The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (March 1890)

The Optical Magio Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. 79 Applications for Patents. No. 20,850.—Dec. 27, 1889, W. W. Horn, ‘‘ Coupling for gas and other pipes.”’ No. 26.—Jan. 1, 1890, R. W. Thomas and L. Inger, “Focusing Appliance.” No. §2.—Jan. 2, L. G. Strangman, ‘‘ Camera stand.” No. 82.—Jan. 2, R. Slingsby, * Carriers for flash lamps.” No. 151.—Jan. 4, J. B. Brooks, “ Developing Appliance.” No. 166.—Jan. 4, Alex. J. Jones, “ Holding bellows of camera rigid without baseboard.” No, 173.—Jan. 4, Frederick Kitto, “ Apparatus for holding and exhibiting photographs.” No. 292.—Jan. 7, George Edward King, ments in illuminating pictures, prints, &c.” No. 317.—Jan. 8, Thomas Newton Armstrong, “ Improved arrangements for photographing by artificial light.” No. 384.—Jan. 9, August Fuhrmann, “ Improvements in revolving stereoscopic panoramas.” No. 547.—Jan. 10, John J. E. Mayall, ‘‘ Improved manner of colouring photographic impressions with oil colours.” No. 602.—Jan. 13, Edwin Justice, ‘Improvements in stretchers and frames for pictures, &c.” No. 611.—Jan. £3, William Charles Hughes, “ Improvements in magic lanterns and apparatus.” No. 763.—Jan. 15, William Friese Greene. ‘‘ An improved method and means of obtaining photographic representations,”’ : _ No. 765.~Jan. 15, Newham Browne, “ Improvements in plate changing apparatus cameras.” No. ‘1g01.—Jan. 28, Wortley William Baggally, ‘An improved optical illusion.” No. 1503.—Jan. 28, Henry Joseph Redding, ‘“‘ Improvements in shutters for photographic apparatus.” No. 1600.—Jan. 30, Edgar Theodore Perkin, Frederic Louis Perkin and Arthur Rayment, “ Improvements in magic lanterns.” No, 1857.—Feb. 4, James Vincent Elsden, “ A combined lamp shade and transparency exhibitor.” No. 1938.—Feb. 5, Frederick Kitto, “Improvements in apparatus for holding and exhibiting photographs and other like views.” No. 1998.—Feb. 6, George William Secretan, “ Magic photographs.”’ No. 2124.—Feb. 10, Albert Edward Lewis, ‘ Improvements in magic lanterns.” No. 2211.—George Mackmurdie, ‘‘ An optical toy.” Specifications Published. No. 494.—C. Winter, ‘‘ Detective Camera.” Applied for Jan. 10, 1889. Price 1s. 1d. : No. 1,365.—W. J. Lancaster, “ Photographic Lamp.” Applied for Jan. 25, 1889. Price &d. No. 2,727.—R. J. H. Rastrick, “ Magnesium Lamp.” Applied for Feb. 16, 1889. Price 8d. No. 1,439.—J. Turner, “ Photographic Camera.” Applied for Jan. 26, 1889. Price 6d. No. 1,543.—W. J. Lancaster, Applied for Jan. 29, 1887. Price 11d. No. 12,860.—A. Wrench, “ Magic Lanterns.” Applied for August 14,1889. Price 8d. 102 Correspondence. “ Improve “Camera Shutters.”’ OXYGEN CYLINDER EXPLOSION. [To the Editor.) S1R,—A good deal of unnecessary alarm has been caused by the lamentable accident which occurred rather more than a week ago at Glasgow, through the bursting of a cylinder. There is no occasion either for alarm or surprise when the facts of the case are known. If we hear of a man who deliberately throws a lighted match into a barrel of gunpowder, we are neither alarmed or surprised at the results. This is exactly what has occurred at Glasgow. The unfortu-nate man who lost his life charged hydrogen into a black cylinder (in direct contravention of the company’s rules), and afterwards forgetting that he had done so, put oxygen into the same vessel; the result was an explosion, which took place at the first slight concussion which the cylinder received. A piece of the cylinder, which was picked up four yards from: where the accident occurred, was quite hot, showing conclusively that ignition had taken place, and there could have been: no spontaneous ignition if the two gases had not been present. Every precaution is taken by the companies to prevent the possibility of O. and H. getting mixed. Under no circumstances will they fill hydrogen or coal gas into a black cylinder or oxygen into a red one: neither will they put the one gas into a cylinder which they even suspect has ever contained the other. With a view, however, of making it absolutely impossible for two gases to be put into the same cylinder, it has been decided by this company, and also by the Scotch and Irish Oxygen Company, and the Manchester Oxygen Company,. to fit all hydrogen cylinders with a left-hand thread, so that they cannot be filled at the oxygen pump ; and in the same way it will be impossible to fill oxygen cylinders at the hydrogen pump. All consumers are earnestly requested to send their hydrogen cylinders either to the companies or to the agents through whom they obtain their supplies of gas, to have the alteration made, and the smallest possible charge will be made for taking off the present valves and fitting new ones. After a certain limit of time, of which notice will be: given, no hydrogen or coal gas cylinders not provided with the new thread will be filled. ; : In some quarters the fear has been expressed that the ‘ accident at Glasgow occurred through over pressure. Any such apprehension may be immediately dismissed from the mind; explosion from such a cause is impossible. The cylinders are tested to double the pressure at which they are filled, and it is impossible to exceed the standard filling pressure of one hundred and twenty atmospheres. They are also re-tested periodically. Lor years past the Government have been using high pressure cylinders for ballooning purposes, similar to those in use at present. They had them in the: Egyptian and Boer campaigns, and they have frequently been rolled from the top of a hill to the bottom, bounding. from point to point, and in no single instance has an accident occurred ora cylinder burst. In conclusion I would remind you of the fact that since: oxygen and hydrogen have been supplied in high pressure cylinders—now some three or four years—only two accidents have occurred, and these at the works ; whereas, when bagswere in vogue, accidents, in many cases fatal, frequently took place. Only last week, in America, a lecturer on chemistry and ten or twelve of his pupils were seriously injured by the bursting of a retort in which oxygen was being made by the old-fashioned chlorate of potash process.—Y ours, &c., T. HESTER, Secretary to Brin’s Oxygen Company, Limited. Westminster, S.W. LANTERN ASSOCIATION, CLUB, OR SOCIETY. { Lo the Editor.) S1r,—I understand that a meeting was lately held to form. the above, and J feel assured that if the subscription can be arranged at five shillings a year, instead of the £1 or £2 suggested, a large membership may be expected. ‘Two hundred members at five shillings are much more conducive to the well-being of a society than fifty at £1.— Yours, &e., FIVE SHILLINGS. [A popular price is certainly desirable. —Ep. ]