ex­ upon the pressure, rapidity of exit, and quality of gas, pushed forward, also securely locks the trigger, preventing perienced the ddects of the ordinary chair now in nse, and while its temperature is quite low. This M. Benevides COll- its action on the sear : the loaded gun siders due to the mechanical action of may thus be laid aside with safety ; it the current of gas, which forces the air can be cocked, but cannot be discharged back to a certain distance and thereby until the bolt is withdrawn. The half cuts off the supply of oxygen necessary cock notch retains the hammer just clear for combustion. Above the obscure of the cap, and protects both the ham­ space, the gas, having dilated, mixes mer and cap from explosion and from with the air, and a luminous jet of high percussion. This position is of course temperature is produced. On increas­ essential for breech loaders. From this ing the fl.ow of gas, air becomes drawn point the gun can be cocked without de­ in with it, and the brilliancy of the p�ession of the pIunger, but the hammer flame disappears though the tempera­ cannot be precipitated back on the cap ture is greatly augmented. Finally, by any accident, or even by intention, when the aperture is small and the ve­ until the hammer is brought to full cock. locity great, the air is crowded away, The invention is applicable to gun, and ignition will not take place. rifle,and pistol, to both muzzle and breech In cities in which localities varying loaders, to either bar or back action greatly in level receive gas for illumi­ locks. In addition to its safety, the in­ nating purposes from the same gas me­ ventor claims the following advantages : ter, at points above the source of sup- . The mode of discharge is less disturb­ ply effects analogous to those above de­ ing to aim than the old trigger, because scribed may be . produced. The reason the slight push required is directly in is that, other circumstances being equal, the line of the object ; whereas, in the the rapidity of the escape of the gas is old trigger, the pull is directly contrary, COMPOUND CHAIR FOR CONNECTING RAILROAD RAILS. greater in elevated situations because and has a tendency to depress the barrel. this velocity depends on the difference The discharge is more instantaneous, because the trigger or its superior efficiency will doubtless more than compensate between the pressure of gas and that of the atmosphere, and thumb shoe is as directly in the line of vision as the sight for its small additional cost. the atmospheric pressure becomes less in proportion as the pin ; it requires no nervous telegram from brain to forefinger In our engraving the bed plate is shown at A, and is con­ altitude of the point of observation increases. In cities. C, to discharge the piece at the instant the aim is obtained. structed with a hook flangeon one side and a dovetail, on therefore, like Lisbon, and we may add Boston or Albany, at When the discharge of the second barrel is desired, the trans- the other. B is the fastening plate, and is provided also situations near the level, it often happens that the supply of fer is made in half the time that is required in changing trig- with a hook flange, the edge of which is received in the gas fails during the day, while at more elevated spots there gers with the:forefinger. By no possibility can the gun be fired dovetail, C. The last portion is wedge-shaped, so that in is always a sufficiency.