At R and R′ are two pulleys connected by gut. Thus if the hand moves round the head appears to follow its motions, and when raised by pulling S the head rises also by means of T. Further explanation seems almost unnecessary; l is a stop to prevent the elbow moving too far, and b b′ spiral springs to keep thumb open and head forward respectively. When N is raised M pulls T and S, the latter closing thumb, and then raising arm by pulley H. If the lever is allowed to drop p′ will catch and keep arm up. On again raising N the arm will descend.
FIG. 2. a.
FIG. 2. b.
Figs. 2a and 2b show another and simpler arrangement, in which only one train of clockwork is used. On the same axle as H is fixed a lever and weight, W, to balance the arm. A vertical rod, X, having a projection, Z, slides up and down in guides, Y Y, and carries the catgut S and T. The quadrant, B, has cogs cut, between which Z slides and stops the motion of A, which is moved, as before, by clockwork. The lower part of X is connected direct with O. When X is slightly raised, as shown, A is free to move, but on exhausting air and drawing X down Z enters the cogs and stops the hand over a card; continuing to exhaust the thumb closes and the card is lifted up. The details of the clockwork I leave to the ingenuity of your readers. There should be a fan on each train to regulate the speed. The figure should be so placed that your assistant can see the cards in the semicircular rack.—English Mechanic.
Magic Cabinets, Boxes, Etc.
Magic cabinets are much employed by magicians. The following is an example of one of the scenes that may occur with them:
When the curtain rises there is seen in the center of the stage a large dark colored cabinet, ornamented with mouldings, and mounted upon legs that are a little longer than those of ordinary cabinets, the object being to remove all possibility of a communication with the stage beneath. These legs are provided with casters. The showman turns this cabinet around and shows that there is nothing abnormal about it externally. He then asks some of the spectators to come up close to it, and lets them examine its interior, which is entirely empty. There is no double bottom, nor any hiding place. When the witnesses have made themselves certain of this fact they station themselves around the stage, and a certain number of them even consent to remain behind the cabinet and see nothing of the experiment. The cabinet being thus surrounded on all sides, and even one being able to look under it, fraud would seem to be an impossibility.
