from the end of the chisel-arm to said actuating shaft. This shaft derives. its motion from an eccentric on the driving shaft, which eccentric works against the end of the arm fixed on said shaft; a counteracting spring is also connected to said shaft, through the medium of the lever and cord, the combined operation of which spring with the eccentric and arm will be readily understood, while it will be as clearly seen how the turning of said shaft will vibrate the chisel-arm, and thereby alternately lift the chisel edge from and carry it down to the face of the blank to be cut. “The elongated slots above mentioned as being formed respectively in the shafts allow the chisel-arm to be moved, so that oblique teeth can be cut on the blank in a reverse direction. The rocker-shaft and chiselactuating-shaft have suitable bearings in the sides of the frame-work, and the former shaft is held in any position by the following contrivance: “The cord passes from an upright arm on said shaft to a spring at the rear of the machine: this arrangement of said cord, spring, and arm, has a tendency to pull or turn the rocker-shaft backwards; but this tendency is counteracted, where there is no other strain, by the ratchet-sector on the top of the arm attached to said shaft, the teeth of which ratchet engage with the spring-pall, secured at one end to the cross bar or rod. The arms are arranged at opposite ends of the rocker-shaft, and the teeth on the ratchet-sector are so formed and connected with the pall as to permit the shaft to turn forwards, or towards the front of the machine, when sufficient strain, by reason of the resistance which the chisel meets with against a tooth, when one larger than usual has been cut on the blank, is exerted on the upright frame-piece, through the medium of the chisel-arm, to overcome the resistance arising from the arrangement of the cord, spring, and arm, as above specified. Now, when, as I have herein before suggested, the chisel comes to a soft place in the blank, it will form, as stated, a wider groove and a larger tooth than where the blank is harder; and when the chisel is again raised and directed out in front of said tooth, as above explained, it will, in having its cutting edge pulled back by the lip, meet the tooth previously formed sooner than ordinarily ; and being kept down in contact with the blank by the long spring, the resistance which it meets with against the tooth draws the chisel-arm and upright frame piece forward, overcoming the resistance of the spring, and turns the rocker-shaft proportionately, and consequently moves the sector-ratchet so that the pall engages with another tooth of said ratchet, and thereby keeps the ratchet and rocker-shaft in the position thus assumed, and preserves the gain on the feed motion thus made, in a manner which will be readily understood. “Another mode in which l have contemplated the application of the principle of the above described mechanical arrangement for preserving the gain on the feed motion, is as follows: I arrange the metallic bed piece in the cavity or trough of the feeding block, so that it may slide along in the same; a retarding spring being placed in rear of said bed piece and feeding-block, which is a detail elevation of said parts; a frame-piece is fastened to the front of the bed-piece, and in a slot in this frame-piece a helix-shaped ratchet is arranged so as to turn; there is also a coiled spring on the side of said ratchet, and a pall attached to the front of the feeding block, which pall engages with the teeth of the ratchet. This helix-shaped ratchet is set with its tooth, which is at the smallest distance from its axis, in connexion with the pall, and when the chisel edge pulls -against a tooth on the blank, it will pull the bed piece and its frame-piece forward, and thereby disengage the ratchet from its pall, while at the same time the coiled spring will pull the ratchet round or down, until a tooth more remote from its axis engages with the pall, and thus the gain on the feed motion is preserved by a mechanical arrangement analogous to that before described. “There is another mode of effecting the result just above specified, the principle of operation being substantially the same as in those above described. In this case the chisel-arm is arranged so as to slide in a vibrating frame, which should be secured to the rocker-shaft by its ends; a retarding spring, operating like that above referred to, is placed at the rear end of the chisel arm, one end of said spring being connected to the frame, (it being understood that the swivel frame, with its appendages, is connected to and turns on the circular head piece of the chisel-arm.) A helix-shaped ratchet similar to that above described is arranged on the small shaft, which has suitable bearings in the frame. The ratchet turns in a slot in the chisel-arm, the front edge of which slot is chamfered off so as to operate as a pall and engage with the teeth of the ratchet. A coiled spring is arranged on the side of the ratchet, so as to draw and turn it down when said ratchet is free to move, so that when the chisel edge, coming in contact with a tooth on the blank, pulls the chisel-arm forward, the gain thus made on the feed motion is preserved by the helix-shaped ratchet.” Nothing further upon this subject has been patented within the year. Forges.—Five patents have been granted within the year for improvements in blacksmiths' forges, but none of them are of commanding importance. Two of them have for their principal object the prevention of clogging by cinders, and differ but little from others for similar purposes. One is for a bellows of novel construction. It consists of series of bellows arranged about a drum with which they communicate, and through which the air is discharged. The whole revolves about an axis, and each bellows is operated by an arm connected with an eccentric near the centre of the machine. The novelty of the bellows being admitted, its utility must be tested by experiment. Two of the other patents under this head are for improvements in tuyeres. It is well known that different kinds of work require forge fires of different sizes; and to adapt the blast alternately to large, medium, and small fires is the object of both patentees. The one effects his object by placing a hollow cylinder horizontally by the side of the fire, in which there is another cylinder worked by a crank. The inner -cylinder fits the outer one, except where portions are cut from the side of the inner cylinder, to allow the air to pass through an elongated opening in the outer cylinder to the fire. The portions are cut from the inner cylinder at such points, relatively, that by turning the cylinder in one position, air will be allowed to pass out the whole width of the opening; in another position, about one-third of the blast will be cut off; in another, two-thirds; and finally the whole blast will be cut off. The other patentee makes use of two nozzles, which he connects with the main pipe on opposite sides of the fire in such a manner that they can be adjusted and brought nearer to each other for a small fire, or withdrawn further to accommodate a large one. - Most of the applications which have been made for the last few years

