sage of the small steam pipes b, b, branching from the main pipe c. The Patentee states, that the vapours may be conducted to condensers of any form that may be desired, that which he claims as his invention under the head, being the introduction of steam into the flues of furnaces. for the purpose of increasing the draft during the operation of converting muriate of soda into sulphate of soda, for the purpose of making carbonate of soda.

The second head consists in manufacturing carbonate of soda by converting muriate of soda into fluoride of sodeum, or fluosilicate of soda, instead of into sulphate of soda, as is the ordinary practice. This is accomplished by taking concentrated fluoric acid, obtained from the Derbyshire Spa, in the ordinary way, to which is to be added its own weight of muriate of soda, with sufficient water to prevent the muriatic acid from escaping in the form of gas; to this is to be added a sufficient quantity of flints, or other siliceous matter, to convert it into fluosilicate of soda. The supernatant liquor is then to be drawn off, which is concentrated muriatic acid, holding a little fluosilicate of soda in solution; the remaining fluosilicate is then to be heated with a red heat, to drive off what muriatic acid there may be hanging about it: about double of its weight of powdered chalk is now to be added, and the whole boiled in water for several hours. The effect of this is a double decomposition, whereby the fluosilicate of soda and carbonate of lime are converted into fluosilicate of lime, and carbonate and sesquicarbonate of soda. This supernatant liquor is then drawn off and the residuum well washed, and the wash added to the former liquor, and evaporated to dryness by a red heat, and pure carbonate of soda is the result, which may be again dissolved and crystallised in the usual manner. When it is desired to conduct the operation with fluoride of sodium, the process will be the same, with the exception of the sili

ceous matter. The claim on this head of the invention is the treating of muriate of soda with fluoric acid, in order to obtain carbonate of soda, instead of first obtaining sulphate of soda.-[Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, July, 1837.]

ToJOHN SWINDELLS, of Manchester, in the county palatine of Lancaster, manufacturing chemist, for his invention of certain improvements in the process of effecting the decomposition of muriate of soda or common salt.— [Sealed 21st December, 1836.]

THESE improvements in effecting the decomposition of muriate of soda is principally intended to counteract and prevent the escape of the hydrochloric acid gas into the atmosphere as it arises during the ordinary process of decomposing muriate of soda in open reverberatory furnaces.

Presuming the usual manner of effecting the decomposition of muriate of soda or common salt to be generally understood, I have only to state the variation I propose as my improvement (and which I have found to answer with considerable effect), in order to comply with the object of these presents.

Having first prepared in convenient situations, closed vessels of stone or other suitable substances, and of any desirable capacity, charged with the materials usually employed in this process of decomposition; namely, the respective atomic proportions of muriate of soda and sulphuric acid, I effect the decomposition in the following manner. The closed vessels, containing the materials to be acted upon, are furnished with steam or hot-air pipes, which are suitably connected with ordinary steam-boilers

1

or hot-air furnaces, and are also fitted with an internal agitator, in order to keep the whole of the materials in motion during the process of decomposition; the steam or heated air is now to be admitted into the interior of the vessels by opening the communication from the steam or hot-air generators, and allowed to fill the vessels, continuing the supply until the whole of the hydrochloric acid is expelled and conducted to the condensers through exit pipes, arranged in connexion with the decomposing vessels for that purpose.

Great advantages will be found to arise from this internal application of steam into the decomposing vessels; firstly, in the production of pure hydrochloric gas, being of course entirely free from the coal-gas and vapours arising from the usual process of decomposition; and secondly, in an effectual and ready method of propelling the hydrochloric gas through the water in the condensers, as it is in connexion with the steam, and blows off with it through the exit pipes arising from the top of the decomposing vessels.

gas

This method which I propose of driving the hydrochloric acid with the exit steam through water, in order to obtain its condensation, will be found entirely to prevent the great nuisance of the admission of the hydrochloric acid gas into the atmosphere through the flues of the open reverberating furnaces in the common manner.

The sulphate of soda (the residuum which will be found in the decomposing vessels) is then to be run into a furnace, and dried down in the usual manner, and finished for use as heretofore.

I wish it to be perfectly understood, that I do not in tend to claim any description or arrangement of apparatus by which my improvement is to be carried into practical effect, as the materials, dimensions, and construction of the

same must necessarily be circumstantially arranged by the operator; but I do claim as my invention the application of steam or heated air into the decomposing vessels (whether open or closed), in order to effect the decomposition of muriate of soda.-[Inrolled in the Rolls Chapel Office, June, 1837.]

TO THOMAS COCKRELL HOGAN, of Castle-street, Holborn, in the county of Middlesex, light hat manufacturer, for his invention of certain improvements in hats, caps, and bonnets.-[Sealed 29th March, 1836.]

THE improvements set forth by the Patentee in his specification, consist, firstly, in constructing the distending and supporting body, and which he denominates "the inner cap, hat, or bonnet," of horse hair, so as to form an elastic and flexible substratum, upon which an outer covering, called by the Patentee the outer hat, cap or bonnet, is applied; this outer covering being made of silk, cotton, beaver, Merton down, fur, or any other suitable substance that is commonly used for the exterior surface of caps, hats, and bonnets.

The second feature of the invention consists in applying and cementing the outer covering upon the supporting and distending substratum above described, by means of solutions of caoutchouc or India rubber, or through the medium of any other elastic cement which may be suitable for the purpose of uniting the outer covering to the inner one in such a manner as to form, when united together, an elastic cap, hat, or bonnet, capable of yielding to accidental external pressure, and of recovering its original shape when the pressure is removed.

The third improvement consists in using whalebone or whalefin, cut into hair-like filaments instead of horse hair, and in plaiting, weaving, or braiding the same with horse hair, threads, cotton, wool, flax, silk, or any other fibrous substance, to form a fabric that the supporting or distending body may be made from.

The fourth part of the invention consists in variously combining horse or other hair with threads of silk, flax, cotton, wool, or other vegetable fibrous substances; and also with whalebone, whalefin, willow, or any other tough and flexible woods, for the formation of a fabric from which the supporting substratum or inner hat, cap, or bonnet may be made.

The fifth head of the invention consists in forming a supporting substratum, by weaving, braiding, or plaiting of horse hair, or any other of the above-mentioned substances, singly or in combination, upon a block of the figure required; and, sixthly and lastly, in manufacturing an entire cap, hat, or bonnet of horse or other hair alone, or of horse or other hair in combination with threads of silk, wool, cotton, flax, or any other fibrous substance, upon a block of the figure required, by weaving, plaiting, and braiding.

After having described, under the several heads, in what his invention consists, the Patentee proceeds to describe the best means, with which he is acquainted, of carrying the same into effect; and he states that, in the first, third, and fourth heads, he considers it best to weave the fabric in sheets of the best long horse hair, both in the warp and weft, as this method affords the greatest degree of elasticity for a given weight of material used. Sometimes, however, the fabric which is woven, plaited, braided, or otherwise manufactured from a combination or intermixture of horse hair and