think the difficulty would not be quite removed, for I think there are many new inventions that almost none of our scientific men are capable of forming a correct judgment upon, otherwise than as it is communicated to them in a great degree by the patentee. It is difficult in my opinion to get a board so constituted, as that they would be able to discharge all the duties devolving upon them. The difficulty is, that you would not find men capable of discriminating minutely upon every branch of art or science that should be brought before them. Supposing the Attorney General or the Secretary of State had the power of selecting individuals pro re nata, might not a commission of that sort be useful?--I am hardly competent to answer that question; I must honestly confess that my opinion is against the adoption of such a board. Independently of which, the public who are to be concluded by it, would not be adequately represented there, for you do not always arrive at the whole truth without opposition, if I may so express myself, now there would not be that opposition. Does it occur to you, that even very experienced men might overlook some part of a minute operation?—I think so, and that is one difficulty which I have. Do you ever observe in specifications that things are put into the specification for the purpose of concealment, which are not necessary for the due performance of the operation ?-I have no doubt that there is a great deal put into many specifications to mistify them, to obscure the transaction as much as possible; and I could furnish an instance in which it has made my head ache, to endeavour to make out the sense that we supposed was to be communicated by it, there was such a multiplication of terms, and ringing the changes upon words, which perplexed and bewildered me beyond measure, Are there not sometimes parts of machinery inserted as necessary, which are not necessary; and are not parts of a chemical operation stated as necessary, which are not so ?—That a great deal of matter is introduced into specifications, that is unnecessary is quite clear; and it is done frequently with a view to mistify it, to enable the patentee to keep his invention from the public; but I must add, that in many instances, that which is new cannot be adequately described, unless you also describe something that is to be used with it; in that case the man ought to describe what he has inserted for the purpose of elucidation. Are there not things occasionally put in that are known to be useless, for the purpose of mistification?—I have no doubt of it. New Patents Sealed in 1830. To William Hale, of Colchester, in the county of Essex, machinest, for his having invented a machine, or method of raising or forcing water for propelling vessels. Sealed 12th. Jan.-6 months. To James Carpenter, of Willenhall, in the parish of Wolverhampton, in the county of Stafford, and John Young, of Wolverhampton aforesaid, locksmiths, for their having invented certain improvements on locks and other securities, applicable to doors and other purposes. 18th Jan.-6 months. To William Parr, of Union Place, City Road, in the county of Middlesex, gentleman, for his having invented or found out a new method of producing a reciprocating action, by means of rotatory motion; to be applied to the working of all kinds of pumps, mangles, and all other machinery in, or to which reciprocating action is required, or may be applied. 18th Jan.-4 months. To Edward Dakeyne and James Dakeyne, both of Darley Dale, in the county of Derby, merchants, for their having invented a machine or hydraulic engine, for applying the power or pressure of water, steam, and other elastic fluids, to the purpose of working machinery and other uses, requiring power; and applicable to that of raising or forcing of fluids. 21st Jan.-6 months. To John Yates, of Hyde, in the county of Chester, calico-printer, for his having invented a method or process of giving a metallic surface to cotton, silk, linen, and other fabrics. 26th Jan.-6 months. N.B. An error has occurred in numbering the pages following 288 to 232; but the subject proceeds without interruption. THE London JOURNAL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. No. XXIV. [SECOND SERIES.] Recent Patents. TO GEORGE SCHOLEFILD, of the Parish of Leeds, in the county of York, Mechanic, for his Invention of certain Improvements in, or additions to Looms, for the purpose of weaving woollen, linen, cotton, silk, and other Cloths.-[Sealed 13th March, 1828.] THE improvement suggested under this Patent are certain mechanical contrivances, which connect all the operating parts of a loom together, and cause them to act simultaneously whenever motion is given to the loom, either by swinging the batten by hand, as is the ordinary mode of weaving, or by turning a main actuating shaft. The advantages of these contrivances are that any person, even without previous experience or knowledge of the art, can weave woollen cloths with facility, and that the movements of the different parts of the machine being VOL. IV.-SECOND SERIES. S |