for letters patent for improvements in this department of the arts have been rejected for want of novelty. It is proper to remark that the patent granted, two or three years since, . for improvements in steam hammers has been surrendered and reissued. It has been the subject of appropriate remarks in former reports, and need not here be described. Lead pipe.—But one patent has been granted for improvements in making lead pipe within the year, and that is a reissue. Although the patent is an important one, it does not require particular notice, as it has made part of a former report. - Spikes and nails.-Five patents have been granted this year for improvements in machinery for the manufacture of spikes and nails. One, is a reissue of an old and well known patent, which need not be described. Another is for improvements in machinery for feeding plates of iron to cutters for making cut nails. The machine carries the plate forward to. the cutters; and, after the separation of the nail, withdraws and turns over the plate; and again carries it forward to the cutters in this reversed position, in order that a head and point may alternately be cut at the same edge of the plate. The machine possesses but little novelty, the same object having been before attained by means differing but little from those resorted to by the patentee. A spike machine has been patented this year which evinces considerable ingenuity; but, upon a careful examination of it, I find it too complicated to be understood without drawings and references. It does not, however, possess such advantages over other machines in use for similar purposes as to render a description here particularly necessary. A nail machine for the manufacture of wrought nails has been patented, which is principally characterized by drawing out the shank of the nail by rollers working in arms extending from a revolving shaft. The nail is rolled out by being pressed between the rollers above named and a bed plate, resting upon a powerful spring. Several devices are united in the combination, which it is unnecessary to mention. The remaining patent under this head is for a horse-mail machine, whose peculiarities cannot well be set forth, and are not deemed of very great importance. Good nail and spike machinery has long been known and used, and some of the patents granted this year are for different machinery, rather than for that which is better than the old. Screw...—One patent has been granted this year for an improved pointed screw, and eight for improvements in machinery for the manufacture of screws. It is unnecessary here to describe the improved screw, as it will be understood by reference to the description hereinafter given of the machine by which its threads are cut. In manufacturing screws there are several operations very different from each other, and requiring machinery of corresponding diversity. The rod or wire is to be cut into proper length for the screw, and each blank headed ; the head is then to be dressed into its proper form; it is then to be nicked, which completes the head; and, finally, the thread is to be cut upon the shank, which completes the screw. These various operations require different lengths of time. The machine for cutting off and heading the blanks would supply blanks for several nicking or dressing machines, and one nicking machine would perform its duty for several thread cutting machines. Economy in machinery, therefore, requires that

