DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1312#0031
OF THE WORLD'S INDUSTRY. 17
compact, solid substance (sulphate of baryta) is formed, which remains in the wood,
thereby increasing its weight, and partly converting it into stone. Sir W. Burnett and
Co. exhibited specimens prepared by injecting chloride of zinc into the pores of the wood.
This substance renders the albumen perfectly insoluble, even in sea-water, does not
communicate any colour or odour to the wood, renders it less inflammable, whilst its use is
perfectly innocuous in a sanitary point of view.
Next comes the question as to the means to be employed to saturate the wood with any
of these preservatives. Simple steeping or immersion of the wood in the liquid may
be sufficient in some cases; but when a quantity of wood is to be operated upon quickly,
an apparatus must be employed, constructed on the principle of the air-pump. For this
purpose, the apparatus constructed by Messrs. James Burton and Sons, engineers, Holland-
street, Southwark, were admirably adapted. Drawings of these apparatus were exhibited
in Sir W. Burnett and Co/s case, in Class TV., No. 7. The first of these apparatus con-
sisted of a wrought-iron cylinder, of any required size, with mouthpiece and cover the
whole diameter of the cylinder, perfectly air-tight, and capable of sustaining a vacuum of
not less than 29 degrees, or 28 degrees at least, and also a pressure of 150 to 200 pounds
on the square inch. The cylinder was fitted with a tram-way, made to run the whole
length of the cylinder, so constructed as to receive the prepared wood on one line of
rails, and, being then moved transversely, to allow of another charge of timber, to be
prepared, being introduced into the cylinder. A considerable saving is thus effected,
both in time and labour. The apparatus is worked by a steam-engine, provided with
double-acting vacuum and pressure-pumps. The cylinder being charged with the timber
to be prepared, the cover is fitted on, and the air contained in the cylinder and in the pores
of the wood is withdrawn by the vacuum-pump, and the preservative solution injected
into the cylinder by means of the powerful pressure-pump. In this way the operation
is most efficiently performed, the solution thus penetrating large pieces of timber, and
completely saturating them with the preservative fluid. The second apparatus was pre-
cisely similar in its application, but was mounted on a wheel-carriage for the convenience
of transport from one place to another.
A clever French physician, Dr. Boucherie, of Bordeaux, suggested, and partly carried
out, the idea of making the living tree perform the work of its future preservation as
timber, by causing it to take up preservative solutions with the sap in its circulation through
the tree. This he effected by cutting a large hole in the lower part of the tree, surrounding
it with a body of clay filled with the preservative solution. By this means the fluid ascends
through the pores of the tree, impregnates it completely, and finally kills it, when it is
cut down and used. Dr. Boucherie has also injected wood with various coloured liquids,
whereby he obtains imitations of foreign woods, &c, which have been applied to cabinet-
making and inlaying. Specimens of woods coloured by Dr. Boucherie's process were to
be seen in the French department of the Exhibition. Perfume may also be communicated
to wood, and even to flowers in this way, thus enabling us "to paint the lily, and to
throw a perfume on the violet."
Agricultural Machines.—Messrs. Barrett, Exall, and Andrews, of Beading, exhibited
a large variety of agricultural implements, including ploughs, harrows, carts, mills, &c,
of the newest description, and combining the best work with the last modern improve-
ments. Among these, the four-horse thrashing-machine, for which a patent had been
obtained, was worthy of notice. The patent, so far as it had reference to the thrashing
part, consisted, among others, in the following improvements:—The introduction of a
wrought-iron concave or breasting, formed of separate bars, with serrated faces, working
through slots in the side of the machine, and brought nearer to, or carried further from,
the drum by means of two circles. These work round its centre with a continuous
compact, solid substance (sulphate of baryta) is formed, which remains in the wood,
thereby increasing its weight, and partly converting it into stone. Sir W. Burnett and
Co. exhibited specimens prepared by injecting chloride of zinc into the pores of the wood.
This substance renders the albumen perfectly insoluble, even in sea-water, does not
communicate any colour or odour to the wood, renders it less inflammable, whilst its use is
perfectly innocuous in a sanitary point of view.
Next comes the question as to the means to be employed to saturate the wood with any
of these preservatives. Simple steeping or immersion of the wood in the liquid may
be sufficient in some cases; but when a quantity of wood is to be operated upon quickly,
an apparatus must be employed, constructed on the principle of the air-pump. For this
purpose, the apparatus constructed by Messrs. James Burton and Sons, engineers, Holland-
street, Southwark, were admirably adapted. Drawings of these apparatus were exhibited
in Sir W. Burnett and Co/s case, in Class TV., No. 7. The first of these apparatus con-
sisted of a wrought-iron cylinder, of any required size, with mouthpiece and cover the
whole diameter of the cylinder, perfectly air-tight, and capable of sustaining a vacuum of
not less than 29 degrees, or 28 degrees at least, and also a pressure of 150 to 200 pounds
on the square inch. The cylinder was fitted with a tram-way, made to run the whole
length of the cylinder, so constructed as to receive the prepared wood on one line of
rails, and, being then moved transversely, to allow of another charge of timber, to be
prepared, being introduced into the cylinder. A considerable saving is thus effected,
both in time and labour. The apparatus is worked by a steam-engine, provided with
double-acting vacuum and pressure-pumps. The cylinder being charged with the timber
to be prepared, the cover is fitted on, and the air contained in the cylinder and in the pores
of the wood is withdrawn by the vacuum-pump, and the preservative solution injected
into the cylinder by means of the powerful pressure-pump. In this way the operation
is most efficiently performed, the solution thus penetrating large pieces of timber, and
completely saturating them with the preservative fluid. The second apparatus was pre-
cisely similar in its application, but was mounted on a wheel-carriage for the convenience
of transport from one place to another.
A clever French physician, Dr. Boucherie, of Bordeaux, suggested, and partly carried
out, the idea of making the living tree perform the work of its future preservation as
timber, by causing it to take up preservative solutions with the sap in its circulation through
the tree. This he effected by cutting a large hole in the lower part of the tree, surrounding
it with a body of clay filled with the preservative solution. By this means the fluid ascends
through the pores of the tree, impregnates it completely, and finally kills it, when it is
cut down and used. Dr. Boucherie has also injected wood with various coloured liquids,
whereby he obtains imitations of foreign woods, &c, which have been applied to cabinet-
making and inlaying. Specimens of woods coloured by Dr. Boucherie's process were to
be seen in the French department of the Exhibition. Perfume may also be communicated
to wood, and even to flowers in this way, thus enabling us "to paint the lily, and to
throw a perfume on the violet."
Agricultural Machines.—Messrs. Barrett, Exall, and Andrews, of Beading, exhibited
a large variety of agricultural implements, including ploughs, harrows, carts, mills, &c,
of the newest description, and combining the best work with the last modern improve-
ments. Among these, the four-horse thrashing-machine, for which a patent had been
obtained, was worthy of notice. The patent, so far as it had reference to the thrashing
part, consisted, among others, in the following improvements:—The introduction of a
wrought-iron concave or breasting, formed of separate bars, with serrated faces, working
through slots in the side of the machine, and brought nearer to, or carried further from,
the drum by means of two circles. These work round its centre with a continuous