The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (August 1892)

94 The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. all solderings in the vicinity of the lime must be hard.) A small brass tap, which can be purchased for sixpence, must be fixed at end of oxygen tube. The end of spirit tube may now be plugged or soldered up, and a hole made about 4 in. from end, to come under the hole in the air chamber. They can then be tied together with iron binding wire and securcly soldered. The nipple of oxygen jet will greatly depend upon the skill of the worker, and may assume almost any shape, so long as the aperture is not too large—size of a moderate pin will do. The stream of gas is, of course, blown direct through the body of flame. The wick-holder requires a little attention. Lay together three small pieces of tube, and let them through a piece of flat brass triangle-wise, and fit this into the end of spirit tube, but not too tightly, as it has frequently to be removed. The job is ‘complete with the exception of regulating the piston rod, and, as this is most important, it should be adjusted to a nicety. The rod may be left as uear as possible 1s in. longer than would be necessary to touch the bottom of air chamber. ‘The lamp being now finished may be charged and set burning, and if there are any defects about its construction they will in a very short time make themselves apparent. It will, of course, require a little care and judgement, but, as already remarked, if at the outset the thcory has been thoroughly grasped, the practice will show at a glance if anything be wrong. I painted my jet black with Aspinal’s, but tastes differ, so I leave that to the judgment of those who may make one. A word of caution—should it be found necessary to do any soldering to spirit chamber after it has been once charged with spirit, be sure and see that it is quite dry before applying heat, turn it upside down that any vapour nay escape through the open valve; otherwise, should heat be applied to a closed vessel containing but a few drops of spirit, an adjective might soar heavenward, that is, if it gets the chance. —:0:—— Ether Saturators Fourteen Years ago. By ConTInenTAL Supscriper, J. M. K. In the correspondence column of the June Optical Lantern Journal Mr. Scott gives— under the heading ‘‘ Saturators, Patent Rights and Benzoline’’ —some cxtracts from the Patent specification of his Saturator, holding out that the “new” Saturator of Mr. W, Lawson is but a modification of lis. Permit me to draw attention to a description of a Saturator, constructed on the principles of Herr von Kalkow, which appeared in the Photographic News some time ago. Now in this Saturator, both porous stufling as well as heat are put to use, and it dates back as far as 1878, and compared with Scott’s the latter looks just as much a modification of von Kalkow’s as Lawson’s does of Scott’s. Here the question arises upon what are based the Patent Rights. As the article altogether may interest the readers of the Optical Lantern Journal I append copy of same. Tt is about ten years ago that I began with lantern projections, which soon became my hobby, and have been ever since. I began with a “wonder” camera, which soon was followed by a pair of home-made, clumsy, wooden lanterns, but with good optical parts. If I remember well, it was in 1884 that I exchanged these wiants for two sciopticons, with Newton’s three-wick refuleent lamps. In 1886 I adopted the limelight. Luckily circumstances brought me into possession of a Polariscope (after the design of Prof. Paalzow, of Berlin), and from that moment the ordinary blow-through jet did not do any longer. I was in scarch of more light. My gas jets were interchangeable ones, I must point out that the oxygen outlet was not round, but flat, sonewhat like a slit of four millimetres in length and half mm. in width. These jets give a powerful light. Now the mixed jets’ turn began, after I had convinced myself that there was no doing with the blow-through. Two bags were uscd, and everything went on smoothly: but I disliked the trouble of having to do with two bags. I remember having read of soine gasoline light, and a Herr Fr. Jul. von Kalkow was mentioned as the inventor. I hadsuch an apparatus made for me, and give you here a drawing of it, which will better explain than describing it at full length. The whole is made out of zinc (see fig. 1). A and B are cylindrical vessels, one within the other, but with a space between each. A is occupied by stuffing of wool; B contains hot water filled in from F, and, after use, let out by N. The inner cylinder, C, is stuffed with curled horse-hair, and, by unscrewing E, Fig 1. Gasoline Tank for Limelight