* these operations should be performed by distinct machines, in order that the number of each kind in the factory may bear such proportion to the others as will keep them all constantly employed. The operations of cutting off and heading the blank should be performed by one machine, dressing or turning the head by another, nicking by a third, and cutting the thread by a fourth. Patents have been granted during the year for improvements in machinery for each of these operations. One patent has been granted for a machine for cutting off and heading the blank. This machine operates upon the same principle with rivet machines, and is capable of general application where similar operations are required. Heretofore, in machines of this character, each cutter has been combined with a separate header, the two operating alternately; the header, therefore, is in operation while the cutter is cutting and carrying the blank to it, and also while the cutter is going back for another cut. It is evident, therefore, that the header might perform double its usual duty. The inventor of the above-mentioned patented machine has so arranged the parts as to combine each header with two cutters, each operating upon a different rod or reel of wire, and each of which brings the blank it has cut to the header as the other cutter is withdrawn. Thus each cutter performs its usual duty without the loss of time, and the header performs double duty. It is evident that by this device each machine will produce nearly double the number of headed blanks that would be produced in the same time by the ordinary machine. There is some novelty in the mechanism by which the combination is effected, but is not of such importance as to require particular notice. - A patent has been granted for a machine for dressing, and another for nicking the heads of screws, which possess considerable novelty; but, as the principal novelty consists in the parts and combinations of parts which are found in a machine patented by the same inventor for cutting threads on screws, it is not necessary to describe them here. They will be described when the patent last mentioned is noticed. Five patents have been granted for improvements in cutting threads on . screws. One of them is a reissue of a very old patent, which is too well known to require notice in this report. One of the above-mentioned patents is for cutting the threads on screws and nuts. The cutters are placed at the opposite ends of a revolving shaft. In cutting the thread on the screw this shaft is made to advance, endwise, the distance to which the thread extends upon the shank. In order to disengage the screw from the cutter or die, the motion of the shaft must be reversed. The blank nuts are placed in a self-acting feeder, near the opposite end of the shaft, which feeds one at each advance of the shaft into a position to be reached by the tap on the end, which is intended to cut the thread in the nut at the return of the shaft. As the shaft returns to disengage the screw, the tap at the opposite end enters the nut and guts the thread in it. When another screw-blank is placed at the screw end, the shaft advances to cut the thread on it, the tap drawing the nut after it till it comes over an opening; and as the shaft advances, the tap is screwed out of the nut, which falls into a proper receptacle. Thus the time which would be lost in withdrawing the finished screw is devoted to cutting the screw in the nut; and the one is sure to fit the other, and the feeding and clearing the nut are effected in a simple and convenient manner. In another of the patented machines for cutting screws, the rod upon

for letters patent for improvements in this department of the arts have been rejected for want of novelty.

It is proper to remark that the patent granted, two or three years since, .

for improvements in steam hammers has been surrendered and reissued.

It has been the subject of appropriate remarks in former reports, and need

not here be described. Lead pipe.—But one patent has been granted for improvements in making lead pipe within the year, and that is a reissue. Although the Patent is an important one, it does not require particular notice, as it has made part of a former report. - * Spikes and nails.-Five patents have been granted this year for im

provements in machinery for the manufacture of spikes and nails. One

is a reissue of an old and well known patent, which need not be described. Another is for improvements in machinery for feeding plates of iron to cutters for making cut nails. The machine carries the plate forward to the cutters; and, after the separation of the nail, withdraws and turns over the plate; and again carries it forward to the cutters in this reversed position, in order that a head and point may alternately be cut at the same edge of the plate. The machine possesses but little novelty, the same object having been before attained by means differing but little from those resorted to by the patentee. A spike machine has been patented this year which evinces considerable ingenuity; but, upon a careful examination of it, I find it too complicated to be understood without drawings and references. It does not, however, possess such advantages over other machines in use for similar purposes as to render a description here particularly necessary. A mail machine for the manufacture of wrought nails has been patented, which is principally characterized by drawing out the shank of the nail by rollers working in arms extending from a revolving shaft. The nail is rolled out by being pressed between the rollers above named and a bed plate, resting upon a powerful spring. Several devices are united in the combination, which it is unnecessary to mention. The remaining patent under this head is for a horse-nail machine, whose peculiarities cannot well be set forth, and are not deemed of very great importance. Good nail and spike machinery has long been known and used, and some of the patents granted this year are for different machinery, rather than for that which is better than the old. Screw...—One patent has been granted this year for an improved pointed screw, and eight for improvements in machinery for the manufacture of screws. It is unnecessary here to describe the improved screw, as it will be understood by reference to the description hereinafter given of the machine by which its threads are cut. In manufacturing screws there are several operations very different from each other, and requiring machinery of corresponding diversity. The

rod or wire is to be cut into proper length for the screw, and each blank.

headed; the head is then to be dressed into its proper form; it is then to be nicked, which completes the head; and, finally, the thread is to be cut upon the shank, which completes the screw. These various opera

tions require different lengths of time. The machine for cutting off and

heading the blanks would supply blanks for several nicking or dressing machines, and one nicking machine would perform its duty for several thread cutting machines. Economy in machinery, therefore, requires that