Henry Haering, New York city.--This is an improved device for operating the slide valve of a steam engine from the piston rod of said engine, in such a way that the valve will be moved slightly to partially uncover the inlet and exhaust ports as the piston completes its stroke, and its motion will be continued in the same direction as the piston begins to move upon the return stroke, until the ports are fully opened, and will then stand still, with the ports fully open, until the piston has nearly completed its return stroke. It consists in the combination of a three-armed bar, two levers, connecting bar, and connecting lever, with the piston rod and the valve stem of a steam engine; and in the combination of a lockbar, spring, two cylinders, and pin, with the two levers and the three-armed bar. As the piston approaches the end of its stroke, the upper end of an upright arm of a bar strikes the concaved side of the upper part of one of the levers operating it, and moving the slide valve to close the ports and admit steam in front of the piston. As the piston begins its return stroke the inclined upper surface of one of the side arms of the three-armed bar comes in contact with the lower end of the said lever, and continues its motion in the same direction, fully opening the said inlet port, which remains fully open until the piston has again nearly completed its stroke.
George G. Lafayette and Pitt W. Strong, Brockville, Ontario, Canada.--This is an improved device to act as a substitute for the link motion on a reversible engine, or for adjusting the stroke of a boiler-feed pump, while in motion, so as to regulate the amount of feed water supplied to the boiler, without the use of an overflow pipe and cock, and keeping thereby the pump constantly in motion, which will save the annoyance frequently experienced in pumps by their refusing to prime after having been stopped for a short time. It may be further used to control the speed of all kinds of engines, whether with plain slide valve or with a cut-off valve working on top of the other by connecting directly to the device a suitable governor, so as to automatically shorten and lengthen the stroke of the valve, and give a uniform motion to the engine under different loads.