INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES.
Pneumatic Tire.—It is hard upon bicyclists that the early summer season, when everything should be most favorable for cycling, is just the time chosen to mend the country roads.
Woe to the tires of the unwary cycler who comes suddenly upon such a mended road! There was one the other day, a lady, coming home hot and tired after a long run. She slackened her speed, gazed in despair at the wicked little sharp-pointed stones which lined her path for many yards to come, and finally, hot and tired as she was, she dismounted and carried her bicycle to a spot where the road was again worn to a comfortable smoothness.
All cyclists meet with the same experience, and it has set the clever heads among tire-makers thinking how the inconvenience can be remedied. There are several new kinds of tires suggested, and one seems to be quite a good idea. It is to be composed of a series of inflated balls, with an outer rim to protect them from the stones, nails, etc., which are the nightmare of the bicycle-rider. In this way, should an accident happen to one ball, the others need not be in any way injured, and the horror of a punctured tire would be greatly lessened.
Sewing-Machine that will Cut and Make Button-Holes.—Here is an invention that will delight the girls.
Our sewing-machines do so much of the work for us nowadays that one quite resents the idea, after a garment is otherwise completed, of sitting patiently down to make button-holes, just as our grandmothers used to do, and their grandmothers before them. Some one has come to the help of busy workers with a machine that has a double action. It not only sews button-holes but cuts them. It is provided with an appliance which stops the sewing while the hole is being cut, and again stops the cutting movement to give place to the sewing.
This ought to be a great and successful invention.
Silk Made from Wood-fibre.—A new process of making silk has just been put on the market, and if it is as successful as is claimed for it, silk may soon be as cheap as cotton.
The secret was discovered by a Frenchman, but it was no accidental discovery—he only achieved his success after forty years of patient study.
This Frenchman, Count Hilaire de Cordonnet, had watched and studied the work of the silkworm, and had long thought that there ought to be some simpler process of spinning silk than the tedious and complicated method employed by the worms.
The Count had noticed the preference silkworms have for the leaves of the mulberry and osage-orange trees, and, after experimenting with these plants for some time, he decided that if he could reduce them to pulp and treat them in certain ways, the result would be silk-fibre. But the result was not altogether satisfactory. He found that something was wanting to make his silk like that the silkworm produced.
He studied their work again, and found that they covered the fibre with a kind of gum, which gave it gloss and strength.
After years of patient study he discovered the materials of which this gum was composed, and then made another trial to see whether he had not learned the secret at last.
By the aid of machines he tore the plants bit from bit, until they were reduced to pulp, just as the insect reduced the leaves in the process of eating and swallowing.
He then added the gum, and with the aid of more machinery spun out the threads of fibre, imitating the methods of the insect as closely as possible.
This time the experiment proved a great success. His fibre silk was as strong, as glossy, and as brilliant as the silkworm silk, and had one advantage over it, that when woven into breadths it did not crease so readily.
New Car.—Here is a new form of street car which is interesting.
The closed cars and the open cars have heretofore been made on different patterns, and the companies have had to provide two kinds of cars, one for summer and one for winter. This new car is built with movable sides, which can be taken out with ease.
The car companies should welcome this invention, for, if it is as simple and practical as it seems, it will save them large sums of money.
G.H.